III

They both tipped the shot glasses against their lips and took a swig of the amber liquids down their throats.

Cobalt blue squinted her eyes and grunted as she let the burning alcohol on her throat dissipate slowly.

Jesse smiled, looking at her neck, and the gorgeous curve of her throat as she tipped her head back. "Shall I start guessing?"

"Hit it." She picked up a lime wedge and sucked on it, looking deep into Jesse's topaz eyes.

Holy shit.

Holy motherfucking shit.

Beads of sweat were already forming on his forehead. He wasn't sure if it was because of cobalt's sexy stares, the alcohol, or plainly just because of the weather - that night being one of the hottest in the history of New York summers. Maybe it was a little bit of everything. Maybe he was just feeling so horny.

He took a breath and stared back into her eyes with such depth. He knew plenty of girls' names. He's probably fucked them all, from A to Z. But he can't come up with a name for cobalt blue. She didn't deserve a plain name, like Amy or Jane or Emily.

"Don't overthink it, dude," she grinned, kicking Jesse's shin with her Chucks. It was as if she just read his mind. "My name's pretty common. Like, really run-of-the-mill." 

"I'm thinking of a name," he muttered. "...that suited you. 'Cause you don't really look like a Jane or Lucy." He rubbed his sideburn, trying to look serious. He was actually thinking hard. They were playing a game, anyway - and he wanted to win.

"Hmm," she quiesced, then sucked the lime juice on her thumb. "You're getting there. It actually runs along the borders of Jane and Lucy." She teased. 

Jesse just couldn't concentrate. He imagined sucking cobalt's thumb, where her lips and tongue has just been. "Okay... um, is it Sofia?"

"That's just so far-fetched." She twitched her lip into an amused smile. "Do I look Greek to you? Sofia's a Greek name."

"No, not at all," Jesse clarified. She actually looked more Spanish, Italian or Lebanese - with her dark hair, cute little nose, light olive skin, and those super sexy blue eyes framed by thick lashes and eyebrows. "It's just a pretty name, I wanted to think you have a really pretty name."

"Ehh," she imitated the sound of a buzzer. "You're thinking way too hard. Go and take a guess again," she grabbed for another shot glass, raised it to Jesse and drank the tequila in one go.

Jesse took a shot too before he thought of another name. "Um, how about..." He paused, scratching his temple. "Amanda?"

Cobalt blue snorted derisively. "Do I look like an Amanda?"

"What?" Jesse asked, confused. "That name's pretty ubiquitous - boring, even."

"Yeah, I used to have a roommate up in Williamsburg - her name's Amanda," she mumbled, looking really cute. "She's a real prude, but she really liked stealing her friends' boyfriends. How ironic is that, huh?"

Jesse was all smiles as Cobalt kept on babbling about her former roommate. He was so enthralled and riveted - with the way her eyes sparkled every time she spoke, the way her pretty mouth twitched and pouted, the way the bridge of her nose wrinkled when she smiled and laughed. 

"Hey," she called him out, snapping her fingers in front of him. "Why are you looking at me like that? Let's get back to the game, shall we?"

"I'm- I'm sorry," Jesse stuttered, apologizing. He was almost at a loss for words. "You're just so beautiful."

She rolled her eyes violently at him then reached for two more shot glasses.

Clink, shot, exhale.

After a few more shots and guesses at names - Ava, Chloe, Danielle, Emma, Isabella, Madison, Penelope, Zoey and all the letters in between, Jesse was ready to give up. 

They've finished their line-up of shots and were now doing a round of beers. Jesse was feeling hot and tipsy, and so was cobalt blue.

"Why do you have to be so cruel?" He fake cried. "I just wanted to know your name."

She laughed heartily, then rubbed Jesse's arm. He grabbed her hand and playfully bit on her wrist. He wanted to bite her for real - her ear, her lip, her neck... the insides of her thighs.

"You give up easily," Cobalt sighed then chewed on her lower lip.

"Oh come on, I've probably mentioned every girl I've met in my life and that includes my mother," he chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. "Throw me a bone here, will you?"

"Alright," she acquiesced in. "Why don't we just do initials this time?"

Jesse groaned. "Goddammit, woman," he hit his head lightly against the counter, acting like a kid with a tantrum. "Aren't we done playing this game yet? You won, alright? You won."

"Nope- I haven't won yet," she opposed, reaching for Jesse's collar and leaning her forehead against his. The tips of their nose were touching, their mouths just an inch apart. Her cool ocean eyes were fixed on Jesse's warm blues.

Jesse can smell and feel her lime and tequila-scented breath brush his lips as she spoke. 

"If I make you cry, I win." She whispered against his lips, it sounded like a wish - or a threat.

It turned Jesse on. He's never been threatened by a girl before, not once in his life, ever. 

Their faces were so close, now almost pressed together. He could smell her perfume. She smelled so fresh, like the ocean breeze - in a super sexy way that makes him want to jump into bed with her and mess up the sheets. He could also see the beauty mark on her left chest peeking right through the low neckline of her shirt. Jesse wanted to gobble her up so bad.

"'Kay," he mumbled, his lips almost grazing hers, their thighs and knees touching with their proximity.

"Are you saying okay or are you guessing 'K'?" She asked, her lower lip was now pressed on Jesse's cupid's bow - leaving him wanting for a kiss. His groomed mustache felt ticklish.

"I guess I'll just say both," Jesse breathed, their gazes still locked together.

"'Kay," she echoed.

"K?" Jesse grinned as the realization struck him. "Is it K? Your name?"

Cobalt blue nodded, her mouth curved into a beautiful smile. "K."

K rested her palms on Jesse's thighs. Her touch sent shivers in his spine. 

"Okay," he whispered against her lips, his slid his hand to her back to hold her bare waist. 

Jesus Fuck. 

She feels so warm.

"'Kay." She teased. K closed her eyes and without second thoughts, pressed her lips onto Jesse's. She let it linger for a while, then partly opened her mouth - and playfully bit into his lower lip. 

Jesse smiled. "K."