Paper Dolls

by Sienna Mynx

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  José looked over his shoulder, with a half smile. “Go back to sleep, beautiful.”

  “You leaving?” Zephyr asked.

  He stood and pulled up his underwear. Zephyr drew the blanket up over her nudity. She sat back against the fluff of her pillows. Her cat Stripes leapt to her lap, and she stroked him behind his ear. “José? About last night.”

  “Babe, I’m sorry. I missed you so badly. Sometimes it gets out of hand. I’m sorry.”

  “Is something wrong? With us? You seem different lately,” she asked.

  “Got some bad news,” he said without looking at her.

  “What is it now?”

  “Coach called, the team has to meet in West Palm for training. The players are heading there now.”

  “I thought camp didn’t start for another two weeks, we were going to spend some time together, maybe go out to the Bahamas for the weekend?”

  “Yeah, well this season is tough. We lost two players you know that. The pitching is all on me.” He went to her closet where his clothes also hung. She sighed. Each time he left, and she had to go to the Internet to learn about what was happening in his life, she felt like nothing but a spectator.

  “José?”

  “Yeah, babe?”

  “About that article?” she asked and the trepidation in her voice made it quiver.

  “What article?” He went to the dresser and started to remove his underwear. She’d freshly washed and folded them. He tossed them without a thought into his open suitcase.

  “The magazine article. I showed it to the girls. They don’t seem to understand how you two could end up like that together in the hot tub. I mean—”

  “They or you?” he asked.

  Zephyr smiled. “Okay me. I mean, I know you said it was innocent, but you have to admit it doesn’t look that way.”

  He stared at her for a moment, and then rejoined her on the bed. The magazine stuck out of her purse and he retrieved it. He reclined on the pillow and pointed at the picture. “Look. Right there. There were at least sixteen other people in the hot tub. Hell she’s one of Raven’s clients. Do you really think I would fuck with one of her clients? You know how the paparazzi are. I have to keep my name in the papers. Especially with the season about to start.”

  “Why not keep your name in the papers with a different headline? My mom and dad keep asking when we’re going to get married. They see stuff like this and it confuses them,” she reasoned.

  José scooted off the bed. “I told you, I’ll propose when I’m ready. Está bien. Don’t stress me out, babe, I got a lot going on. Fuck.” He walked off toward the bathroom. Zephyr chewed on her bottom lip as she continued to stroke Stripes. She watched him in silence until the phone rang.

  Reaching she caught the number. It was Raven. “Hi, girl.”

  “Did I wake you?” Raven asked. She sounded like she was driving with her top down.

  “No, what’s up?” Zephyr tried to put some normalcy in her voice.

  “You. Can you squeeze me in this morning? I got a press conference with Liza-Rayne. She’s giving a statement about rehab, and this is the only time I have free.”

  “Dang again? She’s back in rehab?” Zephyr asked.

  Raven laughed. “Half of Miami is in rehab, the other half is just high.”

  Zephyr smiled. It felt good to smile when her heart hurt so bad. She stared at the picture of José on their nightstand. “Okay, well meet me at my shop within an hour.”

  “Love you, bye!”

  She hung up.

  “You hungry, baby?” she asked Mr. Stripes. She picked up her cat and stared in his green eyes. The cat licked his chops. Zephyr grinned. “You love Mommy don’t you, baby?” The cat didn’t respond. Suddenly there was a hard thumping above. Zephyr glanced up at the ceiling and listened. The thumping and squeaking kept going at a familiar rhythm. Zephyr’s eyes stretched. The people were having sex. She could hear them clearly.

  “A four thousand dollar a month condo, and we got folks screwing through the walls?” she asked.

  José came out of the shower and caught the strange look on her face. “What is it? You still mad about that stupid article?”

  Zephyr pointed to the ceiling. He looked up and frowned, and then heard it. He smiled, rocking his head to the sexual beat. “Ah yeah. That’s what I’m talking about. Nothing better than some morning pussy.”

  “That’s gross. I don’t want to hear other people having sex!”

  José dropped the towel. He stroked himself. “Then how about we show them how it’s done?”

  Mr. Stripes leapt from Zephyr’s lap and left the room. Zephyr frowned. “What? Are you kidding? After last night?”

  “I want to make it up to you. I don’t know what gets into me sometimes.” He dove on the bed, and Zephyr laughed after the surprise attack. He climbed on top of her. He kissed her face and nose. “I love you, babe. Only you, muñequita. Tell me you believe me. C’mon, girl. Don’t send me out the door thirsty.”

  Zephyr shook her head with a sad smile. “I do believe you. Sorta.”

  “Sorta?!” he pinched her side.

  “Okay, okay, uncle!” she laughed.

  “Good, now show your number one pitcher in the league what you’re working with.”

  “Wait! Is Clayton Crenshaw here?”

  José growled and bit her neck. Zephyr laughed. She rolled in his arms. She captured his face and looked up into his eyes. “Quiero que me hagas el amor.” She told him to make love to her. That meant he had to take his time. It meant he had to make the sex about her, not him. He paused for a moment. And then he understood her deeper meaning. José kissed her brow and then her nose before his lips pressed to hers. His hands pushed up her nightshirt. She was bottomless.

  “You know, Zee, you are still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known,” he breathed as he stared down at her body. She did as he wanted and parted her thighs for him.

  “Are you sore?” he asked and touched her gently.

  She nodded her answer yes.

  “I’ll make it better, tu eres mi novia,” she heard him groan before his head went between her thighs. The very first thing he did was kiss her pussy. The tip of his tongue teased her nether lips apart. But her pussy wasn’t fully bloomed enough. He parted the top hood of her sex with two fingers to entice her clitoris to poke out. Slowly, he circled the nub with his tongue and excited her arousal to full bloom. He caught the tender flesh with his teeth and then drew it into his mouth to suck. The moment he moved his tongue with a slow tease she capitulated. Her back bowed and her hands went up and pressed to the headboard. He licked her deep and then kissed her quaking channel. Zephyr’s lids fluttered shut. José sucked on her clit. In an instant her orgasm exploded—rich hot relief was felt. She grabbed the top of his head and slammed her thighs shut on his face. She raked her nails over the low cut silky hairs at the top of his scalp and groaned. And he used his tongue in ways that reminded her of the sweeter times they shared together.

  José’s head lifted. His lips glistened with her essence.

  “Tu eres mi novia?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m still your sweetheart,” she smiled. She opened her eyes when her thighs shook, and her pelvis shuddered through sharp pangs of pleasure. He was staring at her from over her pussy. José eased up over her and forced his tongue, slick with the residue of her, into her mouth as he thrust every meaty inch into her. And she caressed his back all the way down to his clenching buttocks as he fucked her. He fucked her with a repeated caring rhythm. With swirling hips, he screwed into her slow and delivered shallow circles that had them both gritting their teeth. She knew he wanted nothing more than to slam into her as he did the night before. And part of her craved his aggression. But this was nice, and they both felt it even more deeply.

  “Let me get it from the back niña, please,” he whispered.

  She exhaled when he withdrew. She turned over and flung
her natural long mane over her shoulder to look at him.

  José looked at his woman. She was just as fucking gorgeous as she was the day he pursued her. Zephyr didn’t have fake tits, ass, or liposuction abs. Her body was what God intended a female’s anatomy to consist of. She didn’t wear those long hair weaves. She, as a master stylist, had grown her naturally thick hair to the middle of her back. All natural, sweet, soft, and tender, is what she was. How could he ever take such a jewel for granted?

  He blinked the sweat from his eyes. When he hesitated to enter her from behind she looked at him curiously. He kissed her ass and said a silent prayer in his head. He was done with the secrets. He was done with the whoring to impress other men, and bolster his ego. He wouldn’t risk losing Zee. He’d fix it.

  “Something wrong?” she panted.

  “I love you. I love you so much, Zee. You believe me, right?” he asked.

  She flashed him a pretty smile and moved her ass for him. He smiled in return. When he got to his knees and positioned himself, she reached between her thighs and grabbed his cock. She guided him back inside of her. He gripped her hips and delivered on his strike. His breath caught and held as he entered the tight heat that was like no other. He rubbed his hand up the center of her back and grabbed her long mane. He grabbed as much of it as he liked and pulled. He held her hip and began to glide in and out of her. He fucked her repeatedly. He fucked her good. She was his. All his.

  “I… I … I love you!” he stammered. His love. Her love. Their love. He owned the world. He would have it all.

  **

  Zephyr dropped her mail and kicked her door closed with her foot. “Mr. Stripes, where are you baby?” she said. She walked through her condo. She picked up her mail and continued on. She counted out the bills. She stopped at a letter from her mother. The sight of it brought a smile to her lips. Her parents were near seventy. Neither knew how to use a computer or wanted to use a phone. Instead her mama wrote to her.

  “Stripes, Mama’s home!” she said and sat down. She opened the letter. Her mother didn’t have an email account or believe in text messaging. She was old school. Zephyr loved to get a letter by mail. Any kind of sweet note from Mama made her day.

  Hello sweetheart,

  How is my special girl? I’m sure you’re having fun and doing great things in that awful city. Mama and Daddy are okay. Daddy’s arthritis is acting up but he’s okay. The doctors say that they haven’t seen the cancer in his last visit so that’s good news.

  How is José doing? Is he ready to marry my little girl? Daddy says you need to bring him to Laguna so he can have a talk with him. He’s anxious for grandbabies. He’s José’s biggest fan. He brags all the time to his friends, and he wears that cap José sent to him. You know I’m not in a hurry for grand-children, but we aren’t getting any younger and neither are you. I hear on the news that, Ebola is killing everyone. Lots of foreigners down there so be careful.

  How are Raven and Valentina? I miss you girls so much. Come and visit soon. Give them my love. Will you be home for Labor Day like you promised? I need to know so I can plan the menu. This year Justice is bringing her new boyfriend home.

  Oh, and have you found a synagogue yet? Gladys is moving to Miami Beach and will be calling you, so you can go worship with her. Call me if you need anything. I love you, sweetheart. I’m very proud of you.

  Mama

  “Stripes? Baby?” Zephyr mumbled. She folded and kissed the note. She feared her parents aging. She loved them so much. If she lost either it would kill her. She vowed to make her travel plans soon. She told her mother she found a place to worship months ago, but she has slips with her memory. The Rubensteins adopted Zephyr and her biological little sister when she was four. Her and her little sister’s lives were forever changed. And her faith came in handy when Raven decided to convert to Judaism when she married Alexander.

  When Zephyr didn’t hear her kitty she looked around. It wasn’t like Stripes not to greet her when she arrived home. She stood and dropped the letter on the sofa. “Stripes? Where are you, baby?”

  She walked through her home. She noticed the screen door had been left opened. She thought she closed it when she watered her plants. Then she remembered José could have come back in and got his sneakers that were drying on the deck. He was so reckless. She told him a hundred times to make sure to close that door.

  “Shoot!” she rushed over and slid it open, her heart in her throat. “Stripes! Stripes!”

  She looked out at the lake behind the condos. Last week animal control came out because of an alligator that had come out of the lake and ate a family pet.

  “Stripes!” she yelled. She was now in full-blown panic mode.

  “Looking for your kitty?” a man asked.

  She glanced over. A tall black man with nice teeth smiled at her. He watched her curiously from his deck next door.

  “Yes. Have you seen a black and white cat? Looks like he has stripes. He’s about this big?” she gestured with her hands.

  “I have him. You can come over and get him. He’s playing with Milo.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Zephyr blinked. “I left the patio door open and he got out.”

  “It’s okay, I didn’t want him wandering around. He’s a real charmer.” The man smiled.

  “Be right over.”

  Life on the bottom floor had its disadvantages and advantages. The sexy neighbor that liked cats definitely qualified as an advantage. Zephyr locked her door and went to his. She only had to knock once before it opened.

  He opened it and smiled. “Hi. I’m Clayton.”

  “I’m Zephyr,” she said. She shook his hand.

  “Come in?”

  She walked in. She was impressed. She wished José were as organized and neat. The place was handsomely decorated in dark earth tones. It smelled of sage and something baking with cheese. He walked past her in some long Bermuda shorts, and a white tank that showed off the definition of his dark muscled form. His hair was equally dark and picked out into a low afro that glistened with moisture. And he had the whitest even teeth she’d ever seen.

  Zephyr followed him to a bonus room where a boxer with white and brown spots sat next to Stripes watching TV. Shocked she gasped in fear for her kitty, but the two pets just looked at her. Stripes rose, yawned and then strolled to her.

  “Bad boy, Mr. Stripes!” She looked over to her neighbor who was watching her. “How on earth did you get them to do that?”

  “Milo loves everyone, don’t you, boy?”

  Milo dropped his head on his paws and said nothing. Zephyr smiled and looked back down at him. “He’s so cute.”

  “Cute? We don’t like being called cute do we, Milo?”

  Milo barked.

  Zephyr chuckled. “Well I’m sorry, Milo, but you’re the handsomest dog I’ve ever seen. And thank you for taking care of Mr. Stripes for me.”

  Clayton watched her with renewed interest. First time he saw her she carried in groceries. The toothpick in his mouth fell from his lips at the sight of her. The woman was fine, classy, and someone he had every intention of meeting. Those legs were long and her waist slim. She had long styled curls that she wore with a center part. It wasn’t long before Miami’s star pitcher arrived. Clayton was surprised by his disappointment and jealousy. There were plenty of beautiful babes in Miami, and in all shades, but this one was different. There was something about her. After meeting her he had to rethink his original assessment. She didn’t come off like one of those shallow women that only wanted to date athletes, especially ones with the notorious rap sheet that José Batista had. The man slept with everything in South Beach.

  “I worked from home today. I heard Stripes there meowing.”

  Zephyr frowned. “Really?”

  “Apparently he had jumped into the bushes and couldn’t get out. I’m glad I was able to rescue him.” That part was definitely true. Zephyr turned out to be sweet and good-natured. His eyes dropped to her delicate ankles in her
fancy shoes and made the climb upward. She wore a white, turquoise, and yellow patterned dress that was light and flowed with grace. The material swayed when her hips did. Her hair reached past her shoulders and her large doe like eyes smiled at him before her mouth did. She was something else.

  “Well thank you, Clayton. It was very sweet of you.”

  “Have you eaten? I just made dinner,” he offered.

  “Uh, no. We’ve imposed enough. Excuse me,” she said. She walked out of the room and headed for the door. “Wait! There’s plenty, and Milo and I were hoping that Stripes would stay for dinner.”

  Zephyr turned and glanced back at him curiously, as if she didn’t get the joke. She then smiled when he did. “Oh that’s sweet. Thank you for watching my baby. I promise you I will keep a better eye on him. Have a good night.”

  Clayton couldn’t think of another thing to say. Before he knew it she breezed out of his life as casually as she entered. He looked down at his boxer. “I’ve lost my touch, Milo?”

  Milo barked then went back to the TV room.

  “Well you weren’t much help either!” he called after the dog. Smiling he headed for the kitchen to check on his dinner.

  **

  “I can’t believe you’d pull this shit on me!” Valentina shouted in the phone.

  “Will you calm down,” Zephyr pleaded.

  “Do I or don’t I still own part of that fucking salon? I know I signed it over to you in the bankruptcy, but you said I still had my share. Were you lying?” Valentina asked.

  “You get your check as always, don’t you? If I was shady then—”

  “Can I say something?” Raven cut in.

  “No!” they both snapped.

  All three were on the phone line. Raven as usual was designated to mediate, but for the most part was relegated to a silent observer.