Bro-mance 101

by Rand , Chanta

  Zhané thought back to Ramon’s visit a few weeks ago. “Oh God, don’t tell me Ramon Aiello is back?”

  “No, he’s not.”

  “Thank goodness. Then who is it?”

  “Mr. Devlin Hart.”

  Zhané’s stomach did a series of aerial flips that Gabby Douglas would be proud of.

  Devlin is here!

  She held the edge of Marji’s desk for fear her knees would buckle. It had been over three weeks since she’d last seen him. All she’d had to sustain her was the deep baritone of his voice as she listened to his show each night, scared that the effect of his velvet vocals would be like Love Potion Number Nine, luring her to the radio station for another wicked taste.

  She couldn’t explain the odd attraction she felt for him. It was more than just the sex. Take out the back scratching, earth-shattering, screams of ecstasy, and what was left? Devlin Hart in raw form. His cocky, take-charge attitude turned her on. She liked his mannerisms. She liked his swagger. She liked his smell. His voice. His intelligence. His everything. Even now, just the mention of his name made her body pulsate with desire for him.

  “I thought the hunk last week was hot,” Marji continued, “but he was lukewarm by this guy’s standards.” Marji had a playful gleam in her eyes. If she only knew the fire she was playing with. This girl, barely grown out of her college backpack, couldn’t handle Devlin Hart.

  And you can?

  God knows I’m having fun trying.

  Zhané shook off her lustful thoughts. “Thanks, Marji. I’ll see to Mr. Hart.”

  As Zhané walked toward her office, Katina followed, tugged on the sleeve of her suit coat, and whispered, “You gotta get rid of this guy once and for all.”

  Zhané nodded, still not sure how she would react to Devlin when she saw him.

  Katina set a plan in motion. “On my signal, I’ll give the excuse and you give him the boot. I’ll say you’re running late for a meeting.”

  “Okay,” Zhané murmured. She would do just as Katina suggested. The KLUV family couldn’t keep barging in here, trespassing on her work environment and mentally knocking her off balance. Her first task would be to set Devlin straight–right after she calmed her galloping heartbeat and stilled her wobbly legs.

  Incredibly Sexy wasn’t a phrase that adequately described him. It seemed he’d grown even more handsome since she’d seen him over three weeks ago. The moment Zhané stepped into the room, she felt the electric current of Devlin’s energy surrounding her. It was like looking into the sun–powerful, but leaving her feeling warm all over.

  Devlin stood when she approached. She’d never be able to look at the chair he reclined in again without thinking of him sitting there.

  “Hello beautiful,” his voice washed over her like tranquil waves on a tropical island.

  “Hello Dev.” She wanted to kick herself for using the shortened version of his name. She was supposed to be all business.

  “Ahem,” Zhané heard Katina clear her throat.

  Zhané made the introductions. “Katina, meet Devlin Hart. Devlin, this is my best friend, Katina.”

  Devlin stepped forward, the muscles beneath his black shirt rippling as he moved. “Pleased to meet you,” he crooned. “You two could be sisters,” he told Katina. “You’re both so enchanting I don’t know who to keep my eyes on.”

  Zhané stared in disbelief as Katina’s lips twisted from a sour pretzel to a wide, sweet orange slice. “How charming,” Katina gushed at his compliment, practically melting into a pool of sautéed butter.

  Devlin turned his attention back to Zhané. “I’m sorry to barge in on you.” He flashed a smile that could be used by nations to disarm terrorists. “I just need a few moments of your time.”

  Katina backpedalled from the room. “I’ll be back,” she said. “I’ve got a few things to do before our meeting.”

  Zhané watched her best friend leave and shut the door behind her. Tina didn’t have a damn thing to do. She was supposed to be here, protecting Zhané from certain ravishment.

  Alone, Zhané and Devlin stood less than five feet apart staring at each other. She focused on the tiny details of his appearance. Black Henley with the sleeves rolled up over the baby fine hairs on his muscular forearms. Thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his relaxed fit jeans. Leather sneakers that showed off what had to be a size-twelve foot–if the size of his “package” was any indication. Damn, this man could make a pair of Birkenstocks look good!

  “You look amazing,” Devlin offered, snatching the very words she’d been thinking about him. His eyes swept over her tailored skirt suit. In the office, she always wore a “power” outfit and pumps. No sundresses and sweaters for her.

  “Thank you.” She casually clasped her hands in front of her. “And may I say the same for you?”

  “You may.” He smiled again, and she couldn’t help but imagine that mouth nibbling and licking her in all the places that were throbbing right now. “I was pleasantly surprised to hear your voice on the line the other day,” he told her. “I thought you’d called in on a lark. Then, I found out Ramon orchestrated it.”

  Now it was Zhané’s turn to smile. “I will admit I enjoyed myself.” She was intrigued when Ramon first presented her with the idea of calling into the show to trade barbs with Devlin. The way Ramon put the spin on his brainchild, he should be in marketing and promotions. He’d convinced her that it would be a way for her to have her voice heard. She recalled his words: ‘Consider it a type of therapy. It’s what you always wanted to do and you know it. Besides, you can get back at Devlin.’ After that, it wasn’t hard to follow his logic. Even if Ramon hadn’t given her the topic in advance, she wouldn’t have needed any preparation to tangle with Devlin. Their verbal sparring came naturally.

  “The ratings were through the roof,” Devlin told her. “Ramon’s been talking about you non-stop. He called you a ‘spicy chick.’ In fact, he wants you to come to the studio to do the show with me on a regular basis.”

  “Oh no.” She shook her head. “Once was enough.” Talking over the phone was one thing, but sitting in close proximity to Devlin, fighting her unbridled attraction to him was quite another matter. Whenever they argued, the threat of explosive sexual tension crouched like a wild tiger, ready to spring forth at any moment. How could she feign professionalism when what she really wanted to do was jump Devlin’s bones?

  “How about once a week? Devlin asked. “Ramon even has a new slogan: Bro-mance 101 with a twist of spice.”

  She folded her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing I’m the spice.”

  “Now, you’ve got it.”

  “I thought you were meddlesome until I met Ramon.”

  Devlin chuckled. “Woman, when it comes to meddlin’ I ain’t got nothin’ on Ramon.”

  Zhané laughed. The man was gorgeous and he had a hidden sense of humor.

  Lord, why are you making this so hard?

  “You have a beautiful smile,” he said. “You should use it more often–especially on me.”

  Her breath caught as Devlin held her gaze. When he licked his lips, flashes of their last encounter flickered through her mind, sending tiny pin pricks of pleasure through her body.

  Damn, I want him. Right here. Right now.

  A shrill ring pierced the air, halting any hedonistic plans she had. She watched as Devlin pulled his cell phone from his back pocket and glanced at the caller ID. “It’s Ramon,” he said simply.

  She nodded, thankful for Ramon’s intrusion this time. She’d been about to hop on top of her desk and start humping with Devlin any second. What was she thinking? Lust had clouded her better judgment.

  Devlin shoved the phone back into his pocket without answering it. “He probably wants to know your answer.”

  Zhané took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. “My answer is still no.”

  “Are you sure I can’t change your mind?”

  That’s the problem, I’m sure you can.

  S
he walked to the door and opened it. “Thanks for stopping by, Dev. Take care of yourself. And watch out for any stray platters. Not all women are as understanding as me.”

  Devlin flashed a lopsided grin before walking past her toward the door. Before he stepped over the threshold, he turned and caressed her cheek, and then he brushed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. Zhané reveled in the feel of his warm flesh against hers. She wanted more. She wanted him to delve deep into the eager wetness that awaited him. She wanted to bathe her tongue in the silky interior of his mouth. This sample only left her hungry for his touch, but he pulled away, cruelly leaving her with his brief teaser.

  “See you around,” he said. And just like that, Devlin Hart was gone.

  Zhané returned to her desk and dropped wearily into her chair. Devlin’s musk-scented cologne clung to the air, confirming that his appearance had not been a dream. She closed her eyes trying to erase the image of the smooth-talking radio show host. When she opened them, Katina was standing in his place.

  “I think you should do the show,” Katina said. A hint of mischievousness danced in her dark irises.

  Zhané’s mouth dropped open. “You were listening to our conversation?”

  “I said I had a few things to do. Eavesdropping was one of them. Wiping the drool off my lips was the other.” She shook her head. “Girl, you didn’t tell me Devlin was that fine!”

  “You didn’t give me a chance. You kept telling me it was rebound sex.”

  “That was before I knew how hot he was.”

  “Looks have nothing to do with it. Malik was fine, and look where that got me.”

  Katina smacked her lips in disagreement. “Malik wasn’t that good-looking, and he didn’t make you laugh like Devlin Hart makes you laugh.”

  “And Malik certainly didn’t set my body on fire like Devlin does.”

  “The way Devlin’s face lit up when he saw you almost made me cry. You two are so into each other, it’s not even funny.”

  Zhané sighed. “Yeah, that’s the problem. I don’t want to get caught up and make another mistake.”

  Katina sat on the edge of Zhané’s desk. “You don’t have to make a lifetime commitment, Zhané. This is merely a guest spot on a radio show. Do you realize how fortunate you are? You took your destiny into your own hands. You didn’t sit around moping about losing your boyfriend. You went to the station determined to confront a man you didn’t know, and in the process, you experienced an epiphany.”

  “And an orgasm.”

  Katina smiled. “True. My point is that the moment you two met, you both had a profound and immediate impact on each other’s lives. Imagine what effect you could have on the lives of other listeners. I’m telling you, this was meant to be.”

  “I don’t know about all that. I was just voicing my opinion. Devlin had no choice but to listen. I had a captive audience when the elevator broke down.”

  “Your opinion is just as valuable as his. You need to go on Bro-mance 101 and represent all the females out there. I can’t think of anyone better than you to do it.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so.” Katina plucked the receiver from Zhané’s office phone and thrust it toward her. “Call KLUV and tell them it’s on.”

  NINE

  “Caller you’re on the air with Devlin and Zhané. Tonight’s topic is How Soon is Too Soon to Move in Together? What do you think about shackin’ up?”

  “Hey, Devlin. My name is Cynthia. I think ‘shacking up’ as you refer to it is a horrible idea. The man gets all the benefits. My mama used to say, why buy the milk when you can have the cow for free?”

  “Really?” Devlin questioned. “Well, let me ask you this, Cynthia: Would you buy a pair of shoes without trying them on first? I’ll answer for you. No, you would not! It’s the same with us guys. We don’t want to marry anybody we haven’t lived with first. There’s no telling what we might find out about a woman. For instance, she might keep a nasty house.”

  “Oh, please! Like you’re really worried about a woman’s house. I want to know what Zhané thinks.”

  Devlin looked to his left where Zhané was sitting in a leather chair in the radio station’s soundproof studio. A pair of headphones, partially hidden by the curly upsweep of her hair, hugged each ear. Her long legs were crossed at the knees, the fishnet pantyhose encasing her shapely calves. His mouth went dry just thinking about how those legs would feel wrapped around him. He tried to focus on the caller instead of his co-host wearing a body-hugging green dress. He spoke into his microphone. “Okay, Zhané. Let’s hear your two cents.”

  Zhané tossed him a smug smile before replying. “I’m with Cynthia on this. Let’s face it. Most bachelors keep a pigsty for a house anyway. Any living accommodations with a female would be a step up for the majority of men out there. However, I don’t advocate shacking up either, unless you have an engagement ring and a wedding date set. That shows you both have a vested commitment to the relationship, and you’re not just playing house.”

  “Now, you’re being greedy,” Devlin argued. “What if things don’t work out? Then, the man has to fight to get his ring back.”

  “Who’s being greedy? You want all the perks with none of the responsibility.”

  “And you want to make all of the rules.”

  “That’s the difference between men and women,” Zhané quipped. “You go into it with a negative attitude. We’re hopeful about the future.”

  “Amen!” Cynthia jumped in. “I’m so happy to hear the ladies’ point of view. This is my favorite show. Me and my boyfriend, Brent listen all the time. He’s right here and he agrees with me, don’t you, Brent?”

  Devlin and Zhané both laughed when they heard a deep voice in the background call out, “I sure do, babe!”

  Zhané whispered, “I guess we know who wears the pants in that house.”

  Devlin snickered. “All right folks,” he prompted, “we’ve got to take a commercial break. You’ve been listening to Bro-mance 101 with a twist of spice. We’ll be back in five minutes. Don’t go anywhere or we will hunt you down!”

  Devlin muted both studio mics as the commercials played. He glanced at Zhané, who was beaming from head to toe. “Great show,” he told her.

  “I can’t believe people actually want my advice,” she enthused.

  “You’re brave, smart, and beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to hear what you have to say?”

  Her café au lait skin flushed with a glow, and her pink glossed lips stretched into a smile that would melt the pathway of a blizzard. “You’re just saying that so I’ll keep doing the show.”

  He returned her smile. He still couldn’t believe she was here with him. When he’d walked out of her office six weeks ago, he thought he’d never see her again. Fast forward to today. They’d been doing the show together every night for the past month. He wasn’t sure why she changed her mind; he was just glad she had. She had the perfect radio voice, a light banter that complimented his deep baritone. Plus, she added an element of opposition to his viewpoint. Listeners loved hearing their nightly battle of words.

  “Ramon would kill me if I let you leave this show,” Devlin vowed. “He says our ratings are the highest the show has seen in months.”

  Zhané removed her headphones and placed them in her lap. “Is that what this is all about?” she teased. “The ratings?”

  He shook his head. “No. It’s our chemistry. Ramon sees it. And so do I.”

  The smoldering gaze she sent him caused a spark of heat to ignite inside him. He leaned in and stroked her silky cheeks with both hands. Then, he did what he’d been wanting to do ever since she sashayed into the studio a few hours ago wearing a slinky green dress and stilettos. He pulled her into his arms. When their lips touched, it was like fanning the embers of a slow burning fire. He knew that in a matter of seconds, those embers had the potential to flare into a raging inferno.

  Like a starving man, he generously feasted on her pliant lips, pull
ing and sucking the soft flesh, and stroking her mouth. It seemed as if he would never get his fill of her. It had been a few months since their encounter in the elevator, but ever since that day, he’d been hungry for more of her. The only thing stopping him was his fear of what would happen next. He was hesitant to start a physical relationship with Zhané knowing there would be strings attached. He couldn’t fool himself into thinking that he could have wild sex and walk away unaffected. Besides, Zhané had already left her mark on him. He thought about her constantly. Even now, with the show ending for the night, he wasn’t ready to let her leave. He didn’t want to be alone tonight. The question was did she feel the same?

  Reluctantly, he ended their potentially explosive kiss. The pads of his fingertips slipped from her cheeks past her chin and seductively caressed the hollow of her throat. Then, his lips took the same path, gently nibbling the graceful lines from her earlobe to her chin. The scent of her soft perfume tickled his nose. He wanted nothing more than to pull up that sexy dress, lift her on top of his lap, and bury himself inside her. He craved the feel of her. He missed the painful pleasure of her nails clawing at his back.

  Zhané was a straight-shooter who’d made him stand up and take notice. After his breakup years ago, he didn’t think he would ever have romantic feelings for a woman again. He used females to take care of his physical needs, but he wanted more than a few one-night stands with her. “Zhané,” he whispered in her ear, “come home with me tonight.”

  Zhané smiled as Devlin continued to press butterfly kisses along the long column of her throat. She loved the feel of his lips on her skin. Everything he did was so erotic. Already, a warm river of lava was starting to flow through her. She was going to have to change her panties if he kept this up. “You want me to come home with you?” she clarified. “Why? You have some shoes for me to try on?”

  Devlin chuckled, obviously catching her reference to the comment he’d made to Cynthia earlier. “No, I already know you’re the perfect fit.”

  She laughed as he pulled away and laced his fingers with hers. His hands were so strong–as were other appendages of his body. She was itching to take him up on his offer for a sleepover. He looked so sexy tonight. He felt so good. So right. She’d missed his kisses. She thought about him morning, noon, and night. Not even a spur-of-the-moment three-day weekend in Vegas with Tina had been able to erase the memory of her elevator encounter with Devlin.