Southern Comfort (9781622863747) Read online

  “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.”

  Chapter 22

  Willow felt something moving on the bed. She opened her eyes to feel arms wrapping around her. A broad smile covered her face as Katrina kissed the nape of her neck.

  “What are you doing?”’

  “I am kissing you,” Katrina whispered as she brushed her lips against the back of Willow’s neck again.

  Willow couldn’t resist the urge to arch her back just enough to press her ass firmly against Katrina. She moved her butt in a circular motion, giggling as she aroused Katrina. Katrina growled, holding Willow tight, her thumb mistakenly grazing Willow’s hard nipples. The couple slowly moved their hips in together as Willow’s nipple rolled between Katrina’s thumb and index finger.

  “We aren’t supposed to be doing this,” Willow muttered.

  Katrina hushed her as she buried her head in her wild mane. Willow’s body craved Katrina; she wanted it but knew she had to stop. Willow pulled herself away from Katrina getting out of the bed before anything more happened. Katrina let out a loud, disapproving moan.

  “You’re killing me over here, Willz.” Katrina put a pillow over her face.

  “So should I get ready to go to Graceland?”

  Willow laughed as Katrina moved the pillow from her face to in between her legs. Willow just shook her head as she headed to the bathroom.

  Willow let the hot water massage cover her face. Her insatiable hunger for Katrina was reaching epic proportions. She wanted to remain strong, but she wondered how strong she could stay if Katrina appeared in her bed again. It had only been one day and she almost gave in.

  Willow explained the situation to Piper who drilled into her to stay on path. She had to make Katrina realize that she was the one she needed to be with. Willow didn’t know what was happening to her. She knew it was insane to feel so strongly for someone she had only known for such a short time, but she knew she couldn’t deny her heart. Was love at first sight a real thing?

  Willow picked up her brush after her shower. She could hear Katrina talking on the phone about food orders. Willow wiped the steam-covered mirror with her hand. She stared at her reflection. Willow pulled her hair back as her insecurities played like a song in her head. Was she as attractive as Saura? Saura had an exotic beauty that she didn’t posses. What would make her stand out next to a woman who could easily be a model?

  Willow walked out of the bathroom with a large blue towel wrapped around her body. Katrina followed Willow’s movements with her eyes. She felt guilty. Lunch with Saura was better than she ever expected. They talked about past things that made them fall in love to begin with. Katrina knew she had a dynamite relationship with Saura up until the end.

  Katrina knew she wasn’t a saint and she put Saura through a lot in the beginning of their relationship. Before Saura, Katrina was a lone wolf. She was closed to the idea of a relationship just from watching her parents’ relationship implode. Also watching Devon cry countless times over failed relationships made Katrina know that she didn’t care about the long term, but Saura changed that.

  Katrina left the lunch feeling better about Saura than she had in a long time, but those feelings didn’t overthrow the feelings she was developing for Willow. Willow was genuine to her core; that was rare in a person. The whole time they spent in Europe was the best time of her life, and she could picture more days like that. The problem was she could picture the future with both women. A future with Saura meant being a beautiful power couple, where a future with Willow meant amazing adventures.

  Willow finished getting dressed. She turned around to see Katrina lying on the bed, lost in her own little world. Katrina looked amazing sprawled out across the bed in her jeans and black fitted tank. Willow wondered what was going through Katrina’s brain. Was she contemplating their crazy situation or had she already decided on the end result?

  “I’m ready.”

  Katrina turned to see Willow standing in a short fit and flare dress with an hombre effect of a deep blue turning aqua. Her damp curls were pulled off of her face with an aqua-toned headband. Katrina admired her beauty in her simplicity. She didn’t have to throw on tons of makeup or tight clothes t
o look beautiful, she was a true natural beauty.

  The couple spent the day acting like tourists. Katrina couldn’t believe how much she actually enjoyed Graceland. They held hands as they toured the mansion. Katrina recorded Willow attempting to imitate Elvis to the music playing in the “Gold Room,” a room filled with Elvis’s gold records and awards. Katrina snapped photos of Willow as she admired all the various artifacts.

  “You know I have had hot wings before,” Willow informed Katrina as they sat in the small wing joint.

  “Please, there is no way possible there are any real hot wings in London.” Katrina dismissed Willow with a wave of her hand.

  Willow wasn’t impressed with the small restaurant. It looked unsanitary, even though the health inspection sign showed a high score. Willow couldn’t believe that Elvis’s house was in the middle of what she would consider squalor. Elvis Presley Boulevard was filled with fast food restaurants, motels, and tacky Elvis souvenir shops.

  The cashier called their ticket number. Katrina grabbed their food and brought it back to the table. The wings were smothered in red sauce. Willow could see the grease in the puddle of hot sauce.

  “You have got to be kidding me.” Willow winced while Katrina picked up her first wing sucking the sauce off of it.

  “Just eat it. What, don’t you trust me?” Katrina winked her right eye using Willow’s words against her.

  Against her better judgment she picked up a wing and broke a piece of the meat off. She closed her eyes and put the chicken in her mouth. The flavor erupted in her mouth. Katrina nodded her head at Willow’s wide-eyed expression.

  “Oh my God.” Willow bit a bigger piece of the wing. “This might be the best thing I have ever tasted in my life.”

  “I told you, trust me, girl.” Katrina continued to eat.

  Willow wanted to trust her. She wanted to believe everything was going to work out in her favor. When Katrina was with her it seemed as if she only had eyes for her. Maybe it was true; maybe Katrina was over Saura and only wanted Willow.

  “So, Katrina, I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but should I be considering extending my trip?”

  The question caught Katrina off guard. She wiped the sauce off of her fingers with a napkin. “Do you want to extend your trip?”

  “I told you, I want to do whatever it is that you want me to do,” Willow responded.

  “I’d love if you stayed as long as you would like to.”

  Willow blushed. “So have you seen Saura?”

  Willow regretted the question the moment it came out of her mouth. The change in Katrina’s face let her know it was the wrong thing to bring up. They were having an amazing day and she had to bring up the other woman.

  “We had lunch yesterday.”

  The words knocked the wind out of Willow. “Oh.” Willow shifted her eyes down toward the greasy pile of wings.

  “Willz, are you okay?”

  Willow feverishly nodded her head.

  “Willow, please don’t be upset.” Katrina reached out placing her hand on top of Willow’s.

  “I’m not upset. I signed up for this so it’s fine. I mean of course you are going to spend time with her; that’s the rules, right?”

  The two finished eating in silence. They left the restaurant and got in Katrina’s car. The local radio station played R&B music. Katrina drove them over a small bridge. She pulled into a parking lot. She parked so their view was the Mississippi River. Katrina placed her hand on Willow’s thigh.

  “You remember when we were at the Amalfi Coast and you wanted to do that crazy cliff diving? You told me to trust you and I did, the same way I trusted you on the London Eye and the Eiffel Tower.” Katrina’s thumb moved back and forth on Willow’s thigh.

  Willow looked at Katrina who was staring out of the window at the river.

  “I’m asking that while you are here please trust me. Your feelings mean a lot to me, Willow. I may not know everything, but I know that.”

  Willow placed her hand on Katrina’s cheek. Katrina pressed against her like a cat, rubbing her face against Willow’s hand.

  “Kiss me,” Willow muttered in a hushed tone.

  Willow could fell her heart pounding as Katrina’s soft lips pressed against her lips. Katrina’s hand pulled her head closer, becoming entangled in her curls. Willow closed her eyes allowing the softness of Katrina’s touch, and the cold, minty breeze from the mint Katrina had recently eaten, to take her to another place. She wanted to preserve that moment in time when nothing mattered but them.

  Willow’s body was electrified. Every touch of Katrina’s fingers sent pulses of energy through her body making the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up. This had to be real; there was no way someone who wasn’t designed specifically for her could make her feel that way. She couldn’t deny it, and she knew Katrina had to feel it too. Katrina’s phone rang, interrupting their perfect moment.

  “I gotta answer this.” Katrina sighed as she pressed answer.

  The moment was fading as Willow listened to her on the phone with the restaurant manager. Her heat was cooling; the electric feeling subsided. Willow stared at the muddy river water as it flowed. She wanted that feeling; she wanted to feel the wetness of Katrina on her skin. She wanted to throw the rules out the window, pull her dress over her head, and have Katrina take her right there on the bank of the Mississippi. But she knew she couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right. She hated caring so much.

  Chapter 23

  Devon opened her eyes and waited as they focused on the large print of Sunflowers by Van Gogh on the wall. She knew that painting; she had given it to Shanice as a birthday present a few years back. She turned over to see she was alone in the bed. Devon slapped her hand against her forehead. She did the one thing she forbade herself to do.

  The cold hardwood sent chills through her body as her feet touched the floor. She quietly picked up each article of her clothing as she did a shame walk into the bathroom. Devon turned on the light to see her shameful face staring back. She was ashamed of herself.

  Devon quickly dressed and walked out of the bathroom. She paused in the bedroom she had spent many nights in years ago. Everything seemed to be the same; Shanice even had the jewelry armoire that Devon purchased for her. Devon noticed a lot of the items in the room were gifts from her. The crystal vase holding tulips and the Victorian-style chaise against the wall. Devon had practically purchased everything in the room.

  Devon tiptoed down the long corridor, she didn’t hear anything. She wondered where Shanice was. She picked up her bag and put her shoes on. Leaving without seeing Shanice sounded like the perfect plan. At least that way she didn’t have to say anything. Devon opened the front door and rushed out.

  “Going somewhere?”

  The voice startled Devon. She turned around to see Shanice sitting on her patio. The sly smirk on Shanice’s face disgusted Devon.

  “Were you running away, Dev?” Shanice crossed her arms.

  “I have things to do,” Devon stuttered.

  “Right, well you know where to find me when you want to come back.”

  The cocky response only infuriated Devon. She stormed over to the patio gate. “First off, this shit never should have happened. You got me this time, but it won’t happen again. Stay away from me.”

  “I can’t do that.” Shanice stood up.

  “Why?” Devon yelled.

  “Because, I still love you.”

  Devon’s body tensed. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t. She stood there with her lips pressed firmly together. Shanice walked closer; the only thing separating them was the short patio fence.

  “I love you, Devon. I know that I fucked up countless times, but I was young and dumb and didn’t realize that I had my perfect woman staring me in my face. I can’t let you go. I need you. I breathe you. I fucking love you, Devon.”

  Devon let the words replay in her mind. She searched Shanice’s face for a sign that everything she was saying was a
lie. For once she actually looked completely sincere. Shanice placed her hand on top of Devon’s that was resting on the gate.

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Devon snapped as she jerked her hand away from Shanice. “You are obviously completely mental. Do you really think that I would fall for your bullshit again? Get the fuck out of here with that shit. You don’t love me, you love yourself and you crave what you can’t have.”

  “Devon!” Shanice attempted to grab Devon’s hand but she jerked away again.

  “Do you know there was a time I would have died to have you say those words to me? All I wanted for years was for you to love me the way I loved you.”

  “I can do that now, Devon. Please, let me show you.”

  Devon stood there as Shanice pleaded her case. It was all true; they were young when they started dating and as years went on both of them changed. Shanice argued how a person could change in a month, let alone three years. Tears fell from Shanice’s eyes as she begged Devon to come back in the house and let her start making things up to her. Devon listened to every word coming out of Shanice’s mouth until Shanice had exhausted every angle she could.

  “Please, Devon, just give me a month, or a week to prove to you how much I love you. I’ll do anything. Let’s go on a trip, Jamaica or Rio. Fuck it, let me put the ring on your finger that I should have put on years ago. Let’s just go; it can be me and you, together.”

  Devon didn’t take her eyes off of Shanice as she contemplated the platinum offer. She took a step closer to the gate. Devon tipped Shanice’s head up as she lowered her plump lips on hers. The softness of Shanice’s lips felt warm against Devon’s. It was familiar and comfortable, but also terrifying. An expression of pure bliss covered Shanice’s face as they pulled apart. Devon moved her hand from Shanice’s chin, resting it on her left cheek.