#FREE READ Sunday! Crossroads…a Butterfly Memoir Mini- Chapter 6
Welcome back!
We’ve passed the halfway point in the tale! Now, with only four more chapters to go, that means we are now FIVE WEEKS away from the release of NOBODY’S BUSINESS!!!
Last Sunday we found Ebony a bit uncomfortable with the the attention she’s been receiving from Kenneth, a man in charge of training her and her manager on the mating habits and care of pandas. He’s handsome, smart, and wayyyyy too friendly! With Ebony far from home and struggling to ignore her dreams of babies and the signs her husband Brian has been giving of wanting to start a family, she is once again faced with deciding which path her life should take…career, or family.
Trevon, on the other hand, has something else going on completely….
*Just tuning in? Catch up by following these links to the previous chapters!*
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Trevon
“Celine, Bud Ice, please.”
“Sure thing.” The bartender winked, then sashayed her nearly naked bottom behind the bar.
I angled my head to get a look at what she obviously wanted me to see and shook my head. Wearing clothes that tight demanded a man’s attention, and in that shade of cream, you didn’t have to imagine too hard about what she looked like naked.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks. Keep the change.”
She looked down at the amount of money I gave her and smiled. “Let me know what else I can do to service you.” Celine gave me a once over, licked her lips, then went to help another customer.
My attention went to the other patrons lining the bar railing as I savored my beer.
A flash of deep purple caught my eye at the opposite end of the long counter.
A woman took a set at the end nearest the wall. From what I could see in the dim light, she was very attractive.
Long tendrils of jet black hair framed a face that was perfect, while the rest was piled high on her head. Sharp cheekbones accentuated pouty lips. When she looked my way, eyes shaped like those of a cat took my breath away. The contact lasted for a second, but felt like hours.
Her eyes diverted in annoyance as she dug into her purse and retrieved her phone. Her brow knitted into what appeared to be anger as her fingers flew across the keys. She shoved the phone into her purse, then slammed it onto the bar. She closed her eyes, nostrils flaring as if taking a deep breath.
When they opened again, they connected with mine, but this time, the contact was longer.
I inclined my head to acknowledge the connection. She looked away.
Not sure how to take the response, I distracted myself with my phone, checking for new emails or text messages. Seeing no update from Andre about Sharice’s condition, I flipped over to the Facebook app. It too was dead for a Saturday night.
I slid the phone back in my pocket. When I glanced up again, my gaze went to the opposite side of the bar. Her seat was no longer occupied. Not that I had plans to talk to her, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
My bottle empty, I signaled Celine for a second.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
I looked to my left and what do you know? The missing woman was now next to me.
“I went to the bathroom and when I came back, my seat was taken.”
I looked across the bar; someone else occupied her chair.
“Please do.” I hopped off my stool and pulled the seat out for her.
She eyed me, as if my gesture was the craziest thing in the world for a man to do. “Thank you.”
I appraised the body of this woman as she settled in her seat, and man, she was breathtaking. Her bare shoulder brushed mine as she got comfortable. A hint of perfume hit my nose. Her scent was intoxicating. I had to compose myself while standing behind her.
“Bartender,” she called.
I took the opportunity to check out her attire as she spoke to Celine. The deep plum fabric of her dress was seductively wrapped around her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare. Large earrings dangled, drawing my attention to a slender throat. A dangling pendent lay flush between cleavage begging for attention in the peek-a-boo, crisscrossed opening.
My imagination went in the gutter.
Her head angled slightly, studying me, a slight smile spread on her face. She opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but her purse vibrated. The smile on her lips, that were the color of her dress, dropped into a thin line.
She retrieved the phone, read what was on the screen, then cursed under her breath. “That no good son-of-a─,” Instead of responding to the text, she hit a button, then shoved it into her purse. The second her drink arrived, she gulped.
My eyebrows rose. “Bad night?”
Instead of a reply, my barstool companion shot me a look of hatred as if I were the one who’d sent her the message.
I put my hands up. “Hey, I didn’t do it.”
Those catlike eyes narrowed slightly as she shook her head. “But you are a man. All men are─”
“Hold on…” I pointed to her purse. “Whatever he did had nothing to do with me. All I did was pull out your chair. I mean, I could have been saving that seat for some other unbelievably fine woman in the bar tonight. I saw you when you came in. It was obvious you were angry. I’m all ears if you want to talk about it. Just don’t blame me for some other guys issues. Deal?”
Those sexy eyes looked me up and down. “No deal.”
I shrugged and turned back to my drink.
The silence lasted for all of two minutes.
“Why do men lie?”
I chuckled. “Sure you want me to answer that? I’m a man and could be lying.”
The woman next to me kept her face straight for a moment before letting a light laugh pass her lips. “This is true.” She sipped her fruity drink, then sighed. “Look, I’m sorry for acting that way, but my…ex is a pain in the ass. We were supposed to meet tonight and talk things out, but I guess that will never happen. I’m done.” She made a show of wiping her hands.
Interesting.
“With men, or just him?”
She looked me up and down again, this time taking her time. “With him.”
I smiled, my confidence boosted.
Her attention went back to her drink. “I’d rather be at home than here.”
“At home, huh, doing what, I wonder?” I slid a glance over, waiting for her to take the bait.
She laughed. “Sorry, probably not what you’re thinking.”
I faced her directly. “Try me.”
She sat back in her seat, sliding the straw up and down in her drink. “Bubble bath, wine, and a good book.”
“Ah, so you love to read. Let me guess, some sappy romance novel where the hero whisks the lady off for a hot night of passion while promising forever?”
She laughed and shook her head. “Uh, no, not my speed. I gave up those when I graduated high school and discovered that kind of love is all make believe. These days, I’m all about action and adventure.”
My brow rose, interest peaked. “A woman after my own heart. I’m a Sci-Fi man.”
“Me, too, well, girl that is.”
Her smile was mesmerizing, so was her laugh.
She sipped her drink. “What are you reading?”
“A Star Wars novel.”
Dark brown eyes lit up in excitement. “Me, too! Which one?”
I feigned a heart attack. “Be still my beating heart. You know about the Expanded Universe?”
She scoffed. “Every Star Wars’ fan knows! I’ve read like eighty of them.”
I named the book and held my breath.
A manicured hand swatted the air. “Finished reading that one a week ago.” She chuckled when my mouth fell open. “And no, I’m won’t spoil it for you by telling you what happened. Just know this, the next book in the series is going to be an eyeopener for sure.”
I leaned forward and rested my elbow on the bar, pointing a finger in her direction. “Ok, see… That right there is not right.” I lifted my bottle to my lips and discovered it was empty. I signaled for Celine to come our way.
The bartender walked over, a look of irritation on her face. Apparently the sight of me giving another woman my attention instead of her hit a few buttons.
I ignored her, entranced with my new found friend. “Let me get another beer. Would you like another drink? My treat.”
“Sure.”
“And another one of whatever she’s drinking.” I gave her a twenty. “Keep the change.” The large tip put the smile back on her face. My attention went back to the woman beside me who was not looking at me with a seductive gleam in her eye.
If I played my cards right, I wouldn’t be going home alone tonight.
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Chapter 7, coming next Sunday!
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