She was so upset she was called out of town on Rico's last off day. Sheila came over with the news that a late-night talk show wanted her as a last-minute replacement for another guest. She would have all day to rehearse, then perform and interview later that night. It was all prerecorded and would not be televised for at least another week.

It was short notice, but she brought Autumn with her to give her parents a break even though they said they would be fine watching her.

Of course, her entourage was right there with her. Keeping her stress-free and looking fabulous. Sheila was on her job and even Telly was at her side, rattling off things she should talk about.

"Keep talk about the album at the top of everyone's mind. Of course, the tour, we need to sell those tickets. Oh, do mention the new boyfriend."

"He's off limits," she said as Malaika contoured her face.

"Why? Everyone loves a sports romance. And especially because it's all new and everyone is curious. And you know you get all giggly and cute with new relationships."

She groaned at that, curling her lip up in disgust.

"Oh you mean everyone is so nosy, and so the answer is no." She huffed as Malaika finished her makeup and stepped back to look at her work. "And Rico is not like that, he doesn't like the attention. We went official, but we still want our privacy."

"But they will ask, and you should tell."

"How about I don't. And I think keeping it all mysterious could work."

"Mysterious? There are pictures of you two together already posted around. Of Autumn and him. You posted a selfie together right after you posted that you were no longer single. So did he! There is no mystery anymore. There is no privacy."

Telly had a point there but whatever. She wanted everything about their relationship to be on their terms. If Rico warned privacy she would give it to him. Well, as best she could.

"I can choose how much and what I want to put out there. And it's final."

Before in her relationships, it always seemed to overshadow her music or whatever else she was doing. Everyone and their momma felt a need to stick their nose into her relationship. Part of her thrived off of it, because she was happy, in the beginning. And then she wished she had not shared everything.

She would share their first kiss. Whenever they cooked for each other or shared gifts they bought each other. She would make silly videos with them. So maybe she was to blame when everyone was in her business because she put everything out there,

Rico was teaching her to do things differently.

The first question out of the gate: "So I hear you have a new man?"

She had to play it cool in her face and not look like she was upset. This was where years of media training helped. When she was young and first signed, she was a country bumpkin, talked weird to most, didn't articulate, always had a stank attitude, and did not know how to hide her emotions in interviews. She worked with a dialect coach to get rid of her Midwestern accent. An etiquette coach helped her control her resting bitch face and bad attitude.

All of that to become the Princess of RnB, the girl next door that everyone adored. So now she reached deep into her bag to be the sweet and bubbly girl for the audience.

"Yes, there is someone special."

"I know that's not all you're going to say! Come on girl, give us more. I hear he's a baseball player. And hot and sexy." The late night talk show host was a woman, and fairly young, and she interviewed with her several times. That is why she seemed to think they were friends or something. They were not.

"You are dealing with me, you know my standards."

"Yeah, yeah, and we also know they don't end well. You think this one will be different?"

She again had to keep her calm with this woman. The nerve!

"I can't predict the future. I am just enjoying myself and seeing where things go. Everything is new."

"You go to his games and everything? You're into all of that now?"

"Well...if you're from St. Louis, you're born with a love for the team. We have some of the biggest fanbases and most loyal out there." This she learned from talking with Rico. Before that, she would have no clue about that.

But she wanted to steer the conversation away from her dating life. Maybe she should have kept things secret for longer. But why hide it? This was such a weird position for her to be in right now.

She tried to lead the hist to her album. "Have you listened to my new album? What's your favorite song?"

"Honey! All of them!" the host said with a hand clap and laugh. She was happy to have steered the conversation away from Rico and her dating life. "But Slide On It? Sheesh! Sexy! You're giving tips on how to...ride on that D. Please tell me you've tried some of those moves on that hot man of yours."

Ugh! And they were back.

This was why she was glad her daughter was backstage with headphones on, watching a movie on her tablet and not listening to any of this. Slide On It was a song about sex and sexing her man. It was her freaky side of her and she wrote it all herself.

Sex was liberating and she was of the mindset women loved it as much as men, and that they could openly talk about it as well. That did not make her a freak or a whore. And she would stand ten toes down on that.

She dodged the question by saying it was just a fun song, like the rest of her songs. Never mind it was something she was itching to write after a few romps with exes. Riding on top, learning her body and what she liked. Learning how to please a man, and to reach her own orgasm without them.

Even better, making a man cum on her command.

After the recorded interview and performance, she and the crew headed to their hotel suite. She and Autumn would be staying in a two-room suite. One room was supposed to be for Autumn and Sheila with two beds. And she had her own room with the king-sized. But she wanted Autumn in bed with her. So after she scrubbed down and showered, they put on their matching PJs and she read books to her till she fell asleep.

Good thing her daughter was a sound sleeper because once she was down, she crept out of the bed and into the living room so that she could talk to Rico.

"I miss you."

"Having fun out there?" It was his deep, sultry voice for her. Every time they were on the phone it soothed her.

"No. Wish you were here with me."

"At least you love what you do."

"Correction. I love making music, singing, and performing. Keep all the extra stuff." She stretched out on the couch, imagining Rico's tall frame lying in his bed. "What are you doing right now?"

"Sitting here watching TV."

"Oh." Not what she pictured. She checked the time and it was kind of late in that time zone, she wondered why he was not in bed.

"Honestly..." he added after a pause. "I couldn't keep my mind off you so I'm watching old videos of you on repeat."

She cheesed hard at that. It was nice having him as both a fan and treating her like a normal person. He knew all of her songs, lyric for lyric, but he was not a Stan or anything. It was cute.

"Rico," she bit her bottom lip. "How much longer do we have to wait, I want you so bad."

"Baby, we never have enough time together to even make it memorable. I have a ten-game streak coming up tomorrow and I know how busy you are."

"I don't care!" she screamed out louder than needed. She hoped she did not wake up Autumn or Sheila. "I'll take a quickie if I have to."

He laughed but she was oh so serious.

"Let's wait-"

"Rico, I think you make me wait because absence makes the heart grow fonder. But you have me, all of me, and I want to give you all of me."

She could hear him taking in a big breath and blowing it out. She liked that he was a little shy. That he held back what he was thinking. He had already proven his point that he was unlike any other guy, just wanting to have sex with her and treat her badly.

"Tika, I want you. I promise I do." He took another pause before saying more. "Tell you what, I have five days off after this streak if you're free-"

"I'll make myself free!" She became excited now and sat up on the sofa. "Let's go away somewhere. Anywhere, I don't care."

"Okay, I got it. I'll make the plans, you just...show up...in something sexy."

No more waiting. She was ready.