“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 H
ouston’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 a
nd 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.
My Only Desire Page 3
