"So Sarah James, I do not recall seeing you in here before and I think I would have." I felt a slight flush in my cheeks at the compliment. "My first time, I have withdrawn into more of a home life part of my life, it is however refreshing to be out and about on a Saturday night." Rachel's eyes had an amber glow to them in the dim light, like very rich jewels. Her smile warmed me when she said, "Well Sarah, I hope you will frequent our establishment, we try and run a nice place where everyone can feel comfortable." Just then my cocktail arrived and she held up her glass and said "Cheers." We clinked glasses and drank. Before I found words to continue the conversation, Rachel took the lead. I was distracted by the large necklace she wore, an exquisite piece of jewelry most woman would not be able to carry off. "You work downtown?" I was caught off guard by the question. "Yes, yes I do, what tipped you off?" "I don't know you get used to seeing a cross section of people and some just look comfortable and relaxed dressed up, some look like country bumpkins out on the town." "that was a compliment I hope." She laughed gayly, "Oh yes by all means, I was just explaining how I knew you were part of the business world." "What about you, you don't strike me as the bar owner type, I mean you seem
so elegant to be in this profession." Again she gave a peal of laughter so light and sincere it touched me. "You are very perceptive. My parents passed away recently and I inherited the bar. With the soft economy it became clear I would not be unloading it right away, So I called up a couple friends and we gave it a facelift and well here we are." "How do you like it?, I mean running a bar." "Honestly, it is backbreaking, the hours are grueling and the chores never end but it won't be forever." I raised my glass and toasted her, "To doing what needs to be done!" "Now you, you already know the story of my life, what do you do and are you
from here?" I sat my glass back on the bar and was about to speak, when she cut me off. "Wait don't tell me, let me apply my new powers of observation and make a fool of myself." She looked me over from stem to stern, and I felt very at ease with her eyes on me. In fact I found myself checking her over as well. A very long torso with a flat tummy and perfect sized breast for her build, she had a nice tight ass and long shapely legs, her face was very lovely and she knew how to make herself up without overdoing it. I did revise my age estimate however and decided she was pushing forty, which suits me fine as we would be very close in age. "You have very good taste, you don't skimp on quality, you have a lovely stylist and you know fashion. You work around very expensive surroundings and
are comfortable with money. I figure you are an executive at a downtown law office or perhaps a brokerage house." I was blushing, she really was good, she had it all very close except the actual profession. "Ok go ahead and tell me where I screwed up." She smiled and nearly laughed
again, her personality was just charming. 'Rachel that is uncanny, I work in a top publishing house, I am on the editorial staff." She pushed my shoulder lightly as she said,"Get out, I was just shooting form the hip." I blushed, as her touch made me weak, I was not expecting it and I must have been wanting it deep inside. "Tell me your not a writer. I love to read, I live for it, I must munch four of five novels a month." I laughed out loud, "Munch?" "Oh my yes I am voracious eater of fiction." Her vernacular was making me laugh, it was so uncommon. "So what are you reading currently?" Now she blushed a little, "You won't believe this but I am reading the unabridged Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged. I have read the abridged several times but never tackled the whole novel." Almost in synch we blurted out,"Who is John Galt?" Rachel quickly punched me and said, "You owe me a double coke." We stood in one of those silent moments of connection that happen all too infrequently, looking at each other and bonding. "It is one of my favorites, I just read it again last year, I seem to be drawn back to it every year or so." "That's it, you remind me of Dagney." Now I blushed for real, Dagney Taggert being one of my idols. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you." She placed her hand on my shoulder lightly and then leaned in and gave me a quick hug. The ripples of lust rolled through me like an earthquake, her scent made me
swoon as she hugged me. "We have so much in common," I managed as she slowly pulled away. "Sarah we have to have lunch and talk literature, I find so few well read women I can hold a conversation with." "I would love that, in fact I insist." She need not know that literature was far from the first thing on my mind at the moment. Rachel made a circular motion with her hand to the bartender and we soon had fresh drinks. I was high as a kite now, after so many drinks but I was even higher from meeting Rachel. She had me in a trance, how could one woman be so lovely, graceful and educated? I was very content to share yet another drink in her company, after all Chicago is crawling with cabs. Just then a couple got up from a table in the corner and Rachel again made a gesture to the bartender, who hustled over and cleared and wiped the table. Rachel asked me if I would like to sit and talk more? We took our cold drinks to the table and sat on the booth side of the table
next to each other, leaving the other chair to fend for itself. "So Dagney," she smiled widely, hoping I would play along with the joke, "what is your favorite genre?" I found the name endearing. I also found myself a little excited as out thighs brushed each other as we sat down. Rachel was turned completely toward me and gave me her undivided attention.
He lips were full I noticed for the first time and her teeth straight as an orthodontist could make them. Blushing slightly I admitted, "Secretly I love crime fiction, the grittier and more hard boiled the better." "Randy Wayne White?" She raised an eyebrow,"Do you know him?" "Oh my God yes, he is such a good story teller and I love the No Mas stories he weaves in." We both laughed now, Then I added, I like the cheap laughs as well, "Carl Hiasen?"I threw out there not anticipating her reaction. Again she hit me with a soft rabbit punch in the shoulder, "Get out, I have
read them all." She ran off a list then of several authors, all of whom I was a fan. We laughed and giggled telling our own favorite tales from books we shared in common. I was in heaven, this night was going way above my expectations.