Beauty And Her Beast

4 - Top Shelf

The streets were fairly empty tonight, which was odd for a Chicago weekend. Especially in the heart of the city.

Ray walked with his head down and the buzz from a night of drinking flowing through him still. It was cold and Ray felt naked without his jacket, but the warmth from the alcohol made up for it.

That and his thoughts of Danny.

How long had it been since he'd seen her last? A day? Two? It felt like years. No matter how often he imagined her in his mind, nothing was as satisfying as actually seeing her. He couldn't place it but there was just something about those brown eyes that had him stuck. The sexual attraction was there, obviously, but Ray felt petty hormonal stuff like that towards anyone with breast. With Danny it was something else.

He wanted her, but he wanted her to want him just as much.

After a few blocks of walking Ray finally arrived at Top Shelf. He'd somehow left his phone and jacket with Danny the last time he saw her and, when he called from Rowan's phone, she answered and they set up a meeting place and time.

Top Shelf being that place. Top Shelf was a quaint city bar mostly occupied by rowdy college students and one of the last places Ray would ever want to go. The atmosphere was Budweiser, cheap cologne, college spirit, rich kids, and beer pong. Not to mention fraternities. 

Basically, everything Ray hated.

But Danny was there. And if Danny was there Ray would be too. So, he waited as a group of boys stumbled out of the bar laughing and hollering before pushing his way inside. Even though the streets were empty the bar was fairly packed. He spotted Danny in the far back corner sitting at a table with her friend Aubree, a group of guys surrounding them. They were all laughing and, while it was obvious by the way they clung to each other that one of the boys was Aubree's boyfriend, Ray didn't know who the others were. But, what was equally as obvious, was that they were standing too close to Danny.

Danny, who had made it her mission not to get drunk and make a fool of herself tonight, laughed along with the others as their friend Thomas told yet another joke.

They'd all been at the bar for about an hour now and while she loved spending time with her friends she was anxious for Ray to show up. Was she crazy for being excited to see him again? They'd only met once and it's not like he was a very talkative guy but even so, there was something about him that made him interesting.

"Danny where do you keep going, girl?" Brandon laughed, snapping his fingers in front of her face. "I swear you've spaced out on us at least ten times tonight."

"Don't tell me you're too cool for us now," Thomas teased, nudging her shoulder with his own.

"What? You guys know I love you. I'm just waiting for someone is all." Danny tried to say it as nonchalantly and casually as she could but of course her friends made a big deal about it. Soon enough the bar was filled with childish and suggestive 'ooohs'. Danny blushed as Brandon and Derek, the other friend with them, started humping the bar table like idiots.

She was seconds away from calling them all idiots and leaving when she felt a hand lightly press against the middle of her back. She turned around only to come face to face with Ray, who was acknowledging no one at the table but her.

"Hey."

"H-Hey. You're here..."

Danny thought she saw the corner of Ray's lips twitch in a smirk, but then she figured she imagined it. His face was just as blank as the last time she'd seen it. Just as emotionless and devastatingly handsome.

"Hi Ray!" Aubree yelled, pulling the star-crossed lovers out of their little staring contest. While Danny mentally calmed herself down, Ray looked up at Aubree and nodded his head in recognition.