Les Tales (9 page)

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.”

Cree climbed back into bed and kissed her Adonis, as she had been doing for the past two days.

I called her to thank her for the dress and to question her about the plane ticket. She simply laughed and told me she wanted to see me in the dress for herself. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I took the red-eye to Los Angeles the next morning.

I arrived at her house in Santa Barbara. I watched as the large gates opened. The driver traveled up a long winding driveway. My mouth dropped open as the villa appeared behind the tall trees. It was something like out of a movie. It was every bit a hidden paradise. The villa looked like it belonged in Europe somewhere instead of California. The trees gave it a very cozy feel, even though it was a huge mansion. I felt my palms start to tense up as I watched Ursula appear in the front doorway.

I managed to contain my excitement as I got out of the car. She walked over and hugged me as the driver pulled my bag out of the trunk.

“Welcome, Temple.” She sounded so sweet, like the woman whom I'd admired on the panel at Dragon Con. She thanked the driver and tipped him for his service.

I walked into the house and had to force my mouth from dropping open again. She told me the home was a restored Tuscany villa. I admired the stone floors and walls. She had a very minimalist design theme, keeping to the Tuscan feel of the home. I felt like I was in Tuscany.

I noticed a large painting of Ursula on the wall in the massive living room. I was mesmerized by how realistic it looked. I felt like her eyes in the painting were actually watching me. I felt her hand grab my arm. She turned me around, pulling me close to her. She planted her lips against mine.

She had my dress off in seconds. My body shivered as my bare skin touched the cold stone floor. Ursula didn't say a word as she started to kiss my inner thighs. Her left hand massaged my left breast, caressing it and squeezing my nipple in between her fingers. I closed my eyes when I felt her right index finger feeling the moistness that had already consumed my vagina. She placed her finger inside me, only to pull it right back out. I opened my eyes and watched her suck my sweetness off her finger.

“I've been waiting a long time for this,” she whispered. “Temple, my Temple.”

Her Temple....
My heart skipped a beat as she said my name over and over. I bit my bottom lip as her tongue danced a forbidden dance around my clit. She consumed me, sucking and licking all my sweetness. Her fingers fucked me. She was treating my body like it was her personal playground.

This time I didn't fight back. I let her turn me into her bitch. I didn't want to be in control. I wanted to let her have her way with me, and she did. I submitted to her. I felt death creeping up from my toes and reaching the pit of my stomach. I grabbed her arms as my orgasm escaped my body. Ursula looked up at me. I could see my essence on her face.

“Let's take a dip.” She smiled as she stood up.

Ursula took my hand, helping me up off the floor. She held on to my hand, and I followed her outside. Her backyard looked like the set of
Olympus.
Large Roman columns stood around the pool, which looked more like a large lagoon than a swimming pool. The smell of various flowers and citrus filled the air.

Ursula pulled her sundress over her head. I watched as she dove into the water like she was a pro diver. I knew I couldn't do that. I sat on the edge of the pool and put my feet in the water. To my surprise, the water was rather warm, but still cool enough to enjoy.

“Come on in,” Ursula said before disappearing under the water again.

I didn't know how to tell her that I wasn't that great of a swimmer. I watched as her silhouette came closer and closer to me, until her head popped up out of the water right in front of me. She smiled, placing her arms on my legs.

“You do know how to swim, right?”

“Yes, just not really well.”

“I won't let you drown, I promise.” She winked at me.

I let my body fall into the blue water. We went from fucking in her living room to playing around in her swimming pool like we were two big kids, and this was all within the first hour of my arrival. I had no idea what to expect from the rest of the weekend.

We got out of the water, and she led me to a guest room in her house. I took a long warm shower and washed my hair. I pulled my curly mane back into a ponytail. I opted for a simple blue maxi dress with three large tulips printed on the side.

I took a moment to try to take it all in. Then I walked out on the balcony attached to my room. I could see the beautiful backyard, which was covered in twinkling lights. The pool was illuminated, making it appear electric blue. I took a deep breath; this was the way to live. It surely beat my little apartment.

I heard a ringing sound coming from my room. I realized it was my phone. I dashed inside and scrambled to find it, only to roll my eyes when I saw Ciara's face pop up on the screen. I pressed IGNORE. She was the last person I wanted to talk to. Moments later the phone began to ring again. I knew she would just keep calling, so I pressed the SEND button.

“Yes,” I said in the driest tone I could muster.

“Where are you?” Ciara sat in her car, staring at my front door.

“I'm out.”

“Don't fucking play with me, Temple. Where the fuck are you?”

I could hear the anger in her voice, but I didn't care. I wanted to tell her I was in a lavish mansion, getting pleased by a real woman, something she could never amount to, but I knew I couldn't.

“I went to Atlanta.”

There was silence on the phone. I just held the phone, waiting on a response.

“So you had to go be with her, huh?” Ciara's voice cracked.

“There you go. For your information, I'm not even with Nia. She's not even in town herself. I just needed to get away for a minute, so I came here.”

“You needed to get away from what?”

The hurt in Ciara's voice actually made me feel bad. This time I took a long moment before speaking. “You already know the answer to that.”

I knew the words had to hurt her, but I was past the point of caring. She had hurt me, and I wasn't over it. On top of that, I was in the mansion of the woman I'd fantasized about and idolized most of my life. I knew Ciara could never compete with that. What we had would never be the same. I wondered how I would ever date another woman after experiencing Ursula. How did you go backward after being with the best?

I heard Ursula call my name. The silence on the phone just further solidified my decision. Ciara wasn't putting up a fight at all, which bothered me for some reason. A piece of me wanted her to yell at me and tell me that she wasn't going to let me go or give up on us. Another part of me wanted her to just realize that she had messed us up and that we would never be the same again.

“Well, you just continue to do you, Temple?” Ciara said, breaking the silence. “Let's hope I'm still here when you decide you are ready to come back.”

She hung the phone up, leaving me speechless. Another reality set in. What if I did want her back one day and she wasn't there? I didn't have time to worry about that. I knew what I wanted, and she was waiting on me. I knew this type of opportunity came only once in a lifetime, and I wasn't going to let it pass.

 

 

Cree watched Les get dressed. She loved watching his muscular frame flex with the smallest motions, such as pulling up pants or buttoning the buttons on a shirt. While women lusted over his body, she got to experience it now on a regular basis. As much as she loved watching him dress she also hated it simply because she knew it meant that he would be leaving her soon.

“Watching me dress again?” Les smirked.

Cree sat up in bed. “Maybe.” She winked at him.

Les crawled across the bed. He grabbed Cree's face and pressed his lips against hers. She loved his rough touches. He manhandled her just the way she liked it. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down on top of her.

“Um, no, not again.” Les shook his head. “I'll never get back to Toronto if I let this happen.”

“Fuck Toronto.” Cree giggled. “I think this is just as enticing as a stupid TV show filming.” She opened her legs, exposing her Brazilian-waxed vagina. Les let out a deep groan that rumbled through the room.

“It is far, far more enticing.” Les touched her smooth skin. “Maybe just a little taste.”

Cree giggled as she pulled his T-shirt over his head. Les entered her with his tongue. Cree pushed his head deep into her walls. She wanted him to savor it. She wanted him to relish it so much that he couldn't leave. Les moaned as he ate her like she was the last meal he would ever have.

Les's phone started to ring. Cree knew that ring well. It was home and usually meant his daughter was on the other end. Les moaned, then stopped his feast by laying one final kiss on her clit. He got up and reached for his phone.

“Hey, bumblebee.”

Les disappeared into Cree's living room. Cree hit her hands against the bed. Her body was in full heat, and the distraction meant she would not find a release unless she finished it off herself. She got out of bed and grabbed her robe.

Cree walked into the kitchen and pulled a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies out of the refrigerator. She used the NutriBullet Les had bought her and created his favorite smoothie. She poured the smoothie into one of the large disposable cups she had bought just for him. Cree walked into the living room, where he was still talking on the phone with his daughter. She handed him the smoothie. Les grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. She sat there with her arms around him as he told his youngest daughter he would see her soon.

Cree now knew the reason why her time with Les was limited. His wife had died about a year earlier from breast cancer, leaving him with two daughters to raise alone. The youngest was too young to comprehend what had happened, but his oldest had taken the death hard and was now overprotective of him. He had witnessed firsthand her dislike of his dating when she thought that rumors of him sleeping with a costar had started in the rumor mill. He decided he wouldn't get serious with anyone until he knew his daughter was 100 percent okay with it.

Cree didn't like it, but she understood that for now they couldn't be more than what they were, a weekend romance. Les had flown her out to every city he was in except for Toronto, where his daughters were currently staying with him during filming. Even though she knew the situation, her feelings were starting to grow deeper for the man she had already been in love with before ever meeting. She struggled to keep her emotions in check; the last thing she wanted to do was lose him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked the moment he hung up the phone.

“Yes, everything's fine. Of course, Piper is annoying Cherish, but that's what little sisters are supposed to do.” Les kissed Cree on her cheek.

Although the sex was amazing, it was the smaller things that were causing Cree's feelings to develop. They were open and honest with each other about everything. They would spend hours talking while he was on the set and was waiting for scenes to be set up. He tried to spoil her, but she wasn't into the things that most women wanted. The only thing she wanted was time, and she knew she couldn't have nearly as much as she wanted.

“This is great,” Les said, taking another sip of the smoothie. “Thanks, baby.”

Cree felt her heart melting. She stood up and walked into her bedroom, knowing that her emotions were about to get the best of her. Les knew something was up. He always knew something was wrong when she walked away without saying anything.

“Cree.”

“I'm sorry. I really am. Just give me a minute.” Cree wiped the tears forming in her eyes.

Les walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She touched his bulging biceps. She held on as they looked at each other in her bedroom mirror.

“Is this becoming too much for you? I understand if it is,” Les said.

“I'm okay. Really, I am.” Cree forced a smile to appear across her face. She knew he knew she was lying by the sullen look on his face.

“Cree, I don't want to hurt you. I know I've asked a lot of you, but I—”

“Les, I'm all right. Yes, I would like us to become more, but I understand. I know what I signed up for.”

Les didn't know what to say. He kissed her on the nape of her neck. The kiss sent chills through Cree's body.

“I want you to buy yourself something nice.” He pulled a stack of hundreds out of his pocket. Cree tried to say no, but he wouldn't accept it. He left the wad of bills lying on her dresser.

Cree stared at the money lying on her dresser. Les's phone rang. She watched through her mirror as he answered his phone. She knew it had to be the car service there to pick him up. After he hung up, there were no words. She handed him his bag, fixed his tie, and kissed him one more time before he walked out the door.