Poe Dameron is determined to have a fun and relaxing vacation in the small resort town of Wetyin, his first vacation in five years. A visit to the local cantina on his first night will determine just how fun and relaxing it will be.
Short short challenge (500-1000 words). Prompt: Date in a cantina
Mini-sequel to El Halcòn.
Poe Dameron, former special agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency and current deputy sheriff of Alderaan County, Wyoming, took a sip of his Fog Cutter, reminding himself to take it easy on the tropical drinks lest he get too inebriated; these things were dangerous. He was currently the only one sitting at the bar in the Verde Cantina, but there were a small number of patrons scattered throughout the small bar that was situated just down the beach from the Wetyin Resort, the largest resort in Yavin. Most of the guests preferred the pool bar that was actually part of the resort, but Poe’s dad was friends with the owner of the Verde, and Poe favored the smaller crowds here.
He glanced casually around the room, eyeing the other people with care. Though his past five years in Wyoming had been fairly quiet, almost 17 years in the DEA, most of that working undercover, had trained an almost instinctive distrust of strangers into his psyche. There were two couples, both older, sharing a booth. They were smiling and having a good time, but weren’t rowdy. A younger couple sat in another booth, heads together and talking softly; most likely on their honeymoon. A group of five college guys were piled at a table in the back and while they were obviously getting drunk and having a good time doing it, they weren’t causing too much of a ruckus. Pablo Bellamy, the owner of the bar, didn’t put up with customers that got too loud, and the guys in the back must have known that.
He flashed a quick look out the windows at the front of the cantina, taking note that the sun was getting low. He glanced at his watch and sighed. If sunset was the goal, time was running out.
Suddenly, the guys in the back became silent. He looked over at them and saw all five staring at the front of the room. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were scraping the floor. Poe knew immediately what they were looking at. Holding his breath in anticipation, he turned to look at the door.
She was wearing a teal-colored dress and strappy high-heeled sandals, and though the dress itself wasn’t too revealing, the super short skirt and form-fitting material left little to the imagination. Her toned arms were bare and her dark chestnut hair flowed loose around her shoulders. Minimal makeup adorned her face, highlighting her large, expressive eyes, but did not hide the freckles that dotted her creamy skin. He watched as her eyes scanned the room. They narrowed a bit as they landed on the college kids, who were still struck dumb by her appearance (not that he blamed them), but then passed them to focus on him.
The corner of her mouth curled up a bit and she pursed her lips, then she sauntered toward him, her mile-long legs striding out effortlessly, her shoes clicking on the wood floor.
God damn, she was perfect.
And she was all his.
As Rey neared him, he eyed her up and down. She looked nothing like a college professor and mother of two young children. His two children. “Is this the dress you bought before we came?” he asked huskily. “The one you wouldn’t let me see?”
She smiled and nodded, stopping before him. “You like it?”
“Sunshine, you’d make a burlap bag look good,” he told her as he slid off the bar stool, totally unconcerned that she was taller than him in those shoes. He pulled out the stool next to him, sliding his body up against hers as she settled onto it. “But yeah, I like it,” he breathed in her ear. He sat back on his stool and watched as she ordered a daquiri from the bartender.
As she waited for her drink, he pulled a small box out of his pocket. Rey did not normally wear a lot of jewelry, but she had a weakness for earrings. Other than the simple band that adorned her left hand, that was all she usually wore. Without any preamble, he opened the box, letting her see the contents.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, Poe!” Inside the box sat a pair of emerald and diamond drop earrings. While not huge and ostentatious, they weren’t small, and they had cost more than Poe had ever spent on anything that was wearable. At the sight of her smile, he had no regrets.
“Happy Anniversary,” he said softly. He watched as she removed the studs she was wearing and traded them for the new ones. It always awed him how women were able to put in earrings without the aid of mirrors. As she swished her head around, grinning at the feel of the heavy jewels brushing her jaw, he pocketed the box.
She leaned forward and kissed him softly on his lips. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I can’t wait for you to see your gift.”
“I thought it was that dress,” he muttered.
“Well, sort of,” she told him, leaning back. “But more what’s under the dress.”
Poe felt his crotch tighten at her words. Damn. Five years together and she could still turn him on with simple words. He glanced out the windows. “If you want that sunset beach walk, we better get to it,” he told her. “And then let’s order in dinner tonight.” The sooner they got back to their room, the better.
“You’re not going to let me show off this dress?” she asked teasingly, then took a large sip of her drink.
Poe looked over at the college guys, who were still fairly quiet and looking at him with definite admiration. “You already have,” he told her with a grin.
Taking her hand, he led her out the door, thanking God for the thousandth time for the strange twist of fate that had brought this woman into his life just over five years ago.
His Halconera.
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