Into the Light

More and more nuttery

Chapter 5

"Sexuality is the lyricism of the masses." Charles Baudelaire

This comes from a guy who once ate a bugger in an alley.

The private club Subterranean, sunken below the streets, of which Juli is a Silver Member, is the final destination. They descend a few stone steps and Blake's eyes get trapped by Juli's bra strap pushing through her light blue blouse. He thinks that bra sure must struggle with those awesome tits. A glass door chimes as they step through and fades, a drop of food coloring in a gallon of water.

A few people, scattered and lurking, inhabit the brass lined bar of the cigar club so they grab a circular table near the back where the smoke is thin. The long room is cast in shadow made darker by the deep brown hardwood cladding on the walls. Victor, pale as curled milk, scans the smoking salon. He grabs the flat back chair and pokes his stork legs out into the seam where the tables and the small back bar make a pathway.

Juli slides in close to Blake's and makes his nether region tingle. Blake thinks she's only getting close to make the act look genuine. Blake squeezes his knees together until the drinks come, Martinis for all. His foot starts tapping.

Blake thinks Victor looks like a barn owl as he chirps away and Juli interjects to lead the discussion on how obnoxious Johnny Tragen can be. The bookie comes to Blake's mind.

A cramp stills Blake's foot as he sips his dry Martini. His skin feels tight as wet leather being left out to dry in the sun and his heart skips when Juli looks over at him. She winks and her lips curl with an impulsive pucker.

"Moxley, what do you think of Lou Garew being promoted to COO?" Victor says. Blake barely hears him. The surge of sexual anxiety has overloaded his circuits. He blinks with a hard pause.

"I don't much care for either candidate, but Mr. Garew is the lesser of two evils, and he is less likely lay anyone off," Blake says and puts his mouth over the rim of the glass.

Blake wants to leave with Juli and have sex like wild baboons. He grabs a quick glance at her and runs his eyes down her slender arms. Victor gets up and goes to talk to elfish girl at the bar and Juli turns to Blake with pouty lips. She puts her elbows on the table and cradles her chin. Blake squeezes his knees. His fingernails dig in.

"Are you ever going to ask me out or am I going to be Sadie Hawkins?"

"What? I thought. What?"

"You heard me. When do you want to go out?"

Blake's mind seizes. He forgets how to talk and struggles to find the words. Images of undressing Juli and rubbing her with baby oil arise. He thinks if I try too hard she will run. The words return.

"I don't know. I'm sorry but I just got over a relationship and don't think I can do that right now," he says.

She lets loose a laugh as if possessed by Thalia and flips her hair back.

"I don't mean getting into a relationship, I don't want that either. I mean go out, meet some friends later and maybe who knows?" she says and knows if she pushes he will flee.

"Oh, I'm sorry sure. Wanna go out?" he says and thinks you are a stupid fuck.

"Yes and let me plan a fun evening. I know some really fun people and a few places," she says and winks. He is captivated by her long silky lashes. The conversation turns to work again and the time passes under the warm buzz of alcohol. Juli finally gets up and yawns.

"Well, we better go home so we can get rested. You getting a cab?"

"No, I'll walk. I'm not too far," Blake says.