Full Figured 8

by Skyy

  Aquilla smiled, puckered her lips and shook her head, all while wagging her finger in Dakota’s face. “Please don’t. You’re going to defeat the purpose of me not buying the shoes for you.”

  “Huh? I don’t get it,” Dakota said. “Ohhh. I get it. The old superstition. If you buy someone a pair of shoes they are going to walk all over you with them.”

  “No, I’m not superstitious at all.”

  “Then what it is?”

  “Plain and simple. I’ve bought you a dress with no strings attached,” Aquilla said. “If I buy shoes, then I get to fuck you.” And on that note, Aquilla walked away just as the clerk came out of the back.

  With tomato red cheeks, Dakota began to scoop up the shoes to carry them over to the counter. Ringing up just under $150, Dakota didn’t feel like she’d done too much damage. Basically she’d gotten an entire outfit for the night for $150 since she didn’t have to pay for the dress. She was definitely still within budget.

  With her bags in hand, Dakota met Aquilla over at the door to exit.

  “Well, my love, looks like you are all set with the perfect outfit. I hope you wear it someplace special.”

  “Well, actually, I have a reception to attend this evening. It will be perfect.”

  “More than perfect, with you in it.” Aquilla rubbed Dakota’s cheek. There were a couple moments of silence. “Well, I have to see about my client shortly. I should go.”

  “Well, thank you so much, Aquilla, for everything. This was truly a first ... for more than you will ever know.”

  “I’m sure. It’s been my pleasure. I like providing people with a first lifetime experience.” Aquilla opened the little snazzy clutch she’d been carrying and pulled out her business card. She handed it to Dakota.

  Dakota looked at the card. “Italy? You’re from Italy?”

  “That’s where I call home, but I’m here in the States far more than I am home. I have a place in New York and my clients in L.A. usually put me up at some really nice spots. If you’re ever in either area, look me up.” Aquilla wrapped her hands around Dakota’s hand that held the card. “I’d love to be your first at other things.”

  Dakota smiled as Aquilla released her hand and began to walk away. And Dakota couldn’t stop watching her. Dakota was sad to watch her walk away. This was the most carefree, unbelievable, spur-of-the-moment thing Dakota had ever experienced and she owed it all to Aquilla. As if being lured to Aquilla, like a magnet, Dakota followed her. Feeling as though she was being followed, Aquilla turned on her heels to run dead smack into Dakota. She opened her mouth to speak, which was a golden opportunity for Dakota.

  Without even thinking about it so that she wouldn’t change her mind, Dakota allowed her mouth to meet Aquilla’s. The two women’s tongues danced in each other’s mouths like the kiss had been choreographed. The electric volt that ran between the women kept their eyes open. They stared into each other’s eyes like long-time lovers and allowed their eyes and tongues to do all the talking.

  When the kiss ended, Dakota was out of breath and her lower face was covered with pink, pearly, glittery lip gloss. Slowly, Dakota backed up until she knew she was close to the escalator. She looked over her shoulder to make sure she was getting on it safely, then turned to look at Aquilla one last time. No words were spoken between the two as Dakota went down the escalator, Aquilla disappearing from her sight.

  Catching her breath, Dakota made her way through the hotel and out the exit door where several cabs were lined up for waiting passengers. After just a minute or two, Dakota was up next.

  “Where to?” the doorman asked Dakota so that he could relay her destination to the taxi driver.

  “The Rio,” Dakota replied.

  The doorman informed the taxi driver of where he was to take the passenger, then opened the door for Dakota to climb in.

  “Thank you,” Dakota said, digging in her purse for a couple of one dollar bills to tip the doorman. “Here you go.” She handed them to the man.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” he said with a wave.

  “You’re welcome,” Dakota said as she got into the back of the taxi. “Oh wait.”

  The doorman stopped right before he was about to close the door. “Yes.”

  “Could you discard this for me please?” Dakota handed him Aquilla’s business card.

  “No problem.” He took the card.

  “Thank you.” Dakota got settled into the back seat of the taxi as the driver pulled off. There was no point in Dakota keeping Aquilla’s business card. She’d kissed a girl and she liked it. And that was that.

  Chapter 6

  “Damn New Orleans having voodoo and roots on people and stuff. This Vegas is no joke,” Dakota said as she scurried through the casino heading toward the elevator bank. Shyla had called her just as she was entering the hotel.

  “Well they don’t call it Sin City for nothing, girlie,” Shyla said through the phone receiver. “So I take from that comment that in just the little bit of time you’ve been there you’ve managed to get into a little trouble.” Shyla laughed. “Who am I kidding? This is Dakota I’m talking to. Not even Vegas can change a person overnight. And it hasn’t even been a night.”

  “Well ...” Dakota started. She was planning on telling Shyla all about her encounter with Leon and her rendezvous with Aquilla, but Shyla would never believe it in a million years. Dakota herself half believed it. Why even bother wasting her breath? Besides, this side of her wasn’t something she expected to keep up anyway. Here in Vegas no one knew her. Back home girls who did some of the things she’d already done or might do would surely gain a reputation. Dakota’s reputation was good back in the city and she wanted to keep it that way.

  “Anyway,” Shyla said, “I just want you to have fun, your kind of fun. I just want you to be happy and do what makes you comfortable. Who cares if you flew all the way to Vegas to curl up under the TV?” Shyla said. “You’re a good girl, Dakota. I know we give you mad grief about it, but there’s nothing wrong with it. You just keep doing you.”

  Shyla’s words made Dakota smile. She loved her friend and how her friend would take her however she came. But in just the few hours Dakota had decided to open up, the world had opened right back up for her. She wanted more.

  “I’ll keep doing me,” Dakota said. “You definitely don’t have to worry about that.”

  “All right then. I love you, girl.”

  “Love you too,” Dakota said before ending the call.

  Although Shyla’s parting words had touched her heart, they, at the same time, saddened her. Had she really been that big of a bore all her life? Evidently, she had. She couldn’t even come up with five good, exciting, fun things she’d done when Billie had inquired. It really shouldn’t have taken a trip all the way to the West Coast to force her to have a little fun in her life. But it had. Better late than never. And, as the elevator doors parted and about five college hunks now stood before her, Dakota was glad about the timing of it all.

  The delicious-looking hunks filed off the elevator; one was even so kind as to hold the elevator door for Dakota.

  “Thank you,” she said, then tiptoed past him.

  “Anytime.” He looked her in the eyes. “Which floor?” He was going to go one step further and even push the button for Dakota before he went on about his business.

  “Damn, son, why you acting thirsty?” one of his boys shouted from behind him.

  “Yeah, she cute and all, but damn. Bring your ass on,” another said.

  The helpful coed looked torn. Dakota decided to let him off the hook. “That’s okay. I’ve got it. You run along with the fellas and have fun.”

  “Yeah. But something tells me I could have much more fun on this elevator ride with you.”

  “I guess you’ll never know,” Dakota said as the doors closed between them. “Oh, my gosh!” she said out loud, blushing and acting like a schoolgirl herself. She couldn’t believe she was instigating and receiving this much attention.
Who knew?

  Once the elevator deposited her on the eleventh floor, Dakota went to her room. It was a quarter to five. She had just enough time to get herself together for the reception. Since she’d already showered, she opted for a ho bath, even though nothing about her actions from the day made her feel like a ho. She just didn’t feel the need to have to douse her entire body with water again. For the second time that day she stripped out of her clothes. Just as she was headed to the shower her cell phone rang.

  “Hello,” she answered. She didn’t spare the two seconds it would have taken to look at the caller ID because she didn’t have the two seconds to spare.

  “Sister, how’s it going? Where are you? You better not be in your hotel room watching television.”

  “Oh, ye of little faith,” Dakota said to Billie. “It’s going good actually.”

  “Hmmm. Not sure if your definition of good is the same as mine.”

  Dakota sighed and sat down on the bed. “I hate to admit it, but you were right.”

  “So you have just been sitting in that stupid hotel room watching television. And here I was hoping I hadn’t heard from you because you were out doing something you’d never think of doing, or at least shopping. Damn, girl, did my little spiel not infiltrate any part of your being?”

  “That’s what you were right about. It wasn’t until I got here and really decided to just open my mind to new things did I realize that my life has been nothing to write about it. You, Shyla, Trice; you all are so fun. That’s why I love being around you guys. I’m nothing like you guys though. I’m really not sure why you guys even want to hang out with me. I’m like Debbie Downer compared to you three.” Dakota took a second break before saying, “Sis, if I ask you something, will you be completely honest with me?”

  “Aren’t I always?”

  Dakota rolled her eyes in her head. “Sometimes brutally.”

  “So shoot.”

  “I know you give me the time of day because I’m your sister and you pretty much have to by default. But do you think maybe with Shyla and Trice ...” Dakota had to find the right words. “You know how some people only hang with certain people because they think it makes them look better?”

  “Stop it right there,” Billie said. “I’m not even going to allow you to insult Shyla and Trice like that. You know as well as I do that they are genuine, good people. They have your back. They’ve never done anything to prove otherwise.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.” Dakota sighed.

  “I know I’m right. They’ve met auntie haven’t they? And you know she claims to have that spirit of discernment or whatever it is. She wasted no time telling a couple of my boyfriends that they were the devil or kin to him. So you can best believe she would have called out Laverne and Shirley by now.”

  Both girls started laughing.

  “Why are you crazy?” Dakota asked her sister.

  “Because one of us has to be. Now why don’t you try being crazy? Forget about what people would think or say. Nobody cares. Go down to the casino, find a complete stranger, and have sex with him in the elevator.”

  “Hey, I’m in a different state, not country. I have my limits you know.”

  “Yes, I know, and make the sky your limit.”

  “The sky’s my limit, huh?” Dakota repeated.

  “Yes, now fly away, little birdie. Fly away.”

  “Oh, I hate you.”

  “Yes, that’s because you love me so much and you know I’m right.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Look, sis, I have to get ready to go. I’ve wasted enough time listening to your nonsense. If I didn’t know any better, I might think you were setting me up to come here to Las Vegas, do the unthinkable, and then run home to tell you everything so that you can live vicariously through me.”

  “Yeah, or masturbate while you tell me if it’s really good.”

  “Disgusting! Bye, Billie.”

  “Love you too. Deuces.”

  Dakota ended the call and just shook her head. She and Billie were cut from the same cloth indeed, but definitely different corners of the quilt.

  Dakota hopped up and headed to the bathroom. She did her wash up and proceeded to get dressed. That’s when she realized she’d forgotten to purchase something very important: panties. Now the bra she wouldn’t mind wearing again, but she was not going to slip on those drawers her cat had been meowing in all day. No way no how. She’d just have to do something she’d never done before in her life: wear a dress without panties.

  As Dakota slipped on the dress, she realized her bra wasn’t going to work either, not with the dress being somewhat off the shoulders. Having her bra straps show just looked tacky. And no way did she want the straps of a fourteen dollar bra from Walmart peeking underneath a thousand dollar dress. So both braless and panty-less it would have to be. She could only hope the lighting was dim in the room where the reception was being held.

  Dakota washed her face with the facial soap the hotel provided. She made a mental note to visit the cosmetic department at one of the stores in the mall. She’d never given those pesky women always trying to squirt her with cologne or get her to get a makeover or facial the time of day, but Marie would gladly do the honors.

  Dakota loved her kinky locks and the fact that all she had to do was wet them, run the comb through them, then scrunch them up with her fingers. Billie always complained about the natural, curly kinks.

  “If you’d inherited my long, straight hair,” their mother had told Billie once, “you’d be complaining about that. People with curly hair want it straight. People with straight hair want it curly. Just be glad with what the good Lord gave you.”

  Dakota had always been just that: pleased with all that God had blessed her with. But maybe she’d been too complacent in life. Perhaps accepting everything was the reason she never wanted to do or try anything different. Talk about a gift and a curse.

  Blessed with great, clear skin after spending all four years of high school fighting teenage acne, Dakota didn’t wear makeup, so she didn’t have to worry about fighting with her sister to allow her to bring any.

  Fortunately for her, Billie hadn’t noticed she was wearing the same single-carat diamond stud earrings that she always wore: a gift from her parents on her twenty-fifth birthday. So at least she had something in her ears.

  “All set,” she said, looking at herself in the mirror and pulling her dress down. She’d always been fine with her A-cup breasts. Now that she had to go braless via accident, she was even finer that she didn’t have to worry about some huge jugs jiggling around. She cupped her small breasts, lifted the left and then the right, then patted her dress down one last time.

  She exited the bathroom and went to slip on her shoes. Grabbing her purse, the black one her sister suggested she carry because it would go with everything until she could purchase another one, she exited the room. She walked to the elevators and pushed the down button. Once it arrived, there were a few people dressed in business-casual on the elevator.

  “Good evening,” Dakota greeted them all like she knew them. A couple replied; another nodded.

  While the elevator went down, Dakota took note of the sign in the elevator listing different amenities and guest services of the hotel. She remember that the Rio had a couple shops of their own. On a whim, she pushed the button that led her to the shops. It wasn’t anything compared to the Forum Shops. It was, though, nice and elegant and had just what she’d had in mind of purchasing when deciding to go to the shops.

  She looked through the glass windows of one of the stores and then entered.

  “Hi,” the lady running the store said to her.

  “Hello. How are you?”

  “Just fine. Thank you. Can I help you find anything in particular?”

  “As a matter of fact you can. I see you have cosmetics.” Dakota pointed and then began walking toward the counter that cased cosmetics.

  “Yes, we do, and a nice little selection at that. Don’t tell
me: you forgot to pack your makeup case.” The woman shooed her hand and chuckled. “Happens all the time. I’m sure we have some shades and colors that will work well with your skin tone.” The clerk began to fiddle with some of the products. “What colors do you usually wear?” She began holding up different products next to Dakota’s skin.

  “Red. Red lipstick. I’d like a tube of red lipstick.” Dakota didn’t hesitate as she scanned the lipstick selections. “That one right there.”

  “Well, that’s a gloss.”

  “I want it,” Dakota said.

  “Then you’ve got it. Anything else?”

  Dakota did one last once-over of the makeup selection. “No, just the red lipstick. I mean lip gloss.”

  “All right.” The woman grabbed Dakota’s selection and then walked over to the cash register.

  Dakota looked around the store as the clerk began to bag the lipstick. That’s when she noticed some ruby red teardrop earrings. “And these!” She quickly snatched the earrings off the spinning jewelry stand and walked them over to the clerk.

  “Lovely!” She looked Dakota up and down. “You are going to be the belle of the ball for sure. Simple but so elegant indeed. Not too much but more than enough.” She winked. “And this red is just enough garnish so as not to take away from the main dish.” She smiled.

  Dakota returned the smile.

  The clerk packaged Dakota’s items and then rang them up. “$59.73. Would that be cash, credit, or if you are staying here at the hotel, charged to your room?”

  “I am staying here. Can I have that charged to my room please?”

  “Certainly. I just need to see your card.”

  Dakota pulled out her room key and handed it to the clerk.

  “No, the hotel card; the one they gave you at check in for—”

  “Oh, yes.” Dakota thumped herself upside the head. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. It’s been a long day.” Dakota pulled out the card the check-in desk had explained to her was connected to the credit card she’d left on file for any incidentals or hotel charges.