The Heat Between Us. Cheris Hodges

I have a fire going in the summer?”

      MJ smiled and stroked his cheek. “Aren’t you just full of surprises, Mr. Carver. Next time, lead with the chocolate.”

      “Oh, so there will be a next time?”

      She shook her head. “You’re something else, but this was a good surprise and thank you for sharing the stars with me.”

      I’d share a lot more if you’d let me. Jamal took her hand in his and walked her to the driveway. “Call me and let me know you made it home safely,” he said as he opened her car door.

      “I will. And thank you again for dinner,” MJ said as she closed the door. Watching her drive away, Jamal could only shake his head. He wanted this woman in his arms tonight, even if they kept all of their clothes on.

      * * *

      As Michael drove home, all she could think about was Jamal’s kiss. That hot, soul-searing kiss had made her knees weak. Now her body ached with need. She needed Jamal’s touch. Needed to feel him between her thighs. Why did she kiss him? It wasn’t their first kiss. She’d kissed him last year when they’d met at his house to talk about his situation with his mother and Brent’s father. At that time, Jamal had been an emotional mess because Brent didn’t know that his father was also Jamal’s little brother’s father. According to Jamal, Brent had unresolved anger issues with his father and he wondered how that would play into his relationship with the little boy after Brent Sr.’s death.

      But that had been a gentle kiss. A friendly smooch that said, I support you. But this kiss... This kiss said, I want you. I need you. And boy, did she want him. It just wasn’t going to be good for her heart.

      He was a playboy. He’d even admitted that he hadn’t wanted to settle down. Had something changed? Was he really trying to be with her as more than a friend or had they just gotten caught up in the heat of the moment?

      As she pulled into her driveway, Michael sent Jamal a text. I made it home.

      She wasn’t sure if hearing his voice would make her turn around and live out her shower fantasy with him. Grabbing the cake slices, she exited the car and walked up to her front door. When her phone rang, shattering the silence around her, she nearly dropped her purse and the cake.

      “Hello?”

      “Your text was nice, but I could’ve sworn I asked you to call me.”

      “Jamal, go to bed.”

      “I will, at some point. Have you walked in the house yet?”

      “Unlocking the door now.”

      “Good. And when you activate your security system, I’ll let you go.”

      “You’re all about protection, huh?” Michael keyed in her alarm code. “Done.”

      “Sleep well, beautiful. See you in the morning.”

      “Good night.” Michael floated to her bedroom on the promise of seeing Jamal in the morning. She didn’t even notice the text message she’d missed from Nic.

      * * *

      Jamal didn’t sleep well, so when morning came it felt as if it was too soon. His body was so keyed up from wanting MJ that he would have to take a run, and a cold shower would certainly follow. Now he understood Lu-Lu’s insanity from one kiss. Well, kind of. Lu-Lu was crazy, while he was just falling hard for the most amazing woman he’d ever met. Pulling himself out of bed, Jamal tugged on his running shorts, grabbed his sneakers and a bottle of water. Even though it was five after six, it was hot in Atlanta already. Jamal started with a slow jog and sped up as he started thinking about what Michael was doing this morning.

      Did she sleep alone last night? Did he cross her mind? Was she going to act as if nothing had happened between them when he walked into her office in a few hours? He slowed his gait; he was going to see her in a few hours. Would he be able to handle that?

      I got this, he thought as he started running again. Mile one was easy. Mile two, he ran into Lucy.

      “Good morning, handsome,” she said, seeming to appear from nowhere.

      “Morning.”

      “Isn’t this a beautiful green space? I love running here. I wish I’d known that you were working out this morning.”

      Jamal stopped and gave her a sidelong glance. “Yeah. Lucy, enjoy your run.” He tore off as if he was Usain Bolt. Once he’d run for three miles, Jamal was tired. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was time to head home so that he could get ready to meet MJ.

      As he ran home, Jamal glanced over his shoulder to make sure Lucy hadn’t followed him. He smiled when he made it home without encountering her again. Now he could focus his attention on MJ. And he hoped that she’d brought the chocolate cake in for them to enjoy over coffee. That cold shower was going to work miracles for him after his morning run.

      * * *

      Michael wanted to call in sick, but since she was the boss, that couldn’t happen. Besides, she was the one who’d invited Jamal and his company to work on the biggest account in her company’s history.

      “What was I thinking?” she muttered as she rose from her bed and headed to the shower. She’d missed two calls from Mimi and she didn’t care because she was in no position to run this morning. All night, Michael had dreamed of Jamal taking his kiss deeper and making all of her fantasies come true. But when she woke up holding her pillow and not Jamal, she had to get her act together.

      Business. Focus on business.

      Michael took the coldest shower that she could stand. Her mind had conjured up erotic visions of Jamal last night, of his magical tongue touching her most sensitive spots. But in the light of day, she realized that she had to sit across from him and talk real business. She had to listen to him plan how to keep this jazz fest safe.

      Get your hormones under control, girl, she thought as she stepped underneath the cold spray. It was just one amazing kiss. Not as if it was your first amazing kiss.

      But it was. Michael let the cold water wash over her shoulders. She’d never been kissed like that before, and if she was honest, she knew she wanted more. Needed more. Jamal had awakened a passion inside her that she’d never felt before. He was everything she wanted and that scared her because she had a nagging fear that she might not be enough for him.