Taken By Surprise

by Jessica Frances

  ***

  We get out of our cab, walk past the line of at least eighty people and I wait while Anna sweet talks the security guard into letting us jump the line. We both have good fake IDs, but we always try to not have to show them whenever possible. It doesn’t take much time to get him to agree once he gets a good look at us and soon our ears are being blasted from the loud dance music pumping through the club.

  The place is crowded and hot, however I feel a smile come over my face. I love every part of going out. I shake my head as Anna tries to drag me onto the dance floor; when I pull away from her she moves off and dances herself right into a guy’s arms. He responds immediately to her, and soon, I lose them in the crowd as I go off in search of the bar. My first order of business when going out is to always get a drink.

  I move through the crowd surrounding the bar, and while I usually find getting the attention of a barman quite simple, tonight they must be understaffed. Not a single one is near me. I sigh loudly, annoyed that I’m going to have to wait. I look to both sides of me, finding on one side of me a tall shoulder that knocks into me, and the other side holds a line of guys yelling loudly before chugging back shots. I feel closed in and move away to wedge myself into a new spot where a barman seems to be hanging around. I watch him pouring several drinks and begin to get impatient while waiting for him to get to me.

  This time, next to me are several high-pitched, badly fake-tanned, orange women who are bitching about some guy named Karl, and on my other side, I’m next to a tall man wearing a suit. He gives me the impression of being someone important and when his eyes look downward to connect with mine, he smirks like he knows what I’m thinking.

  “Like what you see?” The guy in the suit keeps the smirk on his face while bringing his arm over my shoulders.

  “I’ve seen better.” I’m annoyed at him for touching me and as his hand squeezes my shoulder, I quickly shrug it off.

  “Aw, honey, no need to be like that. Show me love, not hate.”

  His hands rest on my hips now and I feel a flash of anger shoot through me, causing my fists to ball up and my nails to dig into my palms.

  “How about I show you my fist in your face?” I yell, smacking his hands away from me.

  “Hey, back off, crazy. No need to be such a bitch about it.” The guy holds up his hands as if surrendering and rolls his eyes to the guy next to him who laughs in return.

  My blood boils.

  “You ass—”

  “Time to go,” a voice near me speaks by my ear before I’m dragged away from the now laughing suit guy.

  “What the hell?” I demand, tearing my eyes from one male ass to the one now standing in front of me.

  “I’m sorry, but I thought it was necessary to step in.”

  “I didn’t ask for your help. I don’t need it,” I yell, feeling even angrier. It took only ten minutes for this night to be ruined.

  “I wasn’t helping you. I just figured that dude was about to get his ass kicked and the guy is an idiot. What would he have left if you took away his inflated ego?”

  I’m at a loss for words. I hadn’t expected that.

  “You’re not going to hit me now, are you?” This new guy smiles at me and I find myself reluctantly smiling back. He looks laid back in just black denim jeans and a navy fitted shirt. His chin is sharp and his face gives the appearance of a tough guy, but his smile brings out his blue eyes and it makes me melt a little inside.

  “Depends…”

  “On what?” He leans into me to speak and I unintentionally match him by leaning in closer, too.

  “On whether or not you piss me off.”

  The stranger laughs. “Ah, well, I best get off to a good start with you and offer to buy you a drink.”

  “I buy my own drinks.”

  “To help me get on your good side, though, perhaps you’ll allow me to buy you one?”

  I try to look like this is a hard decision to make, but my smile breaks through in the end and I nod that I would like a drink.

  This guy doesn’t ask me what I want to drink and I watch him yell something to the barman whose attention he catches straight away. I’m curious what drink this stranger might think I’ll like.

  I look around for Anna, however she is most likely still on the dance floor. She usually lasts a handful of songs before she decides she needs a drink.

  Finally, the barman gives this guy his change and I like that he leaves a good tip on the bar. Going out so much, I notice a lot of bad tipping going to the barmen and women, which I think is crap. They have to work in annoying conditions, trying to hear what drink is being ordered over loud music blaring, having to know what obscure cocktails someone wants because, let’s face it, there is always some jerk out there trying to stump them just for fun. Plus, they also have to deal with the drunken idiots who get angry over nothing. They deserve a good tip. That and, when you tip a barman well, they tend to go to you first the next time.

  I take a sip and am impressed that he chooses a drink I like.

  “Thanks.” I tip my martini to him and let the sweet tangs tease my taste buds.

  “You look familiar,” the guy yells into my ear and this time, I try to take in his features closely. I also have a nagging feeling that I know him or at least, have seen his face around recently.

  “Really?” I shrug at him, taking another sip of my drink.

  We stand in silence for a moment longer before Anna comes crashing into us with her new male friend that she met on the dance floor earlier.

  “Rose! There is a fight breaking out on the—Hello! Who is this?” As usual, her attention span goes only as far as to the next hot guy she sees.

  I shrug, realizing I haven’t asked for his name yet.

  “I’m Dean.”

  “Anna.” She then winks at me.

  “What drink do you want?” her mystery man asks and she whispers something in his ear. They both laugh and then he heads to the bar.

  “This place is great!” Anna yells to both of us then starts dancing on the spot, grabbing my hands and dancing with me. I only just manage to keep my drink upwards.

  Anna’s guy comes back holding two drinks. She takes one and then they’re both gone, heading back onto the dance floor.

  “Interesting friend,” Dean says. I watch him carefully to see if he’s being mean to Anna or if maybe he wishes he were with her. Instead, he gazes openly at me and, when our eyes connect, I shiver in anticipation. I have never felt so attracted to someone so quickly.

  “So what do you do?” Dean asks me, straightening me up when I bump into him.

  “I work in a bank.”

  “I just spent all day in a bank today.”

  I grab Dean’s arm then and look at him closely. I had never seen Officer Johnson up close, but now I am sure this is him. What are the chances I’d bump into him here?

  “Are you a cop?” I ask, staring at him intently.

  “How did you—”

  “You’re Officer Johnson!” I laugh at him when I realize Hugh is going to hate me on Monday. I can’t wait.

  “How do you know my name? I didn’t arrest you or something did I?” Dean jokes.

  “Don’t worry, that drug charge didn’t stick.” I wink at him and find myself laughing as he contemplates my words seriously.

  “I work in that same bank you spent all day in. We all were wondering if you were gay or not.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I knew you weren’t!” I smile, wishing we could go somewhere quieter to talk.

  “You got me.” Dean holds his hands up and I again notice his ring-less hand. It reminds me of my earlier observation of him being taken.

  “Do you have a girlfriend somewhere?” I look around, hoping this guy isn’t a cheater.

  “Single. You?”

  “No, no girlfriend for me.” I wink and watch as he nearly spits out the gulp of beer he just took.

  I finish my drink and place it
down on a table close by.

  “So, Rose, did you steal the money?” Dean’s words put me straight on edge, however I can tell he spoke them in jest.

  “You caught me, officer. I did it.” I pout at him and hold my hands outwards, trying to calm my heart rate down.

  “I knew it, I can always tell.” He lightly taps the top of his beer bottle to his head and smiles, leaving me to stop breathing all together. This time, it’s because his smile makes my knees weak and my head float.

  “How come they need you to stay at the bank? Isn’t that a bit of a waste of your time?” I note, since he seems to be the only uniform cop that has constantly stayed. The rest came and went.

  “I graduated top of my class at MIT. They find my knowledge useful.”

  “Seriously? And then you decided to become a police officer?”

  “Yeah, to serve and protect fit me better than numbers and computers.”

  “And are you having any luck finding out what happened to the money?” I try to look nonchalant as I ask, but I fear he can see through me.

  “Not really. Want another drink?” Dean finishes off his beer and points at the bar. I nod and watch him walk away. I take my time to notice him more. His short, dark hair gives him more of a military look, especially when you add in his athletic body that is solid. I would place him mid to late twenties and can tell instantly he is someone my mother would hate.

  He comes back minutes later, handing me a drink and I smile my thanks as I take another sip. It’s time to stop worrying about the past and start enjoying myself with Dean. I, of course, have to have something juicy to talk to Hugh about on Monday.