Ready for Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

never slept with Penny all those years ago and they hadn’t left for California as a couple. That they, in fact, had never been anything more than friends. And the only thing he was guilty of was being a good friend and looking out for the love of Jason’s life until they came to their senses and got back together.
    But no matter what, he couldn’t tell her secret—that it was all a lie. He couldn’t do that to Penny, especially not now with all she was dealing with.
    So he watched the kids ride their bikes down the crowded street along with the other hustle and bustle of an urban city on a spring evening. Paterson’s streets were full of life with a hint of danger pulsing underneath.
    Please let this fool wise up! I am so tired of this!
    “Oh! Now you have morals. Where were they fifteen years ago when you stole my girl?”
    Terrill threw his hands up and shook his head. “I give up, man. I tried, but you’re stuck in the past. You need to let it go. And like I said, lay off with the guilt trips on Penny. She doesn’t need that right now.” Terrill walked away before he did something stupid—like sucker punch his ex-best friend who was now a cop—and ended up in jail.
    He had more important things to think about. Like being there for Penny in her time of need and making it back to California to see where things stood with a certain feisty Afro-Latina woman that he had shared the most amazing, earth-shattering kiss with. He was sure that once she got over being stunned, she was going to be pissed.
     
     
    Maritza found her right hand couldn’t stop trailing her lips. It was really hard to focus on work when she had done the stupidest thing she had ever done in her life.
    She had kissed Terrill.
    Or he had kissed her.
    Whatever the case may be…
    She had messed up.
    Big time.
    And now he was in New Jersey with Penny. Helping Penny deal with Big Mama’s death.
    Like always he would be there for Penny whenever she needed him.
    How did a woman allow herself to kiss a man who would drop everything in a heartbeat to run to the aid of another woman? Another woman who was her best friend and his? It was a soap opera waiting to happen if she ever saw one.
    “I knew this was a bad idea! Are you even listening to me?” Lace Monroe, the video vixen formally known as Lil’ Freak and author of several scathing tell-all books in which she named just about every rapper, mogul, athlete, actor or singer she ever so much as blew a kiss at, let alone anything else, hopped her perky little behind out of the seat and in front of Maritza’s desk with enough attitude to loan some out and still have plenty to spare.
    Maritza tried to remember that Lace was a prospective client that would need so much help she might just as well have “Made Out to Cash” stamped on her forehead. But she couldn’t keep her left eyebrow from arching and her head from tilting to the side. Blame it on her parents, but Maritza Morales had Black girl attitude and Latina heat in equal combinations. She certainly wasn’t the one to mess with.
    Lace noted the change in Maritza’s demeanor and gave her a good once-over before much more calmly sitting her behind back down.
    Lace wanted to use the hype and the buzz surrounding her books to go legit. And she wanted New Images by Keys and Morales to help her present a more suitable image.
    Maritza put on her most professional smile and folded her hands in front of her, admiring the pop of color she gave to her clean, white, contemporary-style desk.
    “It will take a lot to clean up the image you have been busy cultivating, Lace. Not to mention the fact that you won’t be able to continue banking on it. If we take you on as a client, you can’t write any more tell-all books and you certainly can’t be out there gathering any more material for future books.” Maritza laid out the ground rules in her most blunt voice.
    Lace rolled her eyes. “Please, if you and Penny Keys can clean up your images and