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Authors: Cheris Hodges

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BOOK: Too Hot for TV
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“So, what are we going to do?” he asked as he brushed her hair off her forehead.
“I know what we're not going to do. We're not turning our upcoming wedding into a feeding frenzy,” she said angrily. “I think we should elope tomorrow.”
“No,” he said. “We're only doing this once and it's going to be special.”
 
 
Later that evening, when Raymond walked into his house, greeted by the smell of jasmine and lavender. He dropped his bag in the foyer. The lights were low inside the living room and candles flickered in the distance. “Imani,” he called out.
“In the kitchen. But I want you to have a seat in the living room,” she commanded. Raymond took his jacket off and draped it on the arm of the sofa.
“Yes, ma'am,” he said.
A few seconds later, Imani walked into the living room, dressed in an ivory lace and satin teddy with a matching garter belt and thigh-high stockings. She carried a tray of raw oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a chilled bottle of white wine.
Raymond couldn't take his eyes off Imani's body. The food didn't matter. His feast was setting the tray on his oak coffee table. “Wow,” he said as she walked over to him with an oyster in her hand.
“Don't talk, I need you to eat. You're going to need your strength,” she said as she placed the shell to his lips. Raymond took the succulent meat into his mouth, then pulled Imani against his chest.
He smacked his lips and looked into her eyes. “There's something I want a little more than an oyster,” he said before covering her lips with his.
Imani pushed back from him. “Slow down,” she said. “I have something I have to tell you.” Imani sat down beside him and held his hand.
“I don't know if I'm going to be able to concentrate,” he said as he lustfully eyed her.
“Focus,” she said as she squeezed his hand. “Listen, I have the role of a lifetime. David Hershon's new film,
Watch Over Me,
is going to start filming in two weeks. Guess who has the lead?”
Raymond pulled Imani in his arms and kissed her face repeatedly. “I'm so proud of you. This is what you wanted.”
She nodded, then bit her bottom lip. “The movie is going to be filmed in LA for the next six months,” Imani said somberly.
Raymond loosened his embrace. “Six months? Whoa. I, um, that's a long time.” He started thinking about the plans for the wedding. He couldn't tell her that he wanted to whisk her away to Jamaica and get married now.
“I know, but I have to do this,” she said. “This will definitely make up for
Fearless Diva.
”
Raymond looked at the excitement in her eyes. He was thrilled for her. Imani had told him how she'd struggled to make it as an actress, and when they first met how she was nearly kicked out of her apartment. Raymond wanted to take care of her and make sure that she never faced those kinds of situations again. But he also knew Imani had every right to bask in the glow of her success. While she gushed about the movie, Raymond swelled with pride. His fiancée was going to live her dream. “I'm talking too much, right?” she asked.
“No,” he said as he stroked her cheek. “I'm going to miss you.”
She leaned against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You can come visit me on the set. And just think, when we walk down the red carpet at the premiere, everyone is going to know what we have is real.” Raymond kissed Imani's left hand and glanced at her engagement ring. “I don't think anyone will be looking at me,” he said as he leaned over and picked up a piece of fruit. “I see you in some hot designer number with all the photographers snapping your picture.”
“Please,” she quipped, “you're going to be the hottest arm candy ever. They might forget about me.” Raymond bit into the strawberry, then placed it to her lips. She bit into the berry. “Then,” he said, “I guess we're going to be the heat of Hollywood.”
“I love you so much,” she said. “Thanks for supporting me.”
“How could I not?” Raymond kissed her lips gently at first, but she turned up the intensity on the kiss, slinking her tongue in his mouth, pulling his tongue into her mouth. Imani climbed on top of him, wrapping her legs around him. Raymond felt heat radiating from Imani's center. He placed his hands between her legs and discovered that her outfit was crotchless. He slid his finger in the valley of her womanly mound, causing her to moan in delight. Raymond loved the feel of Imani. She was hot, soft, and moist. Her body seemed to be tailored to fit his. He knew where to touch to make her smile, make her scream, make her melt in his arms. He was going to that spot with his finger, wiggling it inside her. Imani clutched his shoulders as Raymond seemed to brand his initials inside her with his finger. With his other hand, Raymond fondled her breasts as they spilled out of her skimpy outfit.
Food was forgotten. The only thing that mattered was the aching in the pit of his stomach. Imani reached down and unbuttoned his pants, finding his manhood was poised and ready to burst out of his boxers. Raymond continued stroking her G-spot, making her shiver. He removed his finger as he felt her legs beginning to shake. He scooped her up in his arms and stood up. If he didn't feel her around him, he was going to explode. He needed her, longed for her, and ached for her. Imani rested her head against his shoulder and kissed his neck, setting him on fire. Raymond couldn't make it to the bedroom fast enough with her tongue gliding up and down the side of his neck.
Once inside the darkened bedroom, Raymond laid Imani on the bed. He drank in her image. This was going to be what he woke up to every morning and what he fell asleep with in his arms every night. He licked his lips as he joined her on the bed. He spread her legs apart, kissing her inner thighs. Raymond headed for Imani's sweet nectar. He lapped up her delectable juices, sliding his tongue across her most sensitive spot. Imani moaned in delight as Raymond lashed her with his tongue and squeezed her breasts gently. Her nipples perked as his fingers grazed the tips of them. Raymond turned his kiss to her flat stomach. He couldn't wait until it was swollen with his child; their first son, maybe a daughter, but she would have to look like her mother. Imani wrapped her legs around Raymond as if she was urging and inviting him into her essence. Raymond kicked out of his boxers, pressing his hot, bulging manhood against Imani's thighs. He looked deep into her dark eyes. “I love you,” he said. “More than I thought I could ever love anyone.”
She gently stroked his cheek. “I love you too,” she replied in a throaty whisper.
The phone rang before Raymond could say anything. He reached over to his nightstand and picked it up on the fourth ring.
“Hello?”
“Dr. Thomas?”
“Who is this?”
“This is Elize Harrington from APC Network. How are you?”
“I'm just fine,” Raymond said as he wrinkled his nose. What did the network want? “What can I help you with?”
“I understand that congratulations are in order. You and Imani are getting married, right?”
I'm going to kill Keith,
he thought before saying yes.
“Well, I would love to meet with you two and maybe discuss you getting married on our morning show.”
“I don't know if that is such a great idea,” he said. “Imani and I are happy in our private lives.”
“We will pay for the entire wedding,” Elize said. “And it is totally up to you how the wedding proceeds.”
Imani was listening to the conversation now. “Just think about it before you say no,” Elize continued.
Raymond looked at Imani and shrugged his shoulders. “I'll run it by Imani.” Raymond hung up the phone and turned to his future bride.
“Who was that?” she asked.
“Elize Harrington. She found out about our engagement and she wants us to get married on
Wake Up, New York.
”
“How in the world did the network find out about us?” Imani asked as she swung her feet over the side of the bed.
Raymond raised his eyebrow. “Keith. He can't hold water. I should have known better than to let him see me with this ring.”
“Well,” Imani said as she fingered her hair, “it could be fun. The world saw us fall in love, why not let them watch us get married?” She walked over to him as he stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist. “And you can make the studio donate a big hunk of change to the clinic.”
Raymond turned around and kissed Imani gently on the lips. “I like the way you think, lovely,” he said.
“We should just run away to an island and get married without anyone watching,” she said with a far-off look in her eyes.
“Mmm, what island would you choose,” he asked, thinking of his plan to take her away for their wedding.
Imani shrugged. “Hawaii would be expected. But I love the sound of the ocean, almost as much as I love you.”
“Do you want to sneak out of here and go eat some slices?” he asked.
“I'd love to,” she said. “Let me call Dana. We were supposed to get together for a photo shoot, but I'm not really feeling it today.” Imani reached for her cell phone and dialed Dana's number.
“Hello,” Dana said when she answered.
“Hey, girl,” Imani said as Raymond nuzzled her neck. “Would you hate me if I told you I wanted to reschedule the photo shoot?”
“Umm, diva behavior already,” she quipped. “No, I'm cool with it. Guess what some tabloid offered me for pictures of you and Raymond?”
“A million dollars?”
“A measly ten-thousand. Like I would risk our friendship for that? Ugh. And your movie hasn't even been released yet.”
Imani shook her head. “You know I love you, right,” she said. “And I hope this movie lives up to the hype and I don't get a new nickname.”
“Please, the script was better and it wasn't shot with a HandyCam, you should be good.”
Raymond whispered for the phone. “Dana,” Imani said, “Raymond wants to talk to you.” She handed the phone to him and he climbed out of the bed, speaking in hushed tones. As he headed out the room, Imani called out, “What are you two up to?”
“An exit strategy,” he said over his shoulder. Returning to the call, he whispered, “Call Edward, tell him Imani and I want to get married in Jamaica next week and he needs to help me execute my plan.”
“All right,” she said. “But why are you whispering?”
“Imani doesn't know.”
“I love it. She's not going to know what hit her,” Dana exclaimed.
“I'd better get back to her before she gets suspicious,” Raymond said as he headed back to the bedroom.
“Tell Imani I'll call her later,” Dana said. Raymond clicked the phone off and handed it to Imani.
“So, what was that all about?” she asked.
“Dana said we're going to have to climb down the fire escape.”
Imani looked down at her shoes and held her left foot out to Raymond. “That's not going to happen.”
He lifted her in his arms. “Baby, I got a strong back. I'll carry you.”
She kissed him. “You know what to say to make a girl feel so good.”
Chapter 24
When Raymond woke up with Imani in his arms, he couldn't help but smile, because tomorrow was their wedding day—only she didn't know it. He was amazed at how in less than a week, Edward Funderburke had pulled off the coup of the century.
Dana had been a godsend as well. She'd kept Imani busy with photo shoots and secret bridal gown shopping trips. While the plans for the wedding were being set into place, Raymond and Keith came up with a medical conference story so that they could take off for Jamaica before Imani and Dana arrived. He, Celeste, and Keith were scheduled to arrive in Negril this afternoon. He'd told Imani that he and Keith were going to a geriatric medical conference in New Orleans. It had taken everything in him to convince Imani not to join him in New Orleans.
“Come on,” she'd said as they lay in bed. “I've never been to New Orleans and I would love to see the city. I hear it is magical.”
“Baby, I'm going to be in meetings all day and this trip would not allow us to spend any time together,” he'd said. “I'm not going to be gone long, just two days.”
“As much as I want to complain, I did leave you for three months.”
He'd kissed her on the forehead. “Look at it this way. When I come back, we can put these wedding plans behind us and you'll probably have some new role that you will be excited about.”
Imani had agreed with him. She had been scheduled to meet with Elize Harrington about her appearance on the network's soap opera. While she hadn't been excited about doing the show, Imani had agreed to make an appearance because Edward had told her that it would continue to help her career and would build an interest in her upcoming movie.
Raymond kissed Imani, waking her. “Good morning.”
“What's good about it? You're leaving me,” she pouted.
“Why are you acting like that?” he asked as he stroked her cheek. “I'm going to be bored and thinking about you every minute that I'm gone.”
“You'd better,” she said with a smile.
Raymond kissed her slowly and deeply, struggling to keep his excitement of their upcoming nuptials to himself. “I hate to do this,” he said as he pulled back from her. “But I have to get to the airport.”
“You're really going to leave me hanging like this?” she asked as she pulled him back in the bed by his shoulders.
“Baby, I'm going to miss my flight,” he said, pulling away again.
Imani rolled her eyes and turned over on her side, watching Raymond grab his already packed bags from the closet. “Maybe I'll try that the next time I have to go out of town.”
“What?” he asked as he pulled out his traveling outfit.
“Packing first, then going out for hot dogs,” she said. Before Raymond could reply, Imani's cell phone went off with a call he'd been expecting.
“Hello,” she sighed when she answered the phone.
“Imani, I need to see you in my office today,” Edward said. “You will not believe this opportunity that just fell into my lap for you.”
“What time should I be there?” she asked as Raymond padded into the bathroom.
“Noon works for me. I'm meeting with some potential clients this morning,” he said.
“All right,” she said. “I will see you then.” After hanging up the phone, Imani decided that she would join Raymond in the shower. Walking into the steamy bathroom, she stripped out of her nightgown and stepped into the spray behind Raymond.
“I'll wash your back if you wash mine,” she said as she took the soap from his hands.
“Talk about an offer I can't or won't refuse,” he said as he turned around to face her. “But I'd rather wash your front.” He pulled her underneath the spray and let the water rain down over her, then he took his soapy rag and rubbed her breasts until her nipples perked and called out for his lips. Raymond licked and sucked her breasts until she moaned and her knees went weak.
“Yes,” she moaned, “I like you washing my front.” He lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist and backed her against the wall of the shower.
“Then, you're going to love this,” he said as he entered her awaiting valley and slowly ground against her. “Oh, you feel so good, baby.”
“So do you,” she groaned as he pumped in and out touching every sensitive spot inside her. Imani clamped her arms around his neck, bouncing up and down as she felt the waves of an orgasm coming down on her.
She licked the side of his neck and Raymond nearly exploded as she brushed her lips across his. She ground against him, gyrating faster and faster as she felt herself coming with a high intensity that she'd never felt before. Maybe it was because she knew that she was going to be without him for the next two days when she'd gotten so used to falling asleep in his arms, making love to him every night and sometimes in the mornings. And lunchtime, before she headed to Edward's office or rehearsal for her role on Broadway, to have a quickie in the break room while the rest of the staff was out of the office.
Sure, it was only two days, but still . . . Imani cried out in pleasure as he lifted her hands above her head and ground against her as he held her on the wall. The shower spray may have gone cold, but Imani and Raymond kept it hot in the shower as they reached an explosive climax. The couple slid down into the tub, holding each other tightly as they shivered.
“Baby,” Raymond said. “I hate to let you go, but I have a plane to catch.”
Imani sighed and nodded, though if she had her way, they wouldn't move from that spot ever. But she couldn't complain about her man being gone for two days when she'd be gone for months and months at a time because of a movie shoot. “All right,” she said as he stood up and held his hand out to Imani. The melancholy look in her eyes killed him as he hugged her. “We'll be together sooner than you know,” he said, then kissed her forehead.
“All right,” she said. “I don't know why I'm tripping. You seemed to do fine for the three months I was in LA.”
“No, I didn't. I was miserable. Just had a lot of work to keep me busy. As will you,” he said. “I'm sure Edward will have scripts for you to read.”
Imani nodded and stepped out of the tub and into the awaiting towel that Raymond held out for her. “Yes, he's been talking about something in Jamaica. But he's been sketchy on the details.”
“Really?”
She nodded as he stroked her shoulders with the towel. “That sounds exciting,” he said, then kissed her dry shoulder.
“Do you want me to make you some coffee? I've been practicing and Dana said my brew is much better,” she said with a laugh.
“All right,” he said. “But do me one favor.”
“What's that?”
“Put some clothes on or I will never make my flight.”
Imani smiled as she sauntered out of the bathroom not wearing a stitch of clothing.
“Whoa,” he whispered. “Tomorrow, she's going to be my wife.” Raymond rushed to get dressed and headed for the kitchen hoping Imani was telling the truth about her coffee-brewing skills.
Imani stood at the coffee maker, wrapped in her robe, sipping her coffee slowly.
“I will say it smells good,” he said as he poured himself a cup. After he filled his cup with sugar and cream, he took a big sip and was pleasantly surprised that it had a decent taste to it. “That's it, I'm marrying you. This is pretty good.”
“I told you I was getting better,” she said, then kissed him on the cheek.
Raymond looked down at his watch, drained the majority of his coffee, and kissed Imani. “I've got to go,” he said. “The car should be here shortly.”
She walked him to the door as he rolled his luggage with him. “Have a safe trip,” she said, and hugged him tightly.
When Imani closed the door behind her, she decided to get back in the bed, but her cell phone rang, interrupting the rest that she thought she was going to get.
“Yes,” she said when she answered the phone.
“Imani, it's Edward,” he said. “Remember that show in Negril I was telling you about?”
“Yes, the show that you won't give me the full details on? I don't think I want to do it.”
“You have to do it,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “Imani, I'm telling you that this is going to be the best thing that you've ever done. You have to do this.”
“Why?” she asked. “You haven't given me one good reason to take a break from rehearsals of
A Free Man of Color,
and let's not forget that I have an upcoming appearance on that soap opera. Going to Negril to talk about a role that I may or may not want seems ridiculous.”
“You're going to want this role, it has Imani written all over it,” Edward said. “And Dana's going to go with you.”
“Why?”
“Ask her. I just know that I promised the producer you'd be down there today. Tickets are at the office.”
“Edward.”
“Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Sighing, Imani had to admit that Edward had her back and he'd been dead-on when it came to roles lately. “All right,” she said. “I'll do it.”
“Good. Then get your butt in gear and get over here so that you can get this ticket and get moving,” he said.
“All right, I'm getting dressed,” she said as she pulled herself off the bed.
“Make sure you pack a bag because you're leaving today. I'll have your travel details when you get here.”
Imani hastily packed and headed to Edward's office. Whatever this role was, it had better be worth it. As she dashed outside and hailed a cab, she dialed Raymond's number, but hung up quickly. He was probably still in midair, so he wouldn't even get the call.
Her next call was to Dana. “Hello?”
“Dana, what do you know about Negril?” Imani asked. “And why are you going down there?”
“I have a fashion shoot.”
“A what?” Imani laughed. “I thought you hated those fashion shoots.”
“I do, but it's getting colder in New York and I want to go to Jamaica.”
“All right,” Imani said. “Well, at least we can laugh on the plane.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I'll see you at Edward's office.”
A taxi stopped in front of Imani and she hopped in. Turning to the driver, she rattled off the address to Edward's office and leaned back in the seat, thinking about how weird this trip seemed. Dana never took trips with her, and Edward didn't book her for things with this limited information.
Just roll with it,
she thought as the driver made his way through stop and go traffic. The only thing she knew for sure was that she would be back in New York by the time Raymond's conference was over. That would be nonnegotiable. Imani wanted a Valentine's Day wedding in Central Park. That was a lot to ask for in New York in the winter. She had to hope for no snow, an unseasonably warm day, and the right horse and carriage to whisk her and Raymond away after they said “I do.”
“A girl can dream,” she mumbled as visions of her perfect wedding flashed in her head. The last thing Imani wanted to be was one of those Bridezillas who freaked out when things didn't go her way. But she did want her day to be as perfect as possible.
“Lady,” the surly driver said, “if you can stop talking to yourself, we're here.”
She flashed him a sarcastic smile and handed him the cab fare and a tip. Imani hopped out of the cab, dragging her luggage behind her. When she walked into Edward's office, Dana and her agent quickly ended their conversation.
“What are you two up to?” she asked, looking from Edward to Dana.
“Nothing. Why are you so suspicious?” Dana asked.
“Because you all are acting funny.”
“Well,” Dana said, glancing at Edward, “I don't want to abuse our friendship and I was kind of scared to ask, but the reason we're going to Negril is because I'm shooting a spread for
Ebony Bride
and I didn't tell the editor that you were engaged, but they want you to be the model.”
Imani smiled at Dana. “You know I wouldn't have turned you down. This is going to be fun.” Imani clasped her hands together.
Edward nodded. “I love it when my clients work together. Here are the tickets and you two better get out of here. I'll call for a car.”
 
 
Celeste walked through the grounds of the Negril Lighthouse. “This is beautiful. I can't believe you two pulled this off.”
Raymond glanced at the grounds. The pathway leading up to the lighthouse where the minister would marry them was lined with pink, yellow, and purple roses. A red carpet was stretched out on the concrete walkway and an archway made of white roses and lilies covered where Imani and Raymond would exchange their vows.
BOOK: Too Hot for TV
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