SomeLikeitHot by Stephanie Page B

times, I haven’t seen you in five days. I assume you’ve been with Sterling the entire time?”

    Naja reached for her tea and took a long drink. She definitely should’ve ordered something stronger. Truth of the matter was she’d used Imani as an excuse to get away from Sterling. She needed some space to think. Somehow he’d manage to shake up her world and put a serious wrench in her plans to keep it casual.

    Since the explosive night at Fourth of July party she’d been glued to Sterling’s side. What surprised her the most was he’d spent as much time showing her she was special outside of bed as she was in it. It also made her nervous as hell. He was starting to affect her in a way she’d sworn she wouldn’t let him.

    She had a little under a week of vacation left and she wished she could extend it.
    Unfortunately, she couldn’t. She had a gala she needed to start working on as soon as she returned home.

    “Naja, are you going to answer me anytime today?”

    She jerked at the sound of her sister’s voice. “What?”

    “Oh, boy. You’ve really got it bad, don’t you?”

    “Whatever.”

    Imani tilted her head to the side. “Are you going to tell him?”

    Naja decided it was best not to pretend she didn’t know what her sister referred to.

    “No, I’m not and neither are you.”

    “Naja—”

    “No, Imani,” she interrupted. “I’m serious. I don’t have time for a man in my life.”

    “What you mean is you don’t have time for a man who could make you fall for him in your life.”

    Naja shrugged. “Same difference.”

    Imani shook her head. “No, not at all.” She reached across the table. “There’s nothing wrong with giving Sterling a chance the be the one . Remember, this is what we wanted as little girls.

    All those times we spent watching Dad dance Mom around the kitchen and dreaming one day we would have someone to do that with us one day.”

    “Imani, I don’t think I want that anymore. I’m happy with the way my life is right now. It’s uncomplicated. I don’t have to be or do anything I don’t want to. I’m content with my life.”

    “Content or complacent?”

    Naja sat back in the chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m content.”

    “I don’t believe you, Naja. I know you too well to believe that. You’re scared and you have no reason to be. Sterling is nothing like Troy.”

    “I never said he was. But since you brought it up, what exactly did you tell Sterling about him?”

    “Nothing. I didn’t even mention his name. I simply said you had reason to be wary. Sterling, being the intelligent man he is figured out why.”

    Naja released a pent up breath. “Imani, I know you mean well, but you have to let this be.”

    “I can’t. Not when I sit here across from you and I see the sparkle in your eyes and I know why it’s there. All I’m saying is talk to him before either of you become anymore invested than you already are.”

    “But I—”

    “Talk to him.”

    “Imani, I—”

    “ Talk to him.”

    Naja groaned, knowing her sister was right, but that didn’t make her like the situation. This wasn’t a conversation she looked forward to having. Sterling had a way of making her feel exposed in a way she wasn’t fond of.

    “Okay, I will. It won’t solve anything, but to get you off my back I’ll talk to him.”

    “One day you’ll look back and you’ll thank me for being so persistent.”

    “Try not to dislocate your arm from patting yourself on the back,” Naja mumbled.

    Imani chuckled. “I love you, too.”

    “Impossible. Not when you insist on making me suffer as much as you do.”

    “I don’t recall complaining this much when you were giving me advice on how to handle things with Carson.”

    “That’s because my advice was more sound. Now, I’m thinking we should change the
    subject. Otherwise, I’ll make good on my threat and get my food to-go.”

    Imani held up her hands in surrender. “Have