Ruby cracks me up with her inability to use lower case letters. Everything she texts is always in all capitals. My mom is the same way, who says texting isn’t hereditary? They’re both technology disabled.
As I exit the restroom, I pass an older man who finds it necessary to gawk as he walks by. Good thing I’m on a date, or I’d have to tell him how disgusting he is.
“Is everything okay?” Parker says with concern in his voice.
I smile up at him in reassurance. “Of course, and I want to thank you for bringing me here. The food and atmosphere are amazing. The company isn’t bad either,” I say and give him a little grin.
He holds the door open and my body brushes up against him as I scoot past. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn I heard him growl.
~~~~~~
PARKER
I’m attracted to this girl like no other before her. Every move she makes is graceful with confidence. I have to remind myself not to stare at her lips, but damn they are gorgeous. I caught myself imagining what her lips would look like in blood-red lipstick. Over dinner, I noticed her hands, across her knuckles are small white scars. The same as mine, and something tells me they’re from similar events. I’ve punched enough people to recognize scars from hitting something or someone. The idea of her being a fighter brings forth the primal instinct in me.
I leaned against the Prius as she dug through her car for her sandals. I’d clicked on the silent car via remote. The view from where I stood was picture perfect. Sapphire was bent over digging in her back seat; one knee is propped on the door frame for balance. Her dress barely covered her ample ass, which didn’t bother me. She reached further into her car, her back in a perfect arch and my mind is imagining many things. By the grace of the almighty, an Oklahoma breeze stirred and her dress blew up enough to get an eyeful of her sublime behind. The gentleman in me turned my head, my wolf scolded me for not covering her up before someone else sees what he has claimed.
I hear her giggle and the rustling of her getting out of her car. Breathing in deeply, I smell pheromones all around her. It dawns on me, she wanted me to see that lacy thong on her tan ass. She is a bad girl. Damn.
“Would you like to stop for a cocktail before we go for a walk?” I ask. The look on her face brightens as she says she’d love to. Her hair blows back with the wind, exposing her long, tan, exquisite neck. Her mouth is made for kissing…and other things. In time…it will happen. I want to have sex with her, devour her, and take her into my world. I need to be a part of her world. She isn’t a one night stand…no, she’s more.
Downtown is hopping with clubs and trendy places to get a drink. We find a small bar off the main tourist route. The place is dark with a fancy bar and a few round tables. The place is practically empty, with the exception of two tables with couples at them.
The bartender crosses over to us with a bar rag in his hand drying off a glass. He looks like a clean-cut kid from the suburbs. “What’s your poison for the night?”
Sapphire is still leaning on the bar next to her stool. “What kind of specials do you have tonight?” She asks.
“Domestics are a dollar, imports are three dollars and all well drinks are two dollars.”
“I’ll take a spiced rum and coke.” Sapphire sits down after she places her order.
I smell marijuana on the bartender and change my mind about him being clean cut. “Make sure that’s Captain Morgan’s, and I’ll have a Jack and coke.”
“Yes sir, will this be together?” The bartender is starting to piss me off with his stupid questions.
Sapphire reaches over and puts her hand on my knee. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she knows I’m irritated with him.
“The lady is with me, open a tab for us, under Parker.” What a damn idiot. Who does that? Sapphire’s hand is still on my knee and I begin to focus on her again. The drinks are set in front of us and I handed him my Visa for my tab.
He taps the Visa on the bar for a second. “Are you here for the show?”
“I didn’t realize there was a show,” I reply.
“The show starts in an hour; we’re hosting a traveling burlesque show from New York. They love to have audience participation. There’s a pole if your lady-friend would like to practice.”
Before I could mentally pull back from killing this guy, I bounce up from my seat. I lean over the bar and grab him by his shirt. “Did you insinuate that my girl is a stripper? You better think long and hard about your answer.”
“The only long and hard I want is you, not your trampy girlfriend,” the soon to be dead bartender admitted.
“Trust me, you aren’t getting anywhere near me. I’d suggest you bite your tongue before you say anything…and I mean ANYTHING to me again,” every word drips venom from Sapphire’s mouth. Damn.
Sapphire stands up and wraps her arm around my waist and reminds me this guy isn’t worth the time of day. The General will be impressed I didn’t rip this guy’s head off five minutes ago. A man from across the room comes over to find out what’s going on. As he approaches, I notice he’s a guy that comes to the farm for produce and day old bread that we would throw out. Honestly, Dolly makes the bread for him, and it is always fresh that day. Fresh baked food doesn’t last long enough to become old with a pack of werewolves around. The minute he recognizes me, he takes his focus off us and turns to the bartender. He yells at him about being rude to straight couples. He apologizes to us and hands me my credit card.
“Parker right?” The man asks and holds his hand out to me. “I’m Stan DeGeare, I stop by and get the day old bread and produce from your farm.” Stan shrugs his shoulders and waves his hands around nervously. “I take the food over to the unwed mother house downtown. It’s a charity near and dear to my family.”
I try to give him a friendly face, since Pru is always saying I look too serious. “I remember you Stan. No harm done.”
“I’m sorry about our bartender. He gets antsy around men he’s attracted to. Drinks are on the house. Please stay for the show; it will be a full house…so get a table before it’s too late. Would you like some homemade chips?”
I shake my head at Stan. “You didn’t need to fire him.”
“Ah, no I didn’t fire him; he’s from a temporary service. Can I get you anything?”
“Nothing for me, except I could use a refill,” Sapphire says and holds up an empty glass.
Her hand is behind my back and rubbing it up and down. I pull her over closer and put my arm over her shoulder. “Would you like to stay for the show?”
“Sounds like fun, I’ve never been to one before.”
I’ve never been to one before either, although I did watch that movie with Cher and Christina Aguilera. It was Pru’s movie choice for the pack to watch on movie night. “If you’d rather go walk the gardens we can.”
“This sounds like fun…I mean, what isn’t fun when a pole and alcohol are involved?” She smiles at me mischievously. “Don’t get your hopes up about me getting on that pole. I try my best not to strip on the first date.”
Without an invitation, I bent over and kiss her. The softness of her mouth is everything I’d hoped it to be. The only show I want to watch is her doing anything…as long as we’re alone. I take my hand and stroke the side of her face and give her a light bite on her lower lip. “You’re something else, Sapphire.” She blushes as she looks up at me. Yeah, this is going to be a relationship I should run from now. We walk over to a table close to the stage. She picked it, I grin at her as we sit down.
She pulls a chair over for her purse. Looking around the room, I catch a glimpse of the table across the room, four guys and two girls. Behind us, three girls entered through the front door, each dressed in black shorts and tight white t-shirts; typical bar waitress outfits. All I can think about is Sapphire’s taste on my lips. I need to talk to the General about this quandary.
~~~~~~
SAPPHIRE
I bend over to grab my shoes; I decide to flirt a little. Ou
t of nowhere a good old Oklahoma breeze catches my dress and blows it up…exposing my butt…and new thong. Ruby will die when I tell her. I wish I could be more like her at times. She’s a tomboy and likes to ride dirt-bikes with the guys; she’s even saved up enough to buy a Harley. My passion is a good book; a bottle of wine, and a bubble bath.
Standing up, I straighten out my dress, and drop my keys into my purse. He noticed my thong, no doubt, I can tell by the twinkle in his eye. He turns around and pulls open the door to the Prius. It dawns on me, it’s his car. This big, hunky mans man drives a Prius. I love it! I would have guessed him to be a truck guy. If I’d placed a bet on what kind of car he drives, I would’ve lost.
“I hate to be obvious, but you drive a Prius,” I announce.
“It’s my way of minimizing my footprint on the environment. I get a lot of flack about the Prius from the guys out at the farm.” He pats the dash and smiles crookedly at me. “I like to see the reactions I get when I pull up to Big Bob’s Feed store in Choctaw.”
“I bet!” Everything about him is different from other guys I date. Sure he’s rugged and charming, tall yet grounded. He’s real, and I want to pinch him to make sure…and I’d hope he’d pinch me back. Naughty girl, I scold.
His easy-going demeanor has me at ease as we drive across town to the city gardens. Back in elementary school, my Big Sister from Big Brothers and Big Sisters drove me downtown to the gardens. It was one of those special days when everything seemed perfect. For a moment, I wasn’t poor, or dressed in dirty clothes. I was a kid that got to go to a real ice-cream parlor and I didn’t have to share with Ruby. The parlor sold half-gallons of the most popular flavors. My Big Sister sent me home with a half-gallon to share with my family.
I lean back on the headrest and smile at the memory.
Being poor wasn’t a big deal growing up in our small town. My life wasn’t horrible, and we weren’t the only family at school who was poor. I knew of kids who didn’t get anything to eat for dinner. The free lunch and breakfast at school was the only meal many kids ate, and when weekends came they didn’t eat at all. My mom worked hard, but bills were hard to pay when you make minimum-wage. After years of sacrifice and a first-time buyers grant, mom was able to buy the duplex. It’s worked out for all of us. We pay mom rent for our side of the house and it covers her mortgage.
“You’re quiet, is something bothering you?” Parker’s facial hair doesn’t hide the look of concern on his face.
I smile as I turn to face him. “No, I’m perfect. I was remembering a time I came down here as a child.”
The rest of the ride is filled with chatter about the different landmarks scattered around downtown. By the way he talked about the farm he works at makes me shiver. The way he’s so sure of himself without being cocky makes my mind wonder if he’s the same in bed.
We pull up to a valet parking area centrally located in the heart of the hip and trendy area. You can find everything from family friendly shops to dance clubs that cater to the vampire lovers. Ecstasy and alcohol, combined with laser lights, eyeliner, and short skirts, render the perception skewed. I hate those kinds of places, the lighting messes with my eyes, and I feel as though nothing is real.
The valet checks us out as we climb out of the car. Parker walks around to my side and puts his arm around my waist protectively.
“I thought his jaw was going to hit the ground when he saw you get out of the car,” I whisper.
“I tend to get that reaction,” Parker grinned.
The bar is fancier than the places I typically go with the girls. The idea of watching a burlesque show with Parker makes me nervous. I’ve gone into a few of the strip clubs when my friend Jacque is hunting down her man. He’s the worst boyfriend on the planet, and nine out of ten times, we find him catting around with a hoochie. This place exudes sex, from the overly hot gay bartender, to the dance floor with stripper poles and cages. It’s still early, but the lights are dim enough to give it the club-feel. The clientele doesn’t have any preppy people. Instead, I see more couples than singles, and everyone is laughing and touching one another.
I excuse myself to the ladies room to touch up my lipstick. The bathroom attendant is dressed in a black cat-suit that is hugging her perfect body. Her thick blonde hair is held back by a rhinestone rubber-band. Her barely there nude lipstick draws your attention to her black eyeliner around her eyes. Good thing Parker can’t come into the ladies room, he’d possibly run off with her.
I reach in my bag to get my cell phone. I mentally congratulate myself for adding the rhinestone phone-case to match my dress. Ruby is always harassing me for not adding enough bling to my outfits. The attendant is watching me too closely for my comfort, so I go into the farthest stall. Three missed texts. The first one is from Ruby:
RUBY - STONE SCORED TWO TIX TO SEE THE DALLAS COWBOYS. MOM WANTS TO RIDE WITH US SO SHE CAN VISIT AUNT JOCELYN. THE HOUSE IS YOURS UNTIL TUESDAY. HAVE FUN.
MOM - PLEZ TAKE CARE OF JACKASS, HIS FOOD IS IN THE PANTRY. I LOVE YOU, I WILL TELL JOCELYN THAT YOU SENT YOUR LOVE.
STONE - If I leave mom & sis in Texas, don’t judge me. LOL - be good, no parties! <3
Jackass, mom’s cat, is just that…a jackass. I like most cats, but this one has it out for me. He is forever jumping out in front of me, making me startle. He earned his name from those kinds of shenanigans.
“Parker, would you like to go to my house for drinks? I have mad bartender skills. I pour a mean Jack & Coke.” My heart is racing; I don’t want him to have the wrong idea about me.
Our chairs are as close as two bar chairs can be, and his right arm is draped across the back of my chair. He lifts his glass to his mouth…that sexy mouth. Slowly, he takes the last swallow from his glass. The ice clinks against the glass as it comes to a rest. His eyes, focused on me; though he looks lost in an internal dispute.
After what seems eternity, he leans his head closer and turns to whisper in my ear. “Let’s go.”
Two words are all I needed, my body lit on fire instantly.
He stands up and takes my hand. Dropping a fifty dollar bill on the table, we walk to the bar together to close out his tab. Damn, he tips well!
“Are you ready gorgeous,” he asks. His eyes are smoldering, and my heart is pounding.
Chapter 6. Sapphire’s House
We pull into the parking lot to get my car. I only had the one drink at the bar so I could drive myself home.
“CALL RUBY,” I say to my phone as I pull onto the highway heading home. She answers in the second ring.
“How’s your date?” Ruby asks, at least I think that’s what she asks.
The connection is horrible. I turn my right signal on to let Parker know we’ll be taking the next exit. In ten miles we’ll be at my house….alone. “I’m freakin’ out. Is the house clean?”
“You’re kidding me! You’re taking him home!”
I laugh at her reaction. “Yes…he’s coming over. NO! He’s not spending the night…at least that isn’t the plan.” I hear Stone in the background carrying on about protection. “You have me on speaker…ugh! I’ll talk to ALL OF YOU…later. Have fun.”
“You too, but not too much,” Ruby laughs.
I shake my head as I click the end button. I pull onto my cul-de-sac, praying the neighbor across the street isn’t staring out her front window. She’s forever butting into everyone’s business. My mom calls her Mrs. Kravitz, but I don’t know what it means. Her name is Mrs. Drake but mom is always calling her Gladys Kravitz.
The two car garage opens and I motion for Parker to pull inside. This is the part when I should feel awkward, and nervous. I don’t. I feel daring, and confident instead. I double check my hair in the review mirror before I open my car door.
“I’ve never been to this neighborhood before. The brick entrance with the waterfalls is classy,” Parker says as he follows me into the house.
The garage entrance is far from the nicest way to enter the house. It leads in thro
ugh the utility room with the dirty laundry and unfolded laundry, not-to-mention the cluttered bottles on every surface. I glance over to make sure none of mine or Ruby’s panties are hanging out over the sides.
Right off the utility room is the kitchen and breakfast area. Thankfully, the only dish in the sink is the coffee cup I used earlier today. I set my purse down on the counter and offer Parker a drink. I reach up to the top shelf in the cabinet, the one which houses our every-day dishes. It isn’t as though we have any other type of dish, but that’s what mom calls them. Last Christmas, Stone bought me a matching set of crystal highball glasses. I pull two of them down and fill them both with ice.
“Will you reach up on top of the refrigerator and get down the bottle of Jack, and the bottle of spiced rum?” I ask, and pop the top on a can of Coke. “I hope you don’t mind regular Coke.” He puts both bottles in front of me and watches me as though he were a panther watching its prey. I use the metal thing that is supposed to be an ounce on one side and what Stone calls a jigger on the other. I pour a jigger of alcohol in each glass and fill the rest up with soda. We have some plastic swizzle stirrers and I place a blue one in his glass and an orange one in mine.
He stirs his drink and holds it out for a toast. “To the prettiest bartender in Oklahoma.”
I clink my glass to his and say, “To the best looking customer in Oklahoma.” We both smile and I tilt my head back and take a huge drink. The rum burns a little as it goes down my throat. I should have only put a shot in my drink, but decided it would look like I was trying to get him drunk if I did. Too many of these, and I’m going to be toast.
He takes my hand and pulls me over closer to him as he leans against the kitchen counter. “I can’t get over how pretty you look tonight Sapphire. It’s been a while since I’ve been this attracted to anyone.” He takes both hands and pushes my hair off my shoulders.
Without warning, he’s bent over me, his mouth to mine. His lips are still cold from the ice, and his tongue is sweet from the Coke. My heart is pounding in my ears and my body steps in closer as his arms wrap around me. The sensation he is sending through every ounce of my being is like a tidal wave of electricity. Nothing has ever made me feel this way from a single kiss. My hands with minds of their own start up his chest, and I shiver as he draws in a breath. He deepens the kiss until his whiskers are rubbing against my face. He takes one hand up my back until he has it flush against my head.
Sapphire, A Werewolf Love Story Page 3