“Your skin is so soft,” he said, sounding fascinated. He stroked her breasts a few times before his fingers zeroed in on pinching her hard nipples.

“Ooh.” Her head fell back, exposing her long neck.

Hylan recognized an invitation when he saw one and leaned down to plant kisses on the line of her jaw all the way down to her sensitive collarbone. Kissing her was like finding the golden ticket to the chocolate factory. She tasted so damn sweet. What he really longed for was the taste of her caramel-tipped nipples. So much so that his stomach growled with hunger.

Nikki was lost in the magic that Hylan was creating. As far as that little pesky voice in the back of her head, she’d gagged it and locked it in the deep recesses of her mind. All she wanted was for Hylan to keep doing what he was doing. She’d think about the consequences later.

Dear Reader,

I hope that you enjoy My Only Desire, book four in the Kappa Psi Kappa series. Taariq and Anna were fun characters to create, and of course it’s always a pleasure to revisit all of the other characters in this popular series. And judging by all of the wonderful emails I’ve received, you enjoy getting to visit with them, too.

The idea for this story sort of hit close to home. I, like a lot of my single girlfriends, have been on my fair share of blind dates and even met some nice Mr. Right Nows. Taariq was a hard nut to crack, but I’m sure that you’ll be happy with the results.

I hope you’ve had a chance to check out the first three books in the series: Two Grooms and a Wedding, Sinful Chocolate and Body Heat. The fun never stops with these fine frat brothers.

And after reading My Only Desire, I hope you will come and visit me at my website www.adriannebyrd.com and drop me a line, or check me out on Facebook.

Adrianne

About the Author

ADRIANNE BYRD is a national bestselling author who has always preferred to live within the realms of her imagination, where all the men are gorgeous and the women are worth whatever trouble they manage to get into. As an army brat, she traveled throughout Europe and learned to appreciate and value different cultures. Now she calls Georgia home.

Ms. Byrd has been featured in many national publications, including Today’s Black Woman, Upscale and Heart and Soul. She has also won local awards for screenwriting.

In 2006 Adrianne Byrd forged into the world of Street Lit as De’nesha Diamond. In 2008 she jumped into the young-adult arena writing as A. J. Byrd, and she is just hitting the women’s fiction scene as Layla Jordan. She plans to continue creating characters that make people smile, laugh and fall in love.

Books by Adrianne Byrd

Kimani Romance | Kimani Arabesque
She’s My Baby | When You Were Mine
When Valentines Collide | Finding the Right Key
To Love a Stranger | Wishing on a Star
Two Grooms and a Wedding | Blue Skies
Her Lover’s Legacy | Feel the Fire
Sinful Chocolate | Defenseless
Tender to His Touch | Controversy
Body Heat | Forget Me Not
Lovers Premiere | Love Takes Time
My Only Desire | Queen of His Heart

MY ONLY DESIRE

ADRIANNE BYRD

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Thanks to all my friends and fans that encourage me

every day to keep going. And a special thank you to

Brenda Jackson, Tu-Shonda Whitaker and Evette Porter—

you each inspire me to be a better writer.

Back in the Day

Chapter 1

Morehouse College, 1995

Anna Jacobs was already a little tipsy when she arrived at the Kappa Psi Kappa fraternity house. As usual on a Friday night, the place was jam-packed and the music booming from the mega-speakers could be heard three blocks away. It didn’t matter. No one complained because they were all either at the party or headed to the party.

After a night of celebrating her passing Mr. Gallagher’s brain-crushing calculus class, Anna and her roommate Roxanne decided to check out the frat house that had the reputation on campus for throwing the best parties. Anna was starting to look at the Kappa house as a second home since she and Charlie Masters had become fast friends. It was a Twilight Zone phenomenon since Anna wasn’t particularly popular and didn’t belong to any sorority herself at neighboring Spelman College.

Charlie Masters on the other hand was not only popular, he was gorgeous—or maybe he was popular because he was gorgeous. Then again, most, if not all, the Kappa Psi Kappas were delectable eye candy. And the small crew that Charlie ran with were at the top of the heap.

She waltzed through the frat house door in her ittybitty black minidress that showcased her long legs and boosted her C-cups so that they looked like double Ds to the casual observer. Men paused and a few women eyed her up and down to determine her threat level. That never really happened to her before, mainly because she normally didn’t dress like a hoochie.

Anna’s gaze swept across the crowd until she spotted Charlie and his crew in the middle of a step performance in the main room. Everyone was hyped as they watched the complex hand-and foot-work the frat brothers had coordinated for the step show. To Anna there was just something about watching such strong and powerful brothers stomping, yelling and sweating that served as an incredible aphrodisiac—especially Charlie.

She smiled when her eyes landed on him.

Charlie, a tall, golden-skin-toned god with seductive hazel-green eyes was technically just a good friend of hers. But secretly, she’d hoped that one day they could be much more than that. Why not? All the signs were there. Lately, he kept coming up with all these lame excuses to call or come by her dorm the last couple of weeks. Wasn’t that a clear sign that he was feeling her?

It was possible. She was reasonably attractive. She wasn’t the overtly here-look-at-my-titties kind of attractive like her roommate Roxanne, but more of a conservative-good-girl kind of pretty—except for tonight.

Anna was just shy of six feet with thick, long black hair that hung to the center of her back. Again, it was a rarity that she even wore her hair down. It was usually pulled up into a ponytail and twisted around into a tight bun. But she was hoping this self-made makeover would help her stand out more.

The step-show ended to thunderous applause. Derrick Knight, Randall Jarrett, Charlie Masters, Hylan Dawson, Taariq Bryson and Stanley Patterson all took a deep bow before blending into the crowd for drinks and a few excited ladies.

Stanley Patterson spotted Anna and made a beeline straight for her. She smiled. Stanley was sweet, but was pretty much a tall, goofy redhead. In her opinion he sort of tried too hard to fit in, which she sort of understood, since he stuck out as the only white member of the Kappa Psi Kappa fraternity that she knew of. Anna cut him a little slack because she knew what it was like to be a bit awkward.

“Hey, Anna,” Stanley cheesed, sliding his hands into the front of his jeans and shifting his weight from side to side. He had a curious look, especially for a white boy. Sagging pants, gold chains and a box fade haircut that had been out of style for at least three years. “It’s good seeing you here tonight.”

“Well, you know … I was just passing through,” she lied and glanced around. Charlie had disappeared. She stood up on the tips of her toes and scanned the crowd.

“Would you like for me to get you something to drink?” Stanley asked eagerly. “What’s your pleasure?”

As usual, Anna didn’t have the heart to hurt Stanley’s feelings, especially when he looked at her with those large, blue puppy-dog eyes. “Sure, um … I’ll just have a rum and coke.”

“I’m on it!” He tossed her a wink and then took off like a shot.

“You know that he has the hots for you, don’t you?” Charlie said, from behind her.

Anna’s smile broadened as she turned on her heels. It was a miracle that she didn’t melt under his green-eyed stare. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

Charlie’s expression twisted while he pressed a hand against his chest. “Me? Jealous?”

Now he’s going to act all innocent.

“Hey, if you like Breadstick we can hook it up.”

“Breadstick? Why do you call him Breadstick?”

Charlie chuckled. “Because that’s what he looks like—a long, skinny breadstick. That and an older Howdy Doody.”

“Minus the freckles,” she added.

“So you’ve noticed. Maybe you do like him.” Charlie turned up his bottle of beer and drained the rest of it.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You haven’t denied it either.” He winked.

Anna folded her arms. The last thing she wanted was for Charlie to think that she had a thing for Stanley. “Then let me officially deny it. Stanley is sweet and all, but—”

“Hey, he’s cool.” Charlie shrugged. “I know I give him a hard time, but that’s my dog. For real. He has a good heart. You’d probably be a good match for him.”

Suddenly, she was confused by the mixed signals. Is he really trying to push me off on his boy?

Just then a girl with a whole lot of junk in her trunk sauntered by and Charlie did a quick rubberneck for a second look. Miffed, Anna glanced down at her enhanced breasts and tried to push them out a little more.

“I, uh, noticed that you came with your roommate tonight,” Charlie added casually. “I thought you two didn’t get along? ”

Anna’s hackles rose. Why was it that lately every time she talked to Charlie, he always brought up Roxanne? Had she totally misread his intentions? Had he been hanging around her in order to get closer to her roommate? “We get along all right,” she said, shrugging even though she was slowly starting to feel like a desperate idiot. “We went out to celebrate my acing my calculus test.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.” He smiled, causing his dimples to wink at her. “Of course I wasn’t worried. You’re like the smartest woman I know.”

Anna blushed. “I am?”

“I know I wouldn’t have been able to get through that French class last quarter without you.” He held up his beer bottle in a silent toast.

She shrugged again. “Ah. That was easy. I have family that lives in France. I go there every summer.”

“Mmm.” He nodded his head while his eyes roamed over her slim figure. Sucking in her flat stomach, Anna pulled her shoulders back so that he could get a good look at all she had to offer. She hoped she measured up. Sure, she was trying to look like some video-ho, but it was only because that was usually the kind of chick that the Kappa men went for. Charlie was no different. He dated the hottest girls on campus. It stood to reason that if she wanted to break out of the friend zone, then she needed to take drastic measures. He never stayed with them for long, but she was sure that she had what it would take to keep his interest.

For a few seconds, they held each other’s gaze. Anna wished that she could read his mind, but it was an amazingly hard thing to do. Did he just like her as a friend or was there truly a chance for something more?

“I’m back,” Stanley announced, smiling.

Anna quashed the urge to shoo him away and accepted the rum and coke. “Thanks, Stanley.”

“Not a problem.” He stretched his arm and attempted to brace it against the door frame directly behind her. But instead he missed it completely and went sailing to the floor, taking the coat rack down with him.

Anna and a slew of party-goers jumped out of the way. Stanley landed hard, but surprisingly bounced right back up like a jack-in-the-box. “I’m all right. I’m all right,” he announced holding up his hands so that everyone could see for themselves.

A few people snickered and laughed.

“Real smooth, Slick,” Charlie said, giving Stanley a playful elbow to the ribs.

“Yo, Charlie.” Taariq Bryson threaded his way through the crowd. “Randall and I are about to make a beer run. You want to ride shotgun?” His eyes swung toward Anna. He lifted a curious brow and smiled. “Well, well. I didn’t know that you were … busy.” His gaze caressed Anna’s tall frame as if she was standing there naked. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks while Anna’s gaze shifted from Charlie’s twinkling green eyes to Taariq’s smoldering dark ones. There was no need to try and guess what was on his mind since pure carnal lust was written over every inch of his handsome face.

The heat Charlie generated was reduced to a candlelit flame compared to the inferno Taariq generated. He was also at least two inches taller than Charlie with a smooth milk chocolate complexion, compared to Charlie’s caramel. She loved milk chocolate. Absently, she licked her bottom lip and noticed how his eyes lit up when she did so.

Stanley cleared his throat and put his arm around Anna’s shoulder possessively. “Actually, I was hollering at li’l shawty.”

Anna’s neck swiveled. Li’l shawty?

Taariq chuckled. “Oh. Is that right?”

Stanley’s chest grew bigger. “Yeah, that’s right.”

Anna opened her mouth to respond, but Charlie quickly cut her off. “Yo, T. C’mon, man. Let’s head out and let Red here handle his business.” He winked.

This was getting out of hand.

Stanley held up his fist. “Good looking out, dog.”

Charlie exchanged dabs with Stanley while Anna looked on with horror. Say something. But what? Stanley looked so proud of himself that she was afraid hurting his undersized ego in front of his boys would be tantamount to kicking a box full of puppies.

“I, uh—”

“Let’s go, T,” Charlie said and then winked at Stanley and Anna. “And you two, don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do.”

Stanley’s chest puffed out even farther. “C’mon, man. You know how I do.”

If Anna wasn’t mistaken, she would’ve sworn that she saw a flicker of disappointment in Taariq’s eyes. But in the next breath, he said, “You two play it safe.”

Stanley waved them off.

Taariq cast another look in Anna’s direction and then headed out the front door behind Charlie. The moment he walked out of the fraternity house, her body suddenly seemed to need oxygen. She sucked in a deep breath. But when that didn’t steady her nerves, she remembered the drink in her hand and downed its contents in one gulp.

Stanley blinked in stunned silence.

“Ahh. I guess I needed that.” Anna handed her empty glass back to him.

“Um. Okay.” He cleared his throat. “Would you like another one?”

“No. I’m good,” she told him, allowing the awkward silence between them to drift and expand, while everyone else in the frat house was bumping and grinding to Shaggy’s “Bombastic.” More than a few rocking hips and butts bumped her closer to Stanley, so much so that he got the wrong idea.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked, setting her glass down on a table.

“I don’t know. Maybe I should be getting back to my dorm room.” She gave her best apologetic smile.

“What? But you just got here.” He grabbed her hand. “C’mon. Don’t be a party pooper. You can share one dance with me. I swear I won’t embarrass you.”

Anna dug her heels in a bit, hoping that it would buy her brain enough time to come up with another excuse. It didn’t.

“C’mon,” Stanley urged again with another tug. “Show me what you’re working with.” He started popping his hips and surprisingly had pretty good rhythm … for a white boy. “Ah. You didn’t think I knew anything about this here, did you?”

Damn. He’s a better dancer than I am. The realization made her laugh.

“See? I told you that I wasn’t going to embarrass you.” He moved in close then busted out a few more slick moves.

A few partiers peeped his style and started pointing and egging him on. After a few dance songs, Anna realized that she was actually starting to have a good time.

The crowd chanted. “Go, white boy! Get busy! It’s your birthday! You know it!”

Stanley looked as if he was on top of the world with the adulation. A little later with his confidence sky-high, Stanley decided to make his move and lure Anna into a corner of the crowded house. No sooner did he get her over there did Charlie and Taariq throw open the door, lugging in a keg of beer.

“Everybody ready to get their party on?” Taariq shouted.

The crowd responded with a thunderous, “Hell, yeah!”

Someone jacked the music even louder. Anna could barely hear herself think. Oddly enough, her gaze didn’t initially stray to Charlie, but looked over to Taariq and his infectious smile. She also noticed that there were at least a dozen or so women smiling and batting their eyelashes at him.

However, Taariq glanced over at her. The heat started up again and her stomach looped into knots as if she was about to bungee jump off the side of Stone Mountain. What the hell was going on with her?

“I’m glad to see that you’re having such a good time,” Stanley said, handing her another rum and coke.

“Uh? What?” Anna forced her eyes to swing back toward Stanley. Guilt inched up her spine. It’s time, she told herself. She couldn’t continue to give the man false hope. Shakily, she drew in a deep breath. “Stanley, we need to talk.”

Instantly, his smile melted. “Uh, oh. That’s not a good sign.”

“Well, I just think that we need to get a few things cleared up … about you and me.”

“Definitely not a good sign.” He reached for his own beer and took a quick swig. “Let me guess. You don’t like me.”

“No.”

Stanley’s shoulders slumped. “Damn. Really?”

“I mean I like you,” she rushed to get her foot out of her mouth. “I just don’t like you in the way that you want me to.” She winced and held her breath, hoping that she didn’t completely destroy Stanley’s fragile ego. “I mean … I look at you like a brother.”

“Oh.” He dropped his gaze and stared at his bottle of beer. “A brother. Great.”

“I’m so sorry, Stanley.” Anna placed her hand on his shoulder. “You’re a nice guy.”

“Oh, God. Not the nice guy routine,” he moaned. “That’s starting to be the story of my life.”

She cupped the bottom of his chin and tilted it up. “There is nothing wrong with being a nice guy. We just don’t have that kind of connection. You know what I mean? “

“You mean like the connection you feel toward Charlie?” He lifted his head and trapped her with his vibrant blue gaze.

“What?”

Stanley shrugged. “I’m not stupid … and I’m damn sure not blind. I’ve seen how you look at him. All googly-eyed and everything.” He shrugged. “I mean a lot of girls like Charlie … and Derrick … and Hylan … and Taariq. Hell. I’m the odd man out.”

“Stanley—”

“No. No. It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

Now she felt like crap. “I’m sorry. But I really feel that there’s a girl out there that’s going to be perfect for you,” Anna comforted even as a horrible thought occurred to her. Oh, God, if Stanley knows …

“Don’t worry. I don’t think Charlie has a clue,” Stanley said as if he’d just heard her private thoughts. “He’s my dog and everything. But like I said, he’s used to women looking at him googly-eyed.”

That wasn’t comforting. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I hope that we can still be friends?”

Stanley attempted to smile, but it failed miserably.

She felt the need to say something else. But the right words failed her and she was left to just awkwardly watch him drain the rest of his beer.

“Well. Enjoy the rest of the party,” Stanley said, avoiding her gaze and then peeling away from her so fast that she didn’t have time to stop him.

“Great. Way to go, Anna,” she mumbled under her breath, convinced that Stanley was going to hate her forever. She tossed back her second drink and then reminded herself that she had a low tolerance level.

Notorious B.I.G.'s “One More Chance” started thumping from the speakers and everyone threw their hands up and started rocking to the smooth beats. Anna scanned the crowd again, searching for Charlie.

“Now where did he go?” A part of her was aware that she was behaving like the same love-struck puppy Stanley looked like just a few minutes ago, but she couldn’t help it. She pushed her way through the crowd that seemed to be growing at a rapid rate. For twenty minutes she combed the house before deciding to give up. The problem now was that she needed to find Roxanne so that they could split. However, the idea of shuffling back through the crowd wasn’t appealing—not to mention, she was starting to feel the effects of her two drinks.

Drawing a deep breath, she turned so she could start back through the crowd and accidently stepped on someone’s foot. “Oops. Sorry.”

Taariq turned his wounded expression toward her. “Damn, baby. Watch where you’re wielding those shoes.” He softened his rebuke with a smile. “So where are you running off to so fast? This isn’t the Dixie Speedway, you know.”

Anna blinked up at him. Damn. He was even better looking up close. She stepped back, hoping the space would help her pull herself together.

It didn’t.

“Let me guess, you’re looking for your boy, Stanley?”

“Stanley?” She blinked. “No. Um, Stanley is just a good friend.”

Taariq’s handsomely groomed brows sprung up in surprise. “Oh. Is that right?” He stretched an arm up and propped it against the wall behind her, effectively forming a human alcove. It was definitely better executed than when Stanley had tried it. “Sooo. Does that mean that you don’t have a man?”

Her face warmed. “No. Um, not at the moment.”

Taariq moved closer. “Do you want one?”

Damn. He doesn’t waste any time. His directness overwhelmed her. “Actually, I just need to find my roommate Roxanne and head out,” she said, escaping while she could still think clearly.

Taariq’s full lips kicked up into a wicked smile. “Sorry, l’il Ma. I didn’t know you scared so easily.”

“What? I’m not scared,” she bluffed.

“No?” His brows arched while his eyes roamed over her again. It was so intense that Anna swore it was a physical caress.

“If you’re not scared, why are you running away? I don’t bite … unless you ask me to.”

Anna swallowed while her nipples hardened inside her lace bra. As luck would have it, that was the exact moment when his gaze lowered.

“Since I know it’s not cold in here that must mean that you’re excited to be near me.”

Anna’s entire body blazed with embarrassment. “Wow. What a big ego you have.”

“Everything is big on me, baby.” He inched closer and glided his finger up the side of her right arm.

Anna gasped at the way her entire arm tingled. The playful glint in Taariq’s eyes morphed into something dangerously predatory within a blink. No doubt that if she stood there much longer, he was going to have her legs up around his waist—the crowded party be damned.

She removed his finger from her arm. “Let’s get one thing straight—I’m not your baby.”

“You could be. The night is still young.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “I gotta go.” She attempted to step around him only for him to grab her wrist and pull her back.

“All right. All right. My bad. I’m sorry. Can we start again?”

She pulled in a deep breath while she actually thought about it. “I … I’ve got a test … tomorrow,” she lied.

Taariq stretched up a dubious brow. “On a Saturday?”

“It’s a make-up test,” she covered. One look in his eyes and she knew that he wasn’t buying it.

Instead of calling her on it, he just hitched up his shoulders and widened his smile. “A rain check then?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Don’t hold your breath.

“All right. I don’t need a brick building to fall on my head. You’re not interested. I get it.” He tried to shrug off the rejection, but she could tell that it was something that he wasn’t used to. Then, he dipped his brows together as if suddenly a thought occurred to him. “You’re not …?”

“What?”

“You know.” Taariq winked as if he’d worked out a missing piece of the puzzle before leaning in close so that his minty breath would warm the side of her face. “You don’t bat for the other side, do you?”

Anna’s mouth fell open. “What?”

“I mean—I know that sort of thing gets explored with you ladies when you’re away at college.”

She was dumbfounded. “No. I’m not gay.”

The mischievousness returned to his chocolaty gaze. “Good. Then I still have a chance.”

Not in this lifetime. Anna, now completely turned off, pushed past him and then shoved her way back through the dancing crowd. She spotted one of the girls that lived two dorms down from hers and headed in that direction. “Hey, have you seen Roxanne anywhere?”

Jade turned, sloshing whatever she had in her plastic cup onto the floor. “What?”

“Roxanne. Have you seen her? ”

“Silly, my name isn’t Roxanne. It’s Jade.” She giggled in a drunken stupor. “Roxanne went upstairs a few minutes ago. Don’t you even know your own roommate?”

“No, I meant …” Anna waved her comment away. “Oh, never mind.” She turned and once again pushed her way through the crowd. Mercifully, she made her way upstairs but was then forced to try to figure out where to search next with there being so many rooms.

That is until she heard Charlie’s familiar laugh followed by Roxanne’s annoying giggly snort coming from a room directly to her right. From that moment on, she operated more on instinct than actual thought. She moved toward the closed door with her outstretched hand and her heart already breaking. By the time she opened the door and saw Charlie and Roxanne, tearing at each other’s clothes, her weak heart had already shattered into a million pieces.

Chapter 2

Big, fat alligator tears swelled in Anna’s eyes as she watched Charlie and Roxanne laugh and giggle while they playfully tore at each other’s clothes. She didn’t understand why they didn’t spring apart after having been caught in the middle of the act. But then she realized that her loud screaming was just happening inside her head and they didn’t know she stood there like a dummy watching them. When Roxanne pulled Charlie’s open mouth toward her exposed breasts, Anna finally uprooted her legs and backed away.

From there, she was vaguely aware of rushing back down the stairs and plowing through the crowd. A shove here, an elbow there, she didn’t care who got hurt as long as they got out of her way. But after five minutes, the door seemed to be getting farther away, not closer.

Anna swiped at a few tears only to discover that her entire face was soaking wet. Just great. She was a weeping mess in front of the who’s who of Morehouse and Spelman College.

Just hurry up and get out of here!

Anna moved so fast that she clipped someone’s leg and was sent sprawling toward the floor. She thrust out her hands, hoping to break her fall, but was surprised when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and jerked her back up as if she was tethered to the end of a bungee cord.

“Whoa there.” Taariq laughed, setting her back on her feet. “You know I’m beginning to think that walking isn’t your strong suit.” He chuckled once, but then the humor melted from his face when he took in her expression. “Hey. What’s wrong?” He swiped at one of her tears.

“Nothing,” Anna lied, and then tried to shove her way out of his arms.

Problem was that he just tightened them and held her in place. “Look. I might be many things, but blind is definitely not one of them. Tell me what’s wrong. Did something happen upstairs? Did someone do something to you?”

“I said it’s nothing.” She shoved again and he reluctantly let her go. It was a good thing, too, because she nearly choked on the sob that was lodged in her throat. Anna could feel hysteria creeping up on her, but she told herself that if she could just get outside for some fresh air that she’d feel better.

Shove. Push. Shove. Push.

The door still seemed so far away. Stay calm. Keep it together.

Shove. Push. Shove. Push.

Another sob bubbled up. Finally she stormed out of the house and sucked in a healthy dose of the night’s crisp, fresh air. The wind blew across her wet face and cooled her down a couple of degrees. She exhaled and from the corner of her eyes, she caught a few curious stares. Pull yourself together. Anna mopped her face dry and then started down the front stairs.

“Yo, Anna. Where are you going?”

Anna glanced up and saw a small ring of girlfriends jog up the stairs.

“Don’t tell me that the party is whack,” Emmadonna said, settling a hand on her thick hips. “You know how long it took me to get ready for this mess?”

“Three hours,” Ivy chirped, irritated. “Not to mention you used up all my hair gel—again.”

Emmadonna’s neck swiveled. “Damn. I said I’d buy you another jar. You’re the one who wanted me to come to this party and you know I couldn’t come without getting my finger-wave in tight. Shoot.” She patted her rock-hard hair. “I came to get a man tonight.”

As usual Emmadonna’s sister-girl act put an immediate smile on Anna’s face.

“You’re always looking for a man,” Anna reminded her.

“You can’t find what you don’t look for. Ain’t that right, Ivy?”

“Whatever.” Anna shrugged her shoulders.

Emmadonna swiveled her neck and jabbed her other hand onto her hip. “Soooo … did you do it—or did you chicken out? Don’t tell me that you chickened out with Charlie tonight.”

Anna’s jaw clenched.

“You did, didn’t you?” Emmadonna rolled her eyes. “Girl, what am I going to do with you? How are you going to get out of this friend zone if you don’t tell Charlie that you’re feeling him?”

“Look, Em—”

“No. You look.” Emmadonna swung her heavy arm around Anna’s shoulders and started to lead her back toward the frat house. “That boy is waaay too fine to just keep on your friend list. I know you’re feeling him and I seen him look at you.”

“He looks at everything with two legs and two breasts,” Anna muttered dejectedly.

“Well, there you go! You’re his type.” Emmadonna laughed. “Now get your butt on in here and—”

Anna dug in her heels and shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I was leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“It’s just ten-thirty.”

“I know. I just … have a lot I … um—”

Emmadonna wasn’t trying to hear it. “Girl, if you don’t get your butt in here …”

Anna wrenched herself from Emmadonna’s hold. “No. I said I’m going home.”

Emmadonna gave chase, surprising Anna with her speed and agility when she snatched her by her arm at the bottom of the stairs. “Whoa. What the hell? What happened in there?”

“Nothing,” Anna lied. Unfortunately, Emmadonna wasn’t buying it.

“Something gotta be wrong with you running out of here with your tail tucked in between your legs. Now spit it out.”

More partiers arrived and tried to squeeze their way past the girls. Impatient, Emmadonna tightened her hold on Anna’s wrist and then tugged her off to the side. “C’mon, now. We’ve been best friends for forever. I know you better than you know yourself. What happened?”

At that moment the dam broke. Tears tripped over Anna’s lashes and then streaked down her face at a pace that startled her friends.

“Oh, my God. He turned you down,” Emmadonna concluded and then pulled Anna into her strong arms for a smothering hug. “I’m so sorry.”

Anna’s eyes bugged as she struggled to get air into her lungs. When it was clear that was nearing on being impossible, she started whacking her friend on the back in hopes that Emmadonna would catch a clue and release her. She did. Just a mere second before Anna blacked out. Coughing and sucking in air, Anna managed to shake her head.

“Are you going to be all right?” Emmadonna asked, referring to Anna’s broken heart and not her possible broken ribs.

“I’ll live,” she said with mild conviction. “I just want to go.”

“What did he say?” Emmadonna insisted. She always went in for the juice. “Do we need to roll up in here and curse his butt out? ‘Cause you know I will.”

Emmadonna lived to curse people out. Drama was her middle name. “No.”

“Humph! I’ll be right back.” Emmadonna turned.

Anna knew that her protest had been overwritten and that she’d have to confess more than she wanted to in order to stop her well-intentioned friend from getting rowdy. “Charlie didn’t say anything.”

Now Ivy peered over Emmadonna’s shoulder to stare Anna down. “So what happened?”

Anna mopped her face again and wished that the earth would just open and swallow her whole. “He didn’t say anything because I didn’t tell him. Okay? Now can we just drop it?”

“You punked out?” Ivy asked, frowning. “Damn. Do you need me and Emmadonna here to go in and pass him a note to ask if he likes you? He can check box yes or no.”

Anna huffed in frustration. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

Emmadonna cocked her head as she read Anna’s face easily. “There’s another woman.”

Jackpot. The two women’s gazes clicked as the friends finally read the truth in her face. Frankly, none of them should’ve been surprised. Charlie was a ladies’ man. He’d never hid or denied that. She should have just left well enough alone. They were just friends—so why did she feel so used?

“So, who is the bitch?” Emmadonna challenged as she started to remove her earrings. “Did anybody bring a jar of Vaseline?”

Ivy dug into her purse. “I think I have a small jar.”

“It’s Roxanne.”

They froze.

“Roxanne … as in your roommate? That Roxanne?” Emmadonna checked.

Anna nodded. “So? Do I have your permission to leave now?” She was on the verge of having another tidal wave of tears hit her and she would rather it happen when she was alone. “And since Roxanne was my ride—any chance one of you mind driving? ”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Ivy announced, hip-bumping Emmadonna’s plus-size frame out of the way and swinging an arm around Anna’s shoulders. “Screw Charlie … and the horse he rode in on.”

“Yeah,” Emmadonna cosigned, tossing Ivy’s jar of Vaseline back into her purse.

“I never liked that weave-o-rific heifer anyway.”

A small smile returned to Anna’s lips. It was funny to see soft-spoken Ivy get a little feisty on her behalf. “Don’t get mad at Roxanne. She doesn’t know that I like … liked Charlie in that way.”

“Is there something wrong with her eyes?” Emmadonna countered. “Stevie Wonder can see that—”

“Em, please. Just drop it.” Anna pinched the bridge of her nose to stave off a massive migraine.

“Come on, girl. We’re going back in there.” Emmadonna took one arm and Ivy grabbed hold of the other and together they started marching Anna back into the party.

“What? Wait.”

“No waiting. Once you get thrown off a horse, you don’t just lie on the ground and wait for another one to just trample all over you.”

“Yeah,” Ivy said. “You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on that sucker.”

“Cowboy metaphors? Really?” Anna twisted her face as she was once again shoved back through the fraternity house. The music seemed ten decibels higher. The bass pulsed in perfect time with the thin vein pounding along her temple. Bumping and grinding bodies made the whole place look like it was just seconds from turning into one mass orgy.

“Hot damn,” Emmadonna said, shaking her thick booty. “This is the joint right here!” When she then dropped it down low and then picked it up again, a young brother rolled up on her and tried to show her what he was working with. “I’m going to catch up with you two a little later,” she told Anna before drifting away.

Anna stared after her friend, stunned to be abandoned within seconds of entering the party.

“Don’t pay her no mind,” Ivy consoled. “You know men are her weakness. What we’re going to do is have ourselves a good time. Charlie Masters is not the only shark in the sea—and the fastest way to get over one man is to get under another one.”

Anna frowned. “Come again?”

“Girl, that’s what my momma told me and she has never steered me wrong.”

“Your mother has been married like eight or nine times,” Anna reminded her.

“She practices what she preaches—and trust me, every husband is better than the last.” Ivy laughed.

“All right. What the hell?” Anna conceded the fight. It was clear that none of her girls were going to let her escape this place so that she could go back to her dorm and cry her eyes out.

“Really?” Ivy checked.

Anna bobbed her head. “Yeah. But I think I need a drink first.”

“Then a drink it is! “ She snatched Anna by the hand and proceeded to tug her through the throng of people—yet again. In the crowded kitchen, the girl bypassed the beer keg for the harder stuff on the counter. Before Anna knew it, she was tossing back tequila shots like she was on spring break in Cancun. Next thing she knew, the alcohol snuck up on her and started numbing her heartbreak.

Soon all thoughts of Charlie melted away and all that existed was the jamming beats bumping throughout the house. She closed her eyes and started rocking her hips. She was feeling good—damn good.

“Oooh. So you do know how to loosen up,” an amused baritone said from behind.

Anna turned to see Taariq once again hovering above her. “Of course I do. Don’t look so surprised.” She lazily ran her fingers through her hair, suddenly fascinated by how soft it was. Yep. She was drunk, but not so much that she didn’t catch the way Taariq’s gaze tracked her fingers and how a glint of lust had returned to his eyes. Suddenly, Anna’s playful smile became flirtatious while her own gaze dragged down Taariq’s body. God. Help. Her.

“Tell me something, Taariq. Do you have a girl?”

Next to her, Ivy choked and then sprayed out her drink. Undoubtedly, she was just as surprised as Anna at her boldness.

“No.” Taariq moved closer so that his firm chest could brush against her breasts. “I don’t have a steady girl.” Their eyes were open invitations, ones that they were both eager to accept.

Anna held one last shot in her hand and she tossed that sucker back for a sweet burn before handing the shot glass over to Ivy. “I’ll catch up with you later,” she whispered with a wink.

Ivy’s brows arched while amusement hugged her lips. “Well, all right then, giiirrl. Work it out.”

Taariq wrapped an arm around Anna’s shoulder and led her back toward the main living room just when TLC’s song “Creep” blasted over the crowd.

“Oh. I loooove this song,” Anna moaned, shaking her hips and snapping her fingers.

Without missing a beat, Taariq pulled up to her bumper and got in where he fit in. They moved together as if they had been doing so all their lives. But the heat was turned up when Taariq’s hands started roaming all over her body. It started low on her legs and then glided up her firm thighs before finally rounding her hips. Everywhere they went, he left a trail of fire that at that moment she was willing to let consume her.

Then everything started to blur. They were laughing and the room was spinning. Not to mention, she was hot as hell and could feel beads of perspiration start to roll down the sides of her face and even drench her neck. Anna did notice that Taariq’s chest wasn’t the only thing firm on him. He had biceps to die for and huge shoulders that beckoned her to rest her head.

The music changed up and En Vogue’s “Something He Can Feel” had everyone grooving a little more sensually. However, in their case, Taariq was the one soliciting all kinds of feelings. For once in her life, she was just going to roll with it. She wasn’t going to bog herself down by overthinking every little thing like she usually did. This felt wonderful and she wanted to take things up a notch.

Taariq’s hand roamed from around her waist to take a bold position on her apple-shaped booty. When there was no objection, he squeezed—and she moaned. That was a signal for him to move in closer. He inhaled her flowery scent while she nearly overdosed on his seductive cologne. Heaven opened up in her mind and before she knew it, she was floating on thick, fluffy clouds without a care in the world.

“You sure do know how to move,” Taariq whispered up against her ear. “Is that a skill you just have on the dance floor or do you know how to move in other places?”

Anna opened her eyes and stared into Taariq’s dark lustful gaze. “I’ve never had any complaints.” Of course her list of partners could be added up on two fingers so it wasn’t like that qualified her to have a comment box.

“Is that right?” He pulled his full, bottom lip in between his teeth and dropped his gaze to her hypnotic cleavage again. “So what are my chances of finding out?”

Anna turned just when Charlie and Roxanne descended the stairs, giggling and clinging to each other. Their clothes were crumpled and Roxanne’s hair looked a hot mess. If it wasn’t for the alcohol, Anna’s jealousy would’ve reared up and she would’ve flew across the room to snatch all that whack-yaki weave out of her head. But for now, she was still floating and enjoying the low simmering fire Taariq’s body and hands started across her body.

“I’d say that your chances of seeing all my moves have just increased to a hundred percent,” she said sexily.

Surprise lifted his brows, but he wasn’t about to wait around on the dance floor on the off chance that she might change her mind. His arm transformed into a hook and he proceeded to direct her toward the stairs—and Charlie and Roxanne.

Anna dug in her heels and then tried to back away.

Given how fast his erection was stretching toward his knees, Taariq feared a sweet opportunity was about to pass him by when Anna started backing away. “What? What’s up?” However, when he glanced down at her, she was still smiling.

“Tell you what. I think I have a better idea,” she cooed.

“Oh?” He liked the sound of that. “What do you have in mind?”

She nodded as she moved closer and pressed against him. “How about you take me back to my place?”

Taariq whipped out his car keys and winked. “You ain’t said nothing but a word.”

Chapter 3

Anna’s head was spinning when she climbed into Taariq’s black SUV. There was a small voice shouting in the back of her head, asking whether she knew what she was doing. But she drowned out the annoying question by humming Whitney Houston’s “Shoop, Shoop.” No thinking. No over-analyzing. This was going to be a world better than just crying into her pillow about a secret crush gone south. Much better.

Taariq opened the driver’s door and smiled at her as he climbed in next to her. It was amazing how his frame and his presence just filled up the space. It almost took her breath away. She cocked her head and stared at him. How come she had never really noticed him before? The question fumbled in her mind while he put the keys in the ignition. Maybe it was because she’d always seen him just in passing—and then only a couple of times.

“Are you ready?”

Good God. His black gaze was absolutely mesmerizing.

She eased across the seat and lifted his arm and then draped it around her shoulders. “I’m more than ready,” she purred with her gaze drifting down to his full lips. Damn. He even had a perfectly shaped mouth. I wonder what he tastes like.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind was she leaning in close, puckering her lips.

Taariq smiled and rolled with it.

Pure chocolate with rum filling. She released a long, winding moan while lifting her hands to cup his handsome face. Jeez. She could drink from his lips for the rest of her life as far as she was concerned. Nothing she had ever tasted had been so rich and decadent. Anna inched closer and moaned louder.

Taariq’s arm fell from her shoulders and then looped around her waist. In the next second, his moans mingled with hers. Soon they both forgot about their need for oxygen, they just fed from each other’s mouths as if they were each other’s manna from heaven.

When Anna couldn’t starve her lungs of oxygen any longer, she eased back and gasped for air. “Oh, my. You taste really good.” Did she say that right? It kind of sounded slurred to her own ears.

“You’re pretty delicious yourself, baby.” He winked and finally started up the car.

Instead of easing back over to the passenger side, Anna chose to snuggle up against Taariq’s broad shoulders. To her delight they were as strong and comfortable as she had imagined. She sighed and closed her eyes. Even then her head was still spinning like a carousel.

“So where am I going?” Taariq asked.

“Spelman dorms,” she murmured and then gave her building number. She shifted a bit, but only so that she could sink further into the crook of his arm. Once she found her spot, she was in heaven.

“Are you all right?”

“Uh, hmm.” She sighed. “I’m just getting comfortable.”

“All right.” He chuckled and then pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

Aww. How sweet. She slid her arms around his waist like he was her favorite teddy bear. No doubt if she wasn’t slightly liquored up at this moment she would’ve thought her being all hugged up with a guy that she hardly knew was highly inappropriate. Her parents raised her with more sense than this. It was just … well, it just felt right to be where she was. Especially after what’s-his-name broke her heart tonight.

What was his name again? Anna frowned as she tried to get her brain to rifle through her mental Rolodex. Charlie. The name finally floated upward, but it didn’t give her anything close to the feeling she was experiencing right now with Taariq.

While Anna marinated on that thought for a moment, she could feel the vehicle roll to a stop. A second later the engine shut off.

“Anna?” Another kiss was pressed to her head before there was a gentle shake to arouse her. “Are you awake, baby?”

“Hmm?”

“We’re here,” Taariq murmured softly and then waited for her response. When he didn’t get one, he shook her again. “Baby?”

Anna moaned and then stretched. When her thick fan of lashes opened, she drank in his handsome features. “Hey,” she moaned as if waking up to him was completely normal.

Taariq chuckled softly as he shook his head. “Hey, yourself. So you think that you can walk up to your dorm room or should I carry you?”

She snuggled closer. “Like if we were on our honeymoon? ”

“Uh … oookay,” Taariq hedged. “Exactly how much did you drink tonight?”

Anna rolled her eyes while her smile slid wider. “Oh, I don’t know. A couple?”

His laughter deepened. “Just a couple?”

“Something like that.” She twirled a finger in her hair as she finally pulled herself out from underneath his arm. “Should we go up?”

Taariq’s brows arched upward. “Do you think that you can make it?”

She frowned at the silly question. “What do you mean? I’m fine.”

He gave her a dubious look but then pulled the keys out of the ignition and climbed out of the car. Since she was practically in his seat, he offered a hand to help her out from his side, as well.

“Whoo,” Anna said, almost tumbling. Something must be wrong with her legs and why was the street moving?

Taariq kept an arm wrapped around her waist. “Are you sure that you’re okay?”

Anna righted herself by clinging to him. “Yeah. Never better.” She giggled for a moment and then became fixated on his mouth again. His perfect … luscious … mouth. She lifted her finger and then lazily brushed it across the bottom. “I want to kiss you again,” she whispered.

Still highly amused, Taariq laughed while he maneuvered to shut the SUV door behind her.

“Mmm-hmm.” She bobbed her head like a little girl.

“You’re adorable, do you know that?”

Her smile melted as she dropped her gaze. “Adorable … but not beautiful.” The thought disheartened her. That was probably the main reason what’s-his-name preferred Roxanne over her. She was and would always be the plain

Jane with the brains. Suddenly Anna felt like a joke. She glanced down at her tight attire and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

Taariq took hold of her chin and lifted it until their eyes met. “You’re both. Beautiful and adorable.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m sure you already knew that.”

Anna shook her head even though his gaze only reflected truth. He really believes that. Her smile returned and as a reward Taariq lowered his head and pulled her soft lips in for a kiss. Her body slumped against him while every troubled thought she had melted away.

There was a shuffle of feet somewhere before someone shouted, “Y’all get a room somewhere. Damn!”

Taariq smiled against her lips before pulling back. “Let’s get you to your room.”

“That sounds like a plan,” she said, releasing her inner sex kitten.

He just smiled as he walked and supported her with his arm still wrapped around her waist. She did pretty well if you considered her inability to walk a straight line and she seemed to catch a serious case of the giggles halfway up to her dorm room. When she got her door open, Taariq took his cue to pull away. “Maybe I can call and check on you tomorrow? ”

Anna’s face twisted in disappointment. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.” He reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “I think you need to get a good night’s sleep.”

“Nooo.” She tugged him into the small room by his shirt. “I want you to stay,” she purred.

“Trust me. I’d love to stay. But I don’t think that’s really a good idea.”

“Oh, really?” She kicked the door shut and started pulling up his shirt. “I thought that you wanted to see some of my other moves.” Anna started swaying her hips. Once she got started, that shining glint returned to his dark gaze and she knew that she had him.

She kicked off one pump—maybe a little too hard because it flew high up in the air and smacked Taariq against his temple.

“Ow!”

“Oh.” She slapped her hands across her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

Taariq rolled his eyes toward the door like he was reconsidering his exit.

Anna lowered her hands and doubled up on her awkward seduction show. However, this time she just leaned over to remove her other shoe. Problem with that though was that her balance was still a little off and so when she leaned. she kept on falling.

“Whoa! Watch it!” Taariq lunged forward, but unfortunately when she made a desperate grab for him, she just succeeded in pulling him down with her. She hit the floor and banged her head on the end of the nightstand.

“Anna?” he asked, concerned. “Are you all right?”

Again, Anna stirred and mumbled a string of apologies. She wasn’t sure that they were getting through to him though. He looked a bit stunned and confused. “Oh. Are you all right?” She finally removed her hands and then tried to check to see if he was bleeding.

“Let me see.”

Taariq pulled away. “I didn’t hit my head. You did.”

“Oh.” She reached for her forehead but felt all right. “So where were we?”

“I was about to put you to bed. C’mon. Please.”

She gave him her best puppy-dog eyes. “I’ll be gentle.”

He looked dubious at best. “I’m not quite sure that’s at all possible with you.”

She popped him on the shoulder. “Stop being a crybaby.

C’mere.” Anna grabbed the sides of his face and jerked him toward her.

“I guess that means being gentle is off the table, huh?”

Anna smiled when she saw that there was no damage to his head. “You’re fine. Here. I’ll kiss it.” She made a big production by making a loud smooching sound when she planted her lips to the side of his head.

Taariq chuckled and pulled away. His gaze met hers again and he couldn’t help but smile again. “You’re something else. You know that?”

She shrugged demurely and then became fascinated by his smile again.

“Let me guess. You want to kiss me again.”

Anna sucked in her bottom lip and then nodded shyly.

Taariq laughed. “I swear I don’t know whether to run or make love to you.”

Finally, Anna’s gaze roamed back to his eyes. “Well, let me help you out with that decision.” She pulled his head back down and captured his lips in what could only be described as the most intoxicating kiss she had ever had in her life.

Granted she didn’t really have a long list of those, but … damn. And when Taariq’s hand started its slow climb up her leg, setting off another long trail of fire, she was lost.

Totally.

Completely.

It didn’t really matter that they were tangled up on the floor instead of her bed. In fact, it kind of made it a little hotter. By the time her entire body was ablaze, she was impatient for Taariq to round toward second base. Kissing was fine—for good girls. But she was tired of being a good girl.

Grabbing the bull by the balls—well, not literally—Anna pulled at Taariq’s shirt.

He broke the kiss. “Are you sure about this?”

Her answer was to yank the shirt over his head. After that, she pulled his face back so that she could continue to drink from his lips. With her eyes closed, she was able to enjoy the wonderful spinning inside of her head.

Taariq maneuvered their bodies around so that she could lay back flat against the floor while he took the dominate position. He broke their kiss and panted softly against the side of her neck while he tried to gain a little more control. However, when Anna started getting impatient again, she really went for it this time and shoved her hand in between his legs. When her hand gripped his bulging erection, her eyes fluttered open.

“Find anything you like?”

That can’t be real.

“It’s all me, baby.” He winked and then stood up.

Speechless, Anna just watched as Taariq reached for the top button of his jeans and then slid the zipper down so slowly that he had her quivering with anticipation.

“You look like you’re waiting to open a box on Christmas morning,” he noted, sliding his pants down off his hips.

“I could make you a bow … but then you’d have too much on.” She jiggled her brows. She liked this new saucy side. Maybe she should embrace it more often.

“You talk smack now. But I’m not so convinced that you can handle all of this, baby.” His hands went to the waistband of his boxers.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Anna threw back at him.

He must have liked that answer because the boxers went sliding down.

Anna’s mouth fell open as if her jaw suddenly weighed fifty pounds. Taariq hovered above her with his hands on his hips and his thick, long chocolaty erection sprung at least ten inches in front of him.

He laughed at her again. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?”

“More like I’ve died and gone to heaven.” She made a quick drool check and then grabbed his hand and pulled him down to her level. “I see what you’re working with and I’m not scared.”

“Good to know.” He leaned close and peppered small kisses down the side of her neck. “Now it’s my turn to see what you got.” Reaching for the hem of her black dress, he waited only briefly to see if she’d back out. When no red light came on, he slid that baby up her firm legs, perfect thighs and her seductive hips. A smile hooked his lips when he saw her pretty pink Victoria’s Secrets. “Nice,” he whispered.

Still the dress went higher and revealed a flat stomach and an adorable outie belly button. By the time he reached her matching pink bra, he was practically salivating.

“Damn, Anna. Why do you always try to cover all this up? You’re fine, girl.”

She flushed. “You’re just saying that because you’re about to get laid.”

“No. I’m saying that because it’s the truth.” He dropped his head and started nibbling just around the edges of her bra.

Anna moaned as if he’d entered her already and then proceeded to lose her mind when he managed to remove her bra like Houdini and suck her hard, puckered nipple into his mouth. Proving to be quite the multitasker, Taariq kneed her legs apart and settled himself between them.

The romantic in Anna had her lost in a world of fairy dust and unicorns. The way he was working her body had her feeling that damn good. And even when his hot mouth abandoned her caramel-dusted nipples to plant small kisses down the valley of her breasts, she was still moaning and squirming with total abandonment. Then his mouth settled around her belly button at the same time one of his long fingers dipped in between the small nest of curls in between her legs.

Wet. And growing wetter each second, Taariq quickly added a second finger and started massaging the base of her fat clit. Anna released a long “Ooooh” and then gracefully arched her back so that he could get in there deeper.

Amused by her greed, Taariq’s laughter filled the small room. Even as he did so, Anna was more than aware of him inching farther down her body. At the first feel of his warm breath stirring the small hairs between her legs, her belly started quivering as if a swarm of butterflies were trying to find their way out. She expected Taariq to just plunge right in and make a feast of her, but once again, he surprised her by taking his time, sprinkling more kisses along her open thighs. Of course, that just drove her crazy, so much so that after a while, she reached down and tried to direct his head where she wanted it to go.

More laughter filled the room while Taariq stubbornly refused to relinquish his power. He knew what he was doing. He was a master at this. Anna had no choice but to endure the sweet torture of his slow thrusting fingers and the sensuous kisses he continued to plant all over her thighs.

Then there was this building pressure, rising in her fattening clit. A good sort of pressure that started to tingle deliciously. Her moans transformed into a husky whimper while her legs shook.

“Oh. I know what you’re about to do,” he said.

Anna tried to speak but suddenly English seemed too complicated.

Finally Taariq’s head moved in the right direction and his two fingers glided out from underneath her clit to slide open her dewy lips. At the feel of his tongue slapping against her pulsing pearl, Anna came unglued and her orgasm detonated like a C-4 explosive. The air rushed out of her lungs, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her entire body quivered and trembled with violent aftershocks.

And still, Taariq’s tongue continued to twirl inside her like a Midwestern tornado. Before she knew it another orgasm was set to go off in 3 … 2 … 1 …

“Aaaaah!” Anna’s hips came off the floor and then she tried to wrench herself away from Taariq’s merciless mouth.

He wasn’t having it. When she moved, he moved. Before she knew it, she was gasping and crying when her third orgasm hit. Then … and only then, he let her go.

Taariq chuckled and gave her a full minute to catch her breath. “You all right?”

Embarrassed, Anna nodded but averted her gaze.

“Oh, don’t get all shy on me now,” Taariq said, grasping her left ankle and pulling her closer. “Show me that confident sexy kitten that was talking all that smack a few minutes ago.”

Her embarrassment deepened, but somehow she managed to lift her head and smile.

“Ah. There she is.” He leaned over and brushed a kiss against her temple. “All right, Ms. Thing. Now that you got me here, what are you going to do with me?”

Anna felt small next to Taariq’s massive frame and for the first time she wondered, what am I going to do with him? In response, her gaze fell to his massive erection and another cycle of butterflies swarmed her insides.

“Give me your hand.”

That command managed to pull her gaze back up to his smoldering eyes. Of course there was still amusement laced with raw lust dancing in his dark orbs.

“C’mon. Give it here.” He held out his hand.

As if hypnotized, she followed his example and gave him her hand.

He smiled and leaned in for another kiss.

Anna met him halfway. She was already addicted to his taste. While their tongues danced with each other, Taariq wrapped her hand around his cock. It was hard, yet incredibly smooth. Curiosity led her to break the kiss so that she could stare down at the heady vision of his cock gliding smoothly in her hand.

“Mmm,” Taariq moaned and then reached out for his pants where he retrieved a condom. He let Anna play for a little while, but then he quickly ripped open the foil and rolled the condom on in two seconds. “C’mere.” He rolled Anna back down onto her back and once again took the top position.

Anna couldn’t help but marvel at how slow and deliberate Taariq’s lovemaking was … and that’s exactly what it felt like—making love. Sure, she was just looking for a warm body tonight. She would’ve settled for a quickie. But this felt … intimate and special.

Was she crazy? Was she reading too much into it?

Both were a possibility. She closed her eyes and took another trip to the land of fairy dust and unicorns while Taariq performed magic all over her body. When he lifted her hips off the floor, she fluttered her eyes open so that their gazes could lock when he entered into her. Her mouth slowly sagged open as he eased what felt like unending inches through her tight walls. When it felt like he was nearing the center of her belly, she pressed her hands against his ripped abs and weakly tried to push him back.

“Almost, baby. Almost.” Deeper and deeper he sank.

Restlessly, Anna tossed her head back and forth. She couldn’t possibly take much more of him … and yet, she did. At long last, she could finally feel the base of his cock and the weight of his heavy balls sink against her opening. She whispered a gratitude that she had survived such an impalement and that he waited a few heartbeats for her body to adjust to his incredible size.

But then he started to move. His hips rocked slowly at first and then rotated in tiny circles.

Anna’s mouth stretched wider, but she couldn’t manage to emit a single sound. Was he rammed against her vocal cords or something?

“How do you like that, baby?” Taariq panted.

The cocky question was laced with amusement. He knew that he was rocking her world, turning it inside and out. And when all she could manage was a whimpering moan, he elongated his strokes and stirred her honey pot so hard that she was slammed with two monstrous orgasms that had her clawing his back. When she finally managed to peek through the fan of eyelashes, she watched as ecstasy twisted his handsome features while a sheen of sweat blanketed his face. He looked like an African god, dominating her body as if it was nature’s right to do so.

Their gazes connected and Taariq smiled wickedly before arching over and kissing her deeply. All the while, his hips never stopped. To no surprise, Anna’s body started to quake again, but this time when she came, Taariq swallowed her whimpering moans.

How long they went at it, she didn’t know. It seemed to go on for hours—but that couldn’t be humanly possible. Was it? All she knew when she finally drifted off to la-la land was that their bodies were completely covered in sweat and she was completely satisfied.

It was just too bad that the next morning she woke up in bed alone and it would be over a decade before they spoke to each other again.

Fast Forward

Chapter 4

Today Anna was going to see him again.

For weeks she’d tried to prepare herself, but what she’d succeeded in doing was obsessing over what happened that night at the Kappa’s frat party. She broke Stanley’s heart, and Charlie and Taariq had broken hers. When she woke that next morning alone in her bed, without so much as a note saying goodbye or thanks for the hot sex, she felt like a two-dollar trick that’d gotten stiffed.

Not to mention the hangover. She must have spent two hours on her knees with her head hanging over the toilet and making all sorts of promises to God to get her through it. After that, she damn near scrubbed her skin off in a hot shower. If she remembered correctly Roxanne didn’t come back to their dorm for damn near a week. By then, Anna had put in a transfer and ended up rooming with one of her closest friends to this day, Jade Stokes.

As for Taariq, he never tried to reach her and she certainly wasn’t going to chase him. Clearly, he viewed that night as a one-night only situation and she was fine with that. Sort of. It was more like she just grew to accept it. Seeing how she’d stopped talking and tutoring Charlie, she’d stayed as far away from the Kappa Psi Kappas as she possibly could. That is until Charlie popped back into her life and fell in love with her baby sister, Gisella.

Initially she had mixed feelings about the whole thing since Charlie’s ladies’ man reputation had grown city-wide over the years. That is until he thought he was dying and actually went through his entire black book trying to make amends with all the broken hearts he’d caused, herself included. During that time, he and Gisella met. She’d moved from France after a big breakup herself. Either it was destiny or God simply had one hell of a sense of humor by bringing Charlie and Gisella together because today was their big day to enter into holy matrimony.

“Oh, God. I look huge!” Gisella despaired, looking down at her small pregnant belly.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anna chided, moving up behind her. “You’re beautiful.”

Gisella’s gaze shifted to her sister in the mirror. “You really think so?”

“I know so.” She winked and then gave her shoulders a quick hug. “Now let’s get you married.”

Gisella took a deep breath and then nodded. “I’m ready.”

Anna wished that she could say the same. Any minute now, she was going to be face-to-face with Taariq Bryson and she still didn’t have any idea what she was going to say if he spoke to her.

Ask him why he never called.

Anna quickly shook that suggestion out of her head. She didn’t care why he never called, she told herself. If she said it enough times, she was bound to start believing it—despite that it had been more than a decade and it hadn’t worked yet. Together, she and Gisella left the bridal suite and joined the other bridesmaids cluttered in the hallway. While everyone oohed and aahed, Anna’s stomach started looping into large knots.

Any minute now.

She sucked in a deep breath as the group started toward the back lawn. As soon as Anna caught sight of a black tuxedo, she tensed. That is until she realized that it was just their father, Leonard Jacobs.

“There’s my girls.” His smile stretched as he opened his arms wide to envelop them both. “I’ve never seen a lovelier sight.”

Anna and Gisella shared a proud look. It didn’t matter that technically they were stepsisters. She from their father’s first marriage and Gisella being from the woman he left her mother for. Somewhere along the way they’d agreed to leave the drama to the grown-ups and just cherish each other.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “I have a getaway car souped-up with the valet.”

Gisella laughed. “I’m sure, Daddy.”

“Good. I think I like this joker.” He tossed her a wink and then turned his eyes toward Anna. “You’re next.”

Anna immediately shook her head. “That’s all right. I’m … good,” she lied.

Her father frowned. “My little workaholic. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

“There’s nothing to be done. I’m happy. Really.” It was clear from reading their expressions that neither one of them was buying into that malarkey.

“Let me tell you something, and I hope you listen to your old man. Having a great job and making lots of money is great and all, but living and loving is the real key to happiness. Trust me on this.”

Anna smiled through the awkward silence that trailed his words and almost sighed with relief when he returned his attention to Gisella. “So, let’s get you married so that my grandson will be legit when he gets here.” He offered his youngest daughter his arm.

Anna moved to stand behind Emmadonna so she could wait for the wedding planner to instruct them when to proceed. Then the music started up and Anna sucked in a deep breath. It’s time.

A part of her wished that Taariq had just shown up for rehearsal last night so that she could have gotten this whole awkward moment over with. But since he had some business or something, he didn’t make it. So now she just had to hope that she would be able to keep it together in front of two hundred people.

No problem. I can do this.

The wedding planner appeared and started directing the bridesmaids to start their procession. That was about the time when Anna’s heart beat so loudly that it literally was drowning out the music. Finally it was her turn and she hesitated for just a beat before getting her feet to work. When she did, it just felt like two long rubber sticks that were about to drop her on her butt at any moment.

Then she saw him and oxygen fled her lungs as if they’d collapsed. Pristine in a sharp Armani, Taariq strolled like an experienced male model toward … Emmadonna. Smiling, he offered her his arm and then proceeded to waltz her down the aisle in front of Anna.

He didn’t even look at me.

Insulted, Anna clenched her jaw and almost forgot to accept Derrick Knight’s offered arm. He smiled. She didn’t. Her gaze was too busy burning a hole in the back of Taariq’s head.

Fine. If you’re going to ignore me, then I’m going to ignore you, too.

She and Derrick parted ways so that they could take their positions on opposite sides of the reverend just as the wedding march began to play.

An hour later, Gisella and Charlie Masters’s hands overlapped as they gripped the knife and together sliced into a Sinful Chocolate popular creation: white chocolate and lemon cake. The happy couple smiled at the wedding photographer and then toward each other before shoving a handful of the decadent dessert into each other’s faces.

Laughter rippled among the large gathering of friends and family and then a cheer went up when Charlie tried to kiss and lick his wife’s face clean.

“I love you, baby,” he whispered, snapping their bodies together despite the small baby bump and dipping his head for a long soulful kiss. She tasted so sweet.

“J’taime, aussi,” she responded when he allowed her to come up for air.

Charlie groaned at the instant hard-on he acquired whenever Gisella spoke French. Now that they’d said their “I do’s,” Charlie was ready to skip right to the honeymoon phase. So much so he found himself asking Gisella every five minutes, “Can we leave now?”

“Behave.” She giggled and then allowed Anna to pull her away.

“I’m so happy for you, Gisella,” Anna said, wrapping her arms around her baby sister. “I don’t think the Lonely Hearts will ever admit it, but you’ve renewed our faith in love.”

Gisella smiled and wiped away a stray tear from her sister’s face. “I owe you so much. If you hadn’t gone to see Charlie that night.”

Anna gave Gisella’s waist a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure you would’ve done the same for me.”

“In a heartbeat.” She paused. “He’s out there, you know. There’s a perfect guy out there for you.”

Anna shrugged. “Maybe. But until then, me and Sasha are going to be just fine.”

Gisella smiled as her eyes spied on Taariq as he walked across the lawn.

Anna followed her gaze and then experienced another punch in the gut. The sight of him just laughing and having a good time churned her stomach. “You know, I’m going to run to the ladies’ room. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Charlie was laughing while his mother gripped his cheeks and tried to pinch the blood out of them. “My baby has made me so proud! Not only did you give me a beautiful daughter-in-law, but I’m finally getting my grandbaby.”

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