Welcome To Crete Chapter 47

Night in Mardi Gras

As Sal and Fay neared 'Mardi Gras' they could hear the loud sound of music blaring out and the shouts of the Kamaki, otherwise known as 'Boycie', who was trying to convince passers by to stop for a drink in the bar. Boycie wolf whistled loudly at them when he noticed their approach.
"Come on girls, run, run! There's three men to every woman in here but that could change at any time!" he yelled, clapping his hands and motioning them over.
"All right, calm down," Fay said, looking over her shoulder and brushing past him to get to the door.
"Where's my kiss curly?" he asked, placing his hands around her waist and holding her back from entering.
"You may kiss me on the cheek," she replied, teasing him.
"Ooh, that's progress from last year!" he bantered, kissing her on the cheek and tickling her ribs. She giggled and slapped him playfully on the arm.
"Grr," he said, turning his attention to Sal, "I'll be in later for a dance with you." His eyes ran over her body as she looked back at him, blowing him a kiss and slipping through the door.

Hmm quite hunky. A definite maybe.

As they walked in and squeezed past the crowds to get to the front, the barman cheered when he saw Fay and climbed up across the bar to give her a kiss.
"Hiya gorgeous. How was your winter?"
"Not bad Dan, and you?" she asked.
"Not too bad, only got arrested once," he joked.

She looked impressed.

"Hey!" came a shout from behind her as she felt herself being bodily picked up off the floor by a pair of hands around her middle.
"Hello Pedros," she laughed.
He put her down and turned her around to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Where have you been all winter? I didn't see you once."
"I was here," she replied as he kissed Sal and shouted for Dan to bring them some drinks.
"Enjoy the evening girls, we'll speak later," he said, moving to greet some more people who had just walked through the door.

They sat down on the stools and Fay glanced down the bar to see if Adam had arrived yet. When she saw him, and his eyes connected with hers, her heart raced suddenly with excitement.

Oh god, what was wrong with her?

He strolled towards them and his gaze leisurely moved over her curves under the material of the dress and the exposed skin of her legs and shoulders.

Bloody hell! That dress was coming off tonight if he had anything to do with it!

"Hi," he said simply as his eyes mentally stripped her naked and she fought to control her body's reaction to the look on his face.
"Hello," she replied as casually as she could manage, "been here long?"
"Not too long," he replied, leaning closer to whisper, "your mother would lock you up if she could see you now!"
She laughed, glancing past him and waving when she noticed Susie and the other reps at the far end of the room.
"I hope to see you two dancing on this bar later," Dan shouted across at them as he picked up a bottle of Sambucca and threw it in the air, catching it expertly and pouring the liquid into a row of shot glasses.
"We'll see," Fay replied, remaining non committal.
"No excuses curly, I've got you down for 'You Can Leave Your Hat on.'" Dan winked.
"Oh hell! I'm having one of these then," she said, taking a shot of Sambucca from the row, "sounds as though I'm going to need it!"
She drank the shot and glanced sideways at Adam to see him grinning from ear to ear.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" she stated.
"Loving every minute of it," he replied.

Sal reached for the Sambucca that Dan was handing her but almost spilt the contents of the shot glass when she felt a finger run down the bare skin of her back. She jumped and turned around to see Nick standing behind her.
"Evening Sexy Sal. You're supposed to drink that not spill it all over the bar," he said, eyeing the shot glass in her hand.
"Oh, it's you," she replied, drinking the contents of the glass.
"Yes, it's me. Not 'mind shattering' guy I'm afraid." His eyes registered the dress she was wearing then and his mouth fell open. "Hell Sal, you're nearly wearing that dress!" he said with sarcasm as his gaze fell to her exposed cleavage.
"You'd better not be looking at my cleavage mister," she warned, watching the direction of his stare.
"Looking at them!" he exclaimed, "I can't bloody well miss them!"
"Well you'd better bloody well try, Jen's down there." She looked past Nick to see Jen standing with the group of reps.
He sighed and leant towards her to kiss her on the cheek. "Have fun. See you later."

Dan handed Fay another shot of Sambucca and she frowned. "I've just drunk one!"
"You can leave your hat on," he sang and she grabbed the shot with a panicked look, downing it in one go.
"Dan!" she called as he went to move away. He turned back. "This is Adam, he moved out here this winter."
Dan and Adam shook hands.
"A newcomer eh. We'd best give him a 'Mardi Gras' welcome then," he said, holding the bottle of Sambucca up to Adam and motioning for him to tip his head back. Adam looked slightly taken aback but shrugged and complied as Dan poured the Sambucca straight into his mouth. He was relieved when Dan stopped pouring and he could swallow the Sambucca, which he just about managed without coughing it up.
"Well done," Fay said, looking impressed.
He winked at her but prayed that he wasn't going to have to do it again.

"Welcome everybody to 'Mardi Gras's' opening night," the DJ began over the microphone, "and just to show you how popular this bar is I'd like to point out the man standing over there. Yes you behind 'bad taste shirt' guy. Everybody let's give a huge 'Mardi Gras' welcome to the one, the only, Elvis Presley! Wooooo! Yes, it's true Elvis Presley is in the building tonight," he shouted, encouraging everyone to applaud as the man stood there perplexed when a roomful of eyes focused on him. "Where do you get your hair done? Let us all know so that we can avoid the place," he teased as hysterical laughter filled the bar. "You know what boys and girls? Tequila, it makes me happy!" he sang, "Yes, it's tequila time so get yourselves over to the bar for three minutes of free tequila! Come on, move, move!" he shouted, "you only have three minutes to get them down you!"

Great crowds of people pushed their way to the bar and grabbed the tequila shots as the bar staff frantically refilled the rows of shot glasses. The DJ looked down at Fay then and gestured for her to take a shot.
"Don't think you're getting away without having one curly," he announced, "if anyone who lives on the island is thinking of not having a tequila they should know the price they'll have to pay!"
Fay's hand shot out to pick up a glass.
"Get one quick, you really don't want to pay the price," she warned Adam.

After the three minutes was up and the crowds had dispersed at the bar, the DJ came back on the microphone again.
"How many did they manage then Susie? Only that many, they must be out of practise. What say we get them up here to do the Hand Jive! How about it everybody, let's have a round of applause for the 'Apollo' reps over there. Come on girls, round you come."

The reps moved around the bar and waited for the song to begin before being helped up by the bar staff. Fay and Sal giggled as the girls tried desperately to keep in time to the music and Susie shouted instructions to them from the sidelines.
"Looks like the practise earlier didn't help much," Fay laughed in Adam's direction.
"I don't know what you're laughing at Curly, you're on next," Dan cut in, handing her another shot of Sambucca. She groaned and took the shot feeling slightly lightheaded and wondering if Dan would catch her if she fell backwards off the bar.
"Make sure she stands there," Adam shouted to Dan, pointing to the space directly opposite him.
Dan nodded.
"I hate you sometimes you know," she scowled at Adam.
"Really? And you know what is very close to hate," he replied with a grin.
"Loathing," she supplied.
"Not quite."

As the song was drawing to a close Dan motioned for Sal and Fay to move from their stools.

Oh hell! Whose bright idea was it to go in there? Okay, she shouldn't panic, she'd done this before.

She stood behind the bar opposite Adam and nervously waited for the song to begin. Then Dan came behind her and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her up as she knelt on the counter and eventually got to her feet with as much dignity as she could, considering the circumstances. Seconds later Dan reached up to hand her a cowboy hat which she placed on her head and started to dance as the song began. Luckily she had danced to that song on the bar many times before and she hid her nervousness as she kept in time with the other female bar staff who were up there with her. They followed the routine that they had invented and used the hats as props to tease the men by taking them off their heads at intervals and trailing them down their bodies.

My god! She knows how to tease a man!

The alcohol was beginning to go to Adam's head and, what with Fay dancing provocatively in front of him, he had a serious urge to grab her off the bar and take her home with him.
"Have you seen Adam's Face?" Sal said next to Fay.
Fay grinned.
"Go on, tease him more," Sal urged, "I dare you."
Fay thought for a moment and then bent down in front of him, motioning with her finger for Adam to lean towards her. His eyes widened and he moved forward as she took off her hat, placed it on his head and put her lips inches from his, moving away just before he managed to kiss her.

The little minx! She's going to pay for that!

The song finally finished just after Fay whipped the hat back off Adam's head to complete the routine. They jumped off the bar to cheers and clapping, and Adam raised an eyebrow at Fay as they returned to their seats.
"Seems as though you've got hidden talents," he observed. She looked at him smugly as she picked up the glass of wine that Pedros had bought her.

As the time passed the noise in the bar seemed to get louder and Sal frowned, turning to look down the bar as she heard the sound of arguing cutting through the music.
"What's going on down there?" she asked Fay, straining to see through the crowds.
"I've no idea," Fay replied. Sal shrugged and turned her attention back to the activity behind the bar, however it wasn't long before she swung her head around again when the voices got louder. She was surprised to see Nick striding angrily towards the exit, closely followed by Jen. Jen took hold of his arm and attempted to halt him but he simply shook off her restraining hold and moved through the door onto the street, leaving Jen to sit sulkily on a bar stool behind them.
"Oops, that didn't look good," Sal pointed out, glancing behind her at Jen.
Fay followed Sal's gaze but quickly moved her head back when she met Jen's hostile glare.
"I'm going to powder my nose, are you coming?" she asked Sal.
"Sure," Sal said, jumping off her stool.
"We'll be back in a minute," Fay informed Adam before they headed towards the toilets.

Adam sat alone, enjoying his beer and laughing at the entertainment. Then he heard someone next to him say his name and he turned in surprise to see Jen climbing onto Fay's stool and smiling across the short gap.
"Hello Jen," he replied cautiously, "don't you think you should be trying to find Nick?" he suggested, hoping that she would move away soon.
"He's left," she said frowning, "he can go to hell as far as I'm concerned."
Adam rolled his eyes at her. "Come on Jen, you..." He failed to finish his sentence however as the sight of the couple that were entering the bar threw him into a shocked silence.

No! Damn!

The look of horror must have been clear on Adam's face as Tom approached him and Julia followed.
"What's wrong with you?" Tom frowned.
Adam pulled him roughly to one side and spoke out of Julia's earshot.
"Why the bloody hell have you brought her in here?" he grated out.
Tom looked confused. "What? You two not talking anymore?"
"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm doing my best to charm someone else at the moment so take her down the other end of the bar before Fay comes back. And keep her there!" he added firmly.

Tom hesitated for a moment but then moved decisively to drag a reluctant Julia past Adam. She looked back over her shoulder at him as they moved away and Adam 's nervousness increased when he saw her look of anger.

"Here," Jen said, handing Adam his beer, "you know those people then?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Jen surveyed him thoughtfully for a moment. "Did you manage to sort out your transfer problems okay in the end?" she asked with a smile.
He nodded. "Yes, thanks for that Jen. You were a great help." He smiled back.
"It's a pleasure," she beamed, reaching over to kiss him on the cheek. She took him by complete surprise then and before he knew what was happening her head had shifted position and her lips were on his. After a second or two he grabbed her by the arms and pushed her away from him but watched in disbelief as she was suddenly propelled out of view by a hand behind her. He jumped up to see Julia and Jen rolling around on the floor, pulling each other's hair, shouting and swearing loudly at each other.

"Who else is fighting now?" Sal asked Fay incredulously when the sound of screaming reached the toilet block.
"God knows!"
Sal grabbed Fay's arm and pulled her back down the length of the bar, peering with interest through the people who were gathered by the front door.
"Isn't that Adam's ex?" Sal asked, remembering the woman who had threatened to get her sacked.
Fay moved in front of Sal and stood staring at the scene with her mouth agape.
"Dan!" she called. "Stop them will you?" Dan and the rest of the barmen however simply stood as spectators, seemingly finding the situation amusing. Fay growled with annoyance at them. "You can be a real jerk at times you know!" she shouted at Dan before bending down to pull the women apart.

She managed to get Julia to let go of Jen for a second but she was filled with concern when Julia lunged back towards Jen and Fay saw a trickle of blood run down Jen's forehead.
With determination she bent closer to them both and shouted out to Julia, "Carry on like that if you want to spend the rest of the night locked up. The police are on their way!"

This made her hesitate long enough for Fay to eventually prise them apart and Pedros joined the scene shortly afterwards to expel Julia from the bar. Fay put a hand out to a tearful Jen and helped her off the floor, sitting her down on a bar stool and assessing her injuries. She reached over the bar to grab some napkins, giving Dan an angry glare in the process.
"Are you okay?" she asked Jen, clearing the blood from her face.
"What do you bloody well care?" Jen snapped defensively, grabbing the napkins off Fay and finishing the job.
"Hey! I'm just trying to help! I don't see anyone else bothering," Fay stated with a frown.
Jen put her face in her hands and Fay watched as tears escaped and fell over her fingers. She sighed and put an arm around her.
"Why don't you go and find Nick? He's probably gone across to 'Shots Bar'," she suggested. Jen wiped away her tears and looked up at Fay. "Go on," she coaxed, "I'm sure one of the other reps will go with you to check." Jen studied Fay thoughtfully then for a moment.
"You like Adam don't you?" she said miserably.
Fay looked surprised at her sudden question but nodded slowly.
"Hey, what are you thinking about Adam for when you have Nick's interest? I think Nick is gorgeous Jen," she said, trying to boost her confidence. Jen looked back at Fay with surprise and gave a small smile. "Go on then, go and find him!" Fay urged her.
She went to move off her stool then but paused before she disappeared out of Fay's view.
"Thanks Fay...for helping me out and all that."
Fay smiled back at her and then returned to her seat at the bar. Sal applauded as she approached but she was confused to see Adam looking at her angrily. She sat next to him but he said nothing, choosing to take a swig of his beer instead. Fay waited for a few minutes for him to say something to her but then she became angry and impatient.
"What is it with you?" she asked with agitation. He shrugged. "Adam!" she exclaimed. "Do you have a problem?"
"Why," he began coldly, "did you feel the need to mollycoddle Jen?"
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Err, maybe because she's just had an argument with her boyfriend, been completely humiliated and had your maniac of an ex scare the living daylights out of her!"
"She was all over me a few minutes ago!" he came back.
"So?" she replied in anger.
"So?" he repeated in disbelief. "Are you trying to tell me that you don't care?"
She found that question difficult to answer and her silence made him see red.
"Right, enjoy your evening," he said as he got up abruptly and strode out of the front door.
"Adam!" she called after him. He stopped and turned briefly but gave her a look of resignation when she fell silent again, not knowing how to ask him to stay.

She suddenly felt empty and depressed without him there and she left the bar, heading for the toilets again as she felt tears of disappointment threaten. Sal sat alone in bewilderment, wondering how the evening could begin so well and turn nasty so suddenly.

"Do me a favour will you and play a slow song next. I know it's early but it would calm everybody down for a bit too," Adam said to the DJ when he re-entered the bar. "Where is she?" he asked Sal. She pointed to the toilet block and he made directly for it, leaving Sal smiling wistfully after him.

She was leaning over a sink when he found her and she jumped in shocked surprise as he took her firmly by the hand and dragged her back into the bar.
"You're dancing with me," he stated, not giving her the opportunity to argue.

He put his arms around her and linked his hands at the base of her back as they began to sway to the music. Taking a closer look at her face however he frowned and put a hand under her chin, lifting her gaze up to his. He saw the remains of sadness in her face and he felt an awful, sudden sense of remorse.
"Fay, where do I begin? I don't know why I treated you so badly. You're the very last person to deserve that!" he said, feeling angry with himself. "Actually I do know why I did it," he continued, "I feel so guilty about everything. Jen, bloody Julia and all the other catalogue of disasters that seemed to have followed me around and got you caught up with them in the process. So what do I do? I go and make things a million times worse! How do I say I'm sorry for that?"
As she listened to him she was ashamed to admit that she really didn't care at that point, she was just so pleased that he hadn't left and gone home.
"And there you were, sorting it all out when it should have been me. You didn't need my help though," he laughed, "you were fantastic all on your own!"
She chuckled. "Well, it's not as if it's the first time there's been a cat fight in here."
"Don't tell me you've played the bouncer before!"
"No, but I've seen how they deal with it." She sighed. "Oh well, it all adds to the excitement of the evening. Just tell me that you don't have any other crazy women hidden away anywhere, I think I've had my fill for one night!"
"No," he laughed. "And don't worry Tom will keep Julia away, and I'm assuming that you sent Jen off to find Nick so it looks like we might be safe for a bit." He pulled her closer then, holding her firmly against him. "Let's just imagine for a minute that there's no one else here but just you and me," he whispered. "That's what I want more than anything. For the whole crazy world to disappear and leave us alone." She rested her head against him as they moved together and he smiled, amazed that she could forgive him for his behaviour towards her. "You know what Fay, I think that you're an amazing, wonderful woman and I think the world of you...I hope you know that...I want you to know that. I couldn't go home," he admitted, "I only made it to the bottom of the road before feeling as miserable as hell and turning back."
"I didn't think you'd come back at all," she revealed, feeling suddenly light-hearted at the thought that he wanted to be with her.
He pulled back abruptly then to look at her. "I'll always come back. I might be a bit arrogant and insensitive at times but I'm not a bloody fool. I know when I'm onto a good thing. Besides, I always feel so damn lousy when we argue." She moved her head back slightly to look into his face then but her expression showed doubt. "Smile for me baby," he asked, noticing the look on her face.

A slow smile crept across her face then and lit up her eyes. The pleasure at seeing her smile filled him with elation as he ran his hands up her back and held her gently against him as if he had been given a special gift.
"I'm so lucky to have met someone like you," he closed his eyes. "How can I have been so lucky?" he said almost to himself. His hands moved to her head and he stroked her hair, turning his face to place a kiss on her cheek. She was suddenly overwhelmed by his tenderness and it showed in her face when his eyes met hers again. He moved her head to his and their lips met, sending a warmth through them both. He held her head there as they continued to sway and she hesitantly slid her hands from his shoulders, up his neck and onto his face.
"Oh babe," he sighed against her lips.
She nuzzled her cheek against his and moved to hold him tightly around the neck. His arms held her to him and she felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time, cherished.


When the song finished, Adam was forced to reluctantly let go of Fay as the music livened up and a group of wild youngsters invaded their space. They sat back at the bar next to Sal and ordered some more drinks from Dan, who passed them over with a sheepish look in Fay's direction.
"I didn't realize that anyone was getting hurt," he said in his defence.
Fay looked unconvinced. "That's a lame excuse Dan and you know it."
He put his chin on the bar in front of her and looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "I know; I won't do it again. Am I forgiven?"
"Until next time," she replied, unimpressed with his apology.
Dan sighed. "How come he gets forgiven?" he said, moving his eyes to Adam. "And he gets a kiss! That's not fair."
"Maybe that's because he obviously does things for Fay that you don't eh Dan," the DJ interrupted.
"I could do things for Fay!" he piped up.
"No you couldn't, you tried that last year remember and you just got a slap," the DJ laughed.
"True," he admitted, "watch out for her Adam, she won't let you get away with anything!"
Adam smiled politely.

We'll see about that!

"I assume that you two have made up now then," Sal said, running a hand down Fay's arm. Fay nodded. "I'm glad. You've got to give him some leeway; he is only a man after all!" They both laughed. "I've just had a phone call from Nick by the way; he wanted to know if Jen was still in here."
"Oh hell, that must mean that she hasn't found him yet then," Fay frowned.
"Well, I told him that she'd left but I didn't mention about all the fighting. I don't think he'd be too pleased to know that she made a play for Adam as soon as he'd gone," she pointed out. "Anyway, I said I'd phone him if she comes back in here."
Fay looked up suddenly then. "Talking of phone calls, you never did tell me who phoned earlier."
Sal cringed and looked nervously at Adam who was chatting to Dan at that point.
"I'll tell you tomorrow," she said.
"Hey, you keep putting me off, tell me now," Fay demanded.

Sal looked unsure but then grabbed Fay by the arm and moved them aside to a couple of bar stools by the pillar behind them. Adam's eyes followed them then as he wondered why they had moved away. He watched as Sal held Fay's hands in hers and whispered something to her. Fay's face fell and she put her hand to her head, slumping onto the barstool with a pale, distant look. After putting an arm around her and kissing her on the cheek, Sal darted back to the bar, grabbed their drinks and returned to talk more with Fay. Adam had tried to ask Sal what was wrong but she had shrugged him off and insisted that they'd be back in a minute, and that it was just girl talk. After a while Sal moved to the bar again and grabbed two Sambucca shots. Adam glanced across at Fay with concern but she smiled at him, so he smiled and winked back before returning to his conversation with Dan.

Sal brought the shots back to Fay and they drank them, after which their conversation appeared to become more light hearted.
"I know that she's your best buddy and everything but you're just being downright greedy now Sal," Adam said, scooping an arm around Fay and pulling her back.
He sat on his stool again but kept his arm around Fay and moved her in front of him.
"Don't even try to escape again," he whispered into her ear.
"Here," Dan said passing them some strange coloured shots, "they're my new invention."
Fay looked dubiously at them. "What on earth are those?"
"Do you like bubble gum?" Dan asked her.
"Hmm." She looked uncertain.
"Good, because they're bubble gum shots a la Dan," he said proudly.
"They look more like dirty dish water," she frowned, but downed the shot nonetheless. "Wow," she exclaimed, looking impressed, "they do taste like bubble gum, and they aren't bad...for you anyway."
"Incredible," he grinned, "I did something right!"
"She still won't kiss you," the DJ taunted.
"How about you Sal?" Dan asked.
"I enjoyed it," she said, glancing at her empty shot glass and misunderstanding the question.
"We haven't done it yet! It can't have happened that quickly!"
"You might find yourself disappointed with him Sal," the DJ warned, "the girls are always saying that he does it too quickly!"
Sal rolled her eyes at the innuendos that were flying between the bar staff.
"How about you Adam?" the DJ continued.
Adam grinned. "No, I prefer to take my time," he said, running his hands provocatively up Fay's body and over her curves.

Mmm, he loved that dress on her. He'd love it even more off her though!

"How do you get away with that?" Dan asked Adam. Adam shrugged.
Dan watched Adam enviously. "Bloody women," he concluded, moving away to pour some more drinks.

"You're getting me so hot and bothered in this dress," Adam admitted to Fay, moving his eyes up and down her body which was so temptingly positioned in front of him.
"You'd better stop doing that then," she replied as his hands began to stray again.
"Why? Are you enjoying it too much?" he said, bending to kiss her neck.
"Too much for in here!" she replied daringly, feeling the effects of the alcohol and his lips breaking down her defences.
"Mmm," he said, widening his eyes with surprised interest, "perhaps I should take you somewhere more private then."
"Dangerous," she stated.
"Excitingly so. Are you feeling dangerous tonight Fay?"
She grinned at the question and turned to answer it to see him watching her expectantly.

"No whispering allowed!" Dan said, appearing suddenly behind them.
"How did you get there?" Fay asked with surprise.
"Meet Dan, your barman, entertainer and glass collector for the evening," he said with fake enthusiasm. "We're short on staff this evening so I'm lumbered with everything. Although a bit of help from the Kamaki wouldn't go amiss!" he shouted loudly out of the door for Boycie to hear.
Boycie popped his head around the door. "You want some people in here tonight or not? Or else there'll be no glasses for a glass collector to collect!"

Dan growled at Boycie and shut the door on him, turning his attention back to Adam and Fay.
"Besides, you're not allowed to whisper secrets to each other in this bar," he began, watching Adam's possessive hand on Fay's waist. "Not unless you're playing the Chinese Whispers drinking game anyway." He disappeared into the crowds then but reappeared moments later, back behind the bar with a bottle of Sambucca at the ready.
"Oh no! What on earth do you have in mind for us now Dan?" Fay asked with dread.
"Just a little drinking game," he grinned. "The rules are that I whisper something to the first person in the group, and if the whisper has changed by the time it gets to the last person, then all the people who whispered it wrong have to buy shots."
"Hold on," Fay said, considering the rules of the game, "who is going to own up to whispering it wrong? You can only say for certain that the last person got it wrong."
"Precisely, but don't worry Fay, I'm sure that they won't let you drink all on your own," he replied, pouring the shots ready. She pulled a face at him, realising that he intended to make her the last person in the chain.
"So we basically all have to drink shots then," she pointed out, " in that case you can make mine one of those bubblegum shots, anything's better than another Sambucca!"
"Who knows," Sal said optimistically, "we may get it right."
Fay shook her head. "Not likely if Dan has anything to do with it."

Dan chuckled smugly to himself as he poured the last shot and leant sideways to whisper to the DJ. He seemed to be whispering for an awful long time and Fay shouted out with a frown,
"You're not supposed to whisper a bloody novel to him!"
He eventually moved away and the DJ leant across the bar to whisper to Sal. Sal looked confused but whispered in Adam's ear nonetheless.
"Try and get it right," she said to Adam as he put his lips to her ear, "if only to wipe that smug grin off his face."
He began to whisper. "I don't know what she said...but what I do know is that I'm going to take you home, peel this dress off you and explore every bit of your body."
He smiled at her look of shock and the blush that suddenly coloured her face.
"That's scandalous! And I can't whisper that to him! Tell me something else," she said under her breath.
"Well, I'm also going to do things that no man has ever done to you before and show you what real passion is all about," he added, running a hand down her side and skimming the edge of her breast. She breathed in suddenly and turned in panic to see Dan leaning towards her for the final part of the game.

Oh boy! Think Fay, think! He wasn't really going to do those things anyway, was he? Forget that, what the hell was she going to whisper to Dan?

"Err, he said...blardy, blardy, bla, bla!" she whispered, cringing at her uninspired reply. "I guess I'm drinking the shot then."
"Hmm." Dan looked suspiciously at Fay and Adam as he passed over the shots.

"Right, I'm not drinking anything else tonight!" Sal announced. "I think I'm at my limit and I'm turning over a new leaf, I'm being sensible."
Fay giggled. "You passed your limit about four Sambuccas back Sal."
"I did?" she sighed. "That might explain why I can't get off this stool. It's way too far down and my feet seem to be too far away as well."
Dan laughed and put another beer in front of her. "No sense in stopping now then eh."
Sal shrugged and went to take a swig of the beer but had it unceremoniously taken off her as Boycie came up from behind her.
"Before you drink that you're dancing with me. Looks like I've finished work for the night," he said, dragging her into the middle of the room.

"How's my favourite girl enjoying tonight," Pedros said, appearing beside Fay and Adam. "Would you like another drink?" he offered.
Fay sighed. "No thanks Pedros, Dan has been inventing drinking games and the room seems to be spinning just a little," she said with a guilty look.
"As long as you are enjoying yourselves, that's the main thing," he smiled.
Fay turned to glance at Adam beside her. "Sorry, I don't think you've been introduced to Pedros have you? Pedros this is Adam, he runs a new tour company out here. Adam this is Pedros, he owns the bar."
Pedros patted Adam on the back and took his hand to shake it. "Welcome to 'Mardi Gras', what do you think of my bar?" he asked.
Adam glanced around him. "I think it's one hell of a bar! In fact I was just thinking that we should put it in our tour information for the younger guests, it would be a great shame if they didn't find you."
Pedros looked thrilled. "Yes, good point. Good idea." He looked from Fay to Adam then as they stood in close proximity. "I hope you look after Fay Adam. I see her like my daughter."
Adam looked at Fay seriously then. "I'll do everything humanly possible."
Pedros nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"Actually Pedros," Fay began hesitantly, "we have been having a few problems lately, a few strange things happening to us and I was wondering if you could help."
Pedros frowned and put an arm around Fay. "What problems?"
"Well it seems as though some stranger has taken a strong dislike to Adam and they have been getting to him through me. Oh, and also my apartment has been broken into."
Pedros's face fell and he simply stared at Fay for a while, taking the information in.
"We must talk more about this. See me before you go, when it's quieter, yes."
"Okay. Thank you Pedros." Fay smiled.

As he walked away, Adam wrapped his arms around Fay again. "We will sort it out you know. One way or another," he reassured her.
"Right, you two are looking too serious now so it's time for another shot," Dan said as Fay and Adam turned back to the bar and Sal and Boycie joined them.
"Not in a million years Dan. I'm having no more shots." Fay said adamantly. Dan ignored her and placed a shot on the bar for her anyway. "I'm not drinking it," she said, eyeing the brimming shot glass. Dan took her hand and placed the glass in it. "Fine," she said, placing the shot glass back down and bending over the bar to reach a glass to fill with water from the sink on the other side of the counter, "but if I'm drinking any more alcohol then I'll drink the same amount of water to go with it." She laughed triumphantly. "You're not getting me drunk bubble gum bar man!"
She fiddled with the tap, trying to turn it on but she found it difficult from the topsy-turvy position she was in. "Want some water Sal? Boycie? Adam?"
Adam wasn't listening as his eyes were focused on her behind which was displayed so provocatively in front of him.

Good god woman, show some mercy will you!

Fay just about managed to fill one glass half full and then she sat back on her stool, drinking the shot and demanding a glass of water with every following alcoholic drink.
Several shots later, Fay leant against Adam and surveyed the four glasses of water that were lined up in front of her.
"Where did they come from?" she asked. "Oops, I think I might have forgotten all about the water."
"Come on dippy, the bar is closing," Adam laughed, standing to leave.

When they waved goodnight to Pedros he held up a hand to stop them and rushed across the bar.
"I am going to visit some good friends of mine tomorrow in Hania. I think they might help with your problem, you want to come?" Pedros asked. Adam looked interested. "They also have a very nice boat. My friends will take you sailing, you will like that Fay," he said, putting his hand under her chin affectionately.
"Wow!" Sal said with excitement. "Can I come?"
Pedros smiled. "Sure, your friend can come too. Got to keep the females happy eh Adam."
"Of course... Do you think I could bring along one more person though? He is a friend from the UK and he has been involved in helping me with the problems recently."
Pedros nodded.
"What about me?" Boycie said, jumping up and down with his hand in the air.
Pedros frowned. "You have to work silly boy!"
Boycie looked like a school child who had had his sherbet dib dab taken off him. He watched Sal climb precariously off her chair however and his face brightened again.
"How about I walk you home Sal?" he grinned.
"She's coming with us," Fay interrupted, narrowing her eyes at Boycie.
Both Boycie and Adam's faces fell.
"Come on," Sal said, rolling her eyes and grabbing Boycie by the arm, "you can walk with us if you behave yourself."
As they left the bar Boycie turned to Adam and shook his head.