Kareem spread her legs and stood between them. “Who’s he?”
“The head of the chamber whose brother is a bank president,” she said with a cocky grin and slid her arms around his neck. “I told you I have connections.”
Running his hands up the smooth skin of her outer thigh, Kareem gripped her hips. No underwear. The corner of his lip tilted up. He’d expected her to turn away after he confessed his sins the day before. His sexual past disgusted him at times. Last night she hadn’t pushed him for more, which made him question what decent task he must have done once to result in landing a good woman like her.
“So you do.” Kareem slid his hands toward her inner thigh, brushing damp curls. He raised a brow. “What were you thinking about before coming in here?”
A naughty grin spread on her sweet face. “You.”
“I can tell.” He pressed a finger into her wet opening. Neecie’s eyes rolled backwards, and her mouth opened. Her tongue played with the corner of her mouth. His dick became as hard as the marble countertops. Sweet Neecie, now all wet and wicked for him.
His free hand untucked his shirt and unzipped his pants. “We’re making another stop.”
Neecie trembled; her breasts rose and fell from short, shallow breaths. “Where?”
Taking a condom from the counter, Kareem opened the packet and covered himself. “To a clinic so I can prove to you I’m clean. I’m tired of condoms.”
“Oh.” The breath rushed out of her and Kareem pushed into her, hard and deep. “Ooohh.”
Using one hand to press her chest backwards and the other to pull her hips forward, Kareem closed his eyes and succumbed to Neecie’s sunshine.
• • •
The young administrative assistant in the swanky chamber of commerce office smiled at Kareem and Patrice. “Mr. Simmons will be with you in a few minutes. But he said you can wait in his office instead of out here.”
Kareem’s muscles seized, and he gripped the black leather satchel strap on his shoulder. Mr. Simmons? Roland Simmons? He glared at Neecie, who smartly avoided his glare. This was the damn friend she wanted help from? Her perfect ex-fiancé? He should’ve asked more questions that morning, not gone for one more round between her deceptive thighs.
“If you’ll follow me.” The assistant came around the cherry wood desk.
Neecie’s gaze darted toward him, then she scampered to follow the assistant. Kareem followed, but saw and heard nothing but the pounding in his ears. If she planned to use him for sex while she tried to reconcile with her ex, he would walk out today. He didn’t need her help to make his business grow.
The assistant escorted them to a large corner office. “Make yourself comfortable.”
Tight edges encompassed Neecie’s smile. “Thank you.”
The assistant left the door open after her exit. Kareem grabbed Neecie’s upper arm and glared.
“Your friend is your ex?”
She placed a hand on his chest. “Let me explain.”
Her body shook and Kareem immediately released her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d accept his help if you knew who he was.” She rubbed her arm and Kareem felt like an asshole.
“You thought it would be better for me find out this way?”
She cringed. “I just don’t know how to take you, Kareem. Judging your reactions is nearly impossible.”
“Here’s a tip: the truth goes a long way to getting the reaction you want out of me.”
“I’m sorry. I deserve that. I promised I’d use my connections to help you.” She waved her arm to encompass the room. “Roland is one of my connections.”
“You should have said something.” He pointed and took a step toward her. “Trust doesn’t come easy for me, Neecie. I have to know you have my back and that you’re not here to rekindle an old flame.”
“I do have your back. This isn’t about Roland. We’re through. Kareem, I swear I thought you’d say no if you knew, but you have to admit, he’s a good connection.”
He ran a hand over his face and wanted to rip out his dreads. “Good connection or not, I deserved to know. This isn’t some shit you spring up at the last minute, Neecie.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry. I won’t lie again, but I just wanted to help.”
“I don’t want his help.” He spun to the door.
Neecie’s small hands tugged on his arm. “Don’t be stupid, Kareem.” He swerved back to her. She dropped her hands and backed up a step. “Well, walking out of here would be stupid. Roland has the business connections you need. His brother is the president of a bank and can secure your loan. Beth already said they agreed to help. This is how things work. It’s just business, I promise, nothing else.”
Her eyes, her voice, all rang with sincerity. But he’d been lied to and deceived too many times to trust.
“Just hear what he has to say,” she whispered.
Kareem gritted his teeth. He wanted to leave and say to hell with Roland and her. But honestly, he had planned to join the chamber. He would have discovered later her ex ran the damn place and still would have had to work with him.
“Lie to me again and we’re through.”
She twisted her foot on the ground, a movement he found sexy, and right now he hated that he still wanted her so damn bad.
“I won’t. I mean it; I have your back.”
He nodded. Her smile tried to melt away the rest of his anger, so he turned away and sized up the office. Everything about the space oozed perfection, from the organized shiny cherry wood desk to the wall of degrees and accolades hung in absolute symmetry. Kareem clenched his jaw. A far cry from the black history calendar he got from the funeral parlor across the street thumb tacked to the wall of his office.
Kareem plucked at the leaves of one of several potted palms and crossed to study the items on a bookshelf. Carpet muffled her steps, but Kareem felt Neecie’s energy come up behind him, and he smelled her fruity perfume. His anger drifted away. Damn her for making him so weak.
She pushed her hair, mostly back to the kinky curls he liked, behind her ear and leaned in to look at a row of pictures. He recognized one of the women in a frame as the woman Roland had been with after dancing with Neecie. Neecie gasped then lightly laughed and picked up a picture. “Oh my, God, I can’t believe he still has this.”
“What is it?”
She turned the picture his way. “College graduation. We took so many pictures that day, but my sister said we had to do our jail pose. This was it. We look ridiculous.”
In the picture, a younger Neecie stood to one side in a graduation gown with her arms crossed over her chest and a twist to her lips. Roland stood behind her, also in a graduation gown opened to reveal a loosened tie and untucked white shirt. Roland held up both hands and flashed the peace sign.
“You do look ridiculous,” he said.
Neecie’s lips turned up in a nostalgic smile that made him uncomfortable. “That was a fun day.”
“Was it the day he asked you to marry him?”
She gently placed the picture back on the shelf. “Why would you say that?”
“Those are usually the kinds of occasions that warrant big declarations.”
Neecie closed the space between them though not quite touching. He wanted to push her away, refuse to succumb to the strong draw this woman had on him.
“Big declarations aren’t always good declarations. I broke things off with Roland for a reason. He’s not the man I want.” She lowered her voice, and the hungry gleam he’d put in her eye over the weekend returned.
Kareem drew his hand up her arm to her elbow and pulled her against him, allowing him to gaze down the V-neck of her black and beige striped dress.
Roland strolled into the room and stopped at the door. “Normally I’d apologize for interrupting, but since it’s my office,” he said with a friendly smile.
Neecie stepped back and Kareem considered keeping her from pulling aw
ay. But he wasn’t down with playing tug-o-war with a woman. The man Neecie chose was completely up to her.
Neecie pointed to the shelf. “We were just admiring your pictures.”
Kareem slid his hands in his pocket. “Neecie pointed out the one from your college graduation.”
Roland nodded and crossed the room to them, a wistful smile on his face. “That was a very special day.” He gave a smile that belonged on a toothpaste billboard. “Our parents were very proud.”
Neecie shifted closer to Kareem. “Yes, they were.”
An awkward pause. Kareem cleared his throat and raised a brow at Roland. “Why don’t we get started?”
“Of course.” Roland held out his hand to the two leather chairs across from his desk.
Roland sat and stretched his arms out on the desk, revealing gold cufflinks with the chamber of commerce’s seal. “So, tell me more about your idea.”
Neecie nodded and slid forward. “It’s kind of a different idea.”
Kareem placed a hand on her arm and called on the pleasant businessman’s smile and attitude his father once tried to instill in him. The movement pulled the tight skin around his scar, a reminder he wasn’t smooth and polished like his father.
“Not that different.” Kareem leaned back in his chair and put the right foot over his left knee, feigning comfort. “My plan is to open a gentlemen’s lounge.”
“A lounge.” Roland lifted a brow.
Neecie sat forward again. “They’re not unusual.”
“What I’m proposing isn’t very different from many of the places you probably frequent already,” Kareem said with ease.
Roland leaned back in his chair. “How so?”
“We’ve all been to a barber shop and had to wait on uncomfortable chairs in a cramped space,” Kareem said. When Roland made a face, he held up his hands and chuckled. “Okay, maybe not for you, but I’ve frequented corner shops all my life. And if the haircut is good enough, you have politicians, businessmen, and others who started in the neighborhood still getting haircuts at the corner shop they’re familiar with. There’s no reason why a trip to the barber shop can’t be something more. To wait in a place with leather seats, a bar stocked with high-end liquors, and flat screen televisions playing the best game.”
Roland leaned forward and picked up a gold pen. “That’s a lot in one place.”
“It only sounds like a lot. Think about it, women go to spas and spend all day there. Why? Because there are services that cater to their needs. There’s no reason men can’t have the same. A place where you can have a conversation with your boys or a business partner in the lounge, try one of the cigars in the smoking room, or just sit back and relax, watching the game, before letting one of our master barbers cut your hair.”
Roland tapped the pen on the desk, but interest lit his eyes. “Any other services?”
“If things go well, there’s no reason not to include other spa services. Massages, maybe.”
“What makes you think it’ll work?”
Kareem pulled his business plan out of the satchel and passed the copy to Roland. “The research I’ve done suggested Charlotte is the perfect market. Your city is the banking capital of North Carolina, you have a professional football and basketball team, and a rising growth in young professionals. All the types of men who are not only in need of grooming but aren’t afraid to have it done with style.”
Roland flipped through the plan, and Neecie gazed at him with open admiration. He was tempted to wink at her. He knew how to be charming when needed. Most of the time being charming wasn’t needed.
Roland looked up from the plan. “This is well thought out.”
Kareem’s practiced grin became easier as he thought about the hard work Sandra had put in to help him make his plan shine. “The person who worked with me on it knows her stuff.”
Neecie sat back in her chair. Kareem glanced her way, but she studied her nails.
“Have you already thought of locations?” Roland asked.
Neecie looked up. “We haven’t started looking yet.”
Kareem held up a hand. “There is a location in midtown that might work.” In the corner of his eye he saw her brows raise.
“Financing?” Roland asked.
“I’ve got some money saved and hope to get a business loan for the rest.”
Roland closed the plan and nodded. “My brother can help with that. I know of several places available in midtown. I’ll put you in contact with my real estate broker to show you around.”
Roland pulled out a business card and handed it to Kareem. His brother’s contact information was embossed in shiny black letters. They spent a few minutes going over the details of meeting with Lad and possibly Roland’s realtor, though Kareem preferred working with someone else. He didn’t need any more help from Neecie’s ex.
“Patrice,” Roland said when he and Kareem finished talking. “What will be your interest in this?”
Neecie glanced from Roland to Kareem, her brows drawn slightly together.
Kareem reached over and squeezed her hand. “She’s one of my master barbers, plus she’s always wanted to work in this field. I couldn’t imagine doing this without her.”
“That’s sweet,” Roland said.
There was no malice in his voice; still, Kareem didn’t sense any warmth. “We’ve taken enough of your time. Thank you for your help today, Roland.”
Kareem stood. Roland remained seated until Neecie got up from her chair. Kareem felt like he’d been kicked in the gut from the subtle reminder he wasn’t a gentleman.
“It’s been a pleasure, Kareem. Any friend of Patrice is a friend of mine.”
“I’m a lot more than her friend,” Kareem said, his voice going hard.
Roland appeared unsure, then his politician’s smile reappeared. “Of course. I meant no harm.” He held out a hand.
Kareem accepted. Roland twisted his wrist to turn Kareem’s hand in to a subordinate position. Kareem held firm, keeping their hands even. “Of course you didn’t.”
Roland quickly released his grip. He turned warm eyes on Neecie. “It’s good to see you again. Hopefully we’ll catch up soon.”
Neecie nodded, but her smile was cool. “Thanks again, Roland.”
Kareem and Neecie left Roland’s office. Outside the sun shined but didn’t do much to cut the crisp feel of the fall afternoon.
Neecie pulled her burgundy leather jacket tight. “That went well.”
“Better than I expected.”
“I told you he would help.”
Kareem pulled out his telephone and checked the time. “You did.” He shuffled from foot to foot and slid the phone back in his pocket. “But I wish you’d told me before we arrived at his office. And …” He drew out the word and stopped shifting. “You didn’t think I could handle myself.”
Neecie stopped scrolling through her phone and her hand fell to her side. “That’s not true.”
“It’s very true. Look, I know I’m not the most … verbal guy, but my family is full of salesmen. I know how to sell an idea.”
“You’re right, I did have some reservations.”
Kareem hiked the satchel strap on his shoulder and crossed his arms. Her admission didn’t really ease his annoyance. “Can you trust me to handle myself now?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now let’s get out of here.” He glanced at the concrete chamber building. Roland probably watched from behind the mirrored glass, searching for cracks he could wiggle his way through in the Kareem Henderson, Patrice Baldwin façade.
Kareem walked to the corner and waited impatiently for the light to change.
Neecie grabbed his hand and pulled him around. “Hey, listen. I do trust you, and I’m sorry about springing Roland on you this afternoon. I just …” She lowered her eyes and twisted her foot. “I just want you to succeed at this, and I didn’t want you to refuse to see him just because of our past.”
“I get that, Neecie. Just b
e honest next time. Eventually I would have had to work with him. And you were right, his connections are good. We’re cool.”
He tried to turn away but she held his hand tight. “Did you mean that about me being one of your master barbers?”
“Yeah, I did. You know, if you want to.”
She grinned her bright smile. “I do. But won’t it be weird when we don’t get married?”
The thought of marrying Neecie made him feel like he stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon with a gun at his temple. The thought of giving her up made him feel like he’d fallen. In the end, he’d have to give her up—or else watch her brightness dim because of him.
“You’re right,” he said. “We can end the engagement shortly after the lounge opens up.”
“Oh … we could.”
“I mean, we can’t keep up this scheme forever.” He watched for any signs that she didn’t see him only as the bad boy she’d brought home to piss off her parents and live out the fantasy of sex with a thug.
She met his gaze and cocked a shoulder. “Yeah … you’re right. We’ll end things right after the lounge opens.”
Kareem nodded and ignored the sudden tightness in his chest. “You want to go back to your parents’?”
She glanced at her watch. “I actually need to get over to meet Lorelei.”
He shook his head. “Be careful there, Neecie. I don’t like the way they try to hint around that there’s something wrong with your weight.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t drink the Kool-Aid. Those days are gone,” she said with a frown.
“Those days?”
Her frown cleared and her sunshine reappeared. “Nothing. Just trust me when I say they aren’t going to be sucking me back into my old ways.”
His gut said there was more, but he didn’t push. It wouldn’t do him any good to get any more wrapped up in Neecie and her past than he already was—no matter how much he wanted to figure her out.
“I’ll see you when you get back.” He took a step back, then glanced at the mirrored windows hiding the man everyone said was perfect for Neecie. Kareem leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. Her body leaned forward. Kareem pulled back before the jolt could draw him in. Make him try and kiss her when he didn’t know how.
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