Free Prohibited: an erotic novel by Donnee Patrese Page A

the next table.
     
    I was in the middle of taking a sip of beer when he made that comment. I started to choke. I was choking and sputtering beer everywhere.
     
    “Michael, are you alright?” He said jumping up from the table.
     
    I couldn’t speak. The beer was blocking my airways.
     
    A crowd gathered around our table including our server. I gained my composure and was now able to speak.
     
    “I’m fine, I’m fine,” I said.
     
    Someone had brought a glass of water to the table and I took a drink. I felt a lot better.
     
    “He’s fine everybody.” Lorenzo said moving back to his seat.
     
    The crowd followed his example and made their way back to their seats. I felt a little embarrassed.
     
    I stopped the waitress and asked for a more substantial drink.
     
    “Can you please bring me a shot of whiskey?” I said.
     
    The server smiled and walked back to the bar. Lorenzo was laughing.
     
    Clearly my almost dying has amused him in some way. I looked over at the red head and realized it was not Amanda and I could have slapped Lorenzo at that moment. The last person I wanted to see was my last mistress. I have been avoiding her for months. She stalked me for weeks after I ended our affair.
     
    “Thanks for scaring the shit out of me.” I said taking another sip of water.
     
    “My lord, Mike,” Lorenzo said laughing. “I thought you were dying.”
     
    “Yet that is amusing to you?” I asked with a grin on my face.
     
    We laughed for a few minutes.
     
    “She looked like her.”
     
    The waitress brought my drink and I downed it. The liquid burned my throat and I coughed for a minute.
     
    “That’s what I’m talking about.” I exclaimed.
     
    I started to feel warm and electric all over. It felt good.
     
    Lorenzo was not paying attention to me. He was focused on a woman at the bar. She had blonde hair and fair skin. She was watching him with a mischievous grin on her pale yet very striking face.
     
    I smiled.
     
    “So, how is dating going?” I inquired.
     
    Lorenzo slowly turned to me. His expression was unsure. He grabbed his beer and took a drink.
     
    “Well,” Lorenzo said leaning back in his chair. “I miss coming home to a beautiful woman. This dating thing is driving me crazy. I’m just too old to be back in this game.”
     
    “It’s been five years. You’re not going to try?” I asked.
     
    I looked for the server. I saw her looking at me and I lifted my empty glass. She smiled, nodded and headed back to the bar. I looked back at Lorenzo. His cheerful demeanor had faded and his expression was solemn.
     
    I sighed.
     
    “Enzo, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” I tried to explain.
     
    He waved his hand and cut me off. Lorenzo’s wife, Olivia died five years ago. She struggled with breast cancer for years and finally it just consumed her. It was hard on both of them. Lorenzo and Julia. It was hard watching them watch her just fade.
     
    “It’s okay,” he said folding his arms across his chest. “It has been five years but you know…I miss her.” He said.
     
    The waitress came to our table and brought my drink. I leaned back in my chair and took a sip from my glass.
     
    “The hardest part is not getting any,” he said laughing.
     
    He was back to his joking self again.
     
    “I mean,” he said taking a handful of peanuts from the center of the table.
     
    “I am not getting any on a regular basis like you.”
     
    I took another sip from my glass and looked at him.
     
    “I wish it was my wife that was giving it to me regularly.”
     
    I took another drink and just stared at him across the table.
     
    “Not much going on in my house.”
     
    “Really? Wow!” He said raising an eyebrow. “How is the therapy going?”
     
    “Not so good, not much is changing. She doesn’t seem to think that there is anything wrong.” I said remembering our last therapy session.
     
    Even our therapist was getting frustrated.
     
    Lorenzo exhaled