The words "Ponce City Market" highlight the entrance to a repurposed historic Sears building. It now houses restaurants, shops and condos. Modern, yet cozy décor nestled among unique, one-of-a-kind pieces like an oversized antique clock roped off for all to see, huge industrial pillars with exposed pipes in the ceiling and an actual 3D replica of the local area, tiny buildings and all. Inside is an eclectic mix of shops and food from around the world, a Ramen noodle bar, an authentic Italian pizza, gelato, a French bakery, an Ethiopian restaurant.

We definitely look like tourists as we peruse the shops of Ponce. Mia and Riz point and laugh. Penelope and JC take selfies in front of a unique "A" shaped sculpture. Phoenix and I look around like we're lost, soaking up the scene.

"So many choices. I've never even heard of some of these stores," Mia says looking back at us.

"Hey guys, what are they doing over there." I point to a huge crowd of people standing in multiple lines.

"Is that a cargo elevator?" Phoenix asks out loud. He nudges a guy next to us. "Where does that go?"

"Oh, that takes you to the rooftop. There's mini golf, potato sack slides, games. Stuff like that."

"Thanks, bruh."

The guy smiles and walks off.

Phoenix looks around at us. "Wanna go?"

I smile. "Let's."

We all agree and stand in line. The bright yellow cargo elevator comes down and opens empty. The operator allows us on. He counts as we pile in, then he stops the crowd. He starts closing the gate, then stops as the crowd splits and lets a group of people through. The operator allows the entourage on.

I can't believe this!

Leaning over to Phoenix, I ask, "Is that?"

Our eyes meet. Phoenix laughs and nods. "Only in Atlanta."

I elbow Mia and gesture for her to look. Her eyes grow almost as big as her open mouth. She elbows Penelope who can't contain her excitement.

"Usher!" Penelope screams to my embarrassment, jumping up and down.

"Piña!" I whisper loudly. "We're on an elevator! Jumping here is no bueno."

Penelope has tunnel vision. "Oh my God! I love you and your music!"

I nudge Penelope.

"Oh! Can we take a selfie with you?" She pleads, her eyes wide.

Usher smiles and nods. Not one to be left out, I lean in as Mia and Penelope gather around him. Penelope passes her phone to JC.

"Say it! You gotta say it!" I insist like a kid begging for candy.

"It's Usher, baby." Usher licks his lips and smiles.

We all swoon. JC snaps a bunch of pictures. Our guys step back and let us have this moment. Usher graciously daps the guys when we're done with our picture.

The elevator opens and we arrive on the rooftop. The sun is beginning to set. The rooftop is draped in strings of patio lights. Sounds of a carnival fill the air. People are winning prizes, getting drinks at the bar, dancing on the dance floor, getting into potato sacks and sliding down the wildest slides. It's an adult playground with the occasional kid.

"Only in Atlanta," Riz says out loud.

"Only in Atlanta," Phoenix and JC echo.

"That set the tone for the rest of the day! Aye!"

"Aye! Mia does a celebratory twerk.

"Aye!" Penelope follows suit.

I wrap my arms around Phoenix's shoulders and wind my hips to Koffee's "Lockdown."

"Aye!" Riz does a two-step with Mia.

"Aye!" JC rests his hands on Penelope's hips as she twerks.

"The rooftop is lit!" I yell over the music.

"Aye!" A random guy daps Phoenix and dances into the crowd.

We laugh.

"Let's play some games!" Catching her breath, Penelope steps to the side.

"Drinks first!" Riz announces.

We play until it's dark out. By the time we board the cargo elevator, each of us girls have two armfuls of stuffed animals.

"Saving these for the baby's room," I whisper to Phoenix on the way down.

                                                                                ***

At the guy's suggestions, we find ourselves parked outside a modern mega store called "Twilight Valentine." Neon lights against the night sky, cast the parking lot in a hazy movie-like setting. The atmosphere is alive and buzzing, drivers circle to find a parking spot, others congregate outside the front doors talking and laughing. Window displays showcase lingerie and questionable gadgets and body sized pillows.

"I'll find a spot to park in back," Leon tells us before driving off.

We stand around, taking everything in.

I turn to go inside and bust out laughing.

"What?" Phoenix asks, curiously.

"Is that a saddle with a dildo?" I ask tucking my lips in to keep from laughing.

He smiles. "Yep, I think it is."

I grab his arm and we walk up the stairs into the brightly lit building. Stepping inside, we find every sordid toy imaginable.

"Oh my!" I close my mouth and pick up a box with a rubber woman's behind and goods. "Look at this." I toss it to Phoenix.

He catches it and looks down, then up at me with wide eyes.

"Let's get it!" I suggest.

Phoenix rubs the back of his head. "I'm good on that." He sits it back on the shelf.

Running my hand over various colored butt plugs, I turn to Phoenix. "Could've used this at the hotel that one time."

Phoenix runs his tongue over his teeth. "Pick one."

I laugh. Picking up a small box with a black one inside, I put it back down. "That was a one-time thing." I shake my head. "Takes some getting used to. Still don't know how that happened."

Phoenix looks sheepishly at his shoes. "I don't know either."

Loud laughing from the aisle over tells me Penelope and JC stumbled on something surprising.

Before leaving the aisle, I double back and pick up the small box. We walk to the next aisle and find jumbo dildos.

"Be careful for that one!" Penelope points to the center of the shelf and disappears to another aisle.

Walking to where she pointed, I pick up a humongous neon pink dildo. "Bigger than any guy could

ever be. Right?" I ask Phoenix.

He shrugs. "See something you like?"

I smile. "This doesn't fade you in the slightest, does it?"

Phoenix rubs the back of head. "I don't know, I'm cool, you know." He picks up a vibrator. "How about this one?"

My mouth drops. "Well, I'm cool too. So, uhm, yeah. Let's get it." I stand there waiting for him to walk away with it in his hand.

He passes it to me. "Here, you take it."

"Cool huh?" I snatch the vibrator and add it to my collection.

We walk up to the next level to view lingerie. "Keys to the Kingdom" by Tiwa Savage and Mr. Eazi plays throughout the store. I run my hands through racks and racks of a rainbow of colorful sexy outfits. Picking up a hanger with a black lace one-piece lingerie, I place it over my body. "How you like this?" Shaking my hips to and fro to the beat, I move the lingerie like a red flag at a bull fight.

Phoenix gives it a thumbs up.

I add it to my collection. "When you gonna start carrying some of this stuff, Mr. Nothing Fazes Me?"

Phoenix rubs the back of head and laughs. "I told you I'm cool."

"I see. You're saying that the whole time you're passing all the taboo stuff to me." I grab a cock ring of a tab on the wall and toss it to him. "Here, take that."

He almost drops it, before he tries to give it back to me.

I shake my head and walk off.

"You really want me to wear this?" He asks.

"Yessir!"

He reluctantly keeps it.

We walk to another section of the store. Furniture, gadgets and pillows adorn this room. Black whips of different lengths, thicknesses and patterns line an entire wall in this room.

"Wow!" My hand runs along the whips within reach.

On the back wall, a mannequin dressed in leather and studs from head to toe, including a suffocating headpiece that has no holes for eyes.

Pointing to it, I cover my mouth and Phoenix and I bust out laughing.

"That's extreme stuff, right there."

We walk out of this room, arm in arm.

"Ready to ring it up?" Phoenix asks.

"Think we got some treasures here!"

We head to the counter to check out. A girl with a nose piercing, bright eyeshadow and dreads in two ponytails greets us. I sit everything on the counter. Phoenix nonchalantly slides his cock ring across the glass counter. The items vibrate on the glass.

"Where's the bass coming from? I ask.

She swipes our items. "That's our club, it's on the lower level. You should check it out."

I look around and lean in. "What's it like down there?"

She smiles. "Peep holes, dick holes, sex rooms, drinks. That kind of thing." She gives us our total and bags our items.

I look at Phoenix. He looks at me. We smile knowing we're heading there next.

Phoenix leans into me as we're walking towards the back of the store to the stairwell that leads down to the club. "So, you are into this sort of thing."

"I'm not into anything. This is an adventure. I'm just curious, OK." I reply. "And what about Piña and Mia and them?"

"We'll text them once we're down there. Put a little distance between us."

"OK."

Chris Brown's "Go Crazy" gets louder as we descend the stairs. From the stairwell bright neon lights swirl in the darkness at the door entrance. Anonymous hands carrying red cups walk past and random laughter and bits of conversation float up to us as we get closer. A bouncer stops us from entering and asks for our ID.

************************

And they're back on. Aria and Phoenix are turning up. Are they getting a little too adventurous or have they found their speed?