Roni was cleaning the last table that evening, the bar wasn't crowded, but she knew exactly what was the reason. She always spent Christmas the same way, she closed the bar by midnight, turned off the lights and bought a bottle of wine to her room above the place. This year she hoped for midnight to arrive faster. The only client she had was annoying, drunk and he thought that if he flirted with the bartender he needed to use word "babe" all the time. She had enough of him and if the magic which could bring that guy home existed, Roni would definitely use it right away.
"You had enough, I think," she said, looking at the guy who had another bottle of beer in his hand.
"Don't worry babe, I won't leave you here alone." he murmured.
"I can take care of myself, while you don't. I'll call you a cab." she said, heading to the bar.
"I wouldn't need one if you'd let me sleep with you." he grinned.
"Hey! Behave! It's not the tone you use when you talk to the lady."
Roni turned around to see who just entered the bar, she smiled brightly when she saw his ocean blue eyes, she didn't know how he did this, every time he showed up there her smile became brighter and at once all the problems went away or weren't so important to her.
"Rogers, what are you doing here?" she asked, still smiling.
"Besides looking at your smile?" he joked, making her blush. "I didn't have a place to go and you said that the bar is open until midnight so…"
"Glad you came. I didn't have very good company, as you can see." she nodded at the guy in the corner.
"Is he bothering you? I have a method to make him leave." he said.
"Do you?" she said, cleaning the glasses.
"You want to try it out?"
"Bring it on, detective."
Rogers stood up from the chair, he took a few steps towards the guy who was now talking to himself, trying to pour the beer into the glass in front of him. Roni was watching how Rogers sat beside him, whispering something in his ear. The guy looked at him with pure fear in his eyes and after a moment he stood up, putting some money on the table.
"Didn't you forget about something?" Rogers asked. "I'm sure Roni was nice enough to get the tip."
The guy looked at Rogers and later at Roni, his hands were shaking, but after a moment he took out 20 dollars and put it on the rest of the money. He wore a cote, forgetting about the scarf and after a second he was already gone. Roni looked through the window, he was running down the street, trying to catch his scarf flying above his head.
"What did you tell him?" she asked with the smile.
"It will be my sweet secret." he grinned, sitting on the chair in front of her.
"You don't know that most of the people tell their secrets to the bartender?"
"You know many secrets Roni?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes.
"Yes, but I don't know yours."
"Okay then. I'll tell you my dirty little secrets, but first… I need a drink."
"Got it!" she sighed.
"And the guy… I arrested him once… he likes to go at very naughty parties and he's married."
"I always forget that you are a cop," she said, setting a bottle of beer in front of him.
"Someone even told me that I'm "a good cop"." he grinned.
Roni looked at him as he took a sip of the beer from the bottle, the way he licked his lips and how he smiled made her heart pounding and her legs became lighter. It was weird that the guy she met not so long before made her feel that way. Roni turned around pretending to do something with glasses, she didn't want him to see her blushing cheeks.
The streets were already dark when it started snowing. The white fluff covered the streets, making them more dangerous, because of the snow lot of streets were closed, just in case someone wanted to feel like a rally driver. Roni and Rogers didn't move from the bar, it was almost midnight when Rogers pulled himself out from the chair.
"Where are you going?" she said quickly, looking at him.
"It's almost midnight. You said the bar was open until midnight."
"It is, but I want you to stay. I mean, I have a lot of questions, because I want to know more things about than that you are a good cop." she smiled. "first I would like to know your name… or is it some kind of secret?" she raised her eyebrow.
"Yes.." he nodded, "and if I told you… I would have to kiss you…" he lifted his sigh quickly, looking at her amused face, "I mean to kill you...I would have to kill you not to kiss you...I'm sorry." he looked down to his shoes.
"Do you want another beer?" she asked to distract him.
"Yes, please." he smiled. "what would you do now if I wasn't here?"
"I would be upstairs, with a bottle of wine probably." she said taking few steps to close the door.
"You'll lock me here?" he asked, "yes, till tomorrow when you get sober. I can't let you drive in this weather after drinking alcohol."
"You are such a good citizen." he joked.
"In fact I am." she agrees.
"Do you have any other questions I can not answer to?"
"Many, but I'm still waiting for your name. I can't talk with a stranger." she smiled, putting a chair on the table.
"You won't let it go, won't you?"
"Yes, I'm stubborn, it's one of my virtues." she winked. "and you will sleep here if you don't tell me."
Rogers gave the room a quick look, the only comfortable place he could lay on was the floor, but he didn't want to sleep there for any reason. He lifted his gaze at Roni, she was beautiful, her face was now lit by the street light, the snow which was now covered the whole street makes the light even brighter. She moved from one table to another and cleaned all of them, preparing them for another workday. She stopped by the jukebox standing in the corner, Roni gave him a quick look and after a moment she put her rubber into her jeans and took a pence from the other pocket. Roni put the money in the machine and after a second the music filled the room.
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
"I hope you don't want me to sing" he asked, standing up from the chair.
"Sing no, dance...yes." she said, coming towards him.
Roni put her hand on his shoulder, while the other was already in his touch. She lifted her sight, he was looking at her, her brown eyes met his ocean blue and after a moment the rhythm of the song carried them away. Rogers hold her tightly while they danced lit by the reflection of the lights. Roni put her head on his chest, she closed her eyes listening to the song filling in the room. Rogers pulled her closer to his body, he never knew she can be so soft and fragile, after a moment he lifted her head and put a sweet kiss on her lips.
"What was that for?" she whispered.
"Tradition," he said seriously, furrowing his brows.
"Tradition? You always kiss girls in bars?" she asked.
"No, mistletoe." he answered, looking at the piece of the plant hanging above their heads.
"That or you just wanted to kiss me." she smiled, biting her lower lip.
Rogers took a step toward her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her closer, he crushed his lips on hers, sucking her lower lip. He lifted her up, kissing her lower and lower, she wrapped her legs around him, moaning every time he kissed and sucked her neck.
"I have a bed upstairs." she whispered between kisses.
"Are you sure? I can stop if you want me to." he said, looking into her chocolate eyes.
"If you stop… I swear to God I'll use my baseball bat and kill you right here."
"You're tiny, but I need to tell you scared me a bit." he grinned.
"Stop talking…. kiss me." she said, when her tongue entered his mouth.
"One more thing…" he stopped again. "my name is John." he said.
"Well… John. Since I now know your name… I think you need to kiss me." she smiled.