Carl Weber Presents Full Figured 6: Plus Size Divas

by Electa Rome Parks

  “I assume that was your dinner date from the other night,” Ladonna said in the mirror as I washed my hands beside her.

  “Guilty as charged,” I replied. “He stays on our floor back at the hotel.”

  “He seems adequate enough. And certainly handsome. What does he do?” she posed as she wiped a lipstick smudge off her teeth.

  “He owns a janitorial franchise,” I answered first. I did that on purpose just to watch her try to hide her grimace. “Oh. And an advertising firm.”

  “Okay. More than adequate for a starter such as yourself. You are fucking him before you go back, right?” she asked, or maybe stated. Hell, I’m not sure.

  “Ladonna, we need to clear up some things before we go any further. I know you don’t mean that much harm, but I don’t like being referred to as a ‘starter,’ whatever in the hell that means. Got it?”

  “Fine, bitch. You are a ‘finisher’ then. Better? Especially after all the attention you’ve been getting tonight. Royal T., Natalia, your gentleman friend out there,” she said, counting on her fingers and still not getting it. “And by the way, that girl Natalia is gay. She wanted to order off the ‘late-night menu’ and you probably didn’t even know it. I ain’t stupid. But you still didn’t answer my question. Are you fucking your man candy out there?”

  “We’ll see,” I said with a flip of my hair as I stepped smartly out the restroom. And this shit about Natalia being a lesbian? She’d dated that rapper Penny Antnee and he was all man. Ladonna obviously had one too many shots.

  The line to meet Royal T. was well formed by the time we came out. Some of them recognized me as the girl who got called on stage, smiling and striking up small talk as I walked by. What I was not expecting was to recognize one of them myself.

  Let alone someone like that.

  A petite, stunning woman in a black evening gown with a sparkling diamond pendant froze me in my tracks. She hadn’t noticed me staring as she waited to meet Royal T. because she was distracted by the older man who was her date for the night. He obviously wasn’t her husband. Not because of the obvious age disparity, because it certainly was there, but because he was married to someone else.

  I knew this from the man’s annual Christmas card sent via e-mail last year to everyone in the company. Or, should I say, his company.

  Bram-Lect. The place that fired me two days ago.

  Roy Bramlett, the real owner and president of the kind of company I pretended to own was here in Vegas and less than ten feet from me. Besides being obviously younger than him, his date looked like she might be Eritrean or something. I attended college at SFA with a few of them, so was familiar with their features. From their family Christmas card, Roy’s wife looked to be Midwestern like him and just as challenged in the pigment department. Oh yeah. And Mrs. Bramlett was probably at least twenty years older than the sweet thang on which Our Boy Roy was heaping all his affection and attention. I assumed this concert was his way of showing her he was “pretty fly for a white guy.” But she seemed disinterested in him and whatever corny nothings he was whispering in her ear; bored enough to catch me staring at her, which she didn’t particularly like. I should’ve looked away and kept it moving, but I was too stunned, hoping that maybe her date just bore a passing resemblance to Roy. That whole “everybody has a twin somewhere” spiel. But nah, it was so Our Boy Roy and he was so busted. That motherfucker who denied me my bonus while out here cheating on his wife. Hell, part of my bonus was probably tied up in that diamond pendant of hers.

  When Roy must’ve asked her what was wrong, she pointed at me. At first, he must’ve dismissed me as the plump girl who made a fool out of herself onstage with Royal T., but he wasn’t stupid. After he mouthed something to her probably about ignoring me, he stole another glance. Then it clicked for him. Like I said, he wasn’t stupid. He probably had a good memory for faces, too, in his line of work; especially if the face looked like it wanted to kill him.

  The faint color he possessed fled his features as he placed my face that had no business being here in his select world.

  “Artemis, do you know them?” Ladonna asked, probably wondering what the holdup was on my part. And why I was mean-mugging the tall white dude with the lovely exotic sister on his arm.

  “No,” I replied as I gave Roy a forceful middle finger and nodded my head. “He’s just another inconsiderate asshole with a mistress.”

  “Then this is the perfect town for him, for he can pretend to be the opposite of that,” she said, moving me along before things became any more uncomfortable. “Because you’re sure pretending like you know him.”

  We rejoined Julian, but by now, my heart was racing as my active imagination began considering some dismal possibilities: What if Roy and his mistress were staying here at Stratus? Worse yet, what if they were staying at my hotel Aquos? What if Julian somehow knew Roy Bramlett? Or, what if Roy were to tell him and Ladonna who I really was: just an unemployed collector with barely a penny to her name?

  “I’m about to leave,” I abruptly announced to both Julian and Ladonna.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” Julian asked. “Did something happen?”

  “Some cornball back there was making eyes at Artemis and got her all pissed off,” Ladonna answered for me. I don’t know if that’s what she really believed about my incident with Roy, but it sounded good enough to me.

  “Where is he?” Julian roared, looking in the direction of the people in line to see Royal T. Last thing I needed was a confrontation and the chance that Julian learn the real deal.

  “Let it go, Julian. Please,” I urged as I blocked his path and held him by the arm. “I’ve had too much fun tonight and want to end on a positive note with no drama.”

  “Matter of fact, why don’t you escort her back to Aquos next door, Julian?” Ladonna asked on my behalf before I knew it. “I have my car valet parked here, so I need to move it whenever I’m done.”

  “Ladonna, I can’t just leave you here,” I objected.

  “Nonsense. I’m going to get my picture with Royal T., remember? And if I have my way, that may extend into the rest of the night,” she boasted. “You two enjoy your midnight stroll,” she teasingly sang as she strolled herself back toward the object of her desire.

  With no further coaxing, we left the theatre. Julian escorted me to the elevator, reminding me of the note on which our dinner ended. Up until my seeing Roy, this wasn’t how I envisioned tonight going.

  “Is this going to end like it did last night? Different hotel, but same outcome? With you breaking off on your own again and leaving me standing here? Y’know, I’m still upset that we didn’t have our dessert.”

  “Yes, I remember all too well,” I said, feeling relieved the farther away we got from the theatre and that awful confrontation.

  Taking charge, Julian grabbed me and brought his lips to mine. Our delicate formality evaporated, consumed in the flames spouting between us. “Well, you need to let me correct that. So why not now?” he asked as the VIP elevator’s doors parted. It was empty and just waiting for someone . . . anyone.

  “You know what? You’re right,” I agreed as I gazed longingly into Julian’s eyes, my lips and mouth still hungry. I had only one more night left and everything I’d lost I didn’t know if I ever wanted to reclaim. “Why not now,” I seductively recited back at him, batting my eyelashes as I pulled him closer to me again. I whispered in his ear, “A little dessert might be just what I need. I’ll even let you order. Want to see what’s on the menu?”

  Julian smiled and stepped on to the elevator with me.

  As the doors began to close, a man came rushing up at the last minute to get on.

  “Catch another one, my man,” Julian sternly instructed him. “This elevator is occupied.”

  Chapter 20

  After the doors shut, Julian pulled a card of some sort from his wallet and inserted it in a slot just above the floor buttons.

  “What is that?” I asked, curious as to whethe
r it might grant us access to a secret floor or something.

  “My VIP card,” he calmly replied as he pushed an unnumbered button, which brought the elevator to a screeching halt. “I let you escape from me last night on an elevator. Not this time.”

  “It’s like that?” I asked as I braced myself against the rail of the rear elevator wall.

  “Yeah. Like exactly like that,” he replied. “At least for the next ten or fifteen minutes.”

  “I hope I didn’t take you away from anything tonight,” I nervously stammered as I became acutely aware of where this was going and what we were about to do. Calm down, girl. Nobody’s dying on you. This isn’t even your real life, so you can’t hurt anybody.

  “No. Just impatiently waiting for you,” he uttered, breathing heavily as he held me steady by my waist. My negativity subsided as my passion rose.

  “Hope I was worth it,” I said breathlessly as I ran my finger across his belt buckle and left it there, using it as a hook from whence he couldn’t escape. Just below my hand, the outline of Julian’s hardened dick was prominent through his black slacks.

  Prominent and impressive. Hey now.

  He dipped his head down to kiss me and because of my heels, he didn’t have far to go. As we hungrily kissed, he slid his hands away from my waist and down my thighs, grasping the bottom of my skirt.

  I shuddered and closed my eyes as Julian began hiking it up, the fabric reluctantly yielding against my hips as it slid along.

  “Julian, the . . . the camera,” I gasped, second thoughts making me tentative as he tugged and pulled like a man possessed, biting on my neck at the same time. “They . . . they can see us.”

  “It’s okay, Artemis,” Julian said he paused, his eyes still afire. “They’re trained to practice discretion on these kinds of elevators. From the moment my card key was used, it’s been just me and you in here. No eyes for now,” he explained as he reached between my legs. “Just me . . . and you.”

  I gasped at his knuckles against my inner thighs as he nudged his hand against my clit through my panties. He nuzzled and worked his fingers around and around, teasing me so much that I begged. By the time he moved my moist panties aside and slid his digits inside to finger me, my legs were writhing to where I could hardly stand.

  Time was ticking though and I wanted more, so I hastened things and unbuckled his belt. Julian finished by unzipping his slacks and dropped them and his underwear to his ankles. I took my jacket off as I allowed him to slide my panties off, then bent down to retrieve a condom from my purse.

  Since I was already there, I sucked and stroked Julian right before tearing the foil package and rolling the condom on to his dick with my mouth.

  After sliding my skirt up farther, I propped myself onto the elevator rail in the corner and cocked one leg to the side.

  “I’m ready for that dessert now,” I offered to Julian with a wily grin. He was more than happy to fuck a woman he thought he knew ever so briefly. As he entered me, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him heartily. Getting fucked right on an elevator was never on my list of things to do, but I could merrily cross it off now.

  I squeezed my hips, holding on for dear life at Julian’s upstrokes so as to not lose my balance. My older lover was exquisite in his technique, each change in direction and pace only enhancing my desire. Our bodies pressed so close together that our breathing began to match, panting and moaning in time.

  “Yes!” I screamed, no cares in the world except for the pleasure that Julian was giving me. The camera in the upper corner of the elevator didn’t matter anymore and perhaps its presence was turning me on more. But as I climaxed, something made Julian pause, stopping his manic rhythm. “Are . . . are you okay?” I asked.

  He didn’t answer. Instead he retreated, clearing space between us. As he reached in his jacket and grabbed his chest, I was overcome with grief.

  The memory of Carlos dying on me was too fresh. The wounds of what I’d learned about my real mother were too deep. My own emotional state, playing this charade, was too fragile.

  I was a broken basket case on an elevator in Las Vegas.

  And another man was dying on me.

  “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” I screamed, tears steady flowing as Julian withdrew from inside me, his hand still inside his jacket. “I did it again! Oh Lord, I did it again!”

  “Artemis? What are you doing?” Julian let out as I darted past him and rushed toward the elevator controls. I removed his VIP card from the slot and frantically began pushing buttons to get the elevator to move or open up.

  “I’m sorry. I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” I told him.

  “About what? What is wrong with you, woman?”

  “Your chest! You’re grabbing your chest!” I shouted, my hands trembling now as I scampered to put my panties back on and grab my jacket before the doors opened.

  “No, you’re mistaken. I was grabbing this,” he advised as he dangled something in front of my blurry, tear-filled vision. “My cell phone. It was vibrating against my chest and startled me. That’s all,” he said softly, probably trying to calm me down as he slowly approached.

  Julian wasn’t dying on me and I’d been foolish. But the painful memories besieging me were as real as anything.

  The elevator doors parted, delivering us on a floor filled with waiting guests, puzzled looks etched on their faces.

  “Artemis! Wait! Where are you going?” Julian begged of me as I abandoned him and fled into the crowd.

  “Ma’am, are you all right? Did something happen?” a member of hotel security asked as I bumped into him, barely able to breathe.

  I wasn’t hearing that as I was too busy suffering an anxiety attack.

  Chapter 21

  All day, I’d remained holed up in my room. The epic highs of yesterday and last night were erased in an instant as I let a silly misunderstanding get the best of me and take me to a really bad place. Before I could fully flee into the night, the security staff over at Stratus made me see their on-staff nurse. Of course, I did what I’d done this entire time.

  I lied to the sweet lady, claiming I’d merely suffered a panic attack after the elevator took too long to get to my floor. It was none of their business what I was doing on the elevator at the time, so I left that part out. Poor Julian must’ve thought I was certifiable after that display. Luckily, I disappeared before he could get his pants up. I sincerely hoped I didn’t embarrass him too much, but would talk with him when I was ready.

  Someone knocked on my door, but I didn’t bother to get up. The DO NOT DISTURB sign told them all they needed to know. It was either Ladonna or Julian, no doubt, after I hadn’t answered my phone. One wanting to know if I got laid and the other wondering why I stopped in the middle of getting laid. This bed was too comfortable to allow me to deal with that right now. And besides, I had my virtual assistant to keep me company. I’d even given her a name while hidden from the world.

  Fancy.

  Yeah, good ol’ Fancy would keep the monsters away while allowing me to order room service, too. You can’t beat that, right?

  But tomorrow, I had to go.

  Back to life. Back to reality.

  And my Vegas problems were nothing compared to my Houston problems.

  I groaned as I bothered to read my texts.

  I guess you’re still w/ him. Must b good, bitch. Ladonna’s text.

  Plz call me. Don’t understand. Julian’s text.

  Call Momma. My sister Anitra’s text.

  Saw pic on FB. Was that really u wit Natalia or Photoshopped? Where wuz that? Anitra’s second text.

  You’ve won a prize. Click here to claim it http:xfssew. Spam. Duh.

  Wait. You took a picture wit Royal T??? Call me! Anitra’s third text.

  Was it something I did? Let me know you’re all right. Julian’s second text.

  I deleted those, but what stuck out, besides my feeling bad about Julian, was noticeable by its absence. Nothing from Lowell.
>
  Another call was coming in from a collector. Figuring I might as well deal with it now, I answered.

  “Hello?” I groaned, my head aching at the very sound of my voice. Last night’s drinks had taken a toll on me, too.

  “Ms. Artemis Clay?”

  “Yes, this is she,” I replied as I sat up in the bed, one eye feeling like it was glued shut and unwilling to cooperate with my brain.

  “How are you doing today, ma’am?” the man from some noisy call center dared to ask.

  “Can you please get on with it?” I barked. Fuck the niceties.

  “I’m calling on behalf of your delinquent account with GE Capital. This call is an attempt to collect a debt and may be recorded for quality assurance purposes,” he recited with his soulless voice.

  “You want me to pay, right?” I snarked.

  “Yes. Are you ready to make a payment today?”

  “I guess so. I’m speaking to you. Can I use a gift card to make a payment?” I asked, realizing I was going to have to walk into the living room to get my purse. Might as well start tackling my real problems now, and this would make for a good transition back to the real Artemis.

  After an extended, stress-free session in the soaker tub, I lotioned up and ordered some hot tea and fresh fruit from room service. Tightening the belt on my robe, I turned on the TV to catch up on what was going on in the world.

  As I texted Ladonna back, Julian called. I stopped mid-text as he was a priority at this moment.

  “Hello,” I said with false cheer after clearing my throat. After the concern evident in his texts, he deserved some relief.

  “Whoa. Didn’t expect you to sound like this after last night,” Julian reacted. “Are you in your room? Everything better with you?”

  “Yes and yes.” I chuckled. “And I apologize for flaking out last night. I was enjoying myself. Really enjoying myself.”