Les Tales (8 page)

Nia held the smile that was fixed on her face. She nodded her head, knowing she couldn't trust what came out of her mouth if she tried to speak. She walked out the door. She leaned her body against the door for a moment after it closed, not ready to walk away completely.

I walked into the room, surprised to find it exactly the way we had left it the night before. I knew checkout was going to be soon. I sent a quick text, asking my two friends where they were, then started to pack up all my belongings.

It was the hardest time I've ever had packing. I put my wigs in their bags and folded up my cheaper costumes. I pulled my beautiful Grecian goddess dress out of the closet. I admired its beauty. I felt like I owed everything to that dress.

I paused when I heard someone put a key in the door. I stood there as Nia walked into the room in the same clothes she had had on the night before. I smirked, but before I could say anything, she looked at me with a very straight face and told me there was nothing to tell.

We were both packing up our belongings when Cree finally took her walk of shame into the room. She closed the door behind her, then leaned against it. We just watched as she stared at the ceiling. We didn't know what to think, so we just stood there watching her. She took a deep breath and looked at both of us.

“Well, how was you guys' nights?” She walked farther into the room and plopped down on the bed.

“Shouldn't we be asking you that question?” Nia pressed her lips firmly together. “Details, woman.”

Cree fell back on her bed. “That man . . .” She sighed. “God, I love Dragon Con!”

We all laughed.

We listened as Cree spilled all the details from her night with Les. She was glowing. There were moments when she would pause, just because she was lost in the moment. Nia finally broke in, telling us of her uneventful evening.

“Well, at least you know he completely respects you. That's a great thing,” I said to Nia.

“I didn't want him to respect me. I wanted him to take me all over that damn room.” Nia fell back on the bed. “That body . . . Lord, he gave me a two-hundred-degree fever this morning.”

Nia and I laughed.

“I think I would be happier if Les had done the same thing,” Cree said, interrupting our laughter. We noticed her stern expression was back again. “I mean, yes, the night was amazing, but I can't help but think that's all it was. Just one night. Now I'm left wanting more.”

Nia and I put our hands on our friend to comfort her. I couldn't help but feel the same way. I would probably never hear from Ursula again. The only chance I had of being in her presence again was if I saw her at San Diego Comic-Con or if she came back to Dragon Con again. I had her number, but I wasn't going to call her. I wasn't going to be that chick she banged in Atlanta who won't stop blowing up her phone.

Cree looked over at me. “Temple, what happened with Ursula?”

I was caught off guard. I wanted to open up and tell them everything. I thought about the confidentiality agreement I had signed. In my mind I knew I could trust my friends. They wouldn't do anything to hurt me, but I couldn't be 100 percent sure.

“It was cool. We had dinner in her room. She was very nice.”

“Aww, that's awesome, girl. You got to have dinner with your idol. Did she spill any details about the next season?” Nia smirked.

“No, but she was really funny. Just like at the panel the other day. She is just . . . amazing.”

The three of us looked at each other. I couldn't help but wonder if they were holding back information just like I was. I wondered if Cree had to sign an agreement like I had to or if that was just something I had been forced to do.

There was a knock on the door, which pulled us from our sister bonding session. Nia opened the door, and Jason and Carlos walked in, dropping their duffle bags on the floor. Both took me off guard as I almost didn't recognize them in regular clothes.

“Do we even want to know?” Nia asked her two male friends.

“Probably not,” Carlos said as he climbed in our bed, covering himself with the comforter. “So sleepy.”

We all laughed about the weekend as we continued to pack our belongings in our luggage. We compared our signed memorabilia. Cree and I tried to figure out the best way to pack without crushing anything.

We took a final look around the room before heading out. I didn't want to leave the room, and I could tell the feeling was mutual. We grabbed the first elevator we could. I looked out the glass wall of the elevator as we headed down to the lobby. The night before, the hotel was packed with people partying, but now hardly anyone was around, and those people who were there were standing around with their bags, for the most part.

Cree and I watched Nia as she checked us out of the hotel room. I handed her my portion of the room fee. We walked out of the hotel and waited on the valet to hail cabs for us and retrieve Carlos's truck.

“Jason!”

We turned around to see Jason's weekend romp walking toward us. She looked different in regular clothes. Her long brown hair was pulled back in two pigtails. She walked up and hugged Jason with ease. Nia, Cree, and I looked at each other as he accepted the hug without the usual hesitation.

“Hey, you guys. Did you have a good weekend?” she said to us as she put her arm around Jason's back.

“Umm . . . yeah, it was great. I hope you had a good time too,” Nia responded for us.

Carlos was amused, as usual, with a smile sprawled across his face.

“I had a blast. Thanks for sharing Jason with me.” She kissed him on his cheek.

Jason couldn't say anything. He just stood there like a statue, with his lips pressed tightly together.

“Oh, it was no problem. Right, Jason?” Nia replied as our eyes locked on Jason.

“Right.” Jason looked away, trying not to lose his cool.

“Well, it was nice meeting you guys. I need to get home. I'll call you later, babe.” The girl walked off and got in the car with the group of friends she had come with.

As soon as her car turned the corner, we all erupted in laughter. Jason stood still, staring at the sky.

“Fuck all of you.” Jason shook his head.

“Y'all should have seen them last night. It was so cute. All cuddled up and shit.” Carlos put his arm around Jason. “You two make such a cute couple.”

We laughed as Jason pushed Carlos off of him.

“And what, or who, did you get into last night, Carlos?” I asked as I nudged him on his shoulder.

“Honey, I got into a few somethings and someones. Hell, it's Dragon Con, after all.” Jason smiled, showing off all his pearly whites.

Carlos's truck arrived from the valet. The guys put Nia's stuff in the truck as Cree and I hugged our friend. We said our final good-byes as she started to get in the truck.

“Nia!”

Our mouths dropped open as Kirk came walking out of the hotel toward us. Even the people around us stood in amazement as the gorgeous star came over to our friend. He had a very serious look on his face.

“Kirk, what are you doing here?” Nia said, more surprised than all of us.

Kirk nodded his head, saying hello to us without words. He took Nia by her hand and pulled her off to the side. He lowered his head.

“So I was sitting in the interview and they asked me how my Dragon Con was and I couldn't remember much besides the time we spent together. I realized that I wasn't quite ready for the time to be over.”

“Oh.” Nia couldn't move.

“I was wondering if you might want to have dinner with me.”

“What about your flight?” asked Nia.

Kirk smiled. “There will be others. So, Miss Nia, you showed me Dragon Con. How about showing me Atlanta?”

Cree and I held each other's arms as we watched our friend work her charm on Kirk. We wanted to jump up and down, but we remained calm. I was happy for her, but I couldn't help but be a little envious of her. I wanted Ursula to appear suddenly, and from the look on Cree's face, she yearned for Les to make an appearance as well.

Nia walked back over to us while Kirk talked to the handlers he had had all weekend. She was smiling from ear to ear.

“So seems I have a date, so, um, I will talk to you all later. Girls, call me and let me know you made it home safely.” She hugged each of us. “Carlos, just take my stuff to your crib. I'll get it later.”

“The fuck I look like? Your personal butler?” Carlos jokingly protested.

Cree and I hugged Carlos and Jason, and they headed off.

Cree and I decided to share a cab. The driver headed toward the Megabus drop-off location for me. I looked over at Cree, who was staring out the window.

“I can't believe it's over.” I sighed.

“Les has a girlfriend. He's still involved with his baby's mother.”

My head shot toward her. She continued to stare out the window.

“And he told you this when?”

“Afterward.”

I rubbed Cree's back to comfort her. “I'm sorry, honey. Are you okay?”

“He said he doesn't want to stop seeing me.”

“Um, so, what? He wants you as his side chick?” I instantly didn't like Les anymore.

Cree turned her head toward me. “He said that he wants to start to get to know me and see where it goes. He said there's nothing really serious between them, but they are still involved due to the kid.”

“And what do you believe?”

Cree sighed. “I believe that I just had the best night of my life with a man I have been in love with since I first saw him, and I think he just played me.” Tears began to flow from Cree's eyes.

I didn't know what to say. I knew that she was probably right. The asshole had used her for sex, and I would be surprised if she ever heard from him again. Ciara entered my head for the first time in a while.

“We aren't going to think like that. We are going to think that he realized that you are an amazing woman and that he's lucky to have spent time with you. I don't think that will be the last you hear from him, but I do think that if you do hear from him, you should resist. You are too good to be a side chick, no matter who it's for.”

The cab pulled up to the Megabus drop-off area. I hugged Cree, wishing I didn't have to leave my friend at that moment.

Cree took a deep breath and smiled. “You are right. Please, I rocked his world last night, so he will definitely be calling. But he will be getting my answering machine.”

We high-fived. I could only hope she stuck to that. I got out of the cab and watched as she disappeared into the traffic. I turned around to take a look at the line of people waiting to catch the bus. I couldn't help but laugh. It was obvious who my fellow Dragon Con attendees were. We would make eye contact, giving an unspoken hello, as we knew where the other had to be coming from. I saw a few people who were still wearing their badges, not wanting the weekend to be over, just like I didn't want it to be over.

I found a seat at the back on the top level of the double-decker bus. I pulled my iPad out and put my headphones on my head. I couldn't help but press PLAY when I brought up the first episode ever of
Olympus.
I smiled when Les, Kirk, Mason, and Ursula appeared in the opening scene. I shook my head, still finding it hard to believe that I had been with the people I watched all the time. Flashes of my night with Ursula consumed my brain. I felt my stomach knot up. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the ache I was feeling for her. I couldn't take it. I turned on
Finding Nemo,
trying to think of something less erotic.

I arrived back at my apartment hours later. I was exhausted. I wasn't sure how I even managed the drive from the bus station to my apartment. I sat in my car, staring at the window to my apartment. It was really over. My weekend was complete, and I was back to reality. I didn't want to go inside. I wanted to turn around, drive back to Atlanta, find a new job, and never come back to Memphis again. It was a tempting thought, but the reality was that I had a mess of a relationship to clean up as best as I possibly could.

I looked over to the side and realized Ciara's car was parked two spots down from me. I knew it had to be someone else's car. After all, I had taken my key back from her. My hands tensed up as I forced myself out of my car and to my front door. I heard music coming from inside my house. I had to be dreaming. She couldn't really be in my house again.

I walked in and smelled Italian food cooking. I headed down the hallway and found Ciara sitting on my couch, playing a video game. She looked up and dropped the control. Ciara stood up, not taking her eyes off of me.

“How the hell did you get in here?”

“Temple, you gave me two keys. Remember?”

“That wasn't an invitation for you to bring your ass back here.”

I stormed off to my bedroom. I was pissed. My plan to relax and think everything out was ruined. Ciara appeared in my doorway. I walked up to her and pushed her out of my room.

“Why, Ciara? Why did you do it?” I yelled as I continued to push her farther and farther down the hallway.

“I'm sorry, Tem. I fucked up, and I know it. I just want us to be able to talk about it.”

“I don't want to fucking talk to you. I want you to get the fuck out of my house!” I hit the wall with my hand. The pain throbbed through my hand. There was a moment of silence between us as I rubbed my hand against my side.

“If you really want me to leave, I will. But, Temple, I don't want to. I want us to please just talk.
If
you need to yell, then yell. If you want to hit me, do it. Just don't make me leave.”

I could see the determination on her face. I could feel her trying to break through the wall I had built up over the past four days. So much had changed in that time period. I thought about Ursula. What would I have done if I had still been in a relationship with Ciara? I knew I wouldn't have had the strength to say no to Ursula. I would have cheated in a heartbeat.

“I just need some time.” I walked back into my bedroom. I could almost hear the relief coming off of her.

“So can I stay? I'm making lasagna. I knew you were coming back today, and I wanted to have something ready when you got back.”

“Sure. Can you get my bags out of the car?” I sat on the edge of my bed, and Ciara disappeared down the hallway.

I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know why I was willing to even entertain the chance of us working anything out. I didn't know why I felt guilty. She had cheated on me, and I was single, but the fact that I slept with someone just three days after breaking up with her just wasn't my normal style. If Ursula had been a revenge fuck, I would have felt much better about the situation, but I knew that she wasn't. I knew that I wanted her more than anything or anyone, and if things were different, if Ciara hadn't cheated, I still would have slept with Ursula.

Ciara was on her best behavior. We sat down for dinner a while later. She had done her best to go all out, setting the table as romantically as she could with the things I had in the house. She had lit two tapered candles and had dimmed the lights, hoping to create a romantic atmosphere. Her efforts were not working.

“So why don't you tell me about the trip? Did you get to meet that chick?” she asked.

I almost choked on my wine when I heard the question. “Yeah, I met her.” I took another large gulp of wine.

Ciara smiled. “Oh, shit. So how was it? Did she like your outfit? Did you actually speak to her?”

I felt my body starting to tense up. The room was starting to feel small. Ciara was staring right at me, and I knew I had to look like a deer caught in the headlights. “Why does it matter?” I snapped.

“Huh?”'

“Why do you care, Ciara?” I felt my anger rising. “You never cared about me meeting her before. Hell, you didn't even want me to go. Now you wanna act like you give a damn.”

Ciara wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I was just trying to make conversation.”

“Well, why don't we talk about you? What have you been doing all weekend, or should I say who?”

Ciara let out a loud sigh. She sat back in her chair. “Okay, give it to me, Temple. Go ahead.” Ciara held her arms out. She pressed her lips firmly together.

“How the fuck could you sleep with that girl in my fucking bed? Ugh. I just realized I have to sleep in that bed tonight.” I jumped up from the table and began to pace the floor.

“Temple, I fucked up. Yeah, I did it, and I'm not about to make excuses for it.” Ciara rose from her seat and rushed over to me. She grabbed me by my upper arm and pulled me toward her. “I fucking missed you. I was jealous. All you cared about was going to see some chicks you didn't even know a few months ago. All you fucking cared about was that damn event.”

“Like you fucking care about those damn video games!”

I pushed away from her and stormed over to the small rack of video games. With little force I knocked the rack over, causing the games to scatter across the floor.

Ciara rushed over and grabbed me by both of my arms. “Stop it, Temple! This isn't you.”

Ciara held on to me, pulling me closer and then into her arms. I hit her arms repeatedly. She took each blow without faltering. I knew they weren't hurting her as much as I wished they would. I wanted her to feel the pain I was feeling. I mustered up all the strength in me and pushed my body away from hers. With the strength I had left, I slapped her across her face. The sound rang through the living room.

Ciara stood there, holding her face.

My mouth dropped opened. I covered it with my hand, realizing what I had just done. “Ciara . . .”

She stood there, staring at the floor. I could tell she was past angry. I braced myself. I had seen her this quiet only once, and that had been right before she beat up a girl at the club.

“Ciara, I'm sorry.” I took a step forward.

She held her hand out to tell me to keep my distance.

“I'm so sorry, baby,” I whispered. I ignored her warning and walked up to her. I wrapped my arms around her. I didn't know what types of feelings were taking over my body. One moment I was angry, and the next moment I just wanted to hold her and make things better.

Ciara turned her head to look at me. Our eyes locked on each other. She took her hand and pulled my head close, pressing her lips against mine. I watched as her eyes closed and she kissed me with as much passion as she could muster. I didn't know why I kept my eyes open. I never kissed with my eyes open.

Ciara's hands explored my body until they found their way to my pants. She unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them down. I grabbed her hands to stop her.

“Please, let me please you,” Ciara whispered in my ear as she pulled my panties down.

I knew it was wrong, but the angry bitch in me didn't care. I allowed her to lead me to the couch. I pushed her head deep into my pussy. I wasn't sorry about hitting her anymore. I knew it was evil, but I only wished she could taste Ursula on me.

I closed my eyes. I felt Ciara's tongue probing my walls until she reached her favorite spot. She began to suck on my clit in a way that was all too familiar. It was the same thing she always did; there was never a change in her style.

Ursula entered my mind.

I bit my lip as I pushed Ciara's face down, causing her mouth to leave my clit for deeper regions of my womanhood. I felt her tongue press against my hole as one of her fingers entered first.

I could feel Ursula's hair tangled in my hands. I could feel her skin against mine and her mouth breathing life into my body.

I began to squeeze my nipples, wanting to feel the intensity that I had felt the night before. I pushed my pelvis into Ciara's mouth, grinding against her tongue.

“Strap!” I said.

Ciara sat up and wiped my sticky sweetness from her mouth. She didn't ask any questions. She ran to the bedroom to grab her “man.” I pressed my fingers against my clit, rubbing it in soft circular motions, until Ciara emerged a few moments later, strapped up. She began to mount me, but I stopped her. I stood up and walked to the side of the couch. I bent over the edge. Ciara knew it was her lucky day. She stood behind me and began to slowly enter me.

I wanted it, and I wanted it then. I grabbed the eight inches of rubbery silicone and pushed it into my pussy.

“Fuck me!” I yelled the command.

Ciara didn't know what to think, but she wasn't going to complain. She held my hips as she thrust the strap in and out. I closed my eyes and was instantly back in the suite at the Ritz-Carlton. I felt her soft hands as they pushed me against the wall of the bedroom. I could see her index finger and could feel it graze my collarbone as she made her way in between my breasts. I could see the way she bit her bottom lip in anticipation of what was to come next. I felt my leg graze hers as I lifted it so she could stick her fingers inside of me. I could feel Ursula's mouth kissing and sucking on my neck as she finger fucked me. Flashes of Ursula consumed my mind with every thrust until my river flowed down my inner thighs.

“Damn.” Ciara's hands fell off my hips.

I opened my eyes.

I wasn't at the Ritz. I was back in Memphis, in my little apartment. I turned around to see Ciara staring at me in disbelief. She had an unusual smile on her face.

“Baby, damn,” she repeated over and over. I looked down to see a large wet spot on one of the legs of her boxers. I had made it rain, and I hadn't realized it. Ciara stood there beaming, like she had just won a prize.

I would let her think that she had something to do with it, but I knew the truth. Ciara was just the vessel. Ursula had fucked me that night.