Saturday Sips - I Like Em Pretty

Here's a little more from I Like Em Pretty! Release day is January 31st!

Blurb: New Orleans is supposed to be the big easy. One night changes everything for Frankie Choteau.

New Orleans. A city rich in tradition, diversity, and on the comeback trail from hurricane Katrina. Francois “Frankie” Choteau, a resident of this town, a cop with a hot temper and low tolerance for bs. Kajika Fortier, a transplant from Oklahoma came here looking for a dream and unfortunately it’s turned into a nightmare. On a hot summer night, they meet and cross paths during a very difficult situation. Despite this, the attraction between them is evident and loneliness for both men is a fate worse than death. They’d both like a chance at happiness but the cost might be too high of a price to pay.

An intense scene between Frankie and the star of the next book in the series, Kenina.

Unedited excerpt 

Frankie pushed the button and bit his bottom lip. Damn this man was sex on wheels! Why the hell did he have to be a witness in this case?

“Frankie!” Kenina yelled again and knocked some more on his glass.

“Damnit woman!” Frankie pressed the automatic locks on the doors and she got in on the passenger side.

“What the fuck, Frankie? How come ya’ ran outta there like that, huh? You know how much them fucks love to talk!”

“Whatever girl. The reason I hightailed it outta there is so I wouldn’t be talkin’ in front of everybody!”

“Well damn, Frankie I get that but did ya take a minute to think what they mighta been sayin’ about cha?”

“Fuck woman, I don’t really care, okay? I’m sick of carin’ what those idiots, think! I wanna be me and stop hidin’ from everybody!”

“Frankie, you know that isn’t a good idea, alright? These homophobic, good ol’ boy cops will have your hide if they found out you was gay!”

“So fuckin’ what! I wish I hadn’t went along with this bullshit from jump! Now I’m fuckin’ trapped in my own lie, Kennie. I gots no way out. I don’t like that feelin’!”

“Well maybe you shoulda thought about that when ya decided to like men over women, sweetie. When ya make that kinda choice, you gotta learn to deal!”

Frankie gripped the steering wheel and he immediately saw red. If Kenina wasn’t a woman, he swore he would’ve clocked her with that statement. Again, he nibbled on his lip until it hurt. He took a deep breath. “It ain’t no choice, gal. I told ya’ it’s my life! It’s my fuckin’ life. The choice I made to hide it was the wrong one. I shouldn’t a cared about how other people felt about me.”

“But it mighta stopped ya’ from becomin’ a homicide detective.”

“Then I coulda transferred!”

“What? You woulda left me behind even after all we been through together?”

Frankie only leaned back in the seat and blew raspberries. “If it came to that, yes ‘cause ya see where this lie’s got us right nah. Everyone’s in my biz. Maybe if I woulda come out, people woulda treated me like a leper and left me the hell alone!”

“Well shit, aren’t you the most ungrateful…”

“Damnit Kenina! I just wanna love who I wanna love, m’kay? Let’s just break up publically so everyone can see and then you’re free to date who you want and so can I.”

“And you’ll come out?”

“I just might so people will get off my back about you, us, and this stupid ass relationship charade. This wadn’t a good idea to begin with and I knew that but…fuck! I wanted to keep up a fuckin’ appearance. Why should I care ‘bout what people think?”

“Oh so this is all ‘bout you nah, huh?”

“No it’s not but hell, if we break up and I come out gay then I look bad before you, right? You walk away unscarred.”

“No I don’t silly, ‘cause then people will think I got issues findin’ a man!”

“Well obviously you do ‘cause you agreed to play pretend girlfriend for me!”

Kenina inhaled and with all her might, slapped Frankie’s face, hard.

Damn.

Her face red and full of tears, she shook her hand, most likely indicating how painful it was to hit Frankie. “You fuckin’ sonofabitch! I care about ya’, Frankie! I got problems, yeah, I really do. I keep waitin’ for you to change, hopin’ you’ll see me for the woman I am and stop perpetratin’ like a homo. All the comments you make about my body and the fact you’re even goin’ through with this shit in the first place, tells me you’re attracted to me!”

Frankie’s jaw burned like hell right now. He rubbed it to try soothing the discomfort. “So what. I’m gay, not dead, Kennie. I’ve always loved the sight of a beautiful woman or man. I like attractive people period. Just ‘cause I make comments about your frame, or the fact you look good every day, don’t mean I wanna sleep wicha. I like men, Kenie! I’m gay. I like fuckin’ a man, kissing a man, a pretty man who I can plunge my cock into all times of the night.”

“Stop it,” she interrupted.

“I like to cuddle with a hot man while watchin’ a movie…”

“I said, stop,” she repeated in a harsher tone.

Frankie continued on despite her protests. “I wanna get married to a man, love a pretty man for the rest of my life! I don’t like women sexually, Kenie!”

“I said, that’s enough!” She yelled at the top of her lungs and glared at him. “You made your point! I’m stupid I know for even wastin’ my time, fallin’ for ya’. Do what you fuckin’ want then. Fall in love with another faggot if that’s what makes you happy!”

Frankie returned the scowl and grit his teeth. He gripped the wheel to keep from wailing on this woman. His knuckles turned white. “Get outta my car now! I ain’t havin that kinda talk in my vehicle!”

“Whatever!” Kennie got out and slammed the door behind her making the car shudder.

“Fuck you too!” Frankie called to her, hoping she heard. The nerve of this woman holding his orientation against him and all this time, he thought she did it because she wanted to, not trying to change him.

What the fuck now? No way would he be able to work with Kenina after what just happened. Most likely when they came to work, they’d probably get into another argument. A part of Frankie was saddened by that but he wouldn’t allow anyone, not even his best friend tell talk to him in that manner.

Still, there were many cases to do and the Chief would be all over his as like white on rice if he found out about their disagreement. He discouraged them from “dating” months ago and warned them something like this might happen.

Why didn’t he use caution when agreeing to this tryst? Would it come back to harm him, his friendship with Kenina, and his career?