Chapter 13

Richie cut through the mob and waved to the bouncer. "Hey Dave," he pushed Jon in ahead of him. "Jesus, who's playing tonight, buddy?" Dave nodded to the marquis. "Southside." "Well no shit," Richie grinned down at Jon. "Looks like it's our lucky night." Jon glanced up at Richie, "Lucky for who, you traitor?" Richie snickered, "Lucky for me of course." He scanned the bar and caught Kate's red curls and zeroed in on Elena. She already had her hand on a guy at the bar. Something deep in his gut growled until he saw her smile and drag her friend over the jock-looking blonde guy. Jon stalked to the bar, noting just how many non-lovely girls were floating in the bar. Damn, it wasn't his night. How the hell had it gone from fun to none within an hour? Nodding his head at the bartender he ordered up his usual, and took a long hard pull of its icy coldness. Richie shifted through the crush of people and dragged Jon along by his jacket. "That one will do," he said to Jon and pointed at the cotton candy blonde that had started shrieking when she realized it was Jon. Jon winced at the noise coming from the blondes mouth. Jesus, she was butt fuck ugly. Squaring his shoulders and plastering on the smile that made him famous he sauntered up to the blonde and leaned in to whisper a greeting before just pulling her into a quick kiss. "You give love a bad name, lovely kiss baby." As the girl walked off a little unsteady he muttered, "That’s ONE, asshole." He lifted the beer to his lips trying desperately to remove the smell of the God awful breath the girl had. Richie waited until the girl turned away to squeal with her friends before he laughed. He took a swig from his own beer and scanned the crowd. He'd have to give him a few cute girls, but that didn't mean they had to be sane. "Next victim," he pointed to a woman that had to be heading for a hard fifty. Jon groaned but walked the walk. As he neared the hag he gave her his grin and swooped in for the kiss. His eyes widened as the old lady pinched his ass during the kiss. Damn he was gonna have nightmares before it was all over. ~ She couldn't help swaying to the music. There was a good, rowdy bar band on stage with tons of guitar and a surprising amount of…Was that harmonica? She sipped her beer and moved to the music as her eyes scanned the crowd. Her gaze buzzed by a few faces, none of them really that bad, but the guy next to her…she grinned. He was cute and standing alone. Reaching up on tip toe she whispered to the guy that she needed help, when he shrugged and nodded she turned around. "Katydid!" Kate winced when the big blonde guy’s eyes lit up. "Well I hope you brought your breath mints," she sighed and lifted her mouth to the eager football jock. The kiss was okay if a little slobbery. She smiled at him and patted his cheek. "Thank you, Number One." The guy looked at her quizzically, "Huh?" Kate just lifted her beer to him. "You are my hero tonight," she said and walked to the dance floor. Elena patted the guy’s arm and mouthed, “Thanks,” following Kate to the dance floor. Her eyes were closed as she lifted her arms and lost herself in the crowd. Taking her cue, she let her own body sway and undulate to the music, her eyes on the look out for number two. Where the heck had Richie gotten off to? She shrugged and continued to dance, taking an occasional swig of her beer. Watching as a stiff, achingly young kid made his way into the center of the dance floor, she grabbed the skinny nerd. They didn’t all have to be cute, she thought as she pulled him close, dancing up against him as she pushed him towards Kate. "Here Katy, a special prize." Elena whirled away, her eyes dead on Kate, her body melding to the music. Kate gave the poor, quaking boy a soft smile. "Pucker up Sugar, I have a quota tonight." "I don't understand," the kid stumbled against her. She lifted his chin and planted a kiss square on his lips trying to avoid the bit of acne that riddled his chin. He was unsure of himself which actually worked in her favor, since she ended up with a dry, chaste kiss. “You have a great night, Sugar.” Kate turned him around and sent him back to his friends. The cheers and back slaps the poor kid got was worth the trouble as she marked number two off the list.