Playing Criminal

53- Let's Be Free

I felt warm for more reasons than one.

He put a hand on my chin, but instead of leaning in to kiss him, I turned away.

“Another shot please.”

Quickly the bartender set another glass before me and I downed it straight without grimacing.

Getting it down quick and easy was the way I liked to go.

I turned back to Jack and grabbed his hand. “Come on, what are you waiting for? Let’s dance.”

And boy, did we. For the next half hour it was all us on the dance floor. Hands and lips and skin on skin and fabric.

Although truth be told, all I really wanted was for that fabric to just fall away.

“Hey what do you say to getting out of here?” I yelled into Jack’s ear.

Without hesitation, Jack took his hands of my waist so that we could weave out of the crowd.

Once outside again, I realized how cold it was outside compared to the hot steamy air of the club.

“Where do you want to go, Princess?” Jack glanced down at me, the pale moonlight and street light glinting of his eyes, making them look dark.

“Anywhere,” I whispered as I ran my hand up his chest, over his white linen shirt.

“I know the perfect place,” he grinned.

Once back at his car, he opened the trunk, pulling out a paper bag.

“I’ll call a cab.” He told me as he turned around. “I’m not even really tipsy, but I don’t want to take a chance without –especially given your track record with driving and illegal substances.” His eyes glinted humorously and I couldn’t suppress a smile.

Gosh, to think that without that motorcycle disaster we may never have met at all.

Within another fifteen twenty minutes we were getting out of the cab at the base of what looked like the side of a random road.

All I could see in sight was a chain link fence enclosing a dry, grassy hillside. This way, Jack led me forward and I followed his lead and hopped the small chain link fence, dropping one of my heels in the process.

Jack picked it up for me and helped it back onto my feet.

“T-thanks.” I mumbled as I felt my heart rate speed up at what felt like such an intimate action.

“No problem, Cinderella.”

I chuckled at his joke.

“What’s the brown paper bag for.”

“Oh this old thing?” Jack gestured to the bag, “What’s a nice night without a bottle of white?” Without ado, he pulled a wine bottle out of the bag.

“Come on, we just have to go a bit further.”

I clutched onto Jack’s arm as we walked through the grass until we got to a small flat area where the grass stopped.

Instead, there were bunches of flowers planted in a circle. In the middle sat a stone bench covered in moss.

It was beautiful, like something out of a dream or fairytale with the way the moonlight made everything glow softly.

“Something tells me you actually do aspire to be some sort of Prince Charming.”

“Not really,” Jack said in all seriousness. “I just know what I want.”

He set the bag on the bench, then came forward to brush a lock of hair out of my eyes. Slowly, he reached up and ran his thumb across my lower lip.