Page 5 of Game Change

I eye Raven, who arches a brow at Amira’s sass. She’s a lot braver when she’s not around her mother. If her mom were here, she’d fold like a cheap card table.

“What now? Did Ashley break a nail?” Raven asks.

“No. Her husband got another woman pregnant.”

After Amira made her announcement about her sister, we didn’t speak about it again. There’s always something with her sister. It’s been that way since we first met Amira, and Ashley has always been the child that gets most of her mother’s attention.

But I put that out of my mind.

“This is a problem-free vacation,” I remind my friends when we walk into one of the many restaurants at the resort. This one is more casual, and since it’s the end of the lunch rush, it’s practically empty.

“I second that,” Amira says. “I’m gonna go get us a round of drinks.” She walks away and goes to the bar next door.

After heading to the buffet and making a plate for myself and one for her, I join Raven in the back of the restaurant. Just as I’m about to sit down, I hear loud talk and laughter. I don’t see him yet, but I know he’s here. I remember the sound and tenor of his voice. Seconds later, I see him. He’s shirtless and in bright green shorts with matching green Crocs.

It’s like everything slows down, and he moves in slow motion. There’s water dripping from his hair. His skin has tanned more since he arrived yesterday, and I imagine running my hands from his pecs to his abdomen below. I bite my bottom lip and groan, quickly looking around to make sure no one heard, but Raven smirks at me.

“Bitch, I know you’re not standing here having an orgasm at the sight of the shirtless wonder over there.”

I sit down but don’t look away or answer my friend. Amira runs in, goes around them, and sets down a tray with three drinks. “It’s today’s special. I have no idea what it is,” she says.

“And we don’t care,” Raven says as she picks up a glass and takes two big gulps. “One thing about this fancy resort is that they don’t skimp on the alcohol.”

I ignore her and follow his naked back with my eyes. They’re like a bunch of frat guys running around the buffet. They bump into each other and laugh, but I don’t look away from him. As if he can sense my eyes on him, he turns and looks directly at me, giving me that smile I’ve been thinking about since I first saw it, and flexes his pecs. That little movement takes me by such surprise that my fork slips from my hand and hits the plate with a loud bang. Embarrassed, I finally look away and pick up my drink. It’s much too sweet for my palate, but I take another sip to give myself time to calm down.

Maybe it’s the sex drought I’ve found myself in, but my body’s temperature has increased, and I can feel a pulsing between my legs. That’s never happened just at the sight of a man. And this man is not my usual type. My type is on the darker side. And professional. I love a black man in a suit, but here I am drooling like a high school sophomore over a man in Crocs.

“I walked behind him and looked at his ass the entire time,” Amira says. I already know who she’s talking about. The guy she likes is more my type than CK, but since Amira claimed him, I will stay away.

“Hey! It’s our neighbors,” the dark-haired one with glasses says.

CK walks to the back of the restaurant, pulls one of the tables next to ours to combine them, and plops himself next to me. He drops so suddenly that he bumps my shoulder with his. His bare arm rubs against mine, and even though he smells like the ocean, it’s the sexiest scent.

“I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself yesterday, but I’m Ian,” the tall one with sandy-blonde hair says. “This is Malcolm.” He points at the guy Amira has been drooling over. “That’s Brody over there. He’s a shrink,” he adds, “and Killah.” He points at the man next to me, still sitting close enough for our arms to touch.

Raven introduces us, but I can feel a lump in my throat. If I try to eat now, there’s no way I’ll be able to swallow. I’ll choke and embarrass myself in front of the sexy one.

“Where are you ladies from?” Ian asks.

“The US, in the Northeast,” Raven says.

I know she’s deliberately being vague, and that’s one of the things I love about her.

“Yeah? Us too,” Killah says. “But we all met at Berkeley. We met in the Boston Club.” If I were eating, I’d choke. There’s no way that we can meet on a tropical Caribbean island only to learn that we live in the same city. “Ian is marrying Malcolm’s sister.”

“Alright now,” Raven says, grinning from ear to ear.

“Don’t start any shit, Malcolm,” Brody says.

“Hey, ladies,” Malcolm says. “It’s nice to meet you. This next part isn’t for you, so please don’t take offense.” Malcolm sticks his middle finger in the air and takes turns pointing it at each one of his friends. They must be used to it because they don’t react.

While the guys talk back and forth, Amira covertly eyes Malcolm, who only scowls as he shoves food in his mouth.

CK moves closer to me, and his arm presses against mine. “How long will you be here?” he whispers.

I have to take a sip of my water to give myself enough time to think of an answer. “Until Thursday,” I manage to say. I want to pat myself on the back for sounding so calm even though my heart is practically beating out of my chest. “How about you?”

I make the mistake of looking into his eyes. They’re as playful as I remember them, but there’s a depth I’m not ready to dive into. “Two days after you,” he says. “Ian’s wedding is the weekend after that.”

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