Gettin' Hooked (12 page)

I couldn't
quit huggin' her. And doin' this crazy-ass mix of laughin' and cryin'. Kayla was doing it, too, I could hear her mumbled sobs swirled up in her giggles. I could feel it in the way her body trembled and in the way her thin arms wound about my back and hung on.

After a drug-out minute, we released, steppin' back a bit, but still linking our arms.

“I can't believe you came all this way,” she said, shifting her blue-eyed gaze from my face over to Maurice. I saw the sparkle in their sky-colored depths and as she swiped a few fresh tears from her cheek, I also saw the knowing smile.

“I had to come after ya.”

She lowered her voice. “With Maurice?”

My cheeks hella heated, and I knew my eyes were givin' everything away. She could read me like a book, and I knew right then she'd know how strong I felt about the boy.

Her brows rose, her grin widening. She whispered in my ear, but even the whisper was loud enough for Maurice to hear. “With Maurice,” she repeated.

“He offered to drive me.” I couldn't look at him right then, because my face felt like it was on fire. Shrugging, I tried to make it seem casual, though the secret was straight-up outed already. I had to hella fight the need to glance behind me to catch the look on his face.

“You came all this way?”

“Uh, yeah, girl, and so did you.” I backed away a bit, relief at seeing her safe giving way to how pissed I was that she'd taken off and I'd had to fly after her.

“You didn't have to come.”

“Yeah, I did.” I lowered my voice, tryin' hard to keep my cool. “How'd you get here, anyway?”

“A bus.”

“You took a bus? All this way?”

She laughed lightly. “Yeah, and it took a hella long time, too. At least you had Maurice to drive you.”

“You took a bus to a boy who coulda been a killer or rapist.”

She pushed back a few long strands from her face, a few remained locked on her eyelashes. “James is cool.”

“But K, you couldn't have been so sure.” I did look at Maurice now, hoping to get him to affirm what I was sayin'. He nodded, and I fought the need to smile. “He coulda been anybody, any sort of nasty old man who couldn't wait to get you away from home.”

“But he's not.”

“But he coulda been.”

“But he's not.”

I grabbed her upper arms in both hands and gave her a little shake. I couldn't help it. All this winding, building emotion of the last few days, of first arguing with her, then finding her skippin' joint, then being on the road with the fella that made my heart race and skin burn, all the way to being here in the parking lot of ASU and findin' her safe. It was too much, and my body was startin' to trip.

Tremblin', I shook her again. “Don'tcha get it, K? He coulda killed ya. Don'tcha see how bad this coulda gone down?”

“Iman—”

“No! I was scared ta death. You shouldn't have done this. And it's my fault, too, just because I wanted Maurice.”

Kayla's eyes went all big, then shimmered with amusement as she glanced from my face to the guy standin' beside me. Maurice.

Snap. Lawdy, had I just really said that aloud? Had I just really confessed what the entire Gettin' Hooked Web site was all about? Until now, not even Kayla had known about my motives.

Squeezing my lids closed, I fought the flames lickin' mischief across my cheeks and dancing down my spine. My hands loosened their grip from her arms and slid slowly to my sides.

The
thump-a-thump
of my heartbeat was ringin' loud in my ears.

“Why didn't you tell me, girlie?” I felt Kayla tuck some of my wild curls behind my ear, but I could hear the laughter in her voice even when her touch was lovin'.

Then a stronger hand replaced hers and I was turned into the wall of a larger body. Maurice's. His arms came around me, tuckin' me close into his embrace.

“All this was for me?” he whispered softly to my ear, his warm breath seepin' into my soul.

I nodded, but hadn't found the will to open my eyes yet. The secret was out, no denyin' it now, I guess. It'd have been hexa faulty to come up with a lame-ass excuse.

He made this sexy-as-hell noise in his chest, then kissed the sensitive skin along my neck. I was shakin' again, my whole body tremblin'.

“Is she cryin'?” Kayla stroked affectionately down my back. “Imani, I'm okay. James is a good guy.”

I nodded again, tryin' to overcome the feelin' of Maurice's touch and concentrate on what Kayla was saying. My fists tightened into the T-shirt Maurice was wearing and I could feel the firmness of his muscular back beneath.

Touchin' him like this made it hard to think about being in 'Zona. Hard to think about the chase after Kayla. Hard to think at all.

“Don't be mad, girl. I shoulda told you my plan.” Kayla was still rubbing my shoulders and I knew she thought all the quiverin' I was doing was 'bout her.

As hard as it was, I released Maurice and stepped away a bit, keepin' my gaze from strayin' to his. Despite the way he held me, kissed me, touched me, stroked me, he still didn't say fo' sho' if he wanted to claim me.

“Do you see now, K? Do you see how dangerous GettinHooked.com is?”

She shrugged, but didn't seem to take it to heart. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder, and for the first time I noticed there was a dude standing a few yards off, kinda lingerin' back a bit, lettin' our scene play out.

“James isn't dangerous, Imani.” She ushered him over with a few waves of her hand. “Meet him and you'll see.”

Okay, true, maybe James
wasn't
dangerous, but she didn't know that when she skipped out on me.

As I turned to face the fella who'd lured my cousin from home, I felt solid, warm fingers twine with mine, in a slightly possessive way. He kinda stepped forward, too, so he was slightly in front of me.

James was as cute in person as he had been in the crapload of pics Kayla had printed off his profile. A light-skinned brothah with hazel eyes and an athletic body. He seemed shy, or quiet. Or maybe he knew I was pissed and wasn't quite ready to deal with this hot-off chick yet.

He lifted his chin, his gaze glossin' over each of us. “What up?”

“Whatitdo,” replied Maurice, playin' bodyguard as he kept me tucked behind him.

I could feel Kayla's eyes burnin' my back, and knew she was peepin' what was goin' down with Maurice and me.

She cleared her throat. “James, my cousin, Imani. Imani, this is James. And my friend, Maurice. Maurice, James.”

The two guys gave each other a manly hand pound, Maurice makin' a gruff sound as he added, “Hey.”

I could tell Kayla was nervous 'bout this confrontation, but so long as James was cool, she didn't need to be. “I'm starved, Kayla. Can we find someplace to eat?”

Maurice laughed. “We ate burritos hella long ago. I could use some food, too.”

Kayla stepped toward James and grasped his hand the same way Maurice had mine. “Can you show us around campus, then find us a place to grub?”

“Walkin' would be good. We've been sittin' in my ride for hours.” Maurice rolled his shoulders. “I need'a move around some.”

“I'm feelin' ya.” He angled his head and moved off in that direction. “Sure thang.”

After a right quick sec, we all fell into place and followed, slowly making our way across campus. When we first started steppin', James told us about Irish Hall, the two-story gray building that housed his dorm. How the community bathrooms worked, and about the computer lab he'd used to find GettinHooked.com.

I couldn't help flashing my gaze at Kayla as she walked hand-in-hand with James. If he'd found our site here, no tellin' how many other beezies and skeezies had found it, too. Lawdy, our numbers were growin' like mad, and it was crazy clear that it wasn't all high schoolers, and no doubt, not just a local thang no more.

James was sprinklin' as we walked, all about the campus and events held here. He told us about the huge circular building we'd seen as we'd driven to the parking structure: the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, a hexxa tight site, surrounded by water.

But we moved in the opposite direction, James soon spittin' facts about Sun Devil Stadium and the athletics program that had recruited him from his Chicago high school for a football scholarship.

But football season being over, it didn't take long before Maurice and James were talkin' 'bout hoopin', school stats and their fave pro teams and players. Ballin' was Maurice's thang, and I could feel his excitement and energy as he talked 'bout it seep through his hand.

Despite the surreal feelin' that was pumpin' through my body, it was all gravity being here. Things were chill for now, Kayla was safe, Maurice was by my side and I thought I'd made a little dent on my cousin about the dangers of our Web site.

With the warm sun beatin' down on and my hair driftin' on the gentle breeze, my thoughts turned away from worry, to just doin' the do and bein' in the moment. It was cool seeing Kayla's smiles and hearin' her laughter.

I listened silently as Maurice and Kayla filled James in on Frisco and livin' in the Bay Area. Since Mac Dre had spread his hyphie movement all 'bout, James knew some of the smack we talked about, which had me grinnin' when he said things in his Chicago accent.

But the same words had Kayla blushin' and her bright blue eyes goin' all shiny. Made me wonder what happened between the two of them during the time she'd been one upped on our chase behind her. When we got a sec alone, I'd ask her about it.

For now? I glanced around. To Kayla and James walkin' holdin' hands. To Maurice, who was connected to mine, too. And realized we looked as much like a couple as my cousin did with her fella. And I couldn't help the knotted-up feelin' in my gut that in addition to talkin' to Kayla about her relationship, I was gonna need to take a right quick peep at my own.

What was up with Maurice and me? Was he playin' me because we were alone on the road and I was convenient? Was there more? He hadn't been down with Darian kissing me. But had that been the male ego thang, or somethin' more?

My thoughts were interrupted by a tug on my hand. We'd changed directions, and I'd been all caught up and hadn't noticed. When I looked up, Maurice was lookin' at me all funny-like, his dark eyes questionin' and his brows pulled together some.

“You cool?” he asked, his voice low and intended just for me. The concern laced in his tone stroked against somethin' intimate inside me.

Warmth uncurled through my body, and my heart rate picked up some. “I'm good.” I squeezed my fingers, drawnin' our contact closer, then leaned in his direction, seekin' the comfort of bein' at his side.

“You down with spendin' a day or two here?”

My eyes widened. No doubt I'd been spacin' when they'd been makin' plans. He must have read alarm rather than surprise in my eyes, because his entire body reacted. He stopped walkin' and turned me into him so we were standin' face-to-face.

A dimple danced on his cheek, and he licked his lips before he spoke. “We can swoop up Kayla and bounce if you feel better 'bout that.”

I heard him, but couldn't reply. I was straight up too busy starin' at his lips, left shiny and wet from where his tongue had been, all swarmed into the memory of those lips on me.

His dimples deepened, as he musta known what I was thinkin' 'cause he kissed me right quick. Not long or deep. Lawdy, just a little peck, but enough for me to know I wanted more.

When he lifted his head his dark eyes were shimmering with a smile. He stroked his thumb across my palm. “Anythang you want, shortie.”

What I wanted was another kiss. Another night in the hotel room. Another chance to go all the way. Another chance to show him I cared enough to be his girl.

To spend more time with him.

“We'll stay.”

He grinned, then his gaze roamed over to James and Kayla, who were watchin' us, but pretendin' they weren't. “Fo' sheedo? I want ya to be sure.”

“Yeah, Maurice. I like marinatin' with ya. We'll stay.” Then I kissed him again, fast and shallow, like he kissed me a sec ago, 'cause I couldn't help it. And I didn't give a damn 'bout Kayla's giggles or knowin' looks.

I wanted Maurice as my man. Time to fess up publicly. Or at least to my cousin. My face flushed. I winked at her as I turned away from Maurice. “Let's eat.” I touched my free hand to my stomach. “I'm dyin'.”

I hella
wanted to talk to Kayla alone, but the rest of the afternoon we never really got the chance. After walkin' across campus, James found us this little burger joint where I wolfed down food hexa fast, but said little.

James and Maurice did most the talkin', sprinklin' facts 'bout the hoods they'd each grown up in, 'bout sports they played, 'bout clean rides and fly gold rims.

And it'd been sorta funny, too, like two couples who'd known each other forever, when really James was the newcomer to the crew. But you wouldn't know it by the way he laughed and exchanged, and if anythin' I was the one on the outs, kinda quiet as I watched my cousin
oooh
and
aaaah
over this boy.

Though he seemed aiight, I still couldn't shake the feelin' that Kayla had moved too fast with him, and there was gonna be drama when it was time to pull up and go home. All through dinner I kept my lips and questions in check, knowin' I was hella quizzin' her when I got her alone.

Maurice musta noticed my lack of participation in the conversation because more than once he'd stroke his thumb across my palm and give my hand a little reassuring squeeze. When his dark, rich gaze met mine, I could hella feel how much he understood 'bout me.

And I loved him for it. Knots tightened up in my belly. I loved this boy, in this deep, intense way I'd never felt before. I repressed a tremor right quick and just tried to enjoy bein' there with him.

And I waited to get K alone. I needed to talk to her in this unexplainable crazy-ass way. We'd always shared so much—well, except my GettinHooked motives and my feelings for her neighbor—and I kinda feared right 'bout now she was keepin' big-time secrets from me.

But we never really got the chance to talk in private. By the time we'd finished eatin', the desert sun had started to fade all quick-like, and the warm air split, too, leavin' me chilled.

It was a different kinda cold than The Bay, dry but nipping, and before I knew what was down, Maurice had me tucked all cozy against his warm, solid side, with an arm wrapped snug around my back. I could hella dig the way his hand felt restin' on my hip, the way his fingers crept beneath my shirt to sweep along my skin.

And here and there he offered up the cutest little looks that had his amazing dark eyes sparklin' and his dimples cuttin' holes in his cheeks.

Since the sun had set, James skipped showin' us more of the 'Zona State campus, and we headed back to his dorm instead. He'd already told Maurice and me that we could crash there tonight, if we wanted to share his roommate's single bed. His roommate had gone home for spring break, so the room was his for the next week.

And during the walk back to Irish Hall, James had suggested going to this club he knew 'bout where his fella bounced the door.

“I don't have a license,” I'd said, straight-up worried 'bout going clubbin' where I didn't know any of the peeps. Though, I had to admit, there was something exciting and grown 'bout it, too.

“Just show him some sort of ID so his boss thinks he's checkin' but we're in regardless.” James laughed and nodded a “you know” at Maurice.

Kayla was all excited 'bout it, her wide blue eyes pleading with me to go along. She even did this little hair flip, titling her head to the side like she used to do when we were little and she wanted me to do somethin' for her.

I glanced slowly at Maurice. He dark gaze was gentle and understandin', like he'd be chill with whatever I decided. His hand rested on my hip, his fingers strokin' all soft-like against my skin beneath my shirt, and right quick my mind flashed to what we'd be doin' tonight if we didn't go clubbin'.

And all of a sudden clubbin' felt less dangerous. Less adventurous. And fa sheezy, less thrillin', 'cause if we were just gonna kick it, me and Maurice, I kinda knew in that moment we'd be gettin' down to business.

“Whatever you wanna do, shortie.” Maurice's voice was low, just meant for me and soothed and stirred like crazy. He lowered his voice, lickin' his lips in the hella sexxi way. “Whatever you want.”

It straight up wasn't easy, but I tugged my eyes from his and looked back at Kayla and James, standing just a few feet away still holdin' hands.

“Aiight, we'll go.”

I heard Maurice's little disappointed breath, and I knew he must have been thinkin' the same thang I'd been.

“Yay, girl, you won't be sorry,” Kayla said, breakin' free of James to give me a quick little hug.

“I didn't really bring nothing to wear. Just sweats.”

“I packed tons of clean gear, Imani.” She was back by James's side and we were walkin' again, toward his dorm. “We'll find you somethin' hexa cute.”

It didn't take long before we were back where he stayed, the dorm tucked all up in Irish Hall. And just a few minutes later Kayla and I were grabbin' up towels, headed toward the community showers.

It was kinda weird at first, thinking 'bout sharing a bathroom with a bunch of strangers, but actually it was more private than the showers we took after PE back at Howard.

Each shower had its own stall and shower curtain, and Kayla had told me that the hot water lasted forever, since the dorms were close to deserted because so many had skipped out for spring break.

I'd been hopin' that it would end up bein' just me and my cousin in the shared bathrooms, that we'd finally get the chance to talk a little. Time to confess how I felt about Maurice—how deep it really was—and time for me to find out exactly what had gone down between my cousin and her man.

But we weren't alone. There were a few other girls, all apparently getting ready to go out, too, and so they showered a few stalls down, with their curtains closed, but they talked and laughed, while I pretty much kept my quiet.

I kinda felt weird, and hella outta place, a junior in high school with these girls who were in college, even if they didn't look a whole lot older, and by the way they were acting and giggling, they didn't seem a whole older, either.

I didn't have time to do my hair the way I wanted, 'cause pressing it straight would take hella long and I knew the boys would be waiting. So I tossed some curl definer in there instead and hoped that my wild curls wouldn't frizz too bad since we were away from the dampness of The Bay.

I shaved my legs in the shower, then smoothed them with some sweet-smellin' lotion from Bath & Body Works so they'd look hella tight for the tiny Baby Phat mini Kayla had found for me to borrow. I rubbed the same lotion across my lower stomach, left bare by the small halter top, and across my shoulders, too.

I was damn near naked; it was all gravy though, because just the thought of Maurice seeing me like this left me feelin' hella warm inside.

Kayla was wearin' just as few clothes, and just as she pulled on her skirt, I caught sight of the small purple marks dottin' low on her hip and below her belly button. I knew what I was peepin'. Hickies.

My throat felt all tight as I pulled my gaze away from the love bites, wantin' bad to ask her 'bout them, but knowin' we couldn't have this discussion in front of the other girls that were in the bathroom gettin' fly.

So just like before, I bit the inside of my cheek as we quit the bathroom and headed back to James's room. He'd stuck a shoe between the jam and the door to hold it open just a little for us to come back in without knockin'.

Maurice was sittin' on the bed that'd be ours for the night, lacing up his Jordans. He glanced up as soon as we came in, his eyes lockin' right on me, his smile small and a little tight. But even as his smile looked somewhat skeptical, I could read the appreciation dancing in the twinkle of his midnight stare.

“You look gooood.” If he'd said the words aloud, I hadn't heard it, I just saw the way his full lips moved and knew I wanted him to kiss me again, the way he had this mornin' in the bed.

His gaze was so strong that I hella forgot 'bout everythang else in the room. Kayla and James were talkin' but I didn't hear a single word, just the mumbled tones of their voices.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

He stood up, lifting his jacket from the bed next to him as he walked my way. He'd changed, too, I noticed for the first time, into some dark blue baggie jeans and a button shirt over a white tee.

“It's gonna be cold,” he said, putting his Bape across my shoulders.

It smelled so hexa good, like washing powder and his cologne. I squeezed my lids closed right quick and inhaled as I surrounded myself in the warmth of his jacket, and I heard his low chuckle rumble low and rich at the back of his throat.

I knew it was goin' to be cold outside, but that wasn't the reason he'd given me his Bape. I knew why.
To cover me up.
I felt like laughin' but kept my chill, because fo' sheezy, I dug it. With the clothes Kayla had lent me, I was more naked than dressed and headed out in public.

And oh, lawdy, I hecka liked the little bit of protective possessiveness puttin' his jacket over me proved.

“You two ready?” James moved toward us, interrupting our moment of peepin' and appreciatin'.

“Yup, let's bounce.” Maurice opened the door, then held it open for me. As soon as we were in the hallway, his hand caught mine up and he linked our fingers.

Kayla's itty-bitty bit of clothing was covered by an oversize black ASU hoodie and, of course, James was hugged up close beside her as we ditched his buildin' walkin' back into the cool night air.

“You go here a lot?” Kayla asked, after we'd walked a few minutes.

“Yeah, I guess. Weekends mostly.”

“It's fun?” It was the first time I'd heard the hitch of hesitation in Kayla's voice. I know it sounds whack, but her slight nervousness actually helped ease mine. I thought I was hella trippin' to be unsure, but since I wasn't the only one it eased me off a little.

“Yeah, it's good. You can meet some of my peeps.”

“Your boys hoop?” Maurice asked, turnin' the conversation back to sports, stats and free throws.

So we walked across the campus, over this tight-ass bridge that led over the street and past the fields, then off campus. We weren't alone in the briskness of the clear night. Groups of people roamed 'bout, headed one place or another.

Sometimes James would offer up a quick greetin', and sometimes we just walked on by. It was kinda weird to see so many folks out, 'cause not even when there was a party going down back home did we ever just see people hangin' outside like we did tonight. Not in our hood.

And then we were there. I heard the beats and bumps before I saw the gathering crowds or the lights. But the
thump-a-thump
of my pulse raged in time and it was enough to know we were gonna have a crazy-ass wild night.