by J. Nichole
I give her a side-eye. “Have you given him your cookies yet?”
“Girl, no. You would have been the first to know. He says he is going to surprise me with a room one night. I don’t know when it will happen but I’m ready.”
I laugh. “I bet you are!” We finished our wings and fries a while ago. Most tables have come and gone. “We should head out.”
As we stand up, I hug Tanya, but stay back so that I can say my goodbyes to my friends at the restaurant. I feel odd. I now have so much freedom, at least for the rest of the summer.
When I get home, I hop in the shower and I can’t help but think about my conversation with Tanya. About my realization of love lost, for not only me, but for Josh as well. What a summer. Who would have ever thought we would both be single at the same time?
I just hope his ex hasn’t left him too broken. If women only knew how much power they have over men. What am I doing to Travis? Some parts of me want to be there for him in court, but I know I need to break clean from him. It will be best for both of us. Besides, I’m not thinking of excuses to leave. Travis gave me a pretty good reason to go.
Chapter 4
My alarm clock rings, and as I turn over to shut it off I have that feeling that I’m late for something. It’s Saturday, hip-hop festival at the Wharf. “Operation Cheer Up Josh” as Tanya has been calling it.
Instead of driving home after the concert, we’ll be getting a room. My bag is hardly packed, but I manage to throw in a few things. Thankfully, the beach doesn’t require much. I throw in the dresses that accentuate my C-cups and small, round booty. Now that Josh is single, and I’m single, maybe I can convince him that I’m not his little sister.
The weekend should be interesting. I haven’t hung out with Tanya and Devon since Travis has been gone. I hope Devon doesn’t try to run interference on my game plan to get close to Josh. I’m sure Devon won’t be as worried about me as he will be about getting Tanya to drop her panties.
Walking out of my room, I take one last glance in the mirror. If Josh doesn’t recognize this body then his ex really put a hurt on him.
My mom tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes. “Laila, remind me one more time what the sleeping arrangements are for the hotel.”
I give my mom a wide grin and pat her hand. “Mom, we have a suite. Tanya and I have the bed and the guys will be in the living room.”
My mom looks skeptical, but kisses my cheek. “Be safe and have fun, Laila. I love you.”
I sit outside, waiting for Tanya and Josh to pull up. The sun is shining but the morning air is crisp, not yet hot and sticky. As they round the corner, I see Tanya running her mouth as always. Josh parks and hops out of the car to help with my bag.
I smile at Josh as I hand him my bag. “Thanks, Josh.”
He has a sly smile on his face. I can’t tell if he likes what he sees or if he is just happy to have a break from Tanya’s conversation.
Josh holds the door open for me while I climb in the back seat of his Jeep Cherokee.
Tanya looks at me over her shoulder and winks. “Laila, you look sexy. Looks like you are trying to catch a new man.”
I look back at Josh, who is nodding his head in agreement with Tanya. If I had a lighter complexion, they might have seen me blush. Josh closes the door and hops in the driver’s seat.
I roll my eyes and wave my hand. “Is Devon meeting us at the Wharf?”
Josh groans.
“You don’t sound happy to hear Devon’s name.”
Tanya adjusts in her seat and then stares out the window. Obviously, I’ve missed something.
Josh glances over at Tanya and slaps her leg. “Like I told Tanya, the two of them cannot sleep in the same room. This weekend will be good if we all just recognize that now.”
“Okay, I got it,” Tanya says with attitude. The rest of the ride is silent, with the exception of Tanya and me, singing along with the radio.
Every few minutes I check the rearview mirror. Josh has a smug look on his face.
“No new friends, no new friends, no...” In the middle of our singing, Josh changes the radio station. WTKE, sports talk radio. This will be the longest thirty minute ride of my life.
Thank God for the scenery. The water is calm and the white sands are pristine. Maybe I can spot a dolphin.
Once we pull up to the hotel, Josh goes to the front desk to grab the keys. I lock arms with him as we walk to the room. Stretching my neck to look up to him, I say, “You okay? I know you are like my brother, Nick, neither of you approve of the thugs. I get it. Let’s just try to get along and not let it ruin the weekend.”
Josh flexes his muscle before letting my arm go. “Sure, Laila.” Devon isn’t here and he is already messing up my game. Feeling defeated, I leave Josh in the living area and join Tanya in the bedroom of the suite.
“At least the room is nice.” I place my bag on the bed.
“Don’t worry about Josh. He is on one right now. He’ll get over it soon.” Tanya walks across the room to look out the window with her shoulders slumped. “Hopefully,” she whispers.
We hear a knock. I don’t even attempt to move towards the door. I’m sure it’s Devon. I unpack my bag, then hit the bathroom to freshen up.
While Tanya and Devon chat it up, I try to distract Josh from his thoughts.
“That dude doesn’t have any bags.” Josh stares Devon down as he talks to Tanya. “Good. I don’t have to worry about him staying here.”
I elbow Josh’s arm. “How about we leave that situation alone. Tell me about A&T.”
Finally, a smile crosses Josh’s face. Just as he tells me about his classes, Tanya interrupts, telling us it’s time to grab lunch. I roll my eyes. I hope she doesn’t have us on a schedule the entire weekend.
Tanya grabs Devon’s hand and practically skips ahead of us, and looking back she yells, “Lunch is your pick today, Laila!”
Baytowne has a lot of restaurant options. I spot a daiquiri shop, and Josh looks over at it, then at me.
“I would stop in and indulge, but I would feel bad drinking by myself.” He stares at the building for a minute, never breaking his stride.
“Even if I was of age, I would pass. I’m not a fan of liquor.” I keep searching for a restaurant.
Josh chuckles. “Humph, well, if Lee is anything like A&T, you will have plenty of opportunities to change that opinion.”
I shrug. Acme Oyster House. Looks promising. “Hey Tanya, let’s try this place.” I look over at Josh, and he nods in approval.
The walls are decorated with college flags. I scan the room and find the LSU flag. My parents’ alma mater. Surprisingly, I find a flag for Lee also.
I poke Josh’s hand and point up to the flag, “The best HBCU.” A wide grin crosses my face.
He smirks and scans the room, having no luck finding a flag for A&T. “It’s only because they are down the street.”
We all decide on a Po-Boy of some sort, and then I insist we order a dozen raw oysters. Tanya smiles at Devon “You know, oysters are an aphrodisiac.”
I place my hand on my head, looking over at Josh, who has a deer in the headlights look on his face.
Josh stops the waitress and says, “Let me get a hurricane.” Then he looks at Tanya, shaking his head, “I’ll need it to get through this day.”
The waitress smiles and politely says, “I’ll get your hurricane right away.”
Devon perks up. “Damn, I wish I could get one of those. This 21st birthday needs to hurry up.”
Josh begins to tell us more about A&T while we eat. He tells us about his freshman year and how he adjusted to classes.
I listen intently, hanging on every word. Not that it’s interesting, but he lights up when he talks about school, making him sexy as hell.
Tanya leans over and whispers in Devon’s ear, bringing his attention back to the table.
“Parties at A&T are wild. Those freshman girls be loose, they couldn’t get enough of me last year.”
Josh does a shoulder dance.
Josh’s smooth skin, curly hair, and hazel eyes are undeniably sexy. Who wouldn’t be attracted to him?
I clench my teeth as I listen to him describe the wanting females. Why am I tripping? Josh is just a space filler. I’m sure nothing will happen between the two of us.
“One thing you two better watch out for is the food. So many chicks come in freshman year real cute, but by the end, after they’ve gained that freshman fifteen, they look a hot ass mess!”
We all laugh, and Devon finally chimes in. Through most of the conversation, he was staring out of the windows. “Tanya, make sure you don’t gain that fifteen, unless it’s all in that...” He stops in the middle of his sentence and looks up at Josh. Josh can’t help but laugh.
When we get back to the room, we all cluster in the living area. Tanya finds The Blind Side on Showtime, and with no objections from Josh and Devon we watch until it’s time to get ready for the concert.
As Tanya and I start getting our outfits ready, I can hear Josh ask Devon about his clothes.
“I didn’t know how big this suite would be,” Devon says. “I went ahead and got a room. My clothes are over there.”
Josh’s eyes narrow as his back straightens. “I hear you, but know this, my sister is not staying with you tonight, so go ahead and cancel those thoughts.”
Tanya steps in before the conversation gets heated. “Josh, you already know we aren’t staying together tonight. So don’t worry. I’ll be here with you and Laila.”
Devon has a smirk on his face. His eyes dart from Josh to Tanya and he shakes his head and stares at her. Tanya looks away from Devon and then slowly walks back to the bedroom.
“I should have stashed some liquor for this weekend.” Tanya grabs her clothes and gets dressed in the bathroom. Once we are all finished, we walk over to the concert.
After some unknown artists hit the stage, T.I. finally steps out. I almost forget about the sexy beast of a man standing next to me when I see T.I.
As soon as the beat drops for Ball, the crowd goes crazy, and Tanya and I start dancing. I toot my booty towards Josh to give him a peek, and he laughs. Then he starts dancing with me. I only have a few moves, so I look over at Tanya for inspiration. She is face down, ass up, and Devon is grinding behind her. Too much for me, I’ll stick to my few moves.
T.I. performs a few more songs from Trouble Man, and then he hits a few oldies. From 24’s to Whatever You Like, and finally ending it with Live Your Life.
Tanya is really feeling the song, well, she’s feeling all over Devon.
“Damn, Tanya, calm that shit down.” Josh pulls at her arm.
Tanya rolls her eyes and grabs my hand, leading me out of the crowd.
We return to the hotel. I guess it was a long day for us all, but of course, being out in the Florida heat will make you extra tired. After chatting for a while, we all start nodding off.
I wake up in time to catch Devon and Tanya sneaking out the door. I close my eyes and pretend like I don’t see them leaving. Shit, now I’m left here to explain to Josh. I’ll play sleep until Tanya is back in the room. Hopefully, they will be back before he wakes up.
Chapter 5
As the door closes, I hold my breath but hear Josh moving around. I shut my eyes tight, as if that will make me invisible.
Josh taps me on the leg. I act like he wakes me up. “Yeah?” I say with my eyes slightly open.
“Did Tanya tell you she was leaving with Devon?”
“No, isn’t she here?” I look around the room in search for Tanya. I’m a horrible actor.
“Hell no. I heard the door close, and it had to be them leaving. This dude has some nerve.” Josh leaps out of his seat and starts pacing. “I specifically told him he couldn’t stay with my sister tonight.” Even with a hideous frown on his face, he is still cute.
I don’t think I’ve seen Josh so upset before. But I am familiar with the reaction; my brother can be very over protective, too. I’d rather not be on the receiving end of this lecture.
“Have a seat.” I begin straightening up, and then patting the seat beside me. “Josh, you are away the majority of the year.” I stare him in his eyes. They’ve changed from bright hazel to dismal brown. “Your sister is just fine on her own. Trust and believe she is responsible and will control the situation. You have to remember she is eighteen and is leaving for college soon.”
As I say this, Josh’s face loosens up. I look at the table for my phone. No texts from Tanya. She better be having the best time of her life.
“Laila, college life and dudes are so different from high school. By the time Tanya steps on campus, I’m sure she will forget about that thug, Devon. She just has to make it through this summer.” Josh leans his elbows on his knees and shakes his head.
I nod my head. Josh is right. I’ve already forgotten about Travis and I’m not even on campus yet.
“I know it’s still fresh, but what happened with you and your girl? She has to be crazy to leave a man like you. You have so much going for you. Not to mention you are sexy as hell.” Josh flaunts that smile and my vagina pulsates.
“Everything that glitters ain’t gold. I have my flaws, more than you would ever know.” He looks at me and shrugs his shoulders. “Her reason was pretty lame, though. She claims she needed some time to enjoy her last year of school. After three years of dating, we are about to finish school and she thinks now is a good time to party? She is as ass backwards as they come. Most junior chicks want that dude who wants to settle down and make her a wifey.” He reaches over and touches my chin. “My advice to you is to enjoy your time when you get to school. Party. Live it up. Stay single for at least the first two years. Then junior year, it’s cuffing season. Find someone to chill out with.”
“Be honest. Were you cheating on her? Did you really see her as wifey? Or were you just telling her what she wanted to hear?” I sit back and cross my arms across my chest. A frat boy and a basketball player. Committed? Yeah right.
Josh laughs. “Between her, school, and sports, I was too busy to have someone on the side. There were a few chicks I could have been with if I was not in a relationship, but I never approached them. I think she could have been wifey. She held it down. She was always cooking and doing the whole domestic thing. Enough about her. Now that Travis is locked up, what are you going to do?”
I bite my lip, and Josh stares at my mouth. I was hoping he wouldn’t bring up Travis. “Honestly, I’ve had some time to think about our relationship and I just don’t think he really loved me. Doing what he did on my graduation night... especially with what we had planned. I’m over it now, though. Like you said, college will have so much more to offer.”
Josh’s eyes widen. “Were you about to lose your virginity to that dude?”
Before I can respond, Tanya walks in ... finally. Thank God, she is alone, it’s too late to hear Josh confront Devon.
As Josh starts going off on Tanya, I go into the bedroom and shut the door. I can hear them yelling through the wall.
“Josh, calm down. It’s not that serious. We weren’t even gone that long.”
“It only takes a few minutes to fuck, Tanya!”
“Josh, I’m eighteen. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“Fuck being a kid, that motherfucker is a thug. No telling who he has been with. You don’t need that shit.”
Damn, Josh. I can’t listen any more. I go into the bathroom and start the shower.
Chapter 6
“Let’s skip the small talk. I just want to hear all the details of that night!” I gush before Tanya can start with her inquisition about my night with her brother. After speaking in code over the weekend, I need the juicy details.
She giggles and starts talking, in a low whisper. The girls at the table next to us are ear pimping. “Girl, Devon is ah-ma-zing! When I left, I was super nervous but when we got to his room he made sure everything he did calmed my nerves. We took a bath together, and then he rubbed my b
ody. He kissed me... everywhere!” Her eyes roll to the back of her head then she sighs. “I must say I wasn’t prepared to have sex at the moment he entered, and it caught me off guard to say the least.” We’ve always talked about how painful it would be to lose our virginity. It can’t be all that bad if she isn’t complaining about the pain.
“Was it romantic like you hoped it would be?” I smile and hunch my shoulders.
“Rose petals, candles, music. Almost perfect.”
“Almost?”
“Josh crushed my ecstasy when he cursed me out about leaving.” She looks away as tears gather in her eyes.
“I feel you. Devon should have picked a different night. But regardless. I need more details! Were you stiff as a board, or did you ride him like we saw in that porno? You definitely threw it back at him while we were at the concert.”
“I definitely wasn’t like that porno. I was too nervous. I tried to get in rhythm with him and gyrate my hips but I couldn’t keep up. He was thrusting hard and fast.” She pats her chest.
My eyes widen. I’m missing out. Sex sounds amazing.
“Did you have an orgasm?”
“Did I? I had one before he even entered me. When he was kissing me down low, it was like never before. Then we were in a few different positions before he put me on my knees.” She looks at me with a raised brow. “You know I’ve always said doggie style seems like random fucking and not love-making. Well, forget all that. He hit my sweet spot from the back and I had the best orgasm ever.”
“Damn. Were you done after that?”
Tanya continues telling me the details, down to the messy sheets.
“Sounds like it was better than either of us could have imagined, right?”
She confirmed that the pain was well worth the pleasure. We both made a promise to each other that we’d always make the guys wear condoms, even though we are on birth control. I just have to ask to make sure she kept her promise. “Tanya, did he strap up?”