F/N from AC: No ownership of Chuck here. Nope, not me.
Chuck and Sarah vs the Makeover
CHAPTER 15: Let's Dance
May 2, 2004
Friday Morning: Day 5 of the Los Angeles Mission
Though they tried to put it behind them with the player device hidden safely away, yesterday was a reminder that danger still lurked out there. Everyone had an early work shift, and they were uncomfortable leaving Sarah and Carina alone.
Devon suggested that they volunteer at the hospital, being what some hospitals call "candy stripers." Candy stripers are essentially gofers for the patients.
They agreed that would be interesting, so they dressed and tagged along.
It seemed familiar to Carina, similar to her volunteer work back home with her church.
For Sarah, it was more foreign territory. She was more familiar with her Dad's scams for stealing from charities. This was being selfless and giving without reward for yourself. Unfamiliar territory. Although since many of the patients were elderly women, Sarah was reminded of her Lollies in San Diego.
Carina and Sarah spent the morning making many trips for things like snack machine and magazine runs. But they were young and fit, so it was not a problem and the activity made the morning fly by.
At lunchtime, they heard their names called, paging them to the Nurse's station. There, they found Ellie waiting to take them to lunch. Over lunch, she asked how they were doing. The young ladies both replied that they were enjoying themselves and were happy to be helpful.
Ellie was pleased to hear that. She explained that she and Devon were leaving a little early in a few hours. She wanted to make sure they all got to spend some time with the kids and didn't want the ladies to miss out on the experience. She shared how visiting pediatrics fed her heart. She also mentioned how Chuck and Morgan would come on special occasions and holidays. Chuck would play his guitar and sing, and then he and Morgan would put on a sock puppet show.
Sarah happily tucked that into her "What makes Chuck tick" file.
So, Ellie left with the young ladies to spend the next two hours with the kids. Again, for Carina, a nursery was familiar territory.
Sarah was completely lost, far more out of her comfort zone than when she was dealing with the older patients. She knew nothing about kids, and she barely had a childhood of her own. Fortunately, she had Carina as a guide. She followed Carina's lead, who was happy to teach.
First, they helped bottle feed and burp the infants. Next, they played physical games with the toddlers. They finished by reading to the little kids.
Soon, their time was up. Ellie and Devon picked them up, and they all headed home. Carina talked about the day's activities. Sarah nodded along, lost in reflection about her novel experience.
Sarah was impressed by Carina's childhood experiences, but Carina was more dismissive. "We did less volunteering and more being volunteered. If you were a girl at church, you volunteered for the kitchen or the nursery. The boys volunteered to remove the trash, move the furniture, and do landscaping. After church was for visiting and more volunteering. We visited shut-ins and old folks' homes."
Sarah pushed back, trying to maintain some of the moment's magic. "Well, yeah, I'm sure that happens. But I'm also sure that people volunteer independently, just like we did today."
Ellie chimed in, "Yeah, like when Chuck, Devon, and I volunteer."
Sarah happily nodded at the support.
Once home, Ellie announced that she and Devon would nap because she wanted to go dancing later that night. She had even called Chuck to give him a heads-up.
Carina was overjoyed at the opportunity and ran into their room to pick out an outfit. "We're going out dancing! We can meet more guys!"
Sarah followed along a bit less enthusiastically. She was still feeling the influence of the day at the hospital. And there was only one guy she was interested in spending time getting to know more about—a guy who volunteered to do selfless things.
The lunch hour rush was over, and Big Mike was napping after his lunchtime burrito, so Chuck finally had a chance to take something resembling a lunch break. Morgan found him perusing the Action/Adventure DVDs.
"Hey, buddy! You're not going out for lunch?" Morgan asked.
"Nah. I just grabbed one of these 'Hot Pockets,'" Chuck replied, holding it up. "You know, the Chicken and Cheese one isn't too bad, the way the chicken and cheese blend together. And I am so tired of Wienerlicious and Albierto's. I love me a cheap mixed burrito as much as the next guy, but there are six more taco shops just down the street. I wish someone would open a good deli or sandwich shop. You know what I mean?"
Morgan nodded along with his buddy's mini-rant. "I feel you, man. I love me a good sammy too. Well, I will probably grab a corn dog quickly." He turned to look at the DVD display. "So whatcha doing? Picking out a movie for us to watch tonight?"
"No," Chuck replied dismissively. "I'm not picking out a movie for us tonight."
Morgan turned to Chuck frantically and, in a panicked voice, asked him, "I'm not banished, am I?"
Chuck turned to his friend with an incredulous look. "What? What are you talking about, Morgs?"
Morgan looked down sheepishly and quietly said, "You know. The whole kissing Carina thing. I'm assuming Devon told everyone about that."
Chuck laughed. "Yeah. And so did Carina. No, you're not banished, and you're not in trouble. It was surprising, and some people may have jumped to the wrong conclusion. Okay, everyone definitely jumped to the wrong conclusion at first. But Carina said she kissed you, so nobody should be mad at you."
"Carina admitted that we kissed? To everyone? Wow! And I didn't get hit." Morgan stood and shook his head in stunned amazement.
Chuck looked on, always amused by his friend's antics. "So, anyhow, I am looking over all the action, adventure, and spy movies to try and jog my memory. Ever since Sarah and Carina got here, a lot of spy stuff has come to mind. I mean, I know I've watched the whole Bond collection, but I am remembering a lot of stuff that I can't connect with a movie."
"Well, you've also read a bunch of books and graphic novels," Morgan pointed out.
"Yeah," Chuck agreed. "But this is pretty detailed stuff, like hiding and evasion."
"But Chuck, we've been doing that our whole lives. Evading and hiding from bullies at school, the mall, the beach, the bus to school, or the arcade. Essentially everywhere. I mean, you are a smart dude. And I know you have this supposedly perfect memory, but things can get jumbled up there. And you are creative, so you probably figure some of it out on the fly." Morgan suggested, supporting his buddy like he always did.
"Yeah, there's a lot of stuff in my old noggin here. Most of it crap, so I guess I should be happy there is something useful there." He shook his head. "It sure is weird, though."
Just then, Ellie called and informed him about their dancing plans for the evening. After hanging up, he passed the news along to Morgan.
Morgan was excited when Chuck confirmed that he was invited too. Then, a look of worry crossed his face. He looked at Chuck and asked, "What do I do about Carina and the kiss?"
"Well, she's not making a big deal about it, so you shouldn't either," Chuck suggested as he patted Morgan on the shoulder.
Morgan deflated a little. "So, it's no big deal for her?" he asked sadly.
"Hey, hey, buddy. Don't take it that way. She's happy about it. But it seems like it was something spontaneous. It's not like she is looking for a boyfriend or to get engaged. Don't overthink it. Wait and see how she acts," Chuck advised.
"So, how do I greet her?" Morgan worried.
"Like I said, follow her lead." Chuck reiterated. "I learned to wait a moment, watch Ellie, and follow her lead. So, do the same thing with Carina. Wait a moment and see what she does. If she does nothing, you do nothing. If she offers a handshake, that's what you do. Lean into it if she goes for a hug, but let her control the pressure. Follow. Her. Lead. Just don't jump the gun."
'Follow her lead," Morgan repeated to himself as he headed out to grab some lunch.
It suddenly struck Chuck as he watched his best friend trying to figure out his love life. Should I be following my own advice? Chuck wondered to himself. If I accept that I feel something for Sarah, should I wait for her to lead? Or, If I want something to happen, should I make the first move? I feel a stronger connection to her than I have ever felt with anyone. Devon said you shouldn't miss out on something good when you have the opportunity. We do have these few days together. Maybe there is something good here. I need to find out if Sarah feels the same way, and if so, see where we go from here.
Carina and Sarah were too wound up to take a nap, so they decided to get ready. They took turns taking their showers so the bathroom would be available when Ellie and Devon woke up.
Carina looked at her slowly expanding wardrobe, which now included one-inch heels. However, she decided that she wasn't comfortable dancing in her new heels, so she chose some silver ballet shoes, which matched her new silver, knee-length, asymmetrical dress.
Sarah decided to wear a dress for the evening. It was odd not to be wearing her usual jeans, but a dress seemed appropriate for the situation and felt right for her at the moment. So, she picked out her new light blue, square-collared, knee-length dress and paired it with matching tights and blue low-heeled pumps.
After they woke up, Devon took his turn in the bathroom first. After Ellie finished her shower and dressed, she invited the girls into the bathroom to put on makeup. This would really be the first time the girls wore makeup in public. "The important thing to remember is you're wearing it for you. It's about how it makes you feel."
Ellie gave them suggestions and pointers about matching makeup and clothes. Carina decided to go with a dramatic smokey look for her eyes, and Sarah chose a light, blue eyeshadow to match her dress.
Carina stared into the mirror in awe. "Wow! We're pretty," she exclaimed.
Sarah silently agreed. We almost look like the pictures in the magazines.
"You've always been pretty. " Ellie emphasized. "Now you're just polished. It's like detailing a car or plating food in a restaurant. There's nothing wrong with sometimes making extra effort to make things look extra nice. And now you get to see what you look like with a little bit of pizzazz. And, Carina, I know you want to meet guys, but don't throw yourself at them. All of them are interested, so be choosy about who you spend time with."
Carina and Sarah couldn't quit staring in amazement at how they looked.
Since Chuck was avoiding driving a nerd herder, he and Morgan took the bus back and forth to work." Hey Chuck," Morgan piped up. "I need to stop at the mall and pick up some things for tonight." Morgan admired many things about his best friend, and tonight, he decided to copy his style. Chuck tended to wear a long-sleeved shirt over his T-shirt, and Morgan wanted to grab some similar clothes at the mall. So, after that brief detour, they finally found themselves at home.
"Hey, Ellie, we're here," Chuck announced upon entering the apartment. "Morgan's going to come along, so we need to use my room to change." The last words seemed to get stuck in his throat and the air, slowly fading into silence as Ellie led Sarah and Carina out of the bathroom. Upon seeing them, Chuck and Morgan were struck dumb and completely mesmerized. Chuck snapped out of it first and hurriedly pushed Morgan into his bedroom before they embarrassed themselves even further.
Ellie, Carina, and Sarah all smiled, pleased at the reaction.
"Holy Cow, Chuck! Did you see them?" Morgan blurted out, being the first to find his voice. "They're beautiful. Like in a magazine. Oh, crap! They are definitely out of our league now."
Chuck snapped out of his own enchantment. "Hey now! Don't start beating up on yourself. Sure, they are dazzling. But they are still Carina and Sarah from the arcade. So yeah, they are amazing, but we are no slouches ourselves." At that, he looked into the mirror at the two of them, clothes wrinkled, hair a mess, and was reminded of the reality of the situation. They looked at each other with bemusement. "Yeah. We've got some work to do."
They took turns in the shower and soon were in front of the mirror, looking at their freshly scrubbed reflections, and it wasn't that much of an improvement.
That's when Devon came into the room, looking sharp in his loafers, khakis, and a nice pink button-up shirt. "Okay, boys, Ellie has decreed that you will not look scruffy tonight." The boys looked at Devon and each other. Devon looked at the boys, and he just sighed.
"Okay, I can't do anything about the jeans and sneakers right now, but we'll fix those shirts. Now, take off both of your shirts. You're not wearing a T-shirt with a long-sleeved shirt as a jacket. The long-sleeved shirt is your shirt. You don't need two. And we're going dancing, so two shirts will be too hot anyway. Now button that shirt up all the way, and it's time for you to embrace tucking. If you want to look polished, your shirt has to be in your pants."
Morgan looks at himself in the mirror and says, while indicating his groin area, "I don't know, Devon, it kind of feels like I am exposed and out there."
"Maybe that is the point," Devon replied.
Soon, the boys looked nice and tight, their long-sleeved button-ups fully buttoned and tucked. Chuck's shirt was olive green, which complemented his tan. Morgan went with a light blue, which he claimed made him look bigger.
When they came out of the bedroom, they greeted everyone again. Morgan looked at Carina with uncertainty, now even more intimidated by her. He acted awkward when she stepped towards him, and then he jumped the gun and rushed to her, extending his hand. Carina had been moving to give him a hug, so now they found themselves in a weird half handshake, half hug, dance. Slightly frustrated, Carina stopped, grabbed Morgan, and pulled him in for a hug. "There. Calm down." She took his hand and led him to the couch. "We need to talk."
"Oh boy, the four dreaded words" Morgan muttered. Ellie and Devon returned to their bedroom to finish getting ready. Chuck and Sarah retreated to the kitchen to give the others some privacy.
"Listen, Morgan, I enjoyed our kiss the other day. It was fun, and we may do it again sometime. But you need to understand that that is all it was. It was a little bit of fun. I'm not looking for anything serious. You are a nice guy, and I'm glad you are my first kiss out here. I'm hoping that you're not the only one. Tonight we are going out dancing, and while I look forward to dancing with you, I also want to dance with other guys there. And, who knows, maybe I will kiss someone. I need you to be okay with that. Can you do that? Can you be a friend I hang out with, play games with, sometimes dance with, and even kiss sometimes? Can you do that for me, Morgan?"
From the moment Morgan saw Carina's new look, he was in awe. He was surprised the girls liked him, and hung out with him at the arcade. But now, seeing how attractive they could be, he didn't feel worthy. So, if she was willing to hang out with him, he would accept it on whatever terms she wanted. "Sure. Sure. I can be that friend. I can be cool with it all. We'll all have a good time." Holy Crap. I still get to hang out with them. This is too cool.
Carina leaned in and hugged him. "Thank you for being so good about this. I'm happy there's no drama." As she released the hug, she paused and leaned forward to give him a quick peck on the lips. "There you go. You are my first kiss tonight. Let's go have fun."
Chuck directed Sarah into the kitchen, trying to not stare too much. "So, how did things go at the Hospital today?" he inquired.
"Really good!" she enthusiastically replied. We helped people get what they needed and played with the kids."
Chuck was happy to see her smile and matched it with one of his own, replying, "Yeah, the kids in Pediatrics are so sweet."
Sarah questioned him. "Ellie said that you also volunteered. Is that true?"
Chuck nodded his head in confirmation.
"Why? Why do you do that?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing as she closely observed him. "What do you get out of it?" Maybe you can explain so I understand why you chose to help a stranger like me.
"Nothing. A good feeling. You know you helped when you could. It's just nice to know that you made somebody's life a little better," was his convoluted answer. Chuck squared up with her so he could see her face and look at Sarah directly in the eyes. He captured her eyes with his open brown ones, inviting her to share and assuring her that her answers wouldn't be judged. "Is that unusual? Did someone tell you something different?"
Sarah found herself lost in his eyes again. She could clearly see his compassion and concern for her. Chuck's answer helped her understand why he had helped her despite not knowing her. She felt safe as she unwillingly pulled herself out of a mini reverie like someone reluctantly giving up warm blankets in the morning. Sarah realized that she had started answering his question without thinking. And, to her surprise, she was answering honestly and truthfully. "My Dad. My Dad taught me that everybody is out to use you. You can't trust anyone." Sarah caught herself, reclaiming control of her words and trying to establish boundaries. "Yeah, um, for now, let's just say I didn't have a normal childhood." Her instincts were to deflect, but she had no luck hiding herself from him and his gaze. "It looks like I learned some wrong things. But Carina and I help each other see things differently. She is a good friend who is making me a better person." Sarah had succeeded in taking the spotlight off of herself but couldn't keep from revealing more about herself.
Chuck nodded in support as she spoke. "I get it. Ellie and now Devon both help me be a better person." His mood turned somber as he brought up the past. "I had some bad things happen earlier this year, and I let that bring me down. But, thanks to Ellie and Devon, and to be honest, a little bit to you, I'm ready to do things again. It's why I think family and friends are so important."
Sarah couldn't help but qualify the statement in her head. Yeah, I assume you can actually trust your family or that you actually have friends. But Chuck's sincere positivity overpowered her learned negativity.
They were interrupted by Devon's voice booming out. "Okay. Let's load up and get this show on the road."
Chuck reached out for her hand, and she extended hers, allowing it to be taken. They both were startled by the spark they felt as they touched. "Sarah, I hope you recognize that you are among friends. So please, try to relax and have some fun while you are here for these last few days. Let's go have fun tonight," he encouraged.
Sarah nodded up at him. She didn't trust her words or even have any for this moment. No one had been that open with her other than Carina. She found it unsettling but in a pleasant way. Like the butterflies you might get before riding the rollercoaster. She followed him out of the kitchen, and Carina grasped her arm and lightly shook it, smiling and showing her excitement as she pepped everyone up. Carina was ready to go dancing.
Morgan sat between the long-legged boys up front while the girls sat in the back seat, getting more fashion tips from Ellie. Their destination was Bolero's, a Mexican restaurant with a full bar and dancing. So, underage Carina and Sarah could be present, while Ellie and Devon could have their Margaritas. Bolero's had a nice dance floor, and on the weekends, they doubled its size by removing the dinner tables. Knowing this, Ellie had reserved one of the three booths, which would remain after the tables were removed. They were on one side of the dining room, while the bar spanned the wall on the opposite side of the room. The plan was to have dinner, then keep the booth and stay for the dancing.
Dinner went well, and Chuck and Devon's talkativeness kept the mood lively. They even managed to get Carina and Sarah to share some stories about Washington, D.C., and seeing the monuments.
As the evening progressed, the tables were cleared, and the DJ started spinning some tunes. Ellie and Devon had ordered a couple of Margaritas for themselves and a pitcher of a 'Virgin' mix for the table to accompany dinner.
Soon, Ellie pulled Devon onto the dance floor, ready to start dancing.
Carina tried to pull Sarah out to dance, but Sarah begged off for a moment longer. Carina then took Morgan's hand and pulled him along to dance because if she didn't start moving soon, she was going to explode.
Chuck pointed to the space beside Sarah, wordlessly asking for permission to sit beside her. She granted it.
"How are you doing?" He asked as he settled in.
"Fine. Fine," she replied as she glanced around, taking in everything.
He caught her eye and asked again, looking at her directly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Sarah ducked her head. I just can't hide anything from him. "Well, it is a bit overwhelming, trying to keep an eye on everyone and everything."
Chuck reached over and covered her hand with his. "You're safe here, with friends, so you can relax and have fun." Chuck suddenly noticed what he had done and slowly took his hand back.
Sarah stared at their joined, then separated hands and distractedly mentioned, "We don't go out much, and we never go dancing. So, this is a bit different for me."
Chuck reached out again, this time with intent, grabbed and squeezed her hand, firmly yet gently. "We can sit and talk or dance if you want. However you want to play it, I'm just happy to hang out with you."
Sarah was knocked off center. His words were filled with kindness and caring, and his focus was on her happiness. She and Carina cared about each other's happiness and well-being, but this seemed different. It felt deeper. She was speechless, lost in his eyes and lost in his words.
Chuck looked down and took a deep breath. He looked back up and over at his sister and Devon. Then, he looked back into Sarah's eyes. "Can I be totally honest with you?"
Oh my God. Please, yes. Help me understand what you are thinking. Still speechless, Sarah just nodded, eyes wide in amazement.
A small smile spread across his face as he told her, "I really like you. I feel a connection with you unlike anything I have felt before. But I am a bit of a mess from my past, and you are here only briefly, so I restrained myself. But Devon reminded me that we only get one pass at life, and you don't want to miss out on something great when you have the chance." A shaky waver came into his voice as he looked down and back up. "So, if you feel the same way, I would like to spend our time together getting to know you better."
Sarah's head was spinning. So much had happened this week that was changing her worldview. Ellie and Carina had opened her eyes to new possibilities. And, with zero interest in meeting guys, she met a very special guy. What was happening to her?
Her brain reminded her that the mission clock was ticking. But Ellie, Carina, and now Chuck pointed out that the ticking was also the minutes of her life passing by. Her heart and gut were pushing for her to start living.
As all of this raced through Sarah's mind, Chuck waited expectantly. Hope and worry took turns dominating his expression.
Sarah slowly nodded. Looking into his eyes, she found her voice. "Yes. I feel something special with you, too. And I would like to get to know you better."
A big, nose-crinkling smile burst out on Chuck's face. "Great! That's really, really great." Chuck was thrilled at her positive response to his interest.
They both lost themselves for a moment as they contemplated their newly admitted mutual attraction. Their eyes were locked, and they seemed to be doing a dance of their own.
Chuck's eyes held hers and told her, "It's going to be okay. We're going to have fun. It's going to all work out well."
Her eyes peered into his, uncertain, "I'm lost. I'm nervous. I'm excited. Guide me."
Chuck held her hands, rubbing the backs with his thumbs. He now had a huge smile but was at a loss for how to proceed. They weren't in an environment conducive to talking and couldn't just leave everyone here. For the time being, he just smiled and nodded at her.
Sarah was at a bigger loss as to what to do now since she had zero dating experience. She was excited about their decision to do whatever this was, but she was stuck, waiting to see what Chuck would do.
He finally suggested that they join the others dancing.
Carina was thrilled when Sarah joined her. They clasped hands and started bouncing and dancing together.
Chuck moved to hop around near Morgan, so they were all kind of dancing together but with the guys effectively shielding the girls from the rest of the crowd.
Ellie and Devon looked good dancing together. The rest of them had no clue what they were doing.
Chuck was the most rhythmically challenged, so he moved as little as possible.
Morgan had some sense of rhythm and moved around more energetically, but none of his actions could be identified as a recognizable dance move.
Carina had little experience but lots of exuberance, so she just moved and twirled across the floor and managed to make it look good.
Sarah hopped around with Carina for a while, then stepped away and finally let herself get into the music. She let herself hear, internalize, feel, and let it move her. And when she moved, she moved with grace.
Ellie and the others were impressed. Chuck was enchanted.
Sarah moved around their little group, sometimes dancing closer to Carina or Morgan, and sometimes closer to Chuck. But, regardless of where she was dancing, she and Chuck couldn't keep their eyes off each other.
A slow song came up, so the couples paired off. Devon and Ellie held each other close and whispered in each other's ears.
Carina and Morgan had their hands on each other's shoulders, arms out straight, as they chatted and laughed about something.
Chuck held his palms towards her and let Sarah step into him. She stepped in front of him, took his right hand in her left hand, and placed her other hand on his shoulder. He lightly placed his left hand on her waist, and they started moving together. It was awkward, but it was a start.
After dancing for a while, it came time for a bathroom break, and, of course, the girls went together while the guys retreated to their booth. Standing together at the sinks, Carina asked Ellie, "Do you think any of those guys out there would be interested in dancing with me?"
Ellie laughed, "Oh, Carina, honey, pretty much all of them want to dance with you. And they want more than that, so proceed cautiously."
"So guys are creeps, like I said?" Sarah asked, now not wanting it to be true.
"I wouldn't say that. I would say driven. It's their hormones. It's our hormones. I'm not excusing bad behavior on anyone's part, and most guys are respectful. Now, some people have less interest in sex than others, but you are going to find that, for the most part, the guys are interested and will come running. If they can work up their courage and if they get a positive response from you. You know, in general, it's like the 80/20 rule. 80 percent of the interested guys are very hesitant to approach you, while 20 percent will confidently approach you. Of course, 80 percent of those guys are self-centered or have a big ego. They act like we are lucky; they decide to spend time with us. So, you look for the 20 percent, like Devon, who are confident in their capabilities and boldly ask you out because they dare to. Pay attention to whether they brag about themselves or if they ask about you." Ellie pointed out towards the bar. "You will find all of that out there."
Carina looked at the closed bathroom door, her mind on the room beyond it. "Well, how do you find the good ones?" she asked.
Ellie laughed, "You have to weed through them. All of life is a filtering process of figuring out what you actually like and don't like, keeping one, and discarding the other. The same is true with people. Co-workers, friends, boyfriends, it's all the same; you will meet many and keep a few." She explained, her tone serious.
Carina looked to Ellie for suggestions. "So, how do I meet them?"
Ellie grinned, "Oh, that's simple. Just walk out that door and let them know you are available."
Carina looked at her, confused. "Then why aren't they approaching us?"
Ellie chortled, "Because we are with the boys, so they are staying away."
Carina looked disappointed at that realization. "Oh. So I can't meet them?
Sarah had been silently listening along and finally spoke up. "Do we have to meet more guys? We have Chuck and Morgan."
Carina grinned at her. "You have Chuck. I just don't want only Morgan, "she explained in a saucy tone.
Ellie's eyes widened, and Sarah was silenced by that comment.
Ellie said, "I think I should be around to observe you two newbies if you're going to start flirting with guys." Ellie thought for a moment. "I have an idea to give us a little time away from the boys. Just follow my lead."
The ladies left the restroom and rejoined the boys at the table. Devon stood, greeted Ellie, and gave her a hug. "So, you guys must have had much to talk about," he teased.
"Snacks," was Ellie's reply.
The three guys looked slightly perplexed. Carina and Sarah just nodded in agreement.
"Devon, honey. You know what I was just thinking?" She asked, snuggling into him, a small smile on her lips.
Devon knew his girlfriend well enough that he started getting a little nervous about what was coming. "No. What's that babe?" he cautiously offered back.
Ellie put her hand on his chest and started playing with a button. "I was just thinking about how good Trader Joe's Habanero chips would taste with the Margaritas."
Devon looked at her in disbelief. "Babe, that's a twenty-minute drive."
"Exactly!" she said, smiling back at him. "Only twenty minutes. You'll be back in a jiffy."
"Twenty minutes each way!" he pointed out in futility.
"Well, then, you better get going to get there before they close."
"Babe," he tried one more time.
Ellie pressed her body against his, looked up in his eyes, and softly informed him. "I just have this craving. And you know how I get about my cravings."
Devon shivered and knew he was defeated.
After witnessing that, Chuck shivered and wondered where he could get some mind bleach.
Carina and Sarah weren't sure what they just witnessed, but they were impressed.
Ellie stepped back and looked towards Chuck, "You and Morgan should go along and make sure that there aren't any problems along the way."
Chuck looked at Ellie, opened his mouth, and then at Devon, who was getting his keys out of his pocket. Chuck closed his mouth, looked at Morgan, and shrugged.
The guys headed out of the club, and the ladies reseated themselves. Their booth had a horseshoe-shaped bench and a circular table. Ellie sat on one side, all the way at the edge of the seat, not inviting or allowing someone to sit down. Smirking, Sarah mimicked her on the other side. Carina sat in the middle, ready to watch the show.
"Okay, ladies. Get ready for a wild ride," Ellie announced with a grin.
F/N2 from AC: Looks like Ellie has cleared out the boys, and her latest class in mentoring the young ladies is now in session! This story has five more chapters after this one, and I hope you continue to enjoy and support it.