Strangers in a Bar Ch. 01

Today was a pretty good day. I met with several of the new hires for our recently expanded distribution center. I spent the morning completing their final training before spending my lunch at the Voodoo Museum not far from the Olivier House Hotel where I was staying. My sorority sisters met me there to indulge Natalie in her fascination with all things voodoo.

Normally, I did not travel, but this time was because I was low man on the totem pole. In most cases, totem poles put the most honored on the bottom because they built the rest of the community up. That was not the case for me.

I was the newest hire, a woman, and the boss' son wanted to make an example of me. Far from being the hardship he envisioned, I took the opportunity to spend my down time with my sorority sisters there in New Orleans.

Being in the French Quarter was a dream with all the ironwork balconies, the brick buildings with amazing history, the jazz music playing just about everywhere. Stacy and Natalie had to return to work, so I returned to my hotel.

It was amazing. My room had aged red brick walls, a huge bed, and a fireplace. Whether it worked or not, I did not know but with it being humid and in the 90's, I didn't need to find out.

After slipping off my business attire, I sprawled on the king-sized bed to cool off. The AC worked beautifully while my skin dried as I scrolled on my phone, chatting with friends. My phone chimed with a message from Vanessa telling me to be at the Steamboat Natchez by 5:45 for a dinner cruise.

Seeing 4:02pm on my phone I decided to get ready and make my way down to the Mississippi River. I pulled my hair up into a French twist, refreshed my makeup, and slipped on a flowing wrap-dress. It hit mid knees and the cherry red fabric with white flowers made me smile as it would ensure I would be cooler than in the suit I wore earlier.

I slipped on my wedge sandals and wiggled my toes painted to match the dress. I looked in the tall mirror and gave a little twirl, smiling as the skirt flared before caressing my legs as it slid into place.

Grabbing my purse and room key, I locked up and walked out the main entrance of the hotel to the busy streets. The pedestrian traffic had certainly increased as had the number of drunken tourists wandering the historic area. I turned right and walked down Toulouse Street, enjoying the many fragrant smells coming from the restaurants I passed. The jaunty music put some pep in my step as I headed down the few blocks to the River front. I came to the railroad tracks and skirted into the park along Canal Street.

I was early so I wandered near the railings to see the muddy water splashing on the rocks leading down to the water level. I walked the length of the park and stopped to see the Monument to the Immigrant. Noting it was getting close to 5:30, I made my way back to the boarding area. I didn't see any of the girls yet, so I sat on a bench and rested.

The heat and the pungent aroma of the waterfront made me smile thinking back to other times I spent on the river near home growing up. I could easily imagine coming back at Mardi Gras this coming spring as my friends had begged me to do for years.

Hearing my name, I stood as Natalie, Vanessa, Heather, Elizabeth, and Melissa approached. Waving eagerly, I quickly made my way to them, embracing those I had not seen in ages. As we made our way to the gangplank, the breeze picked up momentarily, giving temporary respite against the sun's heat. My skirt lifted and prompted a mini- Marilyn Monroe type save to avoid flashing all the other diners preparing to board.

I bent slightly to smooth the hem back down, and when I stood, I caught the gaze of a man standing by the paddle of the steamboat. He lifted his chin in acknowledgment of the fact I caught him staring at me. Then the corner of his mouth turned up slightly on one side in a smirk as the wind caught my skirt again. Turning away as Heather caught my elbow, I looked back to see him still looking down at me. I shrugged with a smile as if to say, "what can I do?" before returning to our boarding party.

As we made our way up, I looked for him again, only to find the space vacated. I trailed my hand along the red railing as we made our way to the stairs. We were among the first dinner crowd and the live band could be heard as we climbed the stairs. As we entered the air-conditioned dining room, the smells of seriously delightful foods caused my mouth to water. I could not wait to enjoy the buffet before us.

We found our seats and waited for the go ahead to line up to get our food. While we waited, the girls got their first drinks. Well, at least the first drinks there. I am sure Natalie and Melissa had pre-gamed before meeting us. I declined Heather's invitation to get what I wanted. I knew that one of my mistakes many years ago was to imbibe. I did accept the white wine that was offered, but subtly slid it away to avoid temptation.

A deep, but pleasantly rumbling voice announced the start of our cruise and began a detailed history of New Orleans and the Mississippi. I found myself enjoying the cadence and humor he used as he imparted tidbits. Meanwhile, we selected our foods and came back to our table. It was a decadent meal. I enjoyed every mouthful.

The girls and I had taken advantage of all the video conferencing we could over the last few years. We didn't have much to catch up on, other than the way our days had ended. I bemoaned the fact my boss' son would join me Monday morning at the final meeting with the local managers.

We finished our meal and took our drinks down to the lower deck. While the sun was setting, it was still bright as we ambled slowly along the side of the steamboat. Melissa decided to stop near the paddle where I had seen him earlier.

The throaty blast of the horn and the slushing chug of the paddle in the water simulated the bass line of a really pulsing beat. The deck had a gentle rhythm as we pushed through the murky water, and I found myself rocking gently with it. Laughter surrounded us on other decks as we discussed the night ahead.

As the sun slipped below the horizon, the swing music from the trio blended perfectly to create a sultry evening atmosphere. The steamboat came about and headed back to the docking point as my feet started to ache. I slipped one off and stood barefoot on the deck, enjoying the momentary reprieve. Swapping out, I gave my feet the rest they needed to get through the end of the night.

Disembarking, we made our way to Hotel Monteleone where Natalie and Melissa had booked a room. The walk took longer to get back as the others were not as steady on their feet. I found my feet shuffling to the various tunes as I tapped and swayed my way there.

Entering the Carousel Bar, I was transported back in time with the recollections of authors describing this iconic bar. The subtle turning of the bar was a marvelous treat. We found our way to seats as a group of tourists departed. Sitting back, I watched the bartender mix the gals each a Sazerac, while I slowly sipped on heavily iced Rum and Coke, light on the rum.

A group of well-dressed men enter the bar and order drinks. As I recently finalized my divorce, dating was not on my agenda. I did not indulge in perusing the group of classy men, leaving them to my sisters to get their flirts, or more, on. I was under no delusions that I would be the only one not sleeping with someone new.

One of the local singers stepped up to perform and I found myself transported away on the melody. Feeling a sudden awareness, I opened my eyes again and scan the room. Across the carousel from me a man raised his glass in my direction, smiling before taking a sip.

My body flushed with arousal as I had the first opportunity to see him closely. His eyes smiled with humor as he watched the recognition hit me. The silver fox from the steamboat had a well-trimmed beard and mustache. I glanced down at my hands, feeling my ears warming with embarrassment remembering him catching my wardrobe malfunction.

Heather leaned over to hug me and stage whisper that she was leaving with the man who had linked arms with her. I nodded, trying to focus on the rest of the evening with my girls. The bartender made his way around the bar. Reaching me, he set a napkin down beside my very watered down rum and coke. Pulling it towards me, I see there is a note written on it.

"Order what you will, put it on my bill." Lifting my eyes, they locked with his again. The slight nod let me know the message was from him. I mouthed thank you in his direction as the bartender asked if he could replace my drink.

"A Shirley Temple, if you don't mind." Nodding, he looked at the rest of my party. The girls had paired off with one of the guys from the group that entered after us for the night. As my new drink was set before me and my Rum and Coke dispensed with, Todd the shortest of the men stepped up on my barstool and shouted by my ear.

"Jim, haul your ass over here and quit moping." The man's eyes flashed with momentary frustration. Surprising me, he stood before pointing out his new location to the bartender. Grabbing his drink, he walked over to Todd. Todd introduced him to us. I noticed he made a practice of repeating everyone's name as he shook their hand. When it came time to make our introductions, he took shaking my hand a step farther.

He clasped my smaller hand between both of his. He looked directly into my eyes. When he called my name, I shivered at the way it sounded coming from him. A visceral reaction happened when I recognized his voice as that of the one on the steamboat.

He continued his introductions while his buddy Paul leaned into me. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you since he walked through the door."

I felt as though the trace amounts of alcohol I'd consumed lit a fire in my belly. There was no denying how attractive I found him. When introductions were completed, he returned to my side without touching. I smiled at him and when the whites of his teeth showed in his grin, I felt my heart lurch with a new tempo.

When Natalie left with her date du jour, the seat beside me opened up and he took it. His actions were controlled as he leaned forward and spoke again. "I'm glad our paths crossed again. Tell me, how did you enjoy your dinner and cruise?"

Barely containing my enthusiasm, I told him how much I enjoyed listening to him tell the history, especially how he shared it. "Do you only do the steamboat cruise tour guide spiel?"

He laughed and I found myself mesmerized by the sound. "No, rarely ever. My cousin owns it, and he needed a fill in. Since I had the day off, I lent him a hand. I'm glad that my payment was meeting you."

"I am as well. We originally had other dinner plans, but Vanessa was able to pull some strings to get us reservations. So, I guess this means you're a local. Pity, I leave Tuesday."

"Yes, well in the general area of the bayou. We shall see where our meeting takes us." Our friends were making their exits in pairs. "Are you here in the hotel?"

I shook my head as I denied it. "No, I'm in the Olivier House Hotel." I opened my phone and pulled up my maps. "It's not that far and since they've left, I'll head back that direction. Thank you for the drink, I appreciate it."

"Oh no, you don't. While it is just a few blocks away, you are not going back unescorted. Are you able to walk or do you need me to call a car for you? Either way, I need to see you make it back there safely."

"Why aren't you the gentleman? I'm able to walk, if you don't mind." I fanned my face with the drink menu because I was pleased, he didn't want to end our meeting right away as well as feeling a heat building within me. Did I dare invite him back to my room?

After settling his bill, he stood and extended a hand to help me off the stool. I had been sitting too long and my legs needed to regain their composure. Cupping my elbow, he led me through the thinning crowd.

As we exited the bar, he stopped by the bathrooms. "I know you haven't been up from your seat since I came in at least two hours ago, you might want to stop before we stretch our legs. I'll meet you right here when you're done."

A grateful smile dimpled my cheeks as I patted his forearm. "Thank you. I'll meet you back here." I hurried to the bathroom. After completing the necessary tasks, I looked in the mirror.

My color was high from the amount of sun I'd collected throughout the day, but happiness added to it. There was a smile I had not anticipated having on my face again, at least for a long while. He never made a claim, but I felt seen for the first time in forever. I splashed my face with water and patted it dry after washing my hands. I hurried out, to find him exactly where he said I would find him.

"Shall we?" He placed his warm hand on the small of my back as we walked out the front door. He walked on my left as we moved up the blocks towards my hotel.

When the crowds thickened, Jim pulled me closer into his side, protecting me somewhat from the nastiness that happened when inebriation gave way to nausea and belligerence. When we left the crowded areas, he never stopped touching me. Instead, he pulled his hand from my back and held his hand palm up in front of me. "Hold my hand, please."

I placed my hand in his and looked into his face as our fingers intertwined. A pleased look crossed his face when I immediately complied. He lifted our hands and brushed the back of my knuckles with a whiskered kiss. The sensation sent pulses of electricity up my arms before he looked deeply into my eyes. I couldn't see the color of his, but they were dark like the night sky, but they seemed to burn with an inner fire. There was an intensity I wanted to lean into, but before I could, we began walking again towards my hotel.

When we made it to the hotel, he followed me in. It seemed, without saying a word, he knew that I wanted to spend more time getting to know him. We made our way up to my room.

When I pulled my keycard out, he took it from me, told me to wait, and opened the door and entered my room. Looking around, he promptly returned to the door. "I just wanted to make sure no one had snuck in. Better safe, than sorry."

He extended his hand to me and once again I took it and followed him into my room.

Handing me the key card, I slipped it back into my purse and pulled out my phone. Sitting on the edge of the desk, I texted the girls I was back in my hotel and with Jim. Before the chimes could begin, I turned the ringer off.

Taking my phone from me, he typed in a number and called himself. He set the phone down on the nightstand, plugging it into the waiting charging port.

He walked into the bathroom, comfortable enough in his own skin that he moved and did without thinking or asking. I heard the water running and went to investigate. He met me at the bathroom door and placed his hands on my biceps, pushing me back gently to the waiting chair at the desk by the fireplace.

I sat with a jolt, and he removed his jacket, laying it over the top of the desk. Hitching up his dress slacks, he crouched down in front of me. He took my left leg and placed it on his knee. Carefully, he eased the buckle from its grip. He slid the wedge off my foot and set it under the desk. He repeated the process with my right foot.

Standing again, he went to the bathroom and turned the water off. A moment later, he stood before me extending both hands to help me rise. He led me back to the door of the bathroom. Leaning forward, he brushed a quick kiss on the side of my cheek. "Go soak your feet and relax. You should rest."

"But I..." I didn't know what I wanted to say. He placed his long, thick finger against my lips.

"Ssshh. It's late. I want to take you for breakfast tomorrow. Do you have plans already?" Releasing my lips so I could speak, he again held my hands, his thumbs tracing patterns on the back of my hands.

I shook my head in confusion. "No plans yet, but breakfast?"

He responded, "When we spend the night together for the first time you won't have to go anywhere because I'll cook breakfast for you. But that night is not tonight, nor is tomorrow's breakfast that either. I will pick you up at your door at 9 am, take you to breakfast, and then show you Nawlins from a local's perspective, ok?"

Without hesitance, I nodded my agreement. He stepped away to grab his jacket.

"Ok, I'm going to leave. Lock the door after me and then relax in the tub. Wear comfortable shoes tomorrow, will ya?"

"I can do that." I was tickled to see him restraining himself, because maybe he really was a gentleman. Maybe I can convince him to stay.

I reached over to run my hand along his prickly beard.

Grabbing my hands from his face he smirked. "Nah-uh, I have to leave and you have to soak your feet. Good night. I'll call you in the morning to wake you. Sweet dreams."

He leaned forward, kissed my forehead, released my hands, and stepped out the door, closing it gently behind himself.

I stood there stunned until there was a knock on the door. Peeking through the peephole, I saw Jim again and hope soared eternal that he had changed his mind.

I opened the door.

"What did I ask of you?"

I looked up at him not understanding what he asked, "soak and sleep?"

"No darling. You need to lock this door behind me. I'll stay outside until you do. Then go do the rest of it."

He stepped out again, and I followed him to the door, locking it. I heard from the other side of the door, "the other lock, too."

When I slipped it into place, I heard from the other side his deep baritone voice saying, "Good girl" before I heard him walking down the hall.

******
I want to make this into a series if i get enough feedback. Anyone have a breakfast spot in New Orleans to suggest? Also, do you prefer a teasing build up or jump straight to sex?