Part 7 (1/2)
”I like him, okay. Hes married. Hes told me straight that he loves his wife, his kids. This is a friends.h.i.+p.”
”And you believe him?” interjected Chris.
I paused for a moment. Inside I was not sure whether I believed him or not. I was not sure I wanted to believe that all he wanted was friends.h.i.+p, but for reasons that I could not understand I felt that he meant what he said, even if I would have liked more. Finally, I spoke.
”Yes,” was all I said.
Both Chris and Carole looked at each other again and gave each other a puzzled look.
”But you never have male friends outside work!” shrieked Carole. ”You have male friends at work and a line of hunks knocking at your door outside work.”
I was about to object but on reflection she was probably right. I do have female friends although many stop seeing me when they have steady boyfriends. I used to think they were just busy, but slowly I realised that they were deliberately avoiding me. Men as friends? No. She was right. Friends.h.i.+p with men had thus far proved impossible.
”Hey! Perhaps shes growing up?” Chris commented to Carole.
”Cut the cheek you,” I objected, but there was no stopping him.
”Next youll be telling us that you are going to look for a husband.”
”Not tonight,” I quipped.
Then, to make sure Chris was aware that Id not enjoyed his comments, I looked at him with a dismissive smile. ”Men over 25 need not apply.”
It was Caroles turn to laugh.
”G.o.d sis! When are you going to grow up and settle down?”
If there is one thing that Carole had never said to me before it was that I should settle down. I thought she knew better, but the way she said this in such a carefree and matter of fact way actually stopped me in my tracks for a second.
”Not tonight,” I said after a moment. ”Ill give it some thought tomorrow.”
My mind returned to the task in hand and I could feel my face relax and a more pleasant demeanour return.
”But since the night is young and there are some young strapping lads here who are hot and willing.......lets get on and eat, drink and party.”
We ordered our food and I finished my second gla.s.s of wine. People were beginning to come into the bar in greater numbers; couples, groups of young men and women, sometimes together and sometimes separate. By 9pm we were sitting at our table, and the bar was getting so crowded that we had to queue for drinks. After main courses and coffee, and a third gla.s.s of wine, I was ready to dance.
”Shall we hit the floor?” I asked.
Carole turned to Chris and gave a gesture.
”Ill stay here and order some coffees?” he responded.
”Id rather have another sparkling water. Best not to mix drinks too much,” I said with a delicate hint of sarcasm.
Carole nodded and we made our way onto the floor. As I looked around, I could see the eyes of several men follow me. One of my great pleasures in life is attracting admiring looks when I dance. When the DJ put on ”You s.e.xy Thing” I began to take control of the dance floor. I like this song, particularly since I saw Robert Carlisle strut his stuff in The Full Monty. G.o.d, he was great but I think I have the edge when it comes to oozing s.e.x appeal.
I put my arms above my head and I let my hips swing and my long hair fall sensuously about me. I began to look around as I danced to see whose eye I could catch. At the bar was a strong looking young man in a white tee-s.h.i.+rt and jeans. He looked good and I caught his eye before quickly turning my face away and giving him a sight of my curves swinging in time to the music. Each time I turned quickly the hem of my skirt rose up enough to show an increasing number of admirers that I had black stockings and suspenders on.
As I cast my eyes around the restaurant tables, I caught half a dozen men looking in my direction. One was so taken that his girlfriend put her hand under his jaw and twisted his face back so that it looked at her. I grinned broadly and briefly as I flashed a look at the young man sitting at the bar. He was with friends, chatting, but his eyes kept looking in my direction. Good, I have his attention. As the song ended, I saw that Chris was queuing at the bar not far from him so I turned to Carole.
”Ill just help Chris with the drinks,” and off I went.
As I walked towards this young man I looked directly at him and I could see his nervousness. In Cosmo I read that a second of eye contact is a flirt. A two-second gaze is a come-on. Three-seconds is tantamount to telling him I want him inside my knickers. For now, I give him a series of strong admiring looks each lasting a second or two. As I walk right past him, within a couple of feet, our eyes meet. Then I turn to Chris so that my back is towards him.
”Shall I take that,” I ask. Pretending to be helpful. ”Dancing is thirsty work.”
”Watching you makes my throat go dry too, Penny,” he jokes.
”Not as much as his, I think” I say turning to my admirer and catching his eye again.
”Go easy on the young lad, Pen. His heart may not be up to it.”
”Its not his heart Im interested in, Chris.”
Even though I was alternating water and wine, I could feel the effects of the drink. I knew that Id probably had enough, and that another gla.s.s might cause me to get sleepy before Id had any fun. Still, it had been a while since Id let my hair down so I decided to take things as I found them. As I returned to the dance floor, I walked past my admirer again and this time I made sure that I brushed close by him and turned my head to check his eyes were following me. They were. His friends realised I was giving him the eye and they were ribbing him and laughing loudly. One gave him a shove forward as if to say ”Go on, get after her!” He smiled and laughed in an embarra.s.sed way but did not come out onto the dance floor. He seemed a bit more nervous that most men. Whether it was the drink or not, he definitely looked good to me. I decided to bide my time.
Carole was bopping away to YMCA when I arrived back with my drink. I tip-toed around her while I downed the water, gently moving in time with the music so as not to spill anything. The next record was Madonnas Open Your Heart, one of my favourites, and Carole decided to leave me to hog the limelight while she drank her coffee. Soon I was in full flow again, with my arms above my head, gyrating my hips and inviting the onlookers to let their imagination run wild.
A number of men tried to join in with me while my young admirer remained at the bar drinking his pint. I allowed them to dance near me, but if they tried to touch I quickly moved away so as not to discourage the man Id set my eyes on. After five minutes Carole and Chris joined me and we grooved away for the next couple of records, letting the alcohol and atmosphere go to our heads. It was time to cast my line and hook my man.
”Just going to the loo,” I shouted in Chriss ear. ”Back in a minute!”
I walked towards the bar again and could see my catch stare at me as I approached him. His friends, like the parting of the red sea, backed away a little as I went up to him calmly and confidently.
”Hi! Im just going to the girls room. Would you like to get me a drink and we can chat when I get back?”
He broke into a big grin and nodded. Yes, he was really very fit indeed and his face was kind and very pleasing to the eye. I put my hand on his shoulder as I drew my mouth close up to his right ear. ”White wine. I shant be long.”
As I drew away, I let my cheek very gently touch his.
I walked down the stairs to the toilets, past two young couples who were already exploring each others throats and fondling each others b.u.t.tocks. I imagined my youthful admirer - almost certainly rock hard by now as I entered the womens loos to reapply make-up that had been affected by the sweaty atmosphere. I looked in the mirror. My black hair had become loose and free-flowing and I looked like a high-cla.s.s tart. The tingle of antic.i.p.ation heightened my arousal as I entered a cubicle to relieve myself. I closed my eyes and pictured the young man who was buying me a drink. I was ready.
I returned to the bar and he had my drink ready. It occurred to me that I had not heard him speak yet so I held out my hand.
”Hi. Im Penny.” He took it and instead of shaking it, he raised it to his lips and kissed it. Very smooth.
”George,” he said. His conversation skills could do with a bit of grooming, I must say.
”Out with your mates, I see,” I said, looking over in their direction.
”Yeah. Load of t.o.s.s.e.rs, but theyre alright.”
I raised my gla.s.s in their direction and they acknowledged me en ma.s.se.