5
Kendra
“Either your hair grows much faster than mine, or your man has made a request.” Alex smirked when she found me in the spa lounge sipping a mimosa.
I crossed my leg over my knee and swung my foot. “Hun,” I said speaking to the six-foot hunk behind the counter, “could you be a doll and please bring my friend here a drink?”
“That’s all right.” Alex turned to the man and waved him off. “Too early for me.”
The man looked to me for a definitive answer.
“No, really.” I nodded. “Her tight ass needs to loosen up. Make the woman a drink.” I winked.
He glanced at Alex, nodding as if seeing what I saw. Alex was stiff, and I knew the reason why, but it wasn’t worth saying anything in front of the handsome man now stirring up a drink for her. I’d been chatting him up from the moment I arrived, and since Alex was running late, she only deserved to obey the demands I made for her. Besides, having one drink wasn’t like I was asking the world of her.
Alex glared at me.
“Or shall I say,” my brows raised, “your tight ass needs to be loosened up?”
The man handed her a tall glass of orange juice bubbly. “You’re disgusting.”
I swung my foot to the floor and stood. “C’mon, let’s go,” I said, hooking my arm in the crook of hers while slamming back what remained of my second drink. “No time to waste. I’ve got a little trimmin’ up to do.”
“So, what is it?” Alex looked over at me as we headed back to our usual room. “Does your hair grow exceptionally fast or is there some other reason you’re here today?”
“Okay, fine.” I stopped, turned and faced her, and let out a long, low sigh. “Since you won’t shut up about it.” My gaze shifted to look down the hall just as Mr. Handsome Drink Man passed. If Nash never came back, I would hook him up with Alex. He looked like a fun toy to play with. “Kelly wants me to keep a landing strip.”
Alex covered her mouth, and though I couldn’t see her lips, I could see it in her eyes—the way they began to water—that she was stifling a burst of laughter.
“You can laugh.” My hands rooted on my hips. “It’s okay. I can take it.”
She hurled over and busted up laughing. I stood there and took it just as I said I would. And when she came back up with a purple face, she said, “He’s a lawyer, not a pilot. What the hell does he need a landing strip for?”
I tugged on her arm, needing to find my place of exile before anybody walked by and overheard our conversation. “It’s better than the love triangle I gave him.”
Alex giggled her ass off the entire way into the room. But when she didn’t make a move for a robe, or make any indication she was going to remove her clothes, I pinched my brow and gave her a look.
“What?” She shrugged. “We were just here.”
“And you’re telling me nothing has poked through? No roots to pluck?”
Alex plopped her butt down in an empty chair. “Nash is away, so what’s the point? It’s not like I’ll be getting any anytime soon.”
“That’s the spirit.” I rolled my eyes, my words laced with sarcasm, as I began to undress.
“Besides, I only came because I needed a break from work. I can’t stay long.” She looked down at the drink she was still holding and finally decided that drinking in the morning was the way to go. “Nash is sending tons of work my way and expects it all to be done come tomorrow morning.”
“That guy is an asshole.” I snickered, unclasping my bra, letting my twins hang free.
“And I’m already behind on work.” She took another sip. “This isn’t so bad,” she said peering down into her glass.
“Like I’d suggest you drink something bad?” The side of my face scrunched up like an accordion. “How is Nash, anyway? You still wearing that little number while video chatting?”
“He’s busy. We haven’t been talking as much as we did when he first left.”
“But he still sends you flowers.”
“Yeah,” she sang.
I stepped out of my panties and moved to the wall where the robes where hanging. I plucked one off the hook and turned to Alex. “Do you ever worry he’s not being loyal?”
“Why would you say that?” Alex’s nostrils flared.
“It’s just a question.” My eyes rounded as I pulled the robe over my shoulders. “Once a playboy, always a playboy,” I muttered under my breath.
“I knew I shouldn’t have come.” Alex reached for her drink and swallowed down a healthy gulp. “Are you asking because you’re doubting Kelly’s loyalty?”
“Our arrangement is different,” I said, lying back on the cushioned table.
We all had our doubts and nagging insecurities, but I wasn’t about to admit mine. Even to Alex. Maybe there would be a time that would make sense, but I was feeling rather spirited today and I didn’t intend to ruin what was setting up to be a perfectly good day.
“I know Nash is totally into you.”
“Thanks. That makes me feel a whole lot better.” Alex’s tone was sarcastic. Then she picked up a magazine from the table and snickered. “Have you read this?” She held up the cover of the tabloid for me to see.
“Isn’t that William Wade?”
“AKA Big Willy.” She burst out laughing.
“Huh?”
“So you haven’t read the article?” She turned the magazine around so I could see the cover. “It’s been out for ages.” She glanced up at me.
I shook my head.
Alex pulled the magazine back into her lap and flipped to the story she was referring to. “Here. Read this.”
I took the magazine from her and began skimming the story. “What is it with this town? Does every man have a dick the size of an elephant?”
“So what if they do?”
My eyes scanned more of the article and I felt my lips tug to my ears. “You’re right. This is funny. Big Willy.” I rolled my head over to Alex. “How much do you think he paid to have this article written about him?”
“Big bucks I’m sure.” Alex shrugged her shoulders.
When the room fell quiet, I broke the awkward silence by saying, “I never did tell you what happened with Kelly yesterday, did I?”
“You mean after you refused to talk about…well, you know.”
She was referring to my rape, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. Because I knew she would only worry about me, question Kelly’s intentions, and be concerned about Kelly setting off another trigger. “Anyway, the dude totally went detective on my place.”
“Detective? What do you mean?”
“I mean, he was snooping through my closet, digging through my clothes and shoes,” I sat up and propped myself up on one elbow, “he even went through my entire bathroom.” My forehead wrinkled. “That’s, like, extremely personal stuff, man.”
“Wo-man,” Alex said, pointing at herself. “And, by the way, that’s totally weird. Are you sure he’s worth it?”
“Aren’t you the one who pushed for me to sign his silly contract?”
Alex tapped her finger on her bottom lip and looked up and to the left. “Are you even allowed to be in a relationship?”
My brows knitted. “Of course I’m allowed to be in a relationship.”
“I mean, since the Madam is technically still involved in the decision making—is what you and Kelly have even considered a relationship?”
I dropped my feet over the side of the bed. “She doesn’t make my decisions for me.”
“Except she allowed Kelly to pay an undisclosed amount to have you—”
I shoved my hand in her face, dangling the ring Kelly gave me under her nose, close enough for her to remember that piece of him that made Kelly worth all the risk in the world.
“It’s nice.” Alex lowered my hand away from her face. “I’ll give you that. But what other requests has he made?”
Over the next several minutes, I laid out the demands Kelly made. How I was to eat healthy, shower twice a day, keep my makeup and appearance in place, and have sex with him at least three times a week. “Or whenever the mood strikes.”
“Him or you?” she asked, biting the inside of her cheek.
“Either.” My shoulders rose then fell. What did it matter? “He just wants me to stay in tip-top shape. Don’t you want that for me, too?”
“I could use some motivation in that department.” Alex sighed before finishing her drink.
My hands slapped down on her shoulders. “We can do it together.”
Alex pressed her lips together. She didn’t look as thrilled as I’d hoped she would. “Maybe I spoke too soon.”
“C’mon. It will be fun!” I shook her as the excitement rolled through me.
“We’ll see.” She smiled, causing me to plant a wet one smack dab in the middle of her beautiful forehead.
My aesthetician knocked on the door and peeked her head inside. “Kendra?”
I turned and smiled. “Hey, baby.”
“Ready?”
I looked back at Alex. “I have to get back to work,” she said, standing.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, Ms. Grace—” I snickered, “—we have some primping to do.”
Alex stuck her tongue out at me just as she was leaving, and I knew that Kelly’s demands would do both of us some good.