Mate's Call

by Lola Gabriel

  As Colin poured her drink into a frosted martini glass, Erin turned her head back to him and spoke the first words that came into her mind.

  “I saw a hawk outside,” she told him. “Biggest one I’ve ever seen.”

  The statement sounded inane when she said it aloud, and Erin wondered why she had mentioned it at all. Did she really have nothing else to talk about?

  Colin’s dark eyebrow rose in polite interest. “Well, this is Colorado,” he replied, smiling. “We do have big birds.”

  Erin immediately felt foolish for having said anything. You need a distraction, she chided herself. You’re rambling about birds to take your mind off what Andy said.

  Colin slid her order onto the bar.

  “Start a tab?” he asked.

  The front door opened, and Erin’s didn’t answer as her attention was on the man who had just entered the establishment.

  She was certain she had never seen him before. She would have remembered his chiseled features and full mouth; yet there was something familiar about him, and she could not tear her eyes from his profile as he seated himself on the opposite end of the bar without so much as a glance anywhere but downward.

  “Well,” Colin breathed, staring at the man. “A blond god among us.”

  Erin nodded in agreement, casting him a sidelong look. “Yours or mine?” she asked, and Colin shrugged.

  “There’s only one way to find out,” he responded, winking as he swaggered off toward the stranger.

  During one of the first times she had come there, Erin had found out that Colin was gay, and sometimes they both found themselves attracted to the same patron. More often than not, they simply watched from afar, but with this particular man, there was no way they wouldn’t approach him.

  Erin found her eyes glued to them, as if trying to memorize every feature of the newcomer.

  His attractiveness went beyond a head of thick, wavy hair and high cheekbones, but Erin was having difficulty pinpointing what elusive quality of his kept her own green eyes fixated upon him. There was a certain aloofness to him, a quiet dignity that Erin wanted to break into.

  She watched as Colin leaned across the countertop to speak with the man, but she could not hear what they were saying.

  Oh, please be straight, she pleaded, gritting her teeth. Let something go right for me this evening.

  Erin waited with baited breath as Colin turned away, his face falling with disappointment, and a stab of elation coursed through her.

  The distraction she had ordered had arrived.

  Thank you, Universe, she called silently, fully turning her body toward the newcomer.

  “He’s all yours,” Colin muttered sullenly as he walked by.

  “Put his drink on my tab,” she told him without shifting her gaze. She was willing him to look at her, but he seemed consumed with whatever he was doing.

  He’s probably some suit waiting on news of a deal, Erin surmised, gauging his age at about twenty-five. He certainly didn’t seem to be a college student.

  Colin muttered something incoherent, and Erin grinned genuinely for the first time since before band practice. She didn’t need to hear the words to know that Colin was being a sore loser. She watched as he placed the man’s drink on the bar in front of him. From the bartender’s hand gestures, she could see he was explaining that she had bought the drink.

  Erin held her smile, expecting him to raise the glass in thanks and invite her to join him.

  To her absolute shock, he did neither. He simply lowered his head, taking a sip of his drink as he pulled his cell out of the breast pocket of his button-down shirt.

  What the hell? Erin thought furiously, glaring at Colin as he walked by.

  “Did you tell him I bought him the drink?” she demanded.

  He nodded his head. “Yeah.”

  “What did he say?” she barked.

  “Nothing,” he replied. “He seems pretty quiet, Erin.”

  “Is he wearing a wedding ring?” she questioned, trying to make one out on his left hand, but her angle was off.

  “Nope,” Colin assured her. “Not that I could see, anyway.”

  So, she thought, her ego shattering with each passing second, he’s just not interested in me.

  She gaped at Colin and then turned back to see if the man was sneaking a look in her direction. However, he seemed oblivious to her altogether, and Erin unexpectedly found it was hard to breathe.

  Is tonight a bad dream? she wondered, shaking her head as if trying to wake up. First it was band practice, and now I’m being blatantly ignored by this guy? No way this is real.

  But it appeared to be so, and Erin simply sat there, fuming as the injustice of the night grew on her.

  At some point, she couldn’t take it anymore. She slipped off her stool.

  “What are you doing?” Colin hissed. “I don’t think he wants to be bothered, Erin.”

  “I don’t care,” she replied haughtily, snatching her purse from the chair with one hand and grasping her drink with the other. “It’s rude not to thank someone for a drink.”

  Colin groaned. Even though he was familiar with her go-getter personality, Erin could tell he didn’t approve of her current methods.

  “Erin, I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered after her, but she did not heed his warning.

  She sashayed toward the man, ensuring that her heels made lots of noise against the pristine tiles to forewarn him of her arrival. Nonetheless, he barely glanced at her as she slipped onto the stool beside him.

  “How’s your drink?” Erin asked, and he peeked at her with vivid green eyes.

  She felt her heart pause as she recalled the creature she had seen, with its stunningly bright eyes flying above her head.

  What is it with you and that damned bird? Focus! she chided herself.

  “Fine,” the stranger mumbled, partially turning his shoulders away from her, as if to discourage further conversation. Erin was not having it. She had not gotten as far as she had in life by taking “no” for an answer.

  “I’m Erin,” she offered, willing him to look at her.

  The man nodded stiffly but did not look at her, nor did he provide his name.

  Erin felt a spark of frustration course through her body.

  “You know, when someone buys you a drink, it’s customary to say thank you,” she told him, trying to keep the annoyance from her voice.

  Slowly, he raised his intense green eyes and stared at her.

  “Thank you,” he almost whispered, and his face immediately returned to the screen in his hands.

  Erin’s brow furrowed uncomprehendingly, and she could do nothing but peer at him. She had never been met with such a level of resistance, much less from a man.

  He’s obviously not interested, a rational voice in her head said. Just cut your losses and go back to your seat.

  But it was simply not in Erin’s nature, and she couldn’t bring herself to move. She took a sip of her martini, leaning her elbows on the bar, feeling defeated but unwilling to let it go.

  Abruptly, the man rose from his stool, and Erin watched as he made his way back to the single bathrooms at the rear of the bar.

  Erin saw her chance and instantly seized it.

  “Woah!” Colin called, realizing what she was going to do. “You can’t follow that guy to the bathroom! It’s creepy, not to mention stalker-ish!”

  She ignored him. Although she knew that what she was doing was wrong, she had to know for certain that the guy wasn’t interested.

  I don’t even know this guy’s name, and yet I’m going after him to prove I can, she thought, shaking her head.

  Erin also knew that if she hadn’t suffered such a massive blow to her pride that night, she would not have done such a lecherous thing, but she felt like she couldn’t stop herself.

  I’m not doing anything, she reasoned. I’m just trying to talk to the guy.

  It was more difficult to convince herself than she’d thought.
>
  She leaned against the door to the men’s washroom, waiting for it to swing inward. When it did, she was ready, stepping inside and pushing the blond stranger back with her.

  The man’s brow knitted in confusion.

  “What are you doing?” he gasped, his jade eyes wide.

  “Why are you ignoring me?” Erin demanded, all coquettishness long gone. “I bought you a drink and you didn’t even say thank you! What is wrong with you? Are you that full of yourself?”

  He gaped at her, his face coloring beneath her steely gaze.

  “I–I’m not…” he stuttered, and it was only until his eyes dropped in nervousness that Erin realized what the issue was: he wasn’t an egotistical jerk—he was shy.

  She almost laughed, managing to hold herself back from doing so as she allowed her head to fall back in relief.

  “What’s your name?” she asked, her tone softening.

  “Spence,” he mumbled, and Erin’s grin widened.

  “Nice to meet you, Spence,” she murmured, noting his cheeks flushing crimson as she neared him.

  “You…” Spence swallowed, clearing his throat. “You said your name was Erin, right?”

  “Yes,” Erin said.

  “I’m—” He cleared his throat again.

  Erin couldn’t help finding his nervousness slightly endearing. Of course she had caused such a reaction in quite a fair share of men, but this was the first time said reaction was displayed so openly. She felt flattered, even.

  “I’m sorry about before,” he told her, his voice small. “I… I kind of thought I was dreaming. How come such a beautiful girl was talking to me?”

  Erin’s eyes widened. “Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?”

  Spence’s cheeks grew even redder, and he let out a soft, nervous chuckle. For a few moments, neither of them said anything, though Erin was glad that at least her attraction wasn’t one-sided. Finally, Spence spoke again.

  “I really want to kiss you,” he said. “Would it be okay if I did?”

  Erin didn’t respond. At least, not with words. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his, her hands grasping his strong arms, savoring the gasp he let out at her actions.

  His hands moved to grip her hips with nervous reluctance, but he used that grip to pull Erin closer, their bodies pressed together almost from head to toe. Erin moaned into their kiss, and she sighed when she felt Spence’s fingers move to the hem of her blouse and stay there, as though he were asking permission to remove it.

  She pulled back from his sweet, delicious mouth long enough to nod her head.

  “It’s okay,” Erin whispered. She slipped her own hand over his belt buckle, lowering her fingers against his crotch.

  Spence looked up at her, shock and desire swirling through his green eyes, and Erin nodded in encouragement. His hands undid the buttons of her blouse to expose her lace bra before they came to rest—gently, almost shyly—upon her perky beasts.

  “You can kiss them,” she whispered, wanting to urge him on. His hands trembled for a moment, but suddenly he seemed to find a new bravery, fueled by passion.

  Spence’s grip hardened against her breasts and his head nuzzled into her chest, his lips falling onto the swelling curve of her bosom as he moved his hands to her rear, yanking her closer.

  Erin let out a small yelp. “Oh, there you go,” she coaxed him, drawing his head against her.

  Spence sighed against her skin, and suddenly he scooped her up, placing her onto the sink behind them, causing her to gasp. His teeth gently bit down on her taut nipple through the fabric of her bra, and Erin felt a surge of warmth fill her.

  He pulled at her form-fitting leggings, yanking them down with one hand. Erin swallowed a smile.

  Well, that did not take him long, she thought with some amusement, her hands guiding his face lower across her belly and toward her thighs.

  In seconds, she felt his hot breath at her cleft, nuzzling her with precision, and Erin fell back on her hands, barely balancing herself on the edge of the sink as Spence’s tongue plunged into her deep and sweet center.

  Erin stifled a cry, not wanting to attract the attention of the patrons outside. Spence teased her skillfully and speedily with his tongue, bringing her to a climax faster than she could ever recall experiencing one.

  “Oh, my God,” she breathed. “I’m—Spence, I’m—I’m going to—!”

  Spence grunted in response, his tongue working faster. With the next skillful stroke of his tongue, Erin felt a strong sensation of pleasure undulate through her body, reaching every nerve. A satisfied groan made its way out of her throat.

  Erin’s head gently fell back against the mirror as she gasped for breath, her body quivering, but Spence did not stop, determined to bring her to another orgasm. He dipped two long fingers inside her, as she gazed at him through hazy eyes, her thighs tightening across his head.

  His digits flowed harder into her, and Erin could not hold back her cries as she released hotly once more. Slowly, Spence lifted his head, and Erin gaped at him in disbelief.

  “God, you’re amazing,” she told him, pulling his head up so she could kiss him and taste herself on his tongue, her hands fumbling for his belt.

  In seconds, Spence’s pants were around his ankles, while Erin’s ankles were on his strong, muscular shoulders, her heels abandoned on the bathroom floor. They stared at one another, their gazes locked.

  In one move, Spence was inside her, filling her, and when Erin saw his bright green eyes boring into hers, she was again struck with the memory of the creature she had seen flying over the campus.

  He has the same eyes, she realized as he grunted, steamy breaths escaping from his parted lips as he thrust in and out of her.

  Spence braced himself against the countertop, driving into her as his erection grew harder, seeming to fill her in each and every spot.

  Erin bit down on her lower lip, knowing she was going to scream if he continued to take her with such fervor. Before she could lose control of her silence, she felt him burning into her with streams of his pleasure.

  He moaned loudly, thrusting one final time as he exploded, his face sweating with the exertion.

  For a fleeting second, Erin thought she saw trails of smoke around him, but she instantly cast the ridiculousness from her mind.

  Spence withdrew slowly from her, gently taking Erin’s legs from around his head and placing her bare feet on the floor.

  Under normal circumstances, the realization that she was standing bare-footed in the men’s washroom of a bar would have sent Erin screaming, but the euphoria of the encounter was still clouding her mind.

  “Can we go have a drink now?” she asked teasingly. “Or are you still feeling shy?”

  To her amusement, Spence looked away as he fumbled with his clothes.

  “Okay,” he almost whispered, and Erin smiled to herself.

  It’s endearing, she decided. In a world where every man is full of themselves, he’s a breath of fresh air.

  She nodded, dressing quickly. “You can go out first, if you want,” she told him, noting he was already dressed. “I need to use the washroom.”

  Spence’s brow furrowed. “This is the men’s room,” he remarked, and Erin chuckled.

  “Yeah, I’m okay with that,” she replied. “Considering what we just did in here.”

  Spence flushed bright red.

  “Right,” he muttered, and again, she was enamored with his bashfulness. He snuck out, looking both ways before leaving her alone in the small bathroom.

  Erin turned to look at her reflection, ensuring that she had put her clothes on correctly and that her appearance didn’t give anything of what had happened away. As usual, not a hair was out of place, her shirt was unwrinkled, and her make-up was perfect.

  It was as if nothing had even occurred.

  It’s a good thing no one can see my shaking insides, she thought, noting that even her lipstick seemed to be untouched, despi
te the fervent kisses she had shared with Spence.

  Humming happily, Erin opened the door and nodded at a man who was waiting to use the facilities. He gave her a reproving look, but she didn’t care.

  Given the opportunity, she would do it again.

  As she rounded the corner toward the bar, she stopped, looking around.

  The blond god was gone.

  “Where’s Spence?” she asked Colin as she approached the bar.

  “Who?” he asked, eyeing her with a half-approving, half-contemptuous look.

  “Spence,” she snapped. “You know who I mean.”

  “Oh…” Colin drawled out the word for all it was worth, placing a freshly wiped glass onto a rack. “The guy you did in the bathroom, you mean?”

  Erin stared at him, her happy mood diminishing instantly.

  “Where is he?”

  “He left.”

  Erin’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean, he left?”

  Colin shrugged and reached into his bar apron, removing a scrap of paper.

  “He said he had to go,” he told her, “but he left this for you.”

  Erin reached over the counter for the paper in his hand and unfolded it, a myriad of emotions flowing through her.

  Why would he leave? He said he’d stay for a drink.

  She read the note with trembling hands.

  Erin, you are beautiful. I will see you in the stars now. Spence.

  A phone number accompanied the poetic words, and Erin felt a shiver flow through her, a beaming smile returning to her face.

  “You bitch,” Colin sighed as he studied her face. “He paid the tab, too,” he informed her. “And bought you another drink.”

  Strangely enough, Erin didn’t feel the need to drink her sorrows away anymore. She shook her head and laughed to herself, reaching for her cell phone.

  “No, thanks,” she said. “You can have it. I have to go.”

  Erin turned to leave, all her earlier troubles suddenly seeming trivial in light of the recent events. She pushed her way into the warm autumn night, her heart lighter than it had ever been before.