Hip Hop Heat by Tricia Tucker Page A

mimosa."
    "Actually, we all would," Lisa added.
    "Great, I'll get the menus, and start on those while you decide what to eat."
    After placing their orders and while sipping their drinks, Lalana brought up the immediate problem she faced.
    "I know we were talking about ROC, but I'm in sort of a sticky situation," she admitted.
    "Oh, yeah? How so?" Tina asked.
    "You remember Logan, right?"
    They both nodded.
    Lalana explained his offer to take her to MC ROC's private show. Tina and Lisa's eyes grew wide.
    "Wait," Lisa said. "He wants to take you to this private show as his date ?""You think he believes it's a date?" Lalana asked.
    "Um, that's what I would think, but you tell us."
    "Well, that's why I wanted to talk to you guys about it. How do I go without leading him on?"
    "Does he know how you feel about MC ROC?" Tina asked.
    Lalana shook her head.
    "I think if he knew I had feelings for MC ROC, he'd stop talking to me, then I wouldn't be able to keep tabs on ROC," she admitted.
    "Look," said Tina. "I'm not trying to make you mad or anything like that, but why do you even like this guy? I mean, he's sexy as all get out and all, but he sounds like a real asshole." Tina threw her hands up. "Just hear me out, okay? First off, it's obvious the contest was all about him getting some ass. Then he leads you to believe there may be something more there, and the minute you leave you don't hear from him again. Fast-forward to the last time he saw you. He tells you how much you've been on his mind, but oh, wait he just wants a blowjob. Once he gets what he wants, he suddenly has a flight to catch?" Tina shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds to me like you should move on. You said yourself Logan is handsome, he's successful, and obviously he's into you. Why waste your time chasing this loser?"
    Lalana was mortified. Of course when Tina laid it all out like that, Lalana seemed like some hopeless, lovesick idiot. but that wasn't the way it was.
    Right?

Chapter Twenty
    For once in her life, Lalana wasn't happy with the way days flew by. Anxiety haunted her. Should she call Logan and tell him she changed her mind? Was she ready to never see MC ROC again?
    The evening of the show, she was glad to take Logan's call. She'd decideed to go, but there was a part of Lalana that just wanted this mess over with once and for all.
    "How long will it take you to get here?" she asked after they exchanged greetings.
    "I'm about 20 minutes out," Logan said. "You need more time?"
    "No, I'll be ready."
    Lalana wore a pair of wide-legged navy pants that showed off her curves. She paired them with a clingy yellow sweater that left nothing to the imagination. As she went over her image one last time in the full-length mirror, there was a knock at the door.
    "Coming," she sang, stepping into her high-heeled sandals and reaching for her clutch purse.
    Lalana pulled open the door and found Logan, standing with stars in his eyes.
    "Wow! You look beautiful tonight," he said. "That sweater - the color makes your skin glow."
    Lalana smiled. "You don't look bad yourself."
    Logan wore a pair of dark, baggy jeans and a crisp white Polo button-down. He accessorized with light brown shoes and a matching belt. His hair was freshly cut.
    "You smell good, too," Lalana joked as she pulled her door closed behind her.
    "Good to know," Logan joked. "Hey, we don't have to stay for the entire event. Things can get a bit wild in there."
    "Where's the show happening?" she asked.
    "At the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills."
    Lalana tried to hide her excitement as Logan held open the car door for her and she climbed inside. The Four Seasons!
    During the drive over, Logan and Lalana talked about his work week, her shopping trip with her girlfriends, and her job.
    "You work in PR, right?" Logan asked. "What's that like?"
    "Um, it's not the glamorous life. I mean, I'm in charge of in-house stuff. Doing the departmental newsletters, notifying staff of community events, stuff like that. I'd like to