That’s all it takes.
“I’m on my way home now. Wanna come over?”
Half an hour later, I park in a nondescript apartment complex in Garden Grove, then find her unit number on a door and knock.
The door opens and Snow White greets me. Not the woman who plays Snow White in her Disneyland job, but Snow White herself, still in costume. She offers me a drink and I watch as she makes two Stoli and grapefruit juice cocktails.
The first time I fuck her, she’s still wearing the costume—dress, wig, makeup and all. It’s surreal, looking at that black wig and the little red bow as Snow White is on top of me, riding my cock and moaning. Her cheeks, already bright pink from the excess of blush, having grown even pinker. She comes hard and loud, and I wonder if her neighbors can hear.
Once she’s caught her breath, she wordlessly slides off my hard-on and climbs down from the bed. I watch as she undresses and removes the wig to reveal short brown hair on a round face and a very nice body—a little on the thick side, with high, firm tits and a full, cute butt. Seconds later, her mouth is on my hard-on. She’s very good, and it doesn’t take long for her warm wet mouth to bring me close to orgasm.
“I’m gonna come,” I warn her.
She stops just long enough to look me in the eyes and say, “I want you to.” Then her mouth is on me again, pushing to fit as much as she can.
I lose it, groaning as I unload into her willing mouth again and again. When I’m done, she rises and I watch my cock as it slides out of her mouth.
“God damn.”
She gives me a satisfied smile. “You’re welcome.” She’s not the kind of woman I normally go for, and I’m sure I would have overlooked her anywhere else. Lucky for her, she approached me at Disneyland and got my attention.
I leave her apartment a couple of hours later, after we’ve fucked once more. When I tell her I should be going, she slips into yoga pants and a T-shirt, then walks me to the door. She kisses me goodbye, then smiles.
“That was fun. Keep my number in case you ever want to do it again. Call me anytime, even just for a quick drunk fuck at four in the morning.”
“I’ll do that… Um…”
She reads my quizzical look. “What?”
“I don’t even know your name,” I say.
“Sure, you do.” She smiles again, her plump lips curling up at the sides. “Snow White.”
Sweet. That’s really all I need to know.
I return her smile, kiss her on the cheek, then make my departure.
On the drive back to Hollywood I think about Snow White, then about the other women I’ve had sex with recently. Shortly before I reach home, it occurs to me that I’ve gone from forgetting the names of women I have sex with to never knowing their names at all.
The thought makes me sad in a way I don’t quite understand.
For some reason, Rashida’s name has stuck in my head even though we haven’t had sex. Maybe it’s because she’s the only woman who’s every told me to grow the fuck up, and now that she put the thought in my head, I can’t seem to shake it.
12
Rashida
There’s a knock on the door as I’m watching the local Sunday evening news from my couch while Jayden plays with Legos on the floor.
“Pizza’s here!” Jayden shouts as I get up. Having spent the day with him first bicycle shopping then at his soccer game, I’m worn out and had no desire to make dinner. Moments later, I’m in the kitchen putting slices on paper plates when he squeals again.
“Mom! Come look! Hurry!”
I enter the room with the two plates and see him pointing at the TV, where there’s a large group of children surrounding a person dressed as Mickey Mouse. The reporter is talking about the 4gotten Kids Foundation.
“I wanna go to Disneyland! Can we go, Mom? Please?”
“Sure, sweetie, we’ll go this summer.”
I put his plate in his lap and sit back on the couch. As I’m taking my first bite, I hear a familiar deep voice and look at the screen to see Marcus Jennings being interviewed.
“Jerk!” I reflexively scream at the TV. Jayden’s head swivels and he looks at me with confusion and concern.
“Your mama knows that tall man, Jayden, and he’s not very nice.”
Jayden listens to a smiling, genial Marcus, then says, “He’s nice. He took all them to Disneyland.”
I sigh. You don’t know what I know.
“Maybe he’ll take me to Disneyland with those kids.”
“No, Jayden. You and I will go to Disneyland this summer, and you can ask Evan and Tyler to come. How does that sound?”
That seems to mollify him. On the TV, I hear Jennings shout to the children about buying souvenirs and they all scream and jump in celebration. He’s got a huge grin on his face and looks like he’s truly happy to be there, something I would not have expected from him. Obviously, I don’t know the man as well as I thought. Then again, this could merely be an act.
After dinner, Jayden climbs sleepily onto the couch and puts his head in my lap.
“Are we really going to Disneyland? Promise?”
“Yes, baby, we’re really going. Now go get ready for bed. You’re coming to work with me tomorrow, remember?”
As my son climbs down and heads toward the hallway, I think about how quickly he’s growing up, and once again curse my ex-husband for being too weak to remain a part of Jayden’s life.
13
Marcus
I’m not sure why, but from the moment I wake up on Monday, I want to see Rashida Blanchard again. More than that: I want to convince her to go out with me. You’d think getting fucked by a Disney character would hold me over for a few days, but I just can’t get this woman off my mind. In the past when that’s happened I would find a way to get her into my bed, which always seemed to solve the problem. Once I’ve boned Rashida, I’m sure I’ll be able to quit thinking about her.
After breakfast, I slip into my sweats, grab my new slate-gray Zegna suit and a lavender shirt and purple tie, then head over to the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo for the morning shootaround. The mood among my teammates is somber; we’re currently sitting in the tenth spot in the conference standings, and only the top eight teams advance to the first round of the playoffs. There’s a sliver of hope, and while everyone says in interviews that we’re focused on closing out strong for the six remaining regular season games, in private we’re probably all getting ready for the offseason. At least I know I am.
The practice session lasts from ten to eleven, and afterward Demarius asks a few of us to stick around for half an hour to work on a few things in preparation for tonight’s game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs.
“Nah, I got a meeting I can’t miss,” I tell them. I don’t get paid for extra practice sessions.
I quickly shower and put on the suit, then climb in my Lambo and head straight to the Sunset Grand, arriving just before noon. After instructing the valet to leave the car upfront because I’ll only be a few minutes, I stroll to the front desk and ask where I can find Rashida Blanchard’s office. Locating it, I knock. The door swings open a second later.
“Hi.”
I’m surprised to see a young boy standing there. Behind him Rashida is seated at her desk. She frowns when she sees who her visitor is, but the kid seems thrilled. “You’re the man on the TV! Are we going to Disneyland today?”
“No, Jayden,” Rashida tells him. Looking at me, she says flatly, “Can I help you, Mr. Jennings?”
“Sorry, Jayden,” I say. “Maybe some other time.” He’s visibly disappointed. “You babysitting?” I ask Rashida with a grin.
“No, Jayden is my son,” she says. I can feel the animosity.
“It’s Take a Kid to Work Day,” Jayden explains. “I’m helping my mom do stuff at her job.”
Suddenly, her reluctance toward me makes perfect sense. I don’t think she’s married, as she has no ring, but she does have a son. Doesn’t matter, t
hough, I’ll make this happen. One way or another, I’m going to get my dick into this kid’s gorgeous mama.
I address Rashida. “I was wondering if you were free for lunch. I’d like to discuss the 4gotten Kids Foundation using the hotel’s facilities for some upcoming events.” If she agrees, I’ll have to come up with some shit off the top of my head, because the line I just gave her was total bullshit.
“That’s not my responsibility here,” she says. “You’ll need to talk to Yvette, our events planner. You might remember her from the fundraiser—she was the blonde in the red and black dress.” You know, the one you couldn’t take your eyes off of.
Sure, I remember that chick, the one with the big tits. I’m not here for her, though.
“No, I would want to talk to you about this personally. I need to deal with the manager for something this important.”
“Well, I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
She seems resolute. I’ll take a different approach, then.
“I understand,” I say, then turn to the kid. “Hey, Jayden, how would you like to come see me play basketball for the Lakers tonight?”
“Yeah!” he screams. “Can I go, Mom?”
Mom looks unhappy with me.
“Since I can’t take him to Disneyland today, let me give you tickets for tonight’s game against the Cavs.”
“Can we, Mom? Please?”
Rashida sighs. “Yes, we can go.” She glares at me. “Thank you. But this means nothing.”
“I’m not bribing you. I have extra tickets for tonight. I’ll leave a pair at the will call window under your name.”
“Yay!”
“Okay, then I’ll see you tonight,” I tell the kid. “Give me five.” I hold out a palm and he slaps it. I’ve got to admit, this little guy is cute.
14
Rashida
Jayden and I get to the Staples Center early to avoid traffic issues. The tickets are waiting for us, as Jennings promised. We make our way through the concourse and I see that we’re on some kind of exclusive club level. Not until we go through the tunnel and an usher shows us to our seats do I realize that we’re sitting court-side—as in the very first row, at the end near the basket.
Suddenly this evening has gone from mildly entertaining to exciting. Jayden and I take our seats and watch the Lakers go through their pre-game warm-up shots. Jennings comes over for a second, long enough to wink at me and fist-bump Jayden. When they’re done with their practice, the players leave the court, but he comes back a minute later holding something.
“Here, Jayden, I got you a present.”
He holds up a number twenty-three Lakers jersey with “JENNINGS” in bold letters across the shoulders, then tosses it to Jayden. My son is ecstatic and puts it on immediately. Even though it’s a child’s size, it’s still way too big, but he doesn’t even notice.
“Maybe now you’ll consider having lunch with me tomorrow?”
I realize Jennings is talking to me, not Jayden.
“So, this was a bribe after all?” I ask, trying not to sound too snarky.
“Maybe.” His smile is infectious. And that voice—damn.
“Probably not a good idea. But thank you again for the tickets.”
Jennings is persistent, though.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. And we’ll discuss that business, of course. What could go wrong? It’s just lunch—a safe daytime activity.”
“I’m sorry, Marcus. I can’t.”
Out of nowhere, Jayden joins the conversation, “Why not, Mom? Marcus is nice. Let’s eat lunch with him.”
“You’re not going anywhere for lunch except kindergarten,” I say.
“You should still go. Maybe he’ll take you to McDonald’s.”
“He’s right, though,” Jennings says, “You should go. Mickey D’s.”
I look up into those smiling dark eyes. We have a brief stare-down and I’m suddenly aware just how smitten I am with this man. And how powerless to resist him.
“Okay, just lunch. But the Sunset Grand is buying and I’ll pick the restaurant.”
The grin I receive in return sends a warm feeling to the pit of my stomach.
“I’ll be at your office at noon,” Jennings says. “I’ve got to get ready now. Enjoy the game.” He starts to leave, then turns back and points to the seat next to me. “Hey, Jayden, check this out: Major Zendatto is gonna sit right here tonight.” Then he runs off.
“No way!” Jayden yells, jumping up from his seat.
“Who?” I know I’ve heard that name before, but I can’t recall where.
Jayden proceeds to remind me that Major Zendatto is the leader of the “Ultimate Fighting Force,” a cartoon he watches. He’s beside himself with anticipation. Confused, I pull out my phone and Google it, then it all becomes clear as I read. “Ultimate Fighting Force” has been off the air for seven years but the re-runs are still popular on Cartoon Channel. Evidently, the voice of the leader, Major Zendatto, was performed by Drake Manning earlier in his career—meaning he’ll be sitting courtside with us tonight.
At this point, I’m not sure who’s more excited, Jayden or me. I explain to him the concept of voiceover artists, so he won’t be expecting an actual cartoon character, but that doesn’t diminish his enthusiasm at all.
Sure enough, just before the opening tipoff Manning and his fiancée arrive and take their seats. I met them both at the fundraiser and they don’t seem at all surprised to see me here. As Allie tells me later, Mason Stark—one of the other men in their group in the ballroom that night—had told them that Jennings asked for his tickets to give to “someone important.”
“I had a feeling it might be you,” Allie says, and I wonder why she would think that. I don’t ask, though, but the thought sticks in my mind. The two of us quickly bond because I keep peppering her with questions to better understand what’s happening on the court.
At halftime, as Manning keeps Jayden in stitches by doing the Major Zendatto voice, Allie surprises me by asking about Jennings and me.
“What’s up with you and Marcus? Are you going out? Where did you meet?”
I quickly decide I can tell her the truth about our initial meeting, a measure of how comfortable I feel with her. Allie’s laughs out loud when I describe Jennings walking into the suite’s bedroom totally naked, with no idea that a female hotel employee was standing there.
“So, he had two women up there?” she asks, still laughing. She rolls her eyes. “The Hollywood Bad Boys Club.”
When I give Allie a blank stare, she proceeds to tell me about a little group consisting of Manning, Jennings, Mason Stark, and Link, the huge guy in their group at the fundraiser. Apparently, the entire aim of the group is to celebrate success at bedding women. Nice.
“Drake’s a member emeritus these days,” she smiles. “Since he met me, anyway. And Mason has a serious girlfriend as well. Claire—the adorable blonde with him at the gala.”
I remember Claire well because she’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Between her and Allie, I don’t doubt they were able to get those two bad boys to settle down. They’re both exceptional women. Marcus Jennings, on the other hand, seems unredeemable. Regardless, I won’t be the one to try.
“Marcus stopped by the Sunset Grand yesterday to discuss the 4gotten Kids fundraiser. When he met Jayden, he offered us tickets to the game. We’re not dating, though. I barely know him.”
“You’ve seen more of him than I have,” Allie says with a grin. Since I’ve only seen Jennings three or four times, that doesn’t make sense. Then I realize she’s talking about me seeing him naked and I blush.
“It’s just business,” I assure her. “Even that little incident happened while I was on the job.”
“Anyway, I’m not sure it’s just business to Marcus.” She smiles. “Sounds to me like he has a thing for you.”
Yeah, I saw his thing in the suite that night, and he definitely wants to give it to me.
“I
’m not sure he’s my type, to be honest,” I say. “Too high-profile. Too many distractions, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, I do,” Allie responds, gesturing to Manning.
I’m mortified at my error. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” Her fiancé is one of the most sought-after males on the entire planet, and with good reason—the man is astoundingly charismatic and handsome, and that body… oh my God. “You’re obviously strong enough to make that work. You’re a brave woman, Allie.”
She smiles knowingly. “Don’t be fooled by Marcus’s antics. On the inside, he’s a very good man. You’ll just have to peel back a lot of layers before you see it.”
What is she trying to say? That I should make Jennings my reclamation project? No thank you.
For the rest of the game, I chat with her and Manning, and by the end of the evening the shock of hanging out with the world’s biggest movie star has worn off slightly. He’s still an amazing man. Allie is truly sweet and the two of them seem perfect for each other.
As for the game, the Lakers manage to pull out an exciting last-minute victory, which evidently was unexpected against a strong team like the Cavs. Jennings is the star of the game, scoring twenty-nine points and, more importantly, playing strong defense and holding Cavs superstar LeBron James to a relatively human nineteen points. He’s spectacular on the court, lightning quick with a skill level most of the other players clearly lack. From my close vantage point, though, I can see the faces on his Lakers teammates, and although I don’t understand why, they often seem to be unhappy with him.
Still, it’s a tremendously exciting evening, and I enjoy myself much more than I thought I would. Cheering for Marcus Jennings is an odd experience, because I still find myself resisting the compulsion to like him for any reason whatsoever.
Jayden falls asleep in the car on the way home, and I wake him just long enough to get him up to the condo and into his bed. He refuses to take off his new jersey, though, and I’m certain he’ll insist on wearing it to school in the morning.
Hollywood Bad Boys Club: Book 3: Marcus Page 9
