Delicious Destiny. Yahrah St. John

brilliant. He was the only student she knew who dressed up when he came to class, usually in trousers, a button-down shirt and loafers. The problem was that Grant could have any girl he wanted, so why was she pining for a man she could never have? Could it be because he was every bit as nice as he seemed? In class, he always treated Shari with respect, as if her ideas and opinions mattered.

      “All right, I’ll go.” Dina sighed. “Otherwise, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

      “You’re a lifesaver.” Shari breathed a sigh of relief. If Dina hadn’t agreed, Shari wouldn’t have felt confident enough to go by herself. At five foot nine, Dina was slim and gorgeous, with fair skin and high cheekbones. She was easily one of the most popular girls on campus. Meanwhile, Shari was five feet six inches with brown skin, a round face, large nose and a curvy figure.

      Shari busied herself getting ready for the party that night, humming happily the whole time.

      * * *

      A few hours later, they arrived at the Omega Psi Phi’s party. Dina wore skinny jeans and a flattering halter top and looked as if she had walked off the pages of Essence. The best Shari had been able to manage was black jeans and a print T-shirt. Since she’d been at Ledgeman, Shari had gained the infamous “freshman fifteen” and hadn’t been able to take off the extra weight.

      Dina worked the party, flirting with several men, leaving Shari to her own devices. Shari was nervous about seeing Grant, so she downed cup after cup of beer. The party became a blur. She did remember, however, the moment Grant stepped in, like a knight in shining armor, and told her he was taking her back to her dorm because she’d had too much to drink. To have the object of her affection take an interest in her welfare was intoxicating. Or was it just the liquor talking?

      When they got back to her dorm room, Grant deposited Shari on her perfectly made-up bed, which was right next to Dina’s unmade one. He settled her in the bed and then stood.

      “I hate to leave you here unattended,” he said, looking around at the half-neat, half-unkempt room as if he was afraid to leave her alone.

      “Then don’t leave,” Shari said, staring at him openly. “Stay awhile.”

      “Okay.” He sat back down on her bed with his hands clutched in his lap.

      An hour later, after they’d chatted about classes and campus gossip, Grant stood up to leave since Shari appeared somewhat sober.

      “Wait!” Shari sat up on her knees, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Grant appeared taken aback as if he hadn’t seen that coming, so Shari pulled away. “Do you think I’m ugly?” she asked, frowning. She felt foolish for kissing him.

      “Of course not.”

      “Just not pretty enough to kiss?” Shari inquired. She slumped back down onto her hunches on the bed. “Is that why you didn’t kiss me back? Is something wrong with me? I mean, even my so-called boyfriend, Thomas, won’t kiss me and we’re supposed to be dating.”

      “That’s not it at all.” Grant glanced down and pushed back a tiny strand of hair that had fallen in Shari’s face and then stroked her cheek. And as if trying to reassure her, he kissed her. It wasn’t a simple kiss, either. It was a kiss meant to illicit passion. And it did. The kiss turned pretty quickly into something more. Next thing she knew, Grant was pushing her back onto the bed and lowering himself on top of her. He gathered her close in his arms, and she gripped his head with both her hands and kissed him back in an explosion of passion.

      Grant stroked her lips over and over with his, thrusting his tongue in and out of her mouth. His hands wandered over her back and derriere, bringing her closer to his hardness. She didn’t stop him when he began unbuttoning her shirt and tossed it aside. Nor did she stop him when he began palming her breasts or reached behind her and unsnapped her bra. She was fully involved in the kiss and it was inciting all the harbored attraction she’d had for him. She could hear his breathing becoming labored. She wanted more.

      But Grant broke the kiss and lifted his head.

      “Why did you stop?” Shari asked, looking up at him. She knew he wanted her because the lower half of his body was straining in his jeans against her. And the sensual tension that was mounting inside her was like nothing she’d ever felt before. Her senses were acutely aware of Grant. How he tasted slightly salty from the chips and beer at the party. How he smelled spicy and musky. And he felt...well, his hair wasn’t coarse like some men. It felt like fine silk and she wanted to continue running her fingers through it. Hell, she could go on kissing him forever. “I don’t want you to stop.” She reached for him again. “I want this. I want you.”

      Grant seemed to be warring with himself, and Shari could sense it. She could see the intense heat in his jade eyes, and it excited her to see the passion lying in them. To help him along, Shari leaned in and traced a teasing path with her tongue from his neck and up to his ear before sucking on it. Grant groaned aloud and she knew she’d found his sensitive spot. She had him right where she wanted him, and there was no turning back. She couldn’t believe she was being so bold, so daring, but she wanted this man. She slid into his lap and ground her body against him, causing a thrilling sensation to form between her legs.

      Shari felt the moment Grant’s resolve dissipated because his tongue dove inside her mouth to duel with hers, causing Shari to shiver deliciously. Then his palm found its way back to one plump breast and he bent down to suck on the globe. Shari forgot to breathe. Instead, she arched against him, eager for more.

      Grant quickly began undressing her, unzipping her jeans and slowly pulling them and her panties off in one swift motion. It wasn’t long before was he was naked beside her. Kissing her. Touching her. Tasting her. She purred in her throat when Grant entered her and began moving inside her. She’d barely even felt the slight pain as Grant broke through her virgin barrier and neither, apparently, had he. The exquisite slowness of Grant’s thrusting stirred all her emotions and Shari moaned aloud. Pleasure coiled through her, slow and deep, causing tension to build so much so that Shari thought she would go up in flames at any moment. And she did.

      Blissfully pulsing, their orgasms came almost simultaneously, draining them until they both fell languid on her bed. Softly, tenderly, Grant reached over and stroked her cheek. Shari felt tranquil and at peace for the first time in her life. Her first time had been with Grant and had been everything she could have hoped for. As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped they would have this moment again someday.

      “What the hell?” Dina said from the doorway of their dorm room the following morning.

      Shari wiped the sleep from her eyes and peered across at Dina and then at Grant, who was rising beside her, bare chested and all. Dina must have stayed out the night before if she was just returning home. Shari reached across and pulled a sheet across her naked body.

      “I think we all know what happened,” Grant said sheepishly from her side. “Could you be so kind as to give us some privacy, Dina?”

      “I guess I have no choice,” she said haughtily, slamming the door behind her.

      Once she’d gone, Grant sprinted out of Shari’s bed, dressed and ducked out the room. He was gone so fast that Shari hadn’t been able to tell him just how much she’d enjoyed herself.

      The following day was worse because as soon as he saw her, Shari noticed how embarrassed Grant looked. Gone was the easy camaraderie they’d shared before they’d slept together, and in its place was a weird awkwardness that she didn’t know how to combat. She sought to alleviate his fears by making light of their night together.

      “Listen, Grant,” she said after class ended and the room had cleared. “About last night...”

      “I am so sorry I allowed things to go as far as they did—”

      “There’s no need for you to feel sorry,” Shari said, interrupting him. “We’re good. Last night was just a hookup.” She looked down as she spoke. It was a lie, but she didn’t know what else to say. “We’re still friends. Nothing has to change. I don’t