Free Gettin' Hooked by Nyomi Scott Page A

were stars for a right quick sec, and I shook my head to clear ’em. Luckily by then the crowd had shifted all the way between them and Leza was being pulled away and Michelle subdued.
    A few more minutes and the crowd started to disburse, people realizing the excitement was over so they went back to doing their own thang. Jonathan came up and I figured that was my out. Just as I was moving away my cell buzzed, so I flipped it open and read the text from Kayla letting me know she and Dasia were taking Leza home, and if Darian couldn’t do it, they’d be back for me.
    Glancing around, I looked for Darian. He’d moved back inside Starbucks now and was talking and laughing with some of his boys. Turning away, I decided I’d rather walk home than ride with him. I didn’t want ’im trying to kiss me again. Didn’t want ’im trying to make some sorta claim on me I didn’t feel.
    Missing the warmth of my cup of coffee, I folded my arms across my chest and rubbed my upper arms. It was raining like mad, but not all that cold. Still, I’d be soaked by the time I got home, but right now I really didn’t care.
    Puffing out a few gulps of air and angling toward home, I didn’t hear footsteps over the rain until it was too late.
    â€œImani, hold up,” Maurice said, grabbing my sweatshirt firm enough for me to stop.
    I closed my eyes but didn’t turn. Just his voice did things to me. Bebopped a rhythm in my blood and made my knees feel weak. I took a slow breath, then turned toward him.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYou talkin’ to Darian now?”
    I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, hella tempted to say “yeah” just so he’d leave me alone. I couldn’t stand the feelin’ of being mad and hurt mixed with this weird need to step into his arms.
    He shook me lightly. “Are you?”
    â€œNo.” I’d meant to ask why he wanted to know, but “no” was all that came out.
    â€œWhy you kissing him then?”
    â€œHe kissed me.” I was freakin’ insane. Why was I justifying my kiss with Darian to him? I’m sure he’d done his thang last night with Brie.
    â€œYou just let any dude kiss you, then?”
    I pulled my shoulder away, forcing his hand to drop from my arm. Um…no, I didn’t get down like that. If he was tryin’ to say I was ready to give it up on the easy, I’d straight do him like Michelle did Leza.
    Stepping back, I planted my fist on my tilted hip, daring him to say it. My heart was pumping all crazy-like, my stomach trembling. “Fa shizzle, baby boy,” I said, making my words drip with sarcasm. “A dude wants to kiss, I let him.”
    We stood in the roar of the rain, in the heat of anger, in the build of something intense and arousing. The moment lingered, the tension splintering down my spine. His dark gaze was on my face, an eyebrow arched into an odd angle. And then he let out a slow breath, and just like that, the something faded.
    His shoulders relaxed. A dimple threatened faintly in a single cheek, like he was fighting a smile. “No you don’t,” he whispered, stepping forward.
    He touched my cheek with his fingertips, then his palm settled fully against my skin as he swooped in and kissed me full on the mouth. Nothing tentative, nothing unsure.
    Holding me in place with one hand, he stepped even closer, close enough that I could feel his heat and strength. His lush lips opened, his tongue touching mine. He made a slight sound, like maybe something was hurting. There was something in the sound that made me want to soothe him. Made me want to step closer, so close there was no space left between us.
    With my eyes closed, my head light from hardly breathing, I slanted my face and let him kiss me. Really kiss me. Until I didn’t think I could stand. All that anger raged into other feelings, emotions I wasn’t ready to name.
    Then the kiss lightened and