Country Love

On Walker Street sat an old bar, where people went to celebrate or drown out their sorrows. Miranda was there for the latter.

Her longtime boyfriend, Jeremy, had just broken up with her hours earlier, upon telling her that he had been cheating on her with a woman at his work for the past few months of their relationship.

Her heart broken, Miranda didn’t know what to do, she didn’t want to cry, because she didn’t want to make scum like Jeremy worth her tears, so instead, she decided to numb herself to the pain, so that she wouldn’t cry.

She sat near the end of the bar, no one talking to her apart from the bartender when she raised her glass, asking for another. So far, she had only one drink, and was raising her glass for a new one, when a deep voice behind her said, “Well excuse me, but I think you’ve got my chair.”

Miranda turned around in her seat, and looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. A man stood there, rugged and handsome, in dark wash jeans, cowboy boots, and a tight white t-shirt that showed off marvelously his sculpted chest.

So caught up in how handsome he was, all Miranda could say was, “Oh, I’m sorry!” before getting up from the chair, a blush creeping onto her face.

She was about to walk away when this man pointed to the chair beside his and said, “That one’s not taken, I don’t mind if you sit here.”

Miranda was shocked, but said, “Are you sure?”

“I’ll be glad to share.” He replied to her, a charming smile lighting up his face.

Miranda sat down beside him, and out of the corner of her eyes watched him. He was gorgeous. Miranda knew it might be wrong to flirt with him since she just got out of a relationship, but she didn’t care, and he seemed to be doing the same with her, so what could it hurt?

Neither of them said anything, so Miranda tried desperately to think of something to say, to start a conversation with him.

“It’s pretty dead, here.” She said, gesturing around the near-empty bar. Then she face palmed herself in her mind. What a great conversation started. Not.

The man smiled at her, and replied “Yeah, it’s usually packed here on Friday nights.” Then he added, “Oh, if you don’t mind, could I talk you out of a light?”

Miranda smiled at him, “Sure,” she said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a cigarette and a lighter.

When she handed the items over to him, he took them out of her hands, and let his hand linger on hers for a second longer than necessary. Miranda looked down and blushed.

“Well, thank you. Could I drink you a buy?” he said to her, after he lit his cigarette.

Miranda looked up at him, a confused expression crossing her face.

“Oh, listen to me.” the man said, looking down and blushing, himself. Miranda couldn’t help but smile at the fact that he was getting nervous. “What I mean is can I buy you a drink?” he said, gesturing to her empty glass that she never got filled. “Anything you please.” he added, smiling at her.

“Sure,” Miranda said, and the man gestured the bartender over to fill up her glass, and telling him to put it on his tab.

When the bartender walked away, Miranda took a sip and then smiled over at the man.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, your welcome.” he said, scooting his chair closer to hers and angling her direction, Miranda did the same. “Well, I don’t think I caught your name.”

Miranda smiled, “Miranda.”

“That’s a beautiful name.” he said to her, smiling.

“And yourself?” she asked in return.

“Derek.” He said smiling.

Miranda smiled, thinking to herself how sexy of a name it was.

“Are you waiting for someone to meet you here?” Derek asked Miranda a moment later.

Miranda looked down, remembering the real reason she was here, her heart sinking. She shook her head ‘No’.

“Well, that make’s two of us.” he said, putting his hand on Miranda’s knee. “Glad you came.” he said, smiling his heart melting smile.

Miranda hurriedly tried to calm her body down, as it reacted to his touch. His tender touch on her knee had sent a red blush over her cheeks, her heart went into overdrive, and the spot between her legs grew warmer.

She didn’t know what to say, and she was trying to calm her breathing, so, as calmly as she could, said, “Do you know this band?” She said, nodding her head in the direction of the band set up, filling the bar with background music.

“No, I don’t know the name of the band but their good, aren’t they?” Miranda smiled and nodded, still concentrating on slowing her heart rate. “Would you like to dance?”

Miranda smiled as Derek stood up out of his seat and offered Miranda his hand.

She nodded and took it, letting him lead her to the empty dance floor, where he wrapped one arm around her waist and held her hand with the other, beginning to slow dance.

Miranda had the biggest smile as he pulled her closer to him, and when she settled her head on his shoulder she could smell the soap he used and feel the muscles in his arms as he held her tighter.

He just held her like that for a while, when Miranda noted that the song was very nice.

“Yeah I like this song too, it reminds me of you and me.” then he pulled apart from her, just far enough to look in her eyes, “Well, baby do you think there’s a chance, that later on I could drive you home?”

Miranda smiled when he called her baby, and then smiled even brighter at the thought oh him taking her home.

“You don’t mind?” she said, it’s not like her car was here, she had taken a cab.

“No I don’t mind at all.” Derek said smiling down at her, and then pulling her close to him once again.

Once the song ended, the two had sat back down, and after two more hours of learning more about each other and drinking, he drove her home.

They walked up to the front porch of her house that she lived in alone, once there, Miranda didn’t know what would happen, she unlocked her door, but left it shut and stood there staring up at him.

She wanted desperately to kiss his lips, looking so soft and inviting in the porch light. She stood with her back to the door standing in front of it, and Derek stood in front of her.

Miranda smiled up at him, “Well thank you for a wonderful night.” She looked down at her hands and added, “I didn’t have the best day, and I’m glad I met you tonight…” Then she looked up at him and smiled, he looked down at her with longing eyes. “Because I like you.”

Then she was embarrassed, because that was something a fifth grader says. But then Derek did something that washed all her embarrassment away.

He put his hand on her waist, and the other on her jaw, and kissed her ever so sweetly, while back her up against the door.

When they pulled apart he whispered to her softly, “Oh, I like you, too. And to tell you the truth…” he looked down, embarrassed, and then back up into her eyes, hands still on her. “…That wasn’t my chair after all.”

Miranda’s eyes widened, so many thoughts flooding her mind at the same time.

He did that just to meet her?

He liked her?

But all her thoughts were cut off when he leaned in and kissed her with so much want, Miranda’s mind clogged. Derek pressed his body up against hers, his arms going down to her waist as hers went up to his hair, both of them kissing each other without air.

And as she fumbled with the doorknob behind her, opening the door so the stumbled into the entryway and up the stairs, and into her room, she was glad that Jeremy had dumped her, because if he hadn’t, she never would have met Derek.