Sweet disposition
Never too soon
Oh, reckless abandon
Like no one's watching you
It was AD Skinner's birthday at DC's new Havana Club and Agent Luis Florez stood at the extremely busy bar, waiting for the drinks he d ordered and idly watching the talent on the dance floor swirl by. His partner, friend and highly eligible man about town, Agent John Blake, had promised all the hot women from Hoover would be here, to party with with the Assistant Director and Florez could undoubtedly pick himself a partner for more than just dancing.
Much winking, elbow jabbing and waggling of eyebrows were utilized to underline the point, but for Florez, joining Blake's party was more an escape from a sense of restless boredom than a quest for casual sex. Having recently endured a painful divorce, Florez wasn t sure he wanted to complicate his life with another woman just yet. A one-night stand didn t appeal, either. He wasn t actually watching for targets of possible interest, just admiring the view.
A colourful kaleidoscope of couples were swinging around the dance floor, doing the salsa. Latin American dancing was big on the social scene right now due to a number of popular television shows featuring competitions. The club was cleverly capitalising on this latest trend.
Great way of meeting people, Blake had enthused. Everyone putting themselves on display, strutting their stuff.
Being in this club was like being in an exotic foreign country. Florez could see its appeal; a quick fix escape from the pressures of today s fast and frantic society; a place where people could let their hair down, revel in uninhibited dress-ups, enjoy the primitive pleasure of moving to music, not to mention the sexual excitement with the right partner.
A flashy couple caught his eye. The guy was all in white, his long black hair slicked back into a ponytail very dramatic with his dark olive skin and hard featured handsome face. The woman partnering him was wearing a virtually backless black dress, its figure-hugging skirt ending in a ruffle edged in white. She also had long black hair, but it was a wild loose mass of curls falling to below her shoulder-blades, reminding Florez instantly of Anna, not a memory he cared to dwell on.
"Your drinks, sir?"
Florez paid the bartender, cynically reflecting that the price of cocktails in this club belonged to the fantasy realm, aimed at a clientele who never counted the cost. With the drinks firmly clutched in his hands, Florez turned to weave his way around the crowded dance floor to the table Blake had claimed for his party and found a woman with red hair twirling right in front of him.
She had a great body; maybe a little short but who cares with those breasts straining against her white blouse. Her skirt had a modest split up the back, the fabric stretched tight across her well formed ass and narrowed to a thin black belt around a hand-span waist. Her hips were poetry and her shapely legs flashed with sexy elegance. He could tell by the clothes that she was FBI.
A tall, dark haired man with a tragic tie twirled her and dipped her backward, her lovely lithe body arched, toes in their black stilettos pointed, copper head thrown back, stunning blue eyes sparkling with pleasure, her whole beautiful face vividly lit by a laughing smile, a face that delivered a jolt of recognition to Florez.
That was Dana Scully.
The thump to his heart and the kick to his gut were instantaneous.
Quite simply he hadn t expected to run into her like this, hadn t really expected their paths ever to cross again. She had been assigned to the X-Files the last time he had seen her and that was at least five years ago. They had become fast friends during their time at the academy and Florez had carried a huge torch for her, but she was involved with that Willis guy. His declaration of romantic interest had been rejected.
It was totally absurd to get his panties in a twist over Dana Scully now. He wrenched his gaze away from the dance floor and guarded the drinks in his hands as he made his way back to those in Blake's party who were sitting out this number. He sat down next to Alana Klein who d requested the liquid refreshment, expecting him to pay and deliver, expecting her every whim to be indulged because she was the beautiful daughter of the director.
"Why, thank you, Florez," she gushed and her eyes sparkled at him.
Despite her obvious physical attributes, the overly flirtatious manner grated on him. He had to force a smile as he responded, "Sorry I was so long at the bar."
"No problem." She patted his thigh.
His leg muscles tensed, instinctively repelling the touch. His jaw clenched, too.
Alana wrapped a hand around her glass. She drank too much, too fast, revealing a reckless disregard for the alcoholic content of the cocktail. Florez hoped she wasn't working up some courage to be more direct in coming onto him. While it might be an old-fashioned attitude these days, he still felt it was a man s prerogative to be the hunter.
His gaze instinctively targeted Dana Scully as the music stopped. The tragic tie followed her to an empty table in the corner.
Florez's view of them was blocked by Blake, comically miming wobbly legs and wiping his brow as he escorted his latest amour, Sarah Salter off the dance floor. I need a fast and long injection of cold beer, he declared, leaving Sarah at the table while he headed for the bar. She suggested a visit to the powder room to Alana and the two women went off together, leaving Florez free to watch Dana Scully without interruption.
He tried reminding himself that this was a woman who had rejected him. He shouldn't be giving her a second thought. It was an exercise in futility, in frustration.
Yet all his instincts were on fire. Time had passed, they were older now and Willis wasn't in the picture.
The moment Blake returned to the table, ready to play jovial host to the rest of his party friends, Florez was on his feet to intercept him before he sat down. "Spotted someone I know." he explained. "Excuse me, won t you?"
"Wait a sec," came the quick protest. "How goes it with Alana? She s been eyeing you over."
"Please," Florez rolled his eyes, raising his hand to ward off any further comment as he swung to make a beeline for Dana Scully.
Over in their dim corner, her eyes fluttered shut, her lashes coppery lines against her pale, fragile skin. She shivered and leaned into the tall guy with dark hair. His mouth came down on hers. Her arms came up around his neck and he pulled her against him. His hands flattened against her back and she was up on the tips of her toes, kissing him as fiercely as he was kissing her. He clung to her tightly, knotting his hands in her hair.
The moment when their lips touched, Luis knew any chance with Dana Scully was gone forever.
There was nothing casual about that kiss.
As they shrugged into their coats, the expression on her face was unmistakable. They were both going home...
Together.
Luis felt a hand clap him on the shoulder. It was Blake. They both watched as the couple made for the exit.
"You know Dana Scully?"
Luis nodded, "I used to. A long time ago," he paused to watch the tall man hold the door open for her. "Who's the guy?"
They disappeared into the night, the door closing behind them.
"That's Spooky. Spooky Mulder."
[END]