Eraser

ERASER

By Megan Keith

Copyright © Megan Keith 2013
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design by Megan Keith
 

This book is a work of fiction.
  Any references to historical events, real people or real places are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All songs titles and lyrics quoted herein remain the property of the respective copyright holders.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the author, unless in quote form.

Mackenzie had worked at the bar for about seven months now.  Monday to Friday, five nights a week.  It was what you’d call a posh lounge bar.  It reeked of sophistication.  Classical music or jazz always played softly in the background.  The dark wood bar was oversized and designed to perfection, the high gloss stain and shiny brass bar fittings adding appeal to the room.  Mirrors along the top half of the walls reflected and made it appear twice as big, the dark wood panelling below made the room extra luxurious.  The glasses and bottles decorated it too adding to the stylish image of the bar.  Low tables were placed in a pattern across the floor with low brown leather lounge chairs surrounding them.  Large chandeliers hung from the high ceiling creating a soft glow to the room.

Mackenzie
wore a sophisticated uniform, a black knee length pencil skirt with shiny, black, six inch heels.  Dark stockings and a pristine white long sleeve shirt completed the outfit.  She wore her long dark hair in the expected low set pony tail.  Carrying a silver platter of drinks she made her way to the two business men seated at the table closest to the bar.

“Here you go sir,” she said as she placed a bourbon and Coke in front of one of the men.  He continued his conversation with the other man as if she didn’t exist.  Which was fine with her
, she was used to it.  When she placed the second bourbon in front of the other man, however, she felt his eyes on her breasts as she leant towards him.  She was used to that as well.  Even though her uniform was classy and her workplace was too, there was no escaping wandering eyes, particularly when the tables were set so low and she had no choice but to lean down.  Not that she minded that his eyes were glued there, she kind of liked the attention.

Being a business professional, with a wedding ring on Mackenzie noted, the man reverted his eyes back in the direction of his business associate and continued their conversation.  Mackenzie stood and retr
eated back to the bar.  She felt his eyes on her and caught his reflection in the mirror behind the bar as she walked.  He was checking out her ass.  She couldn’t help the smirk that formed on her lips as she walked away.  It was nice to be ogled on occasion, especially by a handsome man.

When she got back behind the bar she hazard
ed a glance in his direction.  He met her eye and she smiled at him causing his mouth to curve into a smile as well, then she went back to work.  Their brief encounter was over, she knew, because he was married and she would never go there.

With a sigh
, she grabbed a wet rag from the bucket under the counter and started wiping down the already pristine bar, just for something to do and to keep her eyes off the man seated in front of it.  She couldn’t even entertain the idea of anything happening with him even if he was attractive and interested, besides the fact that he was married, he was in a deep discussion about some business related topic with the man opposite him and had probably forgotten about her already.

Mackenzie sometimes despised the clients (as she had to refer to them) that came into this bar.  It was a high end establishment in the heart of the city.  High rollers from the casino next door, successful business men and women, and the wealthy all frequented here.  Even the odd celebrity.  It was nothing like the seedy bars she had worked in previously, nothing at all.  You would never catch men in torn jeans and lumberjack shirts in this place.  No honky tonk women in trashy short skirts.  No loud rock and roll music.  It was a subdued place, quiet, and nothing like what Mackenzie had known before.

She sometimes hated that she was required to address everyone by ‘sir’ and ‘madam’, especially when the snobby women looked down on her, eyeing her with contempt, thinking themselves better than her.  She knew some, no all, of them
were
better than her.  They were rich, powerful, and she was their meagre servant.  Some days it made her feel bad, but sometimes, like tonight, she didn’t mind it at all.

It was Friday night.  The place was quiet with only seven clients currently seated.  They had all been respectful to her, well except for the one that ogled h
er, but even that was welcomed; there’s nothing wrong with a man checking her out or flirting with her a little.  Mackenzie was lacking in the love department.  It had been a few weeks since she’d had the pleasure of a man’s company.  She was feeling lonely and didn’t mind the attention one bit, even if there was no potential for it to go anywhere.

Friday nights were her favorite night to work.  Friday was when
he
came in.  She glanced at her platinum Rolex - one of the perks of the job is that she got paid well and was able to afford such things - and saw that it was nearing half past nine.  He would be here soon.

She threw the rag in the bucket and headed in the direction of Alex
, the barman on duty tonight.

“Alex
, I’m just going to the ladies,” she said quietly as she neared him.

“No worries Mack,” he replied with a smile.  Alex was a nice guy, friendly, attractive and unfortunately also married.  They worked well together and had become friends in the few months Mackenzie had worked here.  He was a fun guy to work with and always gave her a laugh.
  His wife was one lucky lady.

S
he slipped out of the back door and down the corridor to the employee’s bathroom.  After using the facilities and washing her hands, she stood in front of the mirror and redid her pony tail, checked her make-up and reapplied her lipstick.  She wanted to look good for
him
.  Not that he’d probably notice or even say more than two words to her.

She smoothed her hands down her skirt, removing some lint.  It was with a resigned sigh that she took one last look in the mirror.  She was pretty, she knew, but not overly attractive
, nothing attention grabbing or special.  Her dark hair and pale complexion made her seem almost ghost-like at times.  Her dark green eyes were her best feature, she figured, and she had been blessed with long dark lashes making them more appealing.  Other than her eyes, Mackenzie thought there was nothing striking about her features.  She was average height, with an average build, she was no beauty.  Of course that was why
he
never made an attempt to flirt with her, or even
speak
to her at all.

She turned on her heels and made her way back to the bar.  Her eyes automatically flicked in the direction of his unoccupied chair though she needn’t have looked, she knew he hadn’t arrived.  There was always an electricity in the air when he was in the room and she couldn’t feel it yet.

She took her place next to Alex behind the bar and scanned the room, checking that all the clients still had liquid in their glasses.  She found a couple with empties and attempted to head in their direction when they both stood and the man threw some money on the table.  She hesitated for a moment while they left before heading to their table with her silver tray.  Bending slightly to collect the glasses and placing them with the cash on the tray, she felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck lift.  Discreetly she flicked her eyes in the direction of the front door just as
he
entered.

He took her breath away as he always did.  His black hair styled to perfection.  His expensive black suit made the same way.  Straightening her body she turned
to face him but hesitated before taking a step.  Tonight he wore a white shirt and dark blue tie.  He stood tall, six feet she guessed, his eyes sweeping the room, gliding past her own.  She quickly looked away, ducking her head slightly as she moved back towards the bar.

He strode by her
and she felt the warmth of his body behind her back as he passed.  Though he was at least five or so feet from her as he did, she could still feel an electric current between his body and hers.  It was always this way for her, whenever he was here.  She couldn’t help it, there was something about that man.

He took his usual seat and when she rounded the bar her eyes automatically went in his direction.  He caught her eye and raised his hand in a one-fingered salute, signalling his order.  He came here every Friday and so that was all that was required of him to order his drink.  His standard.

Alex was at the other end of the bar pouring champagne for some other clients that had just arrived, so turning on her heels once more, Mackenzie reached high to the top shelf, grabbing the Glenfiddich thirty-year-old, single malt Scotch whisky.  He was the only person that ever ordered it.  It wasn’t the most expensive drink they served, but still it wasn’t cheap, not by a long shot.  She poured the amber liquid over some ice, the scent of the liquor filling her nostrils.  She wondered what it tasted like.  She’d never drank anything so expensive in all her life.  She had drunk cheap Scotch whisky plenty of times and wondered what the difference was, if the expense was worth it.  Though she wasn’t about to find out anytime soon.

She returned the bottle to the shelf then took her silver tray to the man that made her heart beat faster.  She felt his eyes on her as she approached though she avoided them, looking past him instead.  She always tried to keep her eyes from his because they were overwhelming when he set them upon her.  When their eyes met
, her stomach never failed to flutter.

She felt her body heat as she neared him.  She tried her best to keep a steady hand when she placed the drink in front of him, but her body failed her as it always did and her hand trembled slightly before the bottom of the glass hit the table.  Her eyes also betrayed her mind by flicking upwards and meeting his.  As she righted herself his eyes remained locked on hers.  She stood frozen for a moment, caught in his web.  H
is dark and intense stare making tingles run down her back and also pool in her front.

“Is there anything else I can get you sir?” she asked with a slightly shaky breath, annoyed at herself for failing to remain composed in his presence.

“No,” he answered in a deep voice that vibrated through her.  She knew that would be his answer, it always was.

“Very well,” she said with a slight nod
.  His intense eyes remained on her face and she felt the wrath of them on her back as she turned and retreated to her post.

She breathed a sigh of rel
ief when she made it back safely behind the bar.  Her eyes again involuntarily looked in his direction.  He hadn’t moved an inch.  His composure was just the same and his eyes were still focused on her.  She gasped at the intensity of his stare.

“Mack,” Alex said
, causing her to jump.  She turned her head in his direction.  He flicked his eyes toward the table with the two business men from earlier.  Her eyes followed his and she saw that they both had empty glasses.  Carrying the tray she still had in her hand she made her way back out of the safety of the bar to stand in front of the two business men.

“Could I get you gentlemen another drink?”

“I’ll have another bourbon and Coke,” said the first man with barely a glance.

“I’ll have the same,” said the other one, the
handsome one with the wandering eyes.

She leaned forward to grab their empty glas
ses, placing them on the tray.

“When do you finish your shift?” he asked, catching her off guard.  Her eyes locked onto his pale blue ones as she straightened her stance.  He was attractive, there was no denying it.  Blond hair, blue eyes, dimples when he smiled, nice teeth…
a wedding ring
.

“Not for a while yet,” she answered vaguely and turned away.  She didn’t
need to encourage him.  Though she enjoyed the attention and he was just the type of guy she would normally go for, she couldn’t allow it to happen.  She’d seen him here before, he had flirted with her then too, so he was a semi-regular, probably worked in the area.  That was reason enough not to encourage him.  She didn’t want to sleep with someone that would perhaps come back for more, not if he were a married man.  If he was single, well that would be another story.

When she reached the bar Alex was already pouring the drinks for the men, obviously having heard their order as there table was close
by.  She watched as he placed the drinks on her tray.

“
Thanks,” she said to him with a smile.

Alex gave her a wink and a
grin back before she lifted the tray and turned toward the men.  She felt
his
eyes on her, the man in the corner, the dark-haired, dark-eyed, brooding Friday-nighter.  Her head turned in his direction and she caught his eye.  It caused her to wobble slightly, she almost lost her footing.  She felt her cheeks flush as she put her other hand out to steady the tray.  Her hackles rose because he had such a huge effect on her, just his intense gaze was enough to make her lose all professionalism.  She prided herself on doing her job well.  She rarely lost her steady composure, spilt a drink or lost her footing.  Except for Friday nights when he was here.  He was her undoing, he unnerved her,
he
was her weakness.  It suddenly made her angry.

“Are you right there love?” asked the attractive blond man seated in front of her.

“Yes, thank you sir,” she replied, placing his drink in front of him.  She turned towards the other man and positioned his glass on the table.