Chapter One
Brand new story. Sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes but I promise that if you review, I can add more chapters almost immediately. So if you want more you know what you have to do.
Angel Smith sat on a bar stool and swigged yet another glass of whisky on the rocks. His suit jacket lay on the bar beside him, tie tossed on top haphazardly. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, top button unfastened as he signalled the man behind the bar.
"I'll have another." A second later, another glass came sliding towards him and he downed it in one, wincing as the alcohol burnt his throat.
He sighed, staring into the bottom of his empty glass. It had been a rough day. Being a lawyer may have its perks but all the hard work and the long hours were starting to take a toll on him. Usually after finishing work, he simply chose to go home and collapse into bed, but sometimes, if, like today, work had been especially rough, he came here.
"Here" was a small bar on the outskirts of town, popular with those too drunk to get into other bars, with stricter rules. He had stumbled upon this bar years ago, a young man straight out of college, with his friends, loud and childish.
A lot had changed. Nowadays, Angel (or Angelus to his everyone but his family) had grown up, hardened by what he had seen in his 26 years. He had a successfully job, a large income, not to mention an impressive apartment. A good family, decent friends, even if by now he saw them less than twice a month.
So why did he feel like something was missing in his life? What use were the money and the success and the occasional visits to friends and family if he felt so tired and weary and…
He sighed again, waving for another drink. It arrived at the same time as the woman.
He saw her enter the bar out of the corner of his eye. She was easy to notice. Angel could see the eyes of every man in the room flicker towards her, jaws dropping towards the floor.
She was wearing a short, black dress that showed off her long tanned legs, strapped into seven inch glossy heels. Her hair was short and dark, framing her beautiful face- her eyes, outlined with thick black eyeliner pencil, lips scarlet and alluring.
He slugged down his latest glass and was about to order his next drink when somebody slid onto the bar stool next to him.
It was her. Of course it was.
Angel breathed in the scent of her perfume. It was strong and made his eyes water slightly but still smelt gorgeous.
"JD and Coke, Sam," He heard he say to the bar man, who nodded with a smile. "And skip the Coke."
She must be a regular, he realised as she settled into the stool, resting her handbag beside his jacket and tie.
She drank the drink with surprising ease. She didn't even wince. Angel was impressed.
"So. " He heard himself say to the beautiful stranger. "What's a lovely lady like you doing in a run down place like this?"
She turned to him and surveyed him with a look of growing interest.
"What's a man like you doing in a run down place like this?" She countered, resting her glass on the bar counter. She rested her hand on his jacket and inspected it. "Let me guess…lawyer?"
He chuckled reluctantly, playing with his empty glass.
"Good guess."
She smiled. "It's a talent."
"You look different when you smile. " He noted dreamily, leaning his chin on the palm of his hand and movingly slightly closer.
The stranger looked slightly uncomfortable and unsure how to take this comment. She must have decided to accept it as a compliment because she smiled at him.
"Don't get too used to it. You probably won't see it again. "
"So am I going to be seeing you again?" He slurred. She didn't reply.
"I take it you have a name?" He asked her. She studied him intently for a second before extending her hand.
"Anne." He watched her outstretched hand before offering his own for her to shake. Her hand was soft and warm against his own.
"Angel."
"Angel. That's a pretty name." She told him. Without letting go of his hand, she ordered some more drinks for both of them, only dropping it when the drinks arrived.
"You…are very pretty." Angel slurred, clumsily moving his hand up to stroke her face. Anne flinched and he froze.
"You are very drunk." She drank another chaser quickly. "And I am even drunker."
"I'm not sure whether that's a real word." He told her. She rolled her eyes.
"I always sucked at English."
Angel took another drink, and waved for yet more.
"So what were you good at? Let me guess this time…you don't seem like a Mathlete…cheerleader?"
Anne clapped slowly.
"A Round of applause, Angel. You're almost as good as me."
"A cheerleader, huh?" He asked. They were closer now. He could see everything clearer now. The freckles scattered across her nose. The soft skin on her neck. He could see past the thick outline of black, through to her eyes. He looked into them. They were hazel, flecked with golden highlights.
" Still got the uniform?"
Minutes later the back door of the bar flew open with a loud bang, and two people stumbled out into the alley. Pinned against the rough wall, Angel's mouth kissing her furiously, his hands in her hair, she was trying desperately to rip off his shirt. Finally, she gave up, moving her hands down, fumbling with his belt.HH