Harmony by Sienna Mynx Read Free Book Online Page A

her round, kind face. Her skin was a nut brown shade, and her hair, streaked grey from the temples, was always worn parted in two plaits. She’d raised them since Harmony was four and her brother a babe. Her mother had run off when their father disappeared. Harmony had no idea if either of her parents were alive.
     
    “ I see the way that man looks at you when he comes to see about Lil Will, knowing full well he done passed that boy in the streets on his way up our step. He not fooling me girl. Showin’ up at my door with those sweets, flowers, he courtin’ you Mony.”
     
    Harmony’s eyes stretched wide. “But he said…”
     
    “ Don’t matter what he say Mony it’s what he do. You blooming baby. Men like him bound to notice. The problem with Lewis is he in the world, you ain’t. You spend mo’ time in the church pew singing and in those books of yours than understanding the attentions of a man. But if you keep on acceptin’ those gifts he gone expect more. Every man wants somethin’, even if what they give you is barely nothin.” Grams pulled out the yellow kitchen chair so worn on its legs the paint had all but disappeared in the wood. She sat and wiped at her brow then forced a smile. “Been saving up for you sweetheart, to get you out of Harlem. Send you South to learn in one of those colored schools. You gone be something baby, a teacher, or maybe a nurse. I can’t worry too much about Willie, he got too much of his daddy in him. But you, baby, you special, that voice of yours was sent straight from God. Don’t let the desires of a man change who you become.”
     
     
     
    Harmony blinked away the beginning of tears. Her grandmother died two weeks later from her weak heart. And everything changed. Including her promise to be somebody special. Lewis was there for her, comforted her, even paid for the service. But his attentions had shifted from Willie to her solely. Before she knew the name of the new uncharted emotions she felt over his naughty touches and prolonged kisses she was in his bed becoming his woman.
     
    Now she was alone.
     
    Her own woman.
     
    And here with a man who could only lead her down the wrong path. Just like Lewis, the danger and powerful maleness about Romano made her weak. Every time he spoke her name, she felt an insane urge to touch him. In fact, the more time she spent alone with him, the more those urges consumed her sensibility, and she was oddly grateful for it.
     
    Romano walked over to the bed. The surface was bathed in sparse light, just enough to chase away the shadows. Her eyes skipped over to the wall. It was a rich and masculine room with pecan wood paneling. The bed had tall dark mahogany posts and a broad headboard. It was indeed the largest bed she’d ever laid her eyes on outside Pinkleston’s furniture store. Why would a single man like him need a bed so big? She and Lewis shared one less than half its size and Willie slept on the other side of a strung up sheet on a cot.
     
    “ You’re still nervous,” he said, approaching.
     
    Harmony opened her mouth and closed it, knowing that a litany of excuses were certain to tumble out. The truth was far simpler. Her heart thundered in her chest and blood warmly raced through her veins, not from nervousness but something strangely enticing. Good, bad or wrong the unknown held promise. When he stopped in front of her she had to look up into his eyes again. Romano traced his finger along her jaw to the center of her chin then with a pinch he tilted her head back. Harmony took in a few quick breaths through her nose, attempting to stop the breakneck pace of her heart. Her body tension slowly began to unwind. Romano lowered his head and stole a kiss. It was slow, teasingly gentle. A brief touch of lips that felt both soft and innocent. When his mouth parted she realized hers gaped for more. Embarrassed she pressed her lips together and double blinked up at him. Heat slid arousal through her body and she