The Bridesmaid and the Bartender

Julie approached the reception hall and slipped inside. She’d stayed at the church to gather all of the scattered odds and ends from the pre-ceremony rush. As she opened the door soft slow music filled the room. She watched several couples pair off and slip onto the dance floor. How she longed to be one of those women being held close in a strong masculine embrace. She couldn’t help but eye them with envy.

It had been just over a year since Daniel packed his bags and moved out of her apartment, and her life. Almost daily his last words reverberated in her head. He’d accused her of being frigid, telling her he’d only stayed out of pity. She hated him, his words inflicted more pain than if he’d slapped her.

After Daniel, she vowed never to become swept up in the promises of a smooth talking man. To hell with it, she didn’t need to date...she had family and friends to occupy her time. And besides, she knew she wasn’t anything special, Daniel had made sure of that.

Julie’s eyes traveled to the center of the dance floor where her friend Jane was wrapped in the arms of Doug, her groom. The looked so much in love....Julie said a silent prayer of continued happiness for them. With a sigh and one last longing glance at the loving couples swaying slowly to the music, she made her way to the bar.

The familiar scent of Drakkar cologne hit her before the visual presence of the bartender. She raised her gaze up to meet a pair of gorgeous chocolate brown eyes peering back at her. For a moment she could only stare as she took in this handsome specimen. Long and lean, she guessed him at over 6 feet tall with dark brown hair, cut in a popular style, the ends curling at the nape of his neck. His eyes sparkled with amusement and were framed with thick dark lashes, the kind any woman would kill for. He was rugged and masculine looking, Julie fleetingly wondered if he was single, then quickly brushed the thought aside.

Blushing, she cleared her throat and ordered a vodka lemonade. His eyes roamed her body appreciatively and she caught the hint of a grin tugging at his lips before he turned to make her the drink. She watched the taut muscles of his legs and back as he twisted around, reached for the bottle of vodka, then tipped it to pour. My god, he’d looked at her as if he’d eat her alive if given the chance. A rush of raw desire flowed through her as he turned to hand her the cocktail. His fingers brushed hers slightly and she murmured a soft thank you.

Julie spun around, praying that he’d not seen the flush in her cheeks. She quickly spied a table off in the corner and strode toward it. She sat, spreading her dress neatly over her knees and sipped her drink. The DJ spun a familiar fast paced tune and before she knew it, her friends pulled her out onto the dance floor. Tossing her head back and laughing wildly, she danced, feeling carefree and happy, never noticing the pair of chocolate eyes following her every move.

He couldn’t tear his gaze from the vision in the flowing blue dress. Lord she was stunning, he thought, as he took in her smiling face. Blue eyes that nearly matched her dress and thick blonde hair, tousled around her face completed the effect. She’d taken down the French knot she wore for the ceremony and he was grateful. He caught himself longing to lose his fingers in that thick mane while plunging his tongue passionately between her lips.

Get a grip on yourself buddy, he silently cursed, you’re acting like you’ve never seen a beautiful woman before. He went about his work; casually watching her from behind lowered lashes as she giggled with her friends. He knew he had to meet her and went in search of his fellow bartender, to arrange a little “break”.

Julie laughed and whirled around as she danced, becoming dizzy and flushed. She hadn’t had this much fun in ages. As the song ended, she stopped and took a moment to catch her breath. Another slow song started up so she flashed Jane a loving smile and turned to return to her table. “Where do you think you’re going”, a husky voice said in her ear? A strong hand settled on her shoulder as she turned and came face to face with the bartender.

There were those eyes again dammit, and she couldn’t even begin to form words when he asked her to dance, all she could do was nod. He led her to a corner of the floor and pulled her securely into his arms, his lips dangerously close to her ear.......so close that his warm breath against her skin made her knees weak with desire.

Julie couldn’t help but recall her earlier wish and the fact that she felt so secure in his arms. In spite of the commotion around her, she heard nothing except the pounding of her own heart. What would it feel like if his arms slipped lower, caressing her? As if he could read her mind, he lightly traced her sides, down to her hips and over her buttocks before settling on her waist again. Her body trembled in response, a deep flush creeping across her skin, making her feel so hot. A trickle of perspiration glided down the valley between her breasts and his eyes followed its journey.