I had to battle against the grin that was permanently attached to my face as I played with my straw. Not this soon, and certainly not this joyful. Nothing was certain just because one date went well. I was behaving like a girl who had an idiotic infatuation.

My heart continued to pound in my chest, and I was unable to find any relief by reminding myself that anything may alter at any time. I tried to be quiet so that by the time he came back, I would be calm. I waited for his arrival while taking leisurely sips from my drink. The blooming sensation that had erupted in my chest was gradually turning into a bitter one as each minute went by.

My eyes scanned the throng behind me as I cast a glimmer of hope that he had just become disoriented. As much as I wanted to think that was the case, I knew otherwise. It was obvious that Mark wouldn't be returning. Where had I made a mistake? What have I done? I bit my lip and diverted my gaze back to my now-empty glass as I felt my brows furrow in annoyance.

Reality had to hit me hard just as I started to feel like I may find happiness. The guy I was supposed to be with would never come into my life.

I was through. There was no longer any justification for me to subject myself to this agonizing reality. Simply put, Alice would have to concede that I was supposed to be by myself.

A fresh voice called out in front of me, "Here's your drink," jerking me out of the thoughts that were gnawing at me.

I looked up from my glass to see a different-shaped cup in front of me that was still being held by thick fingers. I kept looking up and saw that it was the bartender speaking to me. It was a guy I had had my drink prepared by many times on the various numbers of dates I made myself go on.

I said "Oh," then turned to face the crimson hue in the glass. I don't believe this was my order, there must be a mistake. Even as to what it was, I had no idea.

He began to say, "I know," as he moved the glass closer to me. He told me, "It's on the house," and took my empty glass away.

I fought the urge to grin as I struggled to believe that this man was helping me out of sympathy. Did he often see ladies being dumped by their dates? Or am I the only pitiful person?

I don't drink, as much as I enjoy it. Not even melancholy could make me crave the alcoholic beverage, so I attempted to ignore him.

He rephrased, "I know," as though he had no intention of leaving any time soon. He assured me that it was alcohol-free and that I would like it. "Don't you get sick of drinking the same stuff over and over again? Why not give something new a shot?

I was aware that he was referring to the beverages, but his inquiries seemed more profound. I started to reflect on all of the blind dates I had gone on. They were all the same, albeit they were all various kinds of guys. No matter who I met via Alice, nothing changed. I looked at the drink and told him, "I am tired." I chewed my lip as I eyed the heavier liquid. The question "What is it?"

He crossed his arms and leaned against the bar as if waiting for me to drink his concoction, "It's a Cinderella," he said. I became heavier as a result of his gaze being fixed on me. I stopped thinking about Mark because of the type of attention he was providing me. I had to overcome the impulse to not approach him and meet him halfway. Naturally, I was simply letting my mind go there.

Taking the glass, grabbing the straw, and stirring the beverage, I couldn't help but giggle at the irony. While I would have like to have been a lovely prince who fell in love with a beautiful princess, it didn't seem as if my story would have a happy conclusion.

I smiled sarcastically and said, "Cheers," before taking a drink. The delicious mixture caused my taste buds to erupt, which was plenty to cause me to groan. Better than I could have anticipated, really. I sucked it in halfway, put the glass down, and grinned a little more naturally.

I squinted as I tried to see the name on the bartender's name tag as I looked at him. Mason, I'm grateful. He smiled as we locked eyes, seeming pleased with how I responded.

"From now on, when you drop by, you may sometimes switch up your usual. You may pass the time by experimenting with other flavors; I've prepared a lot of beverages over the years.

He suggested with a raised eyebrow.

I raspberries and shrug my shoulders. If he recognized me only as a result of all those unsuccessful dates, it was fairly horrible. I took the straw and swirled the remaining mixture. I looked at him and noted his features. How could I spend all this time without seeing how handsome he was? Was I really so preoccupied with finding a partner that I failed to see the chance waiting around the corner? I bit my lip since I knew I shouldn't be staring at him like that. Given that I had just been abandoned, it was difficult for me to fathom how it would seem if I had moved on to someone else. especially if they were a member of our staff.

However, he did help me recognize that I wanted to make the calls rather than allow someone else choose for me. This guy didn't appear like a terrible guy. His voice was as rich as a piece of velvet cake, and he had a lovely grin. Why didn't she find him for me instead of men who were never a good fit?

I concurred as my lips twitched upward, "Mixing up the ordinary does sound alluring. My wandering gaze landed on the absence of a wedding band, which revealed his single status. Despite the fact that it was always possible, I would find it difficult to believe a man like him could be unmarried. It would be enough if he could only remove an itch that I had been living with for so long.

I would settle for second best if I couldn't find love. I only hope that going against everything I believed in won't make me regret it. Although hooking up was the last thing on my mind, I was starting to care less now.

I tried not to let myself be discouraged as my chest felt my heart pound. "How do you feel? Are you occupied? after work, that is. Excellent, now I just need to throw a pickup line at him and I'm good to go. I had to resist the desire to sneer at myself as I struggled to speak clearly. It turns out that asking a handsome man out is more difficult than I had anticipated.

I was greeted with silence instead of an abrupt rejection. I was taken aback when I was able to meet his eyes since I was prepared for any kind of rejection. He seemed as astonished as I was, judging by his expression.

I brushed some hair behind my ear as heat erupted over my face. I made an effort not to look for the closest exit to flee from my guilt as I was getting ready to apologize.

"Yes, er, no. I'm not occupied. My amazement was only increased by his response. He made the same uncomfortable noises I was making.

In my mid-twenties, I ought to have already accepted this offer. Why did I feel so humiliated? He confirmed, so that ought to have been plenty to comfort me.

You won't just vanish out of nowhere on me, are you? I made a half-hearted joke.

My skin began to flush with goosebumps at the sound of his laugh. "I wouldn't dream of doing it." Then he climbed up and over the bar. "Meet me at the back if you haven't left by closing time." He grabbed my drink and gave me instructions. "Another?"

I nodded and refrained from grinning. Not to get my hopes up, I had to tell myself. This wasn't the kind of thing you'd find in a romance book. I could use this to help me get beyond my past.

After everything was said and done, I had a good feeling that I would have had enough of these blind dates. I wanted to experience the total opposite because I was sick of suffering. I had a good feeling that this guy would be able to assist me in having that precise experience.

Jane

It was becoming late, and the longer I waited outside the back door, the more I wished I could just go and never return to this neighborhood. I had the impression that nothing could stop me when I made the offer. My self-consciousness was now beginning to bother me.

I sighed and checked the time on my phone. My breath was audible, and the weather was becoming chilly. I then made a mental note to give it another five minutes before calling it a day. I waited till it was time to go while leaning my back against the brick wall.

With only a few seconds left, the door opened. I genuinely jumped at the suddenness and put my palm on my chest to try to calm my racing heart.

He was just as astonished when I emailed him the offer as when he looked at me. He asked whether I was kidding. Even as he said, "You're still here," he seemed perplexed. It was sufficient for my lips to slightly grin.

Perhaps it was worthwhile to wait for him. I battled against the shiver that wanted to go through me as I crossed my arms over my chest. "We should go, it's really cold outside."

He muttered an expletive before grabbing his jacket. He hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't even think about it," and took it off.

He handed me his coat, and I furrowed my brows. Were one-night stands expected to be that thoughtful? Simply put, I was overthinking things. I would have come more prepared if I had known that I would be out till so late. I decided it wouldn't harm, so I went ahead and took him up on his offer. My grin widened as he encircled me with his cloak.

I said, "Thank you," and pulled the jacket closer to my body. I inhaled and was immediately overcome by a wash of stale perfume. He had a nice scent.

He glanced my way as we started to leave the pub. He enquired, "My place sound good?"

Oh my God, I didn't even consider it. I didn't want him to know that I hadn't actually done this before. I nodded, attempting to shrug off my inexperience. "Good sound,"

I questioned if I always sounded weird. He stopped at one of the few remaining vehicles in the parking lot as he followed him through them. I found it hard to comprehend that I was going to enter a stranger's vehicle. I prompted myself to quit ove ranalyzing situations and sometimes take a chance as I opened the door and entered.

His automobile smelled like him, just as his clothing did. I took a minute to shut my eyes and leaned back as I inhaled. As he sat down next to me, I noticed that the tightness in my shoulders had temporarily subsided. Thankfully, he didn't appear interested in talking as he drove out from the parking lot.

I opened my eyes and turned to face him. "You're not planning to kill me in secret, are you?" I jokingly said. Perhaps it would have been wiser on my part to inform someone of my plans. Since going this far had already worn out my anxieties, I didn't even consider how I would make decisions in the future.

He grinned and said, "I didn't plan on it," seeming delighted by the concept.

I kept staring at him while gnawing on my lower lip. I could see he was a pretty gorgeous man up close. He had to be single since we were heading to his house. I had to ask since I was interested. "If it's okay with you, how often do you do this? Women must swarm to you, I bet.

"No, I don't like my job entwining with my sex life," he said, losing his grin as he continued to focus on the road. I don't believe him when he says he was being serious. It just made me feel more perplexed.

The automobile stopped before I could ask him why he accepted my offer. I discovered we were at a residence as I peered out the window. That was fast; I hardly had time to get ready. I took a deep breath and realized this was it. There was no turning back once I stepped out of the automobile.

I looked back at him and saw that he was observing me. My cheeks started to warm up at the way he was staring at me. His eyes seemed to grow darker, as if a desire was simmering within of them. I attempted to relax myself, my hands clenching into little fists, "We should probably go inside," I said. The last time someone had regarded me in that manner, I couldn't recall.

He said, "Right," and I did the same when he opened his door and went outside. We moved up to his home, following him.

As we entered, we were surrounded by quiet. I questioned if he could hear the rapid beat of my heart. I was now feeling even more uneasy. I said "Mason," as if I were hesitant to disturb the cloak of quiet. I could just about make out the outline of his figure through the darkness. I wanted to tell him the whole truth. That being said, I had no idea what I was doing.

I could hardly make out his features when he turned to face me, but I could tell he was gazing at me. He had the same expression as when he was in the automobile. He briefly paused before taking a stride in my direction.

His name remained on my tongue as I separated my lips. I was speechless for the first time in my life. I was clueless as to what I was expected to do. I took a step back as my first instinct. The locked door, however, prevented me from fleeing since there was nowhere else to go. I was limited to watching while he eliminated the distance between us.

He extended his hand and cupped my chin with it. I forced myself to look into his eyes and forced myself to swallow the knot in my throat. When my name was muttered, "Jane," shivers ran down my spine. Not because I told him my name, even though I never did. It was the way it came out of his mouth sounding so incredibly rich.

I stretched out and delicately brushed my fingers over his chest while licking my own. I could clearly see who was in front of me because to his shirt's tight fit. He was much bigger, like a bear. He wasn't violent, but rather more like a teddy bear in the way he was stroking me. Every time his skin came into touch with mine, he did it with such care.

As soon as he bent his head and lightly touched his lips to mine, the deafening sound of my heart's quick pounding stopped. Just the brush alone felt like an electric jolt running through my body. All my fears just vanished the minute he completely crushed against me.

I could never have imagined relishing the sensation of being forced up against the door and encased between his body and the door. I leaned against him, my mind whirling at the smell of his cologne up close. One of his hands went from my face all the way down past my curves, making it difficult for me to concentrate. He attempted to draw me more closer to him, and the way he held my hip seemed possessive.

I was responding to each of his touches rather than being alarmed or afraid. I was a melted puddle. I was enamored with the focus he was giving me. I battled the temptation to scream when his lips brushed against mine as soon as I separated them.

I was trying not to look disappointed as he abruptly withdrew. Before I could protest, he had already grabbed my hand and dragged me farther into his house. My cheeks flushed as I trailed following him, my brain racing with so many ideas.

We entered a room that was lit by moonlight that crept through the blinds as we passed through a doorway. I felt as if the oxygen in my lungs had been sucked out of me as he turned back in my direction. My chest tightened at the mere thought of him in this light. I took a deep breath and watched as he undid his shirt.

I was just starting to walk back towards him when heat started to collect between my legs. I've never been a patient person. I softly cradled his face with my upward reach. If he kept staring at me the way he was, I might easily get lost in his gaze.

He kissed me again while lowering his head, then turned around to taste my lips again. He was attempting to remove my dress rather than holding me against him as previously. Goosebumps trailed behind each time his fingers brushed across my flesh. I pressed a little bit myself, and I could feel his desire against my stomach rising.

I shuddered as my dress reached my ankles as I assisted him in getting my arms through the garment' straps. I kicked it aside, trying to keep my body from bothering me. I couldn't recall the last time I allowed a guy to gaze at me while wearing so much clothes.

He murmured, "What's wrong?"

Was it really so evident that now was the worst possible moment for me to start worrying about it? I shook my head and cleared my throat. I apologized and said, "I'm sorry, it's just... been a while." I said, "I'm not exactly proud of the way I appear. I was able to look him in the eye once again, and I saw a scowl on his lips.

He grabbed my hand before I could ask him a question. He gripped my hand tighter, "You think I'm worried about something like that?" he said. My hand was then placed on his tummy as he moved me in that direction. He slipped my fingers down and said, "I don't think you understand what you're doing to me," with a deep sigh.

He released my hand with a faint gasp, and I noticed that the heat between my thighs increased. His erection was becoming bigger against my palm. I could envision his size even if his trousers were in the way. I exhaled, "Point taken," as my confidence gradually increased.

That was it; I was certain that I wished for this guy. It would be the nicest damn night I've had in a while, even if it was only for one night. I was determined to use it to the fullest.