One Taste of Crazy

His hand shook as he swiped another glass of champagne from the passing waiter. He should probably slow it down, but he had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen. Not when every time he glanced her way she was laughing and dancing with another man.

Kind of his fault. Just call him a chicken. He couldn’t ask her to dance. The words wouldn’t form.

It was a simple question. Would you like to dance? It wasn’t that hard. Five simple words.

Five simple words to the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. That was the problem. When it came to women, forget it. Words didn’t come out sounding right. He was nothing more than an incompetent moron.

“Are you sulking? Because you look like you’re sulking. And champagne? Dude, go get a beer.”

Sauer stifled a groan as Newman, his best friend and partner, got on his case. “It’s good champagne. Have you tried some?”

Newman chugged half his beer, then belched. “Nope. Don’t plan on it.”

“Why is Chrissy dating you?”

“Because I’m charming and sexy. Now that you’ve brought up dating, what woman are you taking home tonight? You are not leaving this reception without a woman in your arms.”

Sauer couldn’t help it. His eyes sought her out immediately. Nope. He sure in the hell wouldn’t be going home with her. Only in his dreams.

“Please tell me you didn’t just look at Dee. Anyone but her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Dude, she is a man-hater. She would eat you up and rip you to shreds. Pick a different woman.”

Sauer patted Newman on the shoulder and grinned. “I have no plans of bringing any woman home tonight. And next time you belch, at least say excuse me. Women appreciate manners.”

“Sauer, whatever you’re thinking, get it out of your head. Look elsewhere,” Newman half-shouted as he walked away.

The last thing he wanted to do was hear how Dee was a bad choice. He knew that. Not because she was a so-called man-hater, but because she was too beautiful and so out of his league. She was best friends with Rina, who married his good friend Ben today. The few times he interacted with her, he barely managed a decent hello. Completely tongue-tied when it came to her. Just like when he spoke to most women. But with Dee, it was ten times worse. There was something about her. He couldn’t explain it.

He finished his glass of champagne rather quickly—too quickly—and decided he should eat. Something to occupy his mind. Something other than stare at Dee wishing he had the courage to ask her to dance. It was just a dance. It wouldn’t lead to anything else. Or could it?

Grow a pair. That’s what he needed to do. Something Newman said to him a few times when they went out for drinks. They’d see a beautiful woman, usually in a group full of beautiful women, and Newman would say, “Just go start talking to them. If you don’t practice, you’re never going to get it right. Grow a pair.”

He’d down his beer, think about what to say, and like the chickenshit he was, he’d order another beer and continue to figure out what to say until the entire group of women left the bar and his chance was effectively over. The story of his life.

Not that he never had a girlfriend or sex before, because, yeah, he wasn’t a total scaredy-cat when it came to women. The few girlfriends he had just never went very far.

Grabbing a small plate, he started to pile different hors d’oeuvres until there wasn’t any room left. This way he didn’t have to come back for seconds. It was easier if he stayed in his little corner until it was polite enough to leave the wedding reception. He was having a good time. He just wasn’t sure he could stand it anymore, eyeing Dee dressed in the elegant silver dress that clung to her body so delicately. Nothing usually screamed delicate about her. More like outrageous and rowdy. Like her wild red hair that he loved to see, especially when she scrunched it with her hand to make it even bushier. Although, tonight she had it pulled back into a cute little updo that framed her face so well.

He needed to leave. Seeking her out, watching her have fun with other men wasn’t going to help him move on.

Newman was right. She wasn’t his type. She was too outgoing. Too loud. Too in-your-face. He could barely speak to an average-looking woman. How would they make it as a couple? Simple. They wouldn’t because he would never have the nerve to speak more than a quick hello to her. Which was the most he had ever said to her.

“Oh, that looks delicious as shit.” A hand swiped one of the breaded shrimp from his plate. “Yummy. You’re the best, Sauer.”

His face flamed with heat as he stared into a pair of chocolate-brown eyes. “Um, thanks.”

Dee cracked a smile as her sweet laughter surrounded them. “No, no, thank you.” She cocked her head to the side. “You look very dashing in a suit.”

“Um, thanks.”

“I’m gonna grab one more shrimp. Do you mind?”

“Um, thanks.”

She laughed as she snatched another shrimp and walked away.

What was wrong with him? Um, thanks. That’s all he could say?

Yeah, story of his life. He wanted the most beautiful woman in the room and he couldn’t even say more than two words.

***

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