by Claire Angel
She picked them up and twirled them around her finger.
I could hear the jangle of the chains and this kind of foreplay wasn’t for everybody. I considered the risks and the rewards more than outweighed any kind of discomfort I was going to feel.
I shook my head in disbelief, laughing because if I didn’t I was going to scream.
She lifted my chin and dropped the handcuffs with her finger moving back and forth chastising me for coming here with ulterior motives.
“Do you want me to guess or are you going to tell me about her? There’s no reason to lie to me and I’ve been around the block a few times to know when a man is thinking about somebody else,” She stated with her finger on my lips to silence any objection to the contrary.
Her flaming red hair was matched by the strip of hair pointing to the treasures between her legs. The lips were already wet and shining brightly in the overhead light through the transparent panties. There was no way to resist, but she was holding me back from what I wanted to do.
It had to be out of some misguided loyalty to her gender.
“Don’t you think that we can find something better to do with our mouths than talking?” I asked hoping the pleasure that she could receive was going to take away her need to talk about our feelings.
“It’s tempting and I can’t say that it isn’t, but your mind is somewhere else,” She said with her legs putting the out of business sign on the door to her pleasures.
“Are you sure there’s not something that I can do to change your mind,” I said touching her knee with one hand and hearing a deep breath of unfulfilled passion.
“I do admire your persistence, but our time will be better utilized getting to the bottom of the reason why you are here. We both know you called me for a different reason than you were intending. There’s another woman that has captured your heart and you don’t even know it,” She surmised.
I was on my knees and any more talk of the handcuffs had been summarily dismissed.
“I’m not going to talk about my feelings.”
“I consider us friends more than lovers, but maybe you don’t feel the same thing. The door is right there when you want to use it and it’s not like I’m putting a gun to your head. We have exactly 40 minutes and we should use that time wisely before we go down to dinner at the restaurant inside this very hotel. I have talked to the chef personally and he has assured me that the specials are to die for. I know how you feel about lamb chops.” She was touching on a topic that was near and dear to my heart.
“I don’t think I’ve told anybody about how my grandmother used to make them for me. You do have this funny way of making me say things in the spur of the moment. Pillow talk takes on a whole different meaning when we get together.”
“I know you’re stalling. I would hope what we have together is more than just sex. You do know that I can get that anywhere from anyone at any time. I’m not delusional to think that I’m in love with you. I just enjoy our time together and the sex is an added bonus,” She explained with a subtle finesse that had me eating out of her hand.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I want to do this, but something inside me is telling me that it’s wrong.” I went over to the balcony overlooking the city and stood there contemplating the future.
She didn’t come out to join me right away.
I wanted to rush into her arms and tell her what she wanted to hear, but I couldn’t do that. I was dealing with something that was a foreign concept.
The kiss had changed everything between us. Leila had become something more than my best friend’s sister. She was my friend and I had this idea about making it more than it was.
I could hear the faint sounds of somebody getting together intimately in the room next door. I didn’t want to be this guy. I thought I was happy, but the kiss showed me there was more to a physical display of affection than sex.
I ran my fingers along the railing picking off flecks of paint with my fingertips. They easily peeled away showing how badly the paint job was. They probably cut corners and didn’t apply some kind of undercoating. In the long run, it was going to have to be redone by a professional who knew what they were doing.
I thought about getting my hands dirty and doing something strictly for the new experience.
“I have given you enough time to think about it. Does this have anything to do with Leila?” She asked making me aware that I had talked about her in the past.
“I really don’t think that it’s appropriate to talk to you about this,” I said.
“I can be impartial and I’ve known for quite some time that you had feelings for her. You talk about her all the time and it was just a matter of when you were going to admit it to yourself. I’ve been there and I know what you are going through,” She said sympathizing with my plight.
“She’s my best friend and we give each other a hard time, but it’s always in a joking manner. I don’t know why I have been taking things that she says personally. I’ve seen her grow up and I’ve been there for the milestones in her life. I might have to take a step back and walk away before I ruin everything,” I suggested.
“I wouldn’t do anything extreme until you sit down and talk to her. We both know that you gloss over your feelings and it has taken a lot to get you to open up about your family. The first time was all about the animalistic urges inside of you and me. It took four times before you finally started to open up feeling more comfortable being around me,” She quietly persistent keeping her tone level and not threatening in any way.
“I know you’re waiting for some kind of breakthrough, but you’re not going to get it. I say the words and they become real. I would rather forget that we had this discussion.” I avoided her and grabbed my coat on the way out the door knowing in my heart that I was never going to see Cassandra again.
I had that little black book burning a hole in my pocket.
I got on the elevator perusing the pages putting a name to each star.
I had a checkered past of flailing limbs and a revolving door of lovers in my bedroom.
There was no escaping from the fact that I was using them for my own selfish needs. There were no feelings involved and I thought it was best to keep things simple.
I took a walk not really knowing where I was going. The buzz of the city was an electric mix of people of all facets of life. It was easy to get lost in the labyrinth of shops and restaurants in the area.
My feet felt heavy along with my heart. It was uncommon for me to develop these kinds of feelings. I could’ve been balls deep inside of Cassandra at that very moment. The pleasure would be a respite, but Leila’s face would always haunt me no matter where I went.
I saw her everywhere and it was like her memory was following me like my own personal shadow. I had to break free or risk losing my mind along with my self-respect. I wasn’t like this and I needed a refresher course.
Drinking and gambling were a good way to turn things around. I could bring Leila with me to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. That was my plan. It was suddenly taking shape becoming more of a vacation to remind me that what we had was too damn important to risk by getting freaky in the sheets.
I called and made arrangements with two-first class tickets. I figured the one armed-bandit would capture another victim and the poker table would be running hot and cold all night long.
A few days without her were necessary to gain some perspective. The dinner was going to have to be without me and I would make a plausible excuse for my absence. She would no doubt question me when we found ourselves face to face on the plane in a few days, but I could cross that bridge when I came to it.
I made up my mind. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I had to show her the man that she was even contemplating on being with. I was certain once she got a clear understanding of what kind of man I was then she would run in the opposite direction.
I was going to make her see all of my dirty little habits including carousing with an
y female with two legs. It was cruel and unusual to subject her to those things that used to make me happy.
I could definitely see myself doing some self-indulgence for one weekend.
Chapter 6
Leila
I was angry, but I didn’t have Frank in front of me to yell at. He had some nerve standing me up on my birthday and he was going to find himself in the presence of a woman with something to say. Unfortunately, my brother Edward was in my sights and he was going to get a few choice words.
“I don’t know why you are acting like this. We both know that Frank has these squirrel moments. He finds some young thing and he spends his time seducing her into his bed. Perhaps, you should look into the mirror and figure out the reason why you are getting this upset over nothing,” Edward suggested with his hands in the air in mock surrender to my tirade.
He tried to turn away from me and that was the worst mistake of his life. I stepped in front of him poking him in the chest with a fire blazing inside of me.
“I didn’t tell you that you could leave,” I said with venom seeping out of every word coming out of my mouth.
“It’s been two days and I’m not going to waste my breath by disparaging my friend. I’m reminded of the saying a leopard doesn’t change its spots. He doesn’t know a good thing when he sees it and he usually ruins anything that remotely looks like a commitment,” He said touching on a sore subject and giving me something to think about.
“The both of you are thick as thieves and I’m tired of playing second fiddle. I get what I want and when I don’t then is hell to pay. I would warn him ahead of time that he is walking into a storm. I’ve left him multiple messages each one more scathing than the last. He doesn’t know the wrath of a woman, but he’s going to find out,” I interjected with my finger still poking into his chest pushing his buttons.
“It’s a good thing that Grace isn’t here to hear any of this. She has delicate ears and you’re not exactly shy about cursing like a sailor in front of her. Being spoiled doesn’t give you the right to act out. You are old enough to know better, but still young enough to be a little reckless,” He stated with his eyes narrowed and looking right at me.
I had taken it personally that Frank had decided to forgo my birthday celebration for something more pleasing like the feminine form. He was always pulling these stunts, but for some reason, this time was different.
“I want satisfaction and his head on a platter. I won’t settle for anything less. Give him a message for me and make sure that you deliver it in person. Don’t even tell me that you don’t know where he’s hiding from me, because I know that you would be lying. It’s better for the both of us that you don’t insult my intelligence,” I motioned to the phone that he had in his hands giving him a clear sign that he should reach out to Frank as soon as possible.
“I will relay your message. What he does with it is going to be his business. I’m sure that he will beg on his knees for your forgiveness like all of us do when we cross you in some way. You don’t get your way and we don’t hear the end of it. I would like to say that I’m surprised by your behavior, but he has always been able to get a rise out of you. I don’t know why his opinion matters, but maybe that’s something that you should talk to him about,” He said with his hand running through his hair with that tension in the air thick enough that I could cut it with a knife.
I was inclined to believe that Frank was playing some sort of game at my expense. This was what we did and sometimes we could go overboard with the joke. It was an unwritten rule that birthdays were off limits and he committed a cardinal sin.
“I will get my pound of flesh. You know me better than anybody and can you honestly say that he can hide anywhere that I won’t find him?” I queried and I stared at him until he broke underneath the pressure nodding his head to confirm that I was tenacious like a pit bull.
“I don’t envy his position,” He said with his head shaking in disbelief that Frank had decided to pull something like this.
“You’ve been in his position before and you know that it never ends well. I’m inclined to give him the cold shoulder with the icy chill in the air to remind him that he’s going to have to jump through hoops to get back in my good graces.” I went to the window half expecting him to be there giggling, but there was no sign of them.
“I have a headache. I’m going to lie down and try in vain to drown out your voice. I hope he knows what he is doing and I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. I do my best to avoid these little talks that we have that are one-sided,” He intoned that this was a common occurrence and I couldn’t remember the last time that we had a heated argument over anything.
“I don’t know where in our history that you have ever walked away from an argument with me. Stay here and fight me like a man and not some kind of mouse. You know that I don’t like cowards and acting like one is almost the worst kind of coward. This is your chance to put me in my place, but I wouldn’t advise it,” I dared him to cross that invisible line in the sand and join me in a verbal sparring match that wasn’t for the faint of heart.
“It boggles my mind the reason why I continually bend over backward to please you. This is the one time that I’m not going to stand here and listen to you berate me. You’ve been running rough shot around here for long enough. I have better things to do. I’m only the messenger and I have no control over what Frank does any more than you do,” He stated with his eyes begging for mercy without actually coming out and saying it.
I had this pent-up aggression and he had the gall to walk away before I had the chance to finish. He was good to me and I sometimes took him for granted. He was always there for me giving me tiny little gifts that made me feel special. I was still a little miffed at him for turning his attention to Grace, but I wanted him to be happy.
He walked away with his hands in the air in defeat and I was about to pursue him, but something caught my attention out of my peripheral vision. My phone was moving across the glass coffee table with intermittent buzzing.
I heard my phone announcing that I had a message. I picked it up and read it.
“I know you are angry, but this was all part of my evil plan. I want you to look out the window and you’ll find a bag packed by the front door courtesy of Grace. Your brother had nothing to do with this and this was all my idea. I probably should have thought it through and I know how you get when something doesn’t go your way.” I found myself curious and my anger subsided long enough for me to see the white stretch limousine waiting outside the door.
A man with short blond hair and blue eyes was standing by the back door with his hat in his hand.
My bag was packed and I made a cursory check to see that there was very little to the imagination. I could only imagine what Grace must’ve thought when she was rummaging through my closet. I could only hope that she didn’t share any of the vivid details with my brother.
That would have scarred him for life.
I closed the contents and went out to a silent bow of servitude from the driver. He opened the door and I slid inside to the accompaniment of jazz music playing on the speakers. There were fresh strawberries and whipped cream along with a bottle of champagne chilled on ice.
I plucked one and sank my teeth into its juicy center with droplets sliding down the corner of my mouth. I caught it with my finger and the anger that I felt toward Frank had been transformed into curiosity.
The windows were tinted and I couldn’t see outside which was by design. I knocked on the window separating me from the driver and he didn’t even do me the courtesy of answering my questions.
I tried to determine where we were going every time that he made a turn, but I got turned around. It wasn’t until I heard the telltale sound of planes overhead that I knew that we were at some kind of Airport in the area.
The driver came to a stop and he went around and opened up the door to the sight of a private plane already fuelled on the tarmac. It was a beautiful piece of machinery
catered to the elite and those that had the kind of money that they could throw away on frivolous details like flying the friendly skies with more than enough legroom.
At the top of the stairs, Frank was standing there with his jacket over his arm and a placard with the words Las Vegas written in bold indelible red ink.
“I have the most amazing weekend planned for us and it starts with in-flight entertainment. Come aboard and turn that frown upside down. If you are determined to hurt me then I request that you start anywhere below my neck,” He said mockingly not thinking that I was going to take him up on his offer.
I smiled sweetly drawing him into my gravity. I wanted him to believe that all was forgiven, but the fuming anger building with pressure underneath needed somewhere to go.
I walked up the stairs with my bag in hand and I stopped in front of him. He had this sleazy little smile on his face like he had gotten one over on me, but he was going to learn a valuable lesson about not poking the bear.
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate everything that you have gone through to make this something special even if it is a couple of days late. It doesn’t excuse your behavior,” I said with my arm outstretched and my hand making direct contact with his bare cheek.
The resounding slap echoed and he yelped with surprise when he felt the sting of my anger. I was going to follow it up with a knee to his special place, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I pulled his hair and made him come down so that I could kiss his boo boo. The tender touch was in direct contrast to the blow to his ego.
He really didn’t know what to say and he was stunned into silence. There was no need for me to say anything and my actions spoke louder than words.
There was a makeshift casino on board with a poker table and roulette wheel. He wanted to start the party early and the woman with flotation devices wasn’t exactly shy about her body. She was busting out of that dress and no doubt was wearing that to distract those of the opposite sex.