Taken by my mate; Second Chance

EVADIENE

I wasn’t sure what possessed me to be so bold. No, that was a lie, I knew exactly what it was and it had those unforgettable brown eyes.

The best part of my drive to work use to be my music and dancing, and the looks strangers would give me. Ever since I had met eyes with Ambrose, he was all I could think about.

I waited all week to see him for up to two minutes in traffic, and then he was gone. I hadn’t even fully thought about meeting him on the side of the road. Working my day job in the morning I complete all my early tasks and then got home and started packing to sit in the cold. Before I knew it,I was leaving two hours early for my night job, taking an exit that I’d never used and going back the way I’d come.

It’s just to get him out of my system. I’d lied to myselfI’ll meet him and those warm brown eyes like the earth the Goddess gave us would reveal his truth.

I was sure he’d show me that he was like every other man there ever was, shallow and entitled. It would only take him a few minutes to slam one of my favourite bands, or mock my playlist and I would get his debonair face out of my head.

So I sat in the cold and waited, figuring there was a good chance me just sitting there would scare him away and he wouldn’t even stop. But then he did.

I waited for him to get out of his car and use some cheesy pick up line like ‘do you come here often?’ But he said he loved my music.

I waited for him to call me beautiful, baby, honey, gorgeous… but we exchanged names and he pulled me in deeper.

I wasn’t lying about usually making the first move, but that would have ended with my waiting on the side of the road for him. Reaching out and touching him, barely keeping myself back from kissing him right there…. That was not a part of the plan.

It definitely wasn’t my plan to go dance the pole at the club and then go meet him for coffee just blocks from my apartment. And he was worried about my safety, most guys didn’t even consider road conditions before asking you to meet them anywhere. Inside, I knew that the bar was on the floor with that one, but he had sounded so genuinely worried about me. It made me feel a little bad about my risky turn around at the end of our meeting as I saw his face in my mirror.

I wasn’t looking a for a relationship, or love, and that was high on the list of pro’s when I considered dancing at the club. Men didn’t date strippers. Sure they would sleep with them, or maybe even stick them on the side as a sugar baby if they had the cash, but they did not want to settle down with the girl who flashed her tits to half the city. Particularly when they chose to do it in a club favoured by the gangs.

I took all the roads I hated to get to work on time, but seeing as how entertainment was part of my job I dropped my bags into my locker and went to set up the bar. When people started arriving I gave them a ‘poor me’ story about my ‘super tuff’ car ride while I took off my coats and scarves.

I think I made more than usual in that first hour and, as it was an off Friday, only the small time gang members were in. They all made me promise to never drive through those neighbourhoods again, and I knew it was because those areas were where they made and sold their drugs.

“You wouldn’t protect me?” I had pouted and they had given me some halibaloo about not always being around and stray bullets all too often hit innocent targets.

They tipped bigger after that, and I showed my appreciation by letting an extra dash of the good stuff fill their cups.

When it was finally my turn to take the stage I had to pump myself up. I changed slowly in the back, washing my hands several time to get the sweat off This definitely wasn’t like me, but something about it that usually brought me joy just wasn’t there.

Don’t get me wrong I still put on a show, and I doubt that anyone even noticed I was feeling off, but I started to wonder if there was a chance I could pick up more bar shifts in the future.

-

A small part of me considered driving past the diner on my way home. He’d probably not show up anyway or show but expect me to take him home. As I started to drive home, after thoroughly depressing myself with what ifs, I caught sight of his car and then him inside in a corner booth.

He showed up.

I ended up getting off work early but he was already there and when I parked beside his car I touched it, noticing that the engine was cold.

As I entered a woman was going around and closing all the blinds. She was always working when I’d stop in on my way home, but every time I changed my hair colour I had to reintroduce myself to her. She was rolling a trolley along with her, collecting discarded coffee cups off the tables and I stopped to let her pass. As I did, I eyed Ambrose in the corner, but he was looking down at book he must have brought.

“Are you here for that one in the corner deary?” The woman closing the blinds, Lina, asked as I paused to stare at him and I nodded.

She looked me over, seemingly appreciating my body before she continued. “You’re doing Gods work dear, you wrap that man around your smallest finger and have lots of gorgeous babies.”

I was going to correct her but she was already moving along and it seemed Iike a waste of time when in a months time I’d change my hair and she’d forget who I was.

He was smirking over in the booth but there was no way he had heard us. There must have been something funny in his book and I tried to read the cover as he help it up to read the bottom of the page in better lighting. I tried to walk slowly, but with my big wet boots I felt like a horse tramping through puddles and I knew he had definitely heard me. His face turned up like he was surprised and relieved to see me.

I was nervous, and when I was nervous I would truth ramble. Actually, when I was comfortable I would just vomit word thoughts too, but I knew this time would be much worse.

“You seem surprised?”

He chuckled but it was forced. “No, no.” He glanced at his watch and smirked, “you’re just early. I haven’t finished my book.”

“I completely understand the power of a good read, don’t let me disturb you. I’ll come back later..” I was completely kidding but turned to go and his hand grasped my bare fingers so quickly I almost jumped from the static between us.

“Please don’t,” he pleaded but when I turned to him he continued more casually, “it wasn’t more important than you.”

I could feel the blush building and needed to cover it up, but the words I wanted to say wouldn’t pass my lips no matter how hard I tried. The end result had me just standing and staring down at him.

“How was your drive?” He asked instead, releasing me from my frozen state.

“To or from? Because I’m pretty sure I nearly peed myself going through that area in a soft top, but before you give me heck I got enough at work.” I dropped my bag in the booth and slid in across from him. “I’m pretty sure they tipped extra as a thank you for not dying to serve them, so whatever you want is on me.”

He snorted, “I thought you might try and insist something like that, so I paid when I got here. Anything your heart desires is on me, well technically my boss, but he sent me out here so I feel it’s fair.”

I raised one brow. “Pretty hard to disguise a bill at one in the morning for a business meeting.”

“What if we only talk business? What do you do for work?” I cringed noticeably. “You don’t have to tell me, I understand I’m basically a stranger.”

Then why does it feel like I’ve always known you?

I considered this, knowing it would be easy to deny telling him anything, but this could be my chance to save him from me. If I could scare him away I may need to always leave two hours early for work or risk the backroads to avoid him, but he’d be safe.

“No it’s fine. I’m a dancer,” I replied bluntly and he seemed intrigued.

“Where do you dance?” He propped his face in his hand, genuinely interested.

I waited for him to swallow his coffee firmly before continuing. “I’m a pole dancer, I work in a strip club. I have the strength for the tricks and decided the job choice would keep people from wanting to date me, not that I think this is a date, I just meant people don’t date usually want to date strippers and since I like attention so much but didn’t want to be with anyone.. I should just shut up.”

My hands moved up and covered my face. Now I was blushing more than ever but a soft chuckle drifted from his lips and drew me in.

“Is that all? I’m an elite fighter with years of intense training and experience, that my boss decided would be best suited to monitor a construction development.” He paused, his eyes getting slightly wider as he realized what he’d said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. That sounds like I’m trying to brag or show off.”