by Marika Ray
I felt a strange but welcome warmth bubbling up my body, making my heart race and my tear ducts flood. I couldn't believe I didn't even have to ask. Esa was just willing to pitch in and help. "I-I'd love that. Thank you so much!"
"If you make up some flyers, I can have them at the register at work," Bailey suggested.
"Oh! Us too. We can hand them out to our classes at Strike Ready," Brinley added.
I nodded my head, mind spinning with all we could do to pimp out the event to make the most money possible. If I focused on that, I wouldn't have to focus on the actual singing that I'd have to do the night of the event.
My head was ping-ponging back and forth between Esa and Bailey while they argued about what we should name the event. I had a smile on my face I couldn't seem to get rid of.
Shasta waved to get my attention. "See why you need to lean on friends? It's that feeling you got right there. The one that makes you feel like you're floating on air and can accomplish anything." She was grinning at me in a very motherly way. She was rough around the edges, but it was clear she really did want the best for all us girls. I nodded back, understanding exactly what she meant.
Rainna leaned over and wrapped an arm around me. "I'm so happy for you, Hessy. These friends of yours are the bomb," she whispered.
"They really are," I whispered back.
"Hey! Enough arguing already. Some of us are single here and we'd like to get to the sex stuff so we can live vicariously through you sluts, okay?" Autumn interrupted, getting a fist pump from Bailey.
Esa threw a napkin at Autumn, who threw it right back.
"You're just jealous," Brinley said smugly.
"Damn right we are!" Bailey shouted back, making us all laugh.
"I don't know why you're whining. I'm single, but I get plenty of sex. You're just doing single all wrong." Shasta swirled her wine, looking very much the sexy siren even though she was by far the oldest woman in the room. She was the perfect cougar.
Rainna whistled while the rest of us groaned. We didn't want to hear about Shasta's friends-with-benefits arrangements. We'd heard enough already since she was constantly chattering on about who her 'special friends' were. If I was on the one end of the spectrum with under-sharing, Shasta was on the far other end, that's for sure.
When everyone had settled down, I explained my reluctance to get involved any further with Kai. "I like the guy, but let's be real. He's a total hippie. He walks around barefoot most of the time, for cripes sake. Rainna can attest: we had a hippie for a father and I want nothing to do with that." Rainna nodded in agreement. "I really like Kai. I do. But long-term? I just don't see it working out."
"Hmm. Maybe I should take this one, guys," Brinley spoke up, eyebrows knitted. "Listen, Hessa. I had the world's worst father. Emotional and physical abuse the whole time growing up. Found out not long ago that he'd actually kidnapped me from my mother when I was an infant. Told me my whole life that my mom had passed away when I was a baby. I would never compare shitty parents, but I think I know where you're coming from with wanting to avoid getting involved with someone just like your father."
Wow. I'd had no idea she'd gone through all that. My father was just absent from my life. Her's sounded far worse. Plus, I'd always had my mom. She hadn't.
"So what advice do you have for me?" I hoped she'd keep sharing.
"When Dean barreled his way into my life, I was very resistant. In fact, I was downright rude to him. I had a huge wall built and thankfully, he stuck around and helped me pull that wall down, brick by brick. Let your past help you make smart decisions, but don't let it hold you back from the best thing that could happen to you simply because you're scared. Share your concerns with Kai and see what he says. I bet you'll be surprised with what he says. He's a good guy, Hessa. One of the best."
I spoke slowly, thinking about what she'd said. "Truth be told, Kai's never done or said anything to make me feel that he'd be just like my father. I've just made assumptions that he would. Maybe I should give him a chance."
Brinley smiled and nodded. I still couldn't get over what she'd gone through, and I fully appreciated her sharing that with me tonight. I leaned across the carpet to give her a hug.
Everyone seemed happy with my decision. We all raised our wineglasses for a toast in friendship and then spent another hour just drinking, talking about clothes, men, and if we all wanted to try surfing together one day. Rainna and Brinley, the only two sober among us, decided we were hammered if we were making plans to surf. Everyone disbanded, placing wineglasses in the kitchen and grabbing purses, before making their way to my front door.
"For future reference, do you ya'll have like a phone tree or something?" I asked.
"A what?" Bailey asked, scrunching up her face.
"You know, like a diagram outlining who to call in case of an emergency and then it tells you who that person should call."
They all busted up laughing. "No, but that's a damn good idea. This group is getting unwieldy. That'll be your assignment, Hessa. Make us a phone tree, wouldya?" Shasta ordered.
After hugs all around, they left, leaving my apartment eerily quiet.
I left the glasses in the sink, promising myself to clean them first thing in the morning. I walked to my bedroom, memories of the night with Kai running through my brain. I looked at my bedframe where he'd told me to put my hands while he pleasured me from below.
Suddenly, I couldn't stand to go to bed all alone. I needed to talk to Kai and let him know I was all in. I wanted to give us another chance. Hell, I wanted another night together.
I figured I had just enough wine on board to do something stupid, so before I could back out, I put my plan in action. I texted him, asking for his house address, saying I had something to drop off to him. Then I whipped off my pajamas, spritzed myself with perfume, dabbed some smokey shadow on my eyelids, brushed out my hair, and added bright red lipstick. I slipped on a winter coat over my naked body and topped off the look with my black heels that Kai said he loved so much.
Time for Operation Get My Man Back.
15
Hessa
I knew I should have thought this thing through better. The coat I'd chosen looked sexy as hell, but it was a wool blend, scratchy enough in all the wrong places to leave me no option but to scratch myself like a major league baseball player. With my luck, by the time Kai got this thing off I'd have hives and attractive red splotches all over me. Plus it was chafing my nipples so badly I'd need a balm of some sort. Not that I'd ever seen a nipple balm in the Walgreens aisle. Maybe a thick lotion. No alcohol in it though. Damn, just the idea of burning nipples made me shiver.
I finally swung into a parking space just around the corner from his apartment. I was thankful for the darkness this late at night when I flashed all of Huntington Beach getting out of my low car. The cool air that flew up my coat felt good though on my itchy skin. I was overheating, thinking about what I was doing.
The alcohol was starting to wear off a bit, making me question my sanity with this ridiculous plan. It was too late to go back, so I grabbed my purse and locked the car. It shouldn't have taken me longer than a minute to walk to his door, but damn, all the doors looked the same in the dark. I ended up circling two of the apartment buildings twice, sinking one of my heels into the lawn on the latest unfortunate lap. It was as I was wrenching my heel out of the grass that I got spun around and saw the correct building. Heel recovered, lady bits covered, and destination in sight, I felt emboldened, ready to execute on the fun part of my plan.
Seduction, baby.
Standing in front of his door, I tried out a few poses before knocking, trying to find the right one that screamed 'take me to bed' without looking like I was trying too hard. Hand on hip? No. Feet together or wide apart? Wide felt weird, but again, the draft felt glorious on my feverish skin. Definitely wide. Facing forward or sticking my booty out and looking over my shoulder at him? Probably facing forward, giving him a view of the girls. Purse on sh
oulder or held in my hand? No, better for it to be down on the floor by my feet so it wouldn't get in the way of my pose.
A lightbulb moment had me leaning against the doorframe, other hand up in my hair. Totally carefree, right? I knocked, then quickly put my hand back up in my hair like he'd just caught me casually running my hands through my luscious locks.
The door flew open right as I arranged my face in the duck lips all the kids were doing these days.
"Hessa?" Kai was looking at me like he'd never seen me before.
I leaned forward to kiss him, but my shoulder slipped off the doorframe. My other hand was useless to aid in my recovery, seeing as how it was still locked in my hair, frozen in mid-pose. Likewise, my feet were useless as they were nice and wide, perfectly stable in case of a lateral push, but ineffective in a forward fall. I was falling, watching Kai's face transform in slow motion from confused and amused to horrified.
You know those moments that slow down and you know exactly the horrible thing that's about to happen, yet can do nothing to stop it? Yeah, that was me. Free falling to the floor, my seductive pose frozen in place, even as the ship went down.
Moments before I face-planted at Kai's feet, strong hands grabbed my body and instead of a wood floor, I felt hard muscle cushion my fall. I squeaked on impact, not sure whether to rejoice at the averted disaster or apologize for my embarrassing entrance.
Kai pulled me back to standing, which was no easy task, since I had very little mind-muscle connection going on and since my hand bag was now tangled up in my feet. Once I kicked off the bag like an offending piece of seaweed, sending it shooting across his hallway floor, I decided to go back to the original plan.
I assumed the position: feet planted wide apart, hand on hip and the other in my hair. Come to think of it, I was going to make this my new power pose. Start every class like this. Definitely start my public concert in this pose. I felt like I could take on the world as long as I hit this first.
"Hessa. What are you doing?" Kai had his hands on his hips too.
Looked like he had his own power pose going on. Mine was considerably more friendly though, if I did say so myself. His pose included a scrunched up face and an air of irritation. Well, now we just had a power pose stand-off going on. What was I supposed to do next? I'd only planned to show up and figured he'd have his way with me as soon as I walked in the door.
The first trickle of doubt creeped in. Perhaps a bit belated, and certainly surprising as most sane people would have started doubting the plan the minute they'd fallen through the doorway, but I was always optimistic. I'd been so confident that Kai would want me, ridiculous plan and all.
I flung my hands down to my sides, power pose forgotten in my distress. I turned to have a seat on his couch and explain myself. My ankle wasn't in on the plan though, rolling in my sky high shoes and nearly sending me back to the floor as my heel slid sideways on the slick wood floor.
"Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! Why is it so hard to stand up?" I'd caught myself, hanging onto the side table lining his hallway for dear life.
I heard a snicker from behind me and dared a slow pivot to see Kai's arms crossed over his chest, one hand pressed to his mouth suppressing his mirth.
I felt like the flames of Hades were licking up my legs, lighting my whole body on fire from the inside out. I was embarrassed and worn out from all the walking around outside and the near mishaps once inside. And the damn coat was feeling like a Brillo pad on every square inch of skin. To top it off, not only was Kai not attacking me like I'd planned, but he was now laughing. At me. Definitely not with me.
I dared the devil by taking one hand off the table and opening the collar of my coat to get some fresh air before I burst into flames. "It's hotter than a half-fucked fox in a forest fire around here," I mumbled to myself, desperately trying to come up with my next move.
My eyes shot up as Kai burst into laughter, doubling over, hand on his knee to hold himself upright.
If looks could kill, he would have re-thought his fit of laughter. I waited him out, figuring he wouldn't hear me over his howls of laughter. The fucker was hot even as he pissed me off. Against my will, my lips turned up at the sound of his laugh, finding it contagious. He finally straightened up, wiping his eyes before looking at me again.
"How much have you had to drink, Ono?" His voice was higher pitched than normal, as he tried to reign it in. I wanted to wipe that smirky little smile right off his face.
"Not much. Why?" My free hand went back on my hip, ready to defend my sobriety.
Kai came right up to me and lifted my chin, gazing into my eyes. "Uh huh. Sure. How about we go sit down and I get you some water?"
Before I could respond, he bent down and lifted me up in a princess carry. I squeaked again, wondering how much he weight lifted in order to keep carrying me around like this. I ran a hand down his bicep involved in holding my legs, enjoying the firm, bubble of muscle I felt there. Before I could get too handsy, he placed me down on the sofa and removed my heels. Then he was walking away to get me water.
I gulped down the bottle he brought back, enjoying the slide of ice cold water down my heated throat.
"So let's start over. What are you doing here, Hessa?" Kai was sitting on the coffee table facing me, crowding my legs. His hands were on my knees. I was hoping we'd get back to the plan and he'd push my knees apart and find out what was, or wasn't, underneath my coat. Speaking of coat, I needed to get out of that thing ASAP.
Kai
I finally had her seated, my hands holding her in place. I was afraid she'd slide right off the sofa if I didn't take extra precautions. She'd flashed me when she'd almost fallen the second time, so I knew she was naked under that coat. I could piece together why she'd come over, but I needed to hear her say it. Needed to know if she was all in on this relationship. No more hot and cold.
She threw her empty water bottle behind the sofa with a careless toss. Guess she was done. I fought a smile, knowing laughing again would really piss her off. But damn. Drunk Hessa was a side I never thought I'd see, but so glad I did. She was funny as hell.
My smile vanished quickly when I saw her untie her coat belt, pushing the collar off her shoulders.
"Wait--" I was going to stop her, knowing she was in no condition for what she was determined to come here and do. But the bright red of her skin had me pausing.
I leaned forward getting right up next to her neck and collarbone. Her skin was a red, mottled mess. "What the hell happened, Hessa?"
"Huh?" She opened her eyes, looked down where I was looking and saw her skin. "Oh, it was just rubbing and it's so hot..."
"Yeah I know, hotter than a half-fucked fox in a forest fire?"
She gasped, jaw dropping comically. "Yes! How'd you know?"
I shook my head, focusing on sliding the coat off her body, seeing that the rash was all over. "Babe, we gotta get this coat off you."
"I like the way you think, hot stuff," she said in a slurred, sexy purr. Her eyes were almost completely closed, a smile on her face.
"No, Hessa. I think you have a rash from your coat. We gotta get this off you right now." I managed to get her arms out and then I lifted her up, whipping the coat out from underneath her and throwing it on the floor, to the side of the sofa.
"Jesus, Ono," I whispered. Her whole body was covered in an angry red rash. My first aid training kicked in and I knew I needed to get some Benadryl in her system stat. "Stay right there, okay?"
She clucked, using one hand to give me an enthusiastic thumbs-up, one eye winking, then the other. She was a mess. An adorable mess.
I rushed to my bathroom and grabbed the Benadryl, measuring out a dose and racing back, hoping she hadn't slumped to the floor. I tilted her head back and got her to drink the medicine. I followed that up with the water left in my water bottle.
Then I scooped her up in my arms again. "Off to bed."
She wrapped her arms around me, eyes completely closed. I felt her lips pressed aga
inst my neck. Then her tongue darted out, licking me before she kissed me again. I couldn't help my body's response. The woman was a tease. I knew it couldn't go further as she'd be passed out asleep the moment I laid her down, but I was only human. She was naked in my house, licking my neck. Talk about temptation.
As predicted, by the time I laid her out in my bed and pulled the covers up, she was asleep, oblivious to my straining shorts. I kissed her forehead before turning to my bathroom. Time for a cold shower.
Hessa
I woke to someone pounding on my head. I tried to kick the covers off but they just tightened around me, pulling me back. I opened my eyes, blinking repeatedly trying to piece together where I was. Then I felt a hand travel up my stomach to grab hold of my naked breast and a steel rod pressed into my backside.
Like flashes of a movie reel, I saw glimpses of what happened last night run through my mind. Staring at the wall, I was both confused, horrified, and embarrassed. I gasped as that same hand traveled south, distracting me from my trip down memory lane. It stroked over my stomach, skated around Mt. Pleasant, and traced down my thigh.
"Kai!" Oh God, I'd have to apologize to him as soon as possible. I couldn't believe he saw me like that. I had no recollection of what happened after I almost fell a second time. A second time! Dear God, who the hell was that last night?
"Mmhmm," Kai groaned into my ear from behind me, his voice gravelly with sleep.
I ignored my throbbing head and turned in his arms. I needed to get this out before he kept feeling me up. "Kai?"
