Pleasure After Hours. AlTonya Washington

little voice that reminded her that she was quitting.

       “A girl can’t spend her life working all the time, though.”

       “But I don’t.” She rubbed his wrist again, then drew back when she felt his hand constrict about her foot. “Do you think you’re keeping me from having fun or something?” She moved her feet beneath her then. She scooted closer when she heard the gruff sound rumble in his chest.

       “Taeo?” She dipped her head for a better look at his face. “Is this about my sex life or Manson Yates?”

       “Jesus, Temple. Sex life?” His handsome features contorted fiercely, as though that image was one he didn’t want in his head.

       His reaction gave Temple pause and she sat up a bit straighter. “Mataeo, why are you really here?” She ignored the voice that told her not to ask.

       He captured her hand and dropped a hard kiss to the back of it. No words followed the gesture. Mataeo simply toyed with her fingers for a while. He repeated the hard kiss, only this time he planted it upon her mouth.

       “I’ll let you get back to work.” He smoothed the side of his index finger across her parted lips. He kissed her again quickly and then left the office.

       “Hey, did you already order?” Temple asked Megaleen as they hugged near the table Meg had secured in her uncle’s seafood restaurant, Barnum’s.

       “You know I haven’t.” Meg rolled her eyes toward the front of the dining room. “Shane wanted to come take the orders personally when he found out I was having lunch with you. Told me I could just wait ’til you got here.”

       Temple laughed. Shane Barnum, the owner’s son, had women all over Wilmington and beyond. Temple never took his advances seriously. The fact that Shane realized this made his attempts even more humorously outrageous.

       “So what’s going on?” Meg brought her elbows to the glossy oak table. “You sounded excited when you called about getting together for lunch.”

       “I talked to Kendall last night.” Temple dropped her keys into her tote and set it on an empty chair at the table. “He found a place and claims I won’t need to see another one once he shows it to me.”

       “That man.” Meg flipped a lock of her auburn hair around her finger. “Always trying to outdo himself. I don’t see how anything else could top the two places you already have.”

       “Well, Kendall told me he could handle those sales, as well.” Temple reached for her water glass and took a hasty swallow.

       “You’re going to sell them?” Meg’s brows drew close over her blue eyes. “Have you thought about what Mataeo will say?”

       “No, I haven’t, Meg. I never spend any time there. I feel like I’ve wasted his money....” She grimaced and pushed at the glass as if the water had left a sour taste. “I haven’t spent a night in either place since he closed on them.”

       “I never knew that.” Meg’s fingers slowed in her hair. “Why not?” Her expression turned more probing when Temple only shrugged.

       “There she is!”

       Temple and Meg couldn’t help but smile. Shane’s charm was irresistible and he had them giggling like schoolgirls within a matter of seconds.

       “Anything you want, lovely. Just ask.”

       “Cracked crab and lobster pulled fresh from the Atlantic no more than an hour ago,” Meg requested in her most haughty tone.

       Shane’s stare matched the vivid blue of his cousin’s eyes. “I said ‘anything you want, lovely.’” He motioned toward Temple. “That would be her.”

       Generous laughter fell into place once more. It had been weeks since Temple felt amusement at such a high level. That high lasted until she saw Mataeo walking past the columns guarding the entrance of the dining room. He wasn’t alone.

       “What is it?” Meg waited until Shane left with the orders. She’d noticed the shadow that had crossed her friend’s face.

       “Just hungry, that’s all.” Temple made pretense at studying the cuff of her blouse.

       Meg turned in her chair to check the direction Temple had been looking. A thoughtful smile tugged at her mouth when she saw Mataeo North and his female lunch companion. Bowing her head, Meg traced the swirls in the oak table. Silence hung for a few minutes and then Meg leaned over to tap her fingers across the back of Temple’s hand.

       Meg squeezed until Temple met her gaze. Then she asked the question she already knew the answer to.

       “You love him, don’t you?”