taking his clothes off in front of a bunch of women. Seeing Luther laughing at even the thought of it, he took a step towards him, but at that exact moment, Bryan appeared and separated the two men. He’d seen the exchange from across the room and knew it wouldn’t be long before there was trouble.
“This isn’t the time or the place, so settle down….” He sent Luther a hard look. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Luther hesitated, not wanting to leave Darrell alone with Roni, but had no choice but to follow Bryan. He sent Darrell a look that Darrell guessed was supposed to be a warning. He smirked at him then made sure Luther saw him go directly to Roni’s side.
“Punk ass…” he muttered under his breath.
Roni’s face lit up when she turned and saw Darrell standing there. “Well, hello! I was wondering where you and Marcus were. Thought you’d stood me up.”
Darrell’s sour mood instantly vanished. He returned the smile and leaned down to accept the hug she offered. “Happy birthday, baby.”
“Thank you.”
When they parted, Darrell kept his hands at her waist. His eyes lingered on her breasts. “You look good, Roni. Beautiful as always.”
Roni’s eyes dropped before she brought them up to meet Darrell’s. She made an effort to slow her rapid breathing. Her pulse escalated and started thumping at an alarming rate; she felt the heat radiating off his body like a toasty heater in the dead of winter and she was getting hotter by the minute.
“Thank you again.” Roni knew not to apply too much meaning to his words. Darrell had more women than he knew what to do with, but it still flattered her to hear him say she looked good because she did her best to stay in shape. Knowing age was not her friend she diligently worked out and ate right. From the way Darrell’s eyes devoured her, the regimen was working.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes, this is great. It was so sweet of Bryan and Sylvia to do this for me.”
“A lot of people care for you, Roni.” They both heard the intimacy and underlying meaning in his voice, but neither acknowledged what it implied. Ronnie refused to allow herself to fall for Darrell’s charm.
“Well this is the last birthday I’m claiming. I’m officially not getting any older after today,” she joked.
“What does it matter when you look better than any woman here.” His eyes went over her body. “You damn sure wearing the hell outta that dress.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Oh, I hope so. Because there’s definitely somewhere I plan on being tonight.”
“Really. And where might that be, Mr. Monroe?”
Darrell’s brows lifted in surprise. He knew she was only flirting with him like this because she was in a room full of people and felt safe. Usually, the conversation was light and casual. Okay. He was going to see if she really had her big girl panties on tonight or if she was the one playing games.
“Where do I plan on being tonight? Someplace tight, hot, and wet.”
Roni didn’t back down. “Sounds interesting. I hope you enjoy the experience.”
“Believe me. I intend to.” Their eyes were having a silent conversation when they were interrupted by a demanding and slightly outraged whine.
“Roni…!”
Darrell released an impatient puff of air as he turned around and saw Luther Thorpe hurrying up to them. Luther’s eyes suspiciously went from Darrell to Roni.
“We’re in the middle of a conversation, Thorpe.”
“Well that’s just too damned -”
“Here.”
Before Luther knew what was happening, Darrell had taken Roni’s glass of wine from her hand and thrust it towards Luther who automatically reached out for it.
“Come on. Let’s dance.” Leaving Luther sputtering
“This isn’t the time or the place, so settle down….” He sent Luther a hard look. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Luther hesitated, not wanting to leave Darrell alone with Roni, but had no choice but to follow Bryan. He sent Darrell a look that Darrell guessed was supposed to be a warning. He smirked at him then made sure Luther saw him go directly to Roni’s side.
“Punk ass…” he muttered under his breath.
Roni’s face lit up when she turned and saw Darrell standing there. “Well, hello! I was wondering where you and Marcus were. Thought you’d stood me up.”
Darrell’s sour mood instantly vanished. He returned the smile and leaned down to accept the hug she offered. “Happy birthday, baby.”
“Thank you.”
When they parted, Darrell kept his hands at her waist. His eyes lingered on her breasts. “You look good, Roni. Beautiful as always.”
Roni’s eyes dropped before she brought them up to meet Darrell’s. She made an effort to slow her rapid breathing. Her pulse escalated and started thumping at an alarming rate; she felt the heat radiating off his body like a toasty heater in the dead of winter and she was getting hotter by the minute.
“Thank you again.” Roni knew not to apply too much meaning to his words. Darrell had more women than he knew what to do with, but it still flattered her to hear him say she looked good because she did her best to stay in shape. Knowing age was not her friend she diligently worked out and ate right. From the way Darrell’s eyes devoured her, the regimen was working.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes, this is great. It was so sweet of Bryan and Sylvia to do this for me.”
“A lot of people care for you, Roni.” They both heard the intimacy and underlying meaning in his voice, but neither acknowledged what it implied. Ronnie refused to allow herself to fall for Darrell’s charm.
“Well this is the last birthday I’m claiming. I’m officially not getting any older after today,” she joked.
“What does it matter when you look better than any woman here.” His eyes went over her body. “You damn sure wearing the hell outta that dress.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Oh, I hope so. Because there’s definitely somewhere I plan on being tonight.”
“Really. And where might that be, Mr. Monroe?”
Darrell’s brows lifted in surprise. He knew she was only flirting with him like this because she was in a room full of people and felt safe. Usually, the conversation was light and casual. Okay. He was going to see if she really had her big girl panties on tonight or if she was the one playing games.
“Where do I plan on being tonight? Someplace tight, hot, and wet.”
Roni didn’t back down. “Sounds interesting. I hope you enjoy the experience.”
“Believe me. I intend to.” Their eyes were having a silent conversation when they were interrupted by a demanding and slightly outraged whine.
“Roni…!”
Darrell released an impatient puff of air as he turned around and saw Luther Thorpe hurrying up to them. Luther’s eyes suspiciously went from Darrell to Roni.
“We’re in the middle of a conversation, Thorpe.”
“Well that’s just too damned -”
“Here.”
Before Luther knew what was happening, Darrell had taken Roni’s glass of wine from her hand and thrust it towards Luther who automatically reached out for it.
“Come on. Let’s dance.” Leaving Luther sputtering
Similar Books
