LITMIR.BIZ

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lips that were made perfectly plump by injections. She had zeroed in on him and he had enjoyed every ounce of the sweet attention she poured over him like molasses. He’d fought the urge to lick his lips when she smiled. He’d begun to wonder what their first date would be like, until she shared that she had just had to meet him when she’d found out he was one of the owners. His excitement shut off like a light. He wondered if she would have given him the same attention if he’d just been a patron. These small indications of superficiality were fast becoming turnoffs.

      In his distinctly charming manner, Chris had eased out of her magnetic hold without chipping at her dignity. He had told her how beautiful she was, which wasn’t a lie. With a soft touch slightly above her lower back, he had leaned close to her ear and expressed how he had enjoyed talking to her but unfortunately needed to get back to work. He had thanked her sincerely for patronizing The Reserve and had mentioned that he hoped she and her friends would come again. With a kiss to the back of her hand, he had bid her a wonderful evening and departed, backing away slowly, smiling, without false promises. She had got the message and pouted, seeming a little disappointed, but smiled seductively, still with an arch in her long neck and a bare shoulder pushed forward. She had winked, slid a finger across her lips and said good-night before sauntering away and joining her friends at their table. As he moved around throughout the night, he had caught her staring several times. She’d pout, smile and allow her lustful gaze to linger for seconds before turning away.

      Chris finished off the water and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin. Despite being tired, he was still too wound up to sleep and figured a long, hot shower would help him relax. Picking up the remote, he turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room and headed toward his bedroom. Walking through the closet, he pulled boxers from a drawer and continued to the bathroom for the shower. Emerging clean and smelling like mint, he slipped into his underwear and flopped onto the bed, ready for a comforting night of sleep.

      A half hour later, the anticipated slumber still hadn’t come. Chris picked up his phone and started scrolling through pictures on The Reserve’s Facebook page. So many people had posted about the night’s performance. Others posted everything from pictures of their food to wine choices to selfies outside with the name on the awning in the background. The blonde had even added a comment to a posted picture about how much she had enjoyed herself and had to come back soon.

      Seeing the woman’s picture made him think about the theme common to the women he’d been meeting lately. Chris hesitated a moment, letting his finger hover over the screen of his phone. After a moment he touched the icon that brought up a search engine. He laughed at himself. Was he really considering this? He entered dating sites into the search bar. Several of them came up, as well as options for apps that he could download on his phone. After perusing the list for about ten minutes, he settled on one of the apps that, based on its description, didn’t seem so intrusive. It offered local prospects, which seemed reasonable. He never thought he’d do well in long-distance relationships.

      Chris downloaded the app and started putting together a profile using the name Chris Mullins. He completed every swipe, upload, and tap of a letter with trepidation. He selected a full-body picture so that his facial features wouldn’t be as prominent. His thumb hovered over the image. Once that finger connected with the screen, his profile would become visible to a vast pool of companion seekers. He hated to think that this would make him seem desperate. He tried to bear in mind the reassurance of his friends.

      Chris had never been the kind to follow the herd, but this time, knowing that many others had searched for mates online seemed comforting. He wasn’t alone in this. He wasn’t the first. This would expand his options. He personally knew someone who had succeeded in finding a great woman online. Convincing himself worked. He touched the screen, making his profile public. It was official.

      He sat up in bed and, resting against the headboard, closed his eyes. Letting out a deep sigh and then a grunt, he blew out his concerns. This couldn’t hurt him. In fact, it could prove to be interesting—fun, even. He didn’t have to commit to anything or anyone. He considered it a new method of blind dating, with the benefit of seeing what your date looked like before you actually met. Curiosity captured his focus as he thought about the possibilities.

      He swiped through a few profile pictures, surprised at how many attractive women he found there, but wondered if the images they posted were depictions of what they really looked like.

      “Ha!” Chris released a hearty laugh into the silence that enveloped his room. What if he got catfished? That would certainly make for a good story with the guys.

      Reading through profiles, he formed a few opinions. There were several options for filtering his search, such as location, interests and ethnicity. The site offered a smorgasbord of women, featuring every type of personality. This he determined much from the pictures alone, which showed women in everything from business suits to minuscule bikinis that advertised all their major “assets.” He did come across one or two that he was tempted to send private messages to but seemed to be at a loss for what to say. That never happened when he was in front of a woman in real life.

      Chris laughed at himself again. He still wasn’t one hundred percent sure about this, but he was now official. He was in the game despite his reservations. Connecting his phone to the charger, he lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers up to his neck. Nestling into his memory-foam mattress, he thought about the possibilities until his lids grew heavy enough to shut out all thoughts.

       Chapter 5

      Serenity’s phone buzzed. She snatched it off the desk with one ferocious motion. Holding the phone against her chest, she felt it vibrate slightly at the same rapid pace of her heart. She didn’t know how much longer she’d keep that app on her phone. The constant notifications ran her battery down, but curiosity wouldn’t allow her to mute the alerts. With each buzz, a burst of air radiated in her stomach, sending nervous tremors through her core. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled. She looked up at the clock. She had three minutes before the third-period bell rang and a herd of seventh graders would come charging into the music room.

      Entering the passcode on her screen, she opened the dating app. She had more private messages, one from a gentleman who looked like her favorite uncle. She scrunched her nose and deleted his message without reading it. She hadn’t actually read any of the messages fully. She only saw part of the first line, which was previewed under the subject line. She didn’t know if the sender could tell if she had opened the messages or not. Instead she let them pile up, reducing the likelihood of responding. She clicked on a few more profiles.

      Despite her reservations, she was entertained by what people wrote in their profiles. Some kept their introductory lines simple, describing their interests and professions. Others got creative. She stopped short at the profile of a good-looking caramel-colored man with a smooth black goatee, assuming she’d be intrigued by his summary. Instead, what she found caused abrupt laughter to erupt from her mouth.

      “You’ve got to be kidding!”

      She read the words under his picture again.

      Roses are red, violets are tan,

      You finally found your perfect man.

      Giggling, she took a screenshot of his profile with the cheesy poem and tapped a quick text to her girlfriends on their group chat and uploaded the image.

      This is why online dating is a bad idea! LOL!

      That text would serve as a source of amusement for the rest of their day. Returning to the dating app and shaking her head, she closed the window of his profile. The next one featured a full-body picture of what looked like a rather handsome man. Serenity zoomed in to see his face better. His summary said he loved music, travel and great wines. The information he provided was minimal, and for some reason that intrigued her. She looked at his zip code and realized that he was also from Nassau County.

      The school bell rang long and piercingly. She flinched, launching from her seat. One hand flew to her chest, while the other tightened the grip

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