“I won’t.”
I shift in my seat, sitting a little higher. “That was truly good news. My spirits have lifted already.”
“And you haven’t even heard
my
news yet.”
I turn to my right and face Claudia. “If you tell me that you’ve found another man, I will whoop you upside the head. I don’t want to be the only single one.”
“A man. Right.” Claudia laughs sardonically. “That’s a good one.”
“Then what could possibly be your good news? Adam is going to jail, too? No, if that news had broken, I would have heard it.”
Adam, Claudia’s ex-fiancé, who formerly held the position of president on the board of the Wishes Come True Foundation, was investigated for any possible connection to the embezzlement but was found to have no involvement. Still, when the news of his drug use and sexual fetishes came to light—thanks to our plan of revenge—he resigned from the board amid great scandal.
“No, this isn’t about Adam. But it is about the foundation.”
“I’m listening,” I tell Claudia.
“You know one of my cousins is a music producer, and as such, he obviously has lots of connections.”
“Right.”
“Well, I was talking about our desire to help the Wishes Come True Foundation, and he had an idea. He said that if we want to make this fund-raising effort work, we need to get some big names attached to it.”
“Which is a great idea, yes,” I agree. “But getting someone—”
“Let me finish.”
I mime pulling a zipper closed across my lips.
“Well, Morgan talked to Rugged—you know, that hot new rap artist from Atlanta—about the idea of possibly participating, given that this is his home town, and—”
“And he said yes?” Excitement washes over me.
Claudia nods. “He wants to do it.”
“Yes!” I pump a fist in the air. “This is exactly what we needed. Some celebrity to headline the event.”
Across the table Annelise is grinning, too. “It gets better,” she practically sings.
“Really?” My eyes flit from Annelise to Claudia. Then I notice Apple in my peripheral vision.
“Here are your drinks.” Her face looks flushed as she deposits three mimosas and three mugs of coffee onto the table. “I’m sorry, I got busy with other tables. I didn’t mean to bring them out this late.”
She’s looking directly at me as she offers this explanation, as though she expects me to bite her head off.
“That’s fine,” I tell her.
Nodding nervously, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “You haven’t gotten food yet.”
“We’ve been gabbing,” Annelise explains. “We’ll get to it.”
When Apple walks off, I say to Claudia, “Okay, what’s this even-better news?”
“Right.” She grins. “Well, Rugged likes the idea so much that he said he’d ask other rap artists, like 50 Cent, Ludacris and some others, if they’d like to get involved as well. Maybe do a ‘rap artists support the cause’ type of event.”
“You know what, I will never feel sorry for myself again,” I proclaim, smacking the edge of the table as I do. “I came in here feeling so shitty, but life is still good. There are still good people in the world.”
“Exactly,” Annelise agrees. “I told you things have a way of working out.”
“Can you believe it?” Claudia’s eyes are beaming with happiness. “We’re gonna make this happen. And we’ll raise a ton of money for the foundation.”
“Lord, I hope so.” I reach for my second mimosa. “I’m so passionate about this now, ya know?”
“We know,” Annelise agrees. “And we’ll do right by the children who need this money so desperately.”
“Oh, and Rugged is getting into town tonight and would like to set up a meeting,” Claudia goes on. “Talk to you at least, Lishelle, as your network will be hosting this. Or we can all meet him. Whatever you’d prefer.”
“It’d be great if he could come to the station. Meet with me and my station manager.” My mind races as I think of how this is exactly the boost we needed. “And you’re welcome to come, too, of course. Or I could handle the preliminary meeting. Whatever you think is best.”
“We’ll figure it out by tomorrow,” Claudia assures me. “In the meantime, my stomach is growling.”
“Yeah, mine’s pretty angry too.” Annelise chortles. “And if I keep drinking on an empty stomach…”
“Say no more.” I rise. “Let’s head to the buffet.”
I know the moment that Rugged enters the studio. I hear the excitement in the air. Even a couple of squeals.
I’m in my office, but I don’t move. I sit casually at my desk, a current tabloid open on my lap. It’s trash, I know, but I read it to escape the reality of the heartbreaking stories I often report on the news.
My door is ajar, but someone raps on it nonetheless. “Lishelle?”
“Come in.”
It’s Carmen, one of the production assistants, and she’s grinning from ear to ear. “Rugged is here.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I took him to the green room. Is that where you want to meet him? Linda says she’ll be at least ten minutes. I didn’t want to leave him waiting.”
I glance around. My office looks presentable. “Why don’t you bring him here?”
Carmen disappears, but less than five seconds later, she pops her head back in my door. “Can I ask you something?”
I lower my magazine to my desk, but don’t close it. “Of course.”
“I know this is going to sound silly, but I’m a huge fan of his. I thought he was hot on television, but in person he’s even more attractive. Wait till you see him.”
“What exactly is it you want me to do?”
“Ask him for his autograph for me. Please, pretty please.”
“I don’t get it. You’ve met him. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“Because I’ll die!”
Whatever,
I think. But I say, “Sure.”
A few minutes later Carmen reappears with Rugged. Her face is flushed—clearly she’s blushing. I’m completely shocked, since I never figured Carmen the type to listen to rap music, much less be a huge fan of Rugged’s. Hell, I’m not a big fan of rap. I have caught glimpses of Rugged’s videos featuring women in barely there bikinis on late-night TV, and I wasn’t exactly impressed. But for the cause of raising money for charity, I’m happy to embrace the idea of working with him.
“Lishelle, this is Rugged. Obviously.” She grins and nods, her unkempt bangs bobbing with her bouncing head.
My God, what has gotten into her?
“Rugged, this is Lishelle Jennings.”
I close the tabloid and toss it onto my desk. Then I rise from my chair and cross the room with my hand extended. Rugged meets me, takes my hand in his and shakes it.
And surprisingly, when our hands touch, I feel a jolt of heat. Something about Rugged has sparked a sexual reaction in me, one I didn’t expect.
“Hello,” he says.
Swallowing, I pull my hand away. “Hello.”
I don’t miss the way his eyes skim over my body. How can I—the move is so bold.
And makes a sex-starved woman like me think about riding a large, hard cock…
I clear my throat and add, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m a fan.”
“I’ma fan o’ yours, too.”
Behind us, Carmen is standing stupidly, like she’s frozen in place. Of course, she wants an autograph.
“Rugged, would you mind signing an autograph for Carmen? She’s one of your biggest fans.”
Now Carmen’s eyes widen in alarm. Rugged glances over his shoulder at her.
“She’s much too modest to ask you,” I go on. “Isn’t that right, Carmen?”
“Um…well, I didn’t want to bother you.”
“No bother,” Rugged tells her. “You got a piece of paper? Or do you want me to something else—like your shirt?” Rugged’s eyes move to Carmen’s breasts, which look bountiful beneath her thin, cotton T-shirt.
“Um.” Carmen’s response is shaky. “My…my shirt?”
“I’ve got a Sharpie.” I go back to my desk, scoop it up, and pass the black marker to Rugged.
After Rugged signs his scrawling signature on her shirt, Carmen can’t stop saying thank you as she backs her way out the door. When she’s gone, I move to the door and close it.
“So,” I begin without preamble. “You’re interested in helping out with the pledge drive I’m planning.”
“Definitely. When Morgan called to tell me about it, I was excited, man. The city of Atlanta’s my home. And the people here, they been good to me. I wanna give somethin’ back.”
“Please, sit.” I gesture to the leather chair at my desk. As Rugged settles there, I sit in my own chair on the opposite side.
“Have you had any thoughts about how to participate? I’m thinking you could come into the studio, join me on TV as we appeal to people to open up their wallets.”
“That all you want? Yo, I was thinkin’ of doin’ a concert or somethin’.”
I perk up at that. “A concert?”
“Yeah, a summer concert. Maybe Labor Day Weekend, or wheneva you want. I’ll do a concert, and all the proceeds will go to the kids.”
The idea is so brilliant I could kiss this guy. “That’s fucking amazing.” I cover my mouth and mumble, “Excuse my Spanish.”
“And see, what I was thinkin’ was that some of my homies could hold concerts in other parts of the country. Maybe ten, fifteen major cities. One big ‘Give back to da kids’ event. Ya know? We could raise some serious fuckin’ cash. ’Scuse my Spanish.” He grins.
I am so excited by this idea, my heart is beating seriously fast. “You think it will work?”
“I’ma try my hardest to help out. We gonna do this, we do it big.”
“I like the way you think.”
There’s a pause, then Rugged asks, “What else you like?”
The question catches me off guard—but the slight upturn of the rapper’s mouth, plus the way he’s rested his thumb in the loose waistband of his jeans above his crotch, makes it clear I didn’t misunderstand the inflection in his voice.
He’s just propositioned me.
“Excuse me?” I ask. I try to sound appalled, but the truth is, I’m not. In fact, my panties just got wet at Rugged’s words. There’s something about a guy who goes for what he wants that is a huge turn-on.
“I’m a fan, Miss Jennings. I like you.
A lot
.”
“And how old are you?” I ask, my tone much like that of an adult questioning a child who’s been caught throwing rocks at her window. “Nineteen? Twenty?”
“Twenty-fo’.”
“Oh.” I force a laugh, trying, I guess, to hide my sudden sexual anxiety. “Like that’s old enough.”
“It sho’ is,” Rugged tells me confidently.”
My entire body flushes with carnal heat. My nipples ache and my pussy starts to throb. And I realize that the thought I had, that I wasn’t interested in a meaningless fling with some guy, is a lie. I’m more than interested.
Suddenly, my body needs sex.
I steal a quick glance at Rugged’s crotch, try to judge by the bulge how big his cock is.
I like.
“Old enough fo’ what you need,” Rugged adds, this time drawing his bottom lip between his teeth when he finishes his statement.
“And how do you know what I need?” I ask. My body is attracted to his, but I’m unwilling to let go. I don’t know why.
“I heard about how that guy played you.”
Great
. “And you’re offering me what? Your penis as a way to solve all my problems?”
I expect Rugged to be offended by my comment. Instead he says, “If that’s what you want…”
Wow. This guy is really serious.
So I decide to call his bluff. Play with him a little. “What am I supposed to do? Suck it or drop my pants?”
“Whateva gets you off.”
Either could get me off…
The knock on the door has us both sitting up straight. I clear my throat, then say, “Come in.”
Linda opens the door, grinning. She enters the room, her hand outstretched. “Hello, Rugged. It is so great to meet you.”
Rugged shakes her hand. “Same here.”
“I guess I’ll cut right to the chase,” Linda says. “Have you come up with any great ideas?”
“Actually,” I begin slowly. “We’ve come up with an excellent plan. I’m really excited about it.”
I fill Linda in on Rugged’s fantastic suggestion, and by the end of my spiel, she can hardly contain her enthusiasm.
“I
love
it!” she exclaims. “You think we can make this happen?”
“I’ma try my best. Rap artists are always gettin’ bad press. We do this, it’ll show America we got good hearts, too.”
Rugged glances my way with that statement, like he’s trying to prove a point to me.
Does
he have a good heart? Or is he willing to ‘give back’ just because that’ll get him good press, and therefore sell him more records? Not that it matters to me. I just want people to support the cause, by whatever means necessary.
I tune out for the next few minutes while Rugged and Linda discuss possibilities, thinking of how he propositioned me and wondering if he was serious. And fuck, I can’t believe how wet I am. How much part of me wanted to lock the door and offer him my pussy. It is still throbbing, so much so that I ache to stroke my clitoris.