Roses Aren’t Always Red

Valentine’s Poison

'Roses are red, Violets are blue, looking for a little fun tonight? Well, us too'

Queenie tore her eyes away from the screen full of words and coughed as she took a large sip of her drink

"I hope you know how disappointing that is everytime I read it" She said as she took a another gulp of her drink with a frown on her face.

"Honestly thank you I was waiting for someone to say that." A disgruntled voice echoed across the table past the music

"Well Jay, thank you for being such a supportive friend." Adrienne, the owner of the club they were in finally shut down the critics she called friends, "And anyway Jay, since when did yiu start turning against me just to support this crackass friend of ours?"

The man merely gave a shrug as he spoke once more, "I mean Ray, you know I love you and support you..."

"One hundred." Queenie nodded furiously

"But if your slogan sucks... I'm sorry it just sucks."

"I know it sucks but I did it for single asses like you two, who can't get lovers to save your lives." She clapped back

A glass sounded through the booth they were hiding in as Queenie slammed her glass down in disbelief

"Might I remind you all, that some of us are single, by choice." She retorted haughtily

"Oh really?" Jay snorted

"Have you no allies?" Adrienne chuckled at his turn of loyalty

"Yes! I am a very busy woman, FRESH out of university, at a whole new job and with a new home to settle into - don't go expecting me to be finding a new man too!" She said over the music

"Alright Q, babe, but you graduated like a year ago, you're not that fresh."

Jay laughed loudly earning him a painful nudge and with a grunt he frowned, "Hey what gives! Anyway Ray is probably right, it's not that you don't want to flirt, you can't."

A faux gasp left her mouth as the two chuckled.

"I'll bet I can." Queenie said impulsively

Her two friends exchanged glances before turning back to her with mischief set in their eyes.

"Bet?" Adrienne said challengingly

"Bet." Queenie settled as he immediately stood up, the liquid courage of her last three cocktails having settled in very lightly, but enough to allow her to slip into herself - Queenie, the girl that any man would kill to have, but can't admit they want.

With her smooth brown skin, for eyes and curvy body, she was a catch. Her doe eyes and seductive smile could make any man submit. And she was well aware of how attractive she was.

And with a flip of her braids she smiled, "Watch."

Leaving the two leaning in with anticipation.

Queenie stepped towards the edge of the balcony they were in giving her immediate sight of the entire ground below.

Dusk was a multifaceted entertainment centre owned by Adrienne who so happened to be Queenie's long time friend and ex-boss. The particular club they were in was a floor above her most profitable club - the strip club. However they were in her second most popular one in the area and tonight, 14 February, they were celebrating Valentines, for the singles.

Queenie found the concept to be awfully stupid.

Especially as the club looked as regular as any other night. Her eyes fell upon a couple that was heatedly making out, and a group of girls laughing their tops off unreservedly around a group of rather expensive looking men.

Her shoulders couldn't help but sink as she realised that she wasn't quite in the mood to do anything at all. Everything looked draining and pointless and with a sigh she considered going back to the table.

She'd obviously be victim to her friends snorts of laughter but she'd rather laugh with them than anybody else. Which she came here to do anyway.

And she made to turn away but her head suddenly jerked to the bar section and funny enough she spotted someone who was shamelessly staring up at her.

Absolutely shameless.

Dressed in a loose black shirt and similar coloured jeans, his legs were sprawled open and as he leaned back on the counter he peered at her through his glasses with a very curious look on his face.

He looked simply debonair. Hey black hair sprawled around his face and with a suave look about him, she couldn't help but stare back. She felt absolutely tempted and drawn to him she scanned him continuously.

Queenie cleared her throat as she realised he wasn't looking away and she turned towards the two who whined in disappointment.

"Girl! What the hell? Why did you trick us like that?"

"Nasty." Adrienne frowned

The two radiated disappointment from afar and she wanted to go backs and brush it off but before Queenie could pass them a smile she turned back at the man who was still staring, this time with a drink at his lips. Stuck in a trance again,and he simply smiled at her before lifting two fingers in her direction in greeting.

It was very brief but apparently that's all she needed.

Overcome by her own frustration she bolted off towards the stairs leaving her friends completely.

She made her way down and through the crowd with middle difficulty, determined to reach the bar, she had to wade through dancing bodies and spilling drinks and when she did, a little short of breath from anticipation and her face feeling warm from all the heat around her she saw him - facing the bar as if he wasn't glaring a moment ago.

She couldn't help but scan him for a while.

From his jet black hair, honey coloured skin and all black outfit, and an expensive looking timepiece on his wrist. His wrist that had ink snaking up his arm, both arms and up his neck in fact, he had a whisky in his hand.

"I'll have my gin the way I like it Bris." She told the guy who smiled at her warmly as she walked up to the bar with a sigh

"Having fun?" Bris quipped up

"Oh I'm about to." She smiled causing him to raise his eyebrows as he turned to make her drink.

After a few seconds Queenie pulled up a chair awfully close the man and still looking forward she said, "So we're just gonna pretend you weren't gawking at me a couple minutes ago?"

She heard what sounded like laughter, "And we're not gonna pretend you were scanning the club like a hawk in the sky?"

When Bris returned with her drink, the man's eyes fell upon it. It was pink and bubbling with a cherry on top.

"What's in your poison?" He smiled as he finally turned to her and she felt momentarily out of breath.

He had deep brown orbs that held an intense stare and her eyes roamed across his face as he broke into a smirk. He, much like her, knew he had gotten her absolute attention.

"Well, I don't quite remember actually I'm not that much of an expert." She smiled

"It can't be that complex."

With a smile she grabbed the cherry and removing the stem she held it in his face.

"What don't you tell me what you think?"

It was a bizarre moment even to Queenie, as he heard Bris stop tinkering with the cups. And she would've retreated too if it wasn't for the man's cooperation.

He casually took the cherry in between his teeth and ate the cherry worldlessly.

Immediately, Queenie took a large sip of her beverage and standing up she makes to walk away, "By the way, staring is rude." She said causing him to laugh.

With a final stare at his form she decided to retreat. She wanted to see how much of her teasing he could tolerate; and with a pep in her step she took a couple steps forward, until, to her delight, she let out a tiny gasp and was turned on her feet towards the towering figure of the man she had just teased.

"Going so soon?" He asks

With a splutter she merely stares, and taking her drink, he sets it down and leans in to her ear.

"Dance with me."

His breath was warm against her ear and she felt herself melt into his presence as he took her hand into his warm larger one.

He dragged her towards the centre and pulled her closer to his body. Blood was rushing through her veins and her breaths became shallower as he stared at her.

His eyes roamed across her face and finally locked with her won stare as he allowed his hands to slither across her sides and dipped his head to her ear again, "Relax, princess. Can you do that for me?"

His voice was low like a purr and she couldn't help falling in step with him as he guided her hips into a slow sway to the beat.

As he squeezed her sides slightly she didn't even realise how tense she was. And he was determined to get her into a better mood.

She felt her body shutting out the entire club as she clung onto the back of his neck.

His hands eventually roamed to her back and eventually began dropping lower and lower until he was grasping onto her ass.

With a gasp she moved closer to him and held him in an embrace that had their chests touching and faces centimetres apart.

She found her fingers creeping up his jaw towards his lip, pink stained lips, which she pulled at, and with a smirk his lips landed on the side of her neck which he peppered with cool soft kisses that had her exhaling with a shudder.

Her already short dress had ridden up a little more that she felt his bare fingertips feather across her thighs and she whimpered unexpectedly, a whimper that he caught in an open mouthed kiss.

The night had taken a turn for the unexpected.

The kiss at first was controlled by him and him only, it was only after she got over her stupor that Queenie returned it with the same energy - hungry and bold.

"I..I never got your name." She said through the kiss and opening her eyes the world finally came back to her, she was panting and her voice was a little course.

But his wasn't he seemed as cool as ever when he replied, "August." He said coolly and simply as he held onto her tighter.

"I'm Queenie."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." He said as his fingers continued to tease the back of her thighs.

"What is a babe like you doing all alone on Valentines' night?" He drawled on as his eyes dropped to her lips

She couldn't help but giggle as he squeezed her behind, "Now don't go trying to pity me August, I wanted to be alone tonight."

He shook his head, "I wasn't pitying you."

"Mhm." She remarked "And you? Where is your Valentines' treat?"

With a smile he leaned right into her neck and gave it a long wet lick and peck before mumbling, "What are you talking about love? You're right here."

With a scoff she slightly pushed herself from him giving her enough distance to properly look at him, but not enough for him to let go as she ran her hands all across his shoulders, his arms and to his back.

He let her muse over him until he c****d his head to the side in what seemed to be consideration.

"What are you doing tonight?"

It was a question that was obviously going to come. She would've asked soon enough if he didn't.

And happily she replied, "What would you like me to do tonight?"

With one more smirk his fingers found her chin and tilted her head up, "How about we take this home."