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Stripped Bear
Tressie Lockwood
Copyright © May 2011, Tressie Lockwood
Cover art designed by Mina Carter © May 2011
ISBN 978-1-936279-88-3
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are
fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved, including the right to
reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Amira Press
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.amirapress.com
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Stripped Bear
Tressie Lockwood
Chapter One
Ayana threw her arms up in the air and danced around in a circle. She’d
finally done it. She’d purchased her first house, all on her own, four hundred
miles away from the rest of her family. None of them thought she could do
it. They looked at her like she wasn’t capable, like she’d never be anything in
life, but she’d proven them all wrong. And her house was cute too. A sweet
little square brick home with the second floor holding a big sunny room
where she could work on her art, along with a bathroom and an office. If her
family ever came down to North Carolina to see what she was up to, she
would give them a look as if to say “now, what, bitches.”
She giggled at the thought and checked her mailbox just for the fun of it.
As she stood next to the boring metal box, she wondered if she could find
someone to build one of those brick ones to match her house. That would be
perfect.
“Hello,” someone called just down the street.
She glanced around and once again was struck by the quiet block with
residential houses all along it. The entire area was so unlike New York, she
couldn’t be happier. The woman who’d called to her waved, and Ayana
waited for her and her friend to draw closer. The two were about her age,
maybe a little older. Both were Caucasian, another bonus to the area—
mixed-race neighborhood.
“Good morning,” she called out. “I’m Ayana, your new neighbor.” She
held out her hand, and each woman took it in turn, speaking their names.
Ayana sucked at remembering names. In fact, she was so convinced that she
wouldn’t remember these ladies without hearing them a few times, she didn’t
catch what they said the first time.
The one with the long fiery red hair glanced past her to the house behind
her. “Oh you bought this place?” They shared a look with each other, each
appearing annoyed. Ayana almost took a step back when they then examined
her from head to foot. She blinked in disbelief. Seeing Ayana ready to get her
hackles up, the woman spoke again. “Oh, you’ll love it around here.
Everyone’s friendly and down to earth.”
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Tressie Lockwood
“Yeah,” the other one chipped in. Then she seemed hopeful. “Are you
married?”
Ayana hesitated and crossed her arms over her chest. These women had
some issues, and she couldn’t put her finger on it just yet, but she was going
to. She didn’t think it was about race either, which was a relief. And the scan
of her figure from head to toe didn’t have lust in it like they were into
women. There was something else. “No, I’m not. I’m single.”
That hit it. If they had feathers, they would most definitely be ruffled
right about now. The dark-haired one spoke again. “She’s single. Well, I
guess it’s our duty to warn you about Brooke just in case you have a
boyfriend.”
The last part of her statement sounded more like a question, but this
time, Ayana wasn’t rising to it. They could find out on their own that she was
between relationships right now. The two of them didn’t seem pleased that
she wasn’t married.
“What about Brooke?” she asked. “Who is that?” Funny, she hadn’t seen
this third woman yet, but she was pretty sure she’d remember her name. Just
because of the weird vibe she was getting off these ladies.
Dark Hair pointed to the house across the street, on the end. “She lives
over there. If you have a man, she’ll try to sleep with him. She claims to have
slept with every available man in the neighborhood, and when she’s drunk,
she even hits on a few of the older teenagers.” They both shivered in disgust.
“Just steer clear, is my advice.”
“Yeah,” Fiery Red agreed. “Well, come on, Janet. We better continue our
walk before it gets too hot. See you later, Ayana. Welcome to Lawnwood
Drive.”
They didn’t wait for her to respond but swung around in the direction
they’d been walking. Ayana’s lips tightened at the comment she was sure they
meant for her to hear. “We have nothing to worry about. She’s too plain to
be competition.”
Ayana returned to her house and climbed over boxes to get to the living
room. She dug around for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. The
decision to get the extended plan, which included Internet service on it, was a
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good one. The cable company wouldn’t get out to set her up with the bundle
she’d purchased for another couple of days, and she needed to locate a
grocery store. There wasn’t a scrap of food in the house, and she was getting
hungry.
Twenty minutes later, she strolled around the grocery store pushing a
cart. Fresh fruit was better than her old standby granola bars. She should buy
chicken instead of hamburger, but damn now that she had a backyard, how
could she resist grilling good old-fashioned beef.
“I’d go with the beef,” a male voice suggested when she pondered long
in the meat section. A chill went down her spin at his deep timbre. She
peeked up between a lock of hair that had flopped across her face and
focused on the man now standing in front of her. Talk about Prime Grade A!
He was stocky with thick muscles in all the right places—chest and arms.
His eyes were russet brown with gold flecks. A slight smile teased lips a
woman could kiss all night and beg for more. In a word, he was gorgeous
with a capital G. Ayana had to hold onto the cart with both hands to keep
from running her fingers through his hair. The silky locks were a mess like
he’d stuffed his head into a T-shirt and run out to the store just like she did.
Maybe he didn’t have a woman at home to cook for him. She frowned at the
thought, because how likely was that. Not all this yummy goodness. A
woman would have to be blind not to have snatched him up fast.
“I’m sorry,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “I didn’t mean to annoy
you.”
She realized she’d frowned thinking about someone else getting him first.
“Oh no, it’s fine. You didn’t annoy me.” She offered her best smile and
focused on his handsome face to be sure she didn’t miss the name. Man, I
hope he lives close by. “I just had so much on my mind what with just moving
around here. I’m Ayana.”
He put his hand out, and like a robot, she dropped hers into his palm.
Her heart hammered in her chest and then felt like it had stopped when he
gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Pretty name.”
Somehow she felt disappointed that he didn’t give her a compliment
along with the comment about her name. If she went by the interest in his
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eyes though, he was feeling more than her moniker. “Thanks,” she breathed.
He didn’t let go, and she darn sure wasn’t going to make him.
“Welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Reece. Tell me it’s my lucky day and
that your new house is near here?” His eyebrows rose in question.
Reece. Yum! Should she tell him the street? Why not? She wanted to see
more of him, and it was obvious he had no problem with her race.
“Lawnwood Drive.” He drew in a sharp breath and named the number of
her house exactly. She gasped. “How did you know?”
“For one thing, I live on that street. For another, I knew the house next
door to me had been sold.” He moved in closer to her. Ayana’s breath
caught in her throat. She didn’t think her heart would slow down any time
soon. Everything inside of her screamed touch him, but she wasn’t getting
arrested her first day here for attacking Mr. McHottie. Of course every
woman within eyesight of him would understand the temptation.
Then she realized what he’d said. He lived next door to her? No way.
Too, too lucky. “Next door?” she squeaked.
He nodded. “Yes, 6504.”
So that’s what it was, she mused. That’s why the two women from earlier
had gotten their feathers up. She bet every woman in the block was lusting
over Reece, and to have new blood move into the area, they were worried.
Of course, they’d dismissed her out of hand, like a man this hot wouldn’t
look twice at her. Wouldn’t they cuss up a storm if they saw her right now?
She brightened her smile even more. Not that she expected him to fall
for her, because seriously, men didn’t land in her lap like that. She knew she
was just ordinary looking. At least she had a decent figure, if a little smallish
in the boob and butt area. So what. She liked to think she made up for it in
personality—most of the time. “Well, it’ll be nice getting to know you.”
“You can count on it. In fact,” he said, eying the meat selection next to
them, “since you’re so keen on beef, why don’t you invite me over to cook
out. We can consider it a house-warming. I’ll bring you a gift.”
Ayana laughed. He did not just invite himself over to her house so she
could cook for him. Like she was going to say no. “Sure, I’d like that.”
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