Igniting Sparks

Chapter 22.

Edited by KitWulf          1-9-2020

*

Heels, she was wearing heels. The only pair she owned and she almost never put them on. Tonight she was reminded why she didn't wear them as much. They were not that comfortable, to say the least.

The sound of them reflected on the building as she passed through some smaller alleyways. Trying to ignore her already aching feet, Azura focused on the stars shining above instead. The closer she got, the more people were out on the streets. The nightlife was actually quite rich, with a few good pubs, bars, and some clubs here and there for those who preferred dancing. It was all clustered together in three streets but the crowd moved around the whole city center. Especially on nights like these with no rain or snow in the air.

Azura kept her head down while she moved as quickly as possible on those shoes. She did not want anyone to bother her right now as her nerves were through the roof. The whole way she just kept chanting to herself on why she was doing this. It didn't take her long to reach the bar Lucas had told her to come to.

'Pop's home.' A cheesy and rather dull name for a place as versatile as it was. Bar and dancing during the night but during the day it was a bar and cafe, serving small bites of food as well. Open from noon till whatever time it closed. Somewhere deep in the night, she believed, judging by the times Lucas came home at times.

Looking around, her gaze fell on the tall, lean man as he was casually leaning against the wall close to the entrance. It wasn't just her who had dressed up. Wearing a pair of washed-out dark gray jeans she didn't recognize with a black long-sleeved button-down shirt tucked in the jeans. A brown leather belt finished the look making him look classy yet with a casual style. She could not deny he looked good with the slim fitted clothes. Also, she wondered why he was outside in the cold without his coat. Some women openly checked him out but he didn't seem to see it as his eyes focused only on her. She couldn't help but flash a small smile as he gave her a wave and a big grin.

She could do this. It was just one night.

"Looking good." He let his gaze shift from top to bottom making her feel a little uncomfortable. "You're even wearing lipstick. It suits you."

"Yeah, well, stop gawking and please elaborate to me about this plan." She had sounded a bit more snappy than she intended to but he didn't seem to take notice.

"Alright, we go in and we both just look around a bit - get yourself acquainted here. As soon as you feel comfortable, you take a seat at the bar and if you see someone you like, just make eye contact with the man and he'll most likely come and talk to you. Easy as that. I'll be around making sure you'll be fine. If, for some reason, you want out, just try to find me and give me a sign. If I'm not around, just go to the bathroom and message me. Last but not least, there is a limit of two alcoholic drinks to make sure we're both sober."

Azura gulped as he made the plan clear and took in a deep breath to calm herself. Why this was so difficult she still had no idea. It wasn't her first time in a bar, even though it had been a long time. Yet the prospect of going into a crowded place, talk to a stranger, kissing, or becoming intimate with someone...just made her feel uneasy. The last time she had fun in the bedroom had been with Charlie and that was over four years ago. For some reason, she felt that if she were to do this, she would erase him from her past completely. Was she really ready for that?

"Do you trust me, Azu?" Again that damned question. Lucas's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, making her meet his green eyes. Even though she was wearing heels, she still had to look up at him slightly. He gently cupped her face, examining her with a slightly worried look in his vibrant gaze. "You can always say no if you don't want to do this."