MSS: Wine- Part II

                                                         Part II

          Larry decided to play along, remembering that she, unlike these two men, could handle a lot of alcohol before losing her common sense.
          This'll be fun, she thought. "Sure," she said, giving the men a flirty grin, "what are your names?"
          "I'm Josh Morris," the man with the wine glass answered, "that's Carl. He's my brother." He gestured toward the man to his right.
          "So your last name's Morris?" Larry asked nonchalantly. Carl and Josh nodded. Erik's brothers, she thought, great.
          "What's your name?" Carl asked.
          "Heather," Larry lied. She smiled at them again. As she finished the rest of her own glass of wine, Josh called a waiter for more.

          Larry laughed at Josh, who was sort of slumped over the table. Carl was drunk as well, his eyes half-closed. Larry, though she acted drunk, was not.
          "I-I gotta use th-the toilet," she hiccuped. She wanted to get Erik and tell him what was going on. She stood and walked shakily into the hall where the bathrooms were. "Erik?" she said, stopping in front of the mens' bathroom door.
          "Yeah?" Erik answered, coming through the door.
          "I think I found your brothers," Larry said quietly.
          Erik gaped at her. "What?!"
          "Josh and Carl," Larry scoffed, "they're both stoned. Pathetic."
          Erik raised an eyebrow. "You... got them drunk?"
          "No, they were trying to get me drunk," Larry explained, "and in the process, they got themselves wasted."
          "You," Erik began. He grinned. "You are awesome!"
          "Thank you," Larry said happily. Then she lowered her voice. "Come back to the table but do not say anything," she whispered. Erik nodded.
          Larry walked clumsily back to Josh and Carl. Erik followed her a few feet back.
          "Hey, Heather!" Josh warbled, "how 'bout you come back to our hotel room with us?"
          Erik's eyes widened. Larry stole a glance at him, standing behind Josh and Carl. His hands clenched into fists and his lips were pressed together in a tight line.
          Ohh, crap, Larry thought.
          "H-Heather!" Carl exclaimed.
          Larry could almost hear the "kill him" vibes coming from Erik.
          "Guys?" Larry said. Josh and Carl looked up and grinned wickedly at her.
          "Yeah?"
          Larry smirked. "Look behind you."
          And they did. they saw Erik, fury rolling off him, and Carl said cheerfully, "Hey, Erik! H-how ya doin'?"
          Erik snapped. He pulled his arm back and shot it forward, punching Josh in the nose.
          Josh's nose made a sickening "crack" and it immediately started gushing blood. His eyes widened as he fingered his broken nose. He and Carl stood.
          "I thought I would never have to hear your voices again," Erik snarled, "first you beat me up, then you abandon me in the middle of the woods, and now you try to steal away the girl I was trying to propose to!!" He took another swing at his brothers' faces. Josh managed to dodge his fist, but Erik caught Carl in the eye. His eye almost instantly swelled shut.
          Enraged, Carl grabbed the front of Erik's shirt. He brought his face close to Erik's. "She's way out of your league," Carl spat, "We're the ones that deserve a girl like her. We always have been."
          Erik glared past Carl's shoulders and shoved him away. He pulled his arm back to punch Carl again when Larry came between them. She put her hand out to stop Carl and Josh. Her fingertips lightly touched Erik's chest, holding him back.
          "Carl, Josh," she said sternly, turning to them, "shut. The fuck. Up. Leave Erik alone or so help me, I will shove a butcher knife either up your asses or down your throats. Your choice.
          "And Erik," she turned to him, and paused. "Yes," she smiled at his startled face, "oh, my God, yes!"
          Erik blinked, then grinned past her head.
          "What?!" Josh cried.
          Larry turned back to Erik's brothers. "I thought I told you the shut your mouth," she said coldly.
          The very second that Josh opened his mouth to come back with a snide remark, Larry punched him in the jaw. Hard.
          Josh's head snapped back, and he took a step back, running into the table.
          Larry glared at Carl, who still stood, his mouth agape. she held her fist an inch from his nose. "I see your faces again, and I will rip out your spines and beat you with them," she threatened, "you hear me?"
          Carl nodded frantically and dragged Josh to his feet.
          Larry smirked, then pretended to lunge at them.
          To her amusement, both Carl and Josh flinched and hurried out of the restaurant.
          One corner of Erik's mouth curled up in a crooked smile as Larry turned back to him. "Have I told you haw awesome you are?" he asked in bemusement.
          "You might've mentioned it," Larry said, and she laced her fingers with Erik's.
          "Oh," Erik began, reaching into his pocket, "I should probably give you this." He pulled out a small velvet box and flipped it open. Inside was an expensive-looking diamond ring.
          Larry smiled as Erik took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her left ring finger. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him sweetly.
          And a resounding "awww" echoed throughout the entire room.