5 Alex
1168 Words
He was tall, muscled, and lean with short-cropped, neatly styled sandy blond hair, rich blue eyes, and a 'you can't say no to me' type of attitude. He looked like he was God's gift to women, but he looked like he believed it too. Everything, from his styled hair to his designer tee shirt screamed opulence and arrogance. Ariel's dark hair and pale skin caught his blue eyes as he approached the bar she was wiping down. Her smile was warm and charming. It was the same smile she gave every patron when she looked up at them. He didn’t seem to know that. He imagined she flashed that bright beautiful flirty smile just for him.
"What can I get for you?" Her voice was smooth and silky and just loud enough to be heard over the music.
"Alex." He said slowly letting his voice drop so that it was low and sounded, at least to his ears, sexy. She looked at him, confusion rolling through her deep green eyes. She prided herself on knowing the common drinks as well as some of the more exotic ones but, she had never heard of a drink called Alex. She hid her confused facial expression well and asked him to clarify.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what drink that is. Can you tell me what's in it and I can see if I can make it for you." Her voice was gentle and kind, exactly what it needed to be to keep the situation from escalating and the person on the other side of the bar from feeling any embarrassment; as if he could. Alex's approach pulled Grayson's full attention from the woman who had sat down beside him. He caught the small exchange. He could not suppress the smile that lit his eyes at the miscommunication. It worked for him. He found it entirely too amusing that it did not work for Alexander. But then, he knew the arrogance that was Alexander, and he knew his so-called charms would be lost on one such as Ariel.
"It's not a drink. It's my name." Alex gave Ariel a debonair smile, flashing his perfect teeth at her. He spoke with confidence and arrogance. She was certain that he had the two confused.
"Oh! Okay. Well, um. What can I get you to drink, Alex?" Ariel smiled back at him and looked down at the hand he offered. There was no way she was touching him. She raised both her hands slightly, letting go of the towel she'd been using to wipe the bar, and left it to sit on the bar.
"Sorry, can't. Health and safety." She shrugged and physically stepped back from the bar, taking her towel with her.
"What'll you have to drink?" She asked again as she quietly refused Alex's hand. She didn't make it a habit to allow patrons to touch her, she didn’t know where their hands had been and if they'd been properly washed and then there was that other thing. She would not risk that with him. She was not about to make an exception. She busied her hands behind the bar securing the glass and ice she'd need to make the drink he was sure to order. She squinted her eyes at him and looked down at the glass so she could frost it. Then looked boldly into his eyes.
"How about a Hopper or perhaps a Jimmy with a twist," she settled on, “a Jimmy with mint?” She smiled when his expression told her that she had hit the nail on the head.
"Perfect." He smiled again leaning on the bar in an effort to be in her space. She depressed the foot pedal to frost the glass then set it on the bar between them. "You should name a drink after me." His eyes were bright and clear. They were the right color, or what used to be the right color for her, but he was barking up the wrong tree. Her interest was firmly placed elsewhere. He didn’t know it. Neither did she.
"Why would I want to do that?" Her tone was light, kind, and laced with honest curiosity
"Why wouldn't you?" He easily countered. Grayson rolled his eyes.
"I don't know, but I generally need a reason. I can't readily think of one." She casually tossed the words in the air. At the end of the bar, Grayson smiled. Her tone was casual but she was serious. She could not think of any reason to name a drink Alex. Neither could he.
"Hmmm, I can." Alex chuckled and kept on smiling, unfazed by her unintentional slight towards his ego.
"Sorry." Ariel summarily dismissed his idea with a delicate shrug of her shoulders. His arrogance was showing, and it completely turned her off.
"I'm sure I could give you one." Grayson felt an unexpected surge of anger. He didn’t think that he could be angry, or should be angry because someone was flirty with her. He didn’t have that right, did he? But still. He was instantly angry at how Alex kept pushing her as if her resolve would break. Would it? He didn’t think so.
"Not a chance." When she finished making his drink, she set it on the bar on top of the little coaster. “Club?"
"Yes"
"Card." He held up his little card for her to scan and took his drink in his other hand. His eyes never left hers as he sipped it.
"Perfection," he said, licking his lips.
"Thank you. Anything else?"
"Just your name, Doll."
"Doll is all that is required." She said sweetly and turned to go. Alex reached out and grabbed her arm to hold her near. He wasn't done talking to the green-eyed little vixen. Ariel froze, her arm trapped in Alex's large hand. She turned back to Alex and looked down at his hand on her arm. When her eyes raised to his they echoed cleanly the words she said.
"You need to let me go. Now." Her voice was cool and calm, but her eyes promised death if he refused to comply with her demand. No one had ever seen that side of her. Anger flashed dangerously in her deep green eyes.
At the end of the bar, every muscle in Grayson's fine frame tensed. He was prepared to move and intercede if need be. It would be wrong of him. He had made no claim on the woman, but she was clearly uncomfortable with the contact. Yes, the club had some magnificent bouncers, but they would be no match for even an intoxicated Alex. Luckily, Ariel was. Her aura of anger flashed out and engulfed Alex. She continued to glare at him, waiting for him to let her go.
From a safe distance, on the other side of the room, dark eyes watched with more than a casual interest. Alex let Ariel go with an apology and she went on to serve other customers.
- Writer
