Amber liquid splashed down onto the wooden tabletop before the sound of the glasses thudded down. Sean looked up from where he was sat in corner of the noisy pub. Kelsey smiled down at him, her hands dramatically signalling to the beverages in front of them.

"Tadaa!" She sang before shuffling around the tiny table to perch on the stool next to Sean. Bodies past by the front of their table and voices rang out into the constant buzz that filled the small pub. Sean grabbed one of the glasses pulling it along the table leaving a wet trail of spilled beer behind it. The buzz from his surroundings was drilling deep beneath his skull, at least that's what it felt like or it was the five beers he had already consumed putting a hazy filter on everything.

"To your victory." Kelsey's voice cut through the chatter of alien voices, Sean raised his glass to hers the glasses clinking loudly.

"You've said that with every pint so far." Sean said a smirk plastered on his face.

"Just really want to celebrate your extraordinary win." Kelsey said sarcastically rolling her eyes, taking a large gulp she placed her glass back on the table and turned in her seat to face Sean. Her knees brushed up against the side of his thighs, Sean's grip tightened around the pint glass. He took another long chug trying to ignore their proximity.

"No but really. I had a really fun time." Her voice was a half shout to be heard over the crowd but Sean knew that she could've whispered and he would've hung on to every word, hearing it with upmost clarity. He glanced over to Kelsey, her nose scrunched up as she continued to smile, the alcohol also appeared to have a loose grip on her too. His eyes tracked the freckles that ran across her cheekbones, decorating them in miniature constellations. A loose strand of hair fell in a wave in front of her eyes, instinctively Sean reached out delicately, his fingers lightly tracing her skin as he tucked it behind her ear.

"So you think we're on for a second date?" He asked, captivating her gaze with his own.

"I think that's the true prize of the evening." Kelsey answered playing with the lip of her glass.

"So is that a yes?"
"Potentially." Kelsey teased pulling the glass to her lips, the alcohol giving her a confident buzz throughout her entire body. "I wouldn't say the first date is over yet." Keeping her eyes locked on Sean's she took another sip of her beverage.

Sean shook his head his disbelief his laughter ringing out through the bar floor. He grabbed his pint tipping it in Kelsey's direction.
"Touché." Their glasses clinked once more.

"So is this how your first dates usually go then?" Sean leant back, careful not to tumble back into the bookshelf behind him. Kelsey scoffed into her glass, shaking her head. "Oh, how so?"

Swallowing and putting her nearly empty glass back onto the table Kelsey sat upright and placed her hands in front of her face as if she was about to divulge a deep secret.
"I don't date."

Seans eyebrows raised, silently asking her to indulge him with for information.
"This part." Kelsey gestured around her and the empty glasses that were stacked at the end of the table. "This part I know very well. But the part that comes after- Oh Henderson I'm a god damn professional at that part."

The way she whispered his name sent a shiver down his spine, goosebumps raised across the back of his neck. Her devilish smile igniting a flame deep within his chest. A smile all his own full of fiendish contempt spreading across his face.

"So what you're telling me is that I've consulted someone who doesn't date on advice for dating?"
"Unfortunately so."
"Do you know what that mean's for our second date?"
"You seem very confident in this second date id-"
"Oh there's going to be a second date Owens." Sean leant back towards Kelsey as he cut her off, his fingers gently resting on her lips. "And we're going to do it my way."

Kelsey's hand reached up and gently pried away Sean's from her lips, his skin electric on hers.
"I don't date." Kelsey repeated, smiling as she lowered their hands to the table, her fingers tracing along the veins along the back of his hand. Sean blissfully closed his eyes momentarily.

"I think I can change that."

.....................................................................................................................................................

The sky swirled in dark purples and navy blues above them. Wisps of smoke ascending and disappearing into the cool tones.

"It really is such a shame I never got to know this side of you all those years back." Kelsey said, kicking a loose stone across the pavement onto the cobbled street that ran down hill towards the ocean that was crashing in the distance. Sean leant against the stone wall of the pub they'd just spent the best part of their evening in. His eyes shut he focused on the cool breeze that was hitting his face.

"In my defence I've always been like this." Sean laughed. "You were always preoccupied with my brother to notice." He reached out his hand expectantly.
"You may have a point there but I'm going to choose to ignore it." Kelsey carefully handed Sean the lit cigarette and watched him slowly pull it up to his lips.

"You on the other hand." Seans eyes opened to take in the image of Kelsey. "You are dramatically different from when I last saw you all those years ago. My brother definitely wouldn't have been able to control this version."

Kelsey laughed, crossing her arms across her chest. Sean's gaze glancing quickly at the anatomy she'd just highlighted.
"Oh this Kelsey would break Jake in half. He'd have no clue what to do with you." He pushed back away from the wall and stepped forward closing the short gap between them, taking another quick drag he then handed her back the cigarette.

"Good. Because this Kelsey wants nothing to do with him." Kelsey answered rolling her eyes. Her heart beat thumped against her ribcage melodically, she could feel the warmth of Sean radiate in the space between them. Goosebumps ran along her exposed skin and she couldn't fight the drunken fog that encapsulated her brain to figure out if it was because of the man mere inches away or if she was just cold.

"You're shivering." Sean's voice was low and concerned. He reached out and pulled her closer to him, the lit cigarette falling to the ground. His arms encased around her, all timidness and reserve long forgotten in the flow of beer that he had consumed that evening. "We should go home." His voice mumbled against her hair, slurring slightly.

Kelsey sighed into his chest, she felt weightless against him. It felt nice just to be held by someone. To feel the way his hands slowly brushed up her arms and slowly down along her back till they stopped to rest on her hips drawing small circles with his thumbs. Right now Kelsey didn't want to go anywhere.
She shook her head gently, red hair now obstructing her field of vision. Sean's chest vibrated against her as he chuckled.

"We do, Kels." He said pushing away slightly to look at her, a dopey grin spread across his face. He moved the tendrils out of her way, keeping his hand on her cheek for a second longer than Kelsey deemed to be normal. "However I am way over the limit so I'll call us a cab." He twirled Kelsey with one arm before pulling her back against him, his arm now wrapped across her waist as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. Kelsey sunk back into him, her hand still clasped in his against her.

Sean hummed an unknown tune and swayed slightly back and forth as he tried to get his phone to unlock, the facial recognition not picking up the carefree look he was wearing. He rested his chin gently on top of Kelsey's hair as he attempted to tap in his passcode. Gaining access to his Home Screen he ignored the blur of notifications that kept revealing themselves from the top of the screen. Instinctively he opened up the Uber app, no riders showed in the area. A dry laugh left his lips. Of course there'd be no Uber drivers in this stuck in time town.

"247 365." Kelsey's voice floated up to him as she adjusted in his arms, her back pressing a bit firmer against him.

"Thanks." Sean said, his focus on the digits shaking back and forth on his phone than that of Kelsey's arse rubbing up against him.

Kelsey knew that this fake date was turning more and more real. She could stop all this at any given moment. She should stop this. But truthfully she didn't want to, and judging by Sean's physical reaction to her grinding up against him he didn't want this to stop either. Relaxing back into a drunken bliss, Kelsey listened as Sean's voice drifted in and out of focus whilst he was on the phone. His arm not once loosening his hold on her, his hand still in hers and his thumb absentmindedly rubbing against her waist. He felt like a safe haven, nothing bad could happen whilst she was in his hold. Why could anything that felt so good possibly be a bad mistake?

Sean tucked his phone back into his pocket, his free arm now joining the other, encircling Kelsey completely. His chin resting back on top of her head.

"Thank you for today." He smiled, his body still rocking back and forth to a muted melody. Kelsey stayed within his rhythm.

"You going all soppy on me?" She scoffed.

"It's the beer talking." He laughed. His swaying coming to a stop as he over shot slightly causing them to stumble backwards, the stone wall catching them.

"You're drunk."
"Yep, as are you."
"Fair evaluation."

Kelsey turned in his arms her eyes meeting his, glistening blue surrounded by thick lashes, dishevelled dirty blonde curls framing his head. Her breathe caught in her throat, titling her chin upwards her lips parted, an unspoken truth laid out between them.
Beep Beep.

Dizzying bright headlights shone against them, Sean's grip loosened and Kelsey took a staggered step back. Her mind a haze. What on earth nearly happened?

"Guess this is our ride." Sean said, his hand rustling through his hair, a sheepish grin left on the lips that Kelsey was just centimetres away from. He hesitated before comfortably putting his hand back around her waist, guiding her towards the vehicle. Opening the door he extended his hand for Kelsey to take assisting her down onto her seat.

"Taxi for a Sean Henderson." A gruff voice spoke from the front seat, aged eyes started at them from the rear view mirror.

"That's us." Kelsey answered clicking her seatbelt on the third attempt.

  Sean appeared next to her shutting the door gently behind him. His head resting backwards he looked over at Kelsey, a mischievous knowing look on his face. He subtly pursed his lips and blew a kiss, winking after. A deep chuckle filling the back seat of the taxi.