Free Vampires Need Pedicures Too (A Paranormal Romance) by C.C. Kelly Page A

curtains held by the maitre de and then into the dimly lit , dining room proper.  Two rows of mission styled dark wooden tables ran the length of the amber and graphite décor.  Along the in side of the tables, at the walls , ran leather benches that terminated at the far end of the room.  Twelve tables, now occupied by twenty-two amazingly fashionable people - they were late.
    “You spend fifte e n to twenty minutes with each guy and then you switch.  Maybe get some phone numbers, maybe give yours and maybe , just maybe get a real date for once .  And have fun Holly , relax.   I have a good feeling about tonight. ”
    Holly stood still as Deb pulled away, her smile fading as she headed for a table with a sandy blonde metro-sexual type sitting on the bench.  He pulled his glasses off as she gracefully slipped into the chair across from him.  Holly watched Deb rest her elbows on the table and then raise her hands in a matter-of-fact fashion to cradle her face, as if to say, “ I’m bored, e ntertain me.”
    Holly slowly followed, her heels clicking over the quiet conversation s heading for the only remaining open seat across from - she barely held the laugh inside.
    Oh no, not that!  Th is is awful, please God no.  Fifteen minutes, no laughing, she insisted to herself .   Make that twenty-one amazingly fashionable people.
    He sat against the wall.  Holly could tell he was on the short side, or it could have been his awful posture.  He had some d ark hair poking out from under a ball cap with some faded beer logo on it .  H is complexion was on the lighter side , but looked washed out and sickly against the light mauve and green plaid sport coat, bright yellow tie and burgundy shirt.
    The poor guy must be color blind.  I can forgive that, but the hat?   Seriously ?
    Holly stopped before the table and felt his eyes crawl up her body, until t he y finally met her o wn.  Her nerves said ‘run away’. H e wasn’t undressing her - it felt more like he was tasting a bomb pop and the sensation of being a frozen confection didn’t sit well with Holly , but i t was those eyes that gave her pause.  He was creepy, that much was true, but there was something else as well.  She willed herself to sit down next to Deb and play along - fifteen minutes.
    He didn’t stand up in courteous greeting, he just stared at her and then leaned over, “What color are my eyes?”
    Holly, in a deliberate act to play ball for Deb’s sake, leaned in closer, “Green?”
    He smiled a radiant thrilling smile that made Holly tingle - deep pools of a mountain lake green eyes, green eyes that spoke to her, green eyes she would obey.
    He leaned back and seemed to relax, “So, hi.  My name is Tim. ”
    “Wheeton, I mean Holly , Holly Wheeton,” she stammered looking down at the table.  She felt like she was back in junior high.
    “Hi Holly . ”
    “Hi . ”
    “I think we should talk about me, what do you say?”
    That sounded wonderful , she thought as she looked up from the table , meeting his eyes again - what had she been thinking , only fifteen minutes? O f course she wanted to hear about him .  Deb was right; this was going to be fun after all.
    “Hey, peach jacket, am I right or am I right, huh?”
    She grinned; he did cut quite a figure as they used to say in the old movies she so enjoyed .
    “I dress pretty hot most of the time, I’m just saying, but I’m really a casual guy, really.  But, hey, want to know a secret?”
    Holly leaned in conspiratorially.
    Tim glanced right and left and then leaned in closer, “I’m rich.  I got money comin g out my ass - oh yeah, I’m wicked rich. ”
    “And?”
    “And nothing, I’m just saying, that’s all.”  He winked.
    “How wonderful for you,” she grinned , happy with her quip.
    Tim winked again , “Wonderful for us maybe , j ust saying.”
    Holly smiled again, handsome, charismatic, well spoken, sharp dresser and not that she cared about money, but he was rich too