I’m participating in Wednesday Writing Prompt with some author friends. What is Wednesday Writing Prompt? On Wednesdays in May, we’ll write a short story from a writing prompt, and you can hop from blog to blog to read each one and see the different ideas that come from each prompt. Follow my blog to make sure you don’t miss any of the prompts!
Writing prompt: The heroine is at a bar playing a drinking game with her friends and loses, and as a result is told that she has to ask the next man who comes through the door out on a date.
“Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!” Zoya flipped her braids over one shoulder and acted as if Juanita had won a prize. Above the soft reggae music and conversation inside the quaint pub in Montego Bay, she continued, “I knew you couldn’t stay off your phone for long.”
“Ugh!” Nita rested against the leather booth and groaned. “Just what I needed.”
Denise and Kate clinked their glasses together. Aside from downing the rest of her drink, Nita was obligated to ask the next man who appeared in the doorway for a date.
“It could be worse,” Denise said, running one hand through her nest of curly hair. “Remember last time? I had to tell the ugliest man in the room I adored him.”
“Right,” Zoya added, “With your luck, whoever comes through that door will be tall, dark, and delicious enough to lick.”
Nita swallowed the last of the potent rum and grimaced. “That’s nasty, considering what’s going on lately. I think I’ll pass. I only came because of the horrendous week I’ve had.”
Her job as an executive assistant meant hard work and long hours. She hadn’t gone anywhere in weeks and needed to unwind. Too bad, she forgot the outrageous drinking games Zoya couldn’t resist.
Kate bumped Nita with an elbow and poked her ruby-red lips toward the doorway. “There’s your mark.”
“Oooooh, la, la.” Zoya fanned herself, then picked up her margarita. “I have a mind to go after him myself.”
“Be my guest,” Nita said.
“You’re not getting off that easy.” Zoya made a shooing motion with her hands. “Get to it.”
Dark-skinned, brawny, and oozing confidence, the man walked toward an empty booth. On his way past them, Nita caught a whiff of cologne. Something earthy with leather and musk undertones. When seated, he pulled back the cuff of his shirt to look at his watch. Then his gaze went to the waitress, who stood at his elbow.
When she walked away, Kate winked. “Your move, chica.”
Nita pulled in a breath and approached her target. His dark gaze told her nothing, but his detailed perusal of her flawless cinnamon skin, sleeveless silk blouse, and fitted skirt said he’d taken notice of her assets. She slid into the booth across from him and gathered her courage.
Aside from cocking one brow as he studied her, the handsome stranger didn’t move.
“I take it you’re here to meet someone.” Nita’s nerve endings tingled at his nearness.
The waitress returned and set a clear drink with a wedge of lemon at the man’s elbow. “Anything for the lady?”
Nita declined and glanced at her friends as the server left. They all wore cheetah grins.
After sampling his drink, her tablemate spoke. “You don’t look desperate, so I’m guessing your friends put you up to this.”
His voice made her think of rich, dark chocolate, which in turn revived Zoya’s outrageous comment. She suppressed a grin. He did look good enough to lick.
“And yes, I’m meeting someone, but … ” He delivered a breath-snatching smile that made her toes curl. “If you’re here to ask me out, I can oblige, but you have to do something for me first.”
Intrigued, she said, “What could you need from someone you haven’t met properly? And how d’you know they encouraged me to come over.”
“I notice things other people don’t. Details are my business … ” He raised one eyebrow in a question.
“Nita,” she supplied. “And you are … ”
After a small pause, he said, “Neil.”
“Have doubts about your identity?”
“That’s not likely.” He stared into her eyes as if she was the sole reason he’d walked into the pub. “So, Nita, what is your telephone number and when would you like to go out with me?”
A flush warmed her face. “I’d prefer if you gave me yours, and tomorrow evening will be fine.”
“Not a problem.” He reeled off a number, which she committed to memory. “Let me know where we’ll meet.”
His slow smile warmed every cell in Nita’s body and made her heart thud. She came back to reality when he said, “Come closer. It’s time for that favor.”
She edged closer, asking herself if she was sane.
Neil cupped her elbow and they stood.
At his touch, her nervous system went haywire and she heard nothing while Neil introduced her as his wife to the timid man, who hovered inches away. Mystified, Nita took her seat and kept a straight face. Her heart stuttered when her foot brushed against Neil’s. She was sure she felt the outline of a holster at his ankle.
After a cryptic conversation she didn’t understand, the man left. Neil followed minutes later saying he’d expect her call.
As she returned to her friends, Nita wondered if she shouldn’t opt out of her date with the mysterious man she just met.
“Well, did he say yes?” Zoya asked, her eyes alight with curiosity.
“Do zebras have stripes?” Nita hiked her shoulder in a nonchalant shrug and refused to answer any questions.
As the boat cruised around the Ocho Rios harbor, the balmy wind brushed her skin. Nita turned her face up to sniff the sea air, then sighed. With one arm around her waist, Neil spoke behind her. “You sound contented.”
Raising her glass of champagne, she said, “I am. This is wonderful.”
Tonight was her fourth outing with him. On their first date, he took her to the Sugar Mill Restaurant at the Half Moon resort. The dining experience under the stars was romantic. The background music, the sounds of crickets chirping nearby, the melt-in-your-mouth prime rib roast, and their proximity to the ancient water mill made for a memorable evening. Neil had spared no expense.
Since then, a couple of months had passed. Neil traveled extensively in his role as a security consultant and on two occasions, he’d left the island immediately after their dates. Today, they climbed the falls at Dunn’s River, then swam with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove. This cruise was a fitting end to the day.
Neil touched his glass to hers and murmured, “I aim to please.”
She slid a hand over his chest and caressed the back of his head. “You certainly do.”
His lips touched hers in a soft kiss. Her eyelids closed and her lips parted. She groaned, which encouraged Neil to delve deeper, coiling his tongue around hers in a slow and intense rhythm that had her clinging to him. Good thing, they were in a secluded spot.
As Neil slowly withdrew, Nita released the pressure on the wine glass. A moment longer and she’d have snapped the stem. He kept his arm around her and leaned in to nibble her neck. With a smile in his voice, he whispered, “I’m so glad you propositioned me.”
She chuckled as her lips crept toward his. “And I’m happy that dare was worth my while.”
“So, tell me,” Neil said against her cheek, “D’you trust me enough to visit Cayman with me?”
“I’ve been connecting dots.” Nita’s said in a pensive tone. “I believe you’re a do-gooder, but in an unusual way.”
Neil’s smile was indulgent. “You don’t say.”
“I do say. That man you met needed something, and you had to reassure him you were on the up-and-up, which is how I became your wife without warning.”
Neil released a deep chuckle. “You do spin a great tale.”
She drank the last of the champagne. “I do, don’t I? But the question is, will you be honest and say I’m right?”
He lowered his head and nudged her mouth open for a kiss that left Nita shaking. She'd barely recovered when he swiped the lobe of her ear with his tongue, then whispered, "Come to Cayman with me and find out.”
Want to see Neil in action? Watch him at work in The Pain Of Things lrd.to/ThePainOfThings
Would you ask for a date on a dare?
Don’t forget to visit the blogs of my writing friends below to see their stories:
Delaney Diamond delaneydiamond.com
Tiye Love tiyelovebooks.com
Nyora René nyorarene.com
S.Taylor staylorromance.com
Writing prompt: The heroine is at a bar playing a drinking game with her friends and loses, and as a result is told that she has to ask the next man who comes through the door out on a date.
“Ugh!” Nita rested against the leather booth and groaned. “Just what I needed.”
Denise and Kate clinked their glasses together. Aside from downing the rest of her drink, Nita was obligated to ask the next man who appeared in the doorway for a date.
“It could be worse,” Denise said, running one hand through her nest of curly hair. “Remember last time? I had to tell the ugliest man in the room I adored him.”
“Right,” Zoya added, “With your luck, whoever comes through that door will be tall, dark, and delicious enough to lick.”
Nita swallowed the last of the potent rum and grimaced. “That’s nasty, considering what’s going on lately. I think I’ll pass. I only came because of the horrendous week I’ve had.”
Her job as an executive assistant meant hard work and long hours. She hadn’t gone anywhere in weeks and needed to unwind. Too bad, she forgot the outrageous drinking games Zoya couldn’t resist.
Kate bumped Nita with an elbow and poked her ruby-red lips toward the doorway. “There’s your mark.”
“Oooooh, la, la.” Zoya fanned herself, then picked up her margarita. “I have a mind to go after him myself.”
“Be my guest,” Nita said.
“You’re not getting off that easy.” Zoya made a shooing motion with her hands. “Get to it.”
Dark-skinned, brawny, and oozing confidence, the man walked toward an empty booth. On his way past them, Nita caught a whiff of cologne. Something earthy with leather and musk undertones. When seated, he pulled back the cuff of his shirt to look at his watch. Then his gaze went to the waitress, who stood at his elbow.
When she walked away, Kate winked. “Your move, chica.”
Nita pulled in a breath and approached her target. His dark gaze told her nothing, but his detailed perusal of her flawless cinnamon skin, sleeveless silk blouse, and fitted skirt said he’d taken notice of her assets. She slid into the booth across from him and gathered her courage.
Aside from cocking one brow as he studied her, the handsome stranger didn’t move.
“I take it you’re here to meet someone.” Nita’s nerve endings tingled at his nearness.
The waitress returned and set a clear drink with a wedge of lemon at the man’s elbow. “Anything for the lady?”
Nita declined and glanced at her friends as the server left. They all wore cheetah grins.
After sampling his drink, her tablemate spoke. “You don’t look desperate, so I’m guessing your friends put you up to this.”
His voice made her think of rich, dark chocolate, which in turn revived Zoya’s outrageous comment. She suppressed a grin. He did look good enough to lick.
“And yes, I’m meeting someone, but … ” He delivered a breath-snatching smile that made her toes curl. “If you’re here to ask me out, I can oblige, but you have to do something for me first.”
Intrigued, she said, “What could you need from someone you haven’t met properly? And how d’you know they encouraged me to come over.”
“I notice things other people don’t. Details are my business … ” He raised one eyebrow in a question.
“Nita,” she supplied. “And you are … ”
After a small pause, he said, “Neil.”
“Have doubts about your identity?”
“That’s not likely.” He stared into her eyes as if she was the sole reason he’d walked into the pub. “So, Nita, what is your telephone number and when would you like to go out with me?”
A flush warmed her face. “I’d prefer if you gave me yours, and tomorrow evening will be fine.”
“Not a problem.” He reeled off a number, which she committed to memory. “Let me know where we’ll meet.”
His slow smile warmed every cell in Nita’s body and made her heart thud. She came back to reality when he said, “Come closer. It’s time for that favor.”
She edged closer, asking herself if she was sane.
Neil cupped her elbow and they stood.
At his touch, her nervous system went haywire and she heard nothing while Neil introduced her as his wife to the timid man, who hovered inches away. Mystified, Nita took her seat and kept a straight face. Her heart stuttered when her foot brushed against Neil’s. She was sure she felt the outline of a holster at his ankle.
After a cryptic conversation she didn’t understand, the man left. Neil followed minutes later saying he’d expect her call.
As she returned to her friends, Nita wondered if she shouldn’t opt out of her date with the mysterious man she just met.
“Well, did he say yes?” Zoya asked, her eyes alight with curiosity.
“Do zebras have stripes?” Nita hiked her shoulder in a nonchalant shrug and refused to answer any questions.
***
As the boat cruised around the Ocho Rios harbor, the balmy wind brushed her skin. Nita turned her face up to sniff the sea air, then sighed. With one arm around her waist, Neil spoke behind her. “You sound contented.”
Raising her glass of champagne, she said, “I am. This is wonderful.”
Tonight was her fourth outing with him. On their first date, he took her to the Sugar Mill Restaurant at the Half Moon resort. The dining experience under the stars was romantic. The background music, the sounds of crickets chirping nearby, the melt-in-your-mouth prime rib roast, and their proximity to the ancient water mill made for a memorable evening. Neil had spared no expense.
Since then, a couple of months had passed. Neil traveled extensively in his role as a security consultant and on two occasions, he’d left the island immediately after their dates. Today, they climbed the falls at Dunn’s River, then swam with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove. This cruise was a fitting end to the day.
Neil touched his glass to hers and murmured, “I aim to please.”
She slid a hand over his chest and caressed the back of his head. “You certainly do.”
His lips touched hers in a soft kiss. Her eyelids closed and her lips parted. She groaned, which encouraged Neil to delve deeper, coiling his tongue around hers in a slow and intense rhythm that had her clinging to him. Good thing, they were in a secluded spot.
As Neil slowly withdrew, Nita released the pressure on the wine glass. A moment longer and she’d have snapped the stem. He kept his arm around her and leaned in to nibble her neck. With a smile in his voice, he whispered, “I’m so glad you propositioned me.”
She chuckled as her lips crept toward his. “And I’m happy that dare was worth my while.”
“So, tell me,” Neil said against her cheek, “D’you trust me enough to visit Cayman with me?”
“I’ve been connecting dots.” Nita’s said in a pensive tone. “I believe you’re a do-gooder, but in an unusual way.”
Neil’s smile was indulgent. “You don’t say.”
“I do say. That man you met needed something, and you had to reassure him you were on the up-and-up, which is how I became your wife without warning.”
Neil released a deep chuckle. “You do spin a great tale.”
She drank the last of the champagne. “I do, don’t I? But the question is, will you be honest and say I’m right?”
He lowered his head and nudged her mouth open for a kiss that left Nita shaking. She'd barely recovered when he swiped the lobe of her ear with his tongue, then whispered, "Come to Cayman with me and find out.”
Want to see Neil in action? Watch him at work in The Pain Of Things lrd.to/ThePainOfThings
Would you ask for a date on a dare?
Don’t forget to visit the blogs of my writing friends below to see their stories:
Delaney Diamond delaneydiamond.com
Tiye Love tiyelovebooks.com
Nyora René nyorarene.com
S.Taylor staylorromance.com
So good, and I felt like I was in the islands from those great descriptions!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I could not ask fora date on a dare. I'm too chicken.
Awesome. Glad you felt like you were here.
DeleteI also felt like I was in the islands and I would love for someone to dare me to ask someone out...it would be the only one to do it...I love that you made more than one scene from the prompt!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tiye. Happy you had that island experience. Yeah, I figured I'd do a little something extra for Neil and Nita.
DeleteLol, no way would I be able to ask someone out on a dare, but I do enjoy the stories of the brave people who do so! I need to know why he had her pose as his wife. I know he's in security, but what was the story behind that?! And yes, you made me want to go back to Montego Bay and the Cayman Islands!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping in and reading. He asked her to act as his wife to make the client he was meeting feel more comfortable and that Neil is legit.
DeleteI love your vivid, descriptive writing, Joy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
Delete