“Tell me again why we have to meet your guy at his work place?” Charmaine asked with irritation for the third time since they left their apartment.

Selena sighed and with her arm linked with Charmaine she visibly dragged her along.  “Come on now, it’ll be fun.”

“How much fun can there be in a bar?” Charmaine asked with wonder.  “Those places are full of creeps who use alcohol as an excuse to hit on women.  And don’t even get me started on those women who use alcohol as an excuse to get hit on.”

Selena giggled at her unfound theory.  Quirking an eye at Charmaine, she asked, “Is that what you really believe?  That women get drunk purposely so that men can feel them up.”

“Sort of,” Charmaine answered with a smile.  “At least those I’ve encountered so far.”

“Well,” Selena said with another giggle, “We’re not those women and we’re going to have a great time tonight.  You’ll see.”  She stopped in front of an all glass store front with a beefy guy standing guard at the door.

Charmaine looked up at the flashing sign overheard which screamed the name of the bar in bright fluorescent lights: “Passion Bar.”  Even the name sounded extremely corny and fell right into her theory of what bars are intended for.  She turned to look at Selena, “Can’t we meet him somewhere else?”

The smile from Selena’s face fell and she looked at Charmaine anxiously, “Oh please Charm.  I really want you to meet him.  You’re here already so might as well just go in and have a drink or two.”

Charmaine saw the pleading on Selena’s face and didn’t want to let her down especially since she’s been raving about this guy for weeks.  With a dramatic sigh she said, “All right.  But I won’t be staying long.  I have work tomorrow morning.”

“You’re a doll!” Selena gushed then kissed Charmaine’s cheek and within a blink of an eye, dragged Charmaine into the dark musty bar.

Charmaine followed behind eyeing the place taking in details, memorizing the layout and people that passed her way.  It was the cop in her she guessed that made her alert even when she’s off duty.  They were now walking towards the back of the bar into a long corridor.  Lining the corridor on both sides were doors with viewing glass.  She supposed these were private rooms available for parties or when requested.  She looked into a room through the small circular window on the door and saw a couple making out heavily on the couch.  The woman sat astride the guy while his hands were roaming freely up and down her back.  Disgusting she thought.  Have these people no shame and pride allowing everyone to see what they were doing?  For heavens sakes, why didn’t they get a hotel room or take it back home.  Just before she turned away the guy suddenly looked up in her direction.  His piercing eyes stared at her and feeling uncomfortable at being caught watching Charmaine quickly walked away.

Selena was waiting for her outside a door at the end of the corridor.  “What were you looking at?”

“Uh nothing,” Charmaine mumbled awkwardly.

“Come on then,” Selena said excitedly and took Charmaine’s hand.  “He’s waiting for us.”  Selena threw open the door and inside sat a guy who looked familiar to Charmaine although she couldn’t place from where.  “This is Kenneth Ma and Ken this is my best friend and roommate Charmaine Sheh.”

“Madame Sheh,” Kenneth said standing up with a wide grin, “How nice to see you again.”

---------------------------------------

Raymond blinked and looked at the door but she was already gone.  He was sure it wasn’t his mind playing tricks on him.  Or could it be he wondered.  After all, he did have a few drinks too many but that couldn’t have led him into seeing things now could it.  And of all people to imagine seeing, he sees that Madame Sheh spying on him.  Where did that come from?  It was definitely the alcohol messing with his senses he concluded.  The woman on him was still running kisses along his neck and suddenly he found himself completely turned off by her.  He pushed her aside and straightened his clothes.

“What’s wrong?” the woman purred already slinking back up against him.

“Not in the mood tonight,” Raymond said simply then bent forward to pull a cigarette out of the pack.

The woman quickly fetched the lighter and lit it for him.  With her fingers running slowly through his tousled hair, she said seductively, “I can get you in the mood again.”

Raymond grabbed her wrist and held it away from him and roughly said, “I said I’m not in the mood.”

Knowing not to anger him, the woman quickly retreated.  At the door, she turned to give him another look, “When your mood returns, call me,” she suggested with a wink then strutted out.

The bartender walked in just as she left, “Ray, Ken wants you to go over to his room.  He has someone to introduce you to.”

“Another girlfriend?” Raymond asked with an amused smile.  “This will make her the third one for this week.”

The bartender chuckled and said, “You know Ken.  One is never enough for him.”

Laughing at the truth of the words, Raymond stood up and picked up his jacket and headed towards Ken’s room.