Later that evening, Enya called Sonja. She needed someone to talk to, someone who would listen and probably wake her up to reality.
"Hey Son, You want to grab a beer and maybe eat some trash food with me?" She asked when Sonja finally picked up.
"Hey sure! Haven't heard from you in a couple of weeks, everything okay?" Her friend was very observant towards Enya.
"Ah, nothing a couple of beers and some downtime with my girl won't fix." Could she really have sounded anymore suspicious in that moment?
"Spill En, what problems you facing? Anything to do with a certain guy...", Oh she's good, Enya thought.
"Alright," She sighed and fiddled with her hair, "It's Cato, we-he, Jesus I don't know how to explain this shit, Son." She flopped down onto her bed. "It's like everything is just different. It's changed. It scares me."
"Mmm sounds like you're addicted to the D, my friend." Sonja joked, "Listen, let's go get those beers but bring Cato. I want to meet his ass."
"Hey now, he has a very, very fine ass. I've seen it, I've touched it--" Enya was saying when her friend cut her off.
"EW, no I do not need to know your sex life. Just bring him to Spades and I'll interrogate the hell out of him." Sonja mimed disgust.
"Alright, Alright. I'll bring him but only because you're my closest friend and you'll know if I need to kick him to the curb!" Enya chuckled, deep down though she was sweating bullets. This was the first time she'd ever let a guy hang out with her... in her personal life.
"I'm sure I'll like him. I'm just glad you're finally starting to see the light to your old wicked ways. Listen, I'm going to hop off here and get ready, I suggest you do the same. I'll see you around seven okay?" Sonja hung up and left Enya on her own.
The phone rang a few times before a breathless Cato answered, "Hey babe, what's up?"
"Hey, if you're busy I can always call back tomorrow. I didn't mean to--er, bother you. I'll just let you go." Enya said faster than the speed of light.
Laughing, "You're fine, I'm at the gym but I just finished. What's going on? It's surprise hearing your sexy voice on the phone." Enya could hear someone in the background whistling and clearly dogging Cato. "Shut the hell up Matt or I'll kick your ass again." Cato jested to his friend.
A light bulb went off in Enya's head. "Hey listen, I was supposed to meet a girlfriend for beers at a bar we frequent, She wanted me to bring just you but if I know Sonja, She'll be ecstatic to oogle the hell out of Matt. Bring him, that way it doesn't feel like a third wheel kind of thing."
"Damn Enya, are you asking me out on a date? I'll have to thank Sonja later." Enya could have sworn she heard a smacking sound, and then Cato laughed and said something to Matt.
"Don't be too skippy, she wants to intimidate you." Enya laughed. "The bar is Spades, it's in Brooklyn."
"I'm familiar with the place, I'll grab a shower and meet you there and I might think about bringing Matt just to get into Sonja's good graces." Clearly the last statement wasn't really meant for Enya, as much as it was for Matt.
"Alright, great. I'll see you around seven? Wear something sexy Slick. I want something to oogle too." Enya hung up and started getting ready. It didn't take long because well, it was a damn sports bar and she was going on a casual outing. She'd chosen another pair of distressed jeans and a tank top that read "This Girl Needs A Beer." She'd decided to go bra-less again. She kept her hair down and went a little heavier on the eyeliner and mascara. She threw on the same pair of worn grey Chucks and put a little Armani Cuir Noir on. She was out of the door not twenty-five minutes later.
Spades was a fantastic sports bar, it sat on the business end of Brooklyn. It had charm where other bars were upgrading and making way for a new generation of drinkers. There were antique signs, sports memorabilia, old style stools along the bar counter. The only change Spades had made in terms of upgrading were the television sets, and there were plenty of sets to choose from. Instead of choosing a stool like their usual routine, Enya had chosen a booth, that way it'd be a little more private. She was the first to arrive so she ordered for herself, and then for Sonja since she knew what she liked. For her, Flaming Fury ale, and All Green Everything for her friend. She asked the waitress to hold the All Green until her friend arrived and that she would order food once her whole party showed up.
Like clockwork Sonja showed up at seven. Spotting her friend she started walking her way. Sonja had chosen to wear something similar to Enya, ripped jeans, Chucks but she'd chosen a blouse instead of a tank top. Sonja was a little more fashion forward than Enya was. She was a gorgeous latina woman, a little shorter than Enya, she was everything Enya wasn't. Dark wavy hair, amber eyes, and golden skin.
Both girls had received their beers and were catching up about the stuff they'd missed out on in each other's lives when Enya felt eyes watching her. She looked up and immediately caught Cato's gaze. She so badly wanted to gulp looking at him but she didn't want Sonja to tease her at any given point in their friendship. Sonja didn't miss a beat though and looked with her. Cato was wearing a pair of jeans and a white tee that hugged him in all of the right places. Whispering, Sonja said, "Damn En, he's fucking gorgeous, and look at his friend. Now that's a man I could literally sink my teeth into."
"I'm glad you like him, his friend's name is Matt. He's single so flirt away." Enya said not taking her eyes off of Cato.
"Hey," Cato smiled and took a seat next to Enya. He immediately grabbed her hand and held it under the table. He kissed her on the cheek.
"Hey now, get a room." Matt teased, since Cato had totally disregarded their introduction, Matt held out his hand to Sonja, "I'm Matt, Cato didn't tell me there'd be two gorgeous women here."
Cato coughed and under his breath said, "Liar."
Sonja caught it and laughed, "Oh really, well I'll have to remember that next time. I'm Sonja, Nice to meet your sexy ass."
Enya spit out the sip of beer she'd just drank. "Damn Sonja, you don't leave anything in between do you?"
"I'm just being honest. Appreciating something when I see it." She said scooting over to make room for Matt.
Cato nudged Enya, "I don't recall a certain someone leaving anything to the imagination either. What's that saying? Birds of a feather..."
"Shhhh, alright. Alright. Say what you like but the first time either of you start talking about body parts going into other body parts, I'm out." Enya laughed.
Cato and Matt had chosen the same beer choices their female companion's had chosen. Probably not by coincidence but who was really noticing. They'd ordered a pizza and some nachos and got lost in converstation.
It was easy watching Cato banter back and forth with Matt and still hold a good conversation with her friend. It was either the countless beers she'd drank or something but she was really starting to enjoy this side of Cato. It was a breath of fresh air.
He caught her staring at him. "Oh shit." She said aloud not paying attention.
He let out a deep laugh, "It's alright, It's okay to admire something you like." He winked.
"Dude, don't get all fucking mushy on me now that you've got your dick on lockdown. It's gross man. You look like a puppy going all goo-goo eyes on her." Matt quipped.
"Hey, I wasn't the one just talking about how I love to cuddle." Cato said taking a swig of beer, Amusement in his eyes.
*****
After they'd left Spades both couples split ways. There was no doubt that Sonja and Matt were going to hook up. The chemistry was there.
"So I think we just did our friends a favor." Cato said grasping onto Enya's hand.
Smiling, "Yeah I think we did. No doubt they're in for fun night. I-uh drove so I'm not sure where you're parked but I can walk you to the car before I have to drive myself home."
"Hey now, You've been drinking. Ride home with me and I'll have one of my drivers come pick up your car." Cato stopped her.
"Listen, I actually have to go home. I wouldn't mind hitching a ride it's just that I can't really stay the night at your house." She said looking down at her shoes.
He placed a piece of her hair behind her ears, "Hey it's okay. Don't worry about it. I'll get you home, I just don't want you driving. I don't think you've been drinking a ton but you've had more than what I've seen other women drink. It's better to be safe than sorry."
"Okay, I'll ride you--I mean ride with you. Damn, maybe I have been drinking a little too much." She said shocked at what she'd just let slip.
Cato raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh really, I think I can make both things happen."
"Slick, as much as I love car sex like any other hot blooded woman, if we were going to boinking, I'd want more than the car trip home. You know this." She said walking with him again.
He opened the car door for her, "Woman, you have the sexual appetite of a wildebeest. You're insatiable, you know that?"
"Look who's talking, Mr. I Never Get Soft ." Enya laughed taking her seat.
"Only with you." Cato sat down and shut the door. Things had suddenly become...intimate. This was the part Enya had a hard time relating too.
"I-uh- is it hot in here? I'm burning the hell up." She started mime-fanning herself. No doubt she was fucking crimson red right now. Thank you Irish genes.
"The air is on. It's okay I know you have a hard time dealing with serious intimacy. I just, it's okay to say things like that to me you know? I'm not going to bite...yet." He said reaching out for her hand, in a way asking if it were okay.
Enya nodded, and grabbed his hand and slid closer. "I know, damn it, It just scares me I guess. I'm trying to open up but I'm always closed off. I've had to live that way for so long. I never really thought about dating. It's usually all sex and nothing in between. What you said earlier today, in the office, you're right. I can't deny that there is something between us. It's there. It's strong but it's new and foreign to me."
They sat in silence the rest of the way to Enya's condo. Once the Rolls pulled up, Cato opened the door and slid out. Reaching for Enya's hand, he helped guide her out and onto her feet.
They were standing so close that Enya could practically taste his lips. "Don't overthink things between us, okay? I know what I want and that's fine. You're taking baby steps and it shows. You invited me out tonight, and you have no idea how glad I am for that. It was good, spending this kind of time together. It's a different side to you Enya Morgan and I love it. It's enough, just don't leave me hanging in the wind. I want more of you."
Here goes nothing, "Slick, you got anywhere you need to be?" She reached up and kissed him. It was slow, it was gentle. It was amazing.
Pulling back, breaking their kiss Cato looked at her reading her face, contemplating what she'd just said. "Even if I did, I'd cancel everything if it meant I was going to go up to your apartment right now."
Enya smiled and started forward, grabbing his hand. "Let's go talk bodies."