Rivals in Paradise Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Well, given the fact that I was elected student government president in the second semester of my sophomore year and I beat a guy who was going tobe a senior—a fancy frat boy, sports star, and all-around Mr. Popular… Oh, wait…that was you, wasn’t it? Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that I didn’t try, I succeeded.”
    He arched his eyebrow as he observed her. “Modesty has never been your strong point.”
    â€œYours, either.”
    â€œTouché.” A predatory smile, which highlighted those perfect teeth, crossed his lips. The russet-brown complexioned man with almond-shaped eyes that made a woman long for the bedroom could be likened to a taller, finer Tyson Beckford.
    â€œSo what do you say,” he started and smiled at her before finishing, “we bury the proverbial hatchet and let bygones be bygones?”
    Cicely pretended to consider his suggestion. There was no way she would do such a thing. Chase and his flunkies had run a horribly slanderous campaign and spread so many lies that people had still been whispering about her well into her senior year.
    But the lies weren’t the reason why she’d vowed never to be nice to Chase again. It was the truth that he let creep out that firmly placed him on her hate-with-a-capital- H list.
    This time she found herself able to manage at least a fake smile. “Burying the hatchet would be the mature thing to do, huh? I mean, why hold on to silly college grudges when we’re both adults.”
    His smile didn’t appear genuine to Cicely, either. “Right. I for one am over the fact that you and your sorority sisters stole that election from me and ruined the legacy that I was going to leave for FAMU.” He took a deep breath, looking all magnanimous and pompous. “I’m ready to forgive you.”
    Forgive me? Why, you arrogant, smug jerk! I’ll show you forgive me, she thought as her right eyebrow arched slightly.
    â€œYou know, you might be on to something. I think it would be wonderful and very big of me to forgive you and your trifling fraternity brothers for running such a slanderous campaign. Especially since, even with all the lies you told, you still lost. Forgiving you for your lies…is…” She let out a long, exaggerated sigh before finishing, “the very least I could do. Especially since my winning the election and becoming student government association president was the beginning of the very rich legacy of dynamic leadership I left to FAMU.”
    Chase’s eyes narrowed and he stared at her a full minute before his face moved and the hint of a smirk appeared.
    The close quarters of the small first-class cabin seemed to move in on her with that smile.
    First class was supposed to be roomy. Wasn’t it? Chase and his overwhelmingly sexy, larger-than-life persona took up all the dang room. She steeledherself to his magnetism by remembering who and what he really was. An arrogant, self-serving wolf!
    Cicely sighed, making strategic use of the stylized attitude that sistahs had perfected across the ages with just enough huff and a slight roll of the eyes for good measure.
    â€œWell, I’m glad we can agree to let the past be the past. Forgive and forget,” he said.
    Forgive? The jury’s still out. Forget? Not even on a bet.
    She offered a fake laugh, a “hahahahaha” that was movie-ready. “Yes. It was a silly college rivalry, after all. Life goes on. People change.”
    Except for people like you. I will never forgive you for tricking me into thinking that you liked me, all the while scheming to get a picture of me kissing you to use as part of your smear campaign. “See, even opponent Cee Cee Stevens has the hots for Chase Yearwood. Cast your vote for the candidate everyone wants!”
    Clearing his throat, he asked, “So, Cicely, have you been to Dahinda before?”
    Cicely glanced at him. For a brief second she