AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I can’t leave you alone, Bambi. We have to walk down the aisle together. Twice. Once tonight and once on Saturday. Maybe more if I mess up tonight, which I might, if it means I get to keep walking with you.” He shot her a wink. Let the playboy image commence.
Bambi rolled her eyes. Again. What was it with this chick? She seemed to be immune to his charm. Totally unlike most girls had ever known. It was funny; the first girl he had ever loved abandoned him and their baby. When he made it big at Syracuse and managed to get picked third in the NBA draft, he couldn’t keep the women off him. Except, it seemed, for this one.
“Would you just leave me alone? You’re obviously Mr. Playboy basketball and I’m Ms., what did you call me again? Oh, yeah, Ms. Book Nerd. So we can walk down the aisle together tonight and Saturday and then go on our merry way. I’ll go back to my books and you can go back to playing with your ball.”
Jamal shook his head. “I don’t think so, Bambi. You’re not getting away from me that easy.”
“Well, aren’t you just ridiculously creepy?” she said, giving him a saccharine sweet smile. Without provocation, a laugh burst forth from his lips. She was too much.
“Now, since we have to walk together, are you going to continue to be an ass or can we call a truce?” she asked, holding out her hand.
“Truce,” he said with a smile, taking her hand in his. He wanted to know more about this woman standing in front of him. He just had to figure out how to get her to let him in.
Untitled
CHAPTER SIX
“Oh Em Geeee, I have the biggest food baby in the world!” Aria was sitting in her chair, her nonexistent swollen stomach still as flat as ever. The group had just finished the rehearsal wedding and were eating the dinner catered by Ted’s. The rehearsal had surprisingly gone off without incident. Jamal was on his best behavior and didn’t say anything else inappropriate to Cassie.
She had surprised herself at the attitude she had given him when they first met. She wasn’t usually so feisty. But the fact he just expected her to know who he was rubbed Cassie the wrong way. Then, when he tried all that fake charm on her, it had just pissed hersmooth off,as Callie’s dad, Max, liked to say. Lucky for her, she had been able to keep conversation with him to a minimum as they were walking together during the rehearsal.
Even though he behaved like a quintessential playboy, Cassie understood the appeal of Jamal Jenkins. She still didn’t know who Jackson Avery was Aria was comparing him to, but Jamal was one beautiful piece of man. Tall and lanky, but with defined muscles, his eyes sparkled with mischief and intelligence and his smile would melt the panties off of any lady with eyeballs. He was definitely eye candy. Too bad he knew it.
“Whatever, Ar. Like you don’t have a flat stomach. Pul-leaze,” she said to her friend. “Shut your face.”
“Like you have room to talk, Ms. Sexy Eskimo. If you ever quit studying twenty-four seven and left the apartment, we wouldn’t be able to keep the guys off you. Your boobs are fantastic.”
“Whatever.” Cassie tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn’t know what her friend was talking about. She was short and, well, curvy. She swore she had breasts by the time she was twelve. If she could afford a breast reduction, she would certainly do it, just so they wouldn’t be the first thing men’s eyes went to when she was trying to have a conversation. Small boobs were totally underrated.
“What’s this I hear about breasts?” Jamal sauntered to their table, sat down backward in the chair next to Cassie and gave her a grin. “I’m a sucker for them. And might I say you have an awfully nice pair.”
Cassie could feel her face turning all shades of red and steam coming from her ears. “Don’teavesdrop on our conversation, jerkface. It’s rude. Not to mention you shouldn’t talk about women’s, well,breasts, in public.”
“Why? I’m paying you a compliment. Besides, you guys are the ones who began the conversation. I just happened to innocently overhear it.” Jamal, nonplused, winked her way. Winked. Of all the nerve.
“A conversation in which you werelisteningin on and most definitelynotinvited to participate in! You are…you…” Cassie felt the words die on her tongue. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything to say back to him. Words were her thing. What was going on?
“What about my pair, mister? Don’t leave me hanging.” Aria tossed her braid over her shoulder and gave Jamal a seductive smile. “If you’re handing out compliments and all.”
“I do say I think I am sitting at a table with the nicest set of breasts in Oklahoma City.”
Aria tossed her head back in a laugh. “Well, aren’t you the charmer. All the newscasters sure have pegged you, playboy.”
Jamal’s smile fell off his face. “Well –” he began before the little flower girl came up and punched him in the arm.
“Dad, I can’t believe you’re over here, talking aboutboobs.It’s totally immature. What would nanny think, huh?” She said with a glare.
Daughter? That was a surprise, Cassie thought. Mom probably had custody of her and she was just here to practice. A man like Jamal wouldn’t have time to raise a little girl.
“I’m sorry, short stuff. It was uncalled for. But, in fairness to me, they did begin the conversation.”
Jamal’s daughter punched him again. “What did I tell you about calling me short stuff, daddy? You were warned. And what have you always told me about conversations? Just because someone else is spewing junk doesn’t mean you have to participate.”
Cassie laughed. The girl couldn’t be more than seven or eight and she was using words that might confuse some adults. Cassie liked her.
“Thanks for defending my honor,” Cassie tapped the girl on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Jaydence, but everyone calls me JJ. You know, for Jaydence Jenkins.” Jaydence stuck her hand out Cassie’s way. “And I know who you are. Cassie. Too bad you have to walk with a jackass like my dad. He must think you’re cute. He always makes an idiot out of himself around girls he thinks are cute.”
