Free Too Hot for TV by Cheris Hodges

here.”
    He shrugged, dropping Lucy’s hand. “Thought I’d give it a try so that I could raise money for the clinic,” he replied. Obviously, Lucy felt ignored and stormed off. “What’s your name?”
    â€œImani. And you are?”
    â€œRaymond.”
    â€œNice to officially meet you,” she said.
    â€œNow, what is a beautiful woman like you doing here looking for a husband? I’m sure you have no problem finding a man.” He folded his arms and Imani’s mouth watered as she watched his muscles flex. She wanted those arms around her, wanted to feel his warmth and have those lips pressed against hers. They would make a perfect picture on the cover of Us Weekly or Essence magazine.
    â€œAre you all right?” he asked.
    â€œYes,” she replied with a smile. “I was just thinking about how we had to come all the way to Hawaii to get a proper introduction.”
    â€œFunny how life works out sometimes,” he said with a laugh. Then he did it, he reached out and took her hand in his.
    Her skin was soft, Raymond thought as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. Their eyes locked and he was transfixed by her quiet beauty, her smooth caramel brown skin and elegant brown eyes. Her hair, pushed behind her ears, looked real. But being that she was from New York, it could be a weave. Either way, he wanted those silky strands against his cheek after he tasted her lips, wrapped her legs around his waist and dove into her wetness and made her scream his name. “I wonder if they’re filming us now,” Raymond whispered.
    â€œOh, God,” Imani exclaimed, “I hope not.” She fussed over her hair and ran her tongue across her lips. “I’m so not camera-ready right now.”
    Raymond shrugged as he watched her smooth her dress. “You look good to me,” he said with a smile. “So, what do you do?”
    â€œI’m an actress,” she replied proudly. “I’m hoping this show will give me some great exposure.”
    â€œBroadway?” Raymond’s mind immediately flashed to Imani in a sequin leotard and a pair of sky-high heels showing off those long, curvy legs. He loved her legs.
    â€œI’ve done a few commercial spots and a movie. Have you ever seen Fearless Diva ?”
    He narrowed his eyes at her as he recalled that horrible movie with the sexy star. “Wow, that was you in that movie?”
    â€œYou saw it?” she asked with a smile.
    â€œYeah, and if you weren’t so cute, I’d ask you for my ten-fifty back. That movie was horrible.”
    â€œExcuse me?” she said, narrowing her eyes into little slits.
    â€œYou can’t be proud of that movie,” he said with a laugh. “What were you thinking when you read that script? Cult following? I laughed a lot, but I don’t think some of the things I laughed at were supposed to be funny.”
    The evil look Imani gave him made Raymond shiver in the tropical heat. “You’re going to stand there and insult my craft? I worked hard on that movie and it’s not my fault that you can’t appreciate a movie that thought outside the box.”
    â€œThe box of good taste.”
    â€œAnd what have you done?”
    â€œSaved a couple lives, opened a clinic, and wasted my money on a damned sorry movie.”
    â€œI would say that it was nice to meet you, but that would be a lie,” Imani said, then stormed off. Though she was angry, the sway of her hips, with a little extra ummph, still had Raymond mesmerized.

Chapter 6
    Producer Tres Ellis watched Imani and Raymond interact on closed circuit TV. She took a pull of her clove cigarette. “I see stars being born,” she whispered as she exhaled a puff of smoke. Tres could see the attraction that both parties were trying to deny. Raymond looked as if he wanted to kiss Imani, then tell her off. And Imani looked at Raymond with a gleam in her eyes