Repressed.

A Little Reckless

“For the first time that evening, the nerves began to feel a little less like fear.

And a little more like anticipation.”

Eloise took another sip of her drink.

“I'm still not doing it.”

Elsa gave her an innocent look.

“Doing what?”

“Going over there.”

“I didn't say anything.”

“You're radiating encouragement.”

“That sounds like a compliment.”

“It isn't.”

Elsa laughed and settled back into the booth.

“Fine. Stay here.”

Eloise narrowed her eyes.

“That was too easy.”

“I've decided to respect your choices.”

“You've never done that before.”

“People grow.”

“You haven't.”

Before Elsa could answer, someone stopped beside their table.

“Excuse me.”

Both women looked up.

The man standing beside the booth appeared to be somewhere around their age, perhaps slightly younger, with dark brown hair and an easy smile.

He glanced between them.

“Would either of you object if I joined you for a moment?”

Elsa looked at Eloise.

Eloise looked at Elsa.

Then Elsa smiled.

“Not at all.”

The man slid into the empty space opposite them.

“I'm Nicholas.”

“Elsa.”

She gestured towards Eloise.

“And this is Eloise.”

Nicholas offered his hand.

Eloise took it.

“Hello.”

His smile widened.

“Nice to meet you.”

He had the sort of face that seemed permanently on the verge of laughter.

Eloise found herself relaxing slightly.

Then, because apparently she had left all social ability at home, she asked, “How old are you?”

Silence.

Elsa stared at her.

Eloise stared at herself internally.

Nicholas burst out laughing.

“Oh my God.”

“I didn't mean to ask that.”

“That makes it better.”

“No, it doesn't.”

“It absolutely does.”

Eloise covered part of her face with one hand.

“I am so sorry.”

Nicholas was still laughing.

“You thought I was twelve?”

“No!”

“Sixteen?”

“You have a young face.”

“That sounds considerably kinder.”

“I meant it kindly.”

Elsa took a drink.

“She usually has better manners.”

“I do.”

“Debatable.”

Eloise kicked her beneath the table.

Elsa didn't even flinch.

Nicholas looked delighted.

“I like both of you already.”

“Dangerous judgement,” Eloise said.

“So are you here alone?” Elsa asked.

“With some colleagues.”

Nicholas nodded towards another section of the lounge.

“They're around somewhere. We came after work.”

“And you abandoned them?”

“They're boring.”

“Honest.”

“I try.”

He turned towards Elsa.

“What about you?”

“Girls' night.”

Nicholas glanced at Eloise.

“Celebrating something?”

Eloise nearly said no.

Instead, she thought about the blocked number on her phone.

The sketches above her desk.

The black dress she had finally worn.

“Possibly.”

Elsa looked at her.

Eloise smiled.

“I'm still deciding.”

Nicholas seemed intrigued but didn't press.

For the next few minutes, conversation came easily.

Mostly because Elsa and Nicholas did nearly all of it.

Eloise listened, laughed occasionally and drank slowly while the two of them discovered that they shared the same peculiar talent for turning ordinary questions into shameless flirting.

Nicholas leaned closer to Elsa.

Elsa leaned closer to Nicholas.

Eloise looked between them.

Ah.

There it was.

She recognised the situation immediately.

Not painfully.

Not even with much disappointment.

Mostly with amusement.

Nicholas had approached their table because of Elsa.

Of course he had.

Elsa was beautiful, funny and entirely comfortable being noticed.

And unlike the old Eloise, the new Eloise didn't need to turn that into evidence against herself.

Still, she didn't particularly want to sit between the beginning of somebody else's flirtation.

“I'll get another drink.”

Elsa looked at her.

“You don't have to.”

“I know.”

Eloise stood.

Nicholas moved aside to let her pass.

“Do you want anything?”

Elsa lifted her glass.

“I'm good.”

“Nicholas?”

He grinned.

“I'm terrified to impose.”

“Wise.”

Eloise picked up her bag.

“I'll be back.”

She walked towards the bar.

Only once she had left the booth did she realise exactly where she was going.

Oh.

No.

The stranger was still there.

Naturally.

Eloise slowed.

She could simply choose another part of the bar.

Yes.

That would be sensible.

Unfortunately, the room had grown busier, and the only open stool appeared beside him.

Eloise stopped.

Someone moved behind her.

She stepped forward automatically.

Another person passed.

By the time she reconsidered, she was already standing beside the empty stool.

Ridiculous.

It was a chair.

She was an adult woman.

She could sit beside an attractive man without suffering a medical emergency.

Eloise sat.

And immediately brushed her shoe against his.

Wonderful.

The stranger looked down.

Then at her.

Eloise closed her eyes briefly.

“I'm sorry.”

His eyebrow lifted.

“I didn't mean to kick you.”

“You barely touched me.”

“That still counts.”

His mouth shifted.

Not quite a smile.

“Should I be concerned?”

“Only if I do it again.”

“Then I'll remain alert.”

Eloise stared at him.

He was teasing her.

The stern man from the other side of the room was teasing her.

That seemed unfair somehow.

She turned towards the bar before she embarrassed herself further.

The bartender was busy serving a group several feet away.

Eloise lifted a hand.

Nothing.

She tried again.

Still nothing.

Beside her, the stranger said, “You might be there awhile.”

“I've noticed.”

He raised two fingers slightly.

The bartender saw him almost immediately.

Eloise turned.

“That's irritating.”

The stranger smiled properly this time.

It changed his face.

The severity disappeared, although not completely. Something sharper remained underneath it.

“What are you having?”

“I can order my own drink.”

“I didn't suggest otherwise.”

“You summoned the bartender.”

“I assisted.”

“Very noble.”

“I thought so.”

The bartender approached.

Eloise ordered another Blood and Sand.

The stranger looked at her.

“Really?”

She glanced at him.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“That wasn't a nothing face.”

He looked down at her glass.

“Whisky cocktail.”

“Yes.”

“I wasn't expecting that.”

Eloise sighed.

“Why does everyone find it remarkable when a woman drinks whisky?”

His eyebrows rose.

“Do they?”

“Yes.”

“Then I withdraw my observation.”

“Good.”

“I was actually wondering whether you liked the drink.”

She paused.

“Oh.”

His mouth twitched.

“I appear to have walked into an existing argument.”

“Possibly.”

“With whom?”

“Society.”

He laughed.

Eloise smiled despite herself.

The bartender placed her drink down.

She reached for it.

“So?”

The stranger nodded towards the glass.

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Like it.”

Eloise tasted it.

She considered.

“Yes.”

“Convincing.”

“I hadn't had one before.”

“Then why order it?”

“The name.”

He looked amused.

“You chose a drink because you liked the name?”

“I design things for a living. Presentation works on me.”

“What sort of things?”

Eloise hesitated.

She had not intended to tell him anything personal.

“Beautiful things.”

His gaze shifted to her earrings.

There was nothing crude in the movement.

Just observation.

“Jewellery?”

Eloise blinked.

“How did you know?”

“You're wearing something unusual.”

Her fingers moved unconsciously towards one earring.

“You noticed?”

“They're difficult not to notice.”

She wasn't sure whether that was a compliment.

The way he was looking at her suggested it might be.

“I designed them.”

“Then they're very good.”

Eloise stared at him.

The compliment hit differently from the ones about her appearance.

Perhaps because this belonged completely to her.

“Thank you.”

He lifted his whisky.

“And now you've made my answer seem inadequate.”

“What answer?”

“You asked what I thought.”

“I didn't.”

“You were about to.”

“I absolutely was not.”

“Of course.”

Eloise laughed.

There was something unexpectedly easy about him.

Not easy in the sense of harmless.

He didn't feel harmless at all.

He simply wasn't making her work for his attention.

That was unfamiliar.

With Trent, every early conversation had felt like an audition.

Who could be funniest.

Prettiest.

Least demanding.

Most interesting.

There had always been other women hovering at the edges of whatever they were doing, reminders that she could be replaced before she had even been chosen.

This man simply looked at her.

Fully.

It made Eloise restless.

She glanced towards the booth.

Elsa was still talking to Nicholas.

Very enthusiastically.

“I should take her drink back.”

The stranger followed her gaze.

“Your friend appears occupied.”

“Yes.”

“And her glass isn't empty.”

Eloise looked.

It wasn't.

Damn him.

“You're very observant.”

“I've been told.”

“Was it a compliment?”

“Rarely.”

She smiled.

He rested one forearm against the bar.

“Are you leaving?”

There was no demand in the question.

Just interest.

Eloise could have said yes.

She should probably have said yes.

Instead, she looked at him.

“No.”

Something changed in his expression.

Small.

But unmistakable.

“Good.”

Her pulse skipped.

Eloise lifted her cocktail and took another sip.

Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.

The silence should have been uncomfortable.

It wasn't.

Music filled the space between them.

Around them, glasses clinked and conversations rose and fell.

Eloise suddenly remembered Elsa's bet.

If you go over there, and he rejects you, I'll buy you dinner.

Technically, she hadn't gone over there.

She had accidentally kicked him.

Different circumstances entirely.

Still.

He had asked her not to leave.

That had to count for something.

She turned slightly towards him.

“So do you come here often?”

“Most Fridays.”

“That often?”

“I like the music.”

Eloise glanced towards the band.

“And the whisky?”

“That too.”

“Very mysterious.”

“I wasn't aware I was trying to be.”

“You're sitting alone in a dark suit, drinking whisky and looking as though you've been disappointed by humanity.”

He stared at her.

Eloise's stomach dropped.

Oh Gosh.

Then he laughed.

A proper laugh this time.

She relaxed.

“Is that what I look like?”

“A little.”

“I was reading an email.”

“That makes it less interesting.”

“I'm sorry to disappoint you.”

“I'll recover.”

His eyes remained on hers.

“Why are you here?”

Eloise almost gave him the easy answer.

Girls' night.

Live music.

Drinks.

Instead, she found herself saying, “I decided I was tired of staying home.”

He studied her.

Not intrusively.

Simply listening.

“And?”

“And what?”

The stranger looked at her over the rim of his glass.

“Was it worth coming out?”

Eloise glanced across the room.

Elsa was still laughing with Nicholas. The band had moved into something slower now, the notes low beneath the hum of conversation. Someone passed behind Eloise, forcing her slightly closer to the bar.

Closer to him.

She became aware of it at once.

Not touching.

Almost.

The sleeve of his jacket was only inches from her bare arm.

Eloise looked back at him.

“I haven't decided yet.”

His eyes stayed on hers.

“Perhaps you should stay long enough to find out.”

There was nothing remarkable about the sentence.

It was the way he said it.

Quietly.

As though he wasn't asking about the lounge anymore.

Eloise's fingers tightened slightly around her glass.

The ice shifted with a soft click.

She took a drink, mostly because she needed something to do with her mouth.

His gaze dropped.

Only for a moment.

Then returned to her eyes.

Eloise felt heat gather beneath her skin.

Well.

That was new.

She set the glass down carefully.

“You do this often?”

One corner of his mouth lifted.

“Do what?”

“Talk to strange women at bars.”

“You sat beside me.”

“Because there was an empty chair.”

“So I've been told.”

“And I kicked you.”

“Barely.”

“You remember it.”

“I remember you.”

That stopped her.

Around them, the lounge continued as before. Glasses clinked. Someone laughed behind her. The singer's voice floated through the room.

Yet Eloise heard all of it from a distance.

She looked at him properly.

His tie had loosened slightly since she'd first noticed him. One hand rested around his whisky glass, his fingers long against the cut crystal. He had the kind of stillness that made every small movement seem deliberate.

And he was looking at her as though he had nowhere else to be.

Eloise swallowed.

“That sounded rehearsed.”

“It wasn't.”

“Convenient.”

“True.”

She smiled despite herself.

He leaned an elbow against the bar, turning a little more towards her.

Not enough to crowd her.

Enough that she noticed.

“Do you always distrust compliments?”

“Yes.”

“That was quick.”

“I've had practice.”

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

The teasing remained, but something gentler moved underneath it.

He didn't ask why.

Eloise was grateful.

Instead, he looked at her earrings again.

“They suit you.”

She touched one without thinking.

“You've already complimented the earrings.”

“No.”

His eyes returned to hers.

“I complimented the design.”

Eloise went very still.

He took another sip of whisky.

“That was different.”

Oh.

Her face grew warm.

She looked down at the bar because suddenly the polished wood grain had become extremely interesting.

“Now you're doing it on purpose.”

“Doing what?”

She looked back up.

He was smiling.

Eloise narrowed her eyes.

“You know exactly what.”

“I'm beginning to.”

The warmth in her face travelled lower.

She reached for her drink.

He reached for his at the same time.

Their hands came close.

Neither touched the other.

Eloise noticed anyway.

His gaze dropped to the space between their fingers.

Then slowly lifted to her face.

And there it was again.

That strange tightening in the air.

The feeling that something had shifted while neither of them had moved.

Eloise took a slow breath.

This was ridiculous.

She didn't know his name.

He didn't know hers.

And yet the thought of leaving suddenly felt much less appealing than it had five minutes ago.