Resisting the unthinkable, my son’s best friend

Alyssa "Don't look now, but there's a hottie at the bar who's probably envisioning bending you over the bar and_" "Esme!" I gasped, cheeks heating up. My other friend Valeria spluttered, choking on her cocktail, "Oh my God Aly, you are such a prude." "I resent that," I wagged my fingers at her, "Number one Esme's mouth should come with a warning and number two I'm way too old to be picking up guys at bars." Esme flicked her blonde hair over her shoulders and snorted, "You're thirty six, not ninety. I have one year on you and if I weren't married, I would have jumped that babe at the bar so fast." The other woman whistled, peeking over my shoulders, "He really is something." The three of us had been friends since high school. After my cheerleader friends ditched me when I got pregnant in high school and tried to humiliate me, Valeria had found me sobbing in the bathroom and literally saved my life. Esme and I had hit if off a week later when we had been paired for a biology practical. They were the best friends anyone could ask for, but they were also hellbent on getting me into trouble. "Now you've made me curious," I said, "It had better be a Ryan Reynolds lookalike back there." Carefully, I turned my head and dragged my gaze lazily down the bar to... Holy God in heaven. He was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my life. Dark hair fell over a perfectly sculpted face in waves and a dark suit molded over a tall, strong body. His dark blue eyes met mine and even from across the bar, I felt the startling effect of them. A shiver ran down my spine and I hurriedly tore my face away, flustered. "So, what do you think?" Esme waggled her eyebrows. "He's young," I said instead of revealing the sudden, shocking attraction to a stranger, "he probably thinks I'm like a college student out for a night of fun because the bar is so dark. I'm sure we would both be embarrassed when he sees me up close." "I'm up close right now and I have to say that the view has only gotten better," a deep voice said from behind me, causing me to go statue still. I stared wide eyed at my friends who were trying and failing to hide their amusement. "He's behind me, isn't he," I whispered. "I'm suddenly thirsty," Esme made a show of pouting at her empty glass, "Let's go get drinks from over there, Val." Before I could beg them not to leave me, they shot me salacious winks and disappeared out of the booth, and a second later, the man slid in beside me. "H-hey," I stammered, too distracted by how good looking he was and how good he smelled. The man's mouth hooked up in a small smile, "Hey there. I'm Zaiden." "Anna," I lied because I may have decided to humor the guy but there was no way I was giving him my real name, "What do you want?" "I'm talking to the prettiest woman in this bar, I believe I've gotten everything I want." Heat rose up my cheeks, "I'm not a college age student that's going to be flattered by pretty words." "Good," Zaiden replied, "Because I don't want a college student." My teeth came down on my lower lip, and I ducked my head. "Would you like a drink?" I raised my still full glass, "if you're trying to get me drunk, you're wasting your time." A chuckle slid out of his mouth and it was the sexiest sound I had ever heard in my life. I suddenly wondered what his moan would sound like. "And why would I want to get you drunk, Anna?" He leaned forward, so close that his breath brushed over the shell of my ear. "Because you're hoping I would be more open to making bad decisions if I'm drunk." "Hmm," he hummed, "Am I a bad decision?" My head was screaming no, but my mouth managed to say "Yes. I'm too old for you." Zaiden's hand cupped my jaw and pulled my face up till our mouths were just a hairsbreadth apart. My heart was thumping louder than the pounding bar music and I felt intoxicated even though I had only taken a sip of alcohol all night. "Age is just a number." I laughed, "How cliche." "I'm an adult and you're an adult. I don't see what the problem is here. Unless you're afraid that one night with me won't be nearly enough." All the sirens went off in my head. He was too close, too potent. I had been alive for thirty six years and never had I felt like this. Like I was racing down the hill at the speed of light without brakes. He must have been in his late twenties, so not that young. One night with him wouldn't hurt. I pushed down the voice of the devil in my head that was urging me to say yes and do something wild for once in my life. "On the contrary, I'm afraid that one night with you would be so disappointing. You're too young to know how to handle a grown woman." Blue eyes turned into heated sulphur orbs and his nose flared, "We both know that if I slide my hand up that pretty, black dress, I will find you soaked." I clenched my thighs, "Th-that's not true." "You're staring at me like I'm a five course meal darling," he smiled, then brushed his lips over mine. That momentary contact made me moan and I froze as soon as the sound left my mouth. "Allow me to give you a night that you will never forget," he continued, "Let me be your favorite bad decision, Anna." He rose to his feet, tall and imposing and held out his hand, "Are you going to be a bad girl for me tonight?" I stared at his hand, trying to ignore the heat racing through my veins and weigh the pros and cons. I shouldn't do something so crazy. I definitely shouldn't.