Shay moved her hand under the hem of her oversized t-shirt until her fingers reached her hard nipple. Circling slowly, she melted further into the armchair. A steady pulse started between her thighs.

Just as her other hand dipped below the spandex waistband of her lululemons, her glasses slipped off the bridge of her nose and fell to the floor of the study.

"Damn!" she hissed, more from sexual frustration than fear of her glasses breaking. She tapped her laptop to life again and settled her glasses back on her nose with a sigh.

How is Gwen supposed to have an orgasm while her creator is so dried up?

The cursor flickered accusingly as she reviewed the words on the screen. With another sigh, her fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard. This was the moment Gwen finally gave in to Lance.

With another sip of bourbon, Shay typed out the sex scene of her novel.

A few minutes later, she reviewed what she had written and erased half. Another ten minutes and the scene still wasn't right. Her phone buzzed with a text alert.

Her husband.

For the first year, her stomach did a somersault when a text came through from him. But five years in and she felt nothing. She felt numb.

When they married, she knew his business would take him all over the world. She just wasn't expecting to be left behind. With this last trip, he said business in Dubai would only last three months, so she should stay home and work on her book. Three months turned into six, and then the holidays came and went. He sent gifts, of course, and emails. And they talked every day. Well, not every day, but almost.

Shay desperately needed someone she could feel and touch. She debated sending a sexy bedtime selfie to her husband, but his text had simply read Goodnight darling. Talk soon.

Plus, he wasn't the type for phone sex or anything like that. The last questionable pic she sent only got a smiley face emoji in response.

Her phone buzzed again, but this time the text was from her best friend, Nance: You, me, and Ava at O'Henry's in an hour. Don't say no, you know you need this girl!

Without a thought, her fingers were ready to text a "no, I'm working" but she hesitated. Maybe a bar would be the perfect inspiration to get the last of these chapters written.

__________

O'Henry's was bustling with the usual crowd.

"Damn, he's so hot!" Ava sighed dreamily as she appraised the tattooed bartender under her heavy, faux lashes.

Nance smirked. "Ask him out already, girl! You've been drooling over him for weeks!"

"He's clearly interested in that petite brunette. Pretty sure they're an item." Ava nudged her head down the bar.

Shay surveyed the tall bartender talking to the young woman sitting opposite. Even from far away, she could sense the sexual tension between them. "From someone that writes romance novels for a living, I would say you're right and you're wrong. They haven't fucked yet, but they will."

Nance snorted out part of her drink and gave her best belly laugh. "I love it when you give it to us straight!"

Ava motioned to the female bartender for another round. "Ugh, I'm always going for the unavailable ones. So, to cheer me up, ya'll are going to play Kill, Fuck, Marry with me, and hopefully by the end of tonight I'll spot someone to take my mind off Jake."

"You know his name? Impressive," Shay said sarcastically.

"She's been here every week trying to chat him up, of course, she knows his name!" Nance rolled her eyes and then added, "And I'm not playing that asinine game. We're not in college anymore."

"Fine, then I'm buying shots!" Ava raised her hand in the air to signal the bartender.

"That's where I draw the line," Shay laughed. "I haven't done shots since college and I have no intention of starting again tonight. I have a writing deadline Monday."

"It's the game or shots, pick your poison." Ava scanned the room, not waiting for their answer. "And I've already found a winner for you, Shay! That guy in the dark blue plaid. He's totally your type!"

She begrudgingly followed her friend's stare and rolled her eyes. But she had to admit to herself that Ava was right. If she wrote a character she'd love to fuck, it would be that man sitting in the corner solo, nursing his beer.

Nance grinned widely and nudged her shoulder. "Ok, let's play one round. Since we found Shay's perfect guy."

Shay shook her head in irritation. "My perfect guy is my husband, Roy. Remember him?"

"For the game. We're married, not dead," Nance retorted.

Shay took another sip of her bourbon. "Ok, fine. But Ave you're going first." She glanced around discreetly. "Your choices are - your bartender, the ginger two seats down, and... the female bartender."

"There's no debate," Ava answered while draining the last of her drink. "I'd fuck and marry Jake."

"Keep it in your pants, Ave," Nance chastised with a laugh. "And that's against the rules!"

"Fine, I'll fuck Jake, I'll marry- " Ava paused, her mouth agape, as the man in the plaid sidled up next to Shay.

"Hi ladies, I hate to interrupt, but I'd like to buy your friend a drink."

It took Shay a moment before she realized he was talking about her. "Oh, umm... we're actually... "

"She'll take another whiskey, neat," Nance blurted as she slid off her barstool, dragging Ava with her. "We need to use the lady's room. Be right back!"

Shay eyed them furiously, but they refused to look at her.

"They're busy tonight," the stranger said conversationally after ordering their drinks.

She simply nodded in response while allowing herself to appraise the man next to her: jet black curls, caramel complexion, piercing green eyes, and just the hint of stubble. And he had to be considerably younger than her.

"So, what's the occasion?"

"Pardon?" She hesitated. "Oh... just a girl's night. Listen, I don't want to give you the wrong impression." She wiggled her ring finger, her diamond glistening in the overhead bar lights.
"I'm married."

The stranger nodded. "Ok."

"Ok?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. I have to admit- "

The bartender placed their drinks on the bar. Once he had paid, the stranger picked up his glass and clinked it against hers. Shay smiled uneasily, but more so because her stomach was doing somersaults as his eyes met hers.

God, he was beautiful, she thought.

"So, I have to admit something," he said quietly while leaning in, his shoulder barely brushing against her bare arm. "I noticed you when you first came in. Thought you were the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. Didn't know you were married," he gestured towards her hand, "Until I came up to talk to you."

Shay couldn't help but blush. God, it had been a long time since a man had flirted with her.

"I'm Damien, by the way."

"Shay."

"It's nice to meet you, Shay." He shifted in his chair. "And now that I have a name for that beautiful face, I'll leave you in peace. Unless you'd like company till your friends return." He grinned knowingly. "I think they've abandoned you."

She felt her face grow red. Where the hell were Nance and Ava? And why on God's green earth did this man's cologne have to smell like the sex personified?

"Can I make a proposition?" His full lips moved closer, and his eyes danced with suspense. "I challenge you to one kiss. One kiss," he murmured as he held up one finger. "If you're not satisfied I'll leave you alone."

"Excuse me?" Shay shook her head in disbelief.

"I asked what you do. For work."

"Oh... I... um, I'm a writer."

Shay, get a hold of yourself.

"That's amazing," he said genuinely. Then his voice lowered, "I don't think I could sleep tonight knowing those beautiful lips of yours won't be ravaged."

She was floored. "What!?"

Damien looked at her with a funny expression. "That was a compliment. I hold writers in great esteem."

Shay shook her head. Clearly, I've had too much bourbon tonight.

"Sorry, did I say something wrong?" He asked with concern.

And then he was suddenly moving closer. He reached out his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear as his other hand rested lightly on her thigh.

Desire pooled between her thighs, and she swallowed hard. She glanced around, but still didn't see the girls.

"Sorry." She gathered her things and slid off the barstool. "It was really nice meeting you, but I have to run."

__________

Back in her apartment, she quickly flung herself into her big comfy chair, kicked off her heels, and powered up her laptop.

He was now inches from her lips as his eyes roamed her face, a blatant question in his gorgeous bedroom eyes. Shay licked her lips as her eyes devoured the curve of his mouth, now inches from hers.

Her fingers paused on the keyboard as she smirked. Just for tonight, she'd allow herself to use her own name instead of her character's.

She gave in.

His lips tasted like whiskey. The release she felt started in her toes and coursed through her body. She groaned against his mouth as his tongue danced with hers in desperate exploration. His hand drifted from her thigh to between her legs as she shifted on the barstool and wrapped her leg around his - pulling him closer - allowing him access to under her dress.

Shay bit her lip and got up to pour herself a bourbon.

Her cell buzzed, and she glanced at it to see a text from the girls.

Where the hell did you go!?

What happened with that handsome stranger???

Shay set her glass down and answered with: Let's just say in my own way I fucked him.