During mid-term exam week, I got better at keeping James at an emotional distance. We texted each other a couple times each day, but I made sure I kept my texts light and casual. He had his life, I had mine, and I felt that I was taking Rachel’s advice. He wasn’t going to break my heart, or more accurately, I wasn’t going to let him break my heart.
I had taken my last exam Friday morning, came home, and had the last of my things packed and in the Land Rover by noon. I gave Rachel a big hug as I left our apartment for the last time. I’d still see her a lot, even though we would no longer be roommates, but I knew it wouldn’t be the same. As freshmen, we were dorm-mates, and then we had gotten the apartment together. Even though we had a lot of history, I knew it was time to move on and take the next step.
My moving out ended up being good for her too, instead of finding a new place with her boyfriend, she talked her boyfriend into moving in with her and they would sign a new lease together. It’s a big step moving in with a guy, and I knew she was getting more serious with him, and I was very happy for her.
Moving out was a big step for me as well, it was the first time that I had ever lived by myself. I loved my new apartment, but it was also a bit scary being out on my own.
I spoke to Gianna a couple of times during the week and she told me she lived in North Las Vegas, in a house she rented with two other students that she went to college with. She was a junior at the College of Southern Nevada and was a nursing major. I suggested that we meet at Red Rock Casino in Summerlin, since it was off the strip and easier to get to. Also, it was not too far from where she lived. We agreed to meet for drinks at six o’clock in one of the bars inside the casino.
I chose to dress in a white, jean skirt with a light pink top and sandals. I pulled into the valet station and checked the Land Rover in with the attendant. I walked into the casino and headed for the bar where we had agreed to meet. I had been to Red Rock Casino once before about a year earlier, when an old 80’s band was playing there. Normally, I liked the clubs on, or near the strip, but this location seemed liked a better choice.
I walked into the casino and saw the signs to the bar I was looking for. As I walked in, I saw Gianna sitting at a booth in the back, away from the bar. I walked up to the table and she stood up and gave me a small peck on the cheek, which I quickly returned. I liked her style already, time and place.
It was nice not being too overt with our greeting. Red Rock Casino catered mainly to locals, and being in a bar in Summerlin was nothing like being in a club on the strip, where girls openly danced in a sexual way with each other and then made out in a booth somewhere, before they went to a hotel room to hook up. Keeping our greeting casual meant we could pass as friends who were meeting for drinks on a Friday evening. A small peck on the cheek, instead of an opened mouthed kiss, meant we wouldn’t be drawing unwanted attention to ourselves, which would help keep the gawkers at bay.
When I first met Gianna in James’ restaurant, she looked great in her server’s uniform of tight black slacks and a grey blouse. Tonight, seeing her in casual clothes, she looked absolutely stunning. She was wearing short, blue, jean shorts, a pretty, white, lace tank top, and sandals. Her make-up was perfect and her beautiful long brunette hair was in loose curls that hung gently around her face. She has beautiful brown eyes and a dark olive complexion with flawless skin. The tank top and shorts showed off her toned arms and legs. She was a little shorter than me; maybe 5’6″ with what I guessed to be 34c breasts that suited her petite frame perfectly.
We both sat in the booth as the waitress approached and asked me what I’d like to drink. I saw that Gianna had already ordered a margarita and I told the waitress I’d have one as well.
“How was your week?” she asked, smiling brightly at me.
“It was long,” I said, smiling back at her, “mid-terms were this week, but I think I did really well. How was your week?”
“I had mid-terms as well, but I was able to take a couple of days off from work so I could study, which really helped. I think I just did just fine too.”
We each took a sip of our drinks. I felt so comfortable with her.
“I’m so glad you wanted to meet tonight, I thought you might be spending the evening with your boyfriend.”
I took a deep breath, “He’s in Los Angeles, he lives there, but he should be back in town in a few weeks.”
“Long distance relationships can be tough.”
“I only met him last weekend, so I think we are still at that stage of trying to figure out what we want to mean to each other.”
That was a lie and I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my lips. James and I had everything very well defined. James liked having rough, aggressive sex with me and buying me gifts, and I liked having sex with him. The rest of the time, I was busy trying to figure out how not to fall for him anymore than I already had, pretty simple really.
“That’s interesting, when I saw you together in the restaurant, you looked like a couple who had been together for a while.”
I could tell she was anxious to ask more questions about James, so I quickly changed the subject so she couldn’t.
“So what about you, are you seeing anyone?”
“I have a boyfriend that I’ve been seeing for about six months. We met in school and he’s studying to be an RN as well.”
“That’s wonderful.”
We spent the next half hour talking about her work, our respective schools, and her boyfriend. I had so much respect for her, working a full time job and going to school full time. She seemed to have her life really together.
We were on our third round of margaritas, and I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, so I was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.
“I’m really hungry Gianna would you like to get something to eat?”
“That would be great.”
We pulled a menu off the table, thumbed through it together and decided on nachos.
I once heard someone describe alcohol as being a “social lubricant,” and that was true in our case. The more we drank the more intimate our conversation became. It was nice to get past the ‘friendly-getting-to-know-you-chit-chat’ and move on to more fun topics.
“Does James know you… um… are into girls?”
I smiled at her, “He does. I told him I like to make out in bathroom stalls with pretty Italian girls in his restaurant.”
Her face split into a grin.
“Does your boyfriend know you are into girls?”
“He doesn’t, and I haven’t found a way to tell him yet.” She looked down, “I’m not sure what he would think, and I’m afraid he would feel threatened by it. I’m also afraid of losing him over it,” she said softly.
I was taken aback by her brutal honesty. This girl could have whoever she wanted, male or female, and she was afraid of losing him? I thought he must be very special to hold her heart like that.
My conscience was starting to bother me, concerning I’d said earlier regarding my relationship with James, and I felt like I needed to clear the air.
“I need to make a confession Gianna. James is married, and I’ve found myself having feelings for him that I know I shouldn’t. I’ve been spending the last week trying to sort that out,” I said, as I looked into her eyes.
We were interrupted by the waitress putting a huge plate of nachos in front of us. We slid together until our thighs touched. At this point I was buzzed and turned on by this beautiful woman next to me, and I didn’t care what the other people in the bar thought about it.
We started eating the delicious nachos. Feeling her thigh rub against mine was slowly stoking the desire I was feeling for her.
“He has money doesn’t he?”
“He does, yes,” I replied simply.
“Melanie, don’t feel guilty about any of it, just make him make you happy.”
Her statement made me realize that I did feel guilty about what James had done for me financially. I came from a middle class family, but my parents never spoiled me or my brothers. During my childhood my older brothers were always helping my father by working with him at our family’s small construction company, or doing odd jobs around our neighborhood. During high school, I helped my father with the books, which is why I got interested in accounting and why I decided to major in it in college. Very little had ever been given to me without working for it, so I knew James’ generosity and my guilt over it, played into the complex feelings I had towards him.
I cleared my mind of James and our dysfunctional relationship and concentrated on Gianna. I offered her some advice concerning her situation with her boyfriend.
“When you’re ready, tell your boyfriend that you’re into girls. If he loves you, and it’s meant to be, then he’ll deal with his issues, because he’ll want the woman he loves to be happy,”
I felt her hand rub my knee and it sent shivers down my spine.
Gianna looked into my eyes and said seductively, “The moment I saw you, I wanted you. I even got the server who was working your section to let me have your table, so I could meet you. I also got my roommate to give me a ride here, because I knew I’d be spending the night with you.”
Those were the most erotic words I’d ever heard.
“Should we get a room here or would you like to see my new apartment?” I said, smiling seductively.
“It would be easier for me to make you breakfast tomorrow morning if we were in your apartment.”
We quickly finished the nachos and I asked for the check. We held hands as we walked through the casino and out to the valet station. At that point I wanted her so badly, and I didn’t care who saw us together or what they thought about it.
I gave the valet my ticket and I felt Gianna wrap her arm around me as we waited. I looked down at her beautiful tanned legs next to mine.
The sun was just starting to go down and it was a beautiful spring evening. Thank God the nachos soaked up some of the alcohol in my stomach and I felt fine to drive.
God, she was so beautiful, and I felt nervous. Normally, I would go to a club, have some drinks, or arrive already buzzed, and then find someone as hot as her. The alcohol gave me courage to wear revealing club clothes, grind on other girls on the dance floor, and go back to their room with them to hook up. But tonight, I was sober. I couldn’t hide behind alcohol or loud club music. I had to be myself with this girl, and it was scary.
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