Cocktail Dreams

Chapter 18: Lyrical Intimacy

The afternoon sun was still hidden by the blackout curtains in the bedroom as Taraji slowly stirred awake. She blinked groggily at the clock on her nightstand: 3:00 p.m. Her stomach growled in protest. She sighed, remembering the barren state of her refrigerator. She'd been too lazy to do a proper grocery run when she got back, and now she was regretting it.

Taraji turned over, glancing at Fantasia, still sprawled out in bed, her face half-buried in the pillow. She shook Fantasia gently, trying to wake her. "Tasia, come on. It's time to get up and eat," she said softly.

Fantasia groaned, barely opening one eye before scooting closer to the other side of the bed. "Leave me alone, Raj," she muttered, flipping onto her stomach and burrowing deeper into the covers.

Taraji sighed, knowing better than to push her too hard this early. "Alright, fifteen more minutes," she said, brushing her teeth and throwing on some clothes.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Fantasia was still lying exactly where she'd left her, unmoving except for the slow rise and fall of her breathing. Taraji shook her head with a smirk. "Okay, you wanna play games?" she muttered under her breath.

Walking over to the bed, she carefully pulled the blanket back and delivered a sharp slap to Fantasia's ass. The sound echoed in the room, followed by a loud yelp.

"Wake that ass up!"

Fantasia shot up, glaring at Taraji. "What the fuck? Why would you do that? That shit hurts!"

Taraji crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "I told you to get up twice. I even left you alone to get myself ready, and you're still laying here. It's time to get lunch!"

Fantasia scowled but didn't argue. She slid out of bed, her movements slow and deliberate, her mood evident in the way she ignored Taraji completely for the next fifteen minutes as she got dressed.

Taraji, watching her from the doorway, finally broke the silence. "I'm driving, and we're going to Qdoba."

Fantasia rolled her eyes as she put on her sneakers. "I want Panera Bread, so we can go there after you get your food."

Taraji grabbed her bag and keys, shaking her head. "I'm not driving to two different places. Traffic to Panera is always a mess."

Fantasia huffed, her tone clipped. "Don't worry about it, then. I'll drive myself. Where are my keys?"

Taraji's jaw tightened, frustration bubbling up. "I don't want to get food separately. We're supposed to be spending time together."

Fantasia shot back without missing a beat, "Yeah, I get that. But you're not willing to drive to two places, and I want what I want, just like you want what you want."

Taraji took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "Alright, fine. I'll take you. Come on."

Fantasia glanced at her, her tone stubborn. "Well, if you're gonna say it like that, I'll just drive myself."

Taraji rolled her eyes and walked over to the loveseat, where Fantasia was putting on her sneakers. Sitting down next to her, she softened her voice. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, Tasia. Can we please ride together and go get the food we both want?"

Fantasia paused, the tension in her shoulders easing as she stood up. Taraji reached out, gently grabbing her hips and pulling her closer. She tilted her head back to look at her with a playful smile. "I'll pay for your food, baby."

Fantasia's lips curved into a grin. "After the way, you woke me up? Of course, you're paying for my food."

Taraji laughed, leaning in with her lips puckered, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Fantasia shook her head with a chuckle but leaned down to give her the peck she wanted.