-1It was about three months after I got out of a dead end relationship with my ex boyfriend Marc. I moved to New York City just for him and now I was working at as a waitress a bar and it was the worst thing I've done with my life. I had nothing to show for it just a small shabby apartment, no pets no nothing. But that's what happens when you put your heart on the line far too quickly.

I was getting ready to go to work, I knew it was going to be another long night at the bar and I was going to have a million idiotic guys trying to hit on me and give me their numbers. No thanks I wasn't interested. But I knew that I was going to have to give in sometime even though Marc ripped my heart into a million and two pieces and left me to be myself in this apartment. My outfit was normal, a black skirt that ended the knees and a white top with my hair back. I was so ready for work.

Grabbing my purse I was on my way to the bar at least it was in walking distance and I didn't need to spend gas money on a car. That was the most positive thing in the book. I thought it was nice that I only had to walk like half a block to work and that was about it. I made $8 an hour plus tips so I was working pretty good at the bar at least that was my opinion it wasn't like the best job ever but at least I was getting paid and getting by with what I had.

As I was waiting on a table I took a look at this guy my head kind of cocked he looked so familiar, and he was really cute he smiled at me and said, "Hello there pretty waitress. What happens to be your name?" I blushed and said, "I'm Jennifer. What happens to be your name?"

"Erik but I go by the name Mystery."

"You're the pickup artist guy from TV the one I had a crush on." I said without thinking.

"Oh really? What do you happen to be doing in a few hours?"

"Working I work for about eight more hours."

"Eight more hours. You poor thing. You're over worked aren't you?"

"Yeah ten hours a day six days a week for the past two months."

"Dang girl and I was going to take you on a date?"

"Me why me?"

"For starters we both think each other's cute and I'd like to get to know you."

"Well you know what. What's your order for the night? When you're done here I'll tell my boss I'm talking personal time and we can hang out how about that? Either go around town or go back to my apartment to watch movies or talk you know."

"That'd sound like fun and I'd like to go to your apartment and get to know you. How about that?"

"That's great but you didn't give me your order."

"I don't want anything now I want to get to know you." he said winking and smiling."

"Well I'll be right back then."

I knew my boss had been telling me I could do this a long time ago. But I never went through with getting time off and getting out of work early. So I walked up to him and told him that there was a guy here interested in me and I was going to leave. He smiled at me shook his head and said, "Finally you get your ass out of this bar and spend some real time with people."

My boss was right about that. In all honesty the whole reason why I worked was to keep my mind off of Marc and I was so much of a hard worker and I always asked for the extra hours because I have nothing better to do with my life. My boss said that if it made me feel better I'd get paid half of what I did tonight just because I was out so I wouldn't be totally upset that I left early. He was very cool about everything that's what I loved about my boss.

Mystery actually drove me back to my apartment I walked him up to the second story apartment that I lived in showed him into the door and he took a seat on the couch and signaled for me to sit down. I sat next to him and he asked, "So what brings you to NYC?" I was very honest and said, "My ex boyfriend he promised me everything then kicked my ass to the curb because I was too much of a hard worker."

"He broke up with you because you're a hard worker isn't that usually the point where most people like about other people."

"You'd expect that but…he was a bit insane. He and I weren't going anywhere we really hadn't even kissed. Five months for nothing. I feel like I wasted my life." I said as I kind of got lost in the eyeliner and his brown eyes.

"You poor thing. That really sucks. By the way are you alright?"

"Just fine. Just upset that you're just going to be here for me for one night and then move to the next girl."

"Whoa what would make you think that?"

"Well you're the master of picking up girls why settle with me?"

"Nah, it's not like that. I wouldn't be really having a conversation with you if I was interested in wanting more to happen. Maybe a second date, a relationship I don't know whatever happens."

"What?" I said trying not to spit out my pop I just grabbed from the fridge.

"Yeah cutie I like you. On the very short ride home and now I like your personality. Not to mention you're so cute."

"Thanks. But do I call you Mystery or Erik?"

"Call me whatever you want. Might sound insanely early but you can call me yours."

"Oh really? You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure. I can tell you're going to stick around me for awhile at least."

"That's great."

"Yeah well I'm going to do a forth season of the pickup artist in a few weeks. Would you like to get your ass out of here and join me? You can be a sexy decoy or whatever. Just that the boys have one rule hands off my babe."

"Well yeah. You knew how to real me in just with your eyes." I said blushing.

"What can I say."

"Nothing other than you're going to make many other girls jealous because I'm dating you."

"So… if they have a problem with it I'll tell them too bad. They should have been there to see the way you waited my table and the way you just lit up the room."

The conversation was getting more intense after that but then we got back onto this show. I couldn't believe I was talking to Mystery, well Erik as I preferred to call him because it seemed a bit better about what I thought was the right thing to call him. I knew his name and that's all that mattered. He was totally my guy then.

We got into the whole thing about me coming to New York just of Marc's pleasure and how much guys really try to make girls do something like that against their will and it usually tanks because they have no clue what to do next. At that moment I totally didn't care and I told Erik that but then I think he realized that it didn't matter to him either because he found a cute little bit of arm and eye candy and the next girl to help him with his show.

For awhile we talked about the show and he was asking me random questions and seeing how I'd answer them to be sure I could be one person to help him. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted that really but he liked me that much even after an hour he thought why not give me a chance to help him. He actually liked my responses and the way I went when he did something lame I said to him, "And you think you're going to get a woman with that? You need a different tactic that's for sure." That's exactly what he wanted to hear I guess because the way he smiled after that was just a classic cute smile.

It randomly happened that I leaned over and kissed him myself. I kind of was surprised and had other feelings that never really happened the first time meeting somebody. I passionately kissed him to see what he'd do. Erik looked at me with a smile and said, "Jen you're nothing but trouble did you know that?" I shrugged and said, "So I like being trouble alright?"

"That's good."

"Well I don't want this to sound awkward and weird. Because I just met you and I never ever feel like doing what I want to do right now to you. I don't know how you'd feel about getting intimate right now?"

"Honestly I feel the chemistry and the atmosphere is right. So why not." he said kissing my neck.

"Ooh now watch it I like to be kissed on the neck and bitten."

"You like being bitten huh? Guess what? I like biting so that's a good thing."

"You'll be my special little vampire. Just don't draw too much blood though."

"I wasn't going to draw any blood silly I was just going to give you a little mark to remember me by the next time we get together. Thinking about that when do you expect to go on another date with me."

"Well I'm free Saturday, how about then?"

"Perfect. Saturday it is."

The intimacy level got turned up almost full blast then. We were in my room really getting hot and heavy. I thought he was fantastic the way he knew how to excite me and make me feel like I've never felt before. I thought Marc was fantastic in bed, Mystery like made Marc look like a complete idiot that's for sure.

We stopped a few hours later when we both couldn't take it anymore. We just sat around after that with something to drink, and talking about life in general. He got into the whole thing that he never really jumped into a relationship this quickly or anything like that, and the thing was that he was actually happy that he did because he was actually happy. Erik did tell me that he probably wasn't going to pick up girls for a long time because I was one of those people that are keepers and ones that should stay that makes him want to settle down.

I randomly talked about one of his master accessories, his boa. Erik smiled when I asked him all about it he said to me with a laugh, "Jennifer I'd use my boa on you and tie you up and oh you don't want to know the rest." I smiled and tackled him, "Sure would what would you do with it."

"It's is something your Mystery man will have to show you one day. It's to remain a secret until it happens. But you can always have one of my boas for work if you can wear them. So you can think about me or whatever."

"That'd be cool. By the way where are you going to be sleeping at tonight it's already midnight." I said smiling and winking.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Sure you're so lucky I like you a lot that means you don't get the couch tonight you can actually sleep in my bedroom."

"Goodie!" he said laughing and tickling me.

"I thought you'd like that idea. At least tomorrows Thursday so all I have to do is work Friday and I get to see you again."

"I know it's s0 exciting."

For awhile I couldn't help but think to myself that Marc was totally out of the picture now I was with Mystery a guy that I've always had like these puppy dog eyes for and he didn't even know it. Now that he knew how I felt things seemed a bit different you know. I didn't know that I could actually smile as much as I had. I smiled and had more action than I had with Marc the whole time we were together. Well that was obvious if Marc didn't even kiss me or say he loved me half the time.

I admit about a half hour later I felt drunk, I was drinking and laughing with Erik and I was falling asleep on his lap as we were in the living room. I remember him asking me if I wanted to sleep in the bedroom and I told him no. So we ended up cuddling on the couch until the next morning. I can't believe I did something like that. My back and neck ended up hurting the next day, not to mention my head was pounding from that horrible hangover but that was a totally different story.

Erik woke up an half hour after I did, I was still relaxing on the couch and feeling the wrath of my hangover, he shook his head and laughed, "Want some pancakes or something? Maybe toast. You know hangover food." I smiled and nodded, "Sure whip up some pancakes. That sounds like a good idea. I feel so stupid that I drank that much last night."

"Don't feel bad. I did it too. I woke up earlier and felt like shit so I ended up closing my eyes and going back to sleep."

"Are you sure that's not just because I was laying on you and you didn't want to wake me up."

"No I have a hangover as well. At least we had an awesome two person party last night. Well what I remember of it."

"I think I scored. I forget." I said laughing.

"Oh you scored silly thing and you weren't even drunk when that happened we were happy and sober."

"Yeah I know. I was just playing with you. It was an eventful night that was for sure. To think I'd meet you at work."

"And to think I'd get free alcohol…and yes a beautiful woman. That was better than any bar trip I've had in ages. Well in my life time."

"I'm thinking about limiting my hours at work now and working like seven hours a day now because I only did that because I was single and I needed something to occupy my time with and now that I have you I don't need to occupy my time doing something like that. Give or take I'm probably putting in my two weeks leave a week from now so I can do the show with you."

"That's right you won't need your job or your apartment anymore."

"That's great. I hate this apartment."

I couldn't help but smile and watch the way Erik was looking so cute while he made pancakes for the both of us. He was actually sexy without all of his makeup on to imagine that. The guy that I loved because the makeup he wore made him look sexy was much different than it would have been if he didn't wear the makeup. That's what was so interesting about him. I liked how sexy he really looked because I hadn't had a guy like that in my whole life.

It was sure hell getting up and getting my motivation to even move. It hurt, I slept like I did curled up on somebody while sleeping on the couch, and the hangover I had just made it worse. My head was pounding and I felt like puking. At least I learned my lesson not to drink as much as I did that night anyways. It was stupid drinking like a whole case of and a half of wine coolers, I didn't think it was possible to do something like that or I'd actually want to do anything of the sort but you know that's just how it happens I suppose you get drunk and don't even realize how much you've drank until afterwards, I knew that.

Walking to the bathroom, I felt like hell. I didn't even want to go to the bathroom it felt that horrible. As I went to the bathroom, I ended up puking a bit then crawling back out to the living room where food was actually done. Erik asked me if I'd prefer eating at the kitchen table or on the couch. I told him the couch would be a better idea because I could hardly walk because I felt so hung over.

Sitting on the couch almost done eating, Erik said to me, "I have to be going in like two hours darling. There's things I have to go do. Like talk to my producers and all that happy stuff." I nodded and said, "I know I need to clean go out shopping and do all that fun junk before work tonight."

"At least we'd both be busy as hell."

"But I'd still be thinking about you."

"True. But you know we'll see each other tomorrow and that isn't that far away. We just need to keep our asses busy as hell and we'll see each other again."

"Yeah at least I have a reason not to take guys numbers. I'll still have to partway flirt with them so they feel at home but no numbers."

"That's good. How many numbers do you get a night?"

"A dozen at least. I called zero of them since I started working. I don't like picking up guys at bars. They're always like drunks or something along those lines."

"You picked me up at a bar though."

"You're different. You were cute and not looking like scum. You actually knew what to do to get my attention."

"See, pickup artists like me know what to do to get women. I vow from now on I'm stopping my little picking up women myself because I've got you."

"At least your little scheme works. It works fabulous. You should write a book to help the poor guys that don't know how to get women. Wait how many guys would read that."

"So true. We'd need a ton of pictures and cute little diagrams."

He was so right, I knew that about men they were more visual and they wouldn't spend their nights reading a book on picking up women. Mainly the cocky guys who think just their cocky appeal would get to the women which honestly it's the other way around they'd get nothing by being as cocky as they are. You can't teach those guys that though, I knew it for a fact I've seen it a million and two times and there was nothing anybody could do about it.

Erik left two hours later like he promised. Of course I felt lonely an hour later when I was cleaning and thinking about all that happened the night before but I knew that there was only a day until I saw him again and I couldn't wait to see him because he was exactly what I was looking for in a man.