Italy

I do not own any characters from Once upon a time in Mexico. Anyone you don’t recognise belongs to me.


Sands and Dannii sat happily chatting to each other for about half an hour, their coffee long finished. Sands was enjoying himself. So far, he’d learned that her real name was Danielle, she was twenty seven years old, had worked as a journalist for a magazine and came from New York.

‘So what do I have to do to learn something about you?’ She demanded folding her arms.

Sands grinned. ‘What do you want to know?’

She thought. ‘Your name will do for starters.’

‘Jeffrey.’

‘Jeffrey,’ she repeated as though testing it out. ‘Hm not bad. How old are you?’

‘Thirty one next month.’

‘Where are you from?’

‘Texas.’

‘So that explains the cowboy hat, huh?’ she laughed. He grinned. He liked her laugh.

‘So ya got a nice lady friend waiting back home for ya?’

‘Nope.’

She nodded approvingly. ‘I’m surprised. A nice handsome man like you.’ She leaned forward over the table slightly, staring straight into his chocolaty eyes. He licked his lips. Magnificent view, he thought. ‘What do you do?’ She asked.

‘I work,’ he replied bluntly.

She huffed good naturedly. ‘I take it I’m not privy to that information then?’ He shook his head. He knew it was rude to keep answering with short sentences but he knew she didn’t mind at all.

She opened her mouth, no doubt to question him further, when the waitress arrived with the bill. Sands paid, as he promised he would, then left a small tip on the table and stood, taking out a cigarette.

‘I’m off, sugar. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime?’

She grinned. ‘That sounds good.’

Sands stopped outside a decent looking bar. He looked at his watch. It was nearly ten thirty at night and he was parched. He entered the bar. It was definitely not what you would call typical Italian. More typical American than anything else. The dancefloor was full of flirty women in short skimpy skirts and men thoroughly enjoying all the attention.

Sands walked over to the bar where he clicked his fingers impatiently at the barman. ‘You got tequila?’

The barman nodded and went to fetch him his drink. Sands looked around the bar. His gaze settled on a woman’s back to his right, the long dark hair cascading in twists and waves down her back. Her left arm was leaning on the bar beside her bottle of alcohol and she was wearing a short black skirt. Sands swallowed. Very short. He leant back for a better look. Her long slender legs were crossed and her right arm was draped lazily over her thigh. She was wearing a blue top, different from before but still very revealing.

Sands shifted over so he was sat on the stool behind her.

‘I told ya I’d see you around, sugar.’

Dannii gasped in surprise and turned to face him, laughing. ‘You made me jump,’ she giggled. He watched in amusement as she leaned her head on her folded arms, her shoulders shaking with giggles. She was tipsy. He could tell.

‘I take it you’re enjoying yourself?’ He asked, an eyebrow raised. He lifted her head off her arms and nodded her head.

Sands downed his tequila when the barman brought it and set it back on the bar with a clunk. It had been three days since he had had last drank the stuff. He ordered another.

And another.

And another.

Until he was as tipsy as Dannii. He blinked his eyes several times to try to clear his head and he stood up. ‘I’m going outside for some fresh air, you coming?’

Dannii nodded and took his hand, wobbling slightly as she followed him into the street.

They had been walking for five minutes before Dannii spoke. ‘I’m cold.’

Sands looked at her. He didn’t know what came over him. All he knew was that he wanted this woman. Now. So he pulled her to his body, claiming her mouth with his and letting his hand drift lazily down her back until he was gripping her buttocks, pressing her to him. He pulled back, looking at her and raising his eyebrows slightly, silently asking her what she knew he wanted. She nodded, silently answering and he took her hand, leading her back to his hotel room.