Playing With Fire

“Looks good to me, man,” Wendell said.

Zienna cut a morsel of the fish with her fork and brought it to her mouth. “Ooh, spicy,” she said after a moment.

“Too spicy?” Nicholas asked, regarding her with concern.

She shook her head as she continued to chew. “No. It’s delicious. Very flavorful, and just the right amount of spice.”

“She’s right,” Wendell concurred. “Loving the spice. But you know I’ve always loved heat.”

Zienna paused as she was about to swallow, unable to stop the thought that Wendell’s comment had been a loaded one.

“So I should add this to the menu?” Nicholas asked.

Zienna nodded. “I think it’s great.”

He smiled. “Good. I can always decide to use filets if that’s the feedback I get. Good, good. I’m glad you two like it.”

“I’ll bet you created a dessert to go with this. Something with pineapple or coconut. And lots of whipped cream,” Wendell stated.

At his comment, Zienna angled her head slightly toward him, and wasn’t surprised to find that he was looking at her. Because she knew, just knew, that mention of whipped cream had been for her benefit.

“Mango cheesecake,” Nicholas told him.

Suddenly, Zienna slipped off her bar stool. “You know what, sweetie—I’m gonna head home.”

“What?” Nicholas asked. “You just got here.”

“I’ve had a long day. I should really get some rest. Your friend’s back in town. Spend some time with him.”

“Don’t leave on my account,” Wendell said.

Zienna ignored him and picked up her purse. “Will you walk me out, babe?”

“You sure you have to leave?” Nicholas asked.

“I really should. I feel a headache coming on.” And she shot a glance at Wendell.

As they moved toward the exit, Nicholas placed a hand on the small of her back. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

When they were through the front door, he turned her in his arms so that she was facing him. “Is it Wendell?”

“No. No, of course not.” Zienna stroked his cheek. “I’m just tired, babe.”

“Why don’t you go to my place, get into bed and rest until I get there?” He lowered his voice. “If I can’t have more of you right now, I at least want your body next to mine tonight.”

“That I can do,” Zienna told him. She smiled. “And, yes, maybe a couple hours of rest and some aspirin will do me a world of good.”

She headed to her car with one goal in mind. When Nicholas got home, she was going to do him good.

Do him until she rid herself of the memory of Wendell altogether.

3

“Pick up, pick up,” Zienna said into her cell phone as she sat in her car, anxious to speak to Alexis. She’d called her friend the moment she’d left Nicholas’s restaurant the night before, desperate to reach her, but her series of calls had all gone to voice mail.

Even though Zienna had put every ounce of her energy into making love to Nicholas, and should have been tired, once he had fallen asleep beside her she had instead lain awake, the evening replaying in her mind.

I’d really like to talk to you at some point. Clear the air.

At a quarter to five, Zienna had slipped out of Nicholas’s bed and gotten dressed. She had hoped he wouldn’t wake, but he had.

“Go back to sleep,” Zienna had whispered. “I’m heading into the office early, and there are some things I have to do at home first.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Once she’d left Nicholas’s house, she rushed to her car and immediately tried calling Alexis again. Ever since they’d become friends in second grade, Zienna had been sharing everything with Alexis, the good and the bad. And Alexis had forever earned her trust when she’d punched the class bully in the face for throwing a rock at Zienna’s forehead in third grade. That incident had sealed their status as best friends for life.

Now, Zienna groaned in frustration when she heard her friend’s cheerful voice begin her short message again. Where on earth could she be at this hour?

Undeterred, Zienna promptly disconnected, then called the number once more. She would redial one hundred times if that’s how long it took to reach her.

Three rings later, a groggy-sounding Alexis finally answered the phone. “This had better be good.”

“I need to come over,” Zienna said without preamble.

“Now?”

“Yes, now. I’m going out of my mind, Alex.”

“Shit, Zee—it’s five-fourteen in the morning.”

“Which is why you know it’s got to be urgent. I called you hours ago, you didn’t answer.”

“I ended up going out for a drink with that guy I was telling you about, the one I met online. I forgot my phone at home.”

Zienna had pulled up to the curb on a street a few over from Nicholas’s house, waiting to reach Alexis. Now that they were talking, she started her car. “I have to tell you what happened. I’m kind of freaking out.”

“Okay.” Alexis didn’t sound happy, but Zienna knew she wouldn’t abandon her in her hour of need.

Sure, Zienna could wait until the work day was over and see her friend then. But she’d already had to wait hours, since leaving the restaurant and going to Nicholas’s place. Making love to her man had done nothing to alleviate her stress. And the way her heart was still beating rapidly, Zienna knew that she had to see Alexis now and share with her what had transpired.

“I’ll see you soon,” she said. “Want me to grab coffee or something?”

“No. I’m going back to bed once you leave.”

Zienna ended the call and began to navigate her way through the Lincoln Park neighborhood, where Nicholas lived, toward the West Loop, where Alexis made her home in a trendy loft. It was a vibrant and artistic area, with chic cafés and restaurants, and several warehouses that had been converted to loft-style condominiums.

As Zienna continued to drive, she wondered why she was so torn up over seeing Wendell again. Seriously, she shouldn’t be this frazzled.