Page 25 of Blush

No matter. He may not even be here. After all, I’m supposed to sit at the bar and find someone named Alfred.

Alfred. IsheMr. Dark and Sexy?

No. Mr. Dark and Sexy would have a name like Rock or Talon or Dante. Certainly not Alfred.

I find an empty seat at the bar and sit down.

“What can I get you?” a handsome bartender asks me. He’s tall, blond, and muscular. Definitely not an Alfred.

“Nothing.”

A sidecar would take the edge off, but I have to be in charge of my faculties. This is a blind date. Anything could happen, and I need to take care of myself. Keep myself safe.

“Then I’ll need you to give the seat to someone else,” the bartender says. “Nothing personal, just the rules.”

“Then give me…a Virgin Mary.”

He smiles. “Coming right up.”

A Virgin Mary. I have to laugh at myself. I’m not a virgin, but I may as well be.

Then again, isn’t that why I’m here? To get experience? To find a teacher?

He slides the Virgin Mary in front of me. “Tell me,” he says. “Are you Mandy?”

“Depends on who’s asking.” I take a sip of the spicy tomato juice and try to ignore the warmth of a flush on my cheeks. I’m seriously trying to flirt with this sexy barkeep? I’m way out of my league.

“Mr. Dark is asking.”

My pulse races. “Are you… Are you Alfred?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“I guess I just expected…” Damn the heat in my face! “I…you know…”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. I’m supposed to give you some information before Mr. Dark finds you.”

“Oh?” My pulse races.

“First things first,” Alfred says. “I’ve known Mr. Dark for years. You will be completely safe with him.”

“Okay.” Just those words make me feel completelynotsafe with him.

I gaze over my shoulder. The exit is near. I can jet out of here right now and go home, delete my Lustr profile, and continue with my mundane life.

My life… My existence…

Damn, my existence.

I’m sick of simply existing. I want tolive. I want to have sex. I want to learn to please a man and be pleased in return.

“At any time,” Alfred continues, “you may leave.”

What the hell? Of course I can leave at any time. It’s a blind date. That’s it. However, I don’t reply.

Alfred slides a folder in front of me. “Take a look at these.”

I open it. Inside is a nondisclosure agreement for a place called Black Rose Underground.