The door began to shake and the hinges jingled.
Latonya didn’t have the energy to get up from her bed and answer it. Then she realized that if she was going to make any headway against the flu that had her flat on her back for two days, she was going to have to muster the strength.
She draped the sweat-soaked sheet around herself and walked the few steps from her bedroom to her front door.
“One second.” Her sore throat was tested by even those two words. Leaning against the door for rest, Latonya realized she would be lucky to tell the irritating person on the other side that they had the wrong apartment. Her illness and annoyance blocked her normal caution of looking through the peephole and putting the chain lock in place.
She angrily snatched open the door and immediately regretted her haste. A cold chill washed over her as her worst fear materialized.
Her husband and his grandfather had found her.
GWYNETH BOLTON
became an avid romance fan after sneak-reading her mother’s romance novels. In the nineties, she was introduced to African-American romance novels and her life hasn’t been the same since. She has an M.A. in creative writing and a Ph.D. in English. She teaches writing and women’s studies at the college level. When she is not writing African-American romance novels, she is curled up with a cup of herbal tea, a warm quilt and a good book. She currently lives in Syracuse, New York, with her husband, Cedric. Readers can contact her via e-mail, [email protected] or visit her Web site www.gwynethbolton.com
If Only You Knew
Gwyneth Bolton
My mother Donna Pough
My sisters Jennifer, Sandy, Michelle and Tashina
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy reading Latonya and Carlton’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. A major theme of the novel is the issue of intercultural relationships between people of African descent. As an African-American woman with friends and ties across the African diaspora, this theme is near and dear to my heart. I like to believe that for the most part people in general have more similarities than differences. So the way certain black-on-black biases and prejudices play out as we relate to one another has always intrigued me. I think that Latonya and Carlton show us that love finds its way past the obstacles of cultural and class difference. Their love story provides inspiration for us all to move past the things that stop us from connecting more fully. I’d love to hear what you think!
Gwyneth Bolton
Contents
Chapter 1
“Hey, beautiful.”
Latonya Stevens glanced up from the papers on her desk. Smiling, she tilted her head and batted her eyes playfully at her coworker.
Jeff Weatherby leaned against the entryway to her office wearing a designer suit and a smile that could best be described as sexy with a little mischief thrown in for good measure. His tall, lean, muscular build, along with his Hollywood heartthrob looks and boyish charm, made him almost irresistible. And he knew it. Observing the player-on-the-prowl gleam in his eyes, Latonya thanked God she had developed immunity to smooth-talking playboys ever since the first one, her father, broke her heart.
Jeff loosened his tie as he stepped into the office and took a seat. “So, beautiful, how about you come to Soka’s with us for happy hour. It’s Friday and it’s time to get ready for the weekend.” His piercing cobalt-blue eyes glimmered as he spoke. He casually leaned back in the chair.
Watching as he made himself comfortable, Latonya admired his easy, laid-back nature. She figured that it must have been nice to let go and not have to worry about anything but working and partying hard, sometimes in that order.
Unfortunately, she had too many responsibilities to test the lifestyle Jeff seemed to promote so wholeheartedly.
“Thanks for the invite, but I have to get a head start on next week’s projects.” She stood up and stretched, moving her neck and head in a circular motion.
“You