by Skyy
Cooley lowered her head. Sahara walked over and sat in the chair next to Cooley. Cooley couldn’t look at her. Every time she tried to focus on Sahara, she noticed the lip. Sahara put her hand on Cooley’s trembling hand.
“Carla, it was an accident. I know you would never hit me.” Sahara smiled. “I remember back when we first met, you know, that fateful night?”
Cooley remembered the first night they spent together. It was during a threesome with Sahara and her then girlfriend, Michelle. Although Michelle wanted to be the center of attention, Cooley couldn’t take her eyes off of the shy Sahara. Cooley broke not only her personal rule, but also the rules set by Michelle by not only seeing Sahara again a few nights later, but also embracing and kissing her—something Cooley never did with women.
“Remember that next morning, when we were in the bathroom and Michelle came in? She grabbed my arm, and you instantly got in her ass about the way she handled me. I knew then what type of woman you were. I know you would never put your hands on me.”
Cooley forced herself to look at Sahara. The lip was bothering her more than she could ever imagine. Cooley didn’t like what she was becoming. She was so angry that it led to Sahara getting hurt.
“Sha, it’s something more than that. I don’t know who I am anymore. I’ve never done anything like what happened yesterday, and I don’t want that shit to happen ever again. It’s like my feelings for you are turning me into something I don’t want to be.”
Sahara’s smile faded. “Are you saying you don’t want to be with me?”
“No.”
Sahara’s body was trembling.
Cooley put her hand on Sahara’s knees. “I’m saying I am in a territory that I don’t know anything about. Look how I’ve been acting lately. That’s not me. Hell, regular me wouldn’t have cared nearly as much about you sleeping with that bitch.”
“Cooley, we are in a relationship, and we are in love. It’s understandable that you would care about—”
“But you didn’t.” Cooley stood up. “You’ve said it yourself. I’ve fooled around with other girls, and you always knew that they meant nothing to me. I know you love me, but you just getting it on with someone else . . . nah, I can’t accept that. Just thinking about it now still is pissing me the fuck off.”
Sahara couldn’t take her eyes off of her hurting girlfriend. “Cooley, I hate myself for making you feel this way.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s something with me. I can’t expect for you to be okay with me fooling around if I can’t deal with you doing the same thing.”
Sahara stood up. “So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that from today on there will be no more slipups, no more being cool with me messing with other girls.”
“Cooley, I don’t expect—”
“But you should.” Cooley’s voice squeaked. “You should care, Sahara. You should be ready to knock my ass out if I mess with another chick. Why don’t you care? How can you be so cool with it?”
“You think I don’t care?” Sahara grabbed Cooley by her arm. “Carla, I cared. I cared every time you told me about your slipups. I never wanted to share you. I never wanted any of those threesomes. I never wanted to know you were sleeping with other women.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
“Because I made a promise to accept you for who you were. I didn’t want to drive you away, because I was becoming too possessive. It was killing me, but I wanted to make you happy.”
Cooley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Tears flowed from Sahara’s eyes. Cooley felt horrible. In front of her stood a woman who millions of people looked at as strong and independent, but the truth was she was damaged. Sahara wasn’t strong. She was weak for Cooley, willing to take whatever Cooley gave her just as long as she had her. And Cooley had been taking advantage of her woman’s love for years.
Cooley pulled Sahara into her arms. She held her sobbing girlfriend. “It’s okay.”
“I don’t want you with other women,” Sahara cried. “I don’t want to be with other women, and I don’t want to share you.”
“You don’t have to ever again. But you gotta tell me everything. Don’t hide anything. We won’t last that way.” Cooley kissed Sahara for the first time since finding out about the other woman. Sahara’s slipup no longer mattered to Cooley. Denise was right. She had put Sahara through a lot, and Sahara had never left her side. Cooley no longer cared about the other woman. She only cared only about fixing her relationship with the only woman she had ever truly loved. Cooley knew she did love Misha once, but the love she had for Sahara was on another level. Sahara was her soul mate. She had found the one.
They made love like it was the first time. Cooley wanted to rediscover Sahara’s whole body. She kissed her with passion, from Sahara’s toes to her forehead. There was no need for a strap. It was just them, and their skin intertwined, becoming one.
Chapter 27
Lena stood in the lobby of the busy W. She was nervous. She had never told Danni about her new haircut. Carmen had thrown a fit the entire time in the salon. Lena didn’t have to react: Carmen’s moans with every cut were enough. She couldn’t believe how much a haircut could change her style. She looked different. Even with Carmen saying that she loved it, Lena was worried. Her hair was one of her prized possessions.
If men were her deciding factor, then she was good to go. The looks of the males seemed a bit more primal with her new style, possibly because they no longer had to wonder if she was sexy jailbait. The pixie haircut gave her a more mature look. The maroon dress hugging her curves only enhanced the image.
Danni got off the busy elevator. She loved her condo, but the popularity of the hotel was starting to cramp her style. She searched around but couldn’t find Lena in the crowd.
Lena was having way too much fun watching Danni’s worried expressions as she attempted to find her. Finally, Lena walked up behind Danni and tapped her on her shoulder. Danni turned around, paused, frozen by the new look. Lena’s big smile began to fade as Danni stared at her new look. Lena couldn’t tell if she was just shocked or disgusted.
“Oookkk . . .” Lena broke the awkward silence.
Danni finally blinked. “Damn.”
Lena frowned. “You hate it.” Lena wanted to run out of the hotel and hide.
Danni finally snapped back to reality. She shook her head. “Boo, damn, I’m sorry. No, I love it. I was just shocked. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lena wasn’t convinced. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” She frowned.
Danni could feel Lena’s hesitation. She held the sides of Lena’s face. “Boo, I love it.”
“You’re just so . . . silent.”
“’Cause I was trying to decide if I want to skip dinner and just take you upstairs. You have no idea how fucking sexy you look right now. Shit, short hair suits you.”
Lena blushed.
Two men walked past the pair. They looked at Lena and then at Danni. One frowned, while the other shook his head.
“See, now you gon’ get me in trouble. I’m really gonna have to fight these niggas off.”
They laughed as they headed out of the building.
The upscale restaurant was busy, as were most Atlanta restaurants on a Friday night. The valet opened Lena’s door. Danni held her hand as she handed the keys to the valet.
They walked into the busy restaurant. Lena sighed. The aroma of Italian food was making her stomach rumble, and the endless line of people holding table pagers let her know food wasn’t coming anytime soon.
“Do you want to go somewhere else?” Danni whispered in her ear.
“D. Campbell?”
Lena and Danni looked up before she could answer. Lena’s mouth dropped. She turned her head quickly as Cooley and Sahara walked into the restaurant.
“Danni Campbell.”
“Cool Wade,” Danni said. She and Cooley gave each other daps.
Lena’s hands were trembling. She wanted t
o scream. She should have known the possibility of running into people she knew would be high at the hot new establishment. She continued to stare at the large aquarium, hoping she wouldn’t be noticed.
“What in the hell are y’all doing eating with the regular folks?” Danni said.
“Well, Sahara loves this place, but you know how we do it. We have a private room in the back,” Cooley explained.
“Man, I didn’t even think to do that.” Danni shook her head.
“You should join us. We have been trying to get together for a while, anyway,” Cooley said.
“Yes,” Sahara added to make her presence known. “Join us. Room two.” Sahara and Cooley followed the hostess to the back of the main dining room.
Danni walked over to Lena, who had made her way right in front of the aquarium. “Good news. We are going to a private room with some people I know.”
“Oh, um . . . really?” Lena wanted to scream. She didn’t know how she was going to get out of this one. Danni noticed her hesitation.
“Is something wrong?”
Lena smiled. “I just thought we would have time to be alone.”
Danni smiled. “Oh, there will be plenty of time for that. Plus, in this place we wouldn’t be able to hear each other, anyway.” Danni grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the asile. “Come on. Plus, you get to meet a celebrity.”
Lena followed, unable to object.
Cooley and Sahara walked into a room decorated like an Italian villa. Denise and Farih looked up.
“Late as usual.” Denise shook her head.
“Sorry. I ran into this dude I’ve been trying to get up with for a long time. We invited them to join us,” Cooley announced.
“Them?” As Denise spoke, the door opened.
Danni walked in. Lena couldn’t seem to stop staring at the floor.
“Oh, here they are,” Cooley said. “Danni Campbell, this is—”
“Farih . . .” The drop in Danni’s voice caused Lena to look up. Her heart dropped.
“You two know each other?” Lena asked. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Danni’s blank expression.
Danni shook her head, pulling herself out of the daze. “Oh, yeah, Farih and I go way back.”
Denise couldn’t help but notice the stern look on Farih’s face. She knew there was more to the story, but she couldn’t focus on it. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Lena.
Then a bright smile covered Farih’s face. “Yes.” Farih stood up and walked over to Danni. She wrapped her arms around her, placing a single kiss on both of Danni’s cheeks. “It’s been such a long time.”
Lena watched. Danni’s face didn’t change.
Farih turned to Lena. “Lena, it’s so wonderful to see you too.” Farih hugged Lena.
Cooley glanced at Sahara. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. She couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief that the awkwardness wasn’t caused by her or Sahara for a change.
“Well, it’s obviously a small world. Now that we are all acquainted, let’s eat.” Cooley held her water glass up.
“I agree, baby,” Sahara said, and she and Cooley tapped their glasses together as they all took their seats.
“Lena, I’m loving the new hair.” Farih’s smile lit up the room. “So chic, mature.”
Denise couldn’t believe how nice Farih was being.
Lena wanted to scream. She smiled. “Thank you. I just wanted to try something new.”
“I can’t believe you cut your hair,” Denise mumbled, causing everyone to look at her.
Lena’s smile faded. “Why not? Don’t like it?”
Denise shook her head. “No, it looks fine. You just always seemed to love your hair.”
“People change. But you, of all people, should know that,” Lena snapped. Denise’s eyes were burning a hole in her, and she didn’t know how much more she could take. “I mean, look at you. Just a few years ago you were a determined basketball player who wouldn’t touch liquor. Now you’re famous and sipping bubbly.”
Denise smirked. “Yeah, well, you’re right. People do change—”
Cooley quickly interrupted before World War III broke out. “Okay, so, Danni, what projects are you working on right now?”
Danni didn’t know what to think about Lena and Denise, and at that moment she didn’t care. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Farih, who was doing everything in her power not to look in her direction.
“Well, just the same ole real estate and the agency.”
“And have you had any time to think about my offer?” Cooley sat up.
Danni tilted her head. “Um, I’ve been thinking about it. . . .”
“Just thinking, or really thinking?” Cooley’s eyes didn’t leave Danni’s face. She’d learned to read people in the industry, because you never knew if they were serious or just putting on.
“It’s a good idea, but a lot to consider. But I do know you need to get some real estate and stop working like a hobo out of your apartment.” Danni smiled.
“Ah, that’s a low blow.”
“Hey, my baby works her ass off and is the best manager I’ve ever had.” Sahara kissed Cooley on her cheek.
“You are right, Sahara.” Danni sipped her wine. “Wade is amazing at what she does, and if I do expand, it will definitely be with her.”
“Expand?” Denise looked at Cooley.
“Yeah, so I’ve been talking to Danni here about bringing her agency here and expanding to management and representation.” Cooley took a sip of her drink. She could tell by the looks on Farih’s and Denise’s faces that the news wasn’t sitting well with them.
There was a moment of silence. Denise quickly snuck a peek at Lena, who was concentrating on staring at her plate of salad.
The room suddenly felt like a sauna. Lena didn’t know if it was Danni’s hand massaging her leg or Denise’s deeply intense stare that was causing a mixture of love, lust, and anger to take over her body.
“Let’s face it. I started the agency for only one reason, and since that is done, I really haven’t had the time to put into it,” Danni remarked. “I pretty much let the other agents do all the work and collect the checks.” Danni’s eyes shifted quickly to Farih, then back to Cooley.
Lena noticed the quick exchange.
“So why have the entertainment thing at all?” Farih finally broke her silence. “Since you don’t seem to really want it at all.”
Danni’s eyes focused back on Farih. “Because I don’t give up on things that I commit myself to, and I committed myself to the agents and the clients that are with my agency.”
Another silence hit the room.
Danni looked down at her salad. “I have a phone call I need to make. I’ll be right back.” She kissed Lena on her forehead.
Lena could feel the steam coming from Denise’s direction.
Farih couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up. “Excuse me. I need to visit the ladies’ room.”
“Want me to come with?” Sahara asked. She knew something was wrong with her friend.
Farih smiled. “No, girl, I’m okay. Stay and enjoy this food.” She excused herself from the room.
Lena could feel Denise’s eyes on her the second Farih walked out the door. Lena gazed at Sahara. “I love your new song, Sahara. So does my daughter. She really thinks she’s you when she dances to it.”
“That’s—”
“So, Lena, what’s up?” Denise cut Sahara off.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’s up?” Denise motioned with her hands toward Danni’s seat. “Didn’t know you were dating around.”
Lena was fuming. “How would you? I haven’t seen or heard from you in how long?”
Denise looked away. She knew Lena was right, but couldn’t shake the rage she felt by seeing her with Danni. Denise shook her head and smiled. “Well, I think it’s great. Good for you.”
“Thanks. So glad to know I have your approval.” Lena rolled her eyes and t
ook another sip of wine.
“Whatever,” Denise huffed as she finished off her glass.
Cooley and Sahara sat in silence, watching the scene unfold.
“Don’t ‘whatever’ me. You stopped contacting me, remember?”
“I said whatever. Damn, drop it.” Denise was furious. Not only was Lena dating someone else, but she also had the nerve to go off on her.
Lena wanted to jump across the table and smack the smug expression off of Denise’s face.
Danni felt a tap on her shoulder as she closed her phone. She turned around to see Farih standing there with her arms folded and her usual smile missing.
“Yes, ma’am?” Danni put her phone in her pocket and braced herself for Farih’s wrath.
“What are you trying to pull, Danni? Coming here, going into business with Cooley. It’s not going to work.”
Danni’s head jerked. She noticed people looking in their direction, at the famous Farih. She motioned with her head for Farih to follow her. Farih quickly followed Danni to the closed patio.
“First off, who the fuck do you think you are talking to?” Danni’s deep New York accent appeared.
“Danni, this isn’t cool.”
“Look, shawty, the days of Danni pining over Farih are over. I’m not doing shit because of you.”
“Oh, and so you just so happened to pick the one manager who just so happens to be best friends with my girlfriend to go into business with. Ugh. And of all the girls for you to bring up in here, you bring her.”
“What’s wrong with Lena?”
“Like you don’t already know.” Farih crossed her arms.
“I don’t know what the hell you are talking about. And obviously, you weren’t listening. Cooley wants to go into business with me. I haven’t said yes or no. Cooley sought me out, not the other way around, and sorry, boo, but I’m not fucking up business for anyone, not even you, never again.” Danni fixed her shirt collar. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have a date to get back to.” Danni walked back in, leaving Farih fuming.
“Look, as entertaining as this is, y’all need to both calm the hell down before your dates walk back in,” Cooley advised Denise and Lena. Sahara and Cooley didn’t know if they were minutes away from fighting or ripping each other’s clothes off. They heard the doorknob turn. Danni walked back in and sat down.