“Today, but Chris, my—well my soon-to-be-ex didn’t show.”
“Can he do that? How much longer do you have to wait?” He stopped in the middle of the alley to take in what she’d said.
“Honestly, our divorce has taken less time than some of his client’s cases,” she joked to lighten the mood. She didn’t really want to go down the path of how long she’d let the divorce be prolonged.
“Clients?”
“He’s a partner at a family law firm and specializes in high profile divorce cases. He’s also obsessive, controlling, and a perfectionist.”
“Sounds like a great guy.” Oscar rolled his eyes. Then he slipped his arm around Liz’s waist and pulled her in tighter next to him.
“I know. Really. I should’ve seen all this while we were dating. Not a hair was out of place. After we married, our home had to be picked up all the time. Not a piece of junk mail lying around or dirty dish left in the sink. I learned to adjust. Throw myself into my work. Then one day I . . . ” She stopped rambling. Once she got started it was always hard for her to stop talking about her ex. But attached to her hip was a different kind of man. An understanding one. She could tell all this by the way he was shaking his head and smiling at her. “Sorry. Was I ranting? Forget everything I just said.”
“It’s okay. I’m sure I sound the same when I talk about Julie.”
“Your ex?”
“Eight years ago.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
“Let’s forget our exes.” Liz backed up against the brick wall of the building next door to the Buckeye and pulled Oscar into an embrace. “Kiss me to seal the deal.” She peeked her tongue out and bit her lower lip, before giving him a look that would cause a priest to sin.
He leaned in with a low growl and captured her tantalizing lip between his own and sucked ever so gently.
“Oh.” A high pitch, barely audible squeal escaped as she tilted her head back.
“Damn, you’re sexy.” He nibbled along her jawbone, his breath warmed her neck, but still she shivered in his arms.
He kissed her, warming her with his caress. Their tongues explored again, thrusting in and out, devouring the other. He pulled away for a breath and moved around to bite her earlobe.
Again she shuddered by his touch and expelled a low back of the throat giggle. “Hmm, mmm.”
“How hungry are you?” he whispered in her ear.
“Very,” she moaned, thinking of her hunger for him alone.
“Then we’d better get going.” Oscar stepped back with a mischievous grin. He took two steps to the corner. “Berto’s,” he said with a fanning flair of his hand.
The white food shack was no bigger than a backyard shed. On the side, painted in a black script was “Berto’s Mexican Food, Viva la Vida,” live the life in Spanish.
“Can’t believe you didn’t see this place when you drove in. Guess we need to rework the lighting system.”
Liz had to have seen the building when she drove around to park, but was too focused on seeing Oscar again to notice. She couldn’t tell him that thoughts of him blinded her of her surroundings. That the very thought of him made whole buildings disappear. No, that would be crazy and would definitely send him running in the other direction.
“Must be the lights,” she blindly agreed.
They walked up to the front. Two round picnic tables encircled with benches were empty, waiting for customers. In the front window, a black menu board with changeable white letters spelled out the daily specials.
“When we order, do that giggly thing and Armando, might give you free guacamole.”
“Do I giggle?”
Oscar nibbled her ear and Liz released the same low back of the throat giggle. “Hmm mmm. Oh, that noise.” She shook off the arousal, surging in her veins. “No, that’s for you only.”
“Oscar. Amigo.” Armando opened the sliding service window. “The usual? No drinks,” Armando asked.
“Si. The usual and whatever the lady wants,” Oscar answered, stepping to the side, but keeping his palm on Liz’s lower back.
“Soft tacos are fine.”
As Liz answered, Armando reached out and took her hand.
“¿Quién es la chica bonita? ¿Está ella sola?”
He leaned further out to kiss her hand.
Oscar pulled Liz back and looped her arm around his. “Not single. She’s with me.”
“Lo siento,
I have to ask. She is
muy bonita
.”
“Very beautiful.” Oscar nuzzled her neck and kissed behind her ear.
Liz closed her eyes, fighting the urge to giggle.
“Bueno
for you, Oscar.” Armando retreated into the food shack. He spoke in Spanish to another employee, who promptly got busy preparing their order.
“Marking me with a kiss? So alpha. So dangerous,” she whispered to Oscar.
“Don’t want to take any chances. Armando’s married, but a real ladies man.”
Their suggestive banter continued for the short time it took the two men to prepare their food. All the time Liz was wishing more and more that Chris hadn’t postponed, so she would be free to make her own decisions for the outcome of the evening.
“I put in some guacamole for you. You will like it. I made it special for you,” Armando said, handing out several bags.
“Señorita,
you will return, when you are not so—attached. Si?”
“She’ll be back,” Oscar reassured him.
“Muchas Gracias,”
Liz said, with a wave. “This smells delicious. Thank you.”
“And thank you, Liz,” Oscar said with a peck on the cheek. “He never makes the guacamole special for me.”
They walked along the sidewalk on their way back, passing in front of the storefront next to the Buckeye. On the door was painted J and S Hair Salon. It was closed at this hour.
“Have you ever been in here?” She tousled Oscar’s long locks. Surprisingly they didn’t move out of place much. “Do you spray?”
“I use gel. I’m not a redneck and yes I know the owners John and Susan. Not big drinkers. Most of their clients are early risers.”
His answer was good enough for Liz. Her curiosity about the hair salon was satisfied. They arrived at the heavy wooden door, Bill had led her through on her first night at the Buckeye. This time Oscar opened the door. This time she didn’t worry about what was on the other side.
Chapter Fifteen
Holding the food bags in one hand, Oscar took a minute and straightened the free magazine racks before opening the inner door to the Buckeye.
“Tacos!” Mitch and the trio yelled as Liz stepped in.
“Do they do that every time?” she asked.
“What?” Oscar acted unaware of the outburst over new arrivals at the bar. “Oh yeah, you get used to it. Did they say Oscar or Liz?”
“Tacos.”
“See, I don’t even hear it anymore.” Oscar set the bags on an empty table. Dale retrieved a portion and took them over to the disperse among the guys.
Liz picked out the styrofoam container of chimichangas and presented it to Mitch. “Were you busy?”
“Just poured a fresh one for myself.” He raised his glass of beer. “The boys were quiet.”
Oscar stepped behind the counter and rinsed out the empty pint glass Mitch had left on the bar. Then he dumped out Liz’s watered down drink from earlier. “Want another?”
“Water, please.”
He filled two glasses and motioned with a tilt of the head for Liz to follow him. She grabbed a bag of food and made her way walking behind Oscar to sit at a table against the far wall to eat.
“So why do you bartend?” she asked, scooping a bit of guacamole up with a chip and munching off a bite.
“The company. I guess. I found the Buckeye while my marriage was crumbling. They saved me.” Oscar unwrapped a taco, but finished his thought before taking his first bite. “Everyone needs that someplace special that makes them feel at home. The Buckeye’s mine. What about you? Where’s your home away from home?”
Liz took a drink and thought over all that he’d said. Bill always spoke highly of this place and it seemed there was more to this bar than weird drinks and odd patrons. Everything wrapped together was an interesting situation. This togetherness and openness was something she desperately wanted to be a part of too.
“Do you not have a place?” Oscar urged her answer to his last question.
“Not anymore.” Liz snapped out of her thoughts over the bar. “In high school I went to Epperson Photo and spent time in the dark room. The amber lighting. The ammonia smell of the chemicals. Those bring back more memories then any of the photos I produced.”
“You’re a photographer?”
“I said it was in high school. Don’t know how long it’s been since I picked up a real camera.”
“You should be in front of the lens.” Oscar tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. He morphed his irresistible smile into pursed lips and leaned forward.
“That’s a line if I ever heard one.” She placed a halting palm on his chest. “And being best friends with Bill, I’ve heard plenty of bad pick up lines.”
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” Not one to waste a pucker, he stole a kiss from her in the dark shadow of the bar.
Giving in to the temptation of concealment she fell into his embrace. Aroused by the possibility of getting caught, she continued with the semi-hidden from view seduction. Their hands wandered. He palmed her breasts, pulling her in closer to him. She leaned her chest fully into his.
She took in his scent, she smelled a hint of expensive conditioner, but mostly she smelled beer from the bar. He smelled like his shirt she’d been sleeping in, he smelled like she wanted him to.
Nibbling on his ear, her efforts were rewarded with a gasp of desire from him. He moved his hand between her thighs and thumbed to find her special spot to tickle. Before he could reach it, she flexed tight to stop him.
“Too fast?”
“No. We’re being watched,” she whispered. Her eyes focused on the farthest, darkest
back corner of the bar. She could barely make out a shadow outline of a man, sitting alone on a barstool, and he was strangely staring at them.
“Don’t mind Bob. Besides, there’s four other sets of eyes enjoying this too.”
Liz pulled away. It was true, Mitch and the trio at the pool table had finished their snack. Whether it was curiosity or hormones, that made them watch, it didn’t matter. The show was over. Liz sat back and folded her arms across her chest.
“You are in public,” Mitch said, making a dumb face and cocking his head to the side.
He was right, she had started this and opened herself up to being watched. But Oscar turned on her buttons and the world around her had simply faded away. Just like it did the first moment she saw him walk into the bar. If this was going to be how it was, Liz was going to have to stop seeing him in public places. Or at least distract her desires with activities a little more innocent.
“Let’s dance,” she said, eyeing the music machine. It was red and much like the table top game system she’d played a game on with Oscar. This machine was mounted to the wall and was lit up with song titles scrolling past on the screen.
“Or we could close up and send these boys home,” Oscar said, his hand still on her knee.
“Not yet. Give me a dollar.”
“You sure?” He wandered his grasp, caressing up her thigh.
“One for the music.” She stood and held her hand out, palm up.
He sighed at the sudden withdrawal of her body away from his. Standing too, he slid up against her, wrapped his arms around to her ass and squeezed. “One dance your way, then we leave and dance my way.”
“Oooh, such a negotiator.” She bent her pelvis forward. “I’ll think about it.” Wiggling her arm out, she positioned her palm up just below his jawline. He kissed it first, then stepped back to fish out the requested cash.
His wallet was leather and slim. From what she could see it contained two cards and a few bills in the center slit.
Not much to it. Even his wallet is ordinary. I almost felt guilty about asking for money from him. Hmm,
She realized this was the first he’d pulled his wallet out.
He didn’t pay for dinner. He can afford to pay a dollar for a dance then.
Chapter Sixteen
Liz picked the song and the music escaped through the speakers in the bar. If it had been used on her first visit the crowd was too loud to hear the music. Tonight it was quiet and the melody filled the space.
She laced her arms around Oscar’s neck and eased him out into an open place to dance. Their hips swayed, feeling the rhythm of the music and the movement of their partner. She kept her arms locked over his shoulders and he held her tight around the waist. Their surroundings faded and with it, the audience of men watching them. This show she could handle putting on.
Foreheads joined, eyes closed, noses grazed, they inhaled the other’s air, and lost themselves in the bubble of their intertwined bodies. Swaying and being was all they cared about as the notes to the song filled the bar. Who sang the lyrics was as irrelevant as the meaning behind them. The beat of the music pumped up through the floor and reverberated through the lovers, seducing them to give in to each other.
Each step was a love affair and when the song ended they continued to stay in the trance of their closeness. The beating of their hearts was all the music they needed.
“Oh hell no!” An outburst from the back door halted their dance. Light flooded in with the disturbance.
With her back to the disruptor and facing the trio, Liz opened her eyes and watched their expressions. Each one transitioned from widened surprised looks to scrunched up brace for impact faces. All this within the seconds it took for Dina to fly across the bar and rip the couple apart.
“You too?” she furiously, screamed in Liz’s face.
The stench the alcohol on her breath and the smell of cigarette smoke infused in her clothes, choked Liz and she stumbled away to stand near Bill, who had entered with her.
“Let them dance,” Jim called out.
“I’ll start the next song,” Mitch said, hobbling off his barstool.
“No one’s dancing. Sit down Dina.” Oscar said, taking control of the situation. He pulled out a chair and pushed her down into it with a hand on her shoulder. “Get her some water, Mitch.”
Mitch was quick to pour the glass and hand it over.