Page 7 of Kayla's List
As we give our drink orders to the friendly bartender, I feel the hairs on my arm stand up. I try not to make it obvious that I’m looking around, but I’m not graceful enough to pull that off. So, I casually turn and look around as if I’m admiring the décor. Although VIP is full, it isn’t packed like it is downstairs.
My eyes run over the crowd, and nobody stands out. So, I blow off my feelings as my nervousness at being out of my comfort zone. Suddenly, I lock eyes with the most beautiful pair of bright blue eyes I have ever seen. I inhale quickly. It is as if I’ve fallen into a pool of crystal clear water.
The intensity of his gaze is enough to make me break out in goose bumps. I’ve never had this kind of a reaction to anyone in my life. I can’t seem to break eye contact with the man. Time feels like it has completely stopped, and the only thing I can hear is my shallow breaths along with my increasing heartbeat.
After what seems like an eternity, the man turns away to say something to a guy beside him. I blink rapidly, trying my best to get out of the haze I’ve been placed in by a simple look. I look away quickly, but I can’t help but steal a second glance while he’s distracted.
The man has short brown hair and a scruffy beard. On anyone else, I would say it would look unkempt. However, on him, it’s sexy. His strong jaw gives his face masculinity that you find in old Hollywood stars. He has dark eyebrows and dark lashes that make his eyes stand out against his olive complexion. I can’t tell how tall he is because he’s sitting, but it wouldn’t matter if he were my height because I know fine when I see it.
When my eyes make it to his lips, they are plump. I bite my bottom lip as I study him. When the same plump lips I’m admiring turn up into a smirk, I feel my eyes go wide. I turn completely away from him in mortification.Oh, my goodness! He caught me staring. How embarrassing.
“Kay?! Dang, girl!”
I look up at Emani, who is looking at me with a raised eyebrow. “Sorry, Mani. What’s up?” I lick my lips again, trying to get a hold of myself. I had just broken up with my boyfriend. Why am I looking at some random white man at the club? It is so unlike me.
“Yeah, I’ve been trying to give you your drink for five minutes. Are you okay?” Emani asks with a worried expression.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good. Sorry, I was just lost in my thoughts.” I give her a small smile, and she gives me a sympathetic smile in return as she hands me my drink.
I’m glad she thinks I’m just moping, and she didn’t catch me staring at a random dude like he’s a juicy steak that I’m about to devour. I would never hear the end of it.
“Let’s go sit down.” I motion to our section, but Shelby stops me before I can walk away.
“Not yet, sis. We’re about to take this shot!” I roll my eyes, but I don’t even waste my breath trying to protest.
Shelby hands a shot glass full of brown liquor to me and then to Emani. We hold our glasses up and clink them together. I just down it without asking what it is. I choke as soon as the hot liquid hits my throat. Emani pats my back as I do my best not to vomit. I rub my chest as tears pool in my eyes. I scrunch up my face in horror while doing my best not to fall out.
“Shelby! What the hell was that?” I ask between coughs.
Shelby cackles loudly. “That was loosen the hell up juice. Here, have another one!”
Before I can think better of it, I take another shot and down it. The second one burns but not as bad as the first, and before I know it, I’m not feeling as awkward as I was when we first got here. As a matter of fact,Ithink I mayneedanotheroneofthose.
* * *
I wakeup with a massive headache and the grossest taste in my mouth. I don’t even try to crack open my eyes because I can feel how dry they are. “What the hell did I do last night?”
“I wish you would’ve donemelast night,” a deep voice replies.
“Ahhhhh! The hell?!” I scream and start swinging before I can become a statistic.
Somebody had to have broken into my house while I was drunk because there’s no other explanation for an unknown male voice to be answering my questions.
“Wait! Wait! I’m not going to hurt you, Kayla!” the stranger yells as he dodges my wild swings. I finally stop when my movements make the pressure in my head unbearable.
“Wait! How do you know my name?” I question dumbly.
The guy drops his arms to where I can see his face. His blue eyes are filled with curiosity and… worry? He seems familiar, but I know that I don’t know this man. I look down at myself and instantly feel relief. I have on clothes. Not the clothes that I went out in, but at least I’m not naked with this stranger.
I look at him, and although he’s shirtless, he still has on jeans. I start to ask what he’s doing in my house and who he is, but as I take in my surroundings, I notice that I’m not at home.
“My gawd, what in the world? Where are my friends… ex-friends?” I amend out loud. If those heffa’s let me go home with some stranger while I was drunk, then we can’t be friends anymore.I know I’m a grown woman… but still.
“Your friends are in the other room. Nothing happened, Kay. We just talked. That’s it,” he says in a deep, raspy voice that sends chills all over my body.
“Ohkay. So, ummm…” I look around awkwardly. “I uh… sorry I tried to hit you.”
He chuckles and ruffles his sleep-roughened hair. “It’s okay. I didn’t realize just how drunk you were last night. I mean you were pretty talkative and friendly, but I didn’t suspect that you were drunk.”