At First Kiss
When celebrity jet-setter Troy Singleton meets TV up-and-comer Jasmine Stewart, it is lust at first sight. Major players on the singles' scene, the last thing on either of their minds is playing for keeps.Until Jasmine is forced into a temporary marriage of convenience. And she realizes the sexy-as-all-get-out man is the one she wants to have and to hold….The free-living, free-loving playboy Troy never planned to turn in his player's card. But the proposal intrigues him…especially since he can't keep his hands off the hot-as-sin reporter. As the passion heats up between the newlyweds and rising media stars, Troy makes a new vow. He'll win the heart of the woman he's promised to honor forever with the love that began with a single kiss….
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Just as she had gotten out of the last of her snow-damp clothing, she heard the bedroom door open and close. She looked up and saw that Troy had walked in with his hands behind his back.
He had a devilish grin on his face and she knew that meant payback.
âNow, Troy. You wouldnât do anything to an unarmed woman, would you?â She took a step back, trying to make her way to the bathroom so that she could lock herself in while whatever snowball he was carrying melted.
He laughed and shook his head. âIâm afraid I canât do that, Jasmine. Now, are you going to take your punishment like a woman?â
She fell back onto the bed in a splayed position, hamming it up for all she was worth.
âThatâs a good girl.â He walked over to the bed and she saw that he hadnât had snow behind his back. He had an ice bucket. He placed it on the nightstand and started to undress.
His body never ceased to amaze her. He epitomized masculinity. Every ripple and ridge of his frame made her want to run her fingers over his skin. His caramel-colored complexion made her want to lick hisâ¦everything.
But more than anything, she wanted to know what he planned to do with that ice.
GWYNETH BOLTON
was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She currently lives in central New York with her husband, Cedric. When she was twelve years old, she became an avid reader of romance by sneaking books from her motherâs stash of Harlequin and Silhouette novels. In the â90s she was introduced to African-American and multicultural romance novels and her life hasnât been the same since. She has a B.A. and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in English/Composition and Rhetoric. She teaches college-level classes in writing and womenâs studies. She has won several awards for her romance novels, including ten Emma Awards and a Romance in Color Reviewersâ Choice Award for new author of the year.
When Gwyneth is not teaching or working on her own romance novels, she is curled up with a cup of herbal tea, a warm quilt and a good book. She can be reached via email at [email protected]. And readers can visit her website at www.gwynethbolton.com.
To the readers, who make real to me every day the old African proverb that states simply, I am because you are.
Dear Reader,
Sometimes people meet the love of their life and know right away that they have just met the person who is the other part of their soul. Sometimes people meet and become good friends before they become lovers.
And then there are other timesâ¦
Troy Singleton and Jazz Stewart didnât fall in love at first sight. They didnât even become good friends right away. Frenemy would be a better description for these two. They tolerate one another because their best friends are married, but that is as far as it goes. And then thereâs the fact heâs a player and sheâs a serial dater. They are too much alike to ever be attracted to one another. And they canât be around one another without getting on each otherâs nerves. So they donât ever have to worry about hooking up or anything like thatâ¦.
Or maybe, they are so much alike that they are really perfect for one another and it will take an act of God or something just as strong to get them to realize it.
I hope you enjoy Troy and Jazzâs journey toward love as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Much love and peace,
Gwyneth
Acknowledgments
I want to acknowledge my family, because without their support I wouldnât know what love is or even be able to write about it. Special thanks to my husband, Cedric Bolton, my mom, Donna Pough, my sisters Jennifer, Cassandra, Michelle and Tashina, my nieces Ashlee and Zaria and my nephew, Michael.
Many women have shown me what true sisterhood and friendship is through the years. To my friends who have been there for me through the years and encouraged all of my early attempts at writing and listened to my dreams, thank you. Iâd like to especially thank Cheryl Johnson, Elaine Richardson, Jennifer Thorington Springer, Latisha Folkes-Nwoye, Lily Marella Payne, Angelique Justin and Yolanda Hood. Smooches and triple-hold hugs to you all! Iâd also like to thank my sista-authors, whose stories inspire and motivate me and whose friendship I count on. And Iâd especially like to thank A. C. Arthur, Victoria Wells, Iris Bolling, Deatri King-Bey, Shelia Goss and Ann Christopher. Keep on writing those amazing stories and please keep being the wonderful women you are! Finally, Iâd like to thank my sands, because they have been showing me true Delta love and sisterhood since we crossed in the spring of 1990. Thank you Kimmie, Shakira, Antoinette, Edith, Monica, Audrey, Sherita and Karen. I love you! Oo-oop!
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Chapter 1
It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the gameâ¦
Ten years earlier
So the Kappa Alpha Psi pretty boy is late. Go figureâ¦I should have expected that from a Nupe!
