Chapter 2. It's All Greek To Me
Callie’s POV
“Why did I let her convince me to go out?” I mumbled.
My circadian rhythms were already out of whack from the long flight from Italy but my best girlfriend Alexandra Harper, or Alex, had convinced me to celebrate my homecoming in style. She wanted to take me to the new nightclub in town called Zeus. I thought the name pretentious, but apparently it was the new ‘it’ spot and I didn’t want to disappoint my friend by saying no.
“I literally have NOTHING to wear!!!” I moaned, staring at the heap of discarded clothing on my bedroom floor. I don’t know why I cared. It wasn’t like I even wanted to go in the first place. I plopped down on the edge of my bed, giving up. I was clad only in white flowery underwear that would have even had my Nena thinking “granny panties” and a boring bra that screamed ‘librarian’s assistant’.
“That’s why you have me to rescue you.” Alex exclaimed while entering my bedroom with a small package in her left hand. I hadn’t even heard the doorbell. Damn that girl had ninja skills.
I wrinkled a brow and gestured to the small package in her left hand. She held it up like hand like it was the crown jewels, but it looked to me that she had brought her trash into my home to get rid of.
“Didn’t pay your garbage bill?” I said as I gestured to the light package.
“Good grief, NO girl!” Alex said as she rolled her eyes dramatically. Diva. She walked further into the room and took out a small piece of material on a hanger. It was obviously supposed to be some sort of “outfit” but I almost laughed at that ludicrous of the idea.
“What happened to the rest of it?” I smiled. “Trash compactor? Or did the dog finally stop tearing up your dad’s slippers and switch to clothing?”
Alex stepped further into the room and made an impatient huffing noise. “It’s your outfit for tonight you idiot!”
I opened my eyes wide in horror as I took in the scraps of dark silk that she claimed I would somehow be squeezing my ass into.
Did it have enough material to even cover my ass?
“No way.” I replied.
“Oh come on! I saw it at the mall today and I saw it was the same shade of your eyes and it was the only one left in stock was exactly your size so I couldn’t NOT take it! I mean I literally heard it calling your name!”
She looked hopefully at me and I groaned internally. I was too tired to argue and decided that if I fell flat on my ass and flashed my assets to all the world I would never forgive Alex, ever.
“Fine,” I conceded. Alex squealed in delight. “But if I end up flashing more than a smile, I am kicking you square in the c-” My phone notification went off. I lurched for the phone that sat on the edge of my bed and practically knocked it off onto the floor in my anticipation. I looked at the screen in anticipation and quickly frowned. It was from my dad telling me he would be late from work.
Alex scrutinized my face and quirked up a perfectly shaped brow. “Expecting a call from someone?” she said sardonically.
“No.” I sighed, lying. Alex opened her hazel eyes wider calling bullshit. “Well-” I started.
“Cal you’ve been here less than 12 hours and he lives right next door. It doesn’t mean anything that he hasn’t called and if you were so concerned, you should march your ass over there and let him give you a proper welcome.” She wiggled her eyes suggestively and I rolled my eyes at her again. I felt I had seen more of the back of my eyelids today than anything else.
Alex was the only one who knew I felt about Ethan. He had grown from being my neighbor, to best friend, to crush, to...whatever this feeling was that I had for him now. I had felt this way ever since the night of Alex’s sweet 16 birthday party when my date’s unwanted attentions had caused a bit of a row in the study. That night he had held my trembling form in his arms and whispered words of comfort into my ear. A warmth had grown in my chest and it was all I could do not to look up and get lost in his eyes. If I had looked into those deep green eyes filled with concern for his BFF, I wouldn’t have been able to resist his soft lips. I’m sure he had felt he had to be his best friends knight in shining armor, but the ache that grew in my chest blossomed into lust. He spoke against my temple softly and the smell of Dr. Pepper enveloped me and calmed me. He was a total Dr. Pepper addict.
The more I saw of him after that, the less I saw him as just a friend and the more my heart ached when he was near. It was one of the reasons I had decided to study abroad. After high school, I knew we would part as we headed towards college. The more distance between me and his blonde hair, green eyes and that deep dimple in his cheek, the better.
I stood up and made up my mind. I was going to yank his lovely face out of my heart from the roots if it was the last thing I do.
“Let’s do this.” I said with firm determination.
Alex had insisted I wear smoky eyeshadow and crimson lipstick and leave my wavy hair loose. I shrugged and brushed out my long locks until they shone. I smiled at the effect and admitted to myself that my hair was indeed my best attribute. It was a chestnut brown with some auburn thrown in with good effect. It flowed to my waist and probably covered more of my body than the scraps of cloth I wore.
I must admit the outfit was stunning but not my style at all. Alex tended to go for the flashy designer looks, and the less material the better. But, If I was going follow through with Operation Get Laid, I needed to meet someone soon-preferably tonight. Not that I was a loose. I had only had sex with my ex boyfriend Franco, but not all nightclub hookups had to end in a one night stand, right?
I sighed and subconsciously pulled down the hem of my skirt to cover more leg. Alex swatted at my hand away.
“Stop it!” she said and I looked up, startled. She sounded angry. “You have a beautiful body and now every lucky guy in the place will know it.” Lowering her voice to a concerned murmur, she added. “Even if some asshole, who shall remain nameless, can’t see it for himself.” I sighed and my heart clenched uneasily.
I flushed and knew who she meant. My ex Franco and I had a-complicated relationship to say the least. I shook my shoulders and internally reminded myself that tonight was for fun. I was going to drink, dance with strange men and hopefully yank my yearning for Ethan out by the roots.
I fluffed up my hair and added a layer of gloss over my red lips. I resisted the urge to pull the hem of the skirt down again and grabbed my silver beaded clutch in one hand as I said determinedly, “Alright. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
I’m at the bar in the slinky indigo dress that Alex swears matches my eyes. I fight the urge to pull down the hem of my dress, knowing Alex has been shooting daggers at me from the dance floor whenever my hand twitches to the bottom hem of the skirt.
I order my third and most likely, final cocktail. I was a lightweight when it came to hard liquor and a third long island iced tea is probably pushing my limit.
The bartender looks at me strangely as I tilt my head unconsciously and pout my lips.
“Are you sure miss?” he asks inquisitively with a slight smirk on his roguish face.
I’m puzzled and pout my lips even more, a habit I had since I was small that I unconsciously did whenever I was confused or inquisitive. Men have told me it was sexy and even though I didn’t do it on purpose, I was unable to curb the habit over the years. Alex says it’s from being such a daddy’s girl. One pout of my lips and my father caved in to my every whim-within reason.
I mean I doubt he would allow me to get a tramp stamp or to take up skydiving, but the pout usually worked. It was a hangover from when my mother died.
My father was a huge mess. To get his attention, or to make him smile, I would pout my lips and he always gave me a heartwarming smile and cave. I guess old habits die hard.
“Why?” I inquired of the bartender, who had a nametag in cursive that proclaimed his name was Adonis. I mentally rolled my eyes at the thought that anyone would name their child and figured it was a sort of stage name to make all the dreamy waitstaff seem more desirable. Happy customers equal more drinks and more time spent at this particular venue.
“Am I cut off for some reason?” I continued and the bartender smiled.
“No, sweet thing.” he said with a panty dropping purr of his deep baritone.
I straightened my head and consciously put forth the effort to not pout my lips or tilt my head. Franco said he practically had to put out fires when I combined the two actions in a public setting.
“Then what is the problem?” I ask. “I am over twenty one if you need to see my ID then what is the point-?” I stopped as he placed a fruity looking drink before me. It even had a little umbrella and was adorned by a slice of orange and 2 glistening maraschino cherries that matched the shade of lipstick I had decided on for the night.
Before I could speak, the bartender let out a short, loud laugh and said “From the gentleman -”
“Thanks Trevor” said a deep vaguely familiar voice behind me. Adonis indeed.
Adonis/Trevor scowled and turned to serve the next bar patron. I turned around to see who my admirer was, expecting some middle aged business man or boring accountant out on the town whose mind had looked at my outfit and thought ‘easy’. Damn that Alex. I should worm a muumuu and not this scrap of-
I turned and met the eyes of my admirer and my heart literally stopped.
NO---!
My breath hitched in my throat as I saw the object of my lust (or affection-the jury was still out) standing in front of me with a saucy smirk, his hand rubbing along his 5 o’clock shadow jawline in a sexy way.
“Enjoying your drink?” he smirked even more, seeming to enjoy my discomfort.
Asshole.
I took a sip of the drink but my taste buds had stopped working. “Yes it’s lovely.” I murmur. My heart sped up as I noticed his gaze flickered down to my lips. My breath caught and he licked his lips in a slow lazy way. His dancing green eyes darkened and he seemed to have drag his gaze from my lips back to own smoky rimmed orbs.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked and without waiting for a response, set my barely touched drink down and took me gently by the waist as he led me towards the dance floor. His hand grazed the naked flesh on my lower back and I shivered involuntarily. I internally swore as my own body betrayed me. I silently threatened to kick my libido’s ass into next week.
