Kiss Me When I Lie [ONC 2024]

5- Carefree Aspiring Actress

~Leondro~

She laughs a lot. It's unexpected. The group of women she came with surround her as she leans her back against the bar, and when she speaks they laugh too. Not sure if the clown lipstick is part of it or not, but she is beautiful in spite of it. Definitely not because of it.

I want to wipe it off and see what's underneath.

Her auburn hair is pulled into a tight ponytail. She's wearing a long-sleeved black lace crop top that shows a sliver of her midriff, and tight dark wash jeans that hug all the right places.

Not glamorous, but not hard on the eyes either.

She'll be an easy mark, I think. Her friends have already noticed me. They keep sneaking glances in my direction.

My lips curve. I know how I look. They like what they see.

She's oblivious, though.

The loud blonde one nudges her and whispers something in her ear. She turns her head and her wide brown eyes meet mine. I raise my drink to her in invitation, and a large mirthful smile merges on her purple lips. She raises her wine glass in return, but then quickly gives her attention back to her friends.

Dismissed.

A loud raucous laughter bursts from the group, and my face heats. The room turns fuzzy as the blood boils beneath my skin. Women don't reject me. They certainly don't laugh at me.

I finish off my bourbon in one gulp and calm my temper. It won't do.

Besides, I always like a challenge.

Stu had a lot to say about the hot chick in room 1B. A little too much to say if you ask me. Don't trust that weazil and I certainly don't give a rat's ass that he's the third cousin of my great uncle or some shit. He's got a pretty easy gig, but somehow he always stirs up trouble.

I need to hear for myself what she knows.

There is a lot of weight to my family's name. Fear too. Personally, I like to catch my flies with honey, especially when they are in the form of beautiful women.

The bar is mellow, not in the least bit crowded. It is still early, however. A musician is setting up on stage, some folksy looking type.

I run my fingers through my hair. Since she won't come to me, I'll just have to go to her.

"Hey, ladies," I say as I approach the women.

"Hey," they return. Most giving me welcoming smiles, but I turn my full attention to 1B.

"I'm Ro," I greet, looking into her eyes.

"Susan," she says. The blonde woman slaps her shoulder.

"Her name is Kya," the blonde interjects.

Without any reproach, 1B says, "Susan is my middle name."

"Elizabeth," Blonde corrects. "Elizabeth is her middle name." Her voice drops to whisper where she thinks I can't hear. "Seriously, Kya, this man is hot. What's wrong with you?"

My eyes don't leave hers and I purr, "Honey, I'll call you whatever you want."

Her friends gasp.

1B laughs. Her eyes shine when she answers, "I figured as much."

What is with this girl?

I might need to take a few steps back, don't want to come off too strong. I scan the group of women. "What's up with the lipstick?"

Blue Shirt gushes, "We just came from a BeautyLipz party. Now we're showing off. What do you think?" She gives me a flirty smile and tilts her head.

"Red. Nice. I like it." They all giggle. These girls are vanilla. What the hell is a lipstick party? It sounds dumb as fuck. "So you ladies just sit around and do each other's makeup? My eleven-year-old niece does that too." Shit. That might have been a little too mean. My niece wouldn't be caught dead with whatever purple unicorn hell that 1B is wearing.

Loud Blonde glares at me.

1B bursts out laughing and I turn to her and smirk. "How do you like mine?" she asks knowingly.

I glance at her mouth. Kissable. Purple or not, lusciously kissable. Did she draw up the short straw to end up with that color?

I think she knows it's ugly, though, and she's baiting me. I lean closer toward her. "Lips are nice. The color not so much."

Loud Blonde throws her hands in the air and screeches, "I'll have you know that color is plum lavender and it is very fashion-"

Kya grabs my arm and pulls. Briskly, she moves me away from her friends, past the surrounding patrons, to the other side of the bar.

"I'm saving you from her sales pitch. Feel free to thank me," she says as she falls into the stool beside her.

Instead of sitting next to her, I rest my elbow in the countertop and lean so that my torso is brushed up against her arm.

"Thank you, Susan," I tease.

She beams at my use of her fake name. "Maybe you're not as uptight as I initially pegged you for."

"Uptight? Me? Nah." Well, yeah, maybe a little. Kind of have to be in my line of work.

She laughs. "That sounded convincing."

"So...Why the fake names?"

Her eyes widen. "I'm an aspiring actress, I like to try things out."

"Oh yeah? Have I seen you in anything?"

Sheepishly, she bites her lip. "It's a recent aspiration. I don't have an agent yet. Do you know any?"

My lips twitch. "Why would I know any agents?"

Her eyes trail me from head to toe. I'm well dressed in a dark gray designer suit, and white button down shirt. A few buttons are undone, exposing a few hairs on my chest. "You look like a man with connections," she draws. I laugh at that.

She's funny. It's not really what she says, so much as how she says it. Her voice is light and airy. Carefree.

Kya doesn't seem intimidated by me at all. Surprisingly, she doesn't seem all that enamored with me either. But the conversation is easy, and I feel lighter being next to her. I'm not known for my sense of humor, but somehow I've made her laugh a few times already. I want to do it again.

"Let me get you a drink."

She places her hand on mine, stopping me from motioning the bartender. I stare at the place where we touch. Her nails are short, unpolished. Her skin, delicate and soft.

She's not my type at all. No woman I've dated would ever show her face in public with that loud lip color or with their nails unmanicured.

But I can't stop staring at where our hands meet.

She pulls away. "I should get back to my friends."

For the first time, she looks unsettled.

"Why? Your friends seem fine." We both glance over to the corner. The women are swaying around, clumsily dancing to the hipster thrumming a guitar on stage. They probably aren't even drunk.

Just high on life and homemade cookies.

Kya is intently watching the singer. To my horror, a spike of jealousy surges through me.

"Can I get you a drink?" I ask. She doesn't hear me, her eyes stay glued to the man with the guitar. Is that what she's into? Suspenders and handlebar mustaches?

I touch her arm to get her attention. She turns toward me, eyes glossy. "So? A drink?" I ask again.

"Sorry, I don't drink alcohol," she answers. What?

WC: 1248
Total WC: 9379