Independent Women - the Complete BWWM Romance Series Boxset by Lena Skye Page A

hang around with, as long as you didn’t have a man to steal. Crystal was very much single and she didn’t plan on getting tied down anytime soon, so she was safe.
    “So you went through his phone and found that he was being trifling, huh?” Nina said.
    “Girl yes, he thought his ass was slick too. I don’t have time for the bullshit. I work too damned hard to tolerate a man that doesn’t mean me any good. I can’t lie, I really liked him and I hated to have to give up the sex.”
    “Some things never change! You’re always chasing the D.”
    “It’s the only thing worth chasing, other than money. I swear I would be a lesbian if I didn’t enjoy sex so much.”
    Crystal had just given Nina the complete rundown about her last relationship. She was involved with a womanizer. He was everything that Crystal wanted and so much more, but he wasn’t faithful. Her friends, Tamika and Kalena, warned her about him and she didn’t want to believe it at first, but later discovered that they were telling the truth. It hurt but she could handle it. After that experience, she decided that she was done with love for a while, maybe forever.
    Love was a hassle and it made you do stupid things just for the company of a person who didn’t give two shits about you. She was done with being a fool for love and only wanted to have fun. Dating for love was fruitless.
    “You’re something else,” Nina laughed.
    “You used to be just like me until you met your boo. How are the two of you doing, anyway?”
    “Girl it is tiring! I’m with him almost every night while he DJs and I don’t know if I can continue to turn up the way that we do. Going to work in the morning is tough; I’m too old for this shit.
    “You’re only 30 so cut it out.”
    “Shit tell my body that, but I’ve gotta make sure that those little girls at the club know that he has a woman. I have to keep everyone’s hands off my man -- the white ones, the black ones, the Asian ones, it’s exhausting!”
    “If you have to work that hard, then is it really worth it?”
    “I see what you mean but he’s a really good guy. Usually it’s just me tripping over stupid stuff, he only has eyes for me and I think it’s cute. He’s so damned sweet.”
    “Awww, I’m happy that you’re happy.”
    “Thanks, girl. So how are the other girls doing? I tried to call Tamika, but she hasn’t been answering her phone and I haven’t heard from Kalena.”
    “They’re doing alright, just really busy with work. Tamika is busy with Reggie of course, and Kalena is dating someone, finally”
    “It’s about time! I was thinking that she didn’t mind being single.”
    “Well, you know how hard it is for her to trust people.”
    “She still isn’t over that? I told her that I wasn’t interested in his ass, he kissed me. It’s messed up that she doesn’t believe me, but there’s nothing that I can do to prove to her that I’m telling the truth.”
    “These things take time. Kalena’s stubborn and I believe you. Now do I think that all of it between you and him was entirely innocent? I don’t, because there is a reason he kissed you, but you’re flirtatious in general.”
    “I can admit that. I’m flirty by nature and I was flirting with him a little, but so was everyone else! He was a little cutie with the biggest dimples, I didn’t think the little asshole would pucker up and kiss me. That’s a line that I wouldn’t cross with one of my friend’s boyfriends.”
    Crystal mentally checked out of the conversation because her loyalty was to Kalena first. You don’t flirt with your friend’s man at all, even if it is just a part of your personality. Nina didn’t mean any harm by it, but that was beside the point. What happened hurt Kalena and that’s all that mattered. She wasn’t going to continually make Nina apologize, but she wasn’t going to entertain the conversation any further.
    A man at the table over from her caught her eye. He looked to be about