Heartbeat by Tara Ellis

wasn’t a smoker and would never date one. Kesha led the way to the VIP section of the club as if she was the one invited to the birthday celebration. The way she walked through the crowded club was like she owned the place and was looking for someone to kick out.
    Lake and I followed her up the stairs where a bald headed white bouncer checked our wristbands before letting us behind the VIP purple velvet rope. As soon as I stepped my right foot into the VIP section, my eyes locked on Amir. I felt something inside of my heart jump at the eye contact.
    Lake leaned in close to my ear and said, “Go ahead and point him out.”
    I didn’t have to, because Amir walked straight up to us and introduced himself. When he looked at me everything inside of my body felt as if it were scorching. I couldn’t have paid for the relief I felt when he finally pulled his eyes away from me and looked at Kesha and Lake. “Hello ladies, I’m Amir. Thanks for coming through.”
    I’d known Kesha and Lake way too long not to be able to read them and when Lake took his hand to shake it, I could tell she approved. Who wouldn’t approve of Amir? He was perfection.
    “I’m Lake. Thanks for inviting us.” She smiled at him and the smile lingered long after he’d shook and dropped her hand.
    Kesha gawked at me and then returned her attention to Amir. “I’m Kesha,” she shook his hand and then looked back at me. She gave me a look and I couldn’t help but laugh.
    When he turned his attention back to me, my breath got caught in my throat. He stood in front of me with his face only a few inches from mine. Everyone and everything around me disappeared and I could only see him. He stood over me, looking down at me. The scent of his cologne was so intoxicating, I felt as though I’d had several drinks already. I grabbed his chain and twiddled it around my fingers, trying to pretend as though I was intrigued by it. I looked back up at him and felt myself go lightheaded. Although he didn’t say a word to me, his eyes were saying everything to me.
    “Ya’ll popping bottles up in here or what?” Lake said breaking my trance.
    “Oh, yeah. They doing it big tonight. Let me introduce ya’ll to the birthday boy,” Amir said. When he walked in the direction of a dark skinned guy sitting at a round table, he grabbed my hand. It felt awkward holding his hand but at the same time I liked it.
    “Marcus, this is the girl I was telling you about,” he looked back at me with a smile in his eyes, “This is Charlie.”
    The girl he was telling him about? Marcus stood and he had a friendly smile that nearly took up his entire face. Marcus was a tall, heavyset, guy with almond shaped dark eyes under a set of extra thick eyebrows. He took both of my hands in one of his chunky hands and gave them a quick squeeze. There was something warm about this guy’s eyes. Something that let me know he was a good guy. I wondered if his boy was a good guy as well.
    “Happy birthday,” I yelled over the loud club music.
    “Thank you and it’s nice to meet you, Charlie.” He winked in Amir’s direction and said, “My boy here is gonna take good care of you.”
    I wanted to ask what he meant by that but Amir was already introducing him to Kesha and Lake and by the way Marcus’ eyes were salivating at them, he was no longer interested in anything I had to say.
    A waitress wearing tiny black shorts over black fishnet stockings walked over to Marcus and took his drink order while another waitress wearing an identical outfit came in holding a tray of various bottles and multi colored sparklers. They were indeed doing it big for Marcus’ birthday.
    Amir leaned in so close to me his lips grazed the lobe of my ear and asked, “What do you want to drink?”
    “Lemon drop martini,” I said, trying to recover from the chills his simple touch had generated throughout my body.
    Amir motioned for one of the waitresses.
    Kesha took this opportunity to whisper in my ear,