Vanished

Bar

"Like many others," I offered, because the streets were lined with parked cars during the day, especially down the side street where the popular restaurant was located.

"Yeah, but there's just something weird about it."

"Alright. Let me know if you find anything."

"I will. And Bro..."

"Yeah..."

"Be careful."

"Yeah..."

The bar hadn't been crowded by the time we got there shortly after five, but it filled up quickly after that. A little too much for my liking, but it was Friday night. So it was expected.

I stood next to the last seat at the u-shaped bar where my coworker, Al sat, because it gave me a view of the door.

There were booths to my right, all of which were occupied by professional looking men and women. They seemed to do exactly what we were, drinking beer and relaxing after a work week.

Most of the crowd, however, was located around the bar itself and the booths on the other side of the room. Those people looked younger, like early twenties. And they were probably starting out their evening with a couple of drinks, instead of having a few before going home.

"Here Will," Ron said and slid a beer down the bar top to me, spilling a good portion of it.

"Thanks, man. You didn't have to do that," I said, but accepted it regardless.

"Is alright, you can get me one next time," he grinned, and I wondered if there would be a next time.

Bruce and Al got beers too, and Ron managed not to spill those.

"Thanks, man," they said at the same time, which made Ron snort out a laugh.

While we were all on our third beer, my coworkers had downed just as many shots and it showed. I couldn't do that. Three beers were my max. I needed to remain in control and be fully aware of my surroundings. And I was, but just a little more relaxed about it.

"Check out Steve, man," Al chuckled about our new accounting assistant. He was across the bar doing shots with a group of girls that looked like they were still in college, but then he was a recent graduate, so I guess that made sense.

"Those were the days," Bruce sighed and scratched his graying beard.

"Looks like he'll be getting some tonight," Al agreed.

"Good for him," Bruce chuckled, and they raised their glasses to toast an unknowing Steve. I took another small swallow from the beer, more to fit in than anything else, while I paced myself.

"Hi, Will," Dana said as she came over and leaned up against the wall next to me with a smile on her pretty face.

"Hi, Dana."

Her big blue eyes peered up at me, and her long dark eyelashes fluttered. For a second, I wished it was another pair of blue eyes that looked up at me. A darker pair. But I pushed those thoughts away. At this point in my life, that was just a fantasy.

"I'm surprised to see you out. You rarely come to these things," Dana said with a lazy smile that bordered on sensual.

"Yeah, I know," I forced a smile. "I had some time tonight."

"That's great." She reached past me to her wineglass on the bar top and her bare arm brushed up against my hand that held the beer glass. Her skin was warm and soft, and I could smell her flowery perfume. It was rather pleasant.

"How was the concert?" I asked to make conversation.

"Oh, so great." She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "You missed a good one."

"I'm sure."

Dana took a sip of her wine, and I scanned the room as I brought the beer glass to my own lips.

Al and Bruce had moved on from talking about Steve's luck to talking about Al moving to California. Dana sighed next to me.

"I've always wanted to go to the west coast."

"Where would you go?" I asked, not because I cared, but it kept the focus on her and away from me.

"I have heard San Diego is nice, and LA, of course."

I nodded, and she continued, "but I'd also like to see the Pacific Northwest, like Portland and Seattle."

I tried hard not to grimace and let out a fake laugh. "Guess you like the rain."

She smiled. "I'm not sure I'd mind. It's the perfect weather to stay inside and snuggle up with a book, or with someone..."

I looked down at her, and the hungry look in her eyes confirmed what I expected. She was coming on to me.

"You'd have a lot of those days," I said, knowing the weather there from experience.

She smiled and brought the wineglass to her lips. When she put it back down on the bar, she leaned a little closer to me, rubbing not just her arm against me, but her chest as well.

"Sounds wonderful with the right man," she whispered and licked her plump pink lips.

I swallowed hard. She wasn't Ellie, but she was an attractive woman and it had been a very long time since I had slept with one. I couldn't help the way my eyes trailed down from her lips to the soft looking black sleeveless shirt she wore, and to the swell of her breasts underneath it. Or to the tight pink skirt that showcased her long legs.

I drank some more beer and considered whether I should leave before I did something stupid. But then, why did it matter? I didn't have anyone I needed to stay loyal to. As much as I'd wanted a chance to be with Ellie again, it would never happen.

And I was leaving Boston.

"Have you ever been there?" Dana asked, and I shook my head even though that was a big lie. We'd lived in Portland for a couple of years, and I'd been to both LA and Seattle.

"Maybe you'd like it too," she flirted in a breathy voice.

"Maybe," I responded.

She smiled and took another sip of wine.

"I love your hair this short," she continued and took a step closer to me. My breath hitched as she ran her hand across my scalp.

Damn, it had been a long time since I touched a woman, or had been touched by one. Her hand on my head, her warm breath near my throat, and her breast pushed up against my arm was more action than I'd had in a long time and it stirred things in my nether regions.

Dana ran her hand slowly down my neck, over my shoulder, and down my arm. If I had doubted it before, her invite to take her home was now as clear as day.

I considered saying fuck it and taking her up on it. I needed to let go of some pent-up frustration and what better way than to fuck it out with an attractive woman? To feel the softness of her body against my hard one. The warmth of her embrace, the way she'd move under me, her soft whimpers and heat as I sunk into her...

I shoved a hand into my pants pocket to hide my sudden hard-on.

But the visions that flashed in front of my eyes were not of me with Dana, but of me with Ellie.

Fuck.

And then my phone rang.