Lost Ch. 01

Dedicated to Boxwood.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, merchandise, companies, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All characters in sexual situations are 18 years or older.

Chapter One

Daniel was deathly bored.

He swirled the expensive bourbon in his cut crystal tumbler and looked around the hotel bar, paying no mind to the playoff basketball game on television that featured his home team or to the two attractive middle-aged women deep in conversation who were sitting next to him.

The last thing I need is another relationship.

He’d just exited a twenty-year marriage with his college sweetheart, a marriage that went sour as they slowly drifted apart. Sure, the divorce was expensive, but it was worth it. He felt as if he was trapped in an invisible prison and couldn’t breathe. But he soon discovered that freedom, single at age forty-three, wasn’t all it was cracked up to be either.

He took a moment to savor the rich aroma of the bourbon before reflecting further, wondering how he could bring new meaning to his life.

A fancy sports car? Been there and done that.

Live sports? It was no fun going alone, and his buddies had their usual litany of excuses – – too expensive, wife wouldn’t let me go, had to drive my daughter to her soccer game – the list went on and on and he was tired of hearing those lame excuses for living.

Exotic vacation? See above.

He checked his watch. It was barely half past seven and it wasn’t close to the time to go to his room. Sure, he had an important business meeting the next morning. That’s why he was in Philadelphia instead of his home in Atlanta. He had at least three hours to burn and not a clue about how to do it.

Daniel signaled the bartender, a man in his late twenties with short cropped dark hair, to close out his bar tab.

“Early evening?” the man asked, picking up Daniel’s empty glass and the hotel logoed napkin underneath it.

“Maybe not,” said Daniel, though not knowing why he said it.

The bartender had seen that look of boredom, with a tinge of despair, many times before. He went back to the register to run Daniel’s credit card and returned with the card and receipt. Daniel scribbled in a generous tip and handed the receipt back to the bartender. Before he could get out of his seat the bartender slipped a business card in front of him.

“Looking for something different?” he asked Daniel.

Daniel picked up the card.

Drake’s. 534 Central Street, Philadelphia, PA

Daniel fingered the glossy black business card, then turned it over to see the back was blank.

“What kind of place is this?” Daniel asked, not having a clue.

“It’s a bar for guys like you,” he said.

“Guys like me?”

He looked into Daniel’s eyes. The connection was immediate.

“Oh,” Daniel said, not realizing he was lowering his eyes to the counter.

“Just tell the owner that Joey sent you.”

Joey? And what kind of bar would it be? I have nothing better to do. Why not?

“Thanks,” said Daniel, pocketing the business card.

* * *

It was a short Uber ride to the address on the card. There were no external markings on the brick front building other than the address in brass letters. There was ivy covering the walls halfway up and the entrance was small and tasteful. Daniel stepped out and wanting to make sure once more, pulled the card out of his pocket and checked the address. He took a deep breath and pulled on the polished brass handle. Inside it was dark, just light enough to make out shapes but not the detail of faces sitting at the bar. Daniel sensed eyes watching him as he walked towards it.

“Excuse me,” said a tall, blonde woman in a low-cut black dress, intercepting Daniel before he took another step. “May I help you?”

Not knowing what to expect, and encountering a beautiful woman, needless to say Daniel was flustered. “No . . . yes,” he said in a halting fashion. “Umm, Joey sent me,” he finally blurted, as if he was disgorging a state secret.

The blonde took a step back to regard her latest catch. “Did he now?”

“Uh, yes . . . the Ritz . . .”

“Yes, yes, I know where,” she said as if she was impatient. In truth, she was anything but impatient. She wanted to draw this part out. A fresh fish in her net, this one from Joey. Joey was a sub who served the woman for two years.

Yeah, Joey has a good eye. He’s a good looking one. I’ll enjoy this.

She chided herself for being short. “How can I help you?” she asked in a more charming tone.

“A drink,” he said, finding the right words right away.

“That . . . we can do,” she said, walking towards a twenty-foot-long bar made of some dark polished wood with brass fixtures in the same style as the front door. She ducked behind the counter. The barman, who was polishing a wine glass, moved over to make room for her.

Daniel watched her intently when she walked away. He squinted in the low light. Her hips moved with grace on a long, lean frame. She looked comfortable wearing very high heels. Her golden colored hair swished back and forth against her back.

Joey was right. This is the place for me. It feels right.

Daniel’s skin prickled as he watched the blonde stand behind the bar and then signal to him with a “come hither” motion with her index finger. Daniel scampered over.

This one’s an eager one.

“So what do you want?” the woman asked.

“Bourbon,” he said.

Daniel watched her slender arm reach upwards to retrieve a bottle with a handwritten label. She put the bottle on the bar and looked at him.

“This is the house brand. I bottle it myself. We age it in used wine barrels.”

She poured him two fingers.

He took a sip. It was damn good.

“That’ll do,” he said, sounding calm and collected, which he wasn’t.

She leaned over with her elbows on the bar. He had a clear view of her significant cleavage.

“But that’s not what you really wanted, is it?”

This is the best part. Baiting the hook.

Her question took away his façade of calmness.

“I’m not sure what I want,” he said, spelling out his life story in a single phrase.

“Of course you don’t. But I do,” she said, spelling out his future in a single phrase.

“Let’s step outside and have a cigarette,” she said.

“I don’t smoke,” said Daniel.

She tilted her head slightly sideways. Her face said “Really?”

“Of course,” he said, getting up. The woman got out from behind the bar.

“My name’s Briana. Briana Drake. My friends call me Bree.” Then she patted his bottom on her way past. “You’re not a friend yet,” she said over her shoulder.

Not knowing what else to do he dutifully followed her to the door marked “Emergency Exit” at the rear of the bar. She pushed it open but the alarm didn’t sound.

“The sign’s just to keep the riff raff out,” she said, holding the door open for him. He stepped into a narrow alley between two buildings. There were a number of cigarette butts on the ground.

She leaned back against the ivy-covered brick wall. She opened a small clutch purse and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. She put a cigarette in her mouth and handed him the lighter. She leaned over to allow him to light her cigarette.

He accepted one from her and lit it. He coughed. She laughed.

He’s hooked. Almost too easy.

She took another puff and let it out slowly. “Divorced?”

He shook his head.

She’s good.

He coughed again, this time out of nervousness. “Did you want me to tell you what I do?”

She paused for a moment. “Not really, unless it’s important to you.”

He thought about it for a moment and realized it wasn’t. “Never mind.”

She laughed. “Thought so.”

“So what do you really want to know?” he asked.

She took a long drag on her cigarette and let out a large plume of smoke, exhaling upwards. Daniel watched the smoke dissipate before returning his focus to her.

She must be ten years younger than me, and far too attractive to be with someone like me. I wonder what she sees in me?

“I see someone who’s lost. Someone who is looking for meaning in his life. Am I right?”

Daniel stood there feeling somewhat frightened.

How can she see so easily through me? I feel like there’s a clear pane of glass covering my soul.

“You know you are,” he said.

She took one last puff and crushed the cigarette under the sole of her shoe. Daniel was mesmerized by the movement of her foot and the elegant line of her bare calf and ankle.

“So what do you see in me?” she asked.

Briana could see the internal struggle in his mind – – to say something intelligent, yet inoffensive.

He finally spoke up. “A beautiful woman.”

“Underneath that,” she said quickly. “You can do better than that.”

“Mysterious . . . intelligent . . . perceptive,” he said, looking at her.

“Better,” she said. “Tell me more.”

Daniel dug deeper. This was not the usual conversation with a woman, even with his wife when he was married.

“Aggressive . . . controlling . . .”

Daniel stubbed out his cigarette, having taken just one puff.

Briana smiled. “Now we’re getting somewhere. So why don’t you describe yourself?”

“Middle aged . . . bored . . . and if I have to be honest, you captured it perfectly when you said I was lost. I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“You know why you’re here with me in this alley.” She unbuttoned another button of her blouse. Her bra and the tops of her creamy white breasts were clearly visible.

“You’re here because you want me. Isn’t that so?”

He’s on the hook. He’s barely putting up a fight.

Daniel was unashamed to be staring at Briana’s cleavage.

“Yes,” he said, while keeping his focus on her breasts.

She’s gotten me to tell her more about myself in five minutes than I’ve told my ex in twenty years. What’s next?

“Let me show you what you want and how badly you want it.”

She grasped his wrist with one hand and used the other to bend his index finger backwards. He felt a stretch in his forearm. She bent it back a bit more and it started to ache. They locked eyes. His were wide open. Hers showed determination.

She let go. He gave a big sigh of relief, flexing his finger. She unbuttoned one of her three remaining buttons on her blouse. He could see her bra covered breasts. He couldn’t help himself as he started sporting an erection. She noticed.