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“First, I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. I am obsessed with the work I was able to do with Lolly Olly cosmetics. Please test out whatever catches your eye because I promise it’ll be worth the purchase.

Every product used to create tonight’s beat is on display here, and our staff can get you color matched for any foundation or concealer you might need. ”

I paused, taking a minute to admire the crowd.

This was my purpose in life. Seeing the excitement in the eyes of multiple women filled me with joy and gratitude.

It felt good to know the support I was receiving was genuine.

They could be doing anything, but they were here to celebrate with me.

We had high hopes for this collaboration, and it felt good to know my Spirit hadn’t lied about my future success.

I knew this launch would open the door for more opportunities on even bigger platforms. All I had to do was stay consistent.

With a slow exhale, I prepared to say more when I saw him.

I stood dumbfounded with the microphone suspended in the air.

A cocky smirk morphed his face into a handsome masterpiece.

I gulped a mouthful of air, hoping it’d revive my confidence, but it only made my cotton mouth worse.

The only thing I could do to escape him was close my eyes.

But then like magic, I could only smell his seductive cologne.

I figured my mind was simply playing tricks on me, but the scent only increased in intensity until it became my every inhale.

My heart continued to thump so loudly I didn’t need to open my eyes to know he was standing in front of me.

It was confirmed when fire erupted on the surface of my skin when his hands covered mine.

He gently removed the microphone from my hands.

“Oh my God...” I whispered softly.

A second later, I was being pulled away. My cheeks flamed with embarrassment. I couldn’t believe seeing him made me freeze up like that, and now, he was leading me to God knows where.

Silence surrounded us a minute later as a door was closed. “You can open your eyes now,” he whispered.

Unable to stand still, I wiggled my legs before doing exactly that. Kianis was standing in front of me with a curious expression.

“You okay?”

Slowly, I nodded. I nibbled on my lip, trying to fight how warm it made me feel to know he cared.

“What are you even doing here right now?”

He straightened his posture, standing to his full height. He reached for my chin, nudging my head back for a better view.

“I came to ask you out on a date.”

I wanted to escape the sincerity of his brown eyes because of the way it melted me on the spot.

“Are you serious right now?”

He inched closer to me, causing a spike in my heart rate.

I knew he had to see it jumping in my throat.

His proximity had all my senses short circuiting.

Even more so, when my gaze fell to his full lips, I had to fight the urge not to close the distance between us.

He was easier to resist when he was confined to a message in my inbox.

In the flesh, I couldn’t deny what my eyes could clearly see.

“Why you keep thinking I’m playing with you?”

I folded my arms over my chest to hide my pebbled nipples. The gentleness in his low tone was at war with my defense mechanisms.

“Because I know your type,” I sassed with a roll of my neck. “All you ball players be on the same shit.”

He chuckled. “Girl, shut up. I don’t wanna hear that shit ‘cause I’m not a ball player.”

I quirked an eyebrow with a bewildered expression. He’d lost me with that one. “Then what are you?”

“I’m king of the court. There’s a difference, and the only way you’re going to understand that I’m different is if I show you. So, when are you available?”

I tapped my fingers along my elbow, debating on what I should do when he decided for me.

“You taking too long to respond, so I’ma tell you when to be available.”

I laughed with a shake of my head. “You know you’re not the boss of me, right?”

He rubbed his hands together like Birdman. “If I’m not, I will be.”

I scoffed. “What makes you so confident I wanna be bossed around?”

He licked his lips before stepping closer. His hand sank from my chin to clasp my neck in a firm grip. The strong contact he kept with me increased my desire while confirming his.

“Isn’t that what all women want? A man who can take charge and lead them through life? Don’t you want a covering, Charmony?” I wanted to have a witty response, but I couldn’t even remember how to think. “You look so pretty tonight. I bought every one of your products they had on the shelves.”

My mouth fell open in shock as he released me. Only then did my heart start to race again. “You did not.”

He nodded. “Oh, I did.”

I couldn’t believe him. If his intentions were to show me how serious he was, I was beginning to get the picture, and I couldn’t lie like my curiosity wasn’t getting the best of me. She was leaning more toward finding out if Kianis was truly the man they portrayed him as in the media by the second.

“And what are you planning to do with all that makeup?”

He shrugged. “Give it to you for a giveaway. I know it’s a little black girl in the mirror right now trying to recreate this look.” He brushed my hair from my face.

I reached for his hand, becoming more susceptible to his conspiring. His eyes were so sincere it felt like he was seeing through me. I couldn’t lie like there wasn’t a part of me yearning for a connection like that.

“You’re not what I expected,” I admitted.

He smirked. “Only thing the media has right about me is that I’m that nigga.”

I tried to respond, but he brushed his lips against mine and stole my breath away.

“That nigga that’s going to steal your heart and alley oop that muthafucka.”

He leaned a little closer, and so did I.

“I’m that nigga that’s going to have you sitting courtside with a big ass rock on your finger.”

A chill ran down my spine when his lips brushed against my jawbone. I didn’t want to fall victim to his honeyed words that would inevitably become broken promises, but I was losing all control.

“I’m that nigga that’s going to have that pussy leaving a snail trail across his face.”

I released a shudder, knowing I should put space between us while also being powerless to do so.

“You’re crazy,” I confirmed.

He shrugged. “Just a little bit, but I know what the fuck I’m talking about too.

You’re going to be mine, and it’ll be the best decision you ever make in your life.

” His eyes fell to my lips. I just knew he was going to kiss me and nearly stopped breathing, but at the last second, he pulled away.

“When that message comes through, don’t play with me.

Have your ass where you supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there. ”

With a declaration like that, there wasn’t much else I could say other than, “Okay.”

A satisfied grin appeared on his face. His eyes slowly combed down my frame, creating a typhoon of butterflies in the bottom of my stomach.

“I wanna kiss you so fucking bad, but I’m okay with a little delayed gratification. I can wait until our date because I’ma be kissing those lips…” His eyes fell below my waist before he licked his lips and continued. “And those lips, too, for the rest of my life.”

He stood in place admiring me for a minute longer then backed away to the door.

“Be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there, Charm.”

I didn’t get a chance to respond before he left me all alone… hot… and bothered!

“Geesh!” I gushed before using my hand to fan myself.

Of course, it did nothing to extinguish the fire burning inside of me.

Only the arsonist who’d lit it in the first place could save me now, and he’d just left.

If nothing else was clear to me from this impromptu encounter, I walked out of that closet knowing I was in big fucking trouble.