Let Me Hold You - Teaser #2

Sharing another teaser from Book 2 of my McClain Brothers series, Let Me Hold You. It is UNEDITED and subject to change. Enjoy!!

~No release date yet, because I'm still writing it, but coming soon.~

Kimberly

I made my way back to my office, fell into the chair behind my desk, and stared at the mountain of papers and folders and phone message slips that were cluttering nearly every surface around me. Rihanna’s Work played in my head as I tried to decide what to tackle first—the grant proposal the fundraising consultant I’d hired had submitted for my review or the missed calls from the community center’s main—i.e., only—benefactor. Sighing, I grabbed my phone and dialed our benefactor’s number, hoping he was in a better mood than he was during our last conversation. He wasn’t, but the conversation wasn’t as bad as I anticipated, and after that duty was fulfilled, I dug into the grant proposal, then moved on to some PR stuff I needed to handle, was knee-deep in that paperwork when my cell began to buzz on my desk.

I grinned at the name that danced on the screen. “Hello?”

“Heyyyy! What you up to?”

“Working, what else?”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot you like working there. I mean, you like…actually enjoy your job. You’re an anomaly if I ever saw one.”

I shook my head, took a sip from the bottle of water that had gone from frigid to tepid over the course of the work day, and said, “My job is my calling just like singing is yours. Who doesn’t love their calling? Don’t you enjoy singing?”

“I love it, but you should be somewhere sipping tropical drinks on the beach. You damn sure earned the right to take it easy. I don’t know why you don’t.”

“Because, like I said, this is my calling. Now, I know you didn’t call me to harass me about my career choices for the millionth time. So, what’s up?”

“Oh, yeah! I was calling to see if you needed a ride home from work today. You get off in a couple of hours, right?”

“Uh, why would I need a ride? My car is new, Zabrina.”

“I just thought maybe you did. Hey, how about I meet you there? We’re still going out for drinks and dinner and stuff tonight, right?”

“Uh-huh, and you think you’re slick, don’t you? You remembered the NBA guys start helping out today, didn’t you?”

“Is that today?! Girl, I got so much on my mind, I forgot all about that!”

“Heifer, please. Your thirsty ass ain’t forgot nothing. You probably memorized the damn basketball camp schedule. I bet you know it better than I do.”

“Whatever. So…is Leland McClain as fine in person as he is on Instagram and on TV? You know, he likes older women. I could be his sugar mama.”

“No you couldn’t with your broke ass, and do you think I have time to check him out like that with all the work I have to do around here?”

“I think your ass is not blind. I mean, shit…as big and tall and fine as he is? Hell, he’s finer than Big South and you know that’s a damn accomplishment. How can you possibly not notice how sexy he is?”

“He was wearing basketball shorts and a Romey U t-shirt. He looked…athletic.”

“And fine.”

As hell. “I guess. But, uh…ain’t you got a man?”

“Sometimes.”

“Sometimes? What kind of answer is that? Don’t you live with him?”

“That’s debatable. So, did you see a print?”

“Bye, Z.”

“Damn, it must’ve been a huge print for you to be trying to hang up without wishing me a happy whatever random holiday today is. You know how you are about your holidays.”

“Oh, yeah…happy Old Maid’s Day.”

“Fuck you.”

“What?! That’s an actual holiday!”

“And that was an actual fuck you.”

“Wow, okay. I love you, too, Z.”

“Uh-huh…”

“I do! And I wasn’t throwing shade. Hell, I’m older than you and I’ve never been married either and I don’t even have a man.”

“But you’ve been engaged before.”

“You really wanna take it there?”

“My bad.”

“Uh-huh.”

 “And as far as you not having a man, that’s by choice.”

“I know.”

“Mm-hmm…so, you sure you don’t need a ride or something else that will put me in the vicinity of Leland McClain?”

“Bye, Z!”

“Bye, ole cockblocking-ass woman.”

I relaxed against the back of my chair and released the giggle I’d been suppressing while on the phone with my first cousin and best friend for life. Zabrina Norris was a nut but spot on with her analysis of Leland McClain. He was fine, extremely so—tall, as fit as any NBA player, gorgeous brown skin, dark eyes, big Colin Kaepernick afro that he kept pulled up in a man bun most of the time, thick mustache and beard. The facial hair made him look older, but he was young, and I was…me. The last thing me needed to do was get involved with any man, especially him. Not that he wanted me anyway.

But whether I was his type or not, I damn sure could enjoy looking at him.

Wanna check out what I'm listening to as I write this book? CLICK HERE to see my Let Me Hold You playlist thingy on Spotify.