The Beautiful People: New Orleans - Fiction - Chapter 2.2

(con't...)

“Pardon me?”

Vanessa looked up to lay eyes on a gorgeous woman with a cake-batter complexion and a curly mass of dark brown hair.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said in a seductive French accent. “It’s just there aren’t any free tables and I wondered if I could sit with you for a few minutes. My feet are killing me.”

“Of course you can, please, be my guest. I was actually going to get up soon anyway.”

“Please don’t feel rushed.” She took a seat.

“I don’t.” Vanessa smiled. “Are you here alone? My name is Vanessa, by the way.”

“Sophia.” The woman returned Vanessa’s friendliness. “And yes, I am.” Her foreign inflection was a string of magnetic words, reeling Vanessa in.

“Nothing wrong with that. I’m here with friends, but we”

“Hi there, ladies!” A booming male voice with a thick southern accent interrupted Vanessa mid-sentence.
What the fuck? She resented the man’s intrusion.

“First time here?” he asked and sat down, oblivious to his transgression. “The name’s Buzz!” A broad, toothy grin spread across his greasy face. “I’m from Texas, how ‘bout you gals?” He hunched forward, his cigarette-scented breath propelling toward them like the musk of an angry skunk.

You have got to be kidding! Vanessa recoiled. Buzz was a glaring reminder of why she hated mingling with the masses.

For every swan like Sophia, there were at least five baboons like Buzz. She sighed, restraining negativity, and looked at Sophia, with eyes telegraphing her desire to abandon the Texan. Sophia smirked, completely understanding. The women promptly escaped, leaving Buzz with courteous explanations about having to find their friends.

“Boy, was he strange!” Sophia giggled as they walked away.

Vanessa took a gulp of her water. “Tell me about it.”

“Are you up for a stroll around the ship?” Vanessa asked, immediately feeling good again. Once up and moving, she felt a thrilling tingle throughout her body that made her sway just a bit.

“Sure.”

Sophia followed Vanessa’s lead though she had no destination in mind. They ended up idling near an uncrowded storage area, where the noise from the rest of the ship was muted and allowed for unburdened conversation.

---

Back on the main level of the boat, Colin stood with his back against a bathroom stall door, submerged in the trenches of priapic eroticism. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on the head of the man kneeling in front of him. Colin let his hand glide across the stranger’s face, where his stubbly beard felt like rugged suede against Colin’s palm; the sound of others coming and going in and out of the bathroom only stimulated Colin more. He stifled his moans but struggled to moderate his breathing as his pleasure ripened. Colin blew out a deep sigh as he felt the warmth and tango of his temporary lover’s tongue yielding to make way for the full length of his manhood.

A guy washing his hands heard the careless exhale. He glanced down and noticed a pair of knees directed towards two toilet-facing legs behind the stall door. He watched the slight tremor of Colin’s legs, noticed and listened intently to the faint harmony of their indecency. The man took a step closer to seize more. Moments later the stall door shuddered and clanked as an obscenity-laced moan seeped from Colin. Their voyeur inched closer but quickly doubled backed when he heard the jingle of hasty belt buckling. He returned to the sink, rolled up the sleeves of his mint green shirt, and resumed freshening up, taking time to style his bushy blonde hair before snatching a paper towel from the dispenser.

“Ahem.” Colin unwittingly cleared his throat upon exiting the stall, a sneer on his face. As he pumped soap on his hands, he locked eyes with the man who had been listening in. There was a fascinating glint in the stranger’s eyes that tickled Colin. He smiled. His conquest finally ducked out of the stall with his head down and a chuckle. Colin adjusted his collar and departed from the men’s room.

---

“I feel so good right now.” Vanessa’s hair blew in the evening wind as she bent forward against the guardrail of the boat.
She’d separated from Sophia after pleasant conversation and an exchange of phone numbers. “Damn...I feel sooo good,” she repeated, unable to quiet her thoughts. Vanessa whimpered unconsciously as a feeling of euphoria swept over her.

“I can tell.” Yen grinned at her.

“Mmm. About as good as you look.” Vanessa was relaxed and more inclined to confess her private thoughts than she would normally be if her serotonin levels weren’t pushed to their peak. “You’re beautiful.” She inched closer to Yen and slid her arm around her waist.

“So are you.” Yen rested her head on Vanessa’s shoulder, enjoying a quiet moment under the starry sky. She took Vanessa’s hand in hers, knowing that even the slightest graze would bolster Vanessa’s feeling of ecstasy.

“Yen...” Vanessa whispered. The touch made her shiver.

Yen rubbed Vanessa’s back but didn’t say anything. She enjoyed silently adding to the pleasure of Vanessa’s evening.

Behind them, Donovan had just wrapped up an aimless conversation he’d been having with a too-tanned blond and her red-headed friend.

“Well, don’t you two look cozy out here?” He slid between Yen and Vanessa, effectively breaking up their embrace. His sudden appearance surprised them both, but they greeted him cheerfully. Donovan now smelled like an eclectic mix of aquatic cologne and ale.

Inside the vessel, Colin had struck up a conversation with the drummer from the band—a robust Puerto Rican named Frankie with dark hair and even darker eyes. The tattoos that decorated his otherwise sleek skin attracted Colin. From an opposite corner, the man in the mint green shirt, the one Colin had seen at the restroom sink, watched their interaction.

“I hate to cut it short,” Frankie said tossing down the last of his beer, “but my break is almost over and I have to get back onstage.”

“Oh, no worries, man. It was nice talking to you. If you ever find yourself in Miami, look me up. I’ll show you those clubs in South Beach I was telling you about.”

“Cool. Cool. Colin, right?” Frankie reached out for a handshake.

“Yep.” Colin accepted. “Hey, why don’t I text you my number so you can lock it in your phone?”

“All right. That’ll work.”

Frankie rattled off his cell phone number to Colin just before one of his band mates came to bring him back to the stage. Colin smiled to himself, thinking he would definitely try to see Frankie again before the weekend was over. Wait for the chance of seeing him in Florida? Yeah right. Who had time for that? Colin went to look for the rest of the group and found them seated around a small table on the deck.

“Where have you been?” Vanessa quizzed him the moment she saw him.

“Don’t worry about where I’ve been.”

“That means he’s been up to no good!” Donovan piped up, and they all shared a laugh.

Yen pulled her jacket close. “I’m starting to get cold. You guys mind if we go back inside for a bit?”

Noticing the time, they all agreed that it made sense to head inside anyway. The cruise would be over shortly and they didn’t want to be the last group to get off the boat.

“There’s a spot,” Vanessa said nodding to an area that had an empty table. “I’m going to get another bottle of water and meet you over there.”

“Let me get it for you,” Donovan offered. “I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks, Don.” Vanessa’s voice sounded sensuous to him.

While Donovan went to the bar, the rest of them made their way to the unoccupied table. Yen locked eyes with a husky man who could be the perfect canvas for her to rest upon at the end of the night. The way his jaw curved elegantly to accentuate his lips waylaid her where she stood. He smiled and she reciprocated but didn’t walk over to him. She would wait to see if he would approach her.

“Hey, guys, is this seat taken?” The man in the mint green shirt had approached their table with a woman in tow. His face was aglow with cheer.

What the hell? Colin was surprised. “Um, no. Help yourself.”

“Thanks. I’m Devin,” he announced. “This is my wife, Maddie. How are you guys enjoying the cruise?” Devin took a seat next to Colin.

“We’re having a blast!” His wife responded as if he were talking to her. Clearly, she was under the effects of alcohol.

While Vanessa and Yen were perplexed as to why the bubbly strangers chose to converse with them, Colin already suspected what was on Devin’s mind and didn’t know if he should be flattered, amused, or uncomfortable. Are these people crazy? he wondered as small talk about New Orleans bubbled amongst them. Despite trying to avoid it, every few seconds, his eyes would meet with Devin’s. Colin was relieved when Donovan returned. His appearance seemed to sever the weirdness that was building in their conversation even though Donovan was too inebriated to even notice anyone’s discomfort. As the band began breaking down and the noise level decreased, Devin ramped up his conversation. Colin, now only half-listening, stole a few glances at Frankie who was bending over to pack up his drums.

“Yeah, so it would be cool to stay in touch if you’re here for the rest of the weekend.” Devin pulled out his phone.

He’s crazy! Colin confirmed when he felt a firm hand rubbing his knee. “Hey, I’ll be right back, guys.” Colin slipped away before anyone could protest.

Devin watched Colin closely until he lost sight of him. Remembering the sound of Colin’s sigh sent a tingle through him.
“I need to use the restroom,” he announced. “Honey, I’ll be right back!”

Ever the ditz, Maddie just nodded and smiled. She was too busy wondering aloud with Yen if she had what it took to be a fashion model. Vanessa noticed Devin’s attraction to Colin and Colin’s fleeing. She fought hard not to laugh out loud as the boat docked.

Though Colin wanted to see Frankie again, he wanted more to be rid of Devin. He sent Yen, Vanessa, and Donovan a text message to just meet him out front. My God, he thought. Though he’d been involved with more than a few unscrupulous people, none of them had ever creeped him out like Devin. Talk about a buzz killer. Colin was ready to go.
Vanessa finally let out a hearty laugh as the three of them made their way out to look for Colin.

“Who dat?” They heard people chanting in the late night air. “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?" Suddenly they found themselves in the midst of a rowdy celebration. The Saints were going to the Superbowl and the streets were overflowing with rambunctious football fans. Thankfully, Devin and Maddie had moved on.

“Do you see him?” Donovan took Yen and Vanessa by the hand.

“Over there.” Yen pointed, straining to speak above the noise.

“Let’s get the hell out of here!” Colin joked when they met up. “People are nuts!”

“Somehow you always manage to attract them,” Vanessa teased.

“Hush!”

They decided to cruise the French Quarter a bit more before going back to the hotel, popping in and out of bars and lounges and even spending two hours at a gentlemen’s club where all four got lap dances. The night was giving way to dawn when they hailed a taxi.

“Sure you’re up for another night of this?” Donovan mumbled, his head against the window and eyes closed.

“I haven’t touched a real dance floor yet, so you better get your rest for tomorrow night!” Colin exclaimed.

“Just don’t attract anymore weirdoes,” Vanessa joked. “What was up with that guy?”

“I’ll tell you about it at the hotel.”

“You better.”

“I promise.”

“What happened?” Yen was out of the loop.

Vanessa stifled a yawn, fatigue setting in as they arrived at the hotel. “I’ll fill you in.” She turned to Donovan. “Wake up. We’re here.”

He smiled sheepishly, self-conscious of his appearance. “Thanks.”

With the exception of Yen, who needed a prescription drug to fall asleep, the rest of them drifted easily into slumber once in their rooms. As Colin warned, they would definitely need their rest for the next night.

Though much of the underlying sexual tension was absent the following evening, the energy was certainly there as they hopped from one club to another until they were all closed to patrons.

They toasted on their final night in New Orleans. Keep living, loving, and smiling. Their next meet-up would be in Las Vegas!

END

This is the first installment of The Beautiful People series by Cheril N. Clarke. If you enjoyed this story please consider leaving a rating and/or review on Amazon.com or BN.com. Up next: The Beautiful People: Las Vegas. Learn more on: https://cherilnclarke.com