Without Me

Seduction

The moment Talia left, Ashley began to feel butterflies flutter around in her stomach. She was nervous, which led her to wonder why. Only seconds ago she had been fine shouting down at the mysterious man, but now they were going to be talking face to face.

Her nerves calmed down as she watched him pop up at the top of the stairs. It took a moment for him to get his bearings and realise where he needed to go. Once he'd clocked onto Ashely standing by the rail, alone this time, he made his way straight over, a smile of greeting clear on his face.

''Hi, I'm Alonzo,'' Ashley smiled shaking the hand he'd outstretched for her to take. Now he was close up she could get a proper look at him. He was tanned, with light brown eyes that were wide and looked straight into her own.

''Ashley,'' she replied still smiling widely at him.

''Thank you for allowing me to come up. Otherwise, we may both have lost our voices by the end of the night,'' he joked and Ashley giggled with him.

''Do you wanna sit, have a drink,'' she stuttered out looking away from him slightly. She inwardly cursed herself at how the words had got caught in her throat.

''Sure, you sit I'll get us drinks. What do you want?'' He asked.

''Just water,'' she spoke, noticing the confusion on his face she then added, ''I don't really drink.''

He nodded before then retreating over to the bar, while she took up residence in the empty booth she had noticed.

***

''Who the fuck is that?'' Marshall snapped out as soon as Talia rejoined the table. She had opted to sit opposite him, next to Royce, at the end of the booth.

''I don't know, but he's cute though,'' she replied, causing him to roll his eyes in exasperation.

''Is that all you care about him being cute,'' Marshall scoffed as he glared at the man, who Ash had just sent over to the bar, ''I don't trust him.''

''You don't know who he is Marshall,'' Talia pointed out.

''Exactly nobody does, he could, could kill her or some shit.''

''Man, I highly doubt he'd kill her,'' Royce pitched in shaking his head at his friend's wild accusation.

''I have a feeling you may kill him,'' Denaun pointed out causing Marshall to again roll his eyes.

''Plus she met him all on her own. So if it ends badly don't blame me,'' Talia added sternly.

''Yeah, whatever,'' Marshall muttered, ''Switch with me.''

''What?''

''I wanna sit where you are.''

''Why?''

''Bitch just moves and stop with the questions for fucks sake,'' Marshall snapped out causing Talia to grumble under her breath as she got up to switch with him.

''You just wanna spy on Ash,'' Royce whispered to him the moment he sat down.

''No, I'm gonna sit a glare at that guy.''

''Well at least he's honest,'' Denaun muttered. He was very confused at his friend's sudden interest in wanting to constantly have Ashley in his eyesight.

***

It didn't take long for Alonzo to come back with his and Ash's drinks. After placing them carefully on the table he slid inside the booth and next to her. Thankfully in the VIP section, the music wasn't as loud so when Ashley spoke up there was no need for her to shout.

''So what do you do?'' She asked reaching for her glass. It was at that moment she became vaguely aware that a pair of blue eyes from not so far away was watching their every move.

''I'm a Doctor at the local hospital,'' he replied throwing his arm over the edge of the booth. His relaxed posture allowed her to relax a little too. However, Marshall's stare continued to put her on edge, making her unable to fully relax.

''Oh wow, I used to think I could be a Doctor, but well look where that got me,'' Alonzo laughed at her comment, his bright smile made her again relax more, but Marshall's gaze still lingered.

''Well you're very talented. Everyone is, just not always in the way they think,'' he added taking a sip from the beer he had purchased before placing it back down on the table, ''does he always do that?''

''What?'' She asked not grasping Alonzo's question.

''Eminem, keeps staring at us.''

''I think it's relatively new actually,'' she paused, deliberating the question she had in her head before she actually said it, ''do you want to go outside, where he can't stare?''

She breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed. Moments later Alonzo pushed open the glass door that allowed the pair to walk out onto the club balcony, fortunately, it was just them and they could be alone for a little bit.

The light breeze caused a strand of hair to fall across her face. She moved to brush it away, but someone else got there before her own. To her it felt as if the earth had suddenly stopped turning as his hand grabbed the stray strand, tucking it gently behind her right ear.

''Thanks,'' she breathed out in only a whisper.

Time seemed to slow down as she stood just starting up at Alonzo and into his soft brown eyes, which lingered on her own. Neither one of them moved, it felt like hours, but in reality, it had only been seconds.

Ashley felt a sudden warm fuzzy sensation wash over her, one she hadn't it felt since Arthur, and strangely she'd missed it. She'd enjoyed the silence that had settled over them, the only sound was the dull noise of the club music that could just be heard from their position outside.

''I...'' as she was about to speak the shrill sound of a phone's ringtone filled the silence.

''Sorry,'' Alzono apologized taking out his phone to check if it was important. His face falling to form a grimace, gave Ashely an uneasy feeling.

''What is it?'' She asked, concern laced in her voice.

''There's an emergency at the hospital. I have to go I'm sorry,'' he looked down at her sympathetically, forcing a small smile onto his face.

''It's fine go. You're needed,'' she nodded in understanding, with a smile of her own.

''Wait a minute,'' Ashley looked at him confused as he tore a small square of paper from a folded piece he had taken from out of his pocket. He scribbled something down on it and handed it to her, ''my number. You can call if you want.''

''I just might,'' she replied taking the paper from his hand and reading over the number. When she looked up he leaned down to kiss her cheek and then he was gone.

Thank you for the comments and love for this so far. I really appreciate it 💕