The Sweetest Taste

I noticed him the moment he entered the restaurant. His striking features matched that of the description my sister had given me. Sandy blond hair, piercing ice blue eyes, and a smile that would make any woman melt. He was handsome for sure, but it was his outward confidence that really caught my eye. I watched as he swooned the young hostess, her face flushed as she pointed in my direction. He gave her a devilish smile and headed my way. I sat up straight, fixing my satin black dress as I adjusted my seat.

“Hello gorgeous, you must be Addison's sister,” he stretched out his hand across the table and grinned.

“Vanessa. Pleasure to meet with you tonight,” I said as I took his hand. It was soft, yet strong. He pulled out his seat and sat as I poured him a glass of the Merlot I had been nursing during my wait. He picked up the glass and examined the legs, sniffing the open top before he took a small sip. He set it down and looked at me again. His icy eyes made me dizzy.

“Vanessa, that's a beautiful name. Matches such a beautiful lady. Tell me, do you feel odd meeting me for dinner this evening?” I knew what he was getting at. It's not everyday your ex's sister reaches out to you for a semi-blind date.

I leaned forward, gently pressing my arms against my sides to accentuate my breasts. He took the bait and looked down. “I don't find it odd at all. You two simply didn't work out. Who's to say we won't?” I gave him a quick wink and sipped my wine. It tasted of black cherry and cedar, a sweet yet full bodied taste. It danced across my tongue and glided down my throat. Such a beautiful taste.

He smiled once more as I set down my glass. He grabbed a bread stick from the bowl between us and broke off a small piece. He popped it into his mouth, washing it down with another drink from his Merlot. “So,” he began, “what do you already know about me? I hope it's not all bad coming from Addi. She's a peach, but I know I really hurt her when I left her. But it's like you said, we just didn't work out. I knew I needed to cut ties sooner rather than lead her on.”

He seemed so sweet, really. My sister had told me many things about him, mostly with harsh words and cruel intentions behind them. But I didn't care. I wanted to know about him. Something about him had caught my attention and I couldn't shake the spark of interest I felt for him. I remember the first time my sister had brought him home to meet the family over the holidays. It was a shock, as none of us knew she was even seeing anyone. I was out of town, so I didn't get to hear her gush over him until a week later when she called me. Now, to see the man she had been dating, how jaw-droppingly attractive he was. Addison is by no means ugly, she's actually very cute in a young, innocent way. But he seemed quite out of her league.

I swirled my glass and crossed my legs. “I know you're a few years her senior. You went to Iowa State University and majored in business with plans to have your own startup. You moved down here to Des Moines to make that dream come true. You're drive and intelligence are part of what drew me to want to meet you outside of our silly family functions. I know you two didn't date long at all, so I figured you wouldn't feel strange about this. Was my assumption correct?”

He grinned at me and I felt my face heat up. He was unfairly attractive to look at. I felt as if I couldn't hold his eye contact for too long, or I would be lost within them for the rest of the night. I needed to stay focused for now. I couldn't give in to him yet.

“I would say you are correct. Addi was sweet, and we did have a lot of fun, but those four months didn't mean as much to me as they did to her. It's not her fault though, she's so young. Maybe I shouldn't have ever pursued her. However, had I not met her, I wouldn't have met the smoke show that is sitting across from me right now.” He smiled as he leaned forward to grab his glass again. I watched him intently as he downed the last of his glass. I offered to pour him another, and he gleefully accepted.

As I poured him another glass, I asked, “So what kind of fun did you two have? She didn't tell me much about your personal relationship.” His smile softened a bit, but the question didn't dissuade him from talking.

“Oh, the usual. We went to bookstores, parks, she came to my place and I went to her dorm. We went out for dinner a few times, but never anywhere this nice. I slowly began to realize that I needed something a little more mature. Something with more depth. I was a little sad when we broke up, but ultimately it was freeing.” I enjoyed how open he was being with me. How he was willing to admit that him and Addison were not good together. I smiled at him and handed him the glass back.

He swished it around a bit and took another swig. I couldn't help but smile watching him delicately sip the sweet elixir. I looked at his face once more, this time noticing some sweat on his brow and an uncomfortable look crawling across his face. He leaned back in his seat, clutching his lower abdomen.

“Are you alright? You don't look well,” I said with a hint of concern in my voice. I unwrapped my napkin from the shining silverware and handed to him. He took it and dabbed at his face a few times. He looked up at me, fear in his eyes. He opened his mouth trying to say something, but the only sound that came out was a deep gurgling noise. His eyes rolled back, showing the whites as they were slowly turning red. I deep crimson liquid oozed from the corner of his mouth, I couldn't tell if it was Merlot or blood. He slumped back into his chair, his chest rising and falling, slower and slower.

No one around us had noticed this scene unfold, as I had asked the hostess to show me to a table in the corner. I sat with my back to the corner so he would have to sit facing me. I tipped the waitress and asked that she leaves us alone until I waved for her that we were ready to order. I held my composure a little longer, looking concerned for a few more minutes. Once I was sure he was no longer breathing, I sat back in my seat and grinned.

How simple this had been. How easy it was to lure him here and have him sip on his own death. I grabbed a bread stick and took a big bite, dropping my mysterious guise I had put on. I finished my glass and talked to the lifeless body slumped across from me.

“I am sorry it had to come to this. You seem to be a good person on the outside.” I leaned closer to him, knowing he couldn't hear me. “But I know what you did. You are a vile, disgusting excuse for a human. How dare you drug and abuse a young girl, one so enamored with you. Addison told me in excruciating detail and hollow tears everything you did. You really thought I, being her older sister, would really find you so attractive I would want you? After everything you did to her? You didn't think she would mention your loathsome secrets to me? How credulous you must be. Or rather, had been. You are no longer anything to anyone. You will never hurt another girl again.” I smiled a grand smile, feeling it nearly reach ear to ear. I stood up, fixed my dress, and bent down next to his ear. “Addison won you despicable man.” I stood up and walked towards the door. As I reached the front and exited toward my car, I threw the long brunette wig into some bushes. As I sat in my car, I looked in the rear view mirror.

“Is.. Is it done?” A quiet voice just above a whisper drifted from the backseat. I locked eyes with my sister through the mirror. Her scared eyes were full of tears. I felt my own eyes start to water a bit seeing the fear in hers.

“You won Addison. He will never hurt another girl again.”