Free This I Promise You by Maureen Smith Page B

legendary jazz singer.
    “So, Georgie,” Asha drawled wickedly, “are you going to sleep with him?”
    Georgina let out a scandalized gasp. “ Asha! ”
    Asha innocently batted her lashes. “What?”
    When Georgina threw a self-conscious glance in Lexi’s direction, Asha guffawed.
    “Honey, please. Alexis isn’t some innocent, sheltered virgin. None of them are—as we can see from all these children running around here.”
    Everyone laughed in agreement.
    “Well?” Prissy prodded, dark eyes twinkling with mischief.
    Georgina arched a brow at her. “Well what?”
    “You haven’t answered Asha’s question. Are you going to sleep with Henry?”
    Georgina forked up a small bite of her fish and chewed delicately, taking her sweet time before she answered. “I might.”
    Another burst of laughter pealed through the room. Georgina couldn’t help grinning as everyone raised their glasses to her.
    “I definitely won’t be sharing that information with Quentin,” Lexi teased.
    Georgina pointed her fork at her. “You’d better not!”
    More laughter swept over the table.
    Asha took a languid sip of her wine and smiled. “It amuses me how our children get so worked up over the very idea of us having sex. I’m looking at you, Samara.”
    Everyone laughed as Samara ducked her head and covered her face with her hands.
    “It doesn’t bother me,” Reese said matter-of-factly. “Maybe because I’m a doctor, so I view sex as a perfectly normal part of the human experience—no matter who’s having it.” She grinned. “I also realize I wouldn’t be here if my parents hadn’t gotten it on. Why should they stop having sex just because it freaks their children out?”
    “Amen!” the older women chorused approvingly before dissolving into giggles.
    “I don’t mind either,” Lexi admitted, gently squeezing her mother’s shoulder as she smiled at her. “I think my mom deserves to enjoy all that life has to offer, and toe-curling orgasms are very enjoyable.”
    A chorus of amens went up from the group.
    “Humph,” Carlene grunted, lifting her glass to her mouth. “Not to sound like a hater—as the young folks would say—but in my personal experience, most men aren’t capable of providing orgasms, let alone ‘toe-curling’ ones.”
    Winnie clucked her tongue. “Chile, you’re gonna have to do something about that.”
    Asha chuckled ruefully. “Believe it or not, I used to feel the same way.”
    Georgina shot her a dubious look. “Aren’t you the same former supermodel who used to date movie stars and tycoons? Weren’t you involved with Denzel Washington, Harry Belafonte and Sean Connery many years ago?”
    “Only very briefly.” Asha’s eyes glinted with mischief. “And I can tell you that none of those fine gentlemen hold a candle to Sterling Wolf. Not even close.”
    A wave of knowing feminine laughter went around the table.
    “Ah, yes,” Celeste fondly reminisced. “Sterling was always a very passionate lover. I never had any complaints in that department.”
    A startled and awkward silence fell over the group, as if no one knew how to respond to such an admission.
    Lexi was the first to start giggling, which set everyone else off in a domino effect.
    Even Asha had to smile as she lifted her glass to her mouth and purred, “Like fine wine, he’s gotten even better with time.”
    Not surprisingly, Celeste didn’t join in the laughter this time.

7
     
     
     
    A wave of disappointed groans swept over the group of spectators gathered in an upper-level suite at the Georgia Dome, where the Atlanta Falcons were engaged in an intense grudge match with the New Orleans Saints. Mason Wolf, the Falcons’ star wide receiver, had just dropped another pass—much to the crowd’s surprise and displeasure.
    “Come on, Pipsqueak!” Manning Wolf shouted to his brother from the glass-enclosed suite overlooking the packed stadium. “You gotta make that catch!”
    This drew a rumble of agreement as