London and Love

Chapter 1

The pub was loud. Too loud and too rowdy. I didn't want to give up my nice bar stool, it was cushioned and comfortable, but I couldn't handle the noise anymore. Downing the last of my beer, I laid out 20£ on the glossed wood bar top and smiled at the hot bar tender. He smiled back, flashing dimples at me and white teeth. 

Too white for England. I snickered in my head. 

I got up and tried making my way through the crowds towards the exit. Various soccer fans brushed against me and elicited a bunch of 'sorry love's' and 'eh, yer a beauty'. I held my envelope clutch tight to my chest and tried my best to keep my heels moving. Thankfully I'd worn skin tight Levi's instead of a dress or skirt. The hands brushing against me wouldn't come in contact with bare flesh. Even my cropped sweater barely covered my midriff, but it did. Drunk men could be handsy, or 'cheeky' as they said here. I was still trying to learn the British lingo. There was so much to it. 

A few of the guys in here were hot. Smoking hot. If I weren't craving a quieter place to drink I might consider staying. One of them locked eyes with me and we stared at each other as I weaved by yelling bodies. The TV blared a soccer match and it was creating quite the frenzy. My Louis Vuitton's caught on a foot that suddenly jerked into my path. It happened so fast. I fell, and just as quickly, the hot guy moved to grab me. I had my hands splayed across his hardened chest. He lifted me easily and righted me, checking me out from my toes and back up to my face. His smile came slowly and was more seduction than the bar tenders had been. 

Hot. Damn. 

My heart did a skip beat thing and I felt heat rise into my cheeks. Was the beer going to my head or was it this stranger? I gave him a smile back then nervously moved my hands off of his chest and tucked a waved strand of my hair behind my left ear. I shouted 'thank you' then moved past him. I really, really wanted to stay now but I remembered why I'd come. I needed to think. And hot men weren't my priority right now. Getting life in order was. Or 'sorted' as the Brit's said. Sorted sounded better, almost as if I had it handled and it just needed a minuscule of rearranging. When in truth, I was unsure of everything except money. That I had covered. 

Finally I was free of the pub. The night air hit me full force. I extended my arms in front of me and stretched, holding my large square clutch outwards. Where to now? 

Find a smaller pub or go to the club. 

Those were my two options since I knew I still wanted more to drink. I wasn't even buzzed yet. I could do a few more beers and be perfectly safe to walk home. Looking down the street, and surveying the situation, I decided to walk further on and see if I could find the smaller pub I was sure I'd seen in the daytime. It was towards the end of this stretch near my apartment, or flat. Keenly aware of who was around me, I maintained my passive hyper vigilance as I walked. A pretty woman, alone, was a target. But I wouldn't let myself ever get in that situation again. Not since Hawaii. 

I finally spot the pub. 

Hallelujah!