Talons (3 page)

“
I don’t have anything to
wear,” Vivvie complained in despair, thinking about her limited
wardrobe of jeans, hoodies, and tees.

“
My closet is your closet,”
Dina declared stoutly, sliding an arm around her shoulders. “I
insist you indulge.”

Vivvie’s expression brightened. Dina
had a wardrobe to die for. They couldn’t wear the same pants.
Vivvie was a pint-size three. Dina wore a voluptuous size nine.
They could wear the same shirts and shoes and Dina had more
accessories than a retail chain.

A night out didn’t sound so bad. Vivvie
was off work until Tuesday night. Maybe it would be fun? Who was
she fooling? She was only going for the garlic cheddar biscuits and
a take home box.

These guys wouldn’t be interested after
five minutes in her company. They would realize what every guy
she’d known since the seventh grade did. She had some serious
issues.

Vivvie knew she wasn’t unattractive.
She had a cute face and clear skin. Her ex-boyfriend once said her
large, long-lashed green eyes were her best feature. Her figure was
slender and curvy. She drew her share of looks at the car wash. Her
shoulder-length, dark brown hair was shiny and straight, without
the use of serums and gels.

The minute her OCD was realized; they
bolted. They saw the constantly stiff and uncomfortable expression
on her face. Young men would immediately distance themselves from
her. They shied away, thinking her uptight and high-strung. A real
turn off, some said without sensitivity.

Only Kevin looked beyond that obvious
flaw of hers. Her high school sweetheart endured her fanatical
condition, even enabled and teased her about it. He bought her hand
sanitizer for gifts and didn’t push for sex.

Vivvie put the cleaning supplies away
as Dina got back on the couch and texted like a fiend on her
Blackberry. Thinking of Kevin made her heart hurt. She gritted her
teeth, determined to not feel the sense of failure once more. He
would realize he made a mistake and come back.

Kevin’s devotion was the one thing she
could count on these last six years. Now he abandoned her for
Lennie, a busty, bleach-blonde who worked at the Hooters in Vero
Beach.

Vivvie cried for weeks when
Kevin broke up with her, saying the usual stuff
. It’s me; not you. I don’t want to be tied down right now.
Can we just be friends? Were too young to not start seeing other
people. All of it, bullshit!

Lennie and her Hooter-sized ta-ta’s
reeled her boyfriend of six years away as effortlessly as cut bait.
Vivvie had to endure seeing them all over town together. It was
hard to face. Lennie enjoyed tormenting her whenever she got the
opportunity.

The disgusting PDA of Lennie all over
Kevin was choreographed whenever his girlfriend saw Vivvie in the
vicinity. Kevin denied he’d cheated when they were together. Vivvie
knew better. The signs were all there she was losing him. She just
avoided seeing it.

Vivvie knew Kevin was dismayed after
their six year relationship that he hadn’t gotten past third base
with her. To be honest, she spent too much time cleaning the bases
to go there with him. Why should it surprise her that Kevin bailed
on her for Lennie and her double digit assets? If Vivvie were
honest with herself, she would admit she needed to go back on the
meds.

Vivvie frowned at her reflection in
Dina’s full length mirror on the back of the door. Her roommate’s
naked thong-clad rear end was all she could see in the reflection.
The girl dug in the bottom of her closet through mounds of shoes
for her strappy sandals.

Vivvie blushed to see an
obvious bite mark on her friend’s bare ass and looked away. Dina
had some pretty wicked hickies on her chest too, she noticed, and
some of them looked like they broke the skin.
Not her business
, she thought,
reserving judgment.

Vivvie chose a pretty blue
camisole-type blouse looked nice on her. Dina lent her a strapless
bra and she insisted she wear a pale khaki jacket with it. The
skinny jeans were Rachel’s and were skin-tight. The simple brown
leather slides completed the outfit.

Vivvie even did her hair with the
straightening iron and applied make-up. She was encouraged by Dina
breaking out the hot rollers and the wad of makeup horded in her
bathroom.

Dina looked like a sex kitten when they
finished getting ready. Vivvie looked cute in a casual sort of way.
She refused to wear anything with sequins, especially the sporty
tube top Dina pressed upon her.

“
I’m telling you, when you
meet Rick and Dean, you’ll wish you wore less than that tube top,
trust me,” Dina warned as she turned from the closet and sat on her
bed to put on the sandals.

Dina was wearing a snug red and black
sequin-striped mini dress. She sported dangerously-high black wedge
sandals that tied up her ankles. Her hoop earrings were large
enough for one of Marsha’s poodles to jump through.

Vivvie felt self-conscious as Dina put
on her black leather bolero jacket. Dina looked like a centerfold.
Vivvie looked like a model on a college brochure.

“
It’s not me, Dina,” Vivvie
said defensively, knowing she could never pull off such daring
fashions. One more inch off the hemline and you would see Dina’s
privates.

“
When you see your date you
will regret that, Snow White,” Dina said again, her kohl-lined eyes
smug. “He’s sex on roller skates.”

Great, one of those
types,
thought Vivvie. She disappeared to
retrieve her hand sanitizer from her room. She grabbed the
purse-sized plastic bottle off her dresser. Vivvie felt tears burn
at the back of her eyes at her reaction to the sexy guy who was to
be her date.

Instead of reveling in
anticipation of the evening ahead, she worried the strange guy
would touch her and give her germs. Vivvie pushed away the feelings
of self-pity, focusing on the cheddar biscuits instead.
Keep your eyes on the prize.

~~~~

Vivvie was grateful to get out of the
car when they arrived at Red Lobster, glaring as Dina primped in
the rear view mirror, applying fresh lipstick. Her heart was in her
throat the whole twenty-four mile trip into Melbourne. Dina drove
like a maniac, weaving in and out of traffic on I-95.

Dina got out of the driver’s seat,
pulled down her skirt and clicked the security mode to her vehicle.
The lights flashed, blinding Vivvie for a moment as she waited at
the front of the vehicle for her friend.

“
Do me a favor and don’t use
that crap at the table,” Dina snapped. The crap she referred to was
Vivvie’s hand sanitizer. “Use it now if you have to. You better not
embarrass me in front of them; I mean it!”

Vivvie looked wounded. “I’m sorry but I
can’t help it.”

Dina relaxed, her expression softening.
“I know. I’m just edgy and excited,” she said a little too
breathlessly. “You will freak when you meet these guys. Rachel is
so pissed. She can’t believe I brought you. She really wants Rick
bad.”

Vivvie said nothing as they went into
the restaurant. Dina asked the hostess about their dates. Vivvie
tried avoided rubbing elbows with anyone in the packed entry way.
Dina grinned to know their dates were already there. She winked
back at her. They followed the hostess to their table.

Dina didn’t lie. Rick looked like an
underwear model. His tanned, rugged features were flawless. His
short-cropped, spiky golden hair and strange yellow-green eyes were
a disturbingly attractive combination.

Rick was dressed casually in jeans and
a button up grey shirt and she didn’t feel over-dressed in the
least. He was tall, towering over her when they arrived at the
table. Both men stood to greet them.

Dean greeted Dina more expressively,
already staking his claim to her. Vivvie knew she was an
unrepentant freak when Rick failed to impress her. No, he
definitely unnerved her with his slick mannerisms and seemingly
polite conversation at the table. There was something distinctly
predatory about him and his friend.

Dean was shorter and stockier, his hair
was dark and on the long side. He had black eyes that seemed very
disturbing and intense as they looked at both of them.

“
So what do you do besides
look so adorable?” Rick asked in his slickest voice. She wanted to
hurl up the three cheddar biscuits while they waited for their
orders.

Vivvie toyed with her bottle
of beer, dismayed to see she commanded his full attention. Those
yellow-green eyes slid over her appreciatively. He had that glazed
look in his eyes Kevin used to get when they made out. Lust,
desire, whatever it was, was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They were sitting in the middle of Red Lobster. The guy looked like
he was getting a woody
.
Seriously?

Vivvie was grateful when their meal
came. She ordered her usual Neptune’s platter while Dina preferred
a salad. Her roommate was nibbling delicately at it trying to
convince these two guys she wasn’t dying to dive into the basket of
garlic-cheddar biscuits.

“
I work at G’s diner in
Sebastian,” Vivvie replied as she looked down at her meal,
unwilling to see the scorn in her date’s eyes when he learned she
was a waitress at the legendary shithole in the wall.

“
They should pay you more,
Vivvie,” Rick whispered down at her, his lips curving into a
wolfish smile. “You have to improve the place
considerably.”

Nice. Real smooth, slow
down, buddy
Vivvie smiled and sipped her
beer. Dina and Dean, as funny as that sounded together, were
obviously distracted with one another. Vivvie hid her look of
disgust to see Dina’s hand dart under the table and Dean’s
appreciative response. There was little doubt where Dina’s hand
went. Vivvie looked away and was caught and held by Rick’s
yellow-green stare, intense and determined to get her
attention.

“
What do you like to do in
your spare time, Vivvie?” he asked, his riveting gaze appearing a
bit annoyed by her lack of interest now. “What interests you
besides waiting on people?”

I like getting free meals
off dipshit guys like you
, she thought
spitefully. Vivvie smiled. “I work a lot. I don’t get out
much.”

“
A pretty girl like you? I
find that hard to believe,” Rick said with a cunning smile. “Come
on. What are you hiding behind that good girl act,
Vivvie?”

Vivvie wanted to diss the guy right
there and then, but that would have been too rude. She smiled
tightly. “I’m not hiding anything, Rick,” Vivvie said
sarcastically. “What are you hiding under all that hair gel? Tell
me you actually do more than just pick up girls.”

Rick glared at her and sipped at his
water. “Are you always such a bitch, Vivvie?”

She was startled by his angry
expression. “Hey, take it easy. I was just kidding,” she replied
and frowned slightly. “Sorry, Dina should have warned you I have a
sarcastic sense of humor.”

Rick seemed really annoyed by the end
of the meal. Vivvie failed to respond to his pointed inquiries to
draw her out. Vivvie wondered why he bothered at all. It was a joke
to think he was even interested in her. A guy like him was probably
into beach babes like Dina and Rachel. He was just being nice by
coming along with his friend tonight.

Dina kicked her under the table a
couple of times during the meal when Vivvie zoned away from Rick.
The girls excused themselves to the ladies room when the meal
ended. When an older woman washing her hands finished and left;
Dina turned on her.

“
What the fuck, Viv?” Dina
snapped once they were alone. Her eyes narrowed in anger. “Could
you please just be less a freak and act like you’re having fun? I
knew I should have waited for Rachel. Now I’m wasting the
hotter-than-shit Rick on you.”

“
I don’t even know the guy
yet, Dina.” Vivvie protested. “We’re just getting to know each
other.”

“
Viv, you don’t get it, do
you?” Dina snarled quietly, her kohl-lined eyes filling with
disgust. “He doesn’t want to get to know you. He wants to bang you.
You’re blowing it, Vivvie!”

Vivvie felt her anger taking over now.
Dina just naturally assumed because she was hungry and agreed to go
on the date, she agreed to more. She didn’t plan on letting Rick
anywhere near her personal space. Who knew where he’d been? Worries
of strep funguses aside; she just wasn’t attracted to the
hotter-than-shit Rick. He was acting like an asshole and she wanted
to go home.

“
I agreed to have dinner
with him, Dina, not be the meal.”

“
You’re such a buzz kill,
Viv!” Dina blasted her as she reapplied her lipstick, glaring at
her in the mirror. “I’m texting Rachel. It’s obvious you’re blowing
it with Dean’s buddy.”

Vivvie could care less if she got
replaced by Rachel. Her eyes narrowed in hurt and anger at how Dina
could be such a bitch because she wasn’t playing grab ass under the
table.

“
Just take me home,” Vivvie
fumed and avoided Dina’s condescending look at her
words.

“
Fine, I’ll take you home,”
Dina said tightly, pulling down her dress and giving her a pitying
look. “Never again, do you hear? I’m never setting you up on a date
again! How flippin’ rude! The guy buys you dinner; the least you
could do is blow his doors off!”