Free Kiss of Noir by Clara Nipper Page B

Someone was on the stool next to her so I stared down the offender, jerked my thumb, and said, “Out. Mine.” The offender grabbed her glass and scurried away with a frightened look. I sat on the empty bar stool. “How you doin’?” I asked my prey, tapping a cigarette on the bar.
    The blonde appraised me with a scowl and returned to her book.
    “What are you reading?”
    The blonde sighed and showed the cover, her eyes closed in impatience.
    “Stephen Hawking, are you kidding me?” I snorted.
    “Why?” The blonde was beautiful. Her hair was long and curly, her face was daintily sculpted and her lips were plump, wet, and shiny with potential. She had big brown eyes, her body was nothing but curvy handrails, and all of it was hostile.
    “Well, c’mon, this isn’t a college class, it’s a bar .”
    “I’m well aware of where I am. Anything else?” The blonde’s flawless eyebrows were raised with withering politeness.
    “You want a drink?”
    The blonde’s small hand instantly covered the top of her glass of wine. “No, thank you.”
    “Then how about a dance?”
    “No. But again, thank you.”
    “Aw, come on.” I placed my hand on the blonde’s back where it sizzled. She jerked up straight and stared at me until I removed my hand. I motioned to the bartender. “Tank and tonic.”
    The blonde had resumed reading, her cheeks burning.
    “Isn’t ignoring me a lot of work?” I persisted.
    The blonde rolled her eyes and slammed down her book. But her mouth twitched. “Yes, but it’s worth it.”
    “Why do you come here if you don’t want company?”
    “That’s my business.” Her words were crisp and starchy.
    I decided that my harmless goof approach was working best on this one. It had such honest non-threatening appeal. Then, when the blonde was relaxed, I would come out in force like a striking rattlesnake.
    “You know.” I paid for my drink and motioned for another glass of wine over her indignant protests. “I read a lot too.”
    “Is that right?” The blonde, full of sarcasm and contempt, held her eyes open only a slit to regard me.
    “Yep, I’ve read all of Stephen King’s books.”
    “Oh, my.” Her eyes opened wide. “We’re just alike!”
    “Let’s see…I also like dining out, sunsets, bubble baths and long walks on the beach.” I surprised myself by laughing at my own joke.
    “Do you also like being rejected?” She smiled for the first time.
    “Love it.”
    “Good, then stay right here.” She finished her drink and sipped from the glass I bought her. I was encouraged. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw Payne staring at me from the dance floor. When our eyes met, Payne turned the filly in a half-circle and buried her face in the woman’s hair. I watched long enough to notice that Payne’s filly was now staring at me. I turned back to the blonde.
    “I’m Nora, what’s your name?”
    “Gwendolyn.”
    “It is not, what is it?”
    “Penelope.”
    “C’mon, just tell me your name, please?”
    The blonde, holding her wineglass to her lips and facing the bar, had a tiny smile on her mouth. “Jill.”
    “All right, forget it. I’ll call you Hellion, how about that?”
    The blonde turned and bored into my eyes. “That will do perfectly.”
    “Feel like a dance yet?”
    “Not at all. Feel like giving up and leaving me alone?”
    “Absolutely not.”
    “Then we’re at an impasse.” Hellion picked up her book and resumed reading.
    “You know, Hell, no one’s going to break into you like an armed robber. You have to invite us in.”
    “Like a vampire?” Hellion replied, never stopping her reading.
    “Exactly.”
    Payne came over, nodded to me, and hugged Hellion, who was startled into reciprocating, her book crushed between them.
    “Hey! How are you?” Payne grinned.
    “Good. And you?” Hellion had mentally dismissed Payne and was smoothing her book on the bar.
    “Just great. You’re treating my bud here okay, aren’t you?” Payne