“Who is she?”
“A plus-size model I discovered by accident. I follow her on Instagram.” He licked his lips.
Dana pursed her lips. “You and your big girl fetish.”
“Not a fetish, sweetheart, a preference. There’s a difference.”
The tabloids were aware of his preference. At one time, there was speculation about Dana after she attended a charity event with him, but Omar quickly addressed the situation, and his publicist was able to have the article removed.
“I’ma need you to unfollow her on Instagram.”
“Negative. Your turn to ask a question.”
Dana tapped her chin, trying to think of the perfect question to ask. “Oh, I have a good one. What’s the freakiest thing you’ve ever done?”
Omar stared up at the ceiling as he thought. “I can only pick one?”
“Good grief, yes.”
He laughed. “Okay, I guess it would be a threesome.” He shrugged. “I’ve had several threesomes but didn’t always enjoy myself, and they’re a lot of work.”
“You poor baby, sounds like it was such a chore.”
“You have no idea,” he said, a hint of mild amusement around his eyes.
Dana dipped her fries in ketchup and said, “My answer is the same, but I’ve only been in one threesome.”
“Oh yeah?” Omar’s green eyes brightened, and he sat up, looking at her with newfound interest.
“With two men.”
The smile on his face died. “Oh.” He sat back against the headboard.
Dana cracked up. “You were okay with me being with a man and another woman, but two men is too much?”
“I’m not saying you nasty, but you nasty.”
“You were with two women!” Dana pointed out.
“Very different,” he said solemnly.
“No, it’s not. You’re a hypocrite. I’m actually surprised you haven’t done worse. I thought for sure you’d tell me you’d been in an orgy.”
His mouth formed an “O,” as if he remembered something.
Dana gasped and her eyes widened. “You’ve participated in an orgy?”
“I forgot.”
She stared at him, and he stared back unflinchingly.
“How do you forget an orgy?”
“I didn’t really forget, but I didn’t remember when you asked the question. I was in the NFL for eight years, and we did a lot of crazy stuff. We played hard on the field and off.”
“Where did this orgy take place?” Dana asked, now fascinated.
“On a yacht in Miami. Wild time, let me tell you.” He shook his head.
“I’m not saying you’re nasty, but you’re nasty,” Dana said.
Omar tossed a fry at her, which she dodged with a giggle. It fell on the mattress, and she picked it up and popped it into her mouth.
“Let me be clear, the one night pass is purely hypothetical, and I’m not letting another man into our bed,” Omar said.
“Since we’re laying down the law, I would like you to know I feel the same, and I’m not letting another woman into our bed. So, you have to be satisfied with me.”
His eyes dragged down her body in the bulky terry-cloth robe, heat darkening his eyes as he openly ogled her. She blushed, her cheeks warming under his hungry gaze.
“Not a problem. You’ll have to be satisfied with me too.”
“Not a problem.”
Dana’s phone rang, and she hopped off the bed to pick it up from the dresser.
Sheldon. Oh boy.
She hesitated for a moment and then answered. “Hello?”
“Hi, Dana. Man, I’m so sorry I stood you up last night. What are you doing today? Can we get together later, and I’ll make it up to you?”
Dana turned her back to Omar so she’d have a modicum of privacy. “Actually, I’m kind of busy today. I’m having lunch right now and then I’m going to a bridal boutique to help a friend choose a wedding dress.”
“Are you free tonight?”
“I have plans tonight.” She and Omar were going to a movie. “What about early tomorrow afternoon?”
There was a slight pause, and then Sheldon asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, but… we need to talk.”
“The words ‘we need to talk’ are never good.”
“Can you do brunch tomorrow?” she asked.
“I’m busy tomorrow. Why don’t you tell me now what you need to tell me so I don’t waste my time?” His voice took on a hard note.
“You sound angry.”
“Yeah, I’m a little angry because it’s obvious what’s going on here. You’re dumping me because I missed last night with your friends.”
“You’re wrong. I—”
“My car died. Those were circumstances outside of my control.”
“I’m not mad at you for missing last night. I’m not mad at you at all.” She moved over to the window, putting more distance between her and Omar. Dropping her voice, she continued, “I enjoyed our times together, but I’m seeing someone else.”
“I told you I’m moving here!” Sheldon said.
“And I told you, I don’t want you to base your decision on us.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “So you met someone last night, when I didn’t show up for the concert?”
“No. This is someone I’ve known for a long time and we decided to… become more than friends.”
“I see. Well, good luck, Dana. I hope he treats you better than you treated me.”
The line went dead.
Shocked at his anger, Dana stared at the phone.
“Was that your boyfriend?” Omar asked from the bed.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Dana answered.
“Not anymore,” he said.
She set down the phone and climbed into bed with him. “He didn’t take our conversation too well.”
“Not your problem anymore. You were honest with him.”
“He was so angry. I feel kinda bad, but I didn’t want to just ghost him.” That conversation was one of the most awkward breakups she’d ever experienced, and they weren’t even a couple in a committed relationship.
“Come here,” Omar said.
Dana moved the food to the nightstand and crawled across the mattress. She settled against his shoulder and stretched her arm across his wide chest. Cuddling in bed with him felt so right, and she wished they’d been honest about their attraction to each other before and taken steps sooner to move their relationship past the friend zone.
“Don’t worry about him. Positive thoughts only,” Omar said, winding one of her locks around his finger. “I meant to ask you last night, when do you leave for your retreat?”
Dana tensed and hesitated before answering. “I’m not going.”
“Why? Last night you told me you already paid the deposit and planned to go.”
She scooted away so she could look into his eyes. “Before I tell you why, promise you won’t get upset.”
“No,” he said, dead serious.
“Omar…”
“No, because whenever someone makes that request, the listening party definitely gets upset, and I don’t want you to call me a liar when I can’t control my anger. Why aren’t you going to Colorado?”
She hesitated, then released a deep breath. “You know Tommy called last night.”
“Yes.” His eyes narrowed a fraction.
“The reason he called is because his car—”
Omar was already shaking his head.
“Listen to me explain before you go off on one of your tangents,” Dana said in an exasperated voice.
A muscle in his jaw tightened. “Go ahead.”
“The engine blew out of his car or something, and he needs a new engine. He has a job but didn’t have the money to cover the cost. He needed help so he could continue going to work and paying his bills.”
“You done justifying your explanation to me and yourself?”
“I’m not ju
stifying anything. I’m explaining what happened.”
“You’re not his mother, Dana.”
“He doesn’t have anyone else, Omar. We’ve talked about this before.”
“And you’re supposed to set aside your dreams for him?”
Swooping her hair over one shoulder, Dana said, “I’m still going to Colorado, but not this year. No big deal. I’ll go to the writer’s retreat next year.”
“You’re going this year,” Omar said decisively, folding his arms over his chest.
“I’m not taking any money from you.”
“It’s an early Christmas gift,” he said.
“It’s too much.”
“You didn’t want me to help you when we were friends, and I can’t help you now when we’re more than friends? I can give money and gifts to everyone else, except the person who’s most important to me?”
Her heart melted at his touching words. “I know people always have their hands out around you, and I don’t want to be another person asking you for a favor or a handout.”
“You’re not!” Omar was the one to sound exasperated now. “And I’m sure the cost of the retreat won’t break me.” He sat up and cupped her face. “Sweetheart, you’re not alone. You don’t have to do everything by yourself and take care of everybody else. You don’t have to be Wonder Woman or whatever you think you have to be with me.”
His words made sense, but growing up, she was so used to scrimping and saving and seeing her parents struggle. For the longest time, she expected her life to be the same, the main reason why she had worked so hard to get her education. When she moved to Atlanta, made new friends, and realized she could thrive in this new environment, her whole perspective changed. But old habits die hard. Sometimes she was afraid to spend money in case of an emergency and was afraid to accept help because she didn’t want to owe anyone.
“You can’t keep sacrificing for your family and not do for yourself,” he said.
“I know.”
“Let me help you with this. Consider it a gift, because I know you really want to go on this retreat.” He kissed her lips and touched his forehead to hers. “Let me do this for you. This one little thing.”
He kissed her again, and her resolve weakened.
“Okay,” she said reluctantly.
“Was that so hard?”
She laughed a little. “Very.”
She straddled him on the bed. Resting her elbows on either side of his shoulders, she lowered her face to his and kissed him on the mouth.
“I wish we’d done this sooner,” Dana said.
“Me too. Better late than never,” he said huskily.
She lowered her lips to his, and he rolled her onto her back, their kisses going from gentle to heated within seconds. Dana’s hands gripped his naked bottom, and she shifted her hips higher to grind against his.
Omar pushed open her robe and his lips fastened around her right nipple, and another intense round of lovemaking commenced.
17
The private dressing room of the upscale bridal boutique contained a white loveseat in the shape of a half circle and two cream-colored chairs on either side of it. Dana and Layla sat on the loveseat, while Tamika stood on a raised platform, turning to the left and then to the right in a gorgeous ball gown dress. Although Dana thought the design was lovely and looked great on her friend, Tamika’s wrinkled nose indicated she didn’t like the dress.
Again.
“What’s wrong with this one?” Dana asked.
The boutique provided refreshments for their clients, and Dana sipped her sparkling apple cider and then placed the glass back on the table.
Tamika placed her hands on her hips. “It doesn’t speak to me. I’m only going to get married once, and I have to find the perfect dress.”
Initially, Tamika and her fiancé planned to get married right away. With her cosmetics business taking off and looking for a house, planning a wedding added to the list of things they needed to do, and since they were already living together, the urgency to get married waned. Tamika was now settled in her new business arrangement, she and Anton had a home under contract which they’d be closing on in a few weeks, and she loved Lion Mountain Vineyards after their trip to Dahlonega. The wedding plans were rolling along, but finding a dress proved to be a difficult task.
This was the third time they’d gone dress shopping, and they’d been at the bridal boutique for two hours. Find a dress already! Dana wanted to scream, but realistically, she didn’t expect Tamika to rush her decision. Besides, Tamika’s mother and sister passed away years before. Her next closest relative was a cousin who lived out of state, so Dana and Layla were the default persons to help her make this difficult decision.
Part of the problem was, Tamika couldn’t decide if she wanted a traditional or nontraditional design or a white dress or one of a different color.
Tamika made eye contact with them in the mirrored wall. “When Anton sees me walking down the aisle, I want him to get overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears.”
The salesperson assigned to Tamika swept into the room. “How’s everything in here, ladies?” she asked, stepping across the carpet in wide-legged pants and skinny four-inch heels.
Dana wondered how she managed in those shoes all day on her feet.
“I don’t love it,” Tamika admitted, crestfallen.
The salesperson circled the platform to stand in front of Tamika. She assessed her appearance with a critical eye, gaze traveling from her bare shoulders to the hem of the dress sweeping the floor.
“I have an idea.” She wore her curly auburn hair pulled back from her face and tucked several loose tendrils behind each ear. “Do you mind if I bring you something a little different from what you’ve tried so far?”
“I don’t know…” Tamika said hesitantly.
“Miss Jones, I’ve been doing this for seven years. Trust me. If you don’t like the dress I choose, no problem, but please, keep an open mind. All right?”
“All right,” Tamika said reluctantly.
“I’ll be right back.” The woman disappeared from the room.
Tamika studied her reflection. “I hope she doesn’t bring me anything figure-hugging. I want big and bold. I want pizzazz.”
“Remember she said to keep an open mind,” Layla pointed out, eating a couple of cashews.
“I will,” Tamika said, not sounding convinced. She swung toward Dana with narrowed eyes. “You’re oddly quiet today. I expected you to bitch and complain that I’m taking too long.”
“I slept with Omar,” Dana blurted out.
“What?” Tamika shrieked.
Layla’s mouths fell open.
“Before you say anything, this is—”
“I knew it!” Tamika said, slapping her hands together. “I knew you had the hots for him the entire time.”
A smirk filtered across Layla’s lips. “Well, well, well, the truth is finally out.”
“You’ve wanted him for a while but put up barriers to resist the temptation,” Tamika said matter-of-factly.
“Says who?” Dana asked.
“She’s right,” Layla interjected with a shrug. “Why do you think we tease you all the time? Last night it was more obvious than usual. You two are way too close for your friendship to be only about friendship.”
“Women and men can be friends,” Dana said.
“Sure, but not the two of you, clearly,” Tamika said.
“Not the way you were dancing at Hot Vinyl,” Layla added.
She’d known they’d give her a hard time, of course. They wouldn’t be her friends if they didn’t. “Are the two of you done? Because I have more to say.”
Tamika hoisted the skirt of her dress higher and stepped off the platform. “I’m all ears.”
Dana explained how they went back to her place to eat, how his foot massage turned her on, and what happened as a result. “I’m happy, but… cautious.”
“What do you mean you’re cautious?
Omar is fine, rich, and he gave you multiple orgasms in one night. Hello, what’s the problem?” Tamika asked.
“For one, he’s supposed to be my friend. What if we don’t work out? Then I’ve lost a friend.”
“You won’t lose him,” Layla said.
Tamika nodded her agreement.
Dana gnawed her bottom lip. On the ride over, outside the glow of spending time together, she thought long and hard about their situation. She didn’t consider herself the jealous type, but women threw themselves at him all the time.
“I’ve lost track of the number of women he’s dated over the years since Athena broke his heart, and I have to wonder, does he want to hook up with me, like he has those other women, or does he want more?”
“Are you looking for more?” Layla asked.
Dana sat with the question for a while, and her friends remained quiet, allowing her to run through her thoughts.
“Thirty days ago, I would’ve said no. I met so many duds, I’d decided to give up on men for a while. Then I met Sheldon and changed my mind. I did want more, but not with him or anyone else. I wanted a relationship with Omar. But he dates models and actresses. I’m a freaking English professor who’s comfortable in oversized sweatshirts and cargo pants. I’m not his type.”
“Are you sure?” Layla said. “Because you guys literally had sex, so you actually seem to be his type.”
Tamika chimed in. “Personally, I think you need to stop overthinking this. You know Omar, you like him, and you definitely have chemistry.”
Dana nodded. Tamika could be impulsive, but in this instance, she was probably right.
The saleswoman reentered the dressing room with a lacy dress hanging over her arm.
Uh-oh. The style was not among the ones Tamika liked.
Her friend simply stared. “What is that?”
“Remember what I said about keeping an open mind,” the saleswoman said.
Tamika pursed her lips. “Okayyy.”
“I’ll help you into the dress, and then we’ll see what you and your friends think.” The redhead walked off toward the changing area, and Tamika scowled over her shoulder at her friends, telepathing her annoyance.
“Lord, please don’t let her kill the saleswoman,” Layla muttered.
With a quiet snicker, Dana popped a cube of cheese in her mouth and settled in to wait.
The Friend Zone Page 9