Aubrey's Playground

:81:

It was transparent to Aubrey that Lori preferred to be anywhere other than being in her mother's home. So much so she had no problem lying about restaurant reservations that she knew the restaurant canceled due to them not showing up after getting lost in conversation. Their drive back to the hidden hills was mostly in silence and Aubrey preferred to not push any conversation on her, whatever emotional feelings she was currently hibernating on would be dealt with or without him by now he was very aware the Lori was not one to ask for help. She had walked several feet in front of Aubrey in silence along the edge of the large pool looking down at the lights that consistently faded into hues of blues, purples, greens, reds, and yellows, a distant waterfall crashed along rocks aiding a sense of relaxation. The sun had set over California a long time ago yet Lori found now urge to close her eyes. She randomly turned around and looked at Aubrey for several seconds, both his eyebrows shifted in different directions as he awkwardly stared back at her.

She took a deep breath. "I need a drink."

Aubrey's eyebrows rose forcing his low-set eyelids to open. "Are you asking me or are you telling me?"

"May I... have a drink?" She smiled widely. Aubrey matched her smiling seeing her sense of humor was still intact.

He pulled his hands from his pockets and walked towards the outdoor bar, he pulled a single bottle from the shelf and held a shirt clear glass in the other, his slow-paced strides carried him back across the cemented deck as he took his place in front of her. He pulled the circular cork from the Patron bottle and pored a single shot in the short clear glass, he spit the cork top from his mouth to the ground. "If you're going to drink your problems at least do it the right way." He advised her while holding the glass directly in front of her face, she chuckled and shook her head then took the glass and quickly downed the shot. Her face twisted and turned as she forced herself to swallow the warm tequila.

"UGH! It's like drinking rubbing alcohol!" She shook her head and twitched her body.

"That's pretty much all it is."

"Another, please." She nodded. Aubrey frowned playfully his lips pressed together and slightly puckered. He took the glass from her and poured another single shot then handed it back. Lori quickly downed the liquid, this time making it easier to swallow, she breathed out dramatically. "Three for three?"

"Have you eaten?" He asked with a smirk.

"No." She shrugged nonchalantly. It was evident she didn't care either.

"It's your world." He poured the third shot and handed it over. She downed it the quickest. "Iigh, you're done." He said as he flipped the glass upside down and placed it on the bottle's spout and set it to the ground.

"I can go four for four!"

"I believe you but I said no." He replied sternly with a soft face as he looked down at her. Lori eyed him while biting down on her bottom lip.

She spun around on the toes of her heels and turned her back to him, she pulled the wide belt from her waist then unbuttoned the rest of the shirt pulling it from her shoulders and letting it drop to the ground, she bent over and unbuckled one heel then the other and pulled them both from her feet. She approached the edge of the pool and stepped into the water leaving behind a trail as she ascended every step and immediately submerged her body under the water. Aubrey watched as she came back up facing him, her hair had quickly gone from straight to her natural state of loose curls she reached under the water and pulled her thong from her waist, and tossed it to the deck next to his feet. "Your turn." She said with a smile.