Craving Temptation Read online

  “I’m sure there’s something. Think harder.”

  He took a breath and another bite of his snack. “I have a passion for airplanes. I love everything to do with aeronautics. In another life I would have been a pilot.”

  “Why not this life?”

  “Because I’m afraid of heights.”

  Amina laughed. “Really? I can’t imagine you being afraid of anything.”

  “So, what would your career choice have been in another life?”

  “I’d have been a high-fashion model. I’d also be twelve inches taller.”

  Troy nodded. “I could see you walking the catwalk.”

  She giggled ever so slightly. “But I love being an attorney and I especially enjoy the work I’ve done in Atlanta to help the community. Eventually I hope to do more of that here.”

  “I eventually hope to make a senate run. I’m hoping you’ll be available to run that campaign.”

  “What about your buddy Mike?”

  “I love Mike but even he says you’re the best.”

  “He’s being kind.”

  “Tell me about your brother and sister. I’d like to meet them someday.”

  “I’m having a really hard time connecting with the two of them. Basil is just mean-spirited and ill-tempered. And Rasheeda . . . well, she’s her father’s daughter. It’s hard to get past that but we’re working on it.”

  “Keep trying. Family is important. I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have Quentin and Harper.”

  Troy reached across the table for her hand, his fingers entwining with hers. Touching her felt good, warm and tender. Amina pulled his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers, her touch endearing. He slid his palm along her jawline, resting it against her cheek. He met the look she was giving him, joy shimmering in her stare. Her smile was wide and in that moment he would have given anything to have lingered beneath it forever.

  Not only was she on time for family dinner but Amina was early enough to give her sister a hand with the evening’s meal. The two women were actually having a good time together and Amina vowed to make more of an effort to spend time with the young woman.

  They were sharing a laugh when the front bell rang and they heard Basil open the door to greet their company. Nasser’s voice rang out warmly, the man’s exuberant greeting moving the two women to toss each other a curious look.

  “Who’s eating with us?” Amina questioned.

  Rasheeda shrugged her narrow shoulders. “I don’t know. Father just said to set three extra places.”

  “I’m going to go see and say hello,” Amina said.

  Rasheeda shook her head. “You should wait until Father calls for us. Trust me. We’ll have a better evening that way.”

  “Don’t all these rules get on your nerves?” Amina asked as she shook salt and pepper into the mixed vegetables.

  Rasheeda smiled, the faintest lift to her mouth. She didn’t bother to answer.

  Amina shook her head. “Well, I know they get on my nerves,” she said.

  Rasheeda laughed as she moved to her sister’s side. She passed her a stack of china plates. “It really isn’t so bad, Amina. Now go set the dinner table, please.”

  Amina gave Rasheeda a look, then both women burst out laughing. Minutes later the table was set and the platters were filled with food, ready to be served. Rasheeda seemed happy with the presentation so Amina was happy too. As if on cue, Nasser peeked into the room.

  “Amina, there is someone I want you to meet,” he said, gesturing for her to follow behind him.

  Just as Amina reached the door Rasheeda called her name. The young woman gestured with her hand, passing her palm and fingers in front of her face. “Your veil,” Rasheeda whispered loudly, her eyes wide.

  Amina shook her head and blew a deep sigh. “My last nerve!” she said as she lifted the covering back across her face.

  As she entered the living room, an older couple and a younger man were standing in the center. There was no mistaking the familiarity between them, the son a spitting image of his father. Of average height both men had significant potbellies that made them look pregnant; one more so than the other. The younger man wore an expensive silk suit but it was ill-fitting, the single button looking like it was about to pop. A bright white dress shirt and red bowtie complemented the rest of his outfit. The father was similarly adorned and the matriarch was dressed in a traditional hijab. All three greeted Amina with wide smiles and warm brown eyes that shimmered against black coffee complexions. Her father made the introductions.

  “Daughter, allow me to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Fayed and their son Kareem.

  Mrs. Fayed stepped toward her, placing two hands on Amina’s shoulders. “It is an honor for us to finally meet you, Amina. Your father has always spoken very highly of you.”

  Amina nodded. “Thank you. It’s very nice to meet you all as well.”

  Kareem Fayed had a pleasant face and generous smile and he greeted Amina as if they were long-lost friends. “Amina, it’s good to see you,” he said, reaching for both of her hands.

  He was tall and lean, his dark complexion complemented by a dark brown Hugh Jackman haircut. He gripped her fingers just a touch too tightly, the gesture making Amina feel slightly uncomfortable. She tried to pull her hands from his without showing her uneasiness, her own smile waning substantially. Mr. Fayed had not bothered to speak, still standing there and appraising her. She nodded in his direction, lowering her eyes to show him respect as her father moved to her side.

  Nasser wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I have been friends with the Fayed family since before you children were born. I regret that you and Kareem didn’t grow up together like he and Basil did so that you two could have gotten to know each other sooner.” He gestured for them all to take a seat.

  Hearing his name Basil eagerly joined the conversation. “Kareem and I have been friends since forever. We are more like brothers than anything else. And my brother here is a real estate broker. He and I have done much business together,” he said.

  “I actually own a very successful real estate investment firm,” Kareem clarified.

  “Kareem is also one of the founding members of our young men’s group at the mosque,” her father added as he listed a host of Kareem’s other accomplishments.

  Amina suddenly felt as if she were observing some ritual she had no understanding of. She looked to her brother who seemed oblivious to her confusion. Mrs. Fayed chuckled softly, seeming to read Amina’s mind.

  “You must excuse the men, Amina. They have no decorum when it comes to a woman’s destiny,” she said, her tone teasing.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Amina responded.

  Mrs. Fayed gave her another wide smile. “When you were just a baby your father and my husband negotiated a marriage commitment between you and my son. Of course, now that you two are adults you both have complete say whether or not to honor that commitment but I’m confident that once you and my son spend time together and get to know one another that you will think we made a wise choice for you both.”

  Her eyes wide, Amina shot her father a look, then rested her eyes on Kareem, who was staring at her intently. His grin was a mile wide. “I know that I am ready to honor that commitment as soon as you are comfortable with doing so, Amina,” he said. “I look forward to making you my wife.”

  9

  Harper was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. She and Amina sat Indian-style in the center of the queen-size bed in Harper’s guest bedroom. They’d been talking since Amina had shown up hours earlier, neither woman in any hurry.

  “So you’ve been engaged since you were an infant!” Harper exclaimed excitedly.

  Amina shook her head vehemently. “Is that not crazy? I know that arranged marriages are perfectly acceptable in some cultures but it’s the twenty-first century. Did my father really think I’d marry some guy he picked out for me twenty-plus years ago?”

  Harper nodded
, her laugh dropping to a loud giggle. “I really want to see Troy’s face when you tell him! You have to let me be there.”

  Amina rolled her eyes skyward. “I have no intentions of telling Troy this. He’ll think my entire family is crazy.”

  “Oh, you’re going to tell him. I just want to be a fly on the wall when you do!”

  Amina’s head waved from side to side. “It’s just too much, Harper! What do I do?”

  “Well, did you say yes?”

  “Of course not! In fact, I didn’t say much of anything at all. My sister said I looked shell-shocked.”

  “What did your father say?”

  “What he always says. That I should trust his judgment. That he knows best. That a good Muslim woman is an obedient woman. Then he said he approved of that man and I spending time together to get to know one another as long as Basil is there to chaperone.”

  “How sweet! He wants to protect your virtue!”

  “He wants to ruin my life!” Amina exclaimed. She fell face forward, dropping her forehead against the mattress.

  The two women were still giggling when they heard a door slam harshly followed by Troy’s booming voice calling for his brother. As the man moved through the home Amina’s eyes widened.

  “He’s early!”

  “Actually, I think you’re late,” Harper said, taking a glance at her wristwatch.

  Troy suddenly came to an abrupt stop in the doorway, spying the two women. He looked from one to the other. “Hi. What are you two up to?”

  Harper shrugged. “Girl talk. What are you doing here?” she asked as she unfolded her body to a standing position, her feet planted firmly on the hardwood floor.

  “I needed to ask Quentin a question before I picked up my date for dinner,” he said as he winked an eye in Amina’s direction.

  Amina’s bright smile widened with excitement.

  “Well, your brother is sound asleep. He was up all night and all day baking. He only lay down an hour or so ago. And, as you saw, I was gossiping with your date.”

  “About something juicy, I hope.”

  “We were talking about you.”

  Troy’s mouth lifted into a slight smile. “I suddenly imagine that if I’d had you for a little sister sooner, I’d have strangled you by now.”

  Harper laughed. “I love you, too, Big Brother!” She reached up to kiss his cheek. “Do you want me to wake Quentin?” she asked as she moved toward the door.

  Troy shook his head no. “Let him sleep. I’ll catch up with him later,” he said.

  Harper smiled. “I have some work to finish up,” she said. Her hand rested on the doorknob. “Why don’t I give you two some privacy.”

  Making her exit, Harper tossed Amina a wink of her eye, then closed the bedroom door behind herself. As her footsteps faded down the hallway Troy turned his gaze toward the beautiful woman. As he looked into her eyes he felt something surge through his spirit that he couldn’t quite name. It was as if an electrical current was running through him and the pleasant feeling was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. A nervous flutter rippled between them.

  “Hi,” she whispered, her voice dropping low.

  “Hi,” Troy responded as he eased himself closer to the bed. He stood staring at her for a brief moment before he lifted one knee and then the other onto the bed top.

  He crawled slowly toward where she was still sitting. As he reached her, Amina extended her arms and wrapped them around his neck. She pulled him close as he dropped his mouth against hers and kissed her hungrily.

  His lips grazed hers lightly at first then with more vigor. He sucked on her bottom lip and then her top, his tongue teasing the flesh across her mouth. When he eased an arm around her waist and dropped his body weight against hers, she opened her mouth and welcomed him in, his tongue dancing alongside hers.

  So lost in the moment, Amina was oblivious to Troy’s having eased himself between her legs, his pelvis joined nicely to hers. They lingered in the sheer beauty of the connection until Troy suddenly pulled himself from her, lifting his body back onto his feet. He was panting heavily and an erection had lengthened in his pants. The weight of it pressed tight against the front of his trousers. He turned his back to her and sat down on the bed.

  Her own breathing was raspy as Amina gasped for air. Still lying back, she drew her knees to her chest and rolled onto her side, then pulled her arms up over her head. Troy’s touch had ignited something deep in her core, something she knew only he could quench. His touch had felt too good and she fathomed that something that good couldn’t possibly be right for either of them. She blew a deep sigh.

  Troy drew a large palm across her back, his hand coming to rest against her hip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean . . .” he started. There was a moment of hesitation before he suddenly shook his head vehemently. “No, I’m not sorry. I wanted that. I want you. I’m not going to apologize for how I feel about being with you, Amina.”

  Amina took a deep breath and blew another sigh past her lips. She rolled back against him, her eyes lifting as they connected with his. “What’s happening with us, Troy?” she said as she fell into the look he was giving her. “This just feels too . . . well . . .” She stammered, searching for the right words to express what she was feeling. When she couldn’t find one she looked to him for help.

  “It feels amazing,” Troy finally answered. “I feel complete when I’m with you, Amina, and when you’re not there I feel like something important is missing. I feel lost. Every night when we talk all I want to do is pull you through that damn phone and wrap myself around you. I think you must be a witch or something because you definitely have me under your spell.”

  Amina laughed. “That’s exactly how I feel about you.”

  He met the look she was giving him, his eyes locking with hers as he sighed, warm breath blowing past his full lips. Troy lay back against the mattress and eased his body alongside hers. He curled himself against her backside as Amina snuggled her hips and buttocks against the rise of nature in his pants. With her softness nestled nicely against his hardened muscles he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. He snuggled his face against her hair and pressed a damp kiss to the back of her neck. Amina purred softly and the lilt of it was like music to his ears.

  “So what do we do about this?” Troy asked.

  Amina shrugged, gently beating her head against the mattress. “I don’t know,” she finally responded. “I really don’t know. But I do think we may need to slow things down.”

  “Why?”

  Amina wiggled her buttocks against him, his hardened member rolling against her backside. “That’s why,” she whispered ever so slightly.

  “Does that make you uncomfortable? You know it only happens because you excite me, Amina.”

  “And you excite me too, but . . .” She hesitated.

  She and Troy had already had a conversation about her convictions. He understood that she wasn’t ready to take their relationship to the next level. The moments they’d spent alone had gotten heated beyond measure and Amina had needed to stall the desire that consumed her. Being with Troy, his hands painting heat across her bare flesh, had made her reconsider her beliefs, her body wanting to give in to the desire he so easily elicited from her. She appreciated that Troy never pushed her for more because if he had she knew she would have given in. She had wanted him that badly. She still wanted him, unable to think of little else. Troy echoed the sentiment.

  “I want you, Amina. I’m not going to hide that. Not from you. But you have to want me just as much and the time has to be right for both of us,” he said as he snuggled her closer to his body.

  He continued. “Sex is an expression of love and one without the other is incomplete. When we do make love, Amina, you’ll know how much I love you and I’ll know that you love me back.”

  Tears sprung to her eyes. “I don’t want you to be disappointed,” she said. “I don’t have the experience some women have.”
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  “I don’t care about other women and what they have. I care about you.”

  Amina could feel herself blushing. Heat warmed her cheeks.

  An hour later Troy was still holding on to her, the couple chatting easily. He’d taken the news of her arranged marriage well, finding it as humorous as Harper had. Amina wanted to find it funny as well, but knowing her father she understood that the patriarch was quite serious about her eventually marrying Kareem Fayed.

  “That’s not going to happen,” Troy said.

  “It’s definitely not what I want,” Amina said, trying to ignore the fingers that were gently teasing the flesh beneath her blouse, her stomach muscles quivering beneath his touch.

  “No. I mean it, Amina. You are not marrying him or anyone else. I won’t let that happen. I will go to your father myself first.”

  She giggled. “And what would you say to my father?”

  A pregnant pause swelled full between them. Both fell into the quiet of it as Troy pondered her comment. In the distance they could suddenly hear Quentin and Harper in conversation, the couple laughing in another room. Troy kissed the back of Amina’s neck one last time, then lifted himself from the bed. Extending his hand he pulled her to her feet beside him, his arms wrapping around her torso. He stared down into her eyes, a warm smile filling his face. And then he answered.

  “I would tell your father that I love you. That I love you more than anything else in this world.”

  Amina was grateful that neither her father nor her brother was up to scold her when she finally found her way home. It was almost three o’clock in the morning and she knew any confrontation with her family would have ruined what had been the most perfect evening. She eased her way to the room she shared with her sister and, once inside, the door closed behind her, she released the breath she’d been holding. Rasheeda shook her head, her newly acquired electronic reader resting in her lap.

  Amina pulled her index finger to her lips. “Shhh,” she whispered.