Chapter 5

After my eyes adjusted to the semidarkness within the bar, you could sense the fun and excitement from the patrons seated at the many tables and around the unique bar top. I felt a nagging feeling like someone was watching me. I looked around but didn’t see anyone in particular staring at me. I dismissed it as my own nerves over the incident in the parking garage.
Jen and I decided to take a seat at the crowded bar since there were two chairs side by side.
“What can I get you?” asked the handsome bartender who came over to wait on us.
“I’ll have a rum and coke,” I replied with a smile.
“I will have a vodka with pineapple juice,” replied Jen, leaning in closer to the bartender who was now leaning over the bar on his elbows smiling at her.
Jen has this intoxicating ambiance around her; men are drawn to her, yet she does not have a boyfriend. She leant in closer and whispered something into the bartender’s ear that I could not hear, but the bartender looked at her and winked before heading to make our drinks.
“What did you say to him?” I asked her in an agitated voice, I want to feel like men are drawn to me.
“Oh nothing, just told him to put a little love into it when he made it,” she said with a laugh.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I said with a groan. As I jumped down off the bar stool, I smacked into someone. He grabbed my arm and tried to maintain my balance as I knocked into his hardened chest; I looked down at his tanned hand contrasting against my pale smooth skin, a sensation raced through my arm as I felt his warm hand carefully steadying me.
“Sorry,” I muttered trying to gain my composure as I looked up into his handsome face, something was familiar about him. He had those rugged good looks; he was wearing a plain black t-shirt with jeans. The black against his tanned muscle rippled arms was an excellent look.
“Not a problem,” he replied with a beaming smile, showing a perfect row of white sparkling teeth. He let go of my arm and I walked towards the bathroom pretending not to notice that he just ran his fingertips across the small of my back as I walked away from him, causing a ripple of sensations to jump across my skin, like I was being jolted by diminutive, little electrical shocks.
I finished up in the bathroom and hoped to walk out and find him waiting for me. I was secretly contemplating him wrapping his arms around me and embracing me in a tender loving kiss that made my toes curl; it caused a stirring passion to build within me that would not be easily stifled. I walked out of the bathroom and looked around for him; I did not see him anywhere. I felt a hand caress my lower back and a hand slide around my waist to my belly pulling me close, I fell backwards slightly into a chiseled hardened chest. I gasped as I looked down to see a tanned masculine strong hand protectively laid across my abdomen. His musky rugged scent filled the air around me as I was wrapped in a tender embrace. Arms enveloped my body as I was pulled tighter to his body; I felt his hot breath on my neck as he inhaled deeply my aroma; moaning softly he wrapped his arms tighter around my body. I closed my eyes and savored the moment of a man holding me so closely and tenderly, as I had been longing for. My fingertips trailed aimlessly across his strong muscled arm, as I relished in his encircling grasp.
His warm hardening shaft was pressed up against my lower back, as his arms cradled me closer to his body, he whispered in my ear, “Did you feel the electricity between us? How are you feeling now after the little incident with the security guard?"
“Yes,” I replied breathlessly, almost unable to contain the pleasure that I was feeling. I couldn't believe this was the same police officer who was so sweet driving me home on the night of that horrible incident.
He finally released me from his tender embrace, the whole encounter left me with a new longing for this stranger whom I had only bumped into by accident moments ago.
“Well, I will let you get back to your friend,” he replied as I turned to face him, confused, and wondering why I had let him touch me as he did.
“Ok,” I replied and headed back to Jen at the bar in a cloudy haze of emotions brought on by the recent encounter.
“Well, I’m about ready to leave,” I told Jen as I took a seat.
“Why, we just got here, you were in the bathroom for all of five minutes,” Jen replied in a whiney voice.
“Ok, I’ll finish this drink and then I’m heading home. This was a long day, and I am tired,” I replied. I finished my drink and headed out of the bar, leaving Jen to flirt for the evening with the bartender.
As I drove home, I wondered to myself why I let that man touch me that way and why did I not move away or push him off me. I also felt a strange longing to see him again and to feel his embrace; it felt incredible, even if only for a few moments, to be held in a loving, caring, almost protective manner. To feel safe again in the arms of a man who knew how to hold a woman, how to caress a woman, how to send shivers of delight across her sensitive skin.
My inner soul was aching for the loss that I felt at the death of my husband, I had lost my best friend, lover, and soul mate. This was the first time I had been held by a man, it felt good and this latest fresh awakening of the pleasure and happiness I had felt was a bit confusing after months of grieving and putting up icy walls to stop feeling emotions or caring about others. In the pit of my stomach, I felt a hunger to see this man again, but I did not get his name or number how could I find him. I dismissed the thoughts of seeing him again as I pulled into my driveway to turn in for the evening. Tomorrow was Saturday and would begin a new day, and a new excitement poured over me as I decided that I was going to work on finding more happiness within my life. That brief encounter at the very least showed me what I have been missing, craving within my life more recently. I had a nagging feeling as I walked into the house, feeling like I was being watched again. I looked around and didn't see anything but a dark blue car parked in front of my neighbor's house about 3 houses down the block. I dismissed it as my own superstition and nerves from the parking garage incident.