Page 68 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“Neevah.” I hear Canon’s deeprumbling voice through the phone. “Baby, we’re late.”

“And we know how obsessive your man is about time,” I saydryly. “Tell him I said hey.”

“Takira says hey,” she purrs, a smile in her voice I onlyhear when Canon is around.

“Hey, Takira,” he calls. “You’re making us late.”

“You know how he gets.” Neevahlaughs. “I better go.”

“Girl, bye.”

“Keep me posted,” she says before we hang up.

I perch on the edge of the bed for a moment, absorbing thealmost undetectable motion of gentle waves lapping at the sides of the yacht. Isteep in the cool opulence of this cabin. My stomachgrowls at the promise of the world-class menu the chef detailed when we firstboarded.

Girl gets flown out. Girl gets spoilt. Girlgets bent over.

“In that order,” I murmur, crossing to the closet to rub thesilky material of the dress between my fingers. Naz really laid the gauntletdown.

Don’t take off these panties. You don’t get tocome.

He thinks he can keep me riled up all night?

I strip out of the dress I traveled in and carefully slipthe panties off, setting them to the side to study myself in the mirror proppedup against the wall. I work out on the regular, so I’mfit, but not skinny by any means. I don’t want to lose my thickness. My body isa conduit for pleasure, so I love it. One breast slightlybigger than the other. Fine lines at my hips. Little jiggle to my jam and atouch of dimples on my thighs. I’ll take it all exactly as it is, and I takecare of it. I glance at the juncture of my thighs, freshly waxed and ready.

“You think you got me caught up, Naz?” I wrinkle my nose atmy mischievous expression in the mirror. “I got a few tricks for you.”

Chapter Ten

Naz

“Where’s this new girlfriend of yours?” my agentBanner asks, nibbling on a piece of skewered grilled chicken.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” I take a long draw of the whiskeyI’ve been nursing off and on ever since I left Takira’s cabin.

“Hmmmmph.” Banner settles into theoverstuffed cushions of the couch built into the wall and lining the room. Amassive, beautifully set table sparkling with crystal and silverware holdscourt at the center of the dining room. The first to arrive, Banner and I aregrazing on gourmet appetizers and sipping from the insanely well-stockedcellar’s offerings. Jared had a last-minute call, but he should be joining ussoon. In the meantime, I assume Banner will grill me.

“You know what I call you behind your back?” Banner asks,skirting up one dark brow.

“Won’t telling me defeat the purpose of it being behind myback?” I lean into the cushions beside her.

“I’ll find something else to keep from you.” Her pretty facelights with a secret smile. Tonight, her abundance of dark hair spills aroundher shoulders. “I call you Kenan 2.0.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should, but the reason I call you that is because, likeKenan, you’re disciplined, calculating, careful.”

“Sounds boring.”

“Until you’re not,” she says, wagging a finger. “On the rareoccasion you do something completely out of character and unexpected, I like toknow why. This girl you had Lotus invite—”

“Takira.”

“She’s unexpected. Takira Fletcher. Does makeup and hair fora living. Originally from Houston. Went to cosmetology school after graduatingfrom high school. Lived in Atlanta briefly before relocating to New York.Recently moved with her best friend Neevah Saint towork on Canon Holt’s new biopic, Dessi Blue. Member of The Make-UpArtists and Hairstylist Guild since—”

“Banner,” I interrupt, my toneshaded with a small warning. “What do you want to know?”

“I’ve checked her Tinder profile.” Banner pulls out herphone. “LinkedIn. IMDb.”