Desire and a Bottle of Merlot: (Like Sisters Series Book 5) Chick Lit: A Romantic Comedy

by Bria Marche

  “What do you need, Dan?”

  Tina’s embarrassed laugh led to Dan engaging in her accidental innuendo. “You’re the expert, Tina. What do you think I need?”

  “I’ll be in the waiting area, reading magazines and drinking tea. You two can figure this out.” Sasha gave Vic a nudge as she passed by on her way to the lounge area.

  “You’re going to be in deep shit later, sister,” Vic whispered with a giggle.

  “Yeah, well somebody has to light a fire under her ass. I’m not about to let her grow old alone.”

  ***

  Tina motioned for Dan to take a seat as she gave Sasha a threatening glare from across the room. With a vigorous snap, she shook the cape in the air and draped it around his neck, trying hard not to strangle him in the process. She took a deep breath to compose herself. After all, she was going to have a straight-edge razor in her hand. “Okay, seriously, what do you want? A shave?”

  “I don’t need much, maybe a trim. I’m not sure if I have the nerve to ask for a shave from you.” He laughed, giving her a wink.

  The tiniest smile formed on Tina’s lips while her heart thumped in her chest. “You sure you want me to cut your hair? I kind of like the way it looks.” Why the hell did I just say THAT?

  “Really? I’m not here to waste your time. This is your business, after all. Okay, let’s go with the shave if you promise not to accidently slit my throat.”

  “If I’m going to slit anyone’s throat, it will be Sasha’s.” She chuckled. “Have you ever been shaved with a straight edge?”

  “No, but whenever they show it in the movies, it’s usually a sexy woman doing the shaving. It sounds kind of hot.”

  Tina’s face flushed bright red. “All right, you’re going to need to keep your mouth shut unless you want shave cream in it.”

  “Yes ma’am.” His turquoise eyes twinkled playfully at her. Tina’s thighs began to quiver.

  She heated up a cloth in the microwave to place over Dan’s face. “This is going to be hot, but it’s meant to soften up your beard. You aren’t going to scream like a little sissy, are you?”

  “Real men don’t scream, Tina. We grunt.”

  “Man, I really need to shut you up.” She smirked.

  ***

  He laughed as she covered his face with the cloth. Only his eyes were exposed, and he watched her closely. Dan noticed how Tina’s shoulder-length brown hair glistened with streaks of gold when the overhead lights hit it just right. At the moment, she wore a ponytail, giving her a girlish, easygoing appearance. He stared at her as she prepared the cup of shave cream. Her eyes were big and doe-like with long, thick lashes. She must shape her eyebrows. They’re perfect, and her skin is flawless. Dan continued to study her features. This was the first time he’d been close enough to see the copper flecks sparkling in her irises.

  ***

  “What are you staring at?” She brushed the shave cream across his cheeks.

  “I might not have the chance to ever be this close to you again. I’m trying to memorize everything.” His smile created thin crow’s feet on the outer edges of his eyes. Instinctively, Tina wanted to gently rub them away with the expensive face cream they sold in the salon.

  “If you’re nice, I might come by Sasha’s house next week to see the progress you’ve made—if I have time, that is.” Tina knew rain was in the forecast and the guys wouldn’t be working during those days.

  “I’m looking forward to it. Maybe you’ll even sit down and give me the time of day.”

  “Don’t press your luck, and stop moving unless you want me to nick your face.”

  “Yes ma’am. You’re a tough one, Tina Lawrence.”

  How the hell does he know my last name? He must be talking to Sasha about me. “Okay, mister, you’re done.” She took another warm cloth and gently wiped his face. A second flashed by where their eyes locked on each other, revealing what was really in their thoughts.

  Sasha apprehensively walked over. Her turn was next. She sat at the chair and gave Tina a look of assessment then smiled, looking satisfied. She gave Dan her truck keys, telling him to come back in two hours to pick her up. He said his good-byes and left a twenty-dollar tip in the envelope for Tina.

  ***

  Saturday came, and the women took Sasha’s truck and Karen’s car to White Plains. All of them, including Sasha’s mom, were out for a day of shopping. They’d be back when they were done. They made sure to tell the men they had to fend for themselves at dinnertime. The unanimous vote was to go to Aaron’s house later. He was planning to make barbecued chicken, and they were all welcome. A quick appointment at Filia’s, to check on their dresses, was set for eleven o’clock. Then the girls had the rest of the day to do as they pleased.

  “You know what sucks?” Sasha asked anyone who was willing to engage.

  “What, darling?” Her mother patted Sasha’s hand across the console.

  “We can’t have a bachelorette party because I’m preggers. I can’t drink. But I still want to do something fun and daring, and today would be perfect. Who knows when we’ll all be together like this again for the whole day, just us women, and with you joining in, Mom.”

  “So, what do you want to do?” Vic dug deep into her purse for the bubblegum-pink lip gloss she couldn’t live without. She puckered up, looking at her reflection in the compact mirror, and applied more gloss to her already glistening lips.

  “I don’t know, call Mia, and see if they have any ideas.”

  “Sure thing, babe.” Vic punched the icon for Mia’s number on her cell. Her group was following close behind in Karen’s Lexus.

  “Hello, mamacita,” Mia said. “Miss me already? What’s up?”

  “Sasha wants to know if you guys can think of something for all of us to do today since we can’t have a real bachelorette party. You know, Ms. Preggers is going to screw everything up because she can’t drink.”

  “Hang on.” Mia asked the question loudly for Karen and Tina to ponder.

  “Let’s all get tattoos, including Alina. That would kick some monkey butt!”

  “Yeah, great idea, Tina. Hang on… Vic, Tina says we should all get tattoos. How about it? I’m game.”

  “Okay, hang on.” She raised her voice so everyone in the car could hear. “Tina says we should all get tattoos. What do you guys think?”

  “I don’t know about that. It’s going to hurt, isn’t it?” Sasha asked nervously.

  “And that’s coming from someone who’s going to pop two watermelons out of her vajayjay. Babe, you have no idea what pain is yet.”

  “You’re going to scare Sasha!” Alina said with a gasp as she snapped her head toward the backseat and gave Vic the shit eye.

  “Well, she should have thought of that before she did the hokey pokey with Josh.” Vic smirked.

  “Okay… you only live once. Let’s just act like we’re drunk idiots and don’t know any better. I can pretend I’m not afraid.” Sasha admitted that anything would have to be easier than giving birth.

  Vic got back on the phone with Mia. “Okay. We’re all on board. Somebody find a tattoo parlor near the downtown area.”

  “And why can’t you do that?” Mia asked.

  “Humph… I guess I can.” Vic hung up and began the Google search.

  ***

  Mia began laughing to the point of getting hiccups. “Great idea, Tina. Are we seriously going to do this?”

  Tina smirked, enjoying the ability to stir the pot and get everyone jacked up. The day might turn out much livelier than they expected. “Hell yeah, and I think it’s time I loosen up too and become a little less predictable.”

  “Amen, sister.” Mia grinned at Tina through the vanity mirror on the visor. “Something’s telling me we aren’t talking about tattoos anymore, either.”

  ***

  With a few seams pulled in, and a few taken out, the dresses were good to go. They should fit perfectly, especially Sasha’s, in five weeks. The girls gingerly placed
the garment bags of satin, lace, and tulle in the trunk of Karen’s car and parked in the all-day parking lot. They were going to look for nursery furniture to buy and tattoos to have drilled into their flesh. The first stop would be Baby Heaven. Anybody who was in the know, or wanted to seem on top of the latest trends, shopped there for the most sought-after, current styles in baby furniture and accessories.

  Sasha’s parents had already bought a double stroller for her the week before, so that was crossed off the list. Two matching cribs, one outfitted in pink and the other in blue, were what Sasha wanted.

  “I have to make sure everything is the same other than the colors,” Sasha informed the group. “I don’t want either baby to feel more special than the other.”

  “You do know they’re babies, right? They’ll have no idea how to think until they’re ready for toddler beds anyway.” Tina was the practical one.

  “I’m taking precautions. You never know, one could easily be born a genius. Just saying…”

  Sasha strolled through the store, squeaking and yelping at everything she saw that was furry, fuzzy, or squishy. The entourage followed close behind, grabbing the items as she picked them out, usually in doubles. They filled two shopping carts with miscellaneous items of décor. Sasha ordered two cribs, two dressers, two nightstands, a changing table, and a rocking chair while a personal shopping assistant wrote down the item numbers of everything that didn’t fit into a cart. Baby Heaven would deliver those items Tuesday afternoon, no charge. Spending several thousand dollars might have had something to do with the free delivery.

  Continuing on, they came upon a cute restaurant for lunch, directly across the street from Tony’s Tats and Trim.

  “I wonder what trim means,” Sasha asked as they sat in a booth, staring out the window at the sketchy-looking store. “The people going in and coming out are scary. We really aren’t doing this, are we?”

  “We sure are, baby mama. We’ll blame it all on you.”

  “You guys always blame things on me. Why not someone else once in a while?”

  “Why mess with perfection? It’s been working out really well this way,” Tina said. “Anyway, I Googled the store. They sell biker gear like leathers and shit. I think that’s what trim means. I’m pretty sure they aren’t going to give us a haircut while we’re getting tattooed.”

  “So, it’s a biker tattoo place?” Fear crossed Sasha’s face as her eyes bulged like two golf balls, popping out of their sockets. “I have to think of my mom, you know.”

  “We’re in this together, hon. What were you expecting—fairies, unicorns, and rainbows, or a store entrance that looks like Macy’s? If anyone looks threatening at us, Vic will kick their ass.”

  “Oh, good… okay, then.” Sasha looked relieved as she took a big gulp of water.

  “Huh? Who made me the designated ass kicker?”

  “You’re Puerto Rican. It’s part of your genetic makeup.”

  A gum-snapping, chubby waitress with baby-blue hair came by and indifferently took their food order.

  “Her hair color is exactly what I want for the baby boy’s side of the nursery. Ma’am, excuse me…”

  “Sasha, let it go. I don’t think somebody who is eighteen years old and snarky would appreciate being called ma’am. So, has anyone thought of the tattoo they want and where they want it?” Tina asked, enjoying the apprehension hanging in the air. She sat forward with her elbows on the table, wringing her hands.

  “Let’s each get a tiny matching ladybug on our ankle,” Alina said hopefully. “You know, our symbol of solidarity.”

  “Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen. I’ve given this a lot of thought since I already have a couple of hidden tats. I’m getting the grim reaper to match Max’s tattoo, except I’ll have them do it in the center of my back. That way, nobody will see it unless I want them to. There, I’ve made my decision. Who’s next?”

  “You’re such a hard-ass, Vic. I love it,” Mia said. “I’m going to get the Chinese character for happiness on my hip. I can’t have anything showing with my wedding dress on, or my parents would kill me. Tina, what about you? You’re the one who came up with this dumb idea.”

  “Hmmm… I’ll have to look at their catalog, but whatever I get will be on the outside of my calf.”

  “I’m sticking with the ladybug on my ankle. It’s sweet and small,” Alina said.

  Karen decided on a Hello Kitty tattoo in honor of Claire, and she would have it done on the top of her foot.

  “Okay, baby mama, that leaves you,” Tina said.

  Everyone waited for Sasha’s response, staring at her with bated breath.

  “You guys are making me nervous right now… I know! I have it, and it’s perfect. I’ll have the Gemini twins put on my hip.”

  “But the babies are due in October. Gemini isn’t their birth month,” Mia said.

  “I know, but the month for Gemini is May 21 until June 20, the day of our weddings, and I’m having twins. It’s kismet!”

  “That might be a stretch, but you get a pass. Okay, go for it, girl.” Vic smirked.

  A plan had been formed, and they were anxious. Their food and beverages were wolfed down in a matter of minutes. Time was of the essence, and the tattoo parlor was calling their names. Glistening Harleys, some looking to be right out of Easy Rider with ape-hanger handlebars, sat outside, lined up along the curb. A flashing neon sign with some of the letters burned out dangled precariously in the front window. What should have been “Tony’s Tats and Trim” actually read, “Toy’s Tats a rim.” The name didn’t seem to be a matter of importance to these people—it was the destination that counted.

  Vic was pushed to the front of the pack just because she looked the meanest, and they walked through the door into the darkened area. Big, burly bikers milled around, looking over chaps, vests, and most things studded. Several unsavory-looking characters lay back on reclining chairs, getting sleeve tats.

  Goosebumps rose on the women’s arms as they thought about turning around and running out the door. Too many sets of eyes stared them up and down as they entered in their upper-middle class shopping attire. Nobody had thought to wear shredded jeans and ratty tee shirts that day. If there was a time to save face and treat this place as though it was just another one of their hangouts, it was now. A few chuckles sounded when a large man with a braided beard asked Alina if she was there to buy some fringed chaps.

  Alina sniped back, her face turning red. “Possibly. Do you have a problem with that?”

  The store erupted with laughter, especially coming from the braided-beard man himself. “Lookout—we’ve got a live one here! Anyway, come on in. I’m Bubba, one of the tattoo artists and co-owner of the store. Can we help you ladies with something, or are you just lost?”

  “We’re here on purpose, and we want tattoos… please,” Sasha said, standing close to her mom.

  “All righty then, you’ve come to the right place. Have a seat. Anyone want a beer?”

  They pensively looked at each other. It was better to decline. Heads needed to stay clear, and their focus had to remain intact. Too many beers might convince them to get full-body tats, and blaming all of that on Sasha would be hard to pull off.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tina browsed through the catalog of tattoo options while Alina volunteered to be first in the chair. Her tattoo would only take ten minutes to complete. With the previous customer’s sleeve tat finished, Vic decided to go next with that artist. Now there were two artists working on the women.

  “Check it out—I found what I want,” Tina said triumphantly. She carried the catalog, showing each woman the tattoo she would have permanently inked into her skin.

  “Are you out of your friggin’ mind?” Sasha yelped when Tina showed her the orange-and-yellow tattoo of a flaming skull head. The example in the catalog was three inches tall from the chin bone to the top of the highest flame. “That’s huge and hideous.”

  “Yeah… pretty rad, huh?”r />
  “Who the hell are you right now?” Karen asked. “I can just see you in your bridesmaid dress, walking down the aisle toward the wedding garden with a flaming skull on your calf.”

  Bubba took a look at the picture Tina was passing around. “That’s one of our most popular tats. Good choice if I do say so myself.”

  “Then it’s settled, and it’s going on my right calf. I’ve decided to live a little and quit being so damn predictable and boring.”

  “Does Dan have anything to do with your sudden lifestyle change?” Mia asked, giving Tina an affirmative nod.

  “Of course not, I haven’t seen any tats on his hot body.”

  “So, you’ve noticed his hot body, is that what you’re saying? He could have some hidden tats. You’ll have to ask when you see him again. Who knows, you might get lucky enough to have him show you.” Mia snickered.

  Tina huffed. “You’re all insane. Dan doesn’t even know I’m alive.”

  “He will when I tell him about the flaming-skull artwork on your leg. He’ll want to see it for sure.”

  Sasha’s comment reminded Tina to keep her legs shaved and thoroughly lotioned at all times.

  “Whatever… and I’ll tell him myself if I ever feel like it. You, Ms. Destiny, can mind your own business. Anyway, I want to be next in line before I change my mind.”

  Bubba called her over to his vacant chair. “Right here, young lady. Let’s get that skull outlined.”

  Three hours—and a lot of whining from Sasha—went by, but the ladies sashayed out of Tony’s Tat’s and Trim with their heads held high. They’d just crossed over into the world of hard-ass, uber-cool businesswomen with tats. They were sporting fresh ink and a new group of BFFs, otherwise known as Biker Friends Forever.

  ***

  They raced back to Tarrytown, to Aaron’s house, knowing all the men would be there. Somebody had to feed the poor, incapable souls. The girls were on a high after accomplishing so much in one day. Their bachelorette party had consisted of kick-ass tattoos done in a sketchy biker tattoo parlor. The men’s bachelor party consisted of chicken barbecued on the grill. The girls strolled into the house with their chests out, proud as peacocks, to show off their new ink.