Cooley sighed. “Sahara, I can't do this.”
Sahara's face dropped. “What's wrong? Is it something I did?”
“Hell, naw, you're great. Sexy as hell. Damn, what the fuck is wrong wit' me?” Cooley stood up.
“There's someone else, isn't it?” Sahara said. Cooley's face said it all. “I knew it.” Sahara started to put her pants back on.
“How'd you know?”
“You were always checking your phone and voice mail. The Cooley I met before would have taken me home the first night. It's been weeks and you hadn't laid a hand on me. She must be something special.”
Cooley thought about Misha. “Sahara, you have had the craziest effect on me. When we met, I never thought I would want to settle down. You were the first chick who made me even think about it. But Misha is the first to actually make me do it.”
“Cooley is in love.” Sahara smiled.
“Yeah, I am. I'm so sorry about this.”
“It's all good. I am happy for you. Hell, you've helped me realize my dream. How fucked up would it be for me to fuck up yours? I'll call a cab.”
“No, you can stay here if you want,” Cooley said.
Sahara took her up on the offer.
Cooley put Sahara in a guest room downstairs, instead of near hers, just so she wouldn't get tempted to do something.
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It was still dark outside when Cooley checked her bags to make sure she had everything. She walked into Sahara's room. She was sleeping peacefully. Cooley left a good-bye note and then walked down the hall to Sonic's room. She was in the bed sleeping with two other women.
“Sonic.” Cooley hit her on her foot.
Sonic turned over and looked at Cooley.
“I'm out of here.”
“Oh, shit! What time is it?” Sonic looked down at her cell phone.
“My friend Sahara is sleeping in one of the guest rooms. When she wakes up, please make sure she makes it home.”
“Gotcha.” Sonic quickly fell back to sleep.
Cooley took one last look at Sonic's mansion. She sighed. She was ready to go home. She was ready to get Misha back.
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Misha hugged Patrick for the last time. She dropped him at the airport so that he could catch his flight.
“So, I will see you in a few weeks,” Patrick said as he kissed her on her forehead.
“Yes, you will. I will be waiting.” Misha's heart was beating quickly. She was so happy to have Patrick back in her life.
They said their final good-byes, and she headed back to the campus.
She made it into her room and looked around. She noticed all of the pictures of her with the women that she knew. There was a picture of her and Cooley. She realized she was going to have to pack up all of her memories when Patrick came back to town. It was best that she kept her orientation secret. She did not want to lose him.
Still, Misha couldn't help but think about her friends. She thought about all the conversations she had about bisexual women and sike-a-dykes. She always was against women who claimed to be gay, but were actually messing with men. This was what she had become. She realized for the time being it was best to keep her mouth closed. She needed to make sure it was what she wanted before she made the big announcement.
Chapter 24
“I missed you, bruh!” Cooley said, wrapping her arms around Denise. “How was the camp?”
“Man, it was cool as hell. I met some major heavy hitters. I think this pro thing may happen after all.”
Denise and Cooley got Cooley's car and headed back to their apartment.
“Did Carmen tell you what happened?” Cooley asked Denise.
“Man, no, I really didn't get to talk much on the phone. They kept us so busy. I swear, Rhonda blew my phone up.”
“Fuck that bitch. Anyway, Carmen's mom walked in on her and Nic.”
“Oh, shit,” Denise laughed. “I bet she had a fit.”
Cooley laughed. “Hell, yeah. Nic was mortified. She started panicking and shit. But C said it was all good in the end. Her mother actually respects their relationship now.”
“What about Nic's people?”
“Man, I heard they fell in love with her immediately. Nic's mom was calling Carmen her daughter and some more.” Cooley sighed. “Man, I am glad to be home. I can't wait to see Misha.”
“I bet you can't. So did you hook up with anyone in ATL?”
“Man, nah. And guess who I ran into? Sahara.”
Denise looked at Cooley in amazement. “And you didn't hook up?”
“Nope.” Cooley smiled. “I told her that I had someone at home.”
“Well, it looks like someone's in love.”
Cooley looked over at Denise. “You know what, I'll admit it. I love her. Shit, I can't believe I said that. I'm such a fuckin' punk.”
They both laughed.
Denise made it into the apartment first, while Cooley got all of her bags from the car. Denise looked around the apartment. Something didn't feel right. She walked into her room. She didn't remember leaving her drawers open. She looked around her room. She had a very uneasy feeling. She heard Cooley yell from her room.
Denise ran into the room and gasped. Cooley stood frozen at her door, looking at the destruction.
“Oh my God!” Denise said, walking into the room. The strong smell of bleach hit her nose instantly.
Cooley felt like someone knocked the wind out of her. Someone hit her where it hurt the most. All of her hats and clothes were bleached. Her cologne collection was ruined. She couldn't speak.
Denise didn't know what to do. She looked at Cooley, whose face had lost all its color. Denise quickly grabbed Cooley, who immediately collapsed in her arms.
“Who the fuck! Who!” Cooley screamed as tears of anger ran down her face. She fought to break free from Denise.
“We'll find out, bruh.” Denise tried to calm Cooley down, but knew it wasn't going to work. She let Cooley go.
Cooley went on a rampage. She hit the wall so hard that her fist broke through.
“Cool!” Denise yelled. She couldn't let her mess up the apartment.
The police finally arrived and surveyed the room. One of the police officers began to ask the same questions again.
“And are you sure no one could have access to a key?”
“Yes, sir,” Denise said. “Only three people have keys, and one of them isn't back from L.A. yet.”
The police took a report and left.
Denise closed the door and looked at Cooley.
“Man, if I find out who did this,” Cooley said, shaking her head, “that person is going to feel pain unlike any other.”
“Well, what are you going to do about clothes?”
“That's nothing. I'll get more clothes. Plus, I had a lot of my stuff with me when I headed to ATL. I'll make it. I'm mad about my cologne though. That damn Creed was like a hundred and fifty dollars. Ahhh shit, my Billionaire Boys Club shirt.” Cooley held the pieces of her beloved shirt in her hand. “Talk about hitting a nigga where it hurts.”
“Well, at least it was a shirt and not your life,” Denise said.
“Yeah, but it was a hot shirt.” Cooley looked at Denise and cracked a small smile. She knew Denise was right. They were only possessions, but she still was going to work to find out who did it.
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Lena looked at herself in the mirror. She felt fat. Lena felt so lonely when Brandon was on the road. She had gotten to the point of doing simple things, like going to the movies. Sometimes Lena would dismiss her staff just so she could do some of their chores. She missed her friends. She missed Denise. She wondered if Denise was back from camp.
Lena picked up her phone to call, but quickly put it back down. She wondered how she would react to seeing Denise. There was only one way to find out.
Lena knocked on Denise's door. She heard music coming from inside. Cooley answered the door in a pair of sweats and a red T-shirt with bleach stains on it.
“Lena, what's going on, ma?” Cooley hugged her.
“Nothing much. I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by.”
“What the hell you doing in the hood?” Cooley said. She knew Lena was lying.
“Well, I was just driving around, stopped by the school. Is Dee here?”
“Actually, she isn't. She'll be back soon, if you want to chill.”
“Um, that's OK. I guess I'll just talk to her later. Tell her I stopped by.” Lena turned around to walk away but heard Cooley call her name.
“Don't be silly. Come on in and see what someone did to my shit.”
Lena walked into the apartment. She saw bags of clothes all over the living room. “What happened?”
“Well, someone decided to fuck all my clothes and shit up. But it's all good, I'm always gon' bounce back.”
Lena shook her head. She had to admire the fight in Cooley. “Well, if you need anything, let me know.”
“Thanks.” Cooley sat down in a chair. “Lena, can I ask you a question, between me and you?”
“Yeah, Cool, what's up?”
“Man ... you know what, don't worry about it. How's married life treating you?”
“It's all right. Brandon is gone a lot,” Lena said. She secretly wanted to know what Cooley was going to say at first.
“I bet. So have you talked to Misha?”
“Actually, no. When I got back from my honeymoon I was unable to catch up with her. Then Brandon doesn't really like me going out too much, especially without security.”
Cooley looked puzzled. “Security? What's up with that?”
“I guess 'cause of that girl at the wedding. I really don't know what's up with him sometimes. So, how long do you think Dee will be?”
“She should be back any moment.”
“Damn, you know what, I left you all's Christmas gifts. I'll come back a little later with those. Let me get on home.”
Lena stood up, and Cooley let her out. She rushed toward the steps but met Denise face on.
“Lena.”
“Dee.”
“What are you doing here?” Denise asked.
“Um, I just was stopping by just to see how you're doing.” Lena felt her palms beginning to sweat.
“Did you want to come in?”
“Um no, I left the gifts at home. I'm going to go home and get them.”
“Lena, is everything OK? Is Brandon OK?”
Lena sighed. “I'm just a little lonely, that's all. He's gone on the road. I dismissed my staff.”
“Well, why don't you come and chill?”
“I think I should get home.” Lena smiled. “See you later.”
Denise said good-byes and watched Lena until she drove off. She walked into the house to see Cooley still sitting in the chair.
“Did you see Lena?”
“Yeah, she seemed a little off.”
“Oh, come on, bruh, you know why she was over here. She wanted another piece of Dee.”
“Come on, man,” Denise said, sitting on the couch.
“All right, don't believe me. I'm telling you, if it's one thing I know, it's women. She wanted you.”
Denise looked at the door. She felt her heart beginning to race. “You thinkâ”
Before she could finish Cooley handed Denise her keys. Denise looked at Cooley and ran out the house.
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Lena closed the door to her loft and looked around at the big room. It lacked warmth and love. It felt cold and impersonal. In fact, everything about her house tonight made her tense and frustrated. She just didn't want to be there alone. Tired, she retreated to the cold leather living room sofa and kicked off her shoes. She unwound her long hair from the tight chignon and let it flow across her shoulders and down her back. Mindlessly, she ran her hands through her hair and began to relax.
Lena thought about Denise as the tightness in her body began to release.
How good she looked standing on those steps tonight,
Lena thought to herself. Even through the jacket, Lena could see Denise's athletic build. She recalled how firm and toned her body was and how sexy Dee was in her wife-beaters. She remembered all of those times when Denise worked out in their dorm room, and how she had wanted Dee to take her then. Damn, those wife-beaters!
Lena felt her body relax deeper into the sofa cushions. She could feel the satiny Victoria's Secret lace moisten between her legs. Her body began to tingle as she imagined the feel of Denise's strong hands against her lacy black bra.
She spread her legs open and pushed her buttocks to the edge of the couch. Her body began to undulate as she continued to imagine Denise caressing her warm brown curves.
Lena closed her eyes and raised a finger to her lips and pulled it in as she teased it with her tongue. “Oh, Denise,” she moaned, the words spilling breathlessly through her lips.
She slipped her other hand along her thigh of her jeans and edged her way down to the warmth emanating between her legs and rubbed. The moans rose into the hollow echo of the room. Her legs clenched around her hand.
This was tortuous, but she couldn't stop.
She pulled her finger from her mouth and let the palm of her hand roam the silk blouse, grazing her satin-covered nipples as she did. Her body quivered as the tingles sent shivers through her sweet spot. “Oh,” Lena moaned softly as she continued to imagine Denise's body above hers.
She reached down and undid her jeans and fingered the lace below, which elicited yet another soft moan from her lips. She pushed her hand under the tight denim fabric and felt the moistness as something stirred within her. She wanted to feel Denise's tongue roaming her tender spots. She wanted to feel the strength of her hands pulling her close.
Lena's body responded to the fantasy. She was soaking wet.
A sudden knock at her door pulled her from her reverie. Shit. Lena straightened her clothes and fastened her pants as she rose to answer the door. With the back of her hand, she pushed the hair from her flushed face. She checked herself in the mirror by the front door before opening it. Absent-mindedly, she reached for the knob and opened the door.
“Dee,” Lena said as she saw Denise standing in her doorway. Their eyes locked.
Denise intensely embraced Lena, planting a passionate kiss on her lips. Lena wrapped her arms around her neck as Denise picked her up and carried her into the house. They made it as far as the large rug in the living room.
Denise wasted no time in undressing Lena. Lena pulled Denise's long-sleeved polo shirt off, exposing the white wife beater underneath and smiled.
Denise searched Lena's eyes. She had to have her. She spread Lena's legs, cupped her ass and began to devour her.
Lena lay back, and pushed her body into Denise. She wanted Denise as far into her as she could get.
Denise wrapped her arms tightly around Lena's legs, pulling her closer to her, as Lena unintentionally squirmed to get away from the intensity she was feeling.
The two women were trembling with pleasure.
“Denise,” Lena moaned. Hearing her name coming from Lena enticed Denise even more. She sucked on Lena's clit, softly at first, stroking it with her tongue as she did.
Lena could not contain the air that hissed and panted through her lips as the tongue stroked her. She grabbed Denise's hair and massaged her scalp with her fingernails as Denise began to pull with elongated strokes on her clit, her tongue darting in and out of the opening, catching the tartness of Lena's juices as she did.
Denise wanted even more. She buried her face into Lena, pulling her torso closer as she sealed her mouth around the lips of Lena's throbbing, soaking wet pussy. She reached up with her hands and began to rub Lena's breasts and pinch at her nipples.