Chapter 3: Bourbon and Dance Floor

Most of the time, Dalmi will confidently strut the way towards the man she is attracted to. She always believed that a man can still smile when a beautiful woman talks in front of them, but with Casimir Thompson, she feels the opposite.

She rejected her when she professed her feelings for him, and now she is walking to where he is...to make things work for her. She needs to be good. There is no room for rejection right now, and she needs to make it work. This would be her only chance, and although this was just a prank or a dare made by her friends, she knows it would be a help for her to be free. Those words kept on playing on her mind continuously. It was like a chant that she could not forget even for a second.

She shook her head and retook a deep, long sigh. She curled her index finger on her hair to make the perm more defined and puckered her lips before finally walking towards the man sitting on a high stool in front of the bar counter.

Dalmi made sure that she looked pretty. Not too bold and not too girly. She was determined to please the man in a way that she won't look desperate.

A girl in a hot pink dress is sitting beside him, but Dalmi knew he was alone. She talked to him, but the man's eyes were focusing on the brown-colored alcohol in his hand.

She pulled her dress upper to reveal more of her long legs and pulled the neckline lower. She flipped her hair and then sophisticatedly walk to the left side of the man.

Dalmi saw the girl saying something I couldn't hear, but the man was merely eyeing his glass. The girl then rolled her eyes and jump off the high stool, leaving both of them on that long, wooden table.

"Can I have a bottle of bourbon, please. " she seductively smiled at the bartender and tucked her hair behind her ear.

Dalmi felt him shifting his gaze, making a small smile form on her lips as she poured the liquor inside her glass.

"I wonder what is so attractive with your glass that you wouldn't talk to that lady..." she remarked but didn't bother to look at him. She was nervous, but she needs to make it look like she was confident. In her mind, she thanks the drama club way back in college for making her one of the actresses in several plays that she could use right now. Dalmi moved the glass in a circular motion, refusing to take a peek at his face.

Her eyes dropped at his arm. He was wearing a white long-sleeved polo; three buttons are removed and revealing a bit of his chest. The sleeves folded up to his forearm, but it was never a hindrance for her to gape at how attractive his veiny arm was. She silently closed her eyes for a second.

Do not hyperventilate, Dalmi! It was just his arm! She told herself. If she could only slap her cheek right now, she already did.

Her upper lip moved. Even the smell of Casimir's manly perfume is turning her on!

Dalmi, we need to do good. We need to have him by now. It would be best if you were careful not to annoy him much. Silent voices kept on playing in her mind.

He drank on his glass and put it down again. He didn't even give Dalmi a response! Maybe this was what he is doing earlier to that girl! She concluded.

But she shouldn't end up like her. She needs to get a hold of her freedom. The man was now staring at the bartender, who's busy with another man from his right, serving alcohol and not throwing him a glance.

This is my chance. She thought. Dalmi cleared her throat and pushed the bottle of bourbon in front of him.

"You can share with mine. Why did you even have to order glass by glass?" Dalmi raised her brow, trying hard to hide the nervousness on her face, but the look in his eyes is almost telling her that he will soon refuse. She shook her head, and shamelessly poured liquor on his glass.

"Seems like you just got off from work...and you got here straight," she uttered. She was opening a topic to see if he would entertain her. Inside Dalmi's mind, she hated herself for being this desperate. She had no idea that a time like this would come, but she was left with no choice! Would she be able to sleep soundly at night, remembering how she acted tonight?

Dalmi's orbs wandered on his face. The room was dark, but lights coming from the dance floor gave her a chance to see his face. Casimir's face was sculptured perfectly. His nose was straight and pointed that you can slip a coin with no bump. Although it was a pair of Amber orbs, thick, long lashes covered his eyes. Making it dark, intense, and penetrating. Enough to make your legs tremble and for your lips to quiver. The clean haircut and the thin stubble suited him well.

It has been years, but she doesn't remember Casimir being this attractive. Yes, he is already handsome back then. He was a catch. But she can't remember a time where she admired even the veins and the hairs residing on his arm! Maybe years made him more mature? She convinced herself. 

"Nosy," his word made her go back to reality. His voice was way deeper and manlier than what she remembers!

"Sorry, just curious." with trembling hands, Dalmi reached for her glass and drank the liquor, hiding her embarrassment for his response.

But still, she can't give this up.

She put down the glass, her lips quivering a bit as she tried to formulate words in her head. This was way harder than she thought. Dalmi tilted her head to where her group is. They are all looking at her, maybe watching if she will succeed or not.

To dig it more deeply, Casimir was a good man, and her dad would be more than satisfied to see him as her boyfriend. But if this will not work and if she can't seduce this man right now, maybe she should consider searching for another man to be a cover-up.

Her eyes roamed around the room. A man, not a bit far from her, is staring. From the sight of it, he was not a Filipino. Maybe a half-blood or a pure-blooded foreigner but is undoubtedly not an Asian. Dalmi saw him raising his glass at her before drinking it, then smirked afterward.

"I thought you were here to talk to me. Why suddenly staring at another man?" Dalmi's gaze shifted back to Casimir, her eyes widening in shock.

"Ah...of course not!" she retorted in a blink but later on regretted it. Why did she even tell him that?

"I mean, of course, I didn't go here to talk to you! It's not like I lack a man in my life?" she shook her head and poured herself another shot.

Sure, she lacks a man in her life, but she will never admit it in front of this man.

"If that's what you are saying..." he heard him chuckle a bit. Her eyes immediately dropped at his face. Did she listen to it right? It was so quick; he is back again with his stern look!

He got himself a shot of bourbon.

"You know, don't just ignore girls when they are talking to you. I think you are old enough for playing, so you should have–"

"I'm old enough to play, the reason why I don't respond to girls," he interrupted.

"You don't just approach any girl just because you need to settle down. You need to evaluate and weigh. A girl is also not good enough for me. I need a woman." In Dalmi's eyes, he looked different. The man felt foreign like he didn't know him at all. Or she wasn't just used to his changes.

She fell silent for minutes. Casimir Thompson is two years older than her. He is the heir of their company, and to think he is older than her, he probably has more expectations to deal with.

Dalmi was being forced to get married at 24. This man is already about to turn 27 and still unmarried. He could be more pressured than she was.

She cleared her throat and poured herself another glass. Maybe she can just let this slip. Casimir Thompson is talking about a serious relationship right now, and if ever she will succeed in having him, he will only be used to stop a wedding. She isn't planning on making it longer. She doesn't even want to do that get-a-baby plan! Or if she does, then she wouldn't bother telling him!

"You're drinking too fast," he remarked after some minutes. "Bourbon will probably get you a worse hangover, and you shouldn't drink it that–"

"Shh..." Dalmi put her index finger in front of his lip. "I remember you as someone silent...why are you so talkative tonight?" she sarcastically smiled and burst into spits of laughter.

"You know what, I will dance." The lady stood up and started to strode the way towards the dance floor.

It was crowded. Men and women are busy dancing to the beat. Although she wants to dance in the middle, the floor felt so narrow with this ocean of people that she just settled on the space she reached.

"Girl!" A man in front of her called. She was already dancing; her hips are swaying from side-to-side as she lifted her hands to the air.

"Why did you drink so hard? You are losing your mind! It was not our goal for tonight!" Dalmi opened her eyes and saw Jackie shielding her from the people around her.

She smiled.

"Jackie! Let's call off the prank. You know, he doesn't want to play. Let's pick another man–oh! Hello, Sir!" Dalmi smirked at the man from earlier.

"See, Jack!" she pointed at him, showing Jackie a second option. The man walks towards her. Without even hesitating nor thinking twice, she said, "Can you be my boyfriend for about a...week?" The music boomed louder. Her eyes became a bit blurry, and her legs wobbly. 

This was one of the nights where Dalmi will go home wasted. But she needs it. She wanted it. She doesn't even know if she could still hang out with Jackie after this night.

Instead of waiting for the man to speak up, she just shook her head and decided to dance with me. She closed her eyes and swayed her hips according to the beat.

But dancing felt a bit off. It feels like someone is staring at her. Thus, she opened her eyes and moved her head to where she came from.

Casimir, in his black slacks and belt, was now leaning his arms on the table. He was no longer holding a glass and was observing Dalmi.

She smirked as she changed her mind. Who said I would just forget the reason why I am here? 

She raised her hand again and closed her eyes. She messed her hair and touched her neck, down to the side of her chest and waist. She opened her eyes again and gave him a seductive smile, indirectly telling him to join her here.

She closed her eyes again, and then the next thing she knew, a man with warm, big hands was already touching her stomach as he danced behind her.

"You look damn..." His husky voice made the sides of her lips rose. She never knew how attractive a voice was until Casimir whispered in her ear. She put her hand on top of his hand and swayed her hips again. She heard him grunt and made her face him.

"Hmm..." Dalmi snaked her hands around his nape. He moved closer, pushing her back towards him to close the gap between them.

Dalmi's eyes were on the level of his lips. Something inside her tells her to grab this time to make him agree to what she wants without him knowing.

She gathered every courage that she has, pulled him closer, and brushed her lips against his. The music was loud, but at that time, the only thing that is important to her is to do good.

The man's grip on her waist tightened. His other arm touched her back in a circular motion. The tingling sensation inside her made her want to pull him closer and to make the kiss deeper. He bit on her lower lip, making her moan and open her mouth as he pushed his tongue inside.

"Hell...let's go somewhere else," he breathily said as he pulls Dalmi out of that dark, crowded place.