EPISODE TEN
After Marabel took a long, hot relaxing bubble bath, she decided to lounge around her apartment only sporting her black lace bra and boy short set. She sprayed a fine mist of her favorite perfume in all of her kissable spots before plopping onto her bed. She buried her face into her comforter thinking that the remnants of Coran’s scent still remained.
The night that he popped up, he looked showered and relaxed. She could tell that he had a rigorous workout probably in the building’s indoor basketball court. Yet, it was apparent that his mind was on her for a good part of his night. So much so that he had sought her out. Showed up at her door at a very ungodly hour. Something in her said to curse him out and shut the door, but Coran was greatly becoming her kryptonite. Her plan was to stay far, far, far away. Epic fail. There was no way to avoid the man who lived only a few steps away.
Marabel rolled over onto her back then reached for her cell phone. It was time to catch up on some much needed ‘girl talk’.
“What are you doing calling me this late?” Dabney posed with a bit of light humor to her voice.
“Does it matter? Anyway, today has been insane.”
“Are your two beaus driving you batty?”
“They both want to network with me,” Marabel said with a sigh. Her mind was swirling over each proposition that she wasn’t quite sure had to do with her business prowess versus her sexual prowess.
“Network huh?”
“Get the nastiness out of your mind,” Marabel chimed. “They both want to connect with me in an art gallery type business.”
“Both?” Dabney asked incredulous. Marabel knew that her admission did sound a little far fetched, but hey, the truth was the truth.
She sighed, “I don’t know what’s going on Dabz.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Both ventures sound promising but I need to think over some things. Do a little research before I commit” She paused to think of Calvin’s offer. “Hell, Calvin bought me a space already.”
“What!” Dabney shouted so loud that Marabel held the phone away from her ear with a scowl of annoyance.
“You are so ghetto,” Marabel joked after she brought the phone closer.
“I mean, hell, you should be screeching. The man bought you a building. Who does shit like that?” Dabney had a point. Who does do shit like that? Calvin Laramie that’s who. “So what did your old high school lover get you?”
“Other than some great morning head … nothing.” There was a long pause. Marabel smiled as she could picture Dabney’s wheels turning.
“Head? Marabel?”
“I have to go. Love ya, boo.” Marabel disconnected the call as she laughed. She loved to torture Dabney and apparently Dabney was a glutton for punishment because she always allowed it to happen.
Marabel brushed her hair back into a tight, straight ponytail. Once she slipped on her dress and applied a light layer of makeup, Marabel inventoried herself in the mirror.
It wasn’t that she was trying to be defiant … well … she was trying to be defiant. He wanted her to wear all white. That was clear. However, Marabel was not one to follow the rules ever. Instead she slipped into a white mini-dress with black lacework. She paired her dress with banded white heels and onyx earrings. It was still warm out so she decided against a sheer wrap.
Coran wanted her to meet him out front at 10PM so she quickly noted the time … 10:20 … nope, not defiant at all. She locked up her apartment and took the elevator down to the main floor. Once she made it out of the front door, there was no Coran in sight. Sure, she was fashionably late, but what woman wasn’t? Marabel shifted her weight from one leg to another. Her arms crossed about her chest. She was glad she took the initiative to have a veggie sub before she left or her irritation level would be soaring. Just as she was about to turn around and head back to her apartment, a black Land Rover rolled down the street in a near crawl. When it stopped in front of the building, Marabel admired the spotless finish and chromed rims. It could’ve come right off of the showroom floor just from the looks of its flawless appearance.
When the driver side door opened, something more glorious appeared—Coran Stone dressed in a black suit with a black tie. His signature fedora black as well, but his suit jacket was white with black lapels and pocket square. When he approached Marabel with the gleam of a side grin planted on his face, a faint breeze blew his cologne her way. If Marabel wasn’t standing stock still, she would’ve stumbled over herself. Coran smelled hotter than sex on a platter … sweet, spicy, and, oh so yummy. Nom, nom, nom.
He presented her with a single white rose. Marabel had to cough out a reply of “thank you” just to get her engine started again. Damn, damn, damn, she thought. How in the hell am I going to get through this night?
Coran walked Marabel to the passenger side with his hand at her back. She still didn’t know how her legs managed the short trip seeing as she was ready to take him back upstairs. Looking and smelling like that had to be a crime. Had to be.
Once he entered the driver side and shut the door, he looked to her. Hazel eyes sparkling in the night. Face clean shaven. God, she never would’ve thought that he … Coran Stone … could be nothing less than beautiful.
“I could’ve sworn I said white, Belle,” he chuckled.
She smirked in response. “Hey, I’m different. I like to standout plus look at yourself. Not much more than a stitch of white anywhere in that ensemble.”
Coran clicked his seatbelt and nodded. “We are definitely two peas in a pod.”
Before they drove off, Coran reached inside of the consol and pulled out a white satin scarf. “I need you to blindfold yourself.”
“What?”
Coran stared at her unblinkingly.
“I know you don’t expect me to—,” she paused and looked at him holding out the scarf, “so I’m supposed to put this thing on?”
“After you make the seatbelt click,” he stated without much care for her discomfort.
Marabel furrowed her brow then snatched the scarf from his had. Once she had securely snapped her seatbelt, she tied the scarf as a blindfold. She was blind to whatever he was doing and past unnerved. It was always Coran who had her in some type of compromising situation or position and here she was stepping onto his playing field once again.
Dammit, didn’t I say I was going to leave his ass alone? This better be good.
The night that he popped up, he looked showered and relaxed. She could tell that he had a rigorous workout probably in the building’s indoor basketball court. Yet, it was apparent that his mind was on her for a good part of his night. So much so that he had sought her out. Showed up at her door at a very ungodly hour. Something in her said to curse him out and shut the door, but Coran was greatly becoming her kryptonite. Her plan was to stay far, far, far away. Epic fail. There was no way to avoid the man who lived only a few steps away.
Marabel rolled over onto her back then reached for her cell phone. It was time to catch up on some much needed ‘girl talk’.
“What are you doing calling me this late?” Dabney posed with a bit of light humor to her voice.
“Does it matter? Anyway, today has been insane.”
“Are your two beaus driving you batty?”
“They both want to network with me,” Marabel said with a sigh. Her mind was swirling over each proposition that she wasn’t quite sure had to do with her business prowess versus her sexual prowess.
“Network huh?”
“Get the nastiness out of your mind,” Marabel chimed. “They both want to connect with me in an art gallery type business.”
“Both?” Dabney asked incredulous. Marabel knew that her admission did sound a little far fetched, but hey, the truth was the truth.
She sighed, “I don’t know what’s going on Dabz.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Both ventures sound promising but I need to think over some things. Do a little research before I commit” She paused to think of Calvin’s offer. “Hell, Calvin bought me a space already.”
“What!” Dabney shouted so loud that Marabel held the phone away from her ear with a scowl of annoyance.
“You are so ghetto,” Marabel joked after she brought the phone closer.
“I mean, hell, you should be screeching. The man bought you a building. Who does shit like that?” Dabney had a point. Who does do shit like that? Calvin Laramie that’s who. “So what did your old high school lover get you?”
“Other than some great morning head … nothing.” There was a long pause. Marabel smiled as she could picture Dabney’s wheels turning.
“Head? Marabel?”
“I have to go. Love ya, boo.” Marabel disconnected the call as she laughed. She loved to torture Dabney and apparently Dabney was a glutton for punishment because she always allowed it to happen.
Marabel brushed her hair back into a tight, straight ponytail. Once she slipped on her dress and applied a light layer of makeup, Marabel inventoried herself in the mirror.
It wasn’t that she was trying to be defiant … well … she was trying to be defiant. He wanted her to wear all white. That was clear. However, Marabel was not one to follow the rules ever. Instead she slipped into a white mini-dress with black lacework. She paired her dress with banded white heels and onyx earrings. It was still warm out so she decided against a sheer wrap.
Coran wanted her to meet him out front at 10PM so she quickly noted the time … 10:20 … nope, not defiant at all. She locked up her apartment and took the elevator down to the main floor. Once she made it out of the front door, there was no Coran in sight. Sure, she was fashionably late, but what woman wasn’t? Marabel shifted her weight from one leg to another. Her arms crossed about her chest. She was glad she took the initiative to have a veggie sub before she left or her irritation level would be soaring. Just as she was about to turn around and head back to her apartment, a black Land Rover rolled down the street in a near crawl. When it stopped in front of the building, Marabel admired the spotless finish and chromed rims. It could’ve come right off of the showroom floor just from the looks of its flawless appearance.
When the driver side door opened, something more glorious appeared—Coran Stone dressed in a black suit with a black tie. His signature fedora black as well, but his suit jacket was white with black lapels and pocket square. When he approached Marabel with the gleam of a side grin planted on his face, a faint breeze blew his cologne her way. If Marabel wasn’t standing stock still, she would’ve stumbled over herself. Coran smelled hotter than sex on a platter … sweet, spicy, and, oh so yummy. Nom, nom, nom.
He presented her with a single white rose. Marabel had to cough out a reply of “thank you” just to get her engine started again. Damn, damn, damn, she thought. How in the hell am I going to get through this night?
Coran walked Marabel to the passenger side with his hand at her back. She still didn’t know how her legs managed the short trip seeing as she was ready to take him back upstairs. Looking and smelling like that had to be a crime. Had to be.
Once he entered the driver side and shut the door, he looked to her. Hazel eyes sparkling in the night. Face clean shaven. God, she never would’ve thought that he … Coran Stone … could be nothing less than beautiful.
“I could’ve sworn I said white, Belle,” he chuckled.
She smirked in response. “Hey, I’m different. I like to standout plus look at yourself. Not much more than a stitch of white anywhere in that ensemble.”
Coran clicked his seatbelt and nodded. “We are definitely two peas in a pod.”
Before they drove off, Coran reached inside of the consol and pulled out a white satin scarf. “I need you to blindfold yourself.”
“What?”
Coran stared at her unblinkingly.
“I know you don’t expect me to—,” she paused and looked at him holding out the scarf, “so I’m supposed to put this thing on?”
“After you make the seatbelt click,” he stated without much care for her discomfort.
Marabel furrowed her brow then snatched the scarf from his had. Once she had securely snapped her seatbelt, she tied the scarf as a blindfold. She was blind to whatever he was doing and past unnerved. It was always Coran who had her in some type of compromising situation or position and here she was stepping onto his playing field once again.
Dammit, didn’t I say I was going to leave his ass alone? This better be good.