One Night Stand

Chapter 1

Amber Gray decided she needed a night out by herself. Since her latest ex, Carli, left her and moved to New York Gray hadn't had much alone time thanks to her two best friends Kyle Rafferty and Katherine Cabello. She knew her friends were just trying to be supportive but Gray needed some time to herself.
When they got off shift earlier that morning Cabello had asked if Gray wanted to get together later but Gray said she had plans. Gray and Rafferty had a similar conversation when they got home. Gray figured her friends assumed her plans were with the other friend which suited her just fine.
It was Saturday night so she decided a night of dancing was in order. After Gray made herself a quick dinner she got herself ready. She decided to go for the simple, comfy yet cute look. She wasn't trying to find anyone new but stranger things had happened so she may as well look good. Giving herself one last look in the mirror she was happy with her appearance: a well worn pair of jeans that fit perfectly, a black tank top showing just enough cleavage, her favorite black sandals, simple makeup and a silver chain around her neck with a Saint Micheal pendant Cabello had given her. Gray wasn't really a religious person but with everything she had been through on the job she figured a little respect to the patron saint of paramedics couldn't hurt.
    When she went downstairs she found her roommate Kyle Rafferty sitting in front of the TV watching a Cubs game, "Hey, they winning?" She asked.
    Rafferty laughed, "I'm watching a Cubs game, what do you think?"
    Gray glanced at the TV and saw they were losing 7-0 in the seventh inning. "Good point. Well I'm heading out. Don't wait up." Gray said while she hugged him from behind the couch.
    He turned to look at her, "Well you're sure dressed for a fun night out." He said with a goofy smile. "What are you up to tonight?"
    Gray didn't want to lie to him but she knew her answer would probably not go over well, "I feel like going out dancing tonight."
    "By yourself?" Rafferty questioned knowing Gray's friend Cabello wasn't big on clubs.
    Gray sighed, "Yes by myself. And before you say anything, I'm fine. I just need a night out on my own. I'm not going out to replace Carli or anything. I just want to have fun."
    Rafferty looked a little hurt, "I thought we had fun when we've gone out the last few times."
    Gray rounded the couch and sat next to her roommate/best friend, "We do but I need a night to myself."
    Rafferty looked unsure what to say.
    "Don't worry so much." Gray said with a reassuring smile.
    "I can go out with you if you want." Rafferty offered.
    Gray laughed, "I'm heading to Berlin or maybe Roscoe's then who knows. You are an amazing friend but you hate dancing and that's what I want to do. I wouldn't be around you long enough to protect you from the boys who would no doubt converge on you."
    "Are you sure Amber?"
    Gray smiled when her friend addressed her by her first name with such a caring tone. She confidently replied, "Yes! I'll be fine."
    Rafferty shrugged, "Okay. But you call me if you want some company! Or if you need a ride home!"
    Gray kissed him on the cheek and got up, "You'll be my first call Kyle." She said as she headed for the door.

    Gray's first stop was The Closet. Not really a place to go when you're in the mood to dance but she loved the bar and knew most of the bartenders along with some of the regulars. She always felt it was a good place to start the night and she had finished a number of nights at the bar as well since it stayed open later than some other bars.
    She spent a couple hours catching up with some friends she hadn't seen in a while but she knew she didn't want to spend her whole night there. A couple women she knew had mentioned wanting to go to Berlin so she tagged along.
    Once they walked through the doors of the club she headed straight for the dance floor. She didn't seek out a dance partner, she just started moving to the pulse in's beat from the speakers. The movement felt good, freeing. She didn't pay much attention to those around her, she just let the music envelope her. After a few songs she had worked up a sweat and needed a drink. She headed to the bar and ordered an MGD. She took  a long swig from the bottle and looked around the club. All she could see were anonymous faces which made her smile. She didn't know these people but more importantly they didn't know anything about her.
    Gray moved to a vacant table near the dance floor and watched people gyrating to the music the DJ was spinning. With everything that had gone down during Carli's second appearance in her life she had to admit she missed this a lot.
Gray and Carli had an intense relationship a year ago. They clicked right away and threw themselves in what ended up being a tumultuous relationship. After two months Carli left Chicago without a word. Six months later Carli reappeared at Gray's door pregnant. She pleaded with Gray, saying leaving was a huge mistake and she truly loved Gray. Carli said she freaked out because she had never had such intense feelings for a woman before Gray and she hadn't been ready. But Carli was ready now and begged Gray to forgive her. Carli claimed she wanted a future with Gray which included her unborn child.
Gray found herself powerless to Carli's pleas. Though she had been hurt when Carli left she couldn't deny her feelings. She was ready to settle down with Carli and she was excited about the idea of a baby. They were happy for three months until Carli up and left again.
Gray nursed her wounds for several months but she knew she needed to move on. Looking around the club she realized how much she missed going out to have fun and let loose.
She finished her beer more quickly than she had intended. She just shrugged to herself and headed back out to the dance floor. Over the next hour she danced, sometimes alone and sometimes with a random person who approached her. She didn't pay much attention to those random partners because that's all she wanted them to be to her, random people.
Finally she needed to take another break from the sweaty, gyrating mass of humanity that was the dance floor. She headed to the bar for another drink but when the bartender looked her way the woman next to her spoke first.
"Can I get two MGD's?"
Gray was a little annoyed but tried to not should like it, "I thought I was next."
The woman turned to Gray and said, "You probably were. That's why one of the beers is for you."
Gray turned her head quickly to get a better look at the woman.
Before Gray could speak the beautiful brunette smiled and said, "I thought I'd order for you, maybe start a conversation."
Despite the woman's adorable nose crinkling smile Gray responded with a slight attitude, "I am perfectly capable of ordering my own drinks." After the words escaped her mouth Gray wondered why she was being so shitty to this beautiful woman.
The bartender placed the bottles in front of the brunette and took her money. The woman grabbed one beer and slid the other to Gray. "I am aware of that, I saw you do it earlier. I just thought I'd be nice. Enjoy!" The woman said with a smile and walked away.
Gray couldn't help but watch the attractive woman walk away from the bar.
"Did you need something else?" The bartender asked.
Gray shook her head and grabbed the beer. She looked around the direction that the brunette had gone. She found the woman sitting alone at a table near the dance floor. Although Gray was slightly apprehensive and had been a bit mean, she felt drawn to this woman. She approached the table, placed her bottle on the table and sat across from the woman.
"Thank you for the drink." Gray said. "And I'm sorry that I was kind of a bitch back there."
"No worries!" The brunette replied with a smile. "I can imagine you worked up quite a thirst dancing out there. I thought I would reach out and offer you a drink."
"You didn't have to offer me anything." Gray replied more defensively than she intended seeing that she was trying to be nice. "I wasn't going for anyone's attention."
"I'm sorry if I offended you somehow. I really was just trying to be nice." The woman trying to flirt with her. She quickly weighed her options before coming to a decision. 'Ah what the hell, you only live once.' Gray thought to herself then answered the woman. "Well if you were trying to be nice and meet me you should have offered a name with the beverage."
The brunette laughed. She gave Gray another adorable nose crinkling smile. "Valid point. Though I did get you to follow me without giving you my name."
Gray rolled her eyes and was about to respond when the woman stuck her hand out and said, "I'm Nicole Davin."
Gray took the woman's hand and replied, "Nice to meet you Nicole. I'm Amber Gray but most people just call me Gray."
Nicole nodded her head, "Most of the time I get called Davin."
"But what do you prefer?" Gray asked.
"Nic, Nicole or Davin works. I answer to them all. There's plenty of names I don't answer to but I don't want to give you any ideas." She replied with a mischievous grin. Then she added, "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we are in similar professions, given your necklace."
"Really? What do you know about my necklace?" Gray replied. She wasn't sure if this was a come on or what because most people had no idea of the significance of her necklace.
Nicole nodded, "Saint Micheal, the patron saint of police officers, paramedics and EMT's right?"
"Very good." Gray replied with a smile and an impressed nod. "How did you know that? Did you quick look it up on your phone or something?"
Nicole shook her head and pulled a necklace from under her shirt. "I have a similar one."
Gray nodded recognizing the pendant immediately. She couldn't help rolling her eyes before she responded, "Saint Florian. You're a firefighter or pretending you're a firefighter. What house do you work at?"