Les Tales Read online

  Cree looked at him. She didn’t know what she wanted to think. He talked as though they would see each other again.

  “So, what . . . ? You want me to be some type of side chick or something?” she said.

  Les shook his head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I know you are better than that. I would never do that to you.”

  The words coming out of his mouth were starting to sound like those of the teacher in the Peanuts cartoons. She knew she had to get out of that hotel suite. Les followed her into the living room. Cree searched for one of her shoes, but she couldn’t find it. She thought about running out and leaving the shoe behind just like Cinderella. Les grabbed her arm and turned her back around to him.

  “Cree, I want us to get to know each other better. I want to know more about you, and I want you to learn more about me. I am not happy where I am, and things can always change if the right woman comes along.”

  Cree felt the wall she had erected breaking down. She studied his face for a sign that everything he was saying was total bullshit. He had a woman. Could this situation ever end well for her?

  Les pulled his phone out. He scrolled on it and then held it up to her. She saw a picture of herself from the night before attached to her name in his contacts.

  “You are saved in my phone, baby. This is not going to be the last time you hear from me. I can guarantee you that.”

  Cree wanted to believe it. She had never wanted to believe something so badly in her life. She was staring at the man of her dreams. Not only was he everything she had ever dreamed of, but he had also sexed her unlike anyone before. Now he was standing in front of her, asking to get to know her better.

  Cree stepped closer to Les. She put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him closer to her. She pressed her lips against his. Les wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he possibly could. His hands became entangled in her hair as they kissed passion into each other, both with a point to prove. Cree finally forced herself to pull away.

  “I’ll believe it when I see it.” She pecked him one more time on his lips. Then Cree turned around, picked up her lost shoe, and walked out the door.

  Nia woke up to find Kirk still sleeping like a baby next to her. She grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. She took a shower and fixed her hair as best she could with none of her products. She walked out of the bathroom to find Kirk sitting up in bed, flipping through the channels on the TV. She obviously had fallen asleep before him, because she would have definitely remembered him taking his shirt off, exposing his amazing abs and chest.

  “Morning, sleepyhead.” She smiled as she walked back over to the bed.

  “Adventure Time has to be the best cartoon ever created.” Kirk smiled.

  “I’d say it’s up there, but I’d have to give the best cartoon award to something like Rugrats or Jem.”

  “Jem.” Kirk laughed. “I guess she was kinda cool for a girl’s cartoon character.”

  They both laughed. Kirk stood up. His pajama pants hung off his body, showing the top of his ass. Nia tried not to drool at the amazing specimen in front of her. She didn’t see a piece of fat out of place. She knew it was from the workout regimen he needed to follow for the show. He was cut in all the right places and had a smooth body without a lot of extra body hair. She watched him run his hands through the back of his dirty blond hair. His biceps flexed without him knowing it. Nia’s heat was rising, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Kirk turned around to face her.

  “I’m gonna hop in the shower real quick. I have an interview to do with Les before we catch our flights back to Canada. But I’m gonna get you back to your room.”

  “Oh, Kirk, you don’t have to worry about that. I can make it back to my room.”

  Kirk stopped in the doorway of the bathroom. “No, I think I should make sure you make it back.”

  “Kirk, this is my city. I should probably make sure you make it where you need to be before you do that for me.” They both laughed.

  Kirk walked over to Nia and gave her a big hug. Nia didn’t want to let go.

  “You are an amazing chick, Nia. But I think I’ve said that a few times now.” Kirk smiled.

  Nia just smiled. She wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him to take her right there on the bed, but she knew it wasn’t right. She had had a great night, and she wasn’t going to risk messing it up because she couldn’t get her hormones in check.

  “Well, let me get out of your hair. I had a great night, Kirk. Thanks for everything.” Nia smiled at him again.

  “No.” Kirk held Nia’s hands. He stared into her eyes. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. It truly was an amazing night.” He kissed her on her forehead.

  Nia wanted to scream, but she just continued to smile. She walked toward the door to the suite. She stopped when she heard Kirk call her name. Nia smiled once more, hoping he was about to walk around the corner, rush up to her, and take her in his arms. Kirk appeared in the living room.

  “Text me and let me know you made it back safely,” he said.

  Nia held the smile that was fixed on her face. She nodded her head, knowing she couldn’t trust what came out of her mouth if she tried to speak. She walked out the door. She leaned her body against the door for a moment after it closed, not ready to walk away completely.

  Chapter 12

  I walked into the room, surprised to find it exactly the way we had left it the night before. I knew checkout was going to be soon. I sent a quick text, asking my two friends where they were, then started to pack up all my belongings.

  It was the hardest time I’ve ever had packing. I put my wigs in their bags and folded up my cheaper costumes. I pulled my beautiful Grecian goddess dress out of the closet. I admired its beauty. I felt like I owed everything to that dress.

  I paused when I heard someone put a key in the door. I stood there as Nia walked into the room in the same clothes she had had on the night before. I smirked, but before I could say anything, she looked at me with a very straight face and told me there was nothing to tell.

  We were both packing up our belongings when Cree finally took her walk of shame into the room. She closed the door behind her, then leaned against it. We just watched as she stared at the ceiling. We didn’t know what to think, so we just stood there watching her. She took a deep breath and looked at both of us.

  “Well, how was you guys’ nights?” She walked farther into the room and plopped down on the bed.

  “Shouldn’t we be asking you that question?” Nia pressed her lips firmly together. “Details, woman.”

  Cree fell back on her bed. “That man . . .” She sighed. “God, I love Dragon Con!”

  We all laughed.

  We listened as Cree spilled all the details from her night with Les. She was glowing. There were moments when she would pause, just because she was lost in the moment. Nia finally broke in, telling us of her uneventful evening.

  “Well, at least you know he completely respects you. That’s a great thing,” I said to Nia.

  “I didn’t want him to respect me. I wanted him to take me all over that damn room.” Nia fell back on the bed. “That body . . . Lord, he gave me a two-hundred-degree fever this morning.”

  Nia and I laughed.

  “I think I would be happier if Les had done the same thing,” Cree said, interrupting our laughter. We noticed her stern expression was back again. “I mean, yes, the night was amazing, but I can’t help but think that’s all it was. Just one night. Now I’m left wanting more.”

  Nia and I put our hands on our friend to comfort her. I couldn’t help but feel the same way. I would probably never hear from Ursula again. The only chance I had of being in her presence again was if I saw her at San Diego Comic-Con or if she came back to Dragon Con again. I had her number, but I wasn’t going to call her. I wasn’t going to be that chick she banged in Atlanta who won’t stop blowing up her phone.

  Cree looked over at me. “Temple, what happene
d with Ursula?”

  I was caught off guard. I wanted to open up and tell them everything. I thought about the confidentiality agreement I had signed. In my mind I knew I could trust my friends. They wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, but I couldn’t be 100 percent sure.

  “It was cool. We had dinner in her room. She was very nice.”

  “Aww, that’s awesome, girl. You got to have dinner with your idol. Did she spill any details about the next season?” Nia smirked.

  “No, but she was really funny. Just like at the panel the other day. She is just . . . amazing.”

  The three of us looked at each other. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were holding back information just like I was. I wondered if Cree had to sign an agreement like I had to or if that was just something I had been forced to do.

  There was a knock on the door, which pulled us from our sister bonding session. Nia opened the door, and Jason and Carlos walked in, dropping their duffle bags on the floor. Both took me off guard as I almost didn’t recognize them in regular clothes.

  “Do we even want to know?” Nia asked her two male friends.

  “Probably not,” Carlos said as he climbed in our bed, covering himself with the comforter. “So sleepy.”

  We all laughed about the weekend as we continued to pack our belongings in our luggage. We compared our signed memorabilia. Cree and I tried to figure out the best way to pack without crushing anything.

  We took a final look around the room before heading out. I didn’t want to leave the room, and I could tell the feeling was mutual. We grabbed the first elevator we could. I looked out the glass wall of the elevator as we headed down to the lobby. The night before, the hotel was packed with people partying, but now hardly anyone was around, and those people who were there were standing around with their bags, for the most part.

  Cree and I watched Nia as she checked us out of the hotel room. I handed her my portion of the room fee. We walked out of the hotel and waited on the valet to hail cabs for us and retrieve Carlos’s truck.

  “Jason!”

  We turned around to see Jason’s weekend romp walking toward us. She looked different in regular clothes. Her long brown hair was pulled back in two pigtails. She walked up and hugged Jason with ease. Nia, Cree, and I looked at each other as he accepted the hug without the usual hesitation.

  “Hey, you guys. Did you have a good weekend?” she said to us as she put her arm around Jason’s back.

  “Umm . . . yeah, it was great. I hope you had a good time too,” Nia responded for us.

  Carlos was amused, as usual, with a smile sprawled across his face.

  “I had a blast. Thanks for sharing Jason with me.” She kissed him on his cheek.

  Jason couldn’t say anything. He just stood there like a statue, with his lips pressed tightly together.

  “Oh, it was no problem. Right, Jason?” Nia replied as our eyes locked on Jason.

  “Right.” Jason looked away, trying not to lose his cool.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you guys. I need to get home. I’ll call you later, babe.” The girl walked off and got in the car with the group of friends she had come with.

  As soon as her car turned the corner, we all erupted in laughter. Jason stood still, staring at the sky.

  “Fuck all of you.” Jason shook his head.

  “Y’all should have seen them last night. It was so cute. All cuddled up and shit.” Carlos put his arm around Jason. “You two make such a cute couple.”

  We laughed as Jason pushed Carlos off of him.

  “And what, or who, did you get into last night, Carlos?” I asked as I nudged him on his shoulder.

  “Honey, I got into a few somethings and someones. Hell, it’s Dragon Con, after all.” Jason smiled, showing off all his pearly whites.

  Carlos’s truck arrived from the valet. The guys put Nia’s stuff in the truck as Cree and I hugged our friend. We said our final good-byes as she started to get in the truck.

  “Nia!”

  Our mouths dropped open as Kirk came walking out of the hotel toward us. Even the people around us stood in amazement as the gorgeous star came over to our friend. He had a very serious look on his face.

  “Kirk, what are you doing here?” Nia said, more surprised than all of us.

  Kirk nodded his head, saying hello to us without words. He took Nia by her hand and pulled her off to the side. He lowered his head.

  “So I was sitting in the interview and they asked me how my Dragon Con was and I couldn’t remember much besides the time we spent together. I realized that I wasn’t quite ready for the time to be over.”

  “Oh.” Nia couldn’t move.

  “I was wondering if you might want to have dinner with me.”

  “What about your flight?” asked Nia.

  Kirk smiled. “There will be others. So, Miss Nia, you showed me Dragon Con. How about showing me Atlanta?”

  Cree and I held each other’s arms as we watched our friend work her charm on Kirk. We wanted to jump up and down, but we remained calm. I was happy for her, but I couldn’t help but be a little envious of her. I wanted Ursula to appear suddenly, and from the look on Cree’s face, she yearned for Les to make an appearance as well.

  Nia walked back over to us while Kirk talked to the handlers he had had all weekend. She was smiling from ear to ear.

  “So seems I have a date, so, um, I will talk to you all later. Girls, call me and let me know you made it home safely.” She hugged each of us. “Carlos, just take my stuff to your crib. I’ll get it later.”

  “The fuck I look like? Your personal butler?” Carlos jokingly protested.

  Cree and I hugged Carlos and Jason, and they headed off.

  Cree and I decided to share a cab. The driver headed toward the Megabus drop-off location for me. I looked over at Cree, who was staring out the window.

  “I can’t believe it’s over.” I sighed.

  “Les has a girlfriend. He’s still involved with his baby’s mother.”

  My head shot toward her. She continued to stare out the window.

  “And he told you this when?”

  “Afterward.”

  I rubbed Cree’s back to comfort her. “I’m sorry, honey. Are you okay?”

  “He said he doesn’t want to stop seeing me.”

  “Um, so, what? He wants you as his side chick?” I instantly didn’t like Les anymore.

  Cree turned her head toward me. “He said that he wants to start to get to know me and see where it goes. He said there’s nothing really serious between them, but they are still involved due to the kid.”

  “And what do you believe?”

  Cree sighed. “I believe that I just had the best night of my life with a man I have been in love with since I first saw him, and I think he just played me.” Tears began to flow from Cree’s eyes.

  I didn’t know what to say. I knew that she was probably right. The asshole had used her for sex, and I would be surprised if she ever heard from him again. Ciara entered my head for the first time in a while.

  “We aren’t going to think like that. We are going to think that he realized that you are an amazing woman and that he’s lucky to have spent time with you. I don’t think that will be the last you hear from him, but I do think that if you do hear from him, you should resist. You are too good to be a side chick, no matter who it’s for.”

  The cab pulled up to the Megabus drop-off area. I hugged Cree, wishing I didn’t have to leave my friend at that moment.

  Cree took a deep breath and smiled. “You are right. Please, I rocked his world last night, so he will definitely be calling. But he will be getting my answering machine.”

  We high-fived. I could only hope she stuck to that. I got out of the cab and watched as she disappeared into the traffic. I turned around to take a look at the line of people waiting to catch the bus. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was obvious who my fellow Dragon Con attendees were. We would make eye contact, giving an unspoken hello, as we kne
w where the other had to be coming from. I saw a few people who were still wearing their badges, not wanting the weekend to be over, just like I didn’t want it to be over.

  I found a seat at the back on the top level of the double-decker bus. I pulled my iPad out and put my headphones on my head. I couldn’t help but press PLAY when I brought up the first episode ever of Olympus. I smiled when Les, Kirk, Mason, and Ursula appeared in the opening scene. I shook my head, still finding it hard to believe that I had been with the people I watched all the time. Flashes of my night with Ursula consumed my brain. I felt my stomach knot up. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the ache I was feeling for her. I couldn’t take it. I turned on Finding Nemo, trying to think of something less erotic.

  Chapter 13

  I arrived back at my apartment hours later. I was exhausted. I wasn’t sure how I even managed the drive from the bus station to my apartment. I sat in my car, staring at the window to my apartment. It was really over. My weekend was complete, and I was back to reality. I didn’t want to go inside. I wanted to turn around, drive back to Atlanta, find a new job, and never come back to Memphis again. It was a tempting thought, but the reality was that I had a mess of a relationship to clean up as best as I possibly could.

  I looked over to the side and realized Ciara’s car was parked two spots down from me. I knew it had to be someone else’s car. After all, I had taken my key back from her. My hands tensed up as I forced myself out of my car and to my front door. I heard music coming from inside my house. I had to be dreaming. She couldn’t really be in my house again.

  I walked in and smelled Italian food cooking. I headed down the hallway and found Ciara sitting on my couch, playing a video game. She looked up and dropped the control. Ciara stood up, not taking her eyes off of me.

  “How the hell did you get in here?”

  “Temple, you gave me two keys. Remember?”

  “That wasn’t an invitation for you to bring your ass back here.”

  I stormed off to my bedroom. I was pissed. My plan to relax and think everything out was ruined. Ciara appeared in my doorway. I walked up to her and pushed her out of my room.