Holiday Black Romance Short Stories

“Going home alone sounds like anti-New Year’s Eve to me. Either way, I’d hate for all this good liquor to go to waste.”

“Right.” She nodded. “I could use a good kiss tonight.” She placed her empty martini glass down and added, “At the very least.” We both stood glaring over the crowd before we decided to join the white boys on the dance floor.
As we joined a few of our colleagues doing the cha-cha slide, I watched as Ben stayed on the outskirts of the dance floor. He was acting just as he did at work, an observer, participating only when necessary. As he stood nearby with his phone in his hand, I couldn’t tell if he was scrolling social media or looking over work emails. His face was equally disinterested.

As I slid to the right, I continued watching Ben, and oddly, he was sexier tonight than he was in the office. His dark skin was a stark contrast to the guys trying to keep up with us on the dance floor. And as he held his phone in front of him, the way his bicep flexed in his fitted suit reminded me that he left every day during the lunch hour to work out.

When his eyes connected with mine, it was time for me to crisscross, breaking our eye contact. Gabby and I danced through a few more line dances before I suggested we hit the bar again; it was time for drink number four. But Gabby was caught by Jim from accounting just as I tried to signal her to exit the dance floor.

I grinned at her and wriggled my eyebrows as I left her alone with Jim. I walked to the bar and ordered another martini. Kathy, who I saw occasionally in the office, was seated in front of the bar with a huge grin. “Hey, Kathy,” I said as I took a sip of my martini. “You okay?” I asked.

Her eyes were glossy like she had been sitting there for a while, although I hadn’t seen her there earlier.

She giggled. “I’m good, how are you…” She paused, and I considered she didn’t remember my name. “Gabby, how are you Gabby?” I rolled my eyes because although Gabby was also black, we didn’t look anything alike. Gabby was modelesque, with long legs and a slender body. I wasn’t short, but much shorter than her and I had curves.

“It’s Kayla,” I said with a tight grin. Kathy’s hand shot to her mouth as she started to apologize. I shook my head and mumbled, “Don’t worry about it,” before taking my drink and walking away.

The balcony was open, and although the chill of the night was on some serious arctic vibes I stepped outside, and thankfully the heaters made it comfortable enough. I looked out over the nearby buildings. If I craned my neck just right, I could see our office building in the distance. The street down below was bustling with people, likely bar hopping for New Year’s.

I sat looking out over the view until I heard the crowd counting down, “Ten, nine…” I walked back into the ballroom and joined the countdown. When we yelled, “Happy New Year,” I watched my co-workers who had dates exchange kisses, and I envied the moment. I walked back to the bar to grab my last martini before heading to a room I reserved in the hotel. I didn’t see Gabby as I downed the drink, but my vision wasn’t exactly perfect either. I wasn’t stumbling when I walked, but it was definitely time to get to my room before I made a fool of myself.

I poked my finger to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. When they did, I saw Ben standing in the corner. “Hey,” I mumbled.

Continue reading in A Kiss at Midnight.

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