Satin Nights
available in bookstores now!
Regina Harris has been through it all, orphaned at 13 and forced to use street wits to survive. Now living in Harlem with her four-year-old daughter, she thinks her life has finally stabilized--but where there's Regina, there's always drama. She runs into a former boyfriend – formerly one of the of the biggest dealers in Harlem – and, against her better judgment and the advice of friends, she resumes their steamy affair. Sparks fly when her U.S. Congressman ex-hubby decides he wants her back and her boyfriend decides he won't let her go. Life is no less dramatic for her three best friends--Yvonne can't tear herself from a lawyer turned violent junkie, Tamika and her family are being targeted by street thugs bent on revenge, and Puddin' still can't resist using any man in her sights to support bad habits.
Satin Nights will be available in bookstores nationwide in August, but if you’re in Philadelphia – or the surrounding areas – please come out to the Official Book Launch Party and get your book autographed, and just generally have a ball!
Excerpt from Satin Nights
Regina squinted her eyes as she looked up the block. “Oh my God, Puddin’, am I seeing things or is that some guy streaking down the street butt naked?”
“Oh, shit, it is,” Puddin’ said. “I thought that shit went out in the seventies. And looky-looky, the muthafucka got a woodie.”
“How the hell can you see that from here?” Regina said as she tugged on Puddin’s arm. “Come on, let’s cross the street. He’s heading this way.”
“Naw, I wanna see.” Puddin’ held her ground and squinted her eyes for a better look.
“Well, you can stand there and see if you want, I’m heading across,” Regina pulled her pocketbook farther up her shoulder and prepared to step out into the street.
“Oh shit. Oh, fucking shit,” Puddin’ all but shouted as she pulled Regina back toward her. “Gina, tell me that’s not who I think it is.”
“I don’t give a shit who it is,” Regina said as she tried to pull free. “I’m not going to __”
“Gina, maybe I’m blind, but ain’t that that Yvonne’s boyfriend?”
“What?” Regina looked up at the man still running toward them full speed. She couldn’t be sure, but it did look like Robert with his hair standing on end, a wild look in his eyes, and sure enough, just as Puddin’ said, a full erection. “Oh my God. Get the fuck outta here. I do believe that’s him. Puddin’, let’s get the hell outta here.”
Regina tried again to cross the street, but Robert barreled into her before she could make her escape.
“Regina, Regina,” he shouted as he grabbed her in a bear hug. “I love you. Let’s make a baby.”
“Get the hell off of me,” Regina said, struggling to break free. She looked to Puddin’ for help, but her friend was leaning on a building convulsed in laughter.
“Will you please let me go?” Regina screamed as Robert tried to kiss her on the mouth.
She was so engrossed in trying to get away that she didn’t even notice the police car that pulled in front of them until the two officers jumped out, pulled Robert by the scruff of his neck, and threw him across the car.
“Are you okay, miss?” one of the officers asked her as the other pulled out his handcuffs. She was tempted to tell them that she wasn’t and let them arrest Robert’s ass, but then she thought about Yvonne. She’d never forgive her if she just let them haul Robert off to jail.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she said as she looked over at Puddin’ who was still doubled over with laughter. “Look, please don’t arrest him. This is uh, my, uh, cousin. He’s a little disoriented because of some medicine he’s taken. I’m taking him home right now.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s good old cousin Robert,” Puddin’ managed to get out through bouts of laughter. “He just took too much of his anti-depressant.”
“Well, are you sure?” the officer looked at Regina skeptically.
“Oh yes, believe me. In fact, he’s actually an assistant D.A. in the Bronx. I mean, obviously he doesn’t have any ID on him at the moment. But like I said it’s the medicine, but we’re going to get him home and calm him down.”
“Well,” the officer said as he let Robert up from the car. “why don’t we just give you all a lift home then?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” Regina assured them. “We’re just a couple of buildings down. We’ll make it okay. Won’t we, Robert?” She turned to the man and had to cover her eyes with her hand. In just the few seconds that he had been let free, Robert had run over to a large tree and was kissing and humping it as if he were in bed with a wild woman.
“Leave me alone. I’m going to make a baby with Mother Nature. We’re going to start a whole new human race,” he shouted as the police pried him away. Puddin’ had actually collapsed on the sidewalk with laughter.
“Oh shit,” she managed to get out. “He’s going to get splinters in that big dick.”
“Fuck it,” Regina said as she threw up her hands. “What precinct are you guys taking him to? I’ll let his girlfriend know and she can handle it.”
***
“Look, I did what I could,” Regina tried to explain to Yvonne as the woman sat on the couch seemingly in shock. “They almost let him go --”
“But the bitch started trying to fuck a tree,” Puddin’ shrieked with laughter. “Talking about he was going to make a baby with Mother Nature.”
“Puddin’, you watch you damn mouth in dis house,” Mama Tee said in her thick Trinidadian accent.
“Sorry, Mama Tee, but if you had been there . . .”
“I still would not be using no such language,” Mama Tee huffed.
“Mama, please.” Yvonne waved her hand wearily.
“Don’t you Mama please me, you hear me girl?” Mama Tee raved. “I told you dat man be no damn good. Be smoking that ganga stuff in de bathroom like nobody know what he be doing.”
Puddin’ snorted as she took a seat on the couch next to Yvonne. “Mama Tee, that ain’t no reefer that man be smoking. Reefer don’t make you act like that. I’m telling you he was downright dusty.”
“Say he be what?” Mama Tee asked suspiciously.
“He’s smoking angel dust,” Puddin’ said, ignoring the elbow jab Yvonne gave her. “It’s an elephant tranquilizer or something, isn’t it, Regina?”
“Um, something like that,” Regina said helplessly.
“Oh me Lawd.” Mama Tee threw up her hands. “De man be smoking elephant tranquilize in me daughter’s bathroom with me grandson right here in de house. Oh me sweet Lawd.”
“Mama, Robert doesn’t do that,” Yvonne said as she gave Puddin’ a dirty look. “He’s just not been feeling well lately.”
“Yeah, well, he looked like he was feeling pretty good tonight.” Puddin’ chuckled.
“Shut up, Puddin’,” Yvonne snapped.
“You shut up,” Puddin’ retorted. “I’m not the one with a man running down the street humping everything in sight.”