Yasmin gulped
It was too soon for them to be this close. Her trepidation allayed as he caressed her back. His touch set her heart at ease. Longing melted her resolve and the only way Yasmin was ever going to get him out of her mind was to kiss him. Once she got it out of her system, she could forget him. Lifting her chin to receive his kiss, she waited anxiously for him to accept her invitation.
A bolt of electricity shot through her as their lips met. To her surprise, the kiss felt like the most natural thing in the world. She tuned out the voices around them and focused her entire mind and body on the experience. Entangled by the sheer intensity of the kiss, she lost all sense of time and place. His mouth was soft, sweet, inviting, and he kissed her as if they had all the time in the world. Yasmin liked that. He wasn’t in a rush and he wasn’t aggressive. She curved into the arch of his body, savoring the feel of his warm embrace.
Rashawn abandoned her lips and kissed the side of her neck. He touched a hand to her cheek then fingered a lock of her hair. “Nice technique, doc.”
Yasmin licked her lips. If a kiss could leave her with erect nipples and shaky legs, there was no telling what would happen if they ever made love.
He nibbled on her earlobe before returning to her lips. This time the kiss was long, deeply intense and fraught with passion.
PAMELA YAYE
has a bachelor’s degree in Christian education and has been writing short stories since elementary school. Her love for African-American fiction and literature prompted her to actively pursue a career writing romance. When she’s not reading or working on her latest novel, she’s watching basketball, cooking or planning her next vacation. Pamela lives in Calgary, Canada, with her handsome husband and adorable daughter.
Love T.K.O.
Pamela Yaye
Dear Reader,
Do you believe everyone has a soul mate? Is there one, special person created to love you and only you? That question, posed by one of my man-happy girlfriends, got me thinking. I hope you’re not expecting me to tell you the answer, because the jury is still out on that one! But what I do know is that physical chemistry is a potent, mind-numbing drug that can’t be faked. Either you have it or you don’t!
Opposites don’t attract. At least that’s what clinical psychologist Dr. Yasmin Ohaji has discovered while counseling embittered couples for years. Overcoming the pain of losing her fiancé and the struggle of getting her private practice off the ground leaves the South African beauty little time to even consider dating again. Yet after a chance meeting with hometown hero Rashawn “The Glove” Bishop, she can’t seem to get his luscious smile and bed-me voice out of her mind. But the championship boxer is more than a set of six-pack abs and a chiseled body. He’s smart, savvy and before it’s all said and done, he’ll turn Yasmin’s quiet, uneventful life upside down! A Love T.K.O. indeed!
Happy reading and be blessed,
Pamela Yaye
Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.
—Robert A. Heinlein
To my super-fine hubby, Jean-Claude: You are my real-life hero! I love you more than chocolate and there is no one I’d rather call my husband. Thank you for being patient with me and being the shoulder I can lean on.
Daniel and Gwendolyn Odidison: Not only do you spoil me (I LOVE when you come visit and cook, clean and shop!) you give great advice, support me wholeheartedly and encourage me to dream big. I love you both with all my heart.
Bettey: Where would I be without you? You’re the wind beneath my wings, the gin in my juice (ha, ha) and the best sister a girl could have. You’re my rock, and I’m a more loving, more patient and less stubborn woman because you keep me in check. Love ya!
Kenny: You’re always there when I need you and I’m proud to call you my big brother. Keep doing your thing. Your hard work and perseverance are going to pay off one day soon. Just don’t forget the family when you make it big!
Sha-Shana Crichton: You work tirelessly on my behalf and help me to become a better writer. Thank you for your honest feedback, your great suggestions and for calling to check up on me if we haven’t spoken in a while. You’re like a big sister, a friend and an agent all rolled up in one!
Kelli Martin: We haven’t worked together long, but I already respect and admire you. You’re prompt and thorough in everything you do. Thanks for all the time you put into improving the manuscript. It’s SO much better than the first draft (smile)!
To my fabulous critique partners, Donna Tunney, Sherilee Reilly and Lecia Cornwall. I don’t know where I’d be without you girls! You critique with love, force me to dig deeper and I come away from our sessions feeling even more excited about the story. I appreciate your advice and I’m incredibly thankful we found each other when we did.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 1
Yasmin Ohaji hated blind dates. Suffering through stilted conversation and dressing up to impress some man she’d probably never see again was not her idea of a good time, but when her sister had said she had the “perfect guy” for her, Yasmin had reluctantly given in. Imani had never steered her wrong and since she could spot a playboy a mile away, Yasmin had decided to give it a shot.
After playing phone tag for a month, she had agreed to meet Cecil Manning at the Laurdel Lounge. The city councilman, like most up-and-coming politicians, talked a good game, but Yasmin had her doubts about the divorced bachelor from Boston. She wasn’t pessimistic by nature, but she wasn’t expecting much to come of their date. Some good conversation and a nice meal would suffice. Anything more would be icing on the cake.
Yasmin followed the hostess past the smoky bar toward the dining area. Ignoring the tingling in her feet, she lifted her head and arched her shoulders. There was no telling who was watching and she didn’t want anyone to know the high heels were sucking the life out of her. But that’s what she got for listening to a commission-hungry shoe salesman with pretty-boy looks.
Her thick bangles jingled as she walked, drawing the attention of every single man in the restaurant. Lifting a hand to smooth her hair, she soaked up all the stares of the professional men in the lounge. Healthy