This is a first draft sample chapter only. It's completely unedited. 🙈 Thank you to readers who dared to read my first attempt. The rest of the story was taken down because it was rewritten and the edited manuscript is now with my publisher, Black Velvet Seductions, who accepted the story as part of their LGBTQ+ anthology 🏳️‍🌈, to be published in late 2021.

Song for the mood: With or Without you by U2.

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Kate

London

It was 1988.

I was twenty-two, close to finishing my business degree at the University of London, and ready to step into the nineties, hoping for a better world. Irish band U2 was rocking it, Reagan was U.S. president, and the Berlin Wall divided Germany's east from west.

Video had killed the radio star a decade earlier, and we adored films like "The Princess Bride," "Dirty Dancing," and "Wall Street." As for fashion? It was big, wild, neon, and in-your-face.

Sitting at a booth at The Beat nightclub, I grinned at my friend Andy. He had dressed in a floral blouse, high-waisted jeans, and four-inch pumps. His face was a flawless perfection of a French courtesan—powdered pale, blushed pink, and painted Fuschia on the lips.

"Ya bloody poofta!" Some dick sneered as he walked past Andy.

"Homophobe! What's your damage?" Andy shouted back, flicking his shoulder-length blond hair.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Ignore him. You're way better than that turd."

"That asshole is why I hate mainstream clubs." Andy rolled his eyes and groaned. "They're full of them."

"We won't stay for too long," I assured him, placing my nearly empty beer glass on the table. I readjusted my hoop earrings before shaking the neon bangles on both wrists—lots of bangles.

The club's speakers blared U2's haunting song "With Or Without You." I felt desire running in my veins when I spotted the goddess, Isis, on the dance floor. She was a ripe slice of heaven in tight jeans, an off-shoulder T-shirt, and white high-top sneakers.

The dark-haired angel danced with her friends in the most alluring manner, leaving me in a trance. Her slender body swayed in perfect sync to the song while the men dancing near her inched closer. She ignored them, closing her eyes and touching the curves of her sensuous hips.

Seduce me, I wanted to say to her.

Seduce me with your dance.

Seduce me with your body.

Seduce me with your eyes.

As if she had heard me, her eyes fluttered open and gazed toward my direction. She had slowed her dance to an almost-halt and bewitched me with her soft stare. Her eyes, dark and hauntingly beautiful, sparkled with passion as her full lips curved up into a captivating smile.

Damn, you're all woman, and you're beautiful! I grinned, showing my large front teeth. I felt as if someone had cast an Egyptian love spell on me, and I was spiraling over the edge, losing control.

"Hello? Earth to Kate." Andy waved his hand at my face, distracting me from the honey-skinned goddess.

"Uh, yeah, I got a little carried away." I flicked my dark-blonde hair away from my face, then rubbed my widened turquoise eyes.

"Carried away by what or whom?" Andy asked.

My eyes searched the dance floor, then scouted the neon-lit bar, only to find a sea of unfamiliar faces and, alas, no ebony-haired angel.

My shoulders slumped as the anchor of disappointment sank in my heart. "I guess she was just a dream," I whispered despondently.

"Uh, say what?" Andy raised his eyebrows.

Ignoring Andy's question, I stood up. "Let's go to the rooftop bar. I saw Frankie take the elevator up there earlier tonight—she's with that American guy."

"Oh, meow!" Andy scratched the air and grinned. "Did I just hear a hint of jealousy in your voice?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "She and I ended our relationship last year, and she can date anyone she wants. Besides, we're good friends now, and my heart is intact."

"You, my dear, are always standing, even after the punches. Remember the argument you put up with the professor in our strategic management class?" Andy reminded me.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I laughed softly, eyeing the elevator. "C'mon. Let's go and say hello to Frankie and her man."

"Cool bananas." Andy stood up and adjusted his shiny, black heels. I wished I had a pair like those.

***

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"Hey, lady." I clasped my arms around Frankie and kissed her cheek. She resembled a hot rockstar with her wild, long mane, fishnet gloves, miniskirt, and thigh-high metallic boots. Her electric-blue eyeliner was thick and heavy against her obsidian eyes.

On the other hand, her boyfriend was a classic preppie with his styled dark hair, polo shirt, designer jeans, and deck shoes. Frankie pulled herself away from me and wrapped her arms around him. "Hey, Kate. Jasper and I are just chillin' tonight."

"Schweet!" I inhaled the fresh night air and sighed, admiring the beauty of the starlit sky that roofed us.

I broke my gaze from the sky and searched the open-air landscape, hoping to find the woman who caught my eye earlier. People swarmed at the outdoor bar like bees to honey, while pop music livened the crowd, animated in dance and chatter.

But nope, there was no sign of the dark-haired angel.

"Like, what part of America are you from?" Andy asked Jasper.

"Uh, Boston," Jasper answered, glancing at Andy's high heels.

"Ah. I've never been there," Andy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Frankie and I plan to move to America one day." Jasper grinned, then kissed his girlfriend's forehead.

"What?!" My eyebrows shot up, and if they could go any further, they'd have left my face and disappeared.

"Yeah, we gotta talk," Frankie said curtly. She took my hand, and we started marching toward the women's restroom.

Moments later, we stood face to face, arms folded, in front of the bathroom sink.

"Oi, you're blocking the mirror. Move!" A woman behind Frankie and me pushed us to the wall.

"Eat my shorts, bitch!" I pulled up both middle fingers at the woman, then turned to Frankie.

"Okay, what happened to the 'oh, I'm so independent' Frankie?" I pursed my lips. "You'd better talk, starting right now."

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh, my God." My mouth was wide open, and my jaw had slackened. "I'm going to have a spazz attack. Was it planned?"

"Nuh-uh. I just found out, but I'm keeping the baby."

"Do you love Jasper?" I asked.

"I do. I love him so much." Tears trickled down her face.

"Does he love you?"

"Yes. He loves me." Frankie wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffed. "Shit, this whole baby thing is freaking me out. I'm scared."

"It's totally normal to be scared, but it's all good, yeah? I mean, you'll graduate before jet setting off to Boston, right?"

"We're not moving to Boston. We're going to another city where Jasper's been offered a job as a geophysicist. And yes, I'll graduate first before I marry my Disney prince," Frankie said, hinting her usual light sarcasm.

"Will you wear a Disney wedding dress with the baby bump in tow?" I giggled, unfolding my arms.

"Oh, it's going to be deadly. I'm thinking of a minidress." Frankie laughed softly. "With the baby bump in tow."

"You'll look awesome." I stroked Frankie's shoulder gently. "Hey, can I ask you a favor?"

"Kate Calloway, you're one of my closest friends. What can I do for you?"

"Can I be your best woman at the wedding?"

Frankie grinned widely, showing off her white teeth against her olive skin. "You'd better be my best woman! I'll be careful about flowers, though, because of your pollen allergy."

"Ah, you know me and flowers. I panic when I'm in a flower shop." I winced at the thought of the itching, watery eyes, and nasal congestion.

"I need you, Kate," she said, biting her lip and tugging her skirt.

Feeling Frankie's uncertainty of her future, I pulled her in for a friendly hug. "Hey. I'm here for you whenever you need me."

If life was a book, our chapter as lovers was undoubtedly over a long time ago.

Right then, the beautiful woman who danced a love spell had stepped into the restroom, eyeing me from top to toe. Her sweet smile poured warmth into my heart, filling it with passion and desire.

Letting go of Frankie, I smiled back at the raven-haired goddess. Whoever this woman was, she had become my new chapter in this book of life.

A/N: Okay, this is my first attempt at time-traveling, and I thought of trying out the 1980s. Are you with me? Sorry, I don't have a DeLorean, but hang in there and let's make this a fun trip. Each chapter will have a music video from 1988 that I hope you'll enjoy. Requests are welcome. :)

Here's one for Dirty Dancing fans. I admit I struggled to keep a straight face when watching the Eric Carmen vids for the list of songs I've compiled for this story. The music's cool, though:

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If you've read my novel Lessons on Seduction, can you guess who Frankie and Jasper are? Hint: this is a jump way back in time... The answer is in Chapter 13.

Now, I won't bore you, and my chapters will be short - about 1200-1500ish words. This story will be a quick read, over before you know it - 6-7 chapters. Yep, a short story.

Comments welcome always. Good, critical, but not abusive, please.

Enjoy...