“Dvontè claims he just wants to see Brendan and talk. What harm can come from that?”
“None, I suppose,” Tempest replied sullenly. If you can’t beat them, join them, so she decided to get with the program. It appeared Janessa was hell-bent on seeing him. “You sure you don’t mind Sydney tagging along with you guys?”
Janessa had succeeded with the shoe task and had moved on to stuffing Brendan’s short arms into a fleece Dallas Cowboys jacket. “Not at all. The more the merrier. At least he can’t try to get in my pants with two babies in tow.”
Tempest swung around and glared at Janessa like she had lost her damn mind. “Are you saying you would mess around with him again?”
“I’m not saying anything of the sort!” Janessa stated angrily, raising her voice a notch. “I just mean that he won’t try anything with them around.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about all of that.” Tempest hoped Janessa wouldn’t hop back in the sack with Dvontè at the drop of a dime. She took Sydney out of the playpen, walked across the room, and sat her down beside Brendan on the couch. The two babies immediately started giggling and smiling at each other. “We are talking about Dvontè, after all.”
Janessa really didn’t want to get into a full-blown altercation with Tempest. She was tense enough, so she decided to change the subject. “The kids sure love playing together.”
“Aren’t they the cutest things?” Tempest asked, grinning from ear to ear herself at the scene. “Oh, by the way, Kensington said to tell you hello. She called yesterday.”
Janessa left the babies with Tempest and went into her bedroom to get a pair of athletic shoes to slip on. She shouted back out into the living room. “How does she like the boarding school in Connecticut?”
“Well, needless to say, it’s quite an adjustment for her,” Tempest replied. Geren and Tempest had convinced Pauline to let Kensington attend boarding school. Pauline eagerly agreed as long as Tempest and Geren were footing all of the bills. It gave Kensington a chance to flourish academically and gave Pauline a chance to finally grow up herself. “She said that there are less than ten African-American girls in the entire school.”
“Really? That’s wild!”
“Yes, it is, and of course she misses boys. Hopefully, going to an all-female school will help her to concentrate on her studies and not get into any more sticky situations.”
“Oh, I’m sure Kensington has learned her lesson,” Janessa said, prancing back into the room. Tempest couldn’t help but notice that Janessa had put on some eyeliner and lipstick while she was back in the bedroom, but she decided not to take issue with it. “I know I have. No more babies for me until I’m married and have a successful career.”
“You go, girl, with your making-straight-A’s-in-college self!” Tempest exclaimed, getting up from the couch to give Janessa a high five. Janessa had started Howard a couple of months before and was acing everything, just like Tempest knew she would. “All in all, I think Kensington will be happy there. She seems to like her roommate a lot. She’s from Boston.”
“That’s cool. What’s even cooler is the way you and Geren keep looking out for Kensington, and me, for that matter. We both owe our lives to you.”
Tempest could feel her eyes filling up with tears. She dabbed at them, praying a full stream wouldn’t start. “Aw, hell, don’t make me cry up in here.”
Janessa snickered at her. “You know you’re my shero.”
Tempest gave Janessa a bear hug and whispered in her ear, “I love you, Janessa. You’re the best friend anyone could ever ask for.”
“Love you, too,” Janessa whispered back in Tempest’s ear.
Tempest broke away from the hug and went to scoop Sydney up off the couch. “Let’s get the kids upstairs. Where are you going anyway?”
“Probably to the zoo and to grab a bite to eat.”
“The zoo?” Tempest started heading up the steps while Janessa picked Brendan up and followed her. “In that case, we better bundle the kids up better. It’s kind of chilly outside.”
“Okay,” Janessa agreed, grabbing a baseball cap and glove set off a coat tree before going upstairs.
Geren was waiting for them at the top of the stairs. “Did you change her mind?” he asked Tempest while Janessa was still out of earshot.
Tempest shook her head. “She’s going through with it.”
Geren sighed in dismay. “That’s too bad. I just hope Dvontè has changed.”
Tempest smacked her lips. “You and me both hope so.”
No sooner had Janessa made it to the top of the stairs with Brendan than the doorbell rang. The three adults just stared at each other, wondering who was going to answer.
“I’ll be in my study,” Geren said, stomping off down the hall and taking himself out of the equation. He had no interest in even laying eyes on Dvontè. Maybe in time they could become friends again, if Dvontè was planning on acting responsibly, but today was not the day for a reunion.
Tempest rolled her eyes at Janessa. “Well, don’t look at me. Give me Brendan, and I’ll take the babies in the living room.”
Janessa handed Brendan over to Tempest and then turned toward the door. She was so nervous at that point, her teeth were chattering. “Hello, Dvontè,” she blurted out, overwhelmed by both positive and negative memories of him the second she opened the door.
“Hey, Janessa.” Dvontè was equally apprehensive. He couldn’t help but grin when he noticed how much her appearance had changed. She had her hair pinned up in a bun and was wearing a pair of glasses that made her look sophisticated—a far cry from the hoochie he used to kick it with back in the day. “You look different.”
“Is that good or bad?” Janessa asked brazenly.
“It’s definitely a good thing!” Dvontè exclaimed. He was startled when Tempest suddenly appeared behind her, looking him up and down. He knew he was hardly her favorite person. “Hello, Tempest!”
“Hey,” Tempest said nastily. “Janessa, you need me to do anything else? If not, I’m going to go in the kitchen and start on the dishes.”
“No, I’m fine,” Janessa replied.
Tempest wasted no time hauling ass in the other direction. She wasn’t quite ready to deal with Dvontè either.
Dvontè followed Janessa into the living room and almost succumbed to tears when he noticed the babies sitting on the couch. The little boy in the baseball cap looked just like him. It was almost as if he had spit him out. He instantly knew there was no denying the child was his.
He went over and picked Brendan up off the couch. “Can I hold him?” he inquired, having already gathered him up into his arms.
“Sure, you can carry him to the car,” Janessa replied, picking Sydney up. “We better get a move on if we want to visit the monkey and reptile houses. They close the animal buildings earlier than the rest of the zoo.”
“Great! Let’s hit the road then!” Dvontè exclaimed, beginning to feel a little like a parent after about thirty seconds. He was excited about spending time with his child. He was also hoping to talk Janessa into giving him another chance. Much to his own surprise, he was ready to become a committed and responsible man. “Maybe after we leave the zoo, we can take a ride out to Virginia.”
“Sounds like a winner,” Janessa replied, prodding him toward the door. She was trying to get him out of the house before Geren became overwhelmed by the mere thought of him being there and confronted him.
Tempest watched from the kitchen window as Janessa and Dvontè strapped the infant seats into his car and put the double stroller in the trunk. She couldn’t help but notice the huge grin on Janessa’s face as they pulled off down the street. Maybe there was a chance for things to work out for Janessa and Dvontè after all. “Stranger things have happened,” Tempest whispered to herself, picking up another breakfast plate to wash.
Geren walked back into the kitchen and sat down at the glass-topped table. He picked up the newspaper and pretended to be reading, but his eyes
were really glued to Tempest’s ass. The way it swayed back and forth while she scrubbed the pots and pans gave him an instant hard-on.
“I think it’s great that Dvontè is showing some interest in the baby,” Tempest said with a grin. She couldn’t help but carry an ounce of hope that Janessa and Dvontè would work things out. “You know, everyone might end up having a happy ending after all.”
“I wouldn’t read too much into it if I were you, darling,” Geren replied. “Dvontè still has a whole lot of growing up to do.”
Tempest turned the faucet off and swung around to face him. “Why are you always so hard on Dvontè? It took a lot of ego swallowing for him to even show up here. At least he’s trying.”
Geren wanted to debate the topic but decided he would rather make better use of their time alone together. He wondered if this was the same Tempest that had talked trash about Dvontè the night before, calling him every foul name in the book while he was trying to get some sleep.
Tempest started drying the dishes and putting them away. Geren neatly folded the paper and went over to help. He took the towel away from her and dried the dishes as she handed them to him.
“You notice anything strange?” he asked, licking his lips.
“Strange like what?”
“We’re alone.”
“So it seems.” Tempest giggled, beginning to read his mind. “You aren’t afraid I might take advantage of you, are you?”
“Afraid? Hell, naw!” They both chuckled. “In fact, I’m praying like all hell you will molest my ass something terrible.”
Tempest put the salad bowl she was holding back into the dish drainer. “Is that right?” she asked, caressing Geren’s dick with her right hand.
He threw the towel down on the counter. “That’s right!” He palmed one of her breasts and then suckled on her bottom lip. “We never officially christened this house. Just our bedroom and the basement steps. Don’t you think it’s about time we took care of the rest of the house?”
“What do you have in mind?” Tempest stuck her tongue into his left ear and then nibbled on his earlobe.
“I say we get busy in every room. Make some freaky memories to reminisce about in our old age. So that when we’re sitting on the front porch with the grandkids on our laps, we can look at each other and play them back in our minds.”
Tempest laughed. “Why, Mr. Kincaid, I love that idea!”
“Why, Mrs. Kincaid, what hard nipples you have!” Geren proclaimed, unbuttoning the front of her cotton oxford shirt and letting it fall down off her shoulders so he could get a frontal view of her breasts.
She started to unbuckle his khaki trousers. “So what room do you want to get freaky in first?”
“I vote for the family room. I can think of a few kinky things I want to do to you with the Ping-Pong paddles.”
“Oh, my!” Tempest exclaimed. “Sounds promising!”
“It is,” Geren assured her, taking one of her areolas into his mouth. “Very promising!”
“In that case,” Tempest said, pulling away and running through the kitchen to the family room in the rear of the house. “Last one on the Ping-Pong table is a rotten egg!”
Up Close and Personal
with the Author
ZANE, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THE HEAT SEEKERS?
I wanted to write a novel that explored the lives of four strongly opinionated characters. Each of them were set in their ways and had to eventually allow themselves to open up in some way. I also wanted to expound upon two issues that I feel are heavily prevalent in today’s society. The first being unplanned pregnancies and then the soaring number of households headed by single parents. I wanted to show how some men run from their responsibilities and others step up to the plate and do the right thing. I also wanted to show how turmoil in a couple’s relationship can cause rifts in the relationships of those closest to them. There comes a time when everyone is forced to choose sides, and I wanted Geren to be a positive male figure. This is why I had him take the side of Janessa, even though he had been close to Dvontè since childhood.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN WRITING THE HEAT SEEKERS?
Actually, there was no challenge in writing The Heat Seekers because I loved the characters and I was completely absorbed in their lives. Creating characters is the best part of being a writer and I wanted to utilize a wide variety of personalities in the novel. It was quite an adventure writing the book, as it always is for me.
ARE ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE HEAT SEEKERS SIMILAR TO YOU IN REAL LIFE?
Tempest and I have a lot in common. Out of all the characters in all of my novels, she is the one I can relate to most. In fact, some of my friends came straight out and asked if Tempest was based on me after they read The Heat Seekers.
DO YOU FEEL YOUR PORTRAYAL OF DVONTÈ IN THE BOOK MIGHT GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE A MALE-BASHER?
I am an equal opportunity basher. There are good men and women and bad men and women in the real world and I try my best to balance that out in my novels. All of my novels have at least one strong, positive male character. Some of them have several.
IN THIS BOOK YOU INCLUDED CHARACTERS FROM YOUR PREVIOUS TITLE SHAME ON IT ALL, WILL YOU DO ANOTHER BOOK FEATURING THESE CHARACTERS?
I will be writing Shame on It All Again and Shame on It All Forever. Some of the characters will be revisited in those novels.
DO YOU THINK THE HEAT SEEKERS IS A STEP AWAY FROM YOUR EARLIER NOVELS?
I didn’t set out to write an erotic novel with The Heat Seekers. It is my goal to make all of my books different in nature. That is what makes life interesting. If all books, movies, and music were identical, the world would be a boring place.
DO YOU PLAN ON WRITING A SEQUEL TO THE HEAT SEEKERS?
No, I feel the story has been told and I look forward to creating and exploring the lives of so many other characters in future novels. I did love writing the book, but Tempest, Geren, Janessa, and Dvontè have gone off into the sunset.
WHY DO PEOPLE FIND YOUR NOVELS SO APPEALING?
I think people find my novels appealing because I take chances, I create unusual characters that are often humorous and always human. They have flaws and overcome real obstacles, just like in real life. I try to tackle important topics in my books but I like to do it in an entertaining fashion. Most people feel as if they know people like the characters in my books and that means I am on the right track.
Craving even more wild and sexy stories by Zane?
The basis for the upcoming feature film, Addicted follows successful African-American businesswoman Zoe Reynard, whose knack for finding pleasure when she wants, where she wants, leads her down a dark and twisted path of three extramarital affairs.
Addicted
* * *
Harmony, Bryce, and Lucinda Whitfield argue and get on each other's nerves, but when it comes down to it they are sisters—these are their adventures, their friendships, their love lives, and their unique takes on modern culture.
Shame on It All
* * *
In three parts—Wild, Wilder, and Off Da Damn Hook—Zane crafts stories that probe women's darkest passions, from the sensual housewife who wants her husband to experiment more to the underground sorority of women that organizes some unconventional social events.
Sex Chronicles
* * *
The second volume of highly successful Sex Chronicles that explores the limits of sexual experiences—from a high-paid multitasking career woman who gets her groove back in “When Opposites Attract," to an adventurous couple who attempt something new in “The Subway—A Quickie.”
Gettin' Buck Wild
* * *
Based on one of her most popular short story subjects, APF—a scandalous sorority like no other, dedicated to the sexual freedom and complete fulfillment of its members.
The Sisters of APF
* * *
The sordid tale of a woman with a split personality—Jonquinette has always bee
n nervous around men, but on the weekends her alter ego, Jude, goes on intense, unexpected sexual escapades.
Nervous
* * *
The week leading up to the Wolfe Industries annual Christmas party is unforgettable, as the lives of four people who have barely interacted with one another in the past begin to learn about the passion of business, and the business of passion.
Skyscraper
* * *
Weaving the carnal and the comical, two disillusioned daters, Rayne and Yardley, struggle to find love in a world gone mad and experience just about all that can go wrong in the dating game—and a few things that can go right.
Afterburn
* * *
Three prolific authors bring truth to the title of this heart-wrenching book, Love Is Never Painless, with a collection of novellas that explores the deeper side of love—the side rarely explored in love stories.
Love Is Never Painless
* * *
Dear G-Spot includes real letters from real people, both women and men, who have sought Zane's advice over the years—the preacher's wife worrying about being judged, the virgin, the guy next door, the gay man next door, the woman with low self-esteem, and the other woman with a sex drive over the moon.