The bar was almost empty when I entered. My eyes scanned the premises. Mahogany wood furnished the entirety of the building. A small group of young women sat in a booth whispering among themselves as their eyes darted back and forth from the masculine figure sat at the bar. Apart from them, there was no one else. It was only three in the afternoon, though. My eyes drifted from the women to the focus of their attention. A broad masculine back clothed in black leather was the first thing I noticed. His hair was as black as his ensemble contrasted his lightly bronzed skin. From where I was, I couldn't ascertain any more detail, but I was intrigued so made my way to the bar to order myself a drink. The man sat sharing snarky remarks with the young blonde male behind the bar as I approached. The blonde noticed my presence and sent me a charmingly, boyish smile.
"Hi, what can I get for you?" he asked a light blush dusting his cheekbones. I smiled seductively at him, deepening his blush. I was used to this reaction, especially from boys his age; they rarely knew how to keep their cool. I knew I was perceived as attractive, in fact, I utilised my looks often for my benefit. Although I did not have legs for days as I was slightly shorter than average, my physique was toned and lean with long blonde hair which had been a pain to grow over the years. Green eyes that I inherited from my mother were my favourite part of my face alongside my full lips which I was proud to say had not been enhanced surgically. Maintaining eye contact with the blonde, I sat on a barstool one away from the raven-haired male and lent forward onto the bar arms folded underneath my breasts just to tease. I notice his eyes flicker briefly to my cleavage before I responded. "Gin and tonic please" he nodded and quickly set to work preparing my drink forgetting to ask for my age. As he did so, I turned my attention to the man beside me, who had watched the encounter with a smirk on his face. I took in his side profile, his sharp jawline and strong nose, hair falling slightly into his eyes, very aesthetically pleasing. He was remarkably sexually attractive, it had been a month since I'd last been with a man and this man was piquing my interest.
"That was entertaining," he said smirk widening as he turned to face me. The breath nearly left me as gorgeous blue eyes connected with mine for the first time, but I had always been a pro at composing myself. I maintained eye contact as a smirk to match his graced my face.
"He's cute" I replied simply with a shrug the smirk on my face becoming seductive as I give the man in front of me a deliberate once over. A bourbon drinker I notice as I catch the glass in his hand, bottle sat not far from him. I got slightly distracted by his hands. I was definitely a girl who was attracted to a persons hands and his were gorgeous, long elegant fingers gripped the glass lightly, and my thoughts inevitably trailed to him, gripping less mundane things. I composed myself before he could notice my staring.
"Hey what do I do to get him to set down the bottle of gin with me?" I asked, inclining my head towards his bottle.
He followed my nod and noticed the bourbon "Oh, that required a bit of persuasion, but I have a feeling it won't take much from you." He said a knowing look was crossing his features as he turned back to face me. Under his intense gaze, I could feel the attraction to him growing. I decided then that he was going to be next on my list. I was going to be here for the foreseeable future, may as well make it interesting.
"You're not from around here, are you?" he asked, breaking my thoughts.
I smiled at him and shook my head.
"No, but here will be home for the foreseeable," I admitted as the bartender dropped my drink off in front of me, I thank him with my best smile and his blush returns satisfying me at his reaction.
My brother Zachary who was fifteen years older than myself had gotten himself a new job here at the high school teaching math and since I returned from my gap year in Italy a month ago, I decided to come with him and attend Whitmore college after the summer break studying psychology. Our parents were too busy for us anyway, why bother staying in New York? My brother had gotten a modest two story apartment in the town centre above a beautiful store which looked like an apothecary, and I was looking for one in Whitmore for when I attend college. Ideally, I didn't want to stay in the dorms, I liked my own space, and a dorm mate would not allow me to have that.
If you're wondering how I could afford to buy an apartment after taking a gap year abroad, my parents are filthy rich—typical New York socialites. My father buys companies builds them up and sells them for profit, and my mother works in fashion, Gucci in particular. Both are workaholic's who throw money at their children to make up for forgetting to parent. I didn't complain though as in reality my brother is all the family I needed and the independence doesn't hurt. Sure, it might have been nice to see them more than we did, but that's how it had always been, Zachary had raised me along with the occasional nanny and looking back I wouldn't have had it any other way.
The man nodded his head at my statement and looked as though he's about to ask something else when a gorgeous brunette wraps an arm around him from behind and plants a kiss on his cheek.
"Hey babe" the brunette announced still embracing him. The man's eyes lit up at the sight of her, and his smile was breathtaking. It was obvious this woman is his girlfriend, and he looked quite smitten with her. I smiled at the sight despite feeling a twinge of annoyance at him being taken. Although, the situation just got a whole lot more interesting. There was an added challenge to this conquest now.
The brunette seemed to notice I was watching the couple, and politely smiled although her eyes presented a challenge. There a possessiveness to her stance now as she continued to hold on to the man. After a few moments of sizing me up, she reached out a hand and introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Elena, nice to meet you" she said in a sugary-sweet tone.
I shook her hand politely "Layla" I responded. I turned my attention to the man attached to her. "I never got your name" I stated a seductive smile on my face, I was antagonising the woman I know, but I can't help it, I liked their reactions. She reacted how I wanted her to jaw tightening, as her eyes hardened, trying to suss out if I was flirting with her boyfriend.
Said boyfriend didn't seem to notice her reaction and extends his hand "Damon."
I took his hand and held it for a moment longer than necessary, his hands we're as nice as I thought they'd be. Smooth skin and dominant grip. "It's nice to meet you Damon" I said before letting go of his hand deliberately slow in an almost caress. I move my hand to my drink and take a sip, "you too Elena," I say as an afterthought.
Elena had noticed my prolonged contact and was smiling tightly back at me as I casually sipped my drink, making sure to flick my tongue over my lips to catch the calculated spill of gin. In my peripheral, I could see both the bartender and Damon eyeing my movement. The blonde blatantly, Damon so subtly I almost missed the move, but I was anticipating it, so I noticed. Luckily for Damon Elena did not.
My drink was finished quickly as it was only a small and I grabbed my black Amex card from my purse as the bartender placed the card machine beside me. I stood, deliberately brushing Damon's hand that rested on the bar near the reader with my hand as I moved to swipe my card.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around" I announced focused more on Damon than anyone else flashing them all my signature smile. I got affirmations and goodbyes in response before I turned and strode out of the establishment a sway in my steps to accentuate my assets. I knew I looked good in this skirt. It had gotten me laid more times than I could remember, so I had complete confidence that the eyes I wanted to focus on me were, causing me to smile slyly to myself. Elena may present an obstacle, but Layla Harlow never turned down a challenge.
Mystic Falls was definitely a change of pace to New York City, but it was a welcome one. Going back to New York after a year in Italy had been jarring. Mystic Falls's serenity reminded me of my time in the Italian countryside. The lush green surroundings and constant birdsong was calming as I walked through the woods on the edge of the town.
After my drink at the Grill, I decided to explore as my brother was currently being shown around his new workplace and wouldn't be back until dinner. It was only four pm, so I ventured out to the woods to kill time and relax. I had always found the woods to be relaxing, and I often used those apps that have calming noises to help you sleep, playing the one that sounded as though you were lying under a tree in a wooded area surrounded by nature. I didn't walk far through them as I didn't want to get lost, but I found a magnificent tree to sit under on the edge of a small clearing after spotting a deer on the other side. I sat for a while and soaked in my surroundings, the deer happily munching away, oblivious to my presence. Peace washed over me as the time slipped away and far too soon I was on my way back to the apartment to cook dinner.
Luckily Zachary had done the shopping before he left for the high school so when I got home, I raided the fridge and cupboards for ingredients to make chicken saltimbocca a recipe I had perfected over the year. Cooking was a favourite pastime of mine; my nanny Rosaline often had me play sous chef, and from then on, my love for cooking grew.
Once I was satisfied I had all the ingredients I flung my blonde hair up in a haphazard bun and put my phone in the docking station to blast my cooking playlist. It was almost a ritual of mine to dance around the kitchen, singing loudly to my music as I cooked. I was absorbed in finishing off the dish and my music that I don't hear the door open or notice my brother enter the kitchen.
"Smells good" he announced loudly, causing me to jump as he made his presence known. Sauce splashed on the countertop and my hand as the spoon in my hand jolted along with my heart as it registered I was no longer alone.
"Fuck!" I yelled as the sauce burned. I rushed to the sink to rinse my hand under cold water glaring over my shoulder at Zachary who rightly looked sheepish.
"Shit, sorry Lay I didn't mean to scare you so much." he said, grabbing my hand to inspect the damage. My hand wasn't too bad just now it looked slightly red, but I could tell it would blister later. I took my hand back from him and shoved it back under the water sighing in relief at the feeling of cold water against my agitated hand.
"It's fine." I mumbled only mildly annoyed by his stupidity, "how was your day?" I asked Zachary, who was kindly wiping down the countertop while I still ran my hand under the tap.
"It was great, the high school isn't as fancy as the Academy, but I like it," he said.
Zachary in New York had worked at a private school in upper Manhattan like the one in Gossip Girl. "I start tomorrow so I might be gone by the time you get up" he informed me knowing I wasn't much of an early riser.
I nodded, taking my hand from under the tap to begin plating up the food as my brother had drained the spaghetti for me. I started to grab plates from the cupboard.
"Hey, you don't need to do that, sit. I'll dish up; you go put some salve on your burn." Zachary said, taking the plates from my grasp. I rolled my eyes but did as he told, grumbling about not being an invalid. When I returned to the kitchen, Zachary had sat two bowls on the table in front of him. I took the empty seat opposite him and we both began to eat discussing our days in more detail.
Zachary clears the table and begins to tidy the kitchen once the food is finished and I thank him because I hate doing dishes after I've cooked.
"I'm heading to my room now, so I'll just say good night now." I say to my brother giving him a kiss on the cheek as he stands at the sink. He turns to look at me.
"Already, it's only eight." he said.
"Yeah, I'm gonna unpack some more and watch some Netflix then go to bed" I explained referring to my still unpacked boxes that sat on the floor in my bedroom. We had arrived yesterday morning and all that managed to unpack was some clothes and bedding so I could sleep in my new bed. Zach nodded understanding and said goodnight continuing to do the dishes.
Currently, I was a bit obsessed with The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina so I put that on after unpacking my tv and setting it up. I then set to work sorting through my boxes and filling my drawers and wardrobe. My bedroom was a reasonable size, comfortably fitting a king-size bed, chest of drawers, large wardrobe and vanity with room to dance around if I wanted to. By the time I had unpacked my room looked good and it was eleven so I decided to get ready for bed and headed to my ensuite to do my night routine which included numerous face products and expensive lotion.
I lay in bed later, getting ready to sleep, I let my thoughts drift to Damon. Our encounter ran like a film reel through my head. His piercing blue stare that I imagined staring down at me in a less innocent setting, hands gripping my thighs, his ornate ring and fingertips leaving indents. Then I remembered Elena and my mood dampened, reminding me he's no bachelor looking for a quick fuck.
But then again when had that ever stopped me?