Feel The Heat. Cheris Hodges

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СКАЧАТЬ Roderick for identity theft and told her story of betrayal, with pictures and the police report. Who knew that heartbreak would’ve given her a new career?

      “I’m not saying he isn’t fine, but the last thing I’m looking for is a serious relationship,” Mimi said. “But I wouldn’t mind waking up with him on a Sunday morning.”

      MJ sucked her teeth. “There you go with that Sunday morning nonsense. You need to wake up and go to church some Sunday morning, instead of deciding that your Saturday night was a mistake.”

      Mimi laughed, thinking that she hadn’t had one of those Saturday nights in a long time. Even though most of her blog posts were about relationships, Mimi had decided that she enjoyed being single. She reveled in her freedom to do whatever she wanted to without questions from anyone.

      “Whatever, Mikey. I’m not like you, who has to know a man’s Beacon score before you allow him to buy you a drink.”

      “Shut up and please get dressed.”

      Mimi glanced at the screen one last time. Brent was nice eye candy, but she was sure that he was one of those men with a phone full of women happy to warm his bed the minute he called. Rising to her feet, Mimi headed to her bedroom to get dressed.

      * * *

      Brent was impressed with the lounge Jamal had chosen. The smooth jazz soothed him as he sat at the bar. “I’m surprised you’d come to a joint like this,” Brent said to his friend after they ordered drinks and hot wings.

      “Because this is the spot where you meet the women who are classy in the streets and freaks in the sheets.”

      Brent shook his head. “It’s always about chasing women for you, huh?”

      Jamal nodded toward a couple of women who were standing at the entrance of the club. “Those are women worth chasing,” Jamal said.

      Brent sipped his drink and shook his head. “You’re something else. What are you going to do when the right woman comes along?”

      “She doesn’t exist. So I’m going to buy Miss Right Now a drink.” Jamal casually walked over to the entrance and greeted the women he had noticed from the bar. Brent was about to order another drink when he spotted her. Mimi Collins was a vision in gold. Her full lips were painted red and those expressive eyes of her shone in the dim light of the lounge. Her smooth skin looked as if it were carved from mythical wood. The way she wore that knee-skimming strapless gold dress that hugged her curves like a second skin made his body hard as a brick. “Damn,” he muttered as he set his drink on the bar. The bartender noticed Brent’s stare.

      “Brother, you don’t stand a chance,” he said.

      “What are you talking about?”

      “If you keep staring at Mimi like that, when she comes over here, she’s going to give you hell,” he said.

      “I wasn’t staring... Wait, you know Mimi?”

      “Firecracker? Yeah. Went to college with her and Michael.”

      “Michael? Is that her husband or something?”

      He nodded at the woman standing next to Mimi. “Michael, who goes by MJ, is her best friend. She helps me with the marketing for the club.” The bartender extended his hand to Brent. “I’m Nicolas Prince, the owner.”

      Brent shook his hand. “Owner and bartender?”

      “A little short-staffed tonight, but I don’t mind meeting my clientele. And just a little advice: if Mimi’s on your radar, you better be ready to have your relationship broadcast to hundreds of thousands of readers. Her blog is popular and she has no filter.”

      All Brent could think was that didn’t seem like the woman he’d met earlier. Mimi was a bit of a mystery, but in that dress, he knew he wanted to unravel every part. Still, her blog gave him pause. He didn’t like the spotlight, and it seemed as if she lived for it, according to Nicolas. When he saw Mimi and MJ heading toward the bar, he turned back to Nicolas.

      “Whatever they’re drinking, put it on my tab.”

      Nicolas gave him a toothy grin. “You don’t know what kind of minefield you just stepped on.”

      “She can’t be that bad.”

      “Don’t believe me, just watch.”

      And watch Brent did as Mimi and MJ walked over to the bar. Mimi had the sexiest walk he’d ever seen—confident and alluring. And those legs. Long and strong. Immediately, he thought about them wrapped around his waist while he drove into her wetness.

      “Fancy meeting you here,” Mimi said, breaking into his erotic thoughts. “I’d say you’re a stalker, but I know this is a hot spot, thanks to the brilliant woman behind the marketing.”

      “I never have to stalk a woman. And I must say, you look amazing in gold.”

      She smiled, then turned to Nicolas. “You’re the bartender today?”

      “Good to see you, too, Mimi,” he said while smiling at MJ. Brent noticed that MJ and Nicolas had started talking in hushed tones. From the way she was smiling, whatever he was saying to her must have been good.

      Mimi shook her head and reached for the bowl of peanuts next to Brent. “They get on my nerves,” she said, then rolled her eyes.

      “That’s not nice to say about your friends,” he said.

      “If only you knew the story. And for the record, I only have one friend over there, and that’s MJ.” She popped a nut in her mouth and Brent shifted in his seat. Lips like hers were sinful.

      “I’d like to know your story. Everyone who knows you has something interesting to say about you.”

      Mimi smirked and then licked her bottom lip. “So, you’ve been asking about me? All you had to do was knock on my door. I might have even given you a cup of sugar.”

      Brent took a quick sip of his drink to cool the heated desire building in his belly. She had to know what that move with her tongue did. She was sexy and owned every bit of it. “I didn’t ask. Everything was volunteered, Firecracker.”

      Mimi tossed a handful of nuts in Nicolas’s direction. “Really, Nic?” she snapped when he and MJ turned her way. “You just talking about me to strangers?”

      “Mimi, I was trying to save the guy from one of your rants. Warn him that you’re nuts,” Nic said with a laugh as he brushed peanuts off the bar. MJ touched his shoulder.

      “I hope you two aren’t going to start acting up this evening,” she said. “Tonight is about celebrating.” MJ shot Mimi a cautioning look.

      Mimi glanced at Brent and held back her caustic comment. “I’m here for the music,” she replied.

      Nic held up his hands. “Mimi, you know I love you like a sister. An annoying little sister, but I love you nonetheless.”

      “Whatever,” she said, keeping her eyes on Brent, who seemed amused by the scene in front of him.

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