briefcase.
Her friend looked up at the ceiling and buffed her shiny ruby-colored nails on her blouse. “Well, he said it was urgent.”
“I should’ve known you were behind this.”
“And I want to know what you turned down.” Sherita crossed the room and sat on the edge of Kiana’s desk. “And maybe afterward, we can get your head examined for telling him no.”
Kiana closed her eyes and counted to ten. She’d hoped her best friend would understand why she refused to get tangled up with someone like Frank, not try to play matchmaker. “I might need to change my number.”
“Stop changing the subject. It’s not like he was asking you over to his place for a night of wild, hot, sweaty sex.” A mischievous glint filled her dark eyes, and she leaned forward. “Or did he?”
“He asked me to go to a Hawks game with him tomorrow night.”
“And you turned him down?” Sherita’s brows furrowed. “Girl, what’s wrong with you? You love basketball.”
“Yes, but who’s going to take care of Savannah?”
“Is that why you said no?” She shook her head and crossed her arms. “What about that nanny of yours?”
Kiana knew she was just making excuses, but it was better than risking another night in Frank’s presence. The fake relationship was turning out to be a dangerous idea. If he ended the evening with an invitation to go back to his place, she doubted she’d have the strength to say no. “Madison needs time off, too. I can’t ask her to stay late on such short notice.”
“Then I’ll watch your baby girl.”
“Sherita, please, I can’t ask that of you.”
“Why? Don’t you trust me?”
“I do, but…” She released a heavy sigh and let her empty bag fall to the floor. Time to call uncle. Her friend wasn’t going to let up until she told her the real reason why she’d turned Frank down. “The truth is, I’m not ready to risk getting involved with anyone right now.”
“Who says you’d be getting involved? He just asked you to a basketball game, not a weekend on some ‘clothing is optional’ private island.”
“But you said it yourself—that man can get you hot and bothered with just a glance, and I’ve been so removed from the playing field, I don’t know what he wants. Maybe he just wants to hang out. Maybe he wants more. I have no idea.”
“There’s only one way to find out.” Sherita held out Kiana’s cell phone. “There’s a nice little feature that lets you call back the last person who called you.”
Kiana held the phone for a moment and stared at it before looking back to her friend. “Are you sure you can handle Savannah for a few hours?”
“That baby of yours is an angel.”
“I promise to come home right after the game.”
“And miss out on a little one-on-one action with Frank Kelly?” Sherita cocked one brow up in challenge. “You disappoint me.”
“I’m taking things nice and slow.”
“Fine, so long as you take him up on his offer. Now call him before he finds someone else to take to that game.”
Kiana waited until Sherita returned to her desk before hitting the redial button.
It rang several times before a smooth, suave voice answered, “Changed your mind?”
Damn that man and his cockiness. It did little to quiet the jolt of anticipation jumping around in the pit of her stomach when she imagined him using the same tone in the bedroom. “Actually, I was able to move some things around and free up tomorrow night.” She licked her lips and offered a silent prayer she really didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. “That is, if the invitation is still open.”
“Of course.” She could almost hear him grinning on the other end of the line. “Should I pick you up at your place?”
“No.” Panic tightened her throat. It was one thing for him to know where she worked, but her home was strictly off limits. “The office is closer.”
“And what about dinner beforehand?”
If lunch last Friday was any indication, dinner
Her friend looked up at the ceiling and buffed her shiny ruby-colored nails on her blouse. “Well, he said it was urgent.”
“I should’ve known you were behind this.”
“And I want to know what you turned down.” Sherita crossed the room and sat on the edge of Kiana’s desk. “And maybe afterward, we can get your head examined for telling him no.”
Kiana closed her eyes and counted to ten. She’d hoped her best friend would understand why she refused to get tangled up with someone like Frank, not try to play matchmaker. “I might need to change my number.”
“Stop changing the subject. It’s not like he was asking you over to his place for a night of wild, hot, sweaty sex.” A mischievous glint filled her dark eyes, and she leaned forward. “Or did he?”
“He asked me to go to a Hawks game with him tomorrow night.”
“And you turned him down?” Sherita’s brows furrowed. “Girl, what’s wrong with you? You love basketball.”
“Yes, but who’s going to take care of Savannah?”
“Is that why you said no?” She shook her head and crossed her arms. “What about that nanny of yours?”
Kiana knew she was just making excuses, but it was better than risking another night in Frank’s presence. The fake relationship was turning out to be a dangerous idea. If he ended the evening with an invitation to go back to his place, she doubted she’d have the strength to say no. “Madison needs time off, too. I can’t ask her to stay late on such short notice.”
“Then I’ll watch your baby girl.”
“Sherita, please, I can’t ask that of you.”
“Why? Don’t you trust me?”
“I do, but…” She released a heavy sigh and let her empty bag fall to the floor. Time to call uncle. Her friend wasn’t going to let up until she told her the real reason why she’d turned Frank down. “The truth is, I’m not ready to risk getting involved with anyone right now.”
“Who says you’d be getting involved? He just asked you to a basketball game, not a weekend on some ‘clothing is optional’ private island.”
“But you said it yourself—that man can get you hot and bothered with just a glance, and I’ve been so removed from the playing field, I don’t know what he wants. Maybe he just wants to hang out. Maybe he wants more. I have no idea.”
“There’s only one way to find out.” Sherita held out Kiana’s cell phone. “There’s a nice little feature that lets you call back the last person who called you.”
Kiana held the phone for a moment and stared at it before looking back to her friend. “Are you sure you can handle Savannah for a few hours?”
“That baby of yours is an angel.”
“I promise to come home right after the game.”
“And miss out on a little one-on-one action with Frank Kelly?” Sherita cocked one brow up in challenge. “You disappoint me.”
“I’m taking things nice and slow.”
“Fine, so long as you take him up on his offer. Now call him before he finds someone else to take to that game.”
Kiana waited until Sherita returned to her desk before hitting the redial button.
It rang several times before a smooth, suave voice answered, “Changed your mind?”
Damn that man and his cockiness. It did little to quiet the jolt of anticipation jumping around in the pit of her stomach when she imagined him using the same tone in the bedroom. “Actually, I was able to move some things around and free up tomorrow night.” She licked her lips and offered a silent prayer she really didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. “That is, if the invitation is still open.”
“Of course.” She could almost hear him grinning on the other end of the line. “Should I pick you up at your place?”
“No.” Panic tightened her throat. It was one thing for him to know where she worked, but her home was strictly off limits. “The office is closer.”
“And what about dinner beforehand?”
If lunch last Friday was any indication, dinner
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