Full Figured 4: Carl Weber Presents Read online

  Upon coming out of the bathroom, I found Sean fast asleep on the bed. I must have taken longer than I thought I had in the shower. He looked so cute lying there with his shirt pulled from his slacks, showing a Gucci belt buckle. I couldn’t help but imagine looking at him every morning forever. Grabbing the chemise from the bed, I doubled back to the bathroom and slipped into it, minus panties, because I didn’t have any with me. After properly moisturizing my skin and applying a little gloss to my lips, I went out to wake Sean up.

  Tiptoeing across the floor, I leaned over Sean to get a good look at him. He had the most gorgeous eyelashes I’d ever seen, and I loved that he kept a well-groomed situation. His lineup looked fresh, and he might have gotten his eyebrows arched. He had nice full lips, but not overly done. They looked kissable. I had to make myself back up before I undid his pants and had my way with him.

  “Sean,” I called out as I shook him lightly. “Sean, I’m out of the shower now. Sorry I took so long.”

  He opened his eyes and stretched his body. Damn, he even looked good just waking up. Stepping back, I gave him room to sit up and took the liberty of helping him remove his shirt. He wasn’t overly muscular, but you could tell he definitely worked out. It wasn’t like I could use his abs to count to six or anything, but he was nice to look at.

  “I’m sorry, princess. I didn’t realize how tired I was,” he said in a groggy voice. “I’m glad I got the right size for you. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “Fits perfectly,” I responded, doing a little circle to show him the entire outfit. “Now, let’s get you in the shower. I’m a little exhausted myself.”

  Taking a seat on the other side of the bed, I watched him as he walked into the bathroom to shower. I couldn’t see him getting undressed, but once he got into the shower, I could almost see his outline through the glass door from my spot in the bed. My hands almost found their way back down south, but I refrained, instead turning and putting my hands under the pillow.

  My plan was to wait for him to get out of the shower, but I must have fallen asleep. I didn’t realize it until I felt him get in the bed and wrap himself around me. It was like a natural fit as I scooted back some so that we could spoon. A small part of me hoped he would reach down and see I didn’t have on any underwear, but I was kind of glad he didn’t. I didn’t want this, whatever “this” was, to just turn into a sex thing between us. It would be nice to see if we could build something.

  Both Sean and I slept well into the afternoon, and it felt great to have a warm body next to me again. It’d been ages since I’d had the company of a man, and that was totally by choice. I had to take the time I needed to get me together, and I didn’t want to go into the next relationship with baggage from the last one. I needed to heal, and I needed to feel free again.

  As I snuggled up with Sean, I felt like I was ready to live that kind of life again. The me I was then was the best I had to offer, and I was going in with my eyes wide open. I would slow walk this one, and if it was meant to be, it would be. Keeping it real, I’d say that I was tempted to get things popping when I felt his erection pressing against the crack of my ass, but I wouldn’t make the first move. We’d have plenty of time for that, and if it was meant to happen, then happen it would.

  When It Hurts

  So before we get into the things that we shouldn’t do, I‘ma need your undivided attention. ’Cause it’s fantasies and reality. Baby, which one are we living in...

  ~Avant

  “Why won’t you accept my calls? Why do you keep ignoring my text messages? Valencia, you are really taking all of this to the extreme.” Sean’s voice came over my answering machine for the millionth time in the last few days. All he could do was call the house, because I changed my cell phone number, and little did he know the house phone was next. The only reason why I hadn’t changed the number at the shop was that it was business, and I wasn’t about to let him mess that up. Besides that, he could just go there, so there was no hiding from him.

  “Listen, when you’re ready to grow up, you know how to contact me. I’m not stooping down to your level. If I was you, I’d act fast, because I don’t know how long I will wait,” he concluded after leaving ten more messages like the previous one.

  Sean was trying to throw his weight around. Not that it mattered, because him leaving wasn’t something I had a choice in. We had been growing apart for years, and it wasn’t just about the weight thing. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to stick around my damn self. It had started as a night away from home here and there, which he tried to pass off as business. Those turned into weekends away, and flicks of him with other chicks, laid up on exotic beaches, popping up on the Net. He tried to convince me that they were Photo-shopped pics, but I never believed him.

  Now, with a man like Sean, and the status he had, there was bound to be a hoochie in the tuck, trying to take him from me. That was one of the laws of physics. Especially since we didn’t really get a chance to know each other before we jumped the broom. I mean, we knew each other, but not as well as we should have for us to want to exchange vows. We weren’t exactly on some Biggie and Faith—type stuff, but it happened pretty quickly.

  We ended up staying at the hotel in Puerto Rico until the next morning, and I managed to find a pair of panties along the way. After catching up on sleep, which lasted until the late afternoon, we took in the sites of San Juan before having dinner at La Cucina di Ivo, where Sean knew the owner, Ivo Bignami. The meal was delicious. Afterward, we managed to sleep the entire night without doing anything more than cuddling.

  Early the next morning we chartered the same jet back home. On board we enjoyed a nice breakfast and were able to sit back and relax. No one could have told me that I would be salsa dancing and spending the weekend in San Juan with one of the most sought-after men on the planet. My luck was never that good! When we finally made it back to the airport here in Philly, a car was there to take us home, and Sean made sure I got all the way to the door. He was very respectful, and we shared a hug and a quick peck on the lips before he was off, promising to contact me before the week was out.

  This man had me floating on cloud nine, and even during my nap I could feel myself smiling in my sleep. I plugged my phone in but left it off because I knew Terrell and everyone else had been blowing me up and I wasn’t really ready to come down off my high just yet. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone about my weekend, but it could wait until tomorrow. For now, I had to reorder permanent and semipermanent colors, contact the rep that supplied my relaxer line because they had messed up on my last order, and pick up a few odds and ends from the local hair store, like plastic caps and wrap strips. I hated to run out of things, and for that reason my shop was always well stocked. My shop didn’t open on Mondays, but that didn’t exactly mean a day off for me.

  “Diva, give us the juice!” I heard from the back of the shop on Tuesday morning, before I even saw Terrell’s face. He brought so much energy to the place—even at that early morning hour.

  “Well, let’s just say the Puerto Ricans know how to move! We were dancing all over that island.” I smiled as I recapped the past weekend.

  “I thought y’all were going to Jersey,” Terrell inquired as we unpacked the bags I brought in, and put everything in its proper place. I already had two clients waiting, so I could give him only a tidbit for now.

  “I thought the same thing, but since when did we have to charter a jet to go across the bridge?” I playfully spilled the beans, dragging him along.

  “Oh, I am so open right now!” Terrell responded with exaggerated flare, like only he could, drawing a round of laughs from everyone in attendance.

  Shaking my head, I made my way to the front to start on my first client.

  Things with Sean and me progressed at a fast pace. We spent the very next Sunday on the beach in Belize, where I was mesmerized by the pink sand. We managed to sneak in a few Broadway shows over the space of a month, and we even snuck in a few shopping sprees
where the sky was the limit. Honestly, he had to force me to buy something, because I wasn’t into getting things from men I’d just met. I didn’t want him thinking he was going to treat me like a groupie because he’d dropped a couple thousand on a Chanel bag. There was nothing he could buy me that I couldn’t get myself, and I had to make that perfectly clear before finally letting him purchase a bag and a pair of sandals to match from Michael Kors. I could have gone with Gucci, but I figured we’d start with something that didn’t cost as much and take it from there.

  Pretty soon we were in it like six months deep, and although Sean was constantly moving and shaking, I loved how he made time for me. We had some serious talks along the way, and I was glad I didn’t have to remind him that the way to keep me around was to keep doing the things that he did in the beginning. I wasn’t a fool, though, and I knew that there would be moments when he couldn’t get away; that just kind of came with the business. Hell, I owned a salon that was growing by the day, so that meant I wouldn’t always be able to fly to Africa at the drop of a hat as well. We were very respectful of each other’s time, and that was really what kept us going.

  I liked Sean. Okay, I really liked him, and I would almost go as far as saying I loved him, but not all the way. Just the thought of him put butterflies in my stomach and made me smile at the oddest moments. I could be out grocery shopping, and something he might have said a week or so ago would pop in my head and make me smile. Or I could be watching a show and might see something funny that was reminiscent of him, and I would be cracking up at it. Sean made me happy, but did that constitute love? I wasn’t in a rush to tie the knot, and I wanted to be sure that he was the one. I’d vowed to get married only one time in my life, and if he was the one, we were in it to the very end.

  I was excited on one particular day, because it had been about two weeks since I had seen Sean, and we hadn’t really got to talk that much. He was in Switzerland, handling business for a few accounts he had over there for himself as well as for some clients, and he told me before he left that because of the way the meetings were set up and the time difference, he wouldn’t be able to talk to me a whole lot. I missed him and was glad that he was able to make time a few nights and call after he was done. It would be like three in the morning when my phone rang, but I would wake right up and talk to him.

  I couldn’t wait to see Sean, and curiosity had my stomach in knots the entire day. He told me he had a surprise for me, and my only instructions were to dress in all black and be ready by eight, because he would be sending a car to pick me up. I was ready by seven and was pacing back and forth in my living room, waiting for the car to show up. I was curious as to what might happen. Were we jet setting to another exotic island? Were we going shopping? Or maybe out dancing? It didn’t really matter to me what was happening. As long as I was with him, I was happy.

  The car arrived a few minutes early, and I was out the door and in the backseat in no time. I was feeling giddy and excited, and was smiling so hard, my cheeks were hurting. I couldn’t wait to see Sean, and I felt like a little kid in the backseat with my face pushed up to the glass, trying to see out of the tinted windows. I couldn’t really tell where we were going, and I tried to read the signs, but the car was moving too fast and everything was a blur. Sitting back in the seat, I decided it would be best to just calm down and let the night flow effortlessly.

  Not too long after, the car pulled up to what looked like a castle. The driver helped me out of the car, and I had to hold his hand for a few more seconds to get my balance and close my mouth. Was this Sean’s place? I mean, I knew he was rolling in the dough, but damn. I didn’t even get a chance to take in the surroundings from the circular driveway before I was ushered into the house.

  The foyer was breathtaking. I almost didn’t even want to walk across the marble floors, as my heels clicked against them on my way to the dining room. The floor-to-ceiling windows were heavily draped with cream and burgundy curtains, probably made from some imported Italian silk or something like that. Delicious smells wafted from the back of the house, and my stomach growled a little bit in anticipation of the meal. I was escorted past the dining room and right into the gourmet kitchen, where I found Sean at the stove centered in an island, doing his thing.

  “So you’re a gourmet chef as well? Lucky me.” I smiled as I took the apron he offered me and tied it around my waist. Sweeping my hair to the side, I took the liberty of coming out of my heels and stepping into the flats Sean had laid out for me.

  “Princess, I’m a man of many talents,” Sean responded as he tended to a bubbling pot of red sauce that I couldn’t wait to taste. “Let me borrow your tongue for a minute.”

  The look on my face spoke volumes, but I sidled up right next to him and waited. As he stirred the pot, he leaned into me and kissed my lips. Setting the spoon down, he was able to turn toward me, and I stepped right into his arms. He wrapped his muscular arms around me and held me close. Teasing the corners of his lips with the tip of my tongue, I took the liberty of memorizing the shape of his mouth and let his tongue explore mine. Damn, I wanted to make love to this man, and if I had it my way, tonight would be the night. Breaking from the kiss, Sean continued to hold me close as he swiped the spoon around the pot once more, and after blowing it cool, he held the spoon up to my lips to taste the sauce.

  “How does that taste, princess?” Sean asked after kissing me again.

  “It’s delicious,” I responded, gathering the sauce from the corner of my mouth with my fingertip, then sticking my finger into his mouth to clean it.

  “That’s just the beginning. I have a scrumptious meal planned for us, followed by dessert that’s to die for. Are you ready for a night of relaxation?”

  Instead of answering, I kissed him again, and in the back of my mind I knew tonight would be the night. I wondered if Sean would always be this attentive, but then remembered to rein in my feelings. This was supposed to be a fun thing ... right? Sitting at the small table that was set for us on the other side of the island, I waited for Sean to join me, and as he served our meal, we talked about our future. I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a forever thing, but we were definitely off to a great start.

  Who Knows

  Who knows somehow this night just might lead us into a place where our emotions can grow if we let them go....

  ~Musiq Soulchild

  “Valencia, you can either come outside and we’ll talk like adults, or I’ll just come in there and we can talk in front of the entire shop. Either way, we’re going to talk today. You have a minute to decide how you want to handle this.”

  “Sean, I’m handling business right now, and I have clients that need to be serviced. We can talk later today, when I get home.”

  “That’s not an option, and you know how I hate repeating myself. Either come out or I’m coming in. Your call.”

  Sean had been on my heels for about two weeks now. Ever since I caught him long stroking his assistant, I hadn’t really had too much to say to him. I knew I had to eventually deal with the situation, but I just didn’t feel like picking up the pieces at the present moment. He assured me that she’d been fired and all that, but he might have been better off keeping her around. It would be a cold day in hell before he lay down in bed with me again.

  I had yet to move back into our bedroom, even with the new bed and bedroom decor. It was like an entirely new room, and I made sure he paid for everything that went in there. I even took our wedding photo down, because it didn’t seem like that was going to be a part of our reality for too much longer. Besides that, it had a bullet hole in it, and I didn’t want to be reminded of that horrible day. I guess he figured if he gave me his black card, he could get back in. Silly him. I used that card until the stripe on the back was gone, and he still wasn’t getting a key. I took our marriage vows very seriously, and the sad part was we might be actually talking divorce.

  “Sean, let me finish curling Mrs. Gray and I’ll be out. Give me fif
teen minutes.”

  I straight banged on his ass without waiting for a reply. I didn’t feel like dealing with this mess with Sean today. I wasn’t exactly having the best day, after all; I woke up with a splitting headache and had been running behind ever since. I was already an hour behind when I locked my keys and everything in the car at the gas station, and it took forever for AAA to come and let me in, and my car was running the entire time. I could see my phone ringing inside my car, and between Sean and Terrell, I didn’t know who to call first. The cashier was kind enough to allow me to use the phone to call for assistance and to let Terrell know I was running late. I didn’t want to push the envelope and make another call just to argue with my cheating-ass husband. He could wait. I just needed to get to the shop so that I could get started.

  By the time I pulled up, my first three clients were, thankfully, still under the dryer or in some stage of getting prepped, and I walked in with two more on my heels. This was definitely going to be a busy day. I had yet to call Sean back, and on the real I probably wouldn’t. I didn’t feel like his shit right now, and he already knew I didn’t discuss my personal business at my place of business. I would just have to catch up with him whenever.

  I was finally getting back into the grove of things when this fool decided to show up. Why wasn’t he at the office, making power moves, or overseas with one of the many hoochies that he obviously had? I knew he had some other shit to do besides ride my ass all day, but Sean was stubborn and would not leave until he got his way. I didn’t feel like this shit today.