Page 53 of Kandie Shoppe

“Well, it doesn’t matter because we are stomping that fucking sadness in the ground,” I tell Joi, scooting out of the cab,promising to take my own advice. I ain’t going to let the dust fall from my feet before I’m back out there. We are over. I blocked his ass on everything. I even blocked the county from my social media, so he couldn’t track me.

My business is no longer his. I let everyone know who came by the bakery he is no longer welcome there. Not that he’d bother to show up after the way he showed out yesterday. The only reason we didn’t go out last night was because Nikki said she had plans. Which explains her sadness today. She’s never said she’s dated anyone. Hell, she’s never said she liked guys or girls, so I don’t know who the source of her heartbreak is. I do know after tonight they, just like Ulysses, will be a distant memory. No one has the right to make you feel like shit.

“C’mon, girlies, let’s start a brawl.” Joi lines up with us and we skip into The Shack, arms interlocked with mischief in mind.

“I didn’t bring any money with me,” I tell Bahir, who’s looking mighty fine in some dark Wranglers and a crisp white shirt. I never bring money with me, but that’s beside the point.

“You already know that your money ain’t no good here, Kandie-girl.” The deep rumble of his voice reminds me of dark molasses, just like his gorgeous dark skin. The wink and smile he gives me is a panty dropper. Too bad it’s not having the desired effect because Bahir Carrington is a catch in anyone’s book. He runs his own tech maintenance firm in Birmingham and comes to town to check on his parents every so often.

“Which one of your brothers twisted your arm to come out tonight?” I say, sipping the Remy he handed me. All I have to do is hang out here chatting with Ms. Queenie for any length of time, and I won’t be without a drink or dance partner all night. Tonight, I’ve been lucky enough to keep Joi and Nikki’s libations flowing. I guess the news of Ulysses and me being a done deal has spread far and wide at the exact right time.

“Lucien,” he gives me a wry smile, “says he needs me to set up the logistics for the distribution of this new liquor they are bringing to market.”

“Oh wow, that’s amazing.” Thoughtlessly, I pat his thick biceps, letting out a small gasp that grants me a soft chuckle.

“U fucked up, huh?” His query is one of concern and not the fake kind I’ve been getting from the guys who’ve stopped by for a drink and a dance.

“Something like that.” I take the rest of the liquor back. “Want to dance? Cause I’m riding the bull the rest of the night.” Anything to dispel the compassion I’m not ready to see right now. No, there will be none of that. I’d be crying in my whiskey for sure.

“Hell yeah, lil mama.” The way he says it has my tummy flipping.

We hit the floor to the sounds of “The Bar Song.” He goes into the country two-step which is not very different from the Chicago Steppin’ it borrows from. I get lost in the music as he effortlessly takes me across the floor in twirls and dips.

“Damm, you’re pretty.” He smiles, looking down at me.

“You ain’t half bad either, Bahir,” I say, wishing I could just say fuck it and take this man back to my loft and let him blow my back out. He meets the height requirement and his body is a work of art. He doesn’t look like he sits behind a desk all day. Not that I know what tech maintenance even consists of.

“When you’re over him for real — if you ever are — holla at your boy.” He dips low like he’s about to kiss me as we just rock as the song begins to wane. “And that heat you feel lasering into your back,” he whispers into my ear, “is that big motherfucker looking like he’s about to kill somebody.”

Moving back to his same height, he lays a smoldering look on me.

“You’re a mess, Bahir.” It takes everything not to look over my shoulder. Tucking my arm in his, he escorts me over to the private area Joi reserved just for Nikki for her graduation.

“Whew, big sis.” Nikki leans in, her gaze eating up Bahir as he waves before going back over to his equally handsome brothers. “You sure know how to pick ’em.” Ignoring her alluding to Ulysses, I sit down with them, pointedly ignoring Ulysses and his cousin Mathias progresses over to the other VIP area. With their heads together in some form of devilment, Nikki and Joi don’t notice them.

“Alright,” Joi says with glee before popping up, going over to the DJ.

“Our turn,” she says, dragging me to my feet and over to the mechanical bull.

Country born and natural equestrians, we have no problem hopping on the bull. I get up first, sitting in the front, then pulling her behind me so we are facing each other.

“It’s been a while since these beautiful ladies have given us a show,” Jimmy-Ray says in low sexy tones as he starts the Ginuwine “Pony” track.

It’s not like we practiced a routine or anything, but our bodies fall into a sensual rhythm that has the fellas and some like inclined women, drawing forward to watch us wind and grind on the bull.

“They eating it up,” Joi says, leaning all the way, making her top slide up to just under her breasts. I mimic her movements, letting my head fall back to touch the neck of the bull before I rise.

“Are y’all kissing cousins?” comes a shout from the crowd which has us leaning forward, stopping a hair's breadth before our lips touch, which garners whoops, hollers, and groans from the crowd.

“Kandie, you sexy motherfucker you?” A catcall from the crowd leads to several for Joi.

Laughing at the best time I’ve had since the hurt of yesterday, my gaze skids across to the hot, murderous gaze of Ulysses. Muscles bulging with every agitated breath he takes, he looks like he’s seconds away from coming over here. Well, too bad he doesn’t have any more claim on me than I did on him yesterday.

In fact, I throw my all into my little ride with Joi. “Eyes on me?” Well, his eyes don’t leave, as I tease him and every other hard dick and clit in this motherfucker. I’m an expert tease and he fucked up when he thought he could just throw me away by not acknowledging me with his highfalutin friends yesterday. By the time the song ends, I can tell he’s no different than a bull about to go on a rampage with the way he’s braying, his chest pushing in and out with harsh blows and pulls. His face is mottled with rage. A sick sense of satisfaction slithers through me as I watch him staring at me from the other side of the crowd. Wanting to crow with satisfaction, I don’t hide my beatific smile as I rejoin Nikki and Joi.

“Your turn baby, sis.” Taking the drink she offers, I pat her bottom on the way to the bull. In seconds, the crowd is back at it as Nikki, who grew up as an acrobat and trapeze artist while my parents hid from the law on the carnival circuit, does a much fancier and sexier ride.

“I should have known you would be in the middle of all this.” The deep baritone of Nebraska has me turning to look up into his dark onyx eyes. His flinty gaze shoots from me to my sister with a wry shake of his head.

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