Only last June when her old man ran away, she couldn't stop crying cause she knew he was gone to stay.
Mercedes Jones sat on the next to a pile of tissues, watching Bridget Jones' Diary for the umpteenth time. She needed something to take her mind of her current situation. She left Matt again for good; she could handle taking a backseat to his career. Hell, she was a career woman herself; she spent most of her time in the recording studio working on her album. She was willing to forgive him putting his career in front of their relationship – what she could not and would not forgive is catching Matt in bed with another woman.
"I hear you Bridget, I'm going to be old and alone too," she lamented at the screen, grimacing when she heard the knock on the door. With the way her day was going, it was probably an ax murderer ready to finish her off.
"Oh, hell no!" Santana Lopez said when Mercedes opened the door and looked down at her bestie's dirty t-shirt and hole-y Capri pants. "It's Friday night and we just got paid. This won't do," she said, pushing her way into Mercedes' apartment and throwing her emergency breakup kit down on the couch.
Santana's emergency breakup kit was different than most others; hers included a bottle of Jack Daniels, cosmetics and the typical little black dress – except it was a red bandage dress that showed a lot of her beautiful dark-complexed skin.
"So here's what we're going to do," Santana said, walking through Mercedes' apartment and picking up all those used tissues and tossing them in the trash. "You're going to get your pretty ass off the couch, get in the shower and we're going down to Celebrities. You're not about to sit your ass in the house and waste anymore tears over that fool."
"Santana, I'm really not in the mood, ok?" Mercedes sat down in her recliner and crossed her legs under her. "What if I see him out?"
Santana scoffed as she poured Mercedes a shot out of the whiskey bottle and then one for herself. She handed it to Mercedes and raised an eyebrow. Mercedes knew better than to refuse it. She shook her head as it burned on the way down. Santana did the same and then smiled. "I can count on one hand how many fucks I give about seeing him out with his skank." For emphasis, Santana held her hands behind her back. "See? That damn many. I wish to hell I would see him out. I ain't had to cut nobody in a long time." She tossed back another whiskey shot and handed one out to her girl.
Mercedes shrugged her shoulders and sent that one down her throat as well. "Please don't go Lima Heights Adjacent on anyone tonight. I don't want to have to bail you out of jail. New York ain't ready for a homegirl from Ohio," she laughed, winking at the fiery Latina.
"Anything for you doll," Santana quipped, smacking Mercedes' ample ass as she headed towards the bathroom to get ready.
Sam Evans was at Celebrities with his best friend Noah Puckerman, whom everyone called Puck. He was on leave from the Air Force, and they were having a Bro's Night Out. He loved whenever he was out with Puck in uniform because the women fell over themselves trying to get to their table. Normally he was all for it, but not tonight. Puck was had a major case of the heartbreaks - Quinn left Puck again, and he wasn't quite himself.
"Puck, I told you before that you can't fuck around on a woman like Quinn," Sam said, draining the rest of his beer. "I would say that even if she wasn't my sister."
"I'm sorry dude, it wasn't even my fault this time," Puck said, swishing his lime around in the Seven & Seven he was drinking.
"So the waitress at the diner stripped her clothes off and fell on your dick?" Sam raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm surprised Quinn didn't go for that."
"Here's what happened…" Puck said launching into his story. He was listening intently until a flash of red caught his eye. The prettiest woman he'd ever seen walked through the door and he couldn't help but stare as she and her friend walked over to the VIP section in the corner.
10:35 on a lonely Friday night, she was standing by the fire and she was looking alright.
"Dude, are you listening to me?" Puck said, waving his hand in Sam's face, looking around to see what or who caught Sam's attention.
"Yes, I heard you. Dani just broke up with her girlfriend and she realized she wanted to go back to dick," Sam repeated, signaling to the server for a refill. "I heard every word."
"Damn!" Puck exclaimed when his own eyes followed who Sam was checking. "I haven't seen two hotties like that in a long time! I call dibs on the Spanish one," Puck said, standing up to straighten his uniform. "I'm going to go over there; she needs to be the next Mrs. Puckerman."
Sam laughed and shook his head. "There hasn't been a first Mrs. Puckerman."
"Semantics, Sam. I need to talk to that girl."
Sam's head was in another world – the dark skin, her delicious curves accentuated by that tight-as-fuck dress, the heels that made her legs look a mile long and the best part was the ass that sat on top of those mile high legs. Puck and Sam walked purposefully over to their table and stood in front of Mercedes. "I don't know what your name is, and I'm sorry if I'm being rude to your friend, but I have to ask you to dance before I lose my nerve," Sam said in a rush.
I asked her if she wanted to dance and she said that all she wanted was a good man and wanted to know If I thought I was qualified…
Mercedes was caught way off guard from the stranger in front of her. She took a quick second to size up him and his friend. Both were sexy as hell, and the blond looked like he belonged on a cover of GQ. That's where she went wrong with Matt - he was beautiful on the outside but ugly as hell on the inside and broke her heart into a million pieces.
She blinked her eyes after Santana jabbed her in the ribs. She leaned over to Mercedes and whispered in her ear, "He's extremely fuckable and if you don't do him, I will."
"You don't even like men anymore," Mercedes said, laughing at her friend's audaciousness. She turned her head back to Sam who was still standing there.
"Yes, stranger. I'd love to dance." She stood up and Sam grabbed her by the elbow to lead her out to the dance floor.
"I'm Sam," he said, leaning over to introduce himself.
"Mercedes," she offered, reaching out to shake his hand. "Nice to meet you." They made it over to the dance floor and they joined the other couples, as the previous song had ended and the next one started. He held her close and dominantly placed his hand on the small of her back to lead. He was considerable taller than she was, even in the heels. She leaned her head on his should and smiled to herself. He smells fucking delicious, she thought, trying to breathe him in for the next for minutes in time.
And I said baby don't waste your time
I know what's on your mind
I may be qualified for a one night stand
But I could never take the place of your man
Mercedes made the mistake of concentrating on the words of the song to try and distract her from being held by the gorgeous semi-stranger. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. No, not here, she admonished herself. Do not cry any more tears over Matt's stupid ass. She sniffed, trying to keep the snot at bay; Santana would be pissed if she ruined her makeup with tears and snot.
It hurt me so bad when she told me with tears in her eyes
He was all she ever had and now she wanted to die
He left her with a baby and another one on the way
She couldn't stop crying cause she knew he was gone to stay
"What's his name?" Sam asked. He could feel her sniffing. "I don't mean to pry, but I don't like to see beautiful girls cry."
"Lucky for me since I'm so short you can't see me cry," Mercedes said, trying to diffuse the situation with laughter. "It's a long story, but the basic storyline is boy meets girl. Girl gives boy virginity. Boy cheats on girl after her career takes off because he needed to feel like a man." Mercedes shook her head to erase the thought of that girl and Matt in her bed.
"That's rough," Sam said, looking down at Mercedes. He wiped the tear that managed to fall. "I'm really sorry; you seem like a nice girl. Unless I'm reading your situation wrong, you didn't deserve that."
"I didn't think so either," Mercedes exclaimed. "I just met you and you seem to understand. All I've ever wanted was a good man. Is that too much to ask for?" She looked up at Sam and studied his face. He had clear green eyes and perfect skin. She concentrated on his full, pink lips, lips that would cause a grown woman or man to sin.
"It's the lips isn't it?" Sam inquired, breaking Mercedes from her thoughts.
"What about them?" she said, confused by the question.
"You're staring," he pointed out and Mercedes was suddenly embarrassed.
"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry!" Mercedes laughed. "Where are my manners? They're just so sexy," she said. "I don't mean to stare. You're sexy I'm sure you hear that all the time."
"You're not the only sexy person on this dance floor, FYI," Sam said. Mercedes blushed and stepped into his hold. He felt so damn good against her. She'd never felt an attraction to any other man this heavy before. His strong and slightly possessive hold of her made her feel warm all over. No girl. You just met this man, put it in park.
Luckily for her the song ended and she stepped back from Sam. "Thanks for the dance," Mercedes said. She smiled at Sam as she attempted to walk away, but he grabbed onto her hand.
"Mercedes wait," Sam started, pulling her off to the side as hard-bass rap song began. "I barely know you, but I can't let you leave without knowing if I'll ever see you again."
She asked me if we could be friends and I said oh honey baby that's a dead end
You know and I know that we wouldn't be satisfied
"We just met, Sam," Mercedes chuckled. "You don't even know me. Besides, I'm not in a good place right now." She looked around for Santana, hoping she could channel her friend's advice. All she heard in the back of her mind was Santana saying "If you don't do him, I will."
Sam smiled down at her and she was sure she could see all 32 of his perfect teeth. "I know we just met, but there's something about you."
And I said baby don't waste your time, I know what's on your mind baby
Wouldn't be satisfied with a one night stand, and I could never take the place of your man
Mercedes faltered on her heel as she felt Sam pull her into a hard embrace. He yanked her to him and covered her mouth with his in a hungry kiss. She responded immediately, surprising herself. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she could have imagined. He tasted her tentatively with his tongue, and Mercedes opened her mouth with a low moan. Their mouths moved together in sync as if they'd known each other for years, instead of just a few minutes. He trailed his fingers up into her hair, tilting her head to dominate the kiss. Her lips tasted like the Moscato she had consumed previously before and he wanted to taste every drop.
Mercedes couldn't help herself as another soft moan escaped her. She couldn't tell if the loud thumping she heard was the beat of the music or the beat of her heart. She reluctantly broke apart from him and just stood there. She didn't trust herself to speak at that very moment - her entire body was on fire; no one had ever kissed her like that before. She blinked at him, waiting for her brain to form a coherent thought. Luckily he went first. "I'm sorry," Sam apologized. "I'm not sure what came over me, but if I'm not going to see you again, then I needed to make that memory or else I would have driven myself crazy wondering how you would taste and feel." He placed his hands in his pockets, resisting the urge to take her in his arms once more.
"That was certainly unexpected," Mercedes said backing away slightly as she tried to regain her composure. Every nerve in her body was tingling, and she didn't know what else to say.
"Again, I'm sor-" Sam began, but his words died in his throat as Mercedes cut him off with a kiss. This time it was different, more urgent. She slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, feeling reckless and out of control. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her lower back, resting one on her ass. Sam tasted of gin and sex, one of her favorite flavors. Her lips moved hungrily against his, and he deepened the kiss. He moved his left hand to cup one of her breasts. Mercedes didn't even care they were on a dance floor in the middle of a crowded nightclub. Sam made her feel wanted and that's all she cared about.
"Damn, Weezy!" Santana's voice rang out. "Who's your friend?"
Mercedes reluctantly pulled her lips away from Sam. "Looks like we're caught," she said through a smile. She turned around to face her best friend. "Santana, this is Sam."
"Nice way of putting those trouty mouth lips to work," Santana quipped. "We need to go; I had to go LHA on a bitch in the bathroom," she said, thrusting Mercedes' purse at her.
Mercedes turned back around to Sam. "Goodnight, Sam. Thanks for the memories." She turned to walk away behind Santana, and Sam stood rooted to the floor watching her go. Go after her idiot, he heard Puck's voice say in his head.
"Mercedes, wait. When will I see you again?"
"I believe in fate Sam," Mercedes smiled. She placed a kiss against Sam's mouth, but not quite on his lips. "You want to see me again, find me."