His Hot Tamale

  Table of Contents

  His Hot Tamale

  Copyright

  Foreword

  Blurb

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Sneak Peek to His Airhead

  More Trick-Or-Treat Books!

  Books by Mayra Statham

  Acknowledgments

  About Mayra Statham

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright © 2019 by Mayra Statham

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Editing: Julia Goda of Diamond in the Rough Editing

  Fomatting: CP Smith

  Cover Image: Deposit Photos

  FOREWORD

  Reader!

  Trick or treat! We have something sweet for you to devour this Halloween!

  These sexy heroes are about to put you under their spell...

  But watch out for twists and turns, these new books will have you lusting for more!

  TEN brand new stories full of...eye-candy!

  This holiday collection is just the right treat to get you in the mood for a sinful Hollow’s Eve.

  BLURB

  Welcome to the Kappa Sweets Sorority Series!

  Plain Jane. Ugly Duckling. Catalina Navarro’s heard it all. But it cut the deepest when it came from the lips of the one guy at U of D she thought finally saw her for her.

  Demi-god on the soccer field. Good time frat guy. But Jonah Scott is more than that. He is observant and smart. When the girl no one notices makes him laugh, he sees more than he thought possible.

  But when Jonah puts his foot in his mouth, does he ruin his chances with his hot tamale? Or will he be able to charm his way into Catalina’s heart?

  DEDICATION

  Every diamond has the ability to shine when there is someone to recognize its good facets…

  -Wes Fesler

  PROLOGUE

  Catalina Navarro

  THE SOCCER GOD had talked to me.

  For no reason.

  He didn’t need help with anything, that I knew of. I hadn’t meant to strike up a conversation with him—that had all been some sort of weird fate sorta thing—but I had. Then, when he said something and I responded in my usual dry way, he laughed. And his laugh, as girly as it would make me sound, was beautiful. Deep and rich and easy.

  Then he stuck around for the entire party.

  Even when girls stopped by and tried to grab his eye, his attention was completely on me. At the end of the night, he asked for my number and somehow, I didn’t stumble over myself and gave it to him. We’d been texting for the last couple of days. He was funny in a quirky way and a great listener.

  It’s why I was at Sigma’s house a couple days later. I was going to step out of my comfort zone like the president of my sorority Kappa Sweets had suggested.

  I was going to ask him to be my date for the Halloween Party.

  The door had been left wide open, and I walked in, scanning the area. The foyer was a little bit of a mess, the hardwood floors definitely in need of a cleaning. Guys were gross. I was just about to enter the living room when I heard them. Deep voices rumbling, guys talking and laughing. Obviously oblivious to anyone else in the house or their wide-open door.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask, man,” some deep voice asked. “What was up with you at the party after the win?”

  “What do you mean?” I quickly recognized his voice. Rich and velvety. I had to make an effort to not swoon.

  “Come on, you know what I mean,” the voice said, pushing for an answer.

  “I don’t,” Jonah Scott’s now familiar voice clipped.

  “Talking to that nobody,” his friend said, and my stomach sank. I should have left. I should have turned and walked out, texting instead of seeing him in person, but I was pinned to the floor.

  “She’s not a nobody,” he defended, and hope sprung high again. Jonah doesn’t see me as a nobody.

  “Look, dude, I know Kennedy broke your heart and shit, but that’s not a reason to lower your standards. I mean, Kenny was Insta-model hot and way out of your league to begin with.”

  “Fuck you,” he mumbled, and the others around laughed.

  “But to drop that low? Don’t do that, man. As your friend I have to stop you.”

  “She’s not a nobody…” he argued. “She’s… an ugly duckling.” His words were a painful punch in the gut.

  I stepped back and bumped into a hard wall of muscle. I turned around and looked into Milo, my best friend and sorority sister Cora’s boyfriend’s eyes.

  “Cat?” he said, and I shook my head, put my fingers over my lips, silently asking him to keep quiet. His eyes softened, but before he could say anything, I moved around him and ran out of the Sigma house like the devil was after me.

  Jonah

  “She’s not a nobody…” I argued, already annoyed by the guys. They didn’t get it. As annoyed as I was, I guess it was a relief as well. They were too blind and stupid to see what I’d found. A treasure hidden in plain sight. I was more than okay with these assholes I called friends not understanding.

  Catalina didn’t know it yet, but she was mine.

  “She’s…” How could I explain it in a way they would get it? “An ugly duckling,” I said and winced. I knew how it sounded, but I hadn’t meant it that way. I opened my mouth to explain, but they were too busy laughing, obviously misunderstanding me. I rolled my eyes. I was done being around them.

  Not only had they brought up my ex, Kennedy, but they were being complete douchebags about Cat.

  Sure, Kennedy had been physically beautiful. But she had also been selfish and greedy. She had used me and strung me along until she found something better. I wasn’t an idiot. I knew I was better off. I’d been focusing on school, soccer, and graduation when life sent me a curveball.

  Catalina Navarro.

  At a party drinking beer, she’d said something, and I’d laughed and watched her face transform. She was usually serious; watching Catalina smile had felt like a punch in the gut. She was fucking extraordinary. Bright hazel eyes hidden behind large dark frames. The color a swirl of greens and golds and browns.

  To those with blinders, she was an ugly duckling. I almost thought she went out of her way to hide the beauty she possessed. And this wasn’t just skin deep. Hell no. Catalina Navarro possessed the inside and out kind of beauty. I wasn’t sure why she hid behind the baggy clothes, big glasses, and messy hair. I just knew I wanted to find out everything about her and then start again. It would take work, but I wasn’t one to shy away from that. It’s what had me playing starting sweeper at a division-one school with scouts looking at me to play professional soccer. I was going to do everything in my power to get her to see she was meant for me.

  She had a huge heart, great wit, and a silver tongue that kept me on my toes. If that wasn’t enough, the curves hinted beneath the baggy plain clothes made my mouth water.

  Catalina Navarro was a whole other level of beauty, and I was lucky SOB that assholes like my frat brothers hadn’t realized it. They wouldn’t know how
to handle her. Not like I would. They wouldn’t understand Catalina Navarro was a treasure to be cherished and protected.

  They wouldn’t see she was a swan princess.

  At the end of the day, Catalina Navarro was going to be mine.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Catalina

  “ARE YOU SURE about this?” I squirmed, my brows bunched together, nerves getting the best of me.

  “Second thoughts?” Allie tilted her head, wide-eyed.

  “Maybe. I don’t know.” I sighed as I looked at Allie’s reflection in the mirror. She was standing behind me in a salon Willow, our sorority sister, always gushed about. The stylist had walked away for a second before getting started on my color, cut, and style.

  “You have great hair,” Allie complimented, and I looked at it. It was a lot of hair. Plain mousy brown hair that frizzed up and was too much for me to handle. I never knew what to do with it, so it was always tossed up into a messy bun over my head. It was that or down and always in my face.

  “I don’t know. It’s kind of plain,” I mumbled.

  “I wouldn’t do anything drastic. Only do this if it’s something you want. Never do it for a guy.”

  “This isn’t about a guy,” I quickly denied, lying my head off.

  This was totally about a guy. A guy I’d foolishly thought possibly might be interested in being my guy. My phone beeped announcing I had another text, but I pretended not to hear it. My eyes were back on my ugly duckling hair.

  “You got a text,” Allie said, her eyes soft and curious. I didn’t blame her. My phone had been pinging nonstop.

  “I know.” I touched the tips of the long strands.

  “Maybe you misunderstood whatever this guy said?” Her hand touched my shoulder, but I pressed my lips together. A complete twenty-four hours had passed since I’d heard him say those awful words.

  “He said, and I quote, ‘She’s not a nobody. She’s an ugly duckling.’” The words burned my throat and humiliation made my cheeks too warm. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” I casted my gaze down to my hands, another ping coming from my phone making my chest burn.

  “Cat—“

  “Are we ready?” The stylist smiled.

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “So, what will it be? Drastic or a just a trim?” I reached up and squeezed Allies hand, her words true, but my need for change was important as well.

  “I was thinking maybe somewhere in the middle.” Allie grinned and winked before stepping away, the stylist taking her place behind me.

  We can do that. How about here?” She touched my back just a smidge above my bra strap, and I nodded.

  “I like that! What about long layers to lighten it up? It’s kind of heavy.”

  “I can totally do that. How about color?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know much about hair color and styling products,” I admitted, and her eyes softened. Her hands moved as she played with my hair, massaging my scalp. I would have handed her my firstborn to keep playing with my hair.

  “You have amazing hair. I don’t think we should do anything dramatic. Maybe something subtle. Some Baylage. Just to add some warmer shades of brown, some honeys and caramels.” Was she doing my hair or making me a dessert? I didn’t know what the hell Baylage was, but I liked the idea of subtle. I was ready to make some changes in my life, but I wasn’t about to go pink. I didn’t think I could pull off pink.

  “Okay.” I nodded, and she grinned.

  “I can also show you a couple of ways to style it as well after we color and cut.”

  “I would love that!” I exclaimed a little excitedly, and she smiled genuinely. “Thank you.”

  “Of course! Now, let’s get you started.”

  A couple of hours later, my head felt ten pounds lighter. My hair smelled fantastic and was incredibly soft with beautiful hints of lighter shades of rich browns. I loved it, but I wasn’t used to enjoying the reflection in the mirror. Trish, my stylist, was super sweet and showed me easy ways to fix up my hair. She ended up cutting about six inches off. Teaching me fast and easy ways to maintain the style. Then she went a step above and beyond by doing my makeup. It wasn’t a lot or dramatic, but somehow, I felt different.

  “What do you think?” I asked Allie over my shoulder, and she hugged my shoulders.

  “I think you look incredible!”

  “Yeah?” I asked questioningly, not used to feeling this way. Almost pretty.

  “Definitely!” We waved goodbye after paying before we walked the mall. “So, all this time you’ve had contacts?” she asked, and I shrugged, still feeling a little naked without my bulky frames over my face.

  When Trish suggested doing my makeup, I’d shared I carried a pair of contacts in my purse just in case anything happened to my glasses. I took the glasses off and popped in the lenses I usually only wore when I went swimming or worked out.

  “I’ve never seen you without glasses.”

  “Yeah, but why poke my eye if I don’t have to?” I knew my rationality didn’t make sense to someone like Allie. Some women were born with an internal instinct to get dolled up and accessorize, knowing exactly how to make themselves look the best. Unfortunately, that gene had skipped right over me. With four sisters, all of them dripping that talent, I’d always felt like an outcast. Like an ugly duckling. It was why Jonah’s words had stung so much.

  “I can understand that. My sister, Zoey, wears contacts but says by the end of a long day, she doesn’t know what feels better, taking her bra off or her contacts out,” Allie shared, and I laughed, thankful my friend had snapped me out of my boy-induced thoughts. “Hair and makeup is done. How about some shopping?”

  “Let’s do it.” We headed toward a popular store I’d heard Ivey and Willow talk about; the two of them were shopping addicts.

  “Is there anything you have always wanted but, I don’t know, hesitated buying?” Allie asked, and I pressed my lips together.

  “Honestly?”

  “Yeah, share!”

  “Skinny jeans.” This stopped Allie in her tracks, and I looked back at her. “What?”

  “Are you serious?!” she exclaimed, looking at me like she thought I was insane. “You have great legs.”

  “I don’t.”

  “You do! I would kill for your thighs.” She was cute for trying to compliment me, but my thighs were thick and my hips too wide.

  “Allie—”

  “We are so getting you skinny jeans! What else?”

  “A denim skirt,” I immediately answered. I was completely committed to trying. I was done being a supporting character in my own story and being looked over. “And a halter top,” I added, and she grinned, a wicked gleam falling over her stare.

  “Wow, sexy! We can totally find those! Oh!” she exclaimed, looking over my shoulder and pointing at a store window, “You need those boots!” She took my hand and dragged me into a shoe store.

  Allie was kinda looney sometimes, but she was the perfect person to go shopping with. In less than two hours, I’d made a serious dent in my savings account. We had one too many bags, but it had been worth it. She helped me pick out clothes, and when I tried them on, I felt better. Prettier. I’d even decided to change into a pair of light denim skinny jeans and a white fitted tee I’d purchased.

  As we stepped out of the Halloween store, my new costume for our Kappa Sweets Halloween party in hand, my heart halted at the sight of the very guy I was hoping would magically be erased from my brain. My stomach sank as my heart rate sped up.

  Jonah Scott was incredibly handsome. Tall and lean with defined muscle and sun-kissed skin he had earned out on the soccer field. Even after I heard him say those awful things, he still had a way to make a swarm of butterflies do Olympic-sized somersaults in my stomach. God, I was hopeless. Thinking he would walk right past us, I was shocked when he stopped, his focus completely on Allie.

  Why wouldn’t it be? I was obviously chopped liver.

  Ugly duckling. r />
  Jonah

  She was ignoring me.

  I had no idea why or what the hell I had done.

  “Hey,” Milo said, sitting down on the couch across from me, and I lifted my head but didn’t say a word, faking my attention on the game playing on the big screen. “What’s up with you?”

  “Nothing,” I mumbled. I was just confused as hell, something in the pit of my stomach gnawing at me. Catalina didn’t play games, or at least she hadn’t before. Now, my texts were going unread and she was ghosting me.

  “Really?” he asked, obviously not believing me. “This have anything to do with Cat?”

  What? I turned to look at him. “Cat who?”

  “That’s how you’re gonna play this?”

  “Look, Milo, I don’t know what—”

  “Catalina is Cora’s roommate and one of her best friends.”

  “Catalina?” I repeated, a light switch flipping on in my head. “Sorry, I don’t call her Cat. My bad. My head’s a mess.”

  “Because of her?”

  “She won’t text me back. I thought… I don’t know what I thought.” I sighed, letting the back of my head hit the couch, my eyes on the TV.

  “Do you blame her? he muttered, and my head popped in his direction. Disgust was clear on his face, and I narrowed my eyes. Milo and I were tight. He was one of my best friends. What the hell could I have possibly done?

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You were a dick yesterday,” he stated, his expression cold.

  “What? When?” I was confused as hell as I thought about the day before. Milo opened his mouth to answer, but I cut him off with another question. “Wait. I didn’t even see her yesterday!”

  “She was here, idiot.”

  “She was?”

  “Yeah, dumbass. She ran out of here after you called her an ugly duckling.”

  “What?” A sinking feeling washed through me just as anger swept over. “Fucker, why didn’t you tell me?”