Craving Temptation by Deborah Fletcher Mello Read Free Book Online Page A

finally fallen, raining down her face. She hated that her nearly perfect day was ending on such a sour note.
    She’d been excited when she’d finally made her way home. Troy Elliott had invited her to dinner and they’d made tentative plans for the following week. Amina had hoped to share her excitement with her sister but within minutes of coming through the front door Basil had begun to berate her and her father had allowed it.
    She hated that she’d told a little white lie about her cell phone battery having died—that being the reason she’d not returned any of their calls. And she disliked not being able to tell her family where she’d been. But she knew telling the truth would have opened a whole other can of issues between them. Keeping secrets from them was surely not the kind of relationship she wanted to have with her father or her siblings. But they weren’t making things easy and she didn’t want her father to be disappointed with her.
    Amina swiped at the tears that dampened her cheeks. Blowing a deep sigh she knew that her next move wasn’t going to sit well with any of her relatives either. But prayer was going to have to wait. She needed someone to talk to and since she couldn’t talk with her sister, a long-distance call to her mother was definitely necessary.
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    Amina was still pouring over paperwork when her cell phone rang. The chime was unexpected and her focus was so deep that it startled her. She jumped, the papers piled on the bedspread before her falling into disarray. The device chimed a second time and her sister shifted in the other bed, lifting her head to stare at her.
    Amina and her mother had finished their conversation hours earlier so she couldn’t begin to imagine who would be calling her at such a late hour. She disrupted her paperwork even more as she reached across to the nightstand, hurrying to silence the noise. Pulling the phone into her hand, she didn’t recognize the number that blinked for her attention.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œAmina, hello! It’s Troy Elliott.” His voice was pure molasses; thick, rich, and sweet, the seductive cadence coming as a complete surprise.
    â€œTroy, hi!”
    â€œI know it’s late. I hope I’m not calling at a bad time,” the man intoned.
    She shook her head, oblivious to his not being able to see her. “No, not at all,” she said, her own voice a loud whisper. “Can you hold on for a second?”
    â€œSure.”
    Amina eased her body off the bed. She tossed Rasheeda a slight smile, the girl staring at her through glazed eyes. Moving into the connected bathroom Amina closed and locked the door. A night light illuminated the space. She pulled the shower curtain aside and stepped into the porcelain tub, settling herself comfortably in the corner.
    She took a deep breath and then a second as she pulled her phone back to her ear. “Sorry about that. I share a room with my sister and I didn’t want to wake her.”
    â€œIt’s not a problem. I understand completely.”
    â€œHow did you get my number?” she asked, remembering that she’d not given it to him.
    â€œI bribed Harper for it. I hope you don’t mind.”
    Amina could feel herself smiling, a wide grin spread across her face. “Bribed?”
    â€œMy sister-in-law has a wicked shoe obsession. I’m told my money is going to buy her a great new pair.”
    Amina laughed. “That’s too funny!” She could sense Troy smiling on the other end.
    â€œYou weren’t in bed or anything were you?” Troy questioned.
    â€œNo. I was just sorting through some paperwork.”
    â€œBurning the midnight oil. I’m impressed.”
    â€œYou should be,” she said. “I’m not planning on losing this election.”
    Troy laughed. “Neither am I.”
    â€œThat might be a problem for us,” Amina said.
    â€œNot if we