Page 30 of Loco

“Wow! You’re full of surprises today!” Lissa gushed as V climbed into the front seat.

V shot me a finger wave while fumbling with her seat belt. “Because I’m wearing jeans and a tee?”

Viola was what I would call eccentric, but in a good way, and she loved color. She loved mixing them up, and her apartment reflected that. The bright yellows, golds, and oranges that filled the space made it feel like walking into a box of sunshine. Her preferred Bohemian-style attire consisted mostly of long dresses, skirts, and short baggy jeans when she wasn’t in the work clothes that she wore at Morning Glory. I imagined her cheery disposition was an asset to the assisted living facility.

“Well, that, for one thing.” I could see Lissa’s smile as she turned her head to pull out onto the road.

Lissa was the classy, confident one of our little group. She was dressed to kill in a pair of skinny jeans, a bikini top covered with a small, beaded jacket, and stilettos, something I could never pull off with my figure.

I knew exactly what Lissa was referring to. The three of us had pampered ourselves with a spa day, and she’d talked me and V into waxing our nether regions for the first time. Before today, I’d just landscaped. V had balked at first, saving me from having to say anything in protest, until Lissa reminded us that we’d all promised to have the same exact services done. No questions. I’d known instantly that she’d trapped us into doing some things we might otherwise have skipped.

“Admit it, you ladies feel sexier than you ever have.”

I couldn’t argue with Lissa about that. It wasn’t often that I treated myself to anything, and it felt wonderful. We’d had manis and pedis, body massages, facials, hair trims, and treatments. My wild curls were brighter and softer than they’d ever been, and I loved the smell of the products they’d used.

For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. I’d even purchased a new dress, something that outlined my figure in a flattering and sexy way. I usually stuck with loose fitting clothes, but tonight I was embracing my figure. Maybe something good had come out of a night of sex with Loco, because he’d certainly proved that he liked my curves.

We’d ended our afternoon by having our makeup done professionally, and the results were amazing. Lissa’s was not a far cry from her normal look, because she was into makeup and wore it every day, but V and I were hardly recognizable. It was astonishing how makeup, applied in the right way, could emphasize your features in the best way, while making it appear that you were wearing very little.

“So who exactly are we meeting tonight?” I asked as the girl chatter quieted down. Lissa had only told us that we were meeting with some of the women from Desert Rebels at Grinders. She’d been spending a lot of time at the clubhouse with Frenchie and had made friends there.

“Jolene will be there. She’s LD’s old lady, and very pregnant. Annabelle is the chick who’s getting married to Jolene’s brother. She’s Demon’s sister.”

I’d learned that he and LD were both presidents of Desert Rebels. It was all very confusing to me.

“Lulu will be there. She recently moved to LD’s clubhouse from Demon’s. She’s a real sweetheart. You’ll love her.”

“Who’s her old man?” V laughed.

Lissa shook her head. “Lulu is a club girl. She’s been with them so long that they don’t think of her like that anymore. She’s different from the others. She moved to LD’s clubhouse to be closer to Vegas. Apparently, she’s interested in becoming a vet tech. There’s an animal clinic that’s willing to give her a job after she completes the online courses she’s taking. Right now, she’s volunteering there a few hours a week.”

“An animal lover! I love her already!” I said with enthusiasm.

We pulled into Grinders, and I had to admit that I was a little nervous. Would Loco be there? I hadn’t seen him since the debacle at his clubhouse. I couldn’t get the man off my mind, or the way he had of looking at me as if he wanted to eat me up. Apparently he had no such problems forgetting about me, though. He hadn’t even tried to reach out since he’d dropped me off at my apartment.

“Boy, this place is packed!” Lissa quipped, weaving in and out of parked bikes and vehicles.

As she rounded the back of the building, I could hear how loud the music was inside. V asked, “I have a question--if this is a girl’s night, why are we here at Grinders?”

I had kind of been thinking the same thing. This establishment looked nothing like the kind of place I’d had in mind.

“Because LD wants eyes on Jolene at all times and Grinders belongs to the club. She’s about ready to pop. And before you ask, yes, he and some of the men will be here. But they’re supposed to leave us alone.”

“I’m kind of hoping Loco comes around.” Damn, had I said that out loud? “I’ll never look this good again.” It was too much work. I opened the door to get out.

“Even after how things ended with you two?” V asked.

I shrugged. We really hadn’t even begun. “Why not? I want him to see what he lost,” I giggled.

“Listen to you, girl!” Lissa laughed. “I’m so proud of you!”

People were coming and going as we made our way to the door. There was the usual group of smokers lingering outside, but other than a few whistles and catcalls we were left alone. One of the guys even reached over and opened the door for us.

Walking inside Grinders was like stepping into another world. A fun, loud world where everyone was drinking, dancing, and just having a good time. From the looks of it, it was standing room only, and I wondered where we were going to sit.

“Follow me!” Lissa shouted over the noise. V grabbed my hand and we followed Lissa through the crowd as she led us to a table where three other women were already sitting, talking and laughing as they sipped drinks.

“You made it!” a beautiful and very pregnant blond beamed. She scooted over to make room for us, her belly tight against the table. “You ladies look gorgeous! You’re going to have the guys eating out of your hands!”

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