Love in the City, an erotic romance novel (2 page)

After work, Anabelle met her best friend Sarah at their favorite lounge, Painter’s Cove in Brooklyn. It was a cozy little place with live music and murals all over the walls, which were painted by local artists. Anabelle loved the place. It was their neighborhood haunt. The drinks weren’t too expensive and the people were friendly and welcoming.

Not like the places in Manhattan, where they felt the heat of condescending, disapproving looks for not being up to snuff. The two 28-year old friends had tried it once, but had felt very uncomfortable with the rest of the patrons. The women looked like they came straight of the fashion magazines they were so done up and wearing expensive designer clothes and shoes. They were also stick thin, unlike Anabelle
’s and Sarah’s curvier forms. The girls also got sticker shock once the bill came. It was $17 plus tip for each of their glasses of wine. Way out of their budgets. Since then, they had stuck closer to home, where they fit in and didn’t have to worry about being judged for their modest wardrobes and decidedly non-model like few extra pounds here and there.

“Hey girls,” the bartender waved, “good to see you! The usual?”

“You betcha, Barry,” Anabelle said.

Barry was the 31-year old owner of Painter’s Cove. He was an artist and gu
itar player, too, but since it was hard to make a living as either one, he did the next best thing. He opened a place where artists and musicians could come hang out, leave their mark on his walls and talk about their craft amongst friends. It was a home away from home for the people who went there, and for Barry, it was his actual home. He lived by himself in the loft above the lounge.

Sarah and Anabelle grabbed
one of their favorite tables, which was against the wall and half way between the bar and the small stage.

“So,” Sarah said as they sat down, “did you ask boss lady about a promotion or getting paid for your overtime yet?” She flipped her long, partially braided sandy blonde hair over her shoulder. She had pale, slightly freckled skin and a hippie vibe in how
she dressed and kept her hair.

Anabelle shook her head. “No, Raquel was in an extra
bad mood today. I didn’t dare.”

“You’ve got to speak up for yourself, you know,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “She’s never going to respect you unless you do. Especially in the advertising world, you need to sell yourself. Just like any other product you guys market.”

“I’m not very good at that. It makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think she’s ever going to respect me anyway, I can tell she doesn’t really like me,” Anabelle said.

“Don’t say that, she
only needs to realize what a valuable asset you are. You just need to prove yourself.”

Barry came over carrying a tray with their wine. “Here we go, ladies.” He set the glasses down, his
thick, chestnut brown ponytail falling over his shoulder as he did.

“Thanks, Barry,” Sarah said, taking her glass. “Just
what we need after a busy day.

“Yes, thanks,” Anabelle said.

He smiled at them, then glanced back at Sarah for just a moment. His brown eyes warm with affection. He quickly looked away. “Allow me,” he said as he struck a match and lit the glass-encased candle on their table. “A little firelight for you.”

“Lovely,” Sarah said.

Barry looked at her and blushed. He nodded. “Your appetizers will be right up.”

Anabelle and Sarah always ordered the same thing. Hummus and pita and edamame beans to start. Then the
y shared a plate of fettuccine Alfredo. They were both trying to lose a few pesky pounds, so they had started ordering healthier appetizers, but couldn’t yet let go of their favorite pasta dish. So they opted to share it instead.

“You know,” Anabelle said, leaning forward and lowering her voice, “I think Barry likes you.”

Sarah looked up in surprise. “Don’t be silly. He’s just being friendly. He’s nice to everyone here.” She took a sip of wine.

“But there’s something else when he looks at you,” Anabelle said, “I can tell.”

Sarah shook her head. “You’re imagining things.” She glanced over at the bar. Barry quickly looked away when she caught him looking at her.

“See? I told you,” Anabelle smiled. “He’s cute, you know, you should talk to him sometime…alone. I’d bet he’d love that.”

Sarah looked over at the bar again. Barry smiled at her. She smiled back. “He does have a nice smile, and I do love that long hair of his,” she said, looking back at Anabelle. “Kind of makes me want to run my fingers through it.” Her cheeks reddened and she took a deep breath. “I don’t know…maybe. Anyway, enough about me. What about you?” Sarah asked.

“What about me?”

“Anyone interesting in the picture?”

“
I wish,” Anabelle said, then sipped her wine. “But I did have an encounter earlier today. Closest thing I’ve had to a date in a while.”

Sarah leaned in close,
holding her wine glass. “Do tell.”

Anabelle told her about
the morning coffee incident that had happened as she made her way to work from the bodega where she’d stopped for stamps. “How embarrassing, or what?”

“But he was handsome?”

“Oh yeah, jaw-droppingly so,” Anabelle said, smiling. “And rich. His family’s company is Tsar Enterprises.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Giorgio Tsarkopolis. Gorgeous. Greek. Rich. I almost died.” Anabelle laughed.

“But you said he invited you in for coffee?”

“Well, yeah, but there was no way I was going to.”

Sarah flicked her in the forehead.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“What do you mean, what was that for? A gorgeous, wealthy man invites you for coffee and you just leave?” She flicked her again.

“Ouch, cut that out!” Anabelle said, laughing as she rubbed her forehead. “I had just spilled coffee all over myself, including my boob no less, as well as his expensive suit sleeve and very shiny, nice-looking shoes.”

“And did he take note of where your coffee was so lasciviously spilled?”

“Yeah, he did. Pretty hard not to.”

“Mmmhmm,” Sarah said, grinning from ear to ear. “Then, there were sparks.”

“Well, yes,” Anabelle said, then cleared her throat. “But,
I wasn’t about to be paraded into his high-end office, with all his high-class staff wearing coffee on my very inexpensive blouse from Target, with everyone knowing I’d spilled it on him too. I’d already made enough of a fool of myself.” She took another sip of wine. “I have some self-respect, you know.”

“If a man is checking you out, he’s not going to care about the rest of that. He’ll be thinking of one thing. What you look like under that coffee-stained top.”
Sarah raised her eyebrows.

Anabelle sighed.
“I would’ve probably ruined his image of me by more idiocy.”

“Men have a one-track mind. Once anything remotely sexual is on their radar they can’t think of anything else.”

Anabelle took a longer sip of her wine, thinking of what her friend was saying.

Sarah tapped the table with her finger.
“What you need is a sense of adventure. And risks be damned! You don’t want to go through life racking up regrets and what ifs?”

“
You’re right. But it’s not like I was prepared for that first thing on a Monday morning.” Anabelle’s voice was tinged with regret. “It happened so fast and I was just really flustered and Raquel has been on my case a lot lately. As it was, I barely made it to work on time. She made me work most of the weekend, too, so I was rushing around. I’m bagged. Probably one of the reasons I was so clumsy this morning.”

“You know, I don’t think making it to work on time is a life-goal that needs to pre-empt a chance encounter with a gorgeous man. We need to work on your priorities.
Sexy men are #1.”

Anabelle giggl
ed at that.

“
Did you at least give him your number?”

Anabelle shook her head and ducked another flick to the forehead. “He did ask for my name though. I only gave him my first name. He said to call him at work if I wanted a coffee to replace the one I spilled.”

Another duck.

Barry came over carrying their appetizers. He smiled. “Here we go
, ladies. For my two favorite customers.” He set the plates down along with cutlery and napkins.

“I bet you say that to all your customers,” Sarah ribbed him.

“No, only you…two,” he said looking at her, quickly catching himself. “I’ll be back to check on you.” He turned and walked away, placing a hand on his forehead.

“I told you,” Anabelle
whispered, grinning. “He’s sweet on you. You should consider him.”

“He is cute,
and kind of sexy,” Sarah said as she watched him walk back to the bar. “I’ll make you a deal, I’ll speak up if you do.”

“What do you mean?”
Anabelle asked, starting in on the salted edamame beans.

“Well
, Mr. Rich and Handsome may not have your number, but you know his name and where he works and he said to call him. So call him.”

Anabelle sat back in her chair and
considered it.

“Is he married?” Sarah asked, grabbing a slice of
the fresh pita bread and spreading some of the roasted red pepper hummus on it.

Anabelle thought for a moment
, frowning. “To be honest, I didn’t think to look. I was so embarrassed by fumbling and spilling my coffee everywhere. Plus he was so crazy gorgeous, I think my mind went blank.”

Sarah made to flick her forehead again.

“Uncle!” Anabelle cried out. “Look, the whole thing was…he was a lot to take in. You wouldn’t believe how good-looking he is. Straight out of GQ magazine, movie-star worthy looks. Seriously. I’ve never seen a man that gorgeous in real life. It freaked me out.”

“You need help,” Sarah chided her. “We need to work on your game, girl.”

“Yeah, probably,” she laughed. “But seriously, this guy would be light years out of my league. It was a nice little flirtation. Nothing more. Back to reality.” She took a sip of her wine.

“Where’s the fun
in that?” Sarah challenged her, grabbing some beans.

Anabelle frowned, then focused in on the hummus and pita. She quickly stuffed her face before she could answer.

“That’s it,” Sarah said, crossing her arms. “You need help. My help.” She grabbed her purse and started fishing around inside. She took out a pad of paper and a pen, along with her iPhone.

“What are you doing?”

“I am a reporter, you know,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “I’m going to do a little investigative work. Find out some intel on Mr. Handsome and Tempting.”

“You’re a freelance journalist who writes Arts and Culture articles for the NY Indie Voice,” Anabelle reminded her. “And don’t go snooping around. It’s pointless. I won’t see him again.”

Sarah sighed, giving her friend a withering look. “You won’t if you don’t know where to go or how to approach this. Or if you don’t try.” She took a long sip of wine. “For courage. Fortune favors the bold, and all that.” She raised her glass.

Anabelle reluctantly raised her glass, too. They clinked glasses
and both polished off their wine, giggling.

“So, celebrating something?” Barry asked as he walked up.

They looked at each other. Anabelle was giving her a look that said say nothing.

Sarah winked at her. “Anabelle met a gorgeous man today and she’s too shy and chicken to do anything about it.”

Anabelle gave her a good kick under the table.

“Ow,” Sarah said, giggling
again.

“I see, and so you two are plotting a strategy then?” he asked, looking amusedly from one to the other.

“If a strategy is to be plotted, it will be for both of us, since we’re both single.
Especially
Sarah.” Anabelle gave her a sly grin.

Sarah eyes went wide as she looked at her friend in disbelief. Her cheeks turned red.

“Actually, Sarah really likes artistic types, musicians, that kind of thing,” Anabelle said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Does she now?” Barry said, smiling. “Well, you’re in the right place then.”

“Yes, she is,” Anabelle said, “she definitely is.” She received a swift kick to her shin.

Anabelle muffled a shriek.

Barry looked highly amused. “Would either of you like another glass of wine before your dinner comes up?”

“Yes, yes, please,” Sarah said, now barely able to make eye contact with him.

Barry nodded, winking at them. “Coming right up, ladies.”

They watched him walk away out of earshot.

“I’m going to kill you!” Sarah said between clenched teeth.

“Not if I kill you first,” Anabelle said. “Besides, a deal’s a deal.”

“Fine,” Sarah said, sitting back in her chair in a huff. “But don’t rush me. These things need to approached carefully.”