Adonis | H.S

chapter five: anticipation

Later that night, after reviving her body with greasy food and plenty of water all day, Scarlett found herself freshly showered and stood in the middle of her bedroom. She held up the red dress on its hanger, remembering how she'd worn it when she first saw Harry.

She wondered if he asked her to wear it because when he first saw her, he loved the way it hugged her figure but couldn't put his hands on the red attire. But now, with how things had progressed, maybe he wanted to see her in it and maybe even take it off her at the end of the night.

Melanie was skeptical, to say the least when Scarlett showed her the texts from him. He seemed cocky and controlling which was in a horrid combination in her opinion. However, she trusted her friend's judgment and told her to text her should she need anything.

Scarlett did her makeup smoky and sultry, a deep brown swept across her eyelids and glistening gloss on her lips. She got dressed and admired her figure in the mirror, adorned in the red dress that he'd requested. Ample curves and legs that seemed longer once she put on her heels.

She saw it had just gone past nine, and it would take her just over half an hour to get to the Blue Ribbon. She spritzed her favourite fragrance to her skin, making sure of a light spray through her long hair. Grabbing her purse and jacket, she set off.

She wasn't quite sure how to feel as she sat in the cab that she'd hailed. She was nervous, of course. He was intense, overwhelmingly so. And she couldn't quite pinpoint what she wanted from him, and him from her. Maybe that's what excited her.

The Blue Ribbon was popping off, being a Saturday night, she wasn't surprised. However, there was a line to get in and she rolled her eyes internally. She wanted this anticipation to end, to find him and have a drink and flirt with him, maybe playfully chastise him for his infamous suggestive dialogue.

The bouncer met her eyes, gesturing her over with a crook of his finger. He was a unit, fully muscled and tattooed. She gulped as she approached him, spying how small the clipboard was in his large hands and feeling a little intimidated.

"Scarlett?" His expression was stoic.

"Yes, that's me."

"Head on in." He lifted the blue rope that was between her and the door and nodded towards it. She thanked him and shrugged as the people in line whined after her.

The music was different this time around, emitting a completely different atmosphere. It was sexy with deep bass that vibrated in her chest.

She skimmed past people, worming her way through the sea of intoxicated inhabitants of the venue. She wasn't sure where to find Harry but Ben caught sight of her from behind the bar. She clasped her hands together in relief at seeing a familiar face among the patrons.

"Hey, babe." He greeted. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Ben, how are you?" She softened her approach due to how Harry had treated him when she was last there. She honestly felt kind of bad for him.

"Great, now that you're here."

She gave him a sheepish smile, opening her mouth to reply but then a hand came to rest on her lower back. She turned to look who had their hand on her and gasped, seeing the man who had captivated her mind for weeks.

"Harry."

"Hi, love. What would you like to drink?" Harry asked her, but his eyes were pinning Ben to the floor with a glare.

"Uh, a gin and tonic, please."

Harry clicked his tongue, regarding Ben when he said, "You heard her. I'd like another scotch, too. Bring them to my booth in five minutes."