Love After War by Cheris Hodges Read Free Book Online Page A

this.”
    â€œGood,” Raymond replied. “I need some sleep and I don’t need my wife obsessing over someone else’s business all night.”
    â€œI don’t do that, Doctor,” she snapped, then smiled. “Especially when there are so many other things we can do tonight.”
    â€œI think I feel my second wind kicking in.”
    â€œEww,” Dana said. “I’m standing here and this is just uncomfortable. Like watching a reality show all over again.”
    Imani poked her friend on the shoulder. “Maybe you ought to . . .” She stopped talking when she heard the roar of Ian’s Harley.
    â€œOh, that’s sexy,” Dana intoned as she watched Ian maneuver the Switchback up to the curb. Dana immediately recognized the rumbling of the twin cam 103 engine.
    â€œDangerous,” Imani whispered.
    â€œI don’t know, honey, we’d look good on one of those.”
    Imani shot her husband a get real look. “Not on your life, Doctor. I can’t believe you.”
    â€œWhen I hit my midlife crisis, expect to see me riding across 110th Street on one of those.”
    â€œCome on, Bobby Womack, our car is here.” Imani linked arms with her husband as they headed for the limo. Dana walked over to Ian and ran her hand across the seat of the Harley.
    â€œNice.”
    â€œYou ride?” he asked.
    She nodded. “I had a Triumph once and against my better judgment, I sold it.”
    â€œI like those bikes, but this gives me all I need. Especially when I travel in New Orleans.”
    â€œNew Orleans. I’ve always wanted to do a shoot down there.”
    â€œOh no, chere , you’ve never been to New Orleans? Now, there’s some beautiful scenery down by the bayou. You have to see it one day.”
    â€œIt’s definitely on my bucket list.” Dana took the helmet Ian extended to her and snapped it on her head.
    â€œMaybe I can be your tour guide—that is, if he doesn’t have a problem with it.” Ian nodded toward the entrance of Allure where Adrian was standing watching their every move.
    Dana closed her eyes, willing him away. Willing her heart to stop pounding like a bass drum. “He’s not a factor,” she said as she climbed onto the back of Ian’s bike and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Maybe we can use this bike in the shoot tomorrow.” Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the anger clouding Adrian’s face. What she didn’t understand was why she cared. He’d done much worse to her, and now he had the nerve to be mad? Leaning closer to Ian, she closed her eyes and allowed the wind to blow Adrian out of her mind—for a little while at least.
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    â€œShe really just hopped on a motorcycle with that fake-ass Tom Cruise,” Adrian mumbled as he stomped back to the bar. Glancing at his brother, he saw Richmond was good and drunk. Unfortunately, the more Richmond drank, the more he complained about his wife, the more he talked about how he hoped being with that call girl wouldn’t come back to bite him. Then he talked about Solomon and how his life seemed to be so perfect and all he wanted was a chance to be happy like his brother.
    The only piece of information he gleaned from him was about the book. Elliot Crawford had a damned nerve trying to present a picture of being the perfect family when he ignored him and his mother. Adrian was going to make sure that the world knew it as well. Turning to his sad brother, he shook his head.
    â€œRichmond, I’m going to have to cut you off and send you back to your hotel,” Adrian said as Richmond prepared to launch into more complaints about Solomon.
    â€œYeah, yeah, back to my lonely hotel room. Nobody wants anything to do with me.” He tilted his head toward the bartender. “She would’ve been all over Solomon. The only reason a woman let me touch her tonight was because she obviously