“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.
Chapter 14
Three weeks past, and things seemed to be back to normal. Ciara was starting to spend more and more time at my house, just like before. I would wake up, go to work, and come home like I always did. Dragon Con seemed like ages ago, even though it had been a very short time ago.
I had found things a little difficult in the beginning. All my coworkers wanted to know about the crazy convention I had attended, which only made me think about Ursula more and more. I wanted to talk to her. I would stare at her phone number in my phone. I almost pressed SEND a few times. I didn’t want to be the girl who didn’t know her place, and I knew I would be devastated if I called, only to be met with a disconnected number.
It was another long day at work, and I was ready to get home and start my weekend. I pulled into my usual parking space, only to see Ciara’s car already parked in her normal spot. I rolled my eyes. I didn’t want to see her today. I had finally mustered up enough nerve to watch the episodes of Olympus I had missed the last couple of weeks. The season finale was Sunday, and I wanted to spend the weekend watching the whole series, including the episodes I’d missed recently due to my inability to watch Ursula on-screen.
I could hear Drake coming from my house. I wanted to scream. I had already received one letter from my apartment office alerting me of the noise complaint. I opened my door and headed straight for the sound bar. I turned the music off and turned around to see Ciara standing in the doorway in just her boxers and sports bra.
“Ciara, do you want me to get kicked out of my apartment? Shit. Why do you have to play it so loud?”
“My bad. I didn’t realize it was loud.” Ciara shrugged her shoulders.
I could feel a headache coming on. I tried to think of a nice way to tell her to hit the road. I had a weekend planned, and she was not a part of it.
“Oh, something was delivered for you today,” she said.
Ciara walked back toward the bedroom. I followed, wondering what she had done this time. I walked into the bedroom and saw a large FedEx box sitting on the bed.
“What is it?” I asked as I walked closer to the box.
“I don’t know.” She sat on the side of the bed.
Curious, I looked at her. She looked as clueless as I was. I glanced at the address form. There was no return address on it. I tried to remember if I had ordered something, but I was drawing a blank. I pulled the tab at the top, opening the box. Inside was a garment bag.
“Did you order another costume?” Ciara rolled her eyes at the thought of more money spent on costumes.
I shook my head as I held up the garment bag. I pulled the zipper down. My eyes had to be playing a trick on me. I pulled the red dress out on its hanger and held it up. My mouth dropped open. In my hand was a true replica of Ursula’s dress. I laid the dress down on the bed gently, hoping not to mess up a single piece of the thin silk fabric.
“Seriously, Temple, your dress wasn’t enough? You had to go and bid on that?” Ciara stood up.
“I didn’t buy this.”
A long white envelope caught my attention. I picked it up to see my name written across the front. I knew that handwriting. I had one other note with that exact same writing on it. My heart began to race. I slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of stationery.
I want to see what you look like in the real one.–U
I felt something else in the envelope. I pulled out a plane ticket, dated for tomorrow. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.
“So who is it from?” Ciara walked up to me, causing me to jump. I held the envelope tight in my hand.
“Nia. She is insane.” I turned and quickly rushed out of the room. I knew if I stayed, Ciara would be able to tell very easily that I was lying.
I stood in my living room, knowing I would have only a moment before Ciara appeared. Ursula wanted me in LA in tomorrow, and I knew I was going. Ciara walked into the living room.
“Why did Nia get you a dress that is just like what you already have?” Ciara questioned while brushing her hair with her brush.
I felt a warm sensation take over my body. I couldn’t stop smiling. Ursula hadn’t forgotten about me. She wanted to see me, and I was aching to see her.
“Because she is an awesome-ass friend!” I tried to remain calm, but I wanted to jump up and down like Tom Cruise did when he professed his love on The Oprah Winfrey Show. My happiness was short-lived. I looked at Ciara. I had to get rid of her.
“I guess the weirdness continues.” She shrugged her shoulders and headed back to my bedroom.
I felt like a weight had lifted off my shoulders the second she made that statement. I realized I no longer gave a damn about what she thought. I walked to my bedroom and stood in the doorway.
“Get your shit and get out of my house.”
I stood in the doorway with my arms crossed. Ciara sat up in the chair.
“What did you say?” she questioned.
“I said, ‘Get your shit and get out.’ I’m so over this.” I threw my hands up as I walked in the room and began pulling her things out of my closet.
“Temple, what the fuck?”
“I am over this. I’m over you and your stupid-ass comments about the things that I love.”
“Oh, come on, Temple. You know I’m just playing.” Ciara sat back down, obviously not taking me seriously.
“I’m not playing with you.” I pulled her favorite jacket out of my closet and threw it on the floor. Ciara jumped up when her prized possession hit the floor. She looked in my eyes. I saw her face drop. If she had thought I was playing before, she didn’t think so anymore.
“You fucking that girl, aren’t you?” Ciara huffed.
“What?” I felt my body tensing up.
“Nia! You are fucking Nia!” Ciara was fuming.
“Girl, you would think some shit like that.” I laughed. “Unlike you, I don’t resort to sleeping with other people.”
“Then where in the fuck is this coming from?” Ciara waved her jacket in her hand. “We were just fine. You get this package, and now you don’t want to be with me. Something is up, and I demand that you tell me what it is.”
“I just don’t want you.”
I couldn’t believe the words actually came out of my mouth. I didn’t want to be with her. I hadn’t wanted her since I’d walked in on her with the whore. I was over her, and seeing the beautiful red dress just gave me the strength I needed to let go.
“You know what? You are tripping. I’m going to give you some time to think about what you are saying. I’m not gonna take too much more of this bullshit from you.” Ciara put her jacket on and zipped it up. She stepped into a pair of her sweatpants and walked out of my bedroom. I heard the front door slam behind her.
I sat there looking at her clothes, which were lying next to Ursula’s dress. I didn’t have time to think about Ciara. I had a trip to prepare for. I couldn’t contain my excitement. I had to call someone and tell them what was happening. I picked up my phone and dialed Cree’s number. She answered on the first ring.
“I can’t believe what I just got!” I pushed Ciara’s clothes off my bed and sat on the edge.
“What’s going on?” Cree responded in a low voice.
“Ursula . . . She sent me the original dress
she wore on the show. You know, the one that I fashioned my dress after. And she invited me—”
I caught myself. I remembered I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about us. I didn’t know how I would explain my way out of getting a random ticket to come visit someone that I was not romantically involved with.
“She invited you where?” Cree turned over in bed.
“Um, just to wear the dress when I watch the finale this weekend.”
I hated lying to my friends. I needed someone to share in my happiness with me. I noticed something was different about Cree’s voice. She wasn’t her usual loud, crazy self. I wanted to kick myself. I was gushing about my gift when I knew she hadn’t heard from Les since Dragon Con. Nia and Kirk were hitting it off, talking on the phone all the time while he was shooting in Canada, and now I had this trip with Ursula and the dress, which had just been listed on eBay for over five thousand dollars.
“Cree, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean . . .”
“Girl, please, I’m over that. I’m happy for you. Talk about the ultimate thank-you. I think that dress was listed at like five Gs last time I checked the auctions.” Cree sat up in bed.
“Yeah.”
Cree laughed. She knew I was trying to contain my happiness because of her.
“Temple, I am good. It is what it is. Everything happens for a reason. Now I wanna see pictures, so try that dress on and get to snapping selfies in your mirror.”
“Okay, girl. I’ll send one. Talk to you later.”
I hung up the phone. I knew she was putting on a front so I wouldn’t feel bad, and I knew deep down she had to be hurting over Les. She was the biggest fan of all and wasn’t receiving any special treatment. I made a mental note to check on her more often but I knew I didn’t have much time at that moment. I had a trip to plan for.
“Everything okay?”
Cree turned her head. Les stared at her. She looked at his naked body as he lay in bed next to her. “Everything is fine.”
Les Tales Page 9