Again - Part I

It’s been a LONG day and all you want to do is go home…BUT you can’t. You’re the last nurse today and one client is still waiting to be picked up. All your meds have been signed off and refilled. All your documentation has been done. You are literally sitting at your desk staring at nothing. “Ughhhhhh!”, you groan sprawling out dramatically in the chair. “Where the hell is this kids ride?”, you wonder aloud. Extreme boredom sets in and you decide to scroll through social media. Twitter…drama. Facebook…boring. Instagram…kinda entertaining. You find yourself scrolling, double tapping and commenting on quite a few pictures to pass the time. After about 20 minutes you stand and stretch. You leave your phone on your desk and take a walk around the building. Upon your return you find that your phone is lit up with an Instagram notification. You plop down on your chair and open the app. It’s a Direct Message. You blink twice. It’s from ‘philsmeeze’. This isn’t the first Direct Message you’ve received from him but whenever you see his name pop up, it always makes your heart skip a beat…or two. You look around to see if anyone is watching (why I don’t know) then open it. ‘Hey Baby Girl’, you read smiling. His nickname for you will never get old. ‘I’m in DC for the weekend’. You suck in a breath. You’re not sure why he felt the need to share this information with you. ‘Hey Philip! Always good to hear from you. Sounds like fun. Enjoy!’. You smile at your response. ‘That sounds platonic enough’, you think to yourself proudly. He responds immediately, ‘Can I call you?’. You freeze. He’s only ever called you once and well…you are STILL trying to forget that entire situation. You contemplate long and hard about your response. ‘I’m at work right now. Give me a half-hour’. You sigh hoping that gives you enough time to think. ‘Ok’, he responds immediately. ‘I wanna see you Baby Girl’. Your jaw drops. You shake your head and close the app. “No, no, no. Not again”.   

After about 10 minutes, the last client is finally picked up and you can head home. You hop in the car, blast the radio and cruise down the highway forgetting all about your earlier DM conversation. You are singing at the top of your lungs about swinging from chandeliers with Sia when your phone rings. You hit the bluetooth without checking the caller ID. “Hello”, you answer in a good mood. “Baby Girl…”, greets you along with that famous smile you can hear over the phone. “FUCK!” you mouth to yourself. “Oh, hey…Philip. How have you been?”. “Good, now that I’m talking to you”. You roll your eyes. You’ve heard this bullshit before and are not in the mood for it right now. “Ha, ha, ha. Cut it out Philip. How are you?”. He chuckles, “I’m doing fine Nikki. How are you?”. You can envision his facial expression and it makes you blush. “I’m doing well Philip. Thanks for asking”. A moment of silence awkwardly enters the conversation. “So…I’m in your neck of the woods this weekend”, he states happily. “Well, technically you’re an hour away from me in DC. Not necessarily my neck of the woods”, you state plainly. “True…but close enough for a visit”. You can hear the hope in his voice. You choose to ignore it along with his last statement, “So, what brings you to DC, Mr. Lawrence?”. He’s silent for a moment. “Well…I have this little charity thing…”. “Uh huh, that’s nice”, you interject to be polite. “I…uh…was kinda hoping…”, you cut him off because you honestly aren’t listening to a word he’s saying. “Well, that should be fun Philip. I hope you enjoy yourself”. “Nikki, I want you to go with me”. “Oh really…”, you start not processing what he just said. “…WAIT! WHAT?!”. He chuckles a bit, “I thought it would be nice if you accompanied me to the event. You don’t reply…well, in all honesty you don’t know what to say. “Hello?”, he asks. “I’m still here Philip”. “So, what do you say? Are you busy tomorrow night?” You don’t know what to say so you hangup. You aren’t trying to be rude, you just have no idea what to say to him. The phone rings and of course, it’s Philip. “I think we got disconnected or something”, he whispers. “So, will you go?”. You are stone silent. “Nikki? You still there?”. “Huh? Uh, yeah…I’m here”, you manage to spit out. “I’m here. I’m driving home from work”. “Oh, ok. Look Baby Girl, I know this is short notice. It’s just, well…”. “Well what Philip?!”, you ask a little pissed. “I mean I don’t hear from you for months and NOW you want me to go to a charity event with you out the clear blue sky?”. You can hear his sigh of remorse over the phone, “I’m sorry Nikki. Things have been really crazy the last couple months. You know I’d never forget about you. You my girl. Always will be”. You roll your eyes, “Uh huh. Whatever Philip. I should go. There is a lot of traffic”. “So, you’re not going to go with me? You’re going to make me go alone?”. You don’t respond. “It’s for autism research you know. I THOUGHT you’d be excited to go”. You stare down at your phone. He knows where you work and what you do. He’s playing with you. “Philip, I…don’t know. There isn’t anyone else that can go?”. “Is this about the last time? Nikki, I said I was sorry. Something came up”. “No, it’s not about that”, you say knowing full well it is about the last time. You refuse to put your heart on the line like that again. “It’s ten grand a plate. Would be a great donation…”. Your heart drops, “Philip, I don’t have that kind of money laying around!”. “Didn’t I say you’d be MY date? I got you covered. You just need to stand next to me looking beautiful”. You sigh deeply. You just read in your nursing journal how more funding is desperately needed for autism research. He has you cornered and he knows it. “Where and when Philip”, you concede reluctantly. You can hear him smile over the phone, “Meet me at my hotel, noon tomorrow. I’m staying at the Ritz-Carlton. Suite 930”. You furrow your brow, “Ok…that’s pretty early for a charity dinner. It can’t be black tie”. He laughs, “Oh the event isn’t until 7pm and yes, it is black tie. I thought we could catch up a bit over lunch before hand”. You are ready to end this conversation, “Goodbye Philip”. You hang up and ignore the immediate ring back. 

You detour from your regular route home and hit Towson Town Center. If you are going to see Philip tomorrow…ahem…I mean, attend a charity dinner, you need a new dress. In the time it takes you to park and make your way into White House Black Market, Philip has called you 5 times. Just as the sales associate asks if you need any assistance, your phone rings again. Of course…it’s Philip. You groan looking down at your phone. “Please excuse me for one moment”, you smile as you walk toward the wall and answer the call. “WHAT PHILIP!!”, you snap. “WOMAN!! Who are you yelling at?!”, he snaps back. You smirk. You love it when he’s feisty. “I’m yelling at a man who won’t stop calling my phone”. “Well, if you’d answer the phone, I wouldn’t have to keep calling”. You are blushing like a school girl over this entire situation. “Ok Philip, what do you want?”. He chuckles, “Ha, ha, ha! What do I want? YOU woman! I want to see YOU. I want to hold you and see you smile up at me”. His voice lowers, “I just want you, Baby Girl”. You drop your head and smile but don’t respond. You want that too but don’t want to put your heart out there again to be broken. “Nikki”, he whispers in that sexy raspy voice that makes your knees buckle. “Please, just meet me for lunch”. You miss him. It’s been months since you’ve seen him. You know you're going to regret this but you agree. “Fine. Lunch and ONLY lunch. Where should I meet you? And don’t tell me your hotel”. You swear you can hear him smiling, “How about sushi and cocktails? Does that sound ok?”. Your face brightens a bit. Sushi does sound good. “Sure Philip. Sushi sounds delicious”. He gives you the name and address of the restaurant. “How’s 1pm sound?”, he asks sincerely. You can’t stop smiling no matter how hard you try. “Perfect. See you tomorrow, Philip”. “Can’t wait to see you Baby Girl”, he slips in just as you end the call. You lean against the wall staring at your phone and smiling for a minute. The sales associate walks up to you and asks if you are ok. You chuckle, “Yes. I’m great actually”. She smiles at you and asks, “Special date?”. You nod, “Kinda. I’m having lunch with…an old friend. Then we are going to a black tie charity event”. “Oh that sounds like a lot of fun! I have a few things I can show you”.  

After trying on 5 little black dresses, the last one is perfect. The look, the fit, the length, everything. “I’ll take it!”, you smile still looking at your reflection in the mirror. “It looks great on you! He’s gonna love it”. You stop and stare at her as she begins picking up the other dresses. ‘Nosey little bitch’, immediately comes to mind. You want to say something smart but decide to bench the urban queen trying to make her way to the court. You change out of the dress, emerge from the dressing room and find the sales associate waiting for you with an armful of spring cocktail dresses. You look at her with your mouth open. Before you can speak she starts, “Ok. Now, let’s wow him at lunch”. She winks and hands you the first dress. You smile and head back into the dressing room.

You finally arrive home and throw everything on the bed, including yourself. It’s 9pm. You are starving, need to do your hair and book a hotel room in DC for tomorrow night. You get up grab a banana and open your laptop. You find a great deal at the Hilton Garden Inn in DC and book it for 1 night. Closing your laptop you pop up grab your luggage and start to pack. Walking past a mirror, you catch a glimpse of your hair. “Ugh! What the hell am I gonna do with this mess by tomorrow?”, you wonder carefully rolling your clothes into the suitcase. You shower, wash your hair and sit on the bed looking at your wet curls. “No bueno”, you state aloud wishing you had time to hit the hair salon tomorrow morning. You call up your homie and hope she’s not working. “Hey chick, what you doing?”. “Heifer, what do you want?”. “I need you to help me do my hair…”, she cuts you off before you can finish. “Hell no! You got too much fucking hair heifer”. You ignore her and continue, “I’m going to a charity event tomorrow night and I can’t get to the salon”. “Why the hell not? Just go in the morning”. “I can’t I have a…a…uh…lunch date”. “WITH WHO??”, she pipes up. You don’t answer. “Wait, what charity event? How’d you get a ticket?”. You are smiling, “Cherry just get your ass over here and help me”. “Fine. I’ll be there in a few. And I want ALL the details”.

You wake up to your alarm. It’s 10am. You playfully kick Cherry. Her ass was too lazy to go home last night so she crashed with you. “Fuck you. I’m sleep”, she grumbles. You giggle, “Girl I gotta get ready to go. I gotta get to the hotel, check in and meet Philip by 1pm”. She looks up at you. “Nikki, look, I know you’re excited to see him but don’t get your heart all in it. I don’t wanna see you get hurt again”. You are washing your face, “I know, I know. I won’t”. “I’m serious Nikki! Don’t call me crying cuz that nigga then hurt you again. I might zap out on his ass”, she says sternly. You know she’s serious. Holding your hand over your heart, you say, “I promise to guard my heart”. “Forget your heart, just don’t fuck him again!”. She throws a pillow at you. You duck and throw it back laughing.

You’re cruising down Interstate 2-95 with your iTunes on blast. “Uptown funk you up, Uptown funk you up…”, you sing loudly as you car dance down the road. You are nervous as fuck and trying to release some of it before you see him. Your text alarms and you glance down, ‘Hope ur on ur way. Can’t w8 2 C U’. You smile and keep singing. You pull up to the Hilton and park so you can check in. It’s 11:45am, you are really pushing it. Thankfully your room is ready so you get your things and FLY up to your room. You text Cherry and let her know you got there safely. ‘Glad ur safe. Don’t fall for that nigga’. You send the side eye emoji and hop into the shower. You are drying off when the phone rings. You glance over…it’s Philip. You really can’t talk if you’re gonna make it on time but decide to pick it up anyway. “Hello”, you say with a huff. “Hey, Baby Girl! Please tell me you’re in DC”. You put the phone on speaker as you begin to lotion your body. “Yes, I am. I have you on speaker. I’m getting dressed”. He moans softly, “Sooooo you’re naked?”. You smirk and lie, “No, Philip. I’m getting dressed. I’ll see you soon. Bye!”. You hang up before he can respond. You stand at the mirror and let down your pin curls. “Thank you Cherry!”, you say out loud. You’re curls are PERFECT! You put on your blush colored cocktail dress, slide on your espadrilles and apply a thin layer of lip glass. You reach for your clutch and head out the door.

You hail a taxi to lunch because you ABHORE driving in DC. Besides, you need some time to decompress. You arrive at the restaurant and realize you’ve been here before. It’s a nice spot, real chill vibe with great atmosphere. You walk in and Philip spots you immediately, “Bab…ahem…Nikki”. You look in his direction and smile. Walking toward each other, both of your eyes lock and both of your steps quicken. He’s wearing a red Polo with dark dress jeans and your favorite frames. ‘Damn he looks good’, you think to yourself. He reaches out and you walk right into his arms…like always. They feel exactly the same and my God, he smells just as delicious as he always does. He rocks from side to side holding you tight. He kisses your cheek and whispers, “Damn I missed you”. You can feel the moment lingering a little too long and decide to break his embrace. “Hey Philip”, you smile stroking his face. He catches your hand, kisses it and holds it tight as you both walk to your booth. Philip is sitting very close, you don’t think he could be any closer to you if he tried. “You look beautiful Baby Girl”, he whispers in your ear as the waiter arrives to take your drink orders. You try to ignore his comment and order one of their signature drinks that you absolutely love. After the waiter leaves, Philip leans in close, places his hand on your right thigh and gives it a light squeeze. Staring into your eyes he says softly, “I missed you Nikki”. Your heart skips a beat and your love jumps simultaneously. You missed him too but still feel the ache from the scar tissue around your broken heart. You smile, remove his hand and lean into him, “Lunch and only lunch, remember?”. He smirks and looks away, “Yeah, I remember”. The drinks come and you both review the menu. You steer him to some of your favorites. After you both order, you sit back, take a sip of your Blushing Geisha and try to ignore the fact that he won’t stop staring at you. He sips his drink and continues to stare. You can’t take it anymore. “Please stop staring at me”, you request looking away. He smiles and turns your face toward him. “I’m sorry. It’s just I’m so happy you’re here. You look just as beautiful as I remember. I love that color on you Nikki”. You mentally high-five the White House Black Market sales associate. “Thank you”, you reply. He’s still staring except now his face is inches from yours. You take a deep breath and mistakingly lick your lips. Philip moves in to kiss you but you place your hand on his chest, pushing him away and look down. He sighs, “I know. Lunch and only lunch”. The food arrives and you use it as an opportunity to spark conversation. “So, what have you been up to these past few months?”. He smiles, “Working. You know, making music”. He pops a California Roll into his mouth and says, “I been doing what I do, you know”. You laugh because he’s being silly. You take a bite of your Spicy Tuna Roll just as he asks you, “So, who’s new…I mean…what’s new in your life?”. You scrunch your nose up at him for that intentional slip of the tongue. You refuse to address it though. “I’ve been working. Taking care of patients. You know doing what I do”, you mock. He laughs out loud and his dimples emerge begging you to kiss them. You look away. 

 Lunch is delicious and the drinks are even more so. You are so glad you took a taxi because after 5 Blushing Geisha’s, you couldn’t drive anywhere. Philip is seriously buzzed. He’s playing in your hair. “I like this hair style on you. But honestly, I miss your natural curls. You look so cute with your natural curls”. You can’t help but blush. “Thanks. They’re in there, they are just straight right now”. Philip’s hand leaves your hair and caresses your face. Staring intently into your eyes, his lips are dangerously close to yours. You feel yourself leaning in to him. Your lips graze and you open your eyes remembering Cherry’s warning. Philip caresses the back of your head and kisses you ever so lightly on the lips. Your love is soaking wet and your hand is resting on his growing fondness. The waiter clears his throat and you both snap back to reality. “I apologize sir but is there anything else I can get for you?”. You check the time. It’s 4:47pm. ‘WOW! We’ve been here a while’, you think to yourself. Philip notices the time as well. “No. No, thank you. Just the check please”. You quickly change the subject, “So, what time should I meet you at the venue?”. Philip shakes his head, “Nah, I’ll pick you up in the car. No worries. Where are you staying?”. You begin to rattle off the name of your hotel without thinking, “The Hilton Garden…”. You stop abruptly realizing that it’s probably not a good idea for him to have your hotel information. “Uh…It’s fine. I’ll take a taxi or something”, you finish. Philip smiles, “No, I’ll pick you up. It’s fine. So, the Hilton Garden Inn DC right?”. You wince, “Yeah..”. “Ok, we’ll be there at 6:40pm. Is that ok?”. You nod, “Sure”. ‘Well, he doesn’t have my room number’, you think trying to make yourself feel better. 

You walk out to the front of the restaurant and realize you need a taxi. You try hard not to let Philip notice. “So, where’d you park? I’ll walk you to your car”. ‘FUCK!’, you think to yourself. “No, Philip it’s fine. I’ll be ok”. “Nikki, you had 5 drinks I’m pretty sure you need an escort to your car. I saw you stumble a bit on the way out”. You look down. “I didn’t drive. I took a taxi. I’ll get one back Philip. I’m fine really”. His eyes grow wide. “Oh wait! I do remember you telling me how much you hate driving around DC. No need for you to take a taxi. I’ll have the driver drop you off. No problem”, he says wrapping his arm around your waist and steering you toward the blacked out Yukon. You barely move. “I’m fine. Really Philip”. You walk toward the curb and start to hail a taxi. One stops and you start to get in, “I’ll see you at 6:40 Philip”. “Nikki wait!”, Philip starts, jogging toward the taxi but you slam the door and insist the driver take off. You sit back in the seat and breathe a sigh of relief, “Woooo”. Your phone rings. You know who it is. You silence it and try to enjoy the short ride. 

Soon you are back at your hotel room. It’s 5:15pm. You start to pin your hair back up and draw a nice warm bath. You need to wash his charm and personality off of you. You’re shocked Cherry hasn’t called or texted you. You call her. “WHAT’S WRONG?!”, she answers immediately. “Do I need to come down?”. You giggle, “Calm your ass down. I’m fine. I just got back from lunch. I’m about to take a bath”. There is a knock on your hotel room door. Your heart stops. ‘No, no, no’, you think to yourself. “Who the fuck is that? Nikki is that him? It better not be him”, Cherry threatens. “Or what chick? Hold on”. You put the phone down and put on your kimono as you walk to the door. You nervously look through the peephole. It’s the concierge. You open door, “Can I help you?”. “Ah, ma’am I apologize but these came for you and I was to bring them up to you directly”. He hands you a large bouquet of pink roses and stargazer lilies with an envelope attached. You smile taking the bouquet, “Thank you”. You realize you have no cash to tip him as he turns to leave. “Uh…I’m sorry but I don’t have any cash on me right now”. He turns around, “Oh don’t worry I was tipped by the gentleman that sent them. Enjoy your night ma’am”. You close the door and hear Cherry yelling your name over the phone. You pick it up. “Damn! I could hear you all the way in the other room. I’m fine. Someone sent me flowers”. “Uh huh. Who? As if I didn’t know”. You open the envelope addressed to “Baby Girl”. The card reads: ‘I enjoyed your company this afternoon more than you could ever know. I can’t wait to see you again tonight. Please consider wearing your natural curls for me. One of these lilies would be perfect in your hair. Yours, Philip’. “Hold up! You bet not EVEN be considering undoing all my hard ass work straightening your damn hair!”. You are smiling from ear to ear as you lay the flowers down and slide into the tub. “No Cherish, I’m not going to undo your style. The curls came out perfectly by the way. Thanks”. “You’re welcome. Although, you could've sent me a picture heifer. You are something else”. You laugh and tell her all about your lunch date. 

It’s 6pm when you slide out of the tub. “Aight girlie, I gotta get ready. He’s picking me up at 6:40pm”. “Ok girl. Text me when you get back. Have fun but don’t fuck him”. “Bye Cherry”. You begin the process of getting dressed. You only wear make-up on very special occasions and this qualifies. You start to put on your make up and un-pin your curls. “Not bad”, you smirk at yourself in the mirror. You slide into your little black dress and heels. You admire yourself in the mirror. It’s a rare occasion you find yourself attractive but you must admit, you look good. Your bouquet catches your eye. ‘One of these lilies would be perfect in your hair’, you remember from the card. You take one of the smaller lily blossoms and place it in the left side of your hair. You think for a minute and move it to the right side. It does actually look nice in your hair. It’s 6:37pm. You should head down to the lobby. You grab your clutch and head down. You step off the elevator and Philip is already waiting for you in the lobby. His black Tom Ford suit is wearing him well. He looks amazing. Philip’s eyes light up like a Christmas tree when he sees you. He walks up to you, wraps his arms around you and kisses you. You are helpless to stop him and honestly you really don’t want to. Looking into your eyes he whispers, “You look amazing Nikki. And the lily is perfect”. You are pretty sure you are blushing. “Thank you. You look very handsome Philip”. He smiles and brushes his shoulders. “Shall we?”, he asks extending his arm for your hand. You oblige and you both head out to the car.

It’s a short ride to the Mandarin Oriental but with Philip whispering in your ear the entire time, it seemed like the longest ride in history. “You look delicious”, coupled with his hand under your dress, on your thigh is making you warm all over. You know you need to stop him so you move his hand and slide over toward the door. Philip looks somewhere between shocked and hurt. You can’t bear to look at him, so you stare out the window. He gets the hint. “Ok, ok. I get it. I’ll leave you alone…for now”, he whispers turning away from you. The car arrives at the venue. You are a little surprised to see a red carpet with some photographers. You reapply your lipstick and fix your hair…just in case. You notice the driver step out and prepare to open the door. Philip slides close to you and caresses your face. “You look perfect”, he murmurs kissing you softly. You open your eyes and notice him staring at your lily. “Hmm. Let’s fix this”. He moves it from the right side of your hair to the left. Kissing you deeper he whispers, “You are taken tonight”. You have no defense against his charms as his hand slides down your body hitting every curve. Philip steps out of the car and extends his hand to you. You gracefully step out of the car and his arm immediately wraps around your waist. Looking intently into your eyes he whispers, “You ready?”. ‘No!’ , you wanna yell but instead you whisper, “As ready as I can be”. He pulls you closer and kisses your cheek. Lingering near your ear he whispers, “You’re gonna be great”. You both step onto the red carpet. A few photographers are calling his name for pictures. You try to step away so you won’t be in the picture but he refuses to let go of your waist. You take a few pictures together. Philip is being VERY affectionate. He even lifts your chin and kisses you in a few photos. You can hear Cherry’s mouth once she see’s these pictures but right now you don’t care. You are floating.

You enter the ballroom and are in complete awe of the beautiful Asian inspired decor. Philip notices your expression and smiles, “I knew you’d love it”. You both find your way to your table and sit. Philip immediately requests a bottle of Malbec for you. You look down and smile, “You remembered”. Lifting your head he states sincerely, “I’ll never forget that night Nikki”. Your mind flashes back to the first night you met. His hands gripping your thighs, your skirt pushed up to your waist, your panties pushed to the side as his python ravaged your love over and over. Your panties are drenched and your face is flushed just from the memory. Noticing, he leans in placing his hands on your crossed legs and whispers “You ok?”. You snap out of your thoughts and are little embarrassed. “Yes, I’m fine”, you reply clearing your throat and sitting up straight. He kisses you lightly on the cheek. “I can’t stop thinking about it either”, he smirks. Your face flushes again. The waiter pours your glass of wine and you down it immediately. Philip takes the glass out of your hand and places it down on the table. Chuckling, he whispers, “Slow down Baby Girl”. You shift uncomfortably in your chair. ‘I knew I should’ve told him no’, you think regretting this entire day. He’s looking way too good sitting next to you and your self control is slowing inching toward the door. The waiter takes your order. As soon as he leaves, Philip stands, “Let’s take a walk Nikki. I want you to see this place”. That’s what his mouth says but his eyes are saying, ‘Come on Baby Girl. You need some fresh air’.    

 You feel like a little girl in a fairytale castle as you wander in awe around the grandiose rooms. “It’s so beautiful here!”, you exclaim to no one in particular. Philip replies, “Yes it is”. He smiles as he watches you gawk at various designs and architecture. You are standing in front of the largest window you’ve ever seen. You traipse around, not paying attention to where you are going and bump right into him. Smiling up at him, you apologize, “Sorry”. He smiles. You continue to gaze out at the newness of the night beginning to fall. The stars are beginning to appear on the darkening blue sky. You feel his eyes on you and pretend not to notice. It doesn’t help. Before you know it, his arms are around your waist and you both are face to face in the first moonlight. Brushing the hair away from your face, he quietly says, “Dance with me beautiful”. You glance up at him and just smile. Placing one hand on the small of your back and interlacing the other with yours, Philip begins to sway slowly back and forth. You decide to go with it. You place your head on his shoulder and can hear him humming. You aren’t sure of the song but it doesn’t matter as long as you’re in his arms. He rests your hand on his shoulder while his hand joins the other on the small of your back. Pulling you close, you can feel the heat brewing between you. You look up to find him staring at you. His hands travel up under your hair to caress your face while he kisses you slowly but deeply. Your body trembles and he can feel it. He holds you closer as your tongues dance to the beat of a lovers song that only the two of you can hear. His hands meander down to caress your ass and things get intense. You can feel that python awaken. You have to stop. You push Philip away…reluctantly. He looks disappointed. “What’s wrong?”, he asks walking toward you. You take a step back and reply, “We should probably get back”. He sighs and extends his hand to you, “Ok”. 

Dinner is delicious but awkward as hell. The couples at the table are very friendly but Philip seems to be giving you the cold shoulder. You decide to ignore him and drink yourself happy. After a little while, you are VERY happy and can’t help but notice just how FIONE Philip looks in that suit. You fix your gaze on him while you try to push Cherry’s voice out of your head. Your inhibitions and self control waltz out the door arm-in-arm as you pour the last of the Malbec and place the empty bottle on the table. Philip notices and stares for a moment. You prepare for a lecture but are surprised when he winks and smiles. He slides his hand across the table to yours and gives it a gentle squeeze. You can’t help but notice those perfect imperfections daring you to get closer. You mouth, “I’m sorry”, as you rub his hand between both of yours. He shakes his head “no” and slides his chair close to you. Lifting your chin with his index finger he kisses you. “I’m the one who should be sorry, Baby. Not you”. You can see remorse in those beautiful brown pools of perfection. Kissing you again he asks, “You ready to go?”. You nod. You are ready to leave. You’re just not ready to leave him. You both say good night to the couples at the table and exchange pleasantries on your way out of the venue. 

It’s a storybook scene, warm summer night with a light balmy breeze and a clear starry sky. You are doing your best not to look as drunk as you really are. You lean close to Philip and thank God his arm never leaves your waist. You stumble slightly but Philip’s arm holds you close. He presses his lips near your ear and murmurs, “I’m right here and I got you. I’m not letting go”. You don’t have to look up at him to see his expression. You can feel those bedroom eyes burning into you. As you wait for the car, you lean on Philip’s chest and listen to his heart beat. It’s so calming. He kisses the top of your head and you look up. There are quite a few people waiting for their cars as well. Philip looks at you and whispers, “Wanna go for a walk?”. You smile in agreement. You both walk toward the lights of the harbor. The fresh air is helping to make you feel better. You are no where near as intoxicated as you were but Philip’s arm never leaves your waist. You walk away from him to stare at the allure of the moonlight bathing the bay. It’s truly an exquisite sight. “How beautiful you sigh,” staring at the bay. Philip agrees, “Very”. Or so you thought as you look up to find him staring at you. You know that look and it’s dangerous. You stand and begin to walk away. He quickly grabs your wrist and pulls you close. You look away but he caresses your face and kisses your forehead and nose. He looks into your eyes as he says, “I’ve been an asshole. I know and I’m sorry. I know you think I’m just throwing game but I’m serious. I’m always thinking about you. You mean more to me then what you think”. He kisses you softly at first then with more intensity as he pulls you closer to his body. The heat between the two of you is undeniable. Your love is jumping and that python is growing by the minute. Philip’s hands are traveling slowly up your thighs. You stroke that python and immediately realize you’re not going to be able to keep your promise to Cherry. Philip’s arms draw you in closer and you feel that python double in size. His tongue finds yours just as you both hear footsteps approaching. You don’t stop, you can’t. You’re bodies are one and it has a mind of own at this point. Seeing you both in a deep lovers embrace, the valet stops abruptly and looks away. “Ahem. Mr. Lawrence, your car is waiting”. Neither of you acknowledge him as the footsteps quickly return in the direction from whence they came. You both break for air and Philip leads you toward the car. 

Inside the car, Philip rolls up the partition and you both continue making out like two 16 year olds on prom night. You swear he has 5 pair of hands because they are everywhere - rubbing, squeezing, caressing EVERY inch of your body. Neither of you realize the car has come to a stop until the driver knocks on the window. Philip rolls down the window just a crack and asks, “Yes?”. The driver (whose back is turned to you both) says, “Sir, we have arrived at the lady’s hotel”. “Thank you”, Philip responds and rolls up the window. You smile shyly at him and fix your dress and hair. You refuse to walk through the lobby looking like a hooker. When you are ready, you knock on the window and the driver opens the door. You straighten your dress, thank the driver and casually walk into the hotel. Philip isn’t far behind you watching your every move. You can feel his eyes sliding up and down your curves and you smile to yourself. You wait at the elevator with an older gentleman and Philip’s eyes never leave you. The elevator opens and the three of you walk in. You and Philip stand apart at the back of the elevator while the older gentleman waits patiently at the front. You glance over and see Philip licking his lips as he stares at your breasts. The elevator stops at the 5th floor and the older gentleman steps out. The doors close and you expect Philip to pounce on you but he doesn’t. He stands there watching you and smiling. You reach the 12th floor and exit the elevator with Philip close behind. You walk to your hotel door and open it. Before you step inside, you turn and smile at Philip who is still a few steps behind you. You leave your card key in the door as the door closes. You walk over to the chair to remove your heels. Before you can finish, the door opens and Philip walks in. He throws your card key on the table and stands behind you. You know what he wants but he’s waiting for your permission. You step back into him and ask coyly, “Would you mind unzipping me?”. “It would be my pleasure, Baby Girl”. He moves your hair from your neck and kisses it. He leaves kisses on your shoulders and every inch of your skin revealed as he unzips your dress. You let your dress fall to the floor and turn to face him. Stroking your hair, he whispers, “Are you sure about this?”. You reply honestly, “No. But I know I don’t want you to leave”. Kissing you, he picks you up and lays you onto the bed. He begins to remove his clothes but his eyes stay fixed on yours. He lays his warm milk chocolate body on top of yours and you melt. You roll him over and straddle him. He smirks. Stroking your hair, his hands move down and unfastens your bra. Freeing your breasts, he kisses each softly then licks and nibbles at each nipple. You moan to his satisfaction. That python is poised and ready to strike as it presses hard against your love. Your panties are so wet, they are stuck to you and it’s uncomfortable. Philip rolls you over and pins you onto your back. You smirk because clearly, you are not in control tonight. As if reading your mind, his hands carefully remove your panties and toss them on the floor. Sliding between your legs, he pauses as if he’s giving you the opportunity to change your mind. You remove his frames and kiss his face as you push yourself onto that waiting python. Philip is very gentle initially and you are thankful. He’s larger than what you remember and your love is being stretched to it’s limits. You wince and he stops immediately, “Am I hurting you?”. You kiss him softly and push your love further onto his hardness. You can hear your cell phone ringing and know exactly who it is. You push it out of your mind. Philip slowly thrusts in and out of your love while you moan in shear ecstasy. “Ah…”, is the only sound that escapes your lips as he grinds deep hitting your G-spot. You can feel the embers ignite into a conflagration that cannot be extinguished. You scream and push him back as you squirt your love all over the bed. He grins proudly while you tremble in his arms. As that python glides slowly back into your garden, Philip kisses your forehead, nose and lips. Your love is more accommodating this time. You wrap your legs around his waist and push your love onto him. He kisses you deeply and grinds inside your love. He’s hitting the back of your walls and it’s causing your body to tremble. Philip's body begins to tremble as he fights the urge to release his satisfaction. He groans and that python comes to rest on your thigh. You feel his fingers begin to stroke that moist center of your love that is hard and extremely sensitive. “Mmmmmm”, you moan arching your back slightly. Philip continues to kiss you as his fingers slide inside of you. “Oh…my…God…”, you whisper feeling him hit that target with marksman like precision once again. You try so hard to hold back but you can’t, you’re under his control. His fingers hit your bullseye as his thumb strokes your clit sending you to paradise. You explode all over his hand and he smiles with delight. You are a puddle of satisfaction in his arms. His python slithers carefully back into your garden and grinds slowly but deep inside your walls. Philip is very deep inside your love hitting it so hard, you swear he’s touching your back. He moans as sweat begins to form on his brow. You uncross your legs from around him and use your arms to pull him down onto you. Holding him close, you feel his muscles spasm as that python releases its venom with a fatal bite. Philip rolls to his side and pulls you close. You feel safe and warm in his arms. You are exhausted and can feel sleep overcoming you. You look up at him and kiss his sweet lips. You swear they taste like brown sugar. “I love you Philip…”, you say just as sleep overpowers you. He kisses the top of your head and pulls the blanket to cover you both as he follows you into dreamland. 

You wake up smiling. You reach for Philip but instead find 3 long stem red roses and a letter on the pillow next to you. You sit up and call to him but know in your heart he’s already gone. You sigh and slide to the end of the bed hanging your head, “Not again. Nicole you are dumb as hell”. You wince feeling that dull ache from last nights sexual exploits. You lift one of the roses to your nose as you read the letter. “My dearest Nikki, I know what you're thinking. I tried EVERYTHING to move my flight back but I couldn’t. I stayed as long as I could. You looked so peaceful, I couldn’t wake you. I hope you can forgive me for leaving. I want to see you again soon. Yours, Philip”. You smile wanting to believe him. Your cell phone rings. You know it’s Cherry and you know she’s pissed. You didn’t call her when you got in and you broke your promise. You answer the phone, “Hello?”. “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!”, comes blaring through the phone. “Good morning Cherry”, you reply calmly smiling from ear to ear. “IS HE THERE? NIKKI IS HE STILL THERE?”, she asks already knowing you broke your promise. Before you can answer there is a knock at your door, “Room service”. You stare at the door thinking they have the wrong room. “Hold on girl”, you say putting the phone down. You can still hear Cherry laying you out on the phone. You grab your kimono and open the door. “Good morning ma’am! Here’s your room service”, the gentleman says warmly rolling in a cart. “Sweetheart, I didn’t order any room service this morning. I think you have the wrong room”, you explain. “Oh! The gentleman that left this morning ordered it for you. Everything has already been taken care of”, he explains as he backs out of the room. “Enjoy the rest of your day ma’am”, he smiles as he closes the door behind him. You stare at the large silver cover concealing your meal. You remove the cover to find a single stargazer lily, a cup of coffee (just like you like it), scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. There’s also some strawberries, bananas and grapes. Between the vase holding the flower and your coffee, there is an envelope addressed to you. You hear Cherry screaming at you over the phone and pick it up. “Yes Cherry?”, you ask knowing full well what she wants to know. “You had me on my damn way to DC. I didn’t know where you were or what happened to you! Is that nigga still over there?” You answer calmly, “I’m sorry Cherry and no, he’s not here”. You pick up the envelop and open it. It’s a roundtrip first-class ticket to LA with a note that reads, “I love you too. Yours, Philip”. You drop the phone.