I hear her heels clicking the moment she enters. I zero in on her arrival and her presence immediately illuminates the dimly lit bar. Despite it being Thursday, there was more people here than I had anticipated. Even though I wanted a bit more privacy, I always liked coming here anyway. It was one of the nicest hotel's in the city and I often stayed here when I needed to be alone.

That was much more often than not. It was easy to fall into my work here and relax away from the pressure.

Aurora wore a black dress, the fabric swayed and hit softly like a wave against her thighs every time she took another step closer. She smiled at me knowingly and watched my every move.

There was something about her gaze that left me wondering about her almost all night. I had spent hours trying to figure out why those eyes left me so flustered.

I stood from my spot and took her hand in mine, placing a kiss on it and catching the blush creep up on her cheeks right away. I helped her sit and moved my stool next to hers.

"You made it," I said, "here I was thinking you'd ditch me."

Aurora rolls her eyes. "Really? It was kinda hard to ditch you, since you did send a car for me after all."

She crossed her legs and set her bag down on the stool next to hers. She immediately called for the waiter.

"You're going to explain to me what the sudden interest is."

I nodded as if I was actually going to explain myself to a woman. It just wasn't happening. That, and I didn't really understand this interest either. I didnt want to judge Aurora and whatever lifestyle she lived.

I watched her order herself some sort of mixed drink and couldn't help but stare. The way she batted her lashes so slowly, how they'd rest against her skin for just a few seconds until her eyes fluttered open again, revealing big, brown eyes that hid more than they told. Perfect skin. Beautiful features. There was no way that this was so easy. There was always a catch.

"We're going to go for a drive after this," I said, "but first, we're going to have dinner."

"I see you've got all this planned out," she said nonchalantly as the waiter set her drink down in front of her.

It was easy to notice his lingering stare on her, too. It annoyed me but she seemed to enjoy it, like it was a game.

"Yeah, see? I planned a whole evening of fun just for you."

Aurora frowned. "Didn't think this was your scene."

"What do you mean?"

She took a quick drink and focused on me again, all her attention given to me as some sort of gift. "I've heard stories about you, you know that? I've heard all about how you take a girl out once and then never call again. Is that what this is, Abel?"

I gulped. Of course she had heard stories, but I had heard stories about her too. In a way, it felt like we were even. Except I had invited her out, and hadn't given her the option to say no.

So what was this really?

Alex thought I was kidding when I told him that I was going to go out with her, more so because he was a regular at the club she worked at and he thought she was just looking for a quick thrill. Something to break routine.

But Aurora was so much more than other chicks, my girlfriend included. They could all wear expensive clothing and be dripping gold, but there's always something more that makes someone special. Aurora moved like a panther, she was precise in her movements and secure in who she was. She didn't care that everyone knew she was a stripper. She also didn't care if people saw her out with wads of cash, shopping and doing whatever else.

I guess that's the appeal.

"I'd leave my girlfriend for you," I told her honestly.

Aurora giggled. "Really now? Cute."

Rolling my eyes, I took a sip of her drink and immediately regretted it. I hated coke and Hennessy. "I'm serious."

She took the glass from me and looked at me dead in the eyes, not caring that the waiter was standing nearby. She spit in the drink and handed it to me proudly.

Without taking her eyes off me, she inched closer until her lips were just within reach of mine. "Drink it. Then we'll talk."