Goldie

"Hey.."

"Hello there.."

I couldn't believe that I sat next tohim—this gorgeous hunk of a man.

Rachel and Becky were also in shock asI slipped into the stool next to his.

"Buy me a drink?"

"Sure," he said, smiling at me fromear to ear. His eyes were such a beautiful emerald—a very deepgreen and I knew them..I swear I did.

"Do I know you?"

"I don't think so," he said,extending his hand, "The name's Damien."

"I'm Goldie," I said, "Nice tomeet you."

"Pleasure's all mine," he quipped,"You don't do this a lot, do you?"

I blushed, "Is it that obvious?"

"It's adorable, actually."

"Not the look I was going for."

He waved his hand, chuckling—hisdimples now evident in his cheeks, "No, you're absolutelybreathtaking, but...who put you up to this?"

I sighed and looked ahead as thebartender handed over my martini, "My friends.. I usually don'tdrink, either."

"I know.."

"Huh?"

He straightened out and smiled,"N-nothing. How about we buy some appetizers and shoot some pool?"

"You play?"

"Hell yes, I do!"

"I love pool! Let's go.."

He escorted me into the pool room asBecky and Rachel stayed near our birth—making gross faces andsexual innuendos in my text messages. I didn't want them to ruin mynight so I kept my sights on Damien.

"I've never seen you here before,"I told him.

"I've seen you.."

"You have?"

"Your father owns a deli?"

"Oh my! You know my dad's.." Istudied him, "Are you sure we've never met?"

"You've never met...the real me,Goldie.."

That was absolutely ominous, but I wasa novice witch who'd seen some wild stuff in my young years.

Had he seen something?

Did he..

"Winner buys another round ofdrinks?" He asked, his hand sliding over my shoulder with such agentle touch that I melted into him, "Goldie.."

"Y-yes.." I said, my eyes closingas his body became flush with mine, "Yes...Damien..?"

"You break.."

"Huh?" My eyes flew open and Isighed, "Right...I break.."

He'd set us up and it was my turn toshow Damien my moves—until all I could think about was him makingthe right moves on me and right on that pool table.

"You're pretty good," I said,"Pretty damn good.."

"So good that you let me win?"

"I never let people win," I toldhim, "My father taught me better than that."

"You owe me a beer."

"I owe you whatever you want fromme.."

What the hell, Goldie?

"Oh, such a flirt.." Damiennarrowed his eyes, "Two can play at this game, my littletemptress."

We played many rounds of pool until Iwas sure my friends had given up on me leaving with them.

The strange thing is that even thoughwe'd bought multiple rounds of alcohol, neither one of us reallydrank anything.

"I think it's almost my bedtime," Isaid, "Do you come here often, though?"

"I try to come in at least once aweek..A few of my buddies meet me here, but tonight they bailed on me. However, I have had a most pleasurable time with you."

"Great,"I said, turning my back andgrabbing my purse, "I can give you my number and,-"

Turning back around, Damien was gone.

"Wow.." I frowned, "Was itsomething I said?"