There was nothing better to walk into a living room, smelling the fresh pine breeze of a Christmas tree. She was not very religious and only went to church when the bedroom actions of the night before encouraged her to go. Yet, there was something very heart-warming and relaxing about seeing a tree decorated, reminding her of a childhood where she was only concerned with Santa Claus and why he didn't give her the bike she wanted.
Now her concern was whether if Santa was going to give Kristal the bunny vibrator that she craved.
She hit every store at South Coast Plaza, knowing she couldn't afford half the items at the high-end mall. But it was the pleasure and freedom of being out of the office and nowhere near of the parking structure from hell that made Kristal Marshall love to shop during the holidays. She picked up a few choice items at the mall: some technology gifts for her brother and small nephew; a nice little fire-engine red lingerie number for herself; and gift certificates from Victoria's Secret for her girlfriends.
Now she can finally kick off her heels and relax in the comfort of her own home. Collapsing with a glass of Pinot Grigio in one hand and a peach cigar in the other, Kristal breathed a deep sigh as she admired the electric fireplace in front of her. Her mind was at ease, and there was not a care in the world. However, the phone would not let her relax. Irritated that someone was killing her slow-going buzz, she reluctantly picked up the phone. "Yes?" She said, with a slight snap out of her voice.
"Thank you, let me just tell you thank you very much for opening your goddamn mouth, Kris." Ayanna yelled into her cell phone.
"Girl, you're so lucky you are on the phone and not in my face right now." Kristal snapped back. "What did I do to deserve your bitch fit now?"
"You know who I work for? Take a guess! Just take a guess!" Ayanna said.
"The Grim Reaper? Charles Manson? The Elephant Man?" Kristal replied.
"Real cute, Kris."
"You said to take a guess." She took another sip of her wine. "You didn't say it had to be a good one."
"David. I work for David Bautista. Yeah, your David Bautista." Ayanna huffed.
"Oh?" Kristal stopped nursing her vino and sat up straight. Since their breakup a year ago, she has tried everything in her power to erase him from her memory. Yet no matter where she turned, there was something that always reminded her of him. From the intoxicating scent of Giorgio Armani to the Cubans that he loved to puff to the boxer briefs that fit him perfectly, Dave was a permanent fixture in her mind—and heart. Truth to be told, Kristal was nowhere over Dave, despite the sheer hatred she had for him. "Um…um…"
"Um…um, what?" Ayanna retorted.
"How is he? Did he ask about me?"
"Oh, he asked about you alright after I got hired and after he gave me a shitload of work to do." Ayanna replied.
"How does he look?" Kristal inquired.
Ayanna stopped her bitch fit to think about her boss. To say he was the sexiest motherfucker she had ever seen was the understatement of the year. "He looks like he just stepped out of a photoshoot for GQ."
"As always." Kristal smiled. "So why are you calling me again?"
"Hello? Why do you think I'm calling you right now, Kris?" Ayanna said exasperated.
"I don't know. I'm trying to get drunk and you're ruining it." She once again sipped her wine.
"You told your ex-boyfriend private details of my life. I know private details of his life." Ayanna shook her head. "Don't you see the conflict here?"
"Yeah, there could be some problems." Kristal agreed.
Ayanna was two seconds away from throwing the phone against the brick walls of TGIFriday's. "Do you even care right now?"
"Not really." Kristal said. "But it's not my problem and I don't know what you want me to do about it. Anyhoo, I bought a gift for you so come by and pick it up when you can. Ciao!" She then hung up the phone.
"Hello? Hello?" Ayanna yelled into the phone once again. "Fuck!"
"Oh, you want to?" Randy said from behind.
Ayanna turned around and shook her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry about that. I just got off the phone with a friend…nevermind."
"And I think someone needs a drink." Randy pulled the door open. "Shall we?"
Ayanna smiled. "We shall."
-------------------------
Randy Orton was charming, maybe a little too charming. In college, he had a contest with his dorm mate on who could score the most panties at their frat parties. He wined and dined the clients of Parker-Williams, sometimes sleeping with the female clients to get an extra advantage.
But to the female employees at Parker-Williams, it was no surprise that he was the most hated man who walked on planet Earth. Randy knew what he was doing by sleeping with as many of the female employees as possible would not constitute sexual harassment if they were willing participants. And he hoped Ayanna would be lucky number 13. "So what's your story?" Randy asked while he looked over the appetizer menu. "Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Both?"
Ayanna was reluctant to discuss her personal life. She was very happy with keeping her private life just that. Ever since the incident of screwing her ex-boyfriend in the supply room, Ayanna never talked about her relationships with any other person—including her parents. Yet, she felt intrigued to share with Randy. "I had a girlfriend but now I'm single."
Randy didn't seem fazed by the sudden admission. He was curious by bisexual women and would love nothing more to see Tera Patrick and Jenna Jameson go at it with him, sandwiched in between. "So you only have boxed lunches at the Y? Or do you like to smoke sausages every now and then?" He asked again, not taking his eyes off the menu.
"Well, if you must know…." Ayanna admitted.
"That's why I asked…" He finished.
"I date whoever I feel like dating at the time. I've only been in one lesbian relationship but I prefer men."
Randy shrugged and stared ahead at one of the ongoing ESPN screens. It seemed like his focus was too busy concentrating on the football scores and several replays of a blocked shot than entertaining his co-worker. "It has a weird taste, doesn't it?" He finally asked.
"What does?"
"Pussy. It has a weird taste, doesn't it?" He sipped his beer.
Ayanna laughed. She expected the typical foray into girl-on-girl sex and piquing men's sexual fantasies. Instead, she found a normal conversation from a guy who has been around the block more times than he could count. "So I'm guessing you're cool with me being partially gay?"
"Girl, I wouldn't give a damn about that as long as I'm invited to participate every now and then. I just don't want to fuck no Rosie O'Donnell-looking cow."
"Angelina Jolie?" Ayanna offered.
Randy stopped drinking his beer. "If you were fucking Angelina Jolie, you might have to pry my ass off her." He smiled.
"Shit, if you can pry my ass off her." Ayanna smiled.
"So, you're bisexual?" Randy asked.
"I date who I like." Ayanna clarified. "I don't date the sex, I date the person."
"Not me." Randy shook his head. "I'm one hundred percent pussy all the way."
"Oh, so what Dave told me about you is true…" Ayanna smiled.
Randy stopped himself mid-sip. "Cute. Dave, yeah, he's real funny."
Ayanna smiled uncomfortably when she thought of her previous conversation with Dave. "He has his moments."
"So what's going on between you and Dave, anyways?" He asked. "You guys fucking?"
"Oh yeah, you're not a crude asshole." Ayanna replied. "We have a professional relationship, Randy."
"Doesn't seem like it."
"Oh?"
"He digs you. I can tell."
Ayanna rolled her eyes. Kristal told her too many stories of Dave's past flings and Ayanna shuddered to think how many phone calls from one-night stands she was going have to redirect during her tenure at Parker-Williams. "From what I've heard, Dave digs everybody."
"He does. But I can tell he likes you." Randy said.
Ayanna was now curious about Randy's sudden admission. "How?"
Randy smirked as the server put the food on the table. Dave interviewed ten women for Ayanna's position, four of whom were more qualified than her. Yet, Randy knew Ayanna's qualifications were not the only reasons that Dave hired her and neither was her possible connection to Kristal. Dave was sweet on Ayanna from the moment he saw her.
However, Randy was going to try everything in his power to make sure nothing happened between Dave and his potential conquest. And what better way to do that by using his position of being the co-worker—and not the boss—to his advantage. "He speaks very highly of you." He smiled.