TAMED: #2 in the Fit Trilogy by Rebekah Weatherspoon Page B

not ready for that. I’m so busy with my design work. I want my business to grow before I settle down.”
    “Did he propose to you?”
    “No.”
    “Did he ask you to settle down?”
    “No.”
    “So what is the problem? You are young. You are well. You have no children. Why not spend your free time with someone you care for?”
    “What about Garai? What about Baba? They are so nosey. What if they don’t like him?”
    “Then don’t tell them. How long were you seeing this man?”
    “A month?”
    “See? And they had no clue.”
    “You knew?”
    “Of course I knew. I’m a mama. I know things.”
    “Why didn’t you say anything about it?”
    “Because I trust you. I trust your judgment. You have always been responsible and bright. I knew if it was nothing, you’d handle it and if it was something, you’d come to me eventually.”
    Her mom was completely right. It was the way their relationship worked. Even when she told her mom she was ready to open her company, she had zero follow-up questions. She just started making calls and lists to help get the ball rolling. She even told Garai to get Nailah a deal on available office space.
    Her father was all about the rules and ideals that he assumed everyone was following. Her mother just wanted her to live her life on her own terms. Her mother just wanted her to be happy. And smart. It was important for Shalaby women to use their heads.
    Nailah took the hot mug her mom handed her.
    “I think you are putting too much pressure on yourself. Does he have a job?”
    “Yes. He owns my gym.”
    “Uch, you and these fitness men,” her mother teased. “He loves his family. Are there other women?”
    “No, mom. He’s a good man”
    Her mom shrugged. “If you don’t like him then don’t talk to him. But if you have feelings, I say, why not? Good man, good job. Sore butt. All sound like good things to me.”
    If Nailah was being completely honest with herself, when she was done being completely mortified, she couldn’t find a good reason not to be with him at all.

CHAPTER NINE

    Armando almost ate shit and fell on his face running to answer his phone. The fake hardwood in his condo offered nothing in the way of traction when he was bolting from the shower. He grabbed his cell off the kitchen counter and hit accept before his brain fully processed the name on the screen. His nerves were on edge in the split second it took him to raise his phone to his ear.
    “Hey,” he said, trying to keep it light.
    “Did I catch you at a bad time?” And there was Nailah, straight and direct. She’d ended all communication with him outside of the gym so he had no idea what this call was about.
    “No, just got out of the shower. What’s up?”
    “I had some things I wanted to communicate to you, if that’s okay.”
    Armando had done everything he could to shut off his feelings for this woman. After he’d gotten ripping drunk on Egyptian wine and bitched to Grant and Violet about how much of an ass he’d made out of himself after Master Philip’s encouragement to “tell Miss Shalaby how you really feel”, he set about doing everything he could to keep every interaction he had with her from being awkward as hell. He knew he had to move on, and he would when he was ready, but it was hard to shut off some pretty intense feelings in a few days.
    Hearing Nailah’s voice, with all its bone deep dryness, destroyed all the healthy progress he’d made. He was just as hung up as ever. He adjusted his towel, then leaned against the counter. He chose his words carefully. “I am open to communication. What’s on your mind?”
    “First, do you now or have you ever gone to church? What’s your religious situation?”
    “Uh, I was raised Catholic by my mom, but haven’t been much lately—gay dads and all—but I still have faith. Does that work?”
    “Yes. Do you want children? If so...” And she went on like that for a solid ten minutes. It wasn’t a conversation. It felt