Third Chances - Chapter 5
Daphne
I collapsed on the queen bed as soon as we entered our room. It was so plush and comfortable. It felt like I was in heaven.
Layla plopped down next to me. "This is the most comfortable bed I've ever lain in."
"Me too," I said through a huge yawn.
"Get up, you two. We're going out!" Kristen was already rummaging through her suitcase. She pulled out a short blue dress and started changing.
I groaned. "Kristen, it's 10 o'clock back home. And we've been traveling all day. Aren't you exhausted? Maybe we could rent a movie or something?" I looked over at Alina. She was usually on board with renting movies and staying in.
"Don't look at me," she said. "I want to go exploring."
Layla sat up. "Just so we're all on the same page, if I'm not in bed by midnight I'll probably turn into a pumpkin." She slid off the bed and opened up her suitcase.
Maybe I'd be able to get her on my side later to stage a coup.
But right now, I was really hungry. I sat up and stretched.
Everyone else was changing into skintight dresses and heels.
I think I had packed a few sundresses. One of those would have to do.
I grabbed the first one I found and pulled it on.
"What the hell is that?"
I looked over at Kristen staring at me.
"A sundress. I just bought it. It's the perfect combination of cute and sophisticated, don't you think?"
"You're a grown ass woman. You have no business dressing cute. Fortunately, I packed way too many clothes, knowing you were going to be lame." She tossed me a dress from her suitcase.
I had feared she was going to do exactly that.
All throughout college Kristen had insisted on dressing me.
I thought I was finally free of her tyrannical fashion advice.
The only positive was that Kristen was so much taller than me that the dresses that were super inappropriate on her weren't so bad on me.
They'd probably go down to mid-thigh instead of right below my ass.
And it wasn't worth fighting her on this.
I just wanted food in my mouth immediately.
I pulled on the dress and grabbed the only pair of heels I brought.
They were fancy sandals that worked with everything.
Kristen seemed to agree because she didn't say anything.
I sat down on the edge of the bed while they finished getting ready.
Last minute touches of makeup and hair primping.
Not that they needed it. My friends were basically all models.
Alina looked like a perfect blonde Barbie doll, except short.
Layla looked like a younger Sofia Vergara.
Actually, Alina and Layla had both done some modeling after their scandalous TV appearances.
And Kristen fit right in with them. She had dark hair and was super tall like a model, but not sickly skinny.
She was thin but somehow still had big breasts and a great ass.
I'm surprised a modeling agency hadn't picked her up.
And me? I looked down at the dress I was wearing.
I wasn't tall and I wasn't short. I had mousy brown hair.
I was so average. Not that I was complaining.
I liked being average. I liked that when guys liked me they got to know my personality first. It was important to me.
Kristen had said that cute wasn't something I should be aiming for.
But that's what I always ended up looking like.
I had one of those baby faces that made me look a lot younger than I was.
And I was used to wearing sophisticated clothes to work, trying hard not to accentuate my breasts or ass.
I never aimed for cute, but that's what I tended to look like every day.
And I thought it was a good look for a teacher.
I liked it. No one ever called me sexy. That wasn't me.
That was a word reserved for my friends.
I pulled the neckline of my dress up. I had forgotten the fact that it would be a little lower due to Kristen's height. I stood up and looked in the mirror. My hair didn't seem to agree with the Costa Rican humidity. I ran my palms over it, trying to get rid of some of the frizz.
"You look great," Alina said. "You can borrow one of my dresses tomorrow if you want. I know how anal you are about showing off your tits."
She was right, my boobs were everywhere. "Thanks. But I don't even care right now. I just need food and sleep."
"And...dancing?"
"If that's the price I have to pay for what I want."
Alina smiled. "This is going to be so much fun!"
***
The Jaguar's Den was decorated with fake foliage everywhere, which made it look like we were in the middle of the rainforest. I couldn't help but think that they should have just made it an outdoor restaurant since we were actually in the rainforest. The music was blaring into the hall of the hotel.
There was definitely quite a dance party going on inside.
I looked around at the decorations as we entered the restaurant.
"Good evening," the host said in a sexy accent.
I turned toward the voice and put my hand over my mouth so I wouldn't burst out laughing. Who dresses like that? He was wearing only tight black shorts and a jaguar-pelt headdress that left his muscular torso completely exposed.
The host didn't seem to notice my reaction. "Four?" he asked.
I dropped my hand and nodded. I wasn't sure why my first reaction was to laugh.
He was gorgeous. He had a perfect six pack and his skin was tan and smooth looking.
The longer I stared, the more I appreciate his attire.
And it made me start to wonder when was the last time I had seen a man naked.
Was it really during college? Had I not had sex in over a year?
The host grabbed four menus and held out his arm to escort me to the table.
I looked behind me. I was sure Kristen would be all over linking arms with this half naked man. But three more men dressed just like him had appeared to escort my friends.
"Oh, okay then," I said awkwardly and linked my arm with his as he led us to our table. I couldn't help but feel how strong his arm was. Stop squeezing his arm, psychopath.
I immediately released his arm when we got to our table. "Thanks," I mumbled and slid into the booth.
He smiled at me. "Pablo will be your server this evening. He'll be right with you."
Kristen slid into the booth beside me. As soon as the host was out of earshot, she said, "I love this place."
"I think men should always dress like this in restaurants," Layla said.
"Here's to that," Alina agreed.
"The three of you are ridiculous. None of you are single. Stop ogling the wait staff."
"Speaking of being single," Alina said. "That host was totally staring at your breasts. You should tap that."
I could feel my face turning slightly red as I pulled the neckline of my dress up a little higher. "I don't do one night stands, you know that."
"Yeah, but we're here all week."
"I'm not hooking up with a stranger in Costa Rica."
"But it's my bachelorette party! I have to live vicariously through you."
I glared at her. "You already picked the movie on the plane, Bridezilla."
Alina made a pouty face.
"Good evening, ladies." Our waiter had appeared at the table, and he was dressed exactly like the host. His body may have been even more ripped. I quickly glanced up at his face after I realized I was staring at what he was barely hiding behind his tiny shorts.
"I'm Pablo and I'll be your waiter this evening. Is this your first time at the Jaguar's Den?"
Kristen put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. "It is indeed, Pablo."
He smiled. "Then I must tell you about our spicy shrimp skewers."
"How spicy?"
"Oh, very spicy." He rolled his "r" slightly and winked at her.
"That sounds delicious. What's the best drink that the Jaguar's Den has?"
Pablo rubbed his chin. He looked like a statue. I bit the inside of my cheek.
"Our bartender makes the best pina colada I've ever had."
"Well, maybe we can start with a round of those?" Kristen said.
"I'll just take a water." The champagne had made me feel slightly queasy earlier. I wasn't used to drinking very much. And I couldn't handle anything else on an empty stomach.
Kristen elbowed me. "She'll take a water in addition to the pina colada. And maybe we'll take two orders of the spicy shrimp to start?" She looked around the table.
"How big are the skewers?" Layla asked.
"Oh, very big," Pablo said. "And there's two per appetizer. But we find that most people can only handle one at a time."
Layla blushed. "That sounds perfect."
I wanted to snap my fingers. Bring me food already! My friends were being terrible.
"I'll let you ladies have a moment to look over your menus. And I'll be right back with your drinks and appetizers." He smiled and walked away.
"His ass is amazing," Layla whispered. "Why don't all men wear shorts like that?"
"Do those even count as shorts?" Kristen asked. "I have the weirdest urge to bite him."
I rolled my eyes and looked at the menu. Everything sounded delicious. "Why are there no prices?"
"Everything's included with the price of the resort."
"Really?" All the menu items just got even more delicious looking now that I knew they were free.
"He was totally talking about how big his penis was, right?" Layla asked.
"It sure seemed like it," Kristen said.
Yum, Chicken Oscar! I tapped my foot as I waited for Pablo to return. I was so hungry I could literally eat anything.
"I'm definitely getting a rib-eye," Alina said and closed her menu. "Don't look now, but the guys at the bar are totally checking us out."
I turned around to look.
"I said don't look. They'll see you!"
But it was too late. I had already made awkward eye contact with one of them. I immediately turned back around when he smiled at me.
"Here's the drinks for the beautiful ladies," Pablo said as he walked up with a tray of drinks. He put the four pina colada down on the table.