Free Romancing Tommy Gabrini by Mallory Monroe Page A

some serious greens, all right.   Ain’t nothing fake on that man’s body.   Not even that man’s body.”
    Nayla
would normally laugh at Jamie’s one liners, but not in this case.   She and Jamie were the only two who planned
this surprise party, and neither one of them had invited Mr. America over
there.   “But he isn’t exactly her age,
though, is he?” Nayla asked.
    “No,”
Jamie agreed, “but so what?   The point is
she’s got her somebody substantial.   That
has to be the point.”
    “Yeah,”
Nayla said, nodding.   “Has to be.   But why wouldn’t Grace mention him?   We rode over here together, and she didn’t
say a word.”
    Jamie
stretched his eyebrows.   “That is strange
since she tells you everything.   But who
knows?   Maybe she didn’t want you trying
to take him from her.”
    Nayla
looked at Jamie as if he was nuts.   “Take
him from her?   I don’t roll like that,
what are you talking about?”
    “Cam.   Hello?”
    “I
told you I never touched that fool!”
    “That’s
not what I’ve been hearing.”
    “Well
you’ve been hearing lies, Jamie.   Whoever’s been telling that to you is a liar, and I’ll say it to her
face.   I’m just grateful Grace didn’t
believe it.   She knows I wouldn’t do that
to her.”
    Jamie
looked at Nayla with doubtful eyes.   “Whatever, child,” he said.  
    “You
don’t have to believe me,” Nayla said, although what Jamie said was true.   She and Cam did hook up once, after Grace
dumped him.   But Nayla didn’t see where
Grace needed to know that.   “Anywho,” she
continued, “this isn’t about me, anyway.   This is about Grace, and who in the world could that hunk of flesh
standing beside her be.”
    “I’ll
tell you what,” Jamie said, sitting his glass on a nearby table, “I’m going to
find out for myself.”
    “Find
out?” Nayla asked, alarmed that he would even dream of injecting himself into
Grace’s conversation.   “Jamie!”
    But
Jamie was undeterred.   “I’m going to find
out who he is,” he said as his slender body began to make its way toward the
twosome.
    “Jamie,
wait!” Nayla said, but he was already on his way.   She felt she had no choice, at that point,
but to sit her wine glass down, too, and follow him.
    Grace
saw Jamie coming and smiled.   “Here comes
one of my partners in crime now,” she said to Tommy.
    Tommy
looked where she was looking and saw a young black male, seemingly in his
mid-to-late twenties, coming their way.   Tommy wondered if he would be his competition.
    “Let
me guess,” Grace said with a smile as Jamie approached.   “You’re curious?”
    “As a
mother fuck,” Jamie said and he, Grace, and Tommy laughed.  
    He
extended his hand.   “I’m Jamie Rogers,”
he said.   “And I’m dying to know who you
are.”
    “Hello,
Jamie,” Tommy said, shaking his hand.
    “I
may as well wait for Nay,” Grace said, “and let one introduction do for all.”
    “I
told him not to bother you,” Nayla said as she approached.   “But you know how Jamie is.”
    Jamie
looked sidelong at her.   “And how is Jamie?”
    “Nosy,”
Nayla said with a smile.   She, too,
extended her hand.   “I’m Nayla Santiago,
by the way.”  
    “Ladies,
hide your men,” Jamie said under his breath.   Nayla could deny being a man stealer all she wanted, but Jamie knew
better.
    “This
is Tommy Gabrini,” Grace said as Nayla extended her hand.   She was gorgeous and she knew it, Tommy
thought, as he shook her hand.   “He’s a
friend of mine,” Grace added.
    “Since
when?” Jamie asked in his usual deadpan way, and Nayla elbowed him.
    “Since
last night,” Grace freely responded.  
    “Oh,”
Nayla said.   “At Jillian’s party?”
    “That’s
right.   We met there.   Although I’ve known him for quite some time.”
    Tommy
looked at her.   He wasn’t sure if she was
kidding.
    “You
may not know it,” Grace said, “but I’ve seen you coming and