Southern Comfort (9781622863747) (13 page)

Katrina watched as Willow settled into the guest house. She stood in the doorway watching Willow's every move, hoping to see a sign that she wasn't really okay with what happened earlier. “Are you sure you will be all right out here by yourself?”

Willow smiled. It was a good sign that Katrina was so worried about her. “I think I will be just fine.”

“Willow, how are you okay with this bullshit?” Katrina sat on the edge of the bed.

Willow joined her, placing her hand on Katrina's thigh. “Katrina, can you look me in my eye and tell me you are completely over her?”

Katrina stared at Willow in her big brown eyes. She sighed; she couldn't answer the question.

“See, I understand because you guys had all that time together. You didn't expect to meet me, and neither of us knew what was going to happen after that day in the coffee shop. You were supposed to take that time to be alone, but instead you were with me. You didn't have time to get over her.”

Katrina couldn't argue with what Willow was saying. She knew a piece of her used Willow to get over Saura. But she still couldn't help thinking it was the best thing to happen to her.

“This is crazy. I feel like a total asshole. You came all the way here and you have to deal with this mess. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't want to deal with me anymore.”

Willow placed her hand on Katrina's cheek. “The only way I'm going anywhere is if you tell me to.”

Katrina loved the way Willow's lips felt against hers. She wanted to make love to Willow but she wasn't having it. She left the guest house, hot and bothered. Teri and Devon were sitting in Devon's living room watching a rerun of
Girlfriends.
Katrina closed the patio door behind her.

“Looks like you got yourself in quite a bit of a pickle there, love.” Teri attempted a terrible British accent.

“Oh my God, what the fuck is happening?” Katrina plopped down on the sofa, covering her face with her hands while her friends got in a hearty laugh at her expense.

“Look, for real, what the fuck kind of magic skills do you have in your tongue that you have these women willing to duel for your raggedy heart?” Teri joked.

“Wouldn't you like to know,” Katrina snarled.

“You got damn right I want to know. This is some crazy stuff.”

“It's really not that crazy,” Devon chimed in. “The whole purpose of dating is to get to know a person to see if you want to take it to the next level. People date multiple people at once all the time.”

“That is true,” Teri responded. “You aren't with either one of them. You are technically single. Why not play the field? Hell you should have been playing the field anyway after getting out of a long-term relationship.”

“Right. You have only been single for what, two, three months?” Devon sipped her wine.

Katrina listened to her friends; the whole thing was actually making sense to her. It was a unique situation but it would allow her the time to figure things out.

“The only thing I don't agree with is the whole no sex thing; what the hell is up with that? How are you supposed to even know which you want without having sex with them?” Teri folded her arms.

“Is that all you think about?” Devon rolled her eyes. “You act like she hasn't already slept with both of them.”

“Hmm.” Teri rubbed her chin. “Okay, so tell me, Tree, based off of sexual skills alone, right now which on is in the lead?”

“I'm not answering that.” Katrina shook her head.

“Oh come on, which one has the magic vagina?”

Katrina threw a pillow at her vulgar friend.

“Come on, you know you know the answer to it.” Teri was grinning from ear to ear.

Katrina thought about the question. “That's actually kind of hard to answer. They are both good in different ways.” Katrina continued to think.

“What ways?” Devon asked.

Katrina smirked. “Okay, so Saura is sexy as shit, and kinky, too. She will let me do practically anything to her.”

“Aww shit I knew she was a freak.” Teri rocked back and forth in her chair.

“Yeah, but Willow is sexy as hell. Her body is amazing and she tastes so fucking good. And I'm not sure about her freak meter because I haven't tried as many things with her as I have with Saura.”

All three girls laughed. Teri stood up. “Ladies and ladies we have the battle royal. In one corner the Asian Attack Saura, and in the other corner the British Bombshell Willow. Who shall come out victorious?” Teri belted out sounding like an announcer as she fell back in the chair.

Katrina excused herself from her giggling friends. From her room she watched the light in the guest house go out. For her to have two women vying for her attention she sure felt lonely sleeping alone.

Katrina watched as the health inspector walked through the restaurant with a fine-tooth comb. On top of everything else she had to pass this final inspection for the restaurant to open full time. She didn't think she had anything to worry about, but she felt a bit nervous anyway.

“All right we checked everything and you are good to go.” The inspector handed her the sheet with a grade of ninety-nine.

“What is the one point missing for?” Katrina asked.

“Saw a piece of ice on the ground. Watch that,” the inspector said and smiled as he left the building.

Katrina high-fived her sous chef as she retreated to her office for a private celebration. Katrina checked the newspapers for articles on the opening. Everyone had amazing things to say, which only made her day go even better.

“Knock knock.”

Katrina looked up to see Saura standing in the door. She obviously came dressed to impress. The jeans she had on looked like she painted them on. Her halter shirt only enhanced her already supple breasts.

“What's up, Saura?”

“Well I figured you might get hungry so I brought you food.” Saura held up a bag.

“You brought me food, to my food establishment?” Katrina shook her head.

Saura walked in and closed the door. “Well it's not just any food; open the bag.”

Katrina obliged opening the bag. She pulled out a sandwich wrapped in a greasy wrapper. She couldn't help but laugh. She knew the packaging well. “What were you doing at Snootys?”

Saura sat in the chair in front of Katrina's desk. “Remember the first time you took me there? I was absolutely mortified.” Saura smiled.

“Yeah, then you proceeded to eat two of these bad boys.” Katrina laughed as she opened the cheese steak.

“You couldn't believe I had such an appetite. I told you the black side of me loved to eat.”

Both women laughed. Katrina felt her guard falling down.

“So, Saura, why did you really come back?”

Saura lowered her head. “Los Angeles just wasn't what I expected,” she mumbled.

Katrina opened the sandwich. She cut it in half and slid half of it in front of Saura. Saura picked it up and took a bite.

“It has to be more than that. It was your dream after all; and don't say it was because of me.”

“Honestly, Tree, it was because of you.” Saura glanced at her ex. “Don't get me wrong, Los Angeles was beautiful, the beaches and all that stuff. I even had some gigs lined up. But as I watched those sluts I lived with bring home man after man I realized that I didn't want that kind of life.”

Katrina found herself hanging on to every one of Saura's words.

“I was happy here. What we had was special. I always thought I wanted more fame, but honestly the only person I really wanted was you. And now I might have lost the one thing that I want more than anything else.”

Katrina could see the hurt in Saura's face. She watched as Saura fought to hold back tears. Her eyes tightened more than they usually were.

“So this sandwich, it's quite amazing.” Katrina smiled.

“Yeah, like always.” Saura smiled back.

The two enjoyed each other's company for the first time in a while.

 

 

“Be still,” Teri said as she stuck her head back under Victoria's skirt.

They were going at it at least once a day in Victoria's office. Teri loved the rush of office sex. She wondered if anyone would ever knock on the door or even try to come in. Victoria was just as kinky. The bigger the risk the more she enjoyed it. She made Teri bring her strap to work so she could fuck her on her desk. She would call her secretary and have her write things down while Teri was sexing her just to see if she could hold it together.

“Oh right there,” Victoria breathed as shockwaves pulsed through her body.

Victoria's waves covered Teri's tongue. Teri held her position, wanting to stay in the moment until the very end. As soon as her moment ended Victoria pushed Teri away. In seconds she was sitting back at her desk as if nothing had happened. Teri washed her face in Victoria's private bathroom. She made sure she was presentable before walking out of the room.

“Hey so I was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite at my friend's restaurant tonight?”

Victoria looked up from her computer. “Um, are you asking me out?”

“If you want to be technical I guess. I'm just asking if you wanted to grab something to eat.”

“Aw, Teri, you aren't getting serious on me are you?” Victoria pressed her lips firmly together.

Teri didn't know how to feel about the question. She hadn't been in a situation where a woman didn't want anything from her besides sex, literally. She felt a little offended but shook it off. “Dude, it's dinner. I didn't ask you to marry me.”

“Let's just stick to what we have going on. No need to rock the boat.”

Victoria began typing away at her computer again. Teri walked out of the office, making a mental note not to come back.

 

 

Devon sat at the small café table with her head buried inside a home décor magazine. The Arnold Palmer was refreshing, giving her the energy she needed to endure the Memphis heat. She folded back the edge of a page of a piece of wall art she thought would be perfect in one of her guest rooms.

“Well, well, the beautiful Devon here again.”

Devon pulled her eyes from the magazine to see Shanice standing in front of her. Shanice smiled as she put her shades on her head.

“Do you really love this place or are you stalking me?” Shanice winked.

“You know I like this place.” Devon put her magazine down. “Can you hurry up and move back to Harbor Town so I can eat in peace?”

Shanice put her big purse on the table and sat down in the empty chair. The waitress came out with a menu and asked if she wanted anything to drink.

“I'll take a sweet tea,” Shanice proceeded to order while Devon gave her a disapproving look. She handed the menu back to the waitress and settled into the seat.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm about to have lunch.” Shanice pulled her phone out.

“Okay, there are free tables inside.”

“I don't want to sit inside.” Shanice didn't look up from her phone.

“I didn't give you permission to sit here.”

“I know.” Shanice finally placed her phone on the table. “Do you want me to leave?”

Devon closed her eyes for a moment only to meet Shanice's stare when she opened them, her eyes fixed directly on Devon. Devon noticed Shanice's face was thinner than normal. Her cheekbones were more defined. She knew Shanice wouldn't hesitate to have unnecessary surgery, but this looked natural.

“Have you lost weight?”

Shanice nodded her head. “I've been working out more, yes. Can you answer my question?”

“What question?”

“Do you want me to leave?” Shanice repeated as she continued to stare Devon down. She watched as Devon shifted her body weight, looking off at the trolley passing on the street. Devon turned her head back only to find Shanice still fixated on her.

“Damn it, will you stop!” Devon hit the table. “So fucking annoying.”

Shanice laughed. “I always could get you with that.” Shanice took the drink from the waitress.

Devon couldn't help but notice Shanice's full red lips as they touched her black straw. Devon suddenly felt a bit hazy; she picked up her drink hoping to cure the lightheaded feeling taking over her body.

“So I say again, Devon, do you want me to leave?”

A devilish grin sprawled across Shanice's face. Devon knew the look well; it was one of her favorite looks.

“Well you have already made yourself comfortable so you might as well stay.” Devon took the moment as a personal challenge. She wasn't going to allow Shanice to have the upper hand. She could sit at the table with her and feel absolutely nothing for her ex. She was determined: there was no way she was going to fall for Shanice's charm again.

“So what have you been doing to your hair? It looks amazing.” Shanice sipped her tea.

Devon ran her hand through the blow out. “Thanks.”

“So Katrina met a British chick. She was cute.”

“Yep.” Devon put her shades on.

Shanice huffed. She shook her head. “Okay, Devon, I get it. I am sitting here trying to have an actual conversation with you and all you want to do is give me these short-ass answers. I can take a cue.”

Shanice stood up, pulling her wallet out of her purse. Devon was speechless; she wasn't used to annoyed Shanice. She watched as Shanice dropped a couple of bills on the table.

“I guess my hope of us being cordial just isn't going to happen. Have a good day, Devon.”

Devon sat frozen in her place watching Shanice walk across the street and disappear around the corner. She knew Shanice was headed to the condo her parents owned. Devon picked up the bills only to see Shanice's driver's license under them. Devon gathered her things and picked up the license. She walked across the street toward the set of condos.

Devon thought about knocking and leaving it on the ground but she knew she couldn't do that. She pressed the doorbell. She could hear Shanice's heels clicking against the hardwood floors. Devon took a deep breath as the door opened.

“You dropped this.” Devon held the license up.

Their eyes locked on each other. Shanice grabbed the hand Devon was holding the license in. She jerked Devon into the house pushing her against the wall. Devon's mouth fell as Shanice's lips pressed against her neck. She wanted to speak but couldn't form words. Shanice aggressively pushed her hand under Devon's yoga pants.

Devon wanted to say no. She was screaming no in her head, but she could not make the word come out of her mouth. Devon put her hands on Shanice's chest only to have Shanice push them over her head, pinning Devon's wrists on the wall. Shanice's tongue traced Devon's ear stopping only to nibble on her earlobe.

Devon opened her eyes to see Shanice staring at her, their lips so close they could breathe each other's air.

“Do you want me to stop?”

The deep, seductive rasp in Shanice's voice called out to Devon. It was her moment; all she had to do was say no and she could walk out and still feel good about herself. Her body wanted to give in, but her mind knew it was a terrible idea. As Shanice's tongue grazed Devon's bottom lip she knew there was only one thing to do. Devon tightly closed her eyes and spoke.

“Take me.”