One Lonely Night In Dubai
Chapter 1
ESSENCE JAMES
Icringed as the DJ called all the guests to the floor to join the bride and groom and tried to fade into the background.
I knew it was coming; I’d been to enough weddings in the last five years to know they were going to do it.
Unfortunately, I’d been so caught up in seeing my girl, Dee, enjoying her first dance that I couldn’t make it out of the way in time.
Usually, I was able to shuffle to a table in the corner or completely slip out of the room to avoid the awkwardness of someone asking me to dance, but tonight I wasn’t quick enough.
I smelled the pungent odor of Dee’s Uncle Ernie’s cologne five seconds before he grabbed my arm with a shit-eating grin.
He’d made it a point to tell me three times to save him a dance.
I’d laughed it off all day, thinking surely I’d be able to avoid him or at the very least outrun his old ass, but that wouldn’t be possible now with the tight grip he had on me.
Forcing a smile, I looked around for someone to save me, but most of the other guests were already coupled up and slow dancing.
Those who weren’t looked like they were trying to avoid him too.
“You ready for that dance now, baby? I’m bouta show you how a real playa moves!” He was already gyrating his hips, and I tried unsuccessfully to hide my disgust.
“Ooh, I would love to, Uncle Ernie, but I need to rest my feet for a while first,” I lied, mustering up the most pained expression I could while pointing down to my Louboutin-covered toes.
I even crouched a little to really sell that shit when he looked like he wanted to object.
As soon as his fingers loosened on my skin, though, I darted away as fast as my fake limp permitted.
Weaving through the white, cloth-covered tables, I passed a waiter and swiped a whole bottle of champagne along with a flute off his tray.
I ignored his weak protest and waved him off as I continued my trek to the darkest corner of the room.
If anybody needed to have unlimited alcohol at this wedding, it was me.
Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for Dee; overjoyed even.
Just like I’d been for our other friends who had tied the knot in the last few years.
I was right there for every engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and wedding, cheering them on like a supportive friend should.
Yet this time felt… different. Not only because I’d just tiptoed into my thirties but also because with Dee becoming a bride, I was now the only one in our friend group who was unmarried.
That thought alone had me throwing back two full glasses of the expensive champagne before pouring another.
It wasn’t like I was in a rush to be somebody’s wife.
Contrary to what a lot of people thought, I didn’t feel the need to chase the whole American dream—not yet, anyway.
At the grown and sexy age of thirty-one, I was in a comfortable place in my life.
I was making big girl money and even bigger moves.
My career as a traveling NICU nurse afforded me a three-bedroom, two bath condo in the suburbs, a Mercedes Benz, and a shopping addiction I had no intention of quitting anytime soon.
Despite my lack of a plus one, I dated regularly and with a different set of standards than I’d ever had in my twenties.
Now a nigga had to be about something to even get my attention, let alone take me out.
I was enjoying my freedom and living my best life, but somehow, this wedding had me feeling especially lonely.
Until this point, I’d been having a great time.
The weeklong extravaganza that Dee had put together was amazing, and the fact that we were in Dubai only added to the experience.
The Bvlgari Resort was the most luxurious hotel I’d ever been to, and I’d taken full advantage of every amenity, especially since Dee’s rich ass in-laws were footing the bill.
Hers was by far the most expensive wedding of our friend group, and I knew every guest in attendance would be talking about it for years to come.
“Essence? What you doin’ all the way back here?” Dee’s mama’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I groaned lowly.
It wasn’t that I disliked Ms. Thompson, but for as long as I’d known her, she’d always made it her business to say something slick to me, and this week hadn’t been any different.
If she wasn’t commenting on my marital status, then she was picking apart my size, which was crazy work considering that she was one Krispy Kreme away from My 600 lb Life her damn self.
Normally, I let the shit she said roll off my back because I’d grown to love every curve on my body, and I knew that she, like some others hated me for it.
At 5’6” and weighing around 280 pounds, I was on the thicker side.
I wasn’t necessarily the type of plus sized baddie that was all ass and titties, though.
Along with those attributes, I was also blessed with thick hips, thighs, and a pudge around the middle that I’d sucked up into a girdle so it looked a little flatter in my dress.
Despite what she thought, my weight had never stopped me from getting a man, though, unlike her rude ass.
Plastering on a smile, I pushed my ill thoughts to the back of my mind as she sat down next to me. “I’m just resting my feet and hiding from Uncle Ernie.” I snickered, and she did too.
“Yeah, it looks like he found him a bridesmaid from Julian’s side to harass now.
” She nodded across the room to where he was in fact chasing one of the bridesmaids, doing a hip thrusting bunny hop.
Ole freaky frog! I was usually a girl’s girl, but I couldn’t help breathing a sigh of relief that he was bothering someone else.
“I’m sorry to say, but better her than me,” I told her, averting my eyes before he felt me staring and tried to bring his ass by me. “Anyway, what brings you back here? I would’ve thought you’d be up there with the other parents,” I hinted with a raised brow, but she quickly waved me off.
“No need for me to be up there. I got her down the aisle. Her father and his wife can take over for now. This is my relaxation time.” Her mouth twisted like the word tasted bitter coming out her mouth, and I bit back a chuckle.
Clearly, she was still salty about her baby daddy moving on, even though he’d been married to his current wife since Dee was a little girl. Instead of calling her out on her bullshit, I opted to focus on the positive.
“That’s right. Our girl is a wife now.” I raised my glass with a proud smile as I watched her and Julian still out there on the dance floor. I’d never seen her happier, and it almost brought a tear to my eyes.
“Yep, that’s my baby!” she gushed before shooting me a side eye. “Maybe you’ll be next once you lose a couple pounds. You should see if you can get that Nozemptic medicine that they talk about on TikTok.” She had the nerve to bat her eyes like she wasn’t saying some shady ass shit.
Squinting, I acted like I didn’t know what she was talking about for a moment before letting realization cross my face. “Ohhh, you mean Ozempic. I have heard about that, but it’s just not for me. Perhaps it might work to finally find you a husband, though.”
Her mouth fell open as I snatched my bottle off the table and left her there.
I needed to put some distance between us before I fucked around and did something crazy like throw a drink or my fist in her face.
It was the last night of my trip, and I didn’t want to ruin it by getting locked up overseas.
Irritated, I made my way out onto the dimly lit terrace.
I figured a little stroll on the the gorgeous property would help me shake the fucked-up mood I was in.
The soft lighting along the outside of the resort guided my way as I passed the handful of people enjoying the nighttime air and the pool.
I paused long enough to remove my heels since they were actually beginning to hurt my feet and continued toward the steps that led to the beach, already anticipating the feel of sand on my toes.
In the midst of trying to juggle my heels, the champagne, and the train of my dress, I ran smack into a brick wall. Or at least it felt like I did until a pair of strong arms landed on my waist and caught me before I could bust my ass.
“I’m so-rry,” I stuttered as my neck craned back to see the finest man I’d ever laid eyes on.
He had deep set mahogany-colored eyes, covered by a pair of thick but neat eyebrows, a regal nose that fit his chiseled face perfectly, and juicy lips surrounded by a well-groomed goatee.
He was a straight up Adonis, wrapped in dark chocolate, blemish-free skin.
The way he was staring down into my eyes mixed with his strong hold on me was enough to make my heart pound.
Damn. Suddenly, his lips spread into a grin that put his blinding white teeth on display, and I realized I’d actually said that shit out loud.
“My sentiments exactly, sweetheart.” A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. He briefly let his eyes roam down my face to my cleavage and back before setting me upright.
I felt my cheeks warming under his amused gaze, already overwhelmed by the mixture of his scent and the way he was eating me up with his eyes. “My bad. I wasn’t watching where I was going. You straight though?”
“No, no, it was my fault.” I tried to hide my embarrassment with a snicker.
“I can draw blood with precision, but somehow, carrying multiple things at one time requires a level of coordination I seem to be lacking.” Oh, God!
Corny jokes and mentioning your job, hoe!
Could you be more awkward? I internally chastised myself, knowing it was only going to get worse if I stood there any longer.
By then he’d released me, and I quickly sidestepped around him to carry my intoxicated ass on, but he caught my arm, stopping me.
“Where you walking off to alone at night with that big ass bottle?” Still amused, he nodded to the champagne I was clutching.
Tingles. That’s what I felt as his eyes caressed my body like hands.
I did the same, clocking the way the Armani he was wearing fit his tall, muscular frame.
There was no way someone who looked as good as him didn’t have a harem of women at his beck and call, but that didn’t stop me from smirking devilishly.
Full of liquid courage, I decided to flirt before my nerve wore off. “Why, you tryna keep me company?”
His eyes lit up, clearly surprised. “Damn, I’d love nothing more,” he admitted.
Licking his lips suggestively, he glanced down at his phone then at the hotel before letting his gaze rest on me.
“But I need to run inside for a minute.” It looked like it pained him to say, and I twisted my lips wryly.
“That was actually a limited time offer, but if you can wrap up whatever it is in the next ten or fifteen minutes, I might consider extending it,” I told him with a shrug.
“Consider it wrapped, sweetheart. Stay there, I’ll be right back.” I watched him swagger off toward the resort and contemplated continuing my own stroll, but instead, I sat and waited like he told me.