Page 1 of Lessons in Love
Prologue
Blondes
Vodka soda.
Brunettes.
Rum and Coke.
Redheads.
Amaretto Sour.
Highlights.
Mojito.
Lowlights.
Beer.
Knotted on Top.
Margaritas.
Pulled Back.
Gin and tonic.
Bobs.
Moscow Mules.
Long.
Champagne.
Short.
Tequila shots.
Shoulder-length.
Sex on the Beach.
Chapter One
This story is told from the Hero’s POV.
As a dude, I know too much about women’s hair. But in my line of work, it’s a bonus. I can call it the second I see them. One quick glance and I know a woman sporting bangs and long layers is going to want something strong like they are, but independent and free-spirited like they wish they were. I’d wager on a Whiskey Sour.
No matter what their hairstyle, the one thing all women have in common is sex. Yup, sex. You might say that sounds trite, even obvious, but it’s true. There’s a basic need, a desire that the right cocktail with the right opportunity at the right time can release, making the most put together woman come undone.
Back to me, which is how I like it, that and a good bob on my knob. I’m the owner, Hardy Richard. Hence the name above the door—Hardy’s Hideaway, where cocktails are served alongside a good helping of cock tales. Sure I could have gone for the obvious, but Dick’s was already taken. The owner of that bar afew blocks from here doesn’t even see the irony in his name. I do, and I own every inch of my iron.
Tucked down a street near the Brooklyn Bridge, the Hideaway attracts not just Manhattanites but locals too. The clientele changes often, each night bringing a parade of the lonely, the content, the happy, the sad, the partiers, and the overt. Women in every shape and size frequent my bar looking for a good time with their boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, partners, significant others, regular hook ups, and strangers.
They’re all here for the same reasons—a good time and a great fuck. The Hideaway is happy to provide both. Our customers are left satisfied because we’re more than just bartenders. We’re therapists. We’re life coaches. We’re teachers. We’re lovers. We’re sexual healers. Here, under the dim lights, we’re gods. My team is gifted, leaving our patrons smiling and wanting more. Word of mouth has worked its way around the five boroughs and business is booming. Our motto is threefold. The customer is always right, they always come, and they always come back. Goals we strive for night after night.
