Unbound Read Free Page B

just sort of... check out .”
     
    “ I know,” I said, pulling on a pair of jeans and a faded green t-shirt.  I found my dog tags in the jacket pocket of my suit and threw them around my neck.  Old habits die hard.
     
    “ Are you thinking about your time in the military when you blank out?”
     
    “ Most of the time,” I said, sitting down hard on the bed next to her.
     
    “ Is that what happened on the red carpet tonight? Were you thinking about it?” 
     
    I looked at her and blinked.  Her huge blue eyes stared back at me with concern.  She was being compassionate.  Sometimes the girl surprised me.  She wasn't near as narcissistic as most people thought.
     
    I shook my head and glanced at the carpet.  “It was more like a flashback tonight. It was... it wasn't good.”
     
    “ I’m sorry,” she said and kissed the skin below my ear. She pulled me to her and I could feel her amazing breasts pressing into my back.  When I noticed the eager response from my body, I I stood and stepped away as softly as I could.
     
    “ The room is yours,” I said. “As for me, I’m going down to the bar, drink my weight in booze, and hopefully be able to stumble back up here and sleep it off.”
     
    “ Devlin…”
     
    I put a finger to her lush lips in a way that was supposed to be sweet but looked comical, even from my drunk ass view point. I kissed her forehead and stared hard at the mesmerizing starlet dressed in the tiny black nighty for a moment, fighting one last urge to give her what she wanted. I turned away with a sigh and without another word, walked out of the door.
     
    ****
    The bar was pretty empty, which was good. It was hard for me to go anywhere and not be recognized.  When it first happened, I was amused and thought I was important... but now, it was just old. I missed the allure of walking into a business or a bar or... whatever and not having anyone know who I was. People always wanted to pretend like I was their favorite actor, asking me dumb, meaningless questions about life in Hollywood.
     
    Luckily, the hotel bar only held about ten patrons. I eyed the place through drunken eyes.  From what I could tell, it was vaguely art-deco in that cool and hip New York style that was all the rage.  Course, next week, they'd have to tear it all down and remodel to match the newest vogue look.
     
    I walked to the far end of the bar, hidden in shadows and soft light. I took a seat and leaned into the cold bar top. I eyed the liquor on the wall and sighed. I’d never been a big drinker but the idea of drinking until all thoughts stopped running through my head was appealing.
     
    The bar keeper walked over. If he recognized me, he didn’t let on.
     
    “ Evening.  What can I get you?” he asked.
     
    “ A shot of tequila,” I said. “And stick around while I take it because I’m going to want a few beers to wash it down it. And I may bookend those with another shot.”
     
    The man smiled at me, that hesitant smile all barkeepers have at the ready. “You got a room here?”
     
    “ Upstairs. With a remarkable young lady in the bed. Remarkable and clearly confused.”
     
    He chuckled and slid the shot over to me.  I took it greedily, downing it and placed the glass gingerly back on the bar. The tender then slid me over a glass of amber beer that he had just poured.  The head was still thick and creamy.
     
    “ Let me know when you need that topped off.”
     
    “ Yep.”
     
    I reached for the glass and damn near missed the thing. It took that action for me to realize that I was much more intoxicated than I thought. I considered calling Adam and asking if he wanted to come have a few drinks but then remembered that I had left my broken phone in the hotel room after throwing it against the wall.  Dammit.
     
    I got halfway through the beer and was struck by a moment of perfect clarity. There was nothing profound that caused it. I was simply looking at myself in the mirror behind the