Strangers
By
Heather Lin
© copyright by Heather Lin, June 2011
Cover Art by Alex DeShanks, June 2011
New Concepts Publishing
Lake Park, GA 31636
www.newconceptspublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author's imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.
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Chapter One
Elise wiped down the worn, stained bar at Manny's with a damp rag. She'd left her curly hair down, and the dark strands spilled around her shoulders. Her best push-up bra was tight beneath her v-neck tee, and the lace fringe showed above the seam, brushing against the swell of her breasts. Her skinny jeans and stiletto boots made sure all eyes were on her when she took the boys their drinks. She had a car payment due at the end of the week, and she needed all the tips she could get. But she had to admit that wasn't the only reason she'd put effort into her appearance.
Manny's was an okay place. It hosted a lot of older men trying to get away from their wives and a few wives who could drink as well as their husbands. Some kids closer to Elise's age dropped in every now and again, but for the most part it was just a low-key, bare bones bar that Manny had opened more for love than profit.
One of the regulars, a gray-haired man came over and gave her a friendly smile.
"How are you holdin' up, El?"
"Just fine, Manny. Do you need anything?"
"Just a beer, thank you kindly."
Elise smiled and popped the top off a glass bottle before sliding it over to him. One of the usuals, who had clearly had a little more than he could handle, practically flung himself down at the bar beside Manny and gave Elise a toothy grin.
"You look real nice tonight, Elise. Give me a jack and coke and keep the change."
"Thanks, Tommy."
She suppressed a laugh at the older man's behavior and squirted the soda in to mix with the ice and liquor before taking the ten dollar bill off the counter.
"You know you get more tips than Alex ever did," Manny told her, referring to her predecessor.
"I should hope so. He didn't have these." She gestured to her chest, and he laughed.
"I'm gonna go now in case my wifey decides to come and check up on me. Can't have you getting' me in trouble."
He winked, and Elise laughed as he moved away to socialize with customers. One of the guys raised two fingers. She poured two beers and walked them over to where a few men and one woman were playing pool.
"Do you need another water, Amanda?" she called.
"Not yet. Maybe something stronger, actually. They're kicking my ass and I'm not even drinking."
"Well, you're just gonna have to deal with it. I know you're the designated driver." Elise wagged a finger playfully at the redhead.
She turned back around to head to the bar and felt a familiar gaze searing her skin. There he was. Johnny had come back from his cigarette break. She felt suddenly self-conscious and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other until she made it back to the bar. She pretended to arrange the glass bottles beneath the counter but her brown eyes were soon drawn to his blue ones. He was the bouncer, and Elise had kept him busy in more ways than one. She was pinched and grabbed and fed lines at least five times a night. And it had only taken a few nights of him coming to her rescue before she decided to thank him properly.
Johnny took a moment to survey the room, to make sure everything was in order, and then he came over to the bar. She handed him a coke and he took a sip. Elise's eyes followed the muscles of his arm as he raised the glass, then trailed to his stubbled jaw line and wavy brown hair. She couldn't wait to run her hands through the thick locks again.
"Anybody been giving you trouble?" he asked casually, pulling her from her reverie.
"Not yet."
He glanced at her with the same level of appreciation she'd shown him. Her cheeks flushed, and she turned back to take a rag to some of the glasses to distract herself. But Johnny leaned across the bar and placed his lips dangerously close to her ear. His tobacco-scented breath tickled her skin, and Elise couldn't suppress the shiver that traveled down her spine. Already, the familiar urgency was flowing through her veins, red hot, settling between her legs.
"Are you closing tonight?"
She nodded, and a smile touched his lips. A customer came up for a screwdriver, and she moved to serve him. Distance was the only thing that eased the electric tension crackling between them. But Elise was still aware of his cerulean eyes following her movements, even as he went to stand in his usual position by the front door. She glanced back to where Johnny had been just a moment before. He got his drinks for free, but there was a five dollar bill on the counter. She tossed it in her tip jar and went back to work. Her eyes flitted to his every few minutes. She couldn't help it.
After a month of sleeping together, she should have known more about him than she did. But Johnny remained a mystery. She didn't know where he lived, where he was from, if he had any family, whether he liked dogs or cats or parakeets, or what he'd done before this gig. He was sexy, good at his job, and good in bed. That was all she knew and all she'd probably ever know. But, so far, it was worth it.
"Hey," a slurred voice reached her ears.
"Hey, Des." She smiled at the middle-aged man. "What can I do for you?"
"I've been tryin' to get your attention for shots."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Elise pulled out two glasses and pulled out a bottle of tequila. "Is this what you're after?"
"You know it." He smiled and threw one back. "Pay attention next time."
Elise's customer service smile faltered as her pride begged to give the misogynistic man a piece of her mind. But she put it back in place. He was drunk.
"Sorry, Des."
"Oh, you know you can always make it up to me." He winked and reached out an unstable hand to touch her breast.
Elise dodged the attempt easily, and Johnny was there in an instant to prevent any further contact. He put a hand on the man's bony shoulder.
"Time to pay your tab."
"You ain't gonna tell me what to do. This here's a free country."
"And in this free country you go to jail for harassing women. Pay your tab and go."
The man grudgingly pulled two twenties from his wallet and put them on the bar. But before Johnny could escort him out, Des grabbed the second shot and tossed the clear, pungent liquid on the bouncer. Elise stared at Johnny, money still in hand. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were flashing, but he just grabbed the other man by his shirt and half dragged him to the door. Then he turned to a sheet of paper on the wall by the specials menu and added Des' name to the list of people who had earned a one month ban from the establishment. Manny saw the exchange and made his way over.
"You okay, El?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she answered, cleaning up the mess that the drunk man had made.
"I'm sorry, girly." The older man shook his head. "There's too many men who can't hold their liquor."
Johnny came over, and Manny rummaged around behind the bar for a spare t-shirt. Elise allowed herself a moment to ogle the way the wet cloth clung to Johnny's muscled chest before he spoke to her, forcing her gaze upward.
"Did he get you?"
His eyes were still sparking with irritation. She liked to think it was jealousy.
"No. Thanks for that."
He took the shirt from Manny and went into the store room to change.
"I think I'm gonna get out of here," Manny said, checking his watch. "You be careful the rest of the night. And call me if Johnny needs back up."
"I will. And don't you worry. Enjoy you
r night. Johnny and I can hold down the fort."
She smiled at him, and he patted her hand before going to say his goodbyes to the regulars. Johnny reappeared as the door swung shut. He smelled like cigarette smoke again.
"You know that's bad for you."
"You tell me that every night."
She shrugged. Elise didn't really have anything to say to him. She just wanted an excuse to keep him near for a few more sweet moments. He smiled with perfect white teeth and leaned across the bar. She handed him another soda. She had no doubt he could see right through her, and he humored her desire long enough to down the drink before doing a walk-around. Elise glanced at the clock.
Just three more hours and he was hers.
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Chapter Two
The minute hand finally reached nine. It was 1:45 am, and Elise could do the last call. Most of the customers were already gone, but five guys were trying to finish a game of pool before she and Johnny kicked them out. Two of them came up for one last beer, and she began reorganizing and cleaning everything for the next night. At 2:00, Johnny turned the lights up, Elise closed out the last tabs, and the room was cleared. He took care of picking up the pool cues and empty glasses. She went out on the floor to wipe down tables.
When she was on the last one, she heard Johnny's familiar footsteps behind her. Her movements slowed, and her heart skipped a beat. It only took a moment for his large hand to move her hair aside and for his lips to land on her neck. She squeezed the towel tightly in her hand, rebelling against the sudden weakening of her knees. His hands slid down the length of her waist, landed on her hips, and reached under her shirt to splay across her abdomen. He nipped her earlobe, and she gasped. His hips were pressed against her buttocks, and she could feel him grow hard through the two layers of denim.
Johnny unzipped her jeans and slipped a finger into the front of her lacy panties. She knew he'd find her moist and wanting. He dipped a finger inside of her, and she bucked, holding onto the edge of the table for support. His other hand made its way up her torso to cup her breast through the push up bra. The air around them was on fire. Elise felt a wave of dizzy bliss wash over her, and she reached behind her, wanting to make him feel as good as she did. Johnny groaned against her neck as her hand grasped the hard shaft through his jeans. He turned her around and pressed his mouth hungrily against hers. She needed this. She always did.
Without parting, he guided her to the bar and lifted her onto the counter. She gripped his biceps, just to feel the hard muscles beneath her over-sensitized fingertips. She plunged her tongue into his warm, welcoming mouth, and he met her movements with passionate ones of his own. Then she was on her back, he was tugging her pants down her legs, and she was pulling his shirt up over his head. He pushed hers above her breasts and unclasped the front of her bra, giving himself just the access he needed. He took one pert nipple in his mouth, and Elise's body reacted immediately to the wet warmth. Her back arched up off the counter, and she grasped his soft hair in her hands, holding him where he was for as long as possible, reveling in pure sensation.
At some point, he removed his pants and boxer briefs and found a condom. She took it from his steady hands and ripped open the foil wrapper with trembling ones of her own. This was her favorite part. This was the moment when she got to watch the ever-stoic bouncer begin to crumble. Elise touched his chest and trailed her fingertips down along the ridges of his muscles until she reached the line of hair that led to his hard, thick cock. She stretched the condom over the tip and watched his face as she sheathed him. His eyes closed, his muscles tensed, and his breath left his smooth lips in a trembling rush. Elise reached up to touch them, and his eyes opened once again, smoldering and locking on hers.
"Thanks for earlier," she murmured.
He grinned and brought his lips down hard on hers. At the same time, he nudged her knees apart and eased himself inside of her. She moaned eagerly into his mouth. Her hips lifted automatically to meet his, to encase him completely. Johnny hit the sweet spot inside of her effortlessly, stroking her, pleasuring her. She met his hips thrust for thrust, and by the heavy breathing and rough noises that escaped her partner's lips, she knew he was enjoying himself as much as she was. He buried his face in her curly hair, and she dug her fingernails into his back.
His steady, skillful rhythm was bringing Elise close to the edge. She didn't want it to be over yet, but there was no way she could hold herself back for long. She never could. And Johnny always left her craving more.
"Elise," he groaned.
"Johnny," she answered breathlessly.
He picked up speed, pumping in and out of her quickly, their mingled body heat warming the normally cool counter. And then she felt the familiar, fleeting weightlessness an instant before the building pleasure exploded within her.
She shook and moaned against him, and Johnny took that as his cue to let go. His movements became more frantic, more eager. Then he gave one last powerful thrust, shuddered, and relaxed.
They took a moment to breathe before he peeled off the condom and Elise forced her worn muscles to move. She pulled on her jeans and zipped up her boots, then clipped her bra and put her shirt back into place. He tugged on his clothes and ran a hand carelessly through his hair, then tossed the used condom in the trash. Elise windexed the counter, locked the store room, and they went out the back together. Johnny set the alarm and threw the trash in the dumpster. It was a routine they'd fallen into in the last month.
He didn't hold her hand. It was something she wanted, but she respected his decision not to. Although she knew that she was more to him than a fuck buddy, she also knew that there was something standing in the way of them, and she appreciated the fact that he wasn't willing to lead her on. Hell, for all she knew, he could be married, and she was better off just staying in her blissful little bubble of perfect ignorance.
He walked her to her car, and she leaned back up against it, anticipating the goodbye kiss that made her heart flutter. He captured her lips sweetly in his. Sweet turned into sensual, and sensual turned into passionate. She felt him force himself to break the union, and he rested his forehead briefly against hers.
"Good night," he murmured.
"Goodnight, Johnny."
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Chapter Three
The next night was an early one for Elise. She and Johnny wouldn't have the chance to be alone together. But they did in her head, and she knew they did in his. Every time she glanced up to see that familiar form leaning against the wall by the front door, his blue eyes were locked on hers. He smoked more than normal, and she drank more water than usual. She wasn't sure if Manny noticed the tension, but he was too discreet to mention it if he did.
"Could I get a fuzzy navel?"
Elise turned and smiled at the only other female in the bar.
"Coming right up."
She poured the drink and handed it to the girl. While she was putting things away, the familiar smell of Johnny's cigarette brand reached her nostrils. She looked up, memories of the previous night fresh in her mind, making her skin tingle.
"Hey," she greeted.
"You look good tonight."
"Just tonight?"
He shook his head at her fake pout.
"Just take it."
"Thanks."
"I heard Manny say he was closing tonight."
His wavy hair was in his eyes. Elise almost moved to brush it out of the way, but she had to remember where she was.
"He is. I get off at eleven tonight."
"Looks like I won't be getting off at all."
His voice was husky, and her heartbeat quickened. The muscle pumped blood through her veins at an alarmingly erratic rate. Elise was sure she'd go into cardiac arrest at least once by the time he was done with her. The thought of her ever having to give him up made her chest clench painfully, but she ignored the sensation, ignored how into him she really was, and squirted coke into a glass for him in an effort to distract herself.
"Do you see anyone else when you have an early night?" he asked.
He looked at her intently. Elise was taken aback. He'd never shown interest in her personal life before. But she realized he knew as little about her as she did about him. Then again, why should she divulge information when he wasn't willing to do the same?
"Do you?" she countered.
Johnny's eyes stayed on hers as he took another sip.
"I asked you first."
"Don't play games."
She'd meant to sound teasing, coy, but she realized she was serious. And she'd sounded serious. Her face turned red, but she tried to play it off with a smile. He wasn't buying it. His expression remained sober.
"I'm not trying to play games," he said.
Elise glanced up at the customers. She was ready for an escape from the awkward conversation, but no one seemed to need her. Manny was playing pool. She had no choice but to talk to Johnny, to participate in this all-too-familiar moment when casual and fun turned into complicated-or at least when the complications that were already there had to be acknowledged.
"I know that," she answered softly.
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't care."
"Why do you care?"
The question was an honest one, and he paused before answering, before taking her off guard once again.
"Because I care about you."
"Are you sure?" His jaw locked and his muscles tightened. This was as hard for him as it was for her. But she persisted. "It's a valid question. Do you care or are you just being possessive?"
"I care."
His answer came sharply, almost before she'd finished her question. He left no room for argument. Elise was caught somewhere between nervous excitement and dread. The fun had ended. Feelings had developed. For both of them.
Strangers Page 1
