BEER GOGGLES AND RED COATS

By Angel Sentier and Lady Parsley

Chapter Two

It was decided that Tessa would drive them to his place; he was too drunk. Right, she thought, it's so I can leave faster.

"You know, I just thought of something," he said as he shifted in his seat to face her. "I never asked your name."

"Do you really want to know?" she said with an acrid tone. She wished this part didn't have to happen. Talking made things personal, and later on, when he asked her to leave, it would make things painful.

"What kind of question is that?" He seemed hurt, as if she was assuming things that weren't true. "Of course I want to know your name."

"Tessa."

"Is that short for something?"

"Yeah." She flipped on the windshield wipers against the growing rain. There was a long pause before she spoke again. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm being sort of a bitch. I'm just really tired of being the default girl."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Oh, come on. If any one of my friends had given you a second glance tonight, do you think you'd have asked me to your place?" She could feel the tirade beginning to start, but really didn't care enough to stop it. "I know I'm not the most attractive of girls out there, but do you men ever stop to think that perhaps, just maybe, the girls you take home after you've had one or six too many might know the score? I mean, I may be fat, but I'm not stupid. So, you'd rather chew off your arm than find me in your bed in the morning. Great, because I would rather be eaten alive by rabid wolves than have to suffer the humiliation of having to face you when you've sobered up, and I'm no longer interesting. So, Jeff or Weylan or whatever the fuck you want to call yourself, I'm going to make this really easy for you, okay? If you still want me, you don't have to feel obligated to talk to me. I can just pull over, and we can get it over with in the back seat. If not, I'll just drop you off at home and you can sleep your beer goggles off." She pulled the car over and put it in park before turning to look at him. "What's it going to be?"

There was a long pause. The rain outside got heavier, and steam rose from the storm drains and sewer vents giving the world outside the car the look of a fifties horror film. Streetlights cast an eerie glow, mixing the shadows of the night rather than banishing them. Jeff fit in to this sort of atmosphere. Darkness played across his face making the sharper features of his nose and chin softer, hidden, in a way. His eyes bored into her, making it harder to keep her resolve.

Suddenly, he unbuckled his seat belt and, more gracefully than it should have been, leaned into her. Lips close enough to brush hers. The carnal smell of him filled her senses. Waves of heat crashed over her body. He didn't move from this position, but stayed as if he had just pinned his prey and was going to play with it for a while.

"Sounds like you might have one or two small issues," he whispered, almost growled. She couldn't move or look away. "Why don't we go to my apartment, and try to work some of them out?"

Run! Run! Kick him in the balls, push him out of the car, and run!

"Tessa."

Run!

"Tessa, just say yes. Nod and say yes."

Tessa! Run! Just…

"Say yes, and nod your head."

She felt it then. His tongue darted out for just a moment, to rasp along her bottom lip, tasting her. She inhaled sharply and again, his scent filled her. No matter how much her brain put up a fight, her body answered him, overruling any obstinate, controlled, angry remarks.

"Yes," she said simply, and nodded.

To be continued...