One Night Stand, Then My Mate

I’m walking into an unknown pub called, ‘The Forest’, to get a drink to drown my day. I go to this bar because i don’t want to see anyone I know. I’ve had the worst possible day. After working a 12 hour shift at the hospital, having my patient die in my hands, and what could you know, still getting over losing my mother two weeks ago, today. I’m definitely going to need more than just one drink. I head straight for the first bar stool I see, but I don’t see the bartender first. I see a body with the burliest arms I’ve ever seen on a man before. God those are nice. i look away before he catches me looking at his robustness. “i’ll have a dirty martini, please.. go ahead and make it two”, i say to the bartender with a sigh. The man with the muscular arms looks up at me. With blue eyes, you could almost see through. Bushy serious eyebrows and long brown hair. He’s wearing a white t-shirt that looks like he’s about to burst out of and a pair of dark blue jeans. I notice that the tshirt is slightly see through, i can see he’s got a chest full of hair, or maybe it’s because the fabric is stretched so tightly around the thickness of his body. Could this man get any more handsome? I look away and stare down at my scrubs and think about how i haven’t even washed the death smell off my body yet. The bartender hands me my drinks and i down the first one in 3 seconds. Regretting coming to The Forest because had i known i was going to see a man this handsome, i might’ve just went home and made drinks from the gin in my freezer. I slowly sip on my second drink trying to ignore the fact that this man is walking his eyes up and down my body and i’m completely fatigued and look like it. I take a deep breath because out of my peripheral vision, i see him walking over to me. I don’t bother to look up from my drink. I’m trying my hardest to babysit my drink so he doesn’t think of me as an alcoholic. It’s just been such an awful day. Just as i start for a sip of my drink, i hear his voice, “Can i buy the next one?”. I straighten up in my seat, to ready myself for my reply, “Sure, but you don’t have to sit with me while i drink it.” I look up at him, and i can feel him searching for my soul in my eyes with a soft grin on his face. He returns back to his seat, as i finish my second drink and signals to the bartender for another round for me. I smile. He didn’t even argue with me about not being in my company after buying my drink. What a nice man, with nice arms. I head for the bathroom, to try to freshen myself up because i have no idea what i look like and this man keeps looking at me with those intriguing eyes. I lay down my baby hairs and splash some water on my face and walk back out there. I stop right at his seat, and his eyes meet mine like he was waiting for me. “Do you have a name, Mister Can I buy your Next One? “ there’s that grin again. “Miles, Miles James.” I try to hide the fact that his reply makes me smile. “Nice to meet you Miles, Miles James. I’m Caroline Smith. I’m sorry I didn’t let you accompany me for my drink, I’m just having one of those days.” He doesn’t say anything, he just smiles softly. I take my seat and down my third and final drink. I probably wouldn’t have even talked to him on my way back from the bathroom if i wasn’t already feeling what’s in my glass. I leave a twenty on the bar and reach for my keys and when i do, i see those arms again. Oh my God. “You definitely shouldn’t be driving tonight. Let me give you a ride home or at least call you a cab” as he grasps my keys with his big hands. Those are big enough to be paws. “Mmm, fine, but let me make one thing clear, you’re not coming home with me. You’re taking. me home.” He laughs and agrees with me. If i didn’t know any better, and wasn’t three drinks in, i’d have called my sister to come get me instead of letting some yummy man with big arms take me home. He walks me to my car to get the rest of my things and lock it up. “i never would have pegged you as a Chrysler Girl” i laugh not knowing what he means. He doesn’t know me or know anything about me besides my name to even configure what kind of car i drive. We climb into his Jeep Wrangler. I definitely could’ve seen him driving a Jeep. Someone with a hard top would need strong arms to be able to lift it on and off. Ohhh, that’s what he means. We’re pulling out of The Forest, and what’s funny is it’s in the middle of the woods, so the name is relatable. I punch in my address to my apartment complex, and give him my phone. I stare out the window trying to ignore the tension in here. Miles, Miles James, you are such a mystery. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling because this man is so gorgeous with his big hands, big arms, hairy chest, blue eyes, and did i mention his big arms? I could eat you up. I stop my excessive thoughts. He breaks the silence, “What has made your day so bad?”, “I’m assuming you just got off work, did something happen at the office?” i’ve been so distracted by him tonight, i he completely forgotten all about my day, but i reply “i had a patient die on me tonight. It was a little boy, only 11 years old.” His mouth doesn’t open with a gasp, instead, he has a condolence look in his eyes and i appreciate it. “i’m sorry about your night, but i’m glad i could help with a drink”. We sat in silence for the rest of the 10 minutes of our drive to my apartment. He sets his arm up on the center console, and looks over at me, like he’s trying to get closer to me. I don’t mind, if i’m being honest, i could really go for a hug in those arms. I set my arm up there to and before i even touch him, i feel the warmth of his skin. how can skin be this hot. I touch him accidentally, Accidentally on purpose. He doesn’t flinch, but he gently raises his arm, and sit his hand back on the steering wheel. He’s acting as if he can’t touch me. We arrive at my apartment and he jumps out of his Jeep and walks to my side and opens the door. I get out of the car a little sloppy. I stand up straight trying to recover myself. “Do i need to carry you inside” he says. Good God yes. “No, I think I can manage. But thank you anyway.” i say with a soft smile. He’s just staring at me and i don’t know how, but i can feel that stare all the way to my toes. I could go for a goodnight kiss though. “I’ll be here at 7am to pick you up and take you back to your car in case you have to be at work at 8, does that work for you”. i look at him and smile, “i’ll be ready, thank you again.” i reach in and hug him, but he’s stiff as a board. “You don’t have to thank me” he says pulling away from me. What the hell? Have i been reading too much into this? “I put my number in your phone, so if you need anything or have to go anywhere tonight, just text me and let me know.” How do you expect me not to thank you when you do things like this? God he is so confusing. “Okay, well, Goodnight.” As I’m walking away, i feel the grip of his paw around my arm pulling me back to his chest and he lays a soft kiss on my lips. HOLY HELL I WAS DEFINITELY NOT EXPECTING THAT. BUT OKAY, LETS DO IT AGAIN. “It was nice to meet you by the way Caroline, Caroline Smith.” All i can do is smile. He lets me out of his grip and i walk away even more drunk than i already was. What the hell just happened.