“Really?” He couldn’t imagine what she would say about him.
“Uh-huh.”
It was like pulling teeth, but he remembered being the same when he was that age. Who wanted to talk about their mother’s love-life? But he had to know what he thought before he asked him for a favour.
***
It wasn’t long before the television stopped holding Angelique’s attention and she started to nod off. She changed position to sit up straighter, but it was no use. The next thing she knew, Lewis was calling her and shaking her awake.
“What?”
“You were asleep.”
“Oh. Sorry, Lewis. I don’t know why I’m so tired. Where’s Noah?” She looked at her watch. They hadn’t been outside for very long.
“In the shed. He’s rubbish at football.”
She laughed. “He must be better than me.”
“A bit.”
“Then he really must be awful.”
Lewis looked back at the doorway and she followed his gaze. “What is it?” She couldn’t tell what he was looking at.
“Noah asked me to give you something.” He reached into his pocket and brought out a stripy brown paper bag. It was all crumpled, but there was something small and soft wrapped up in it. He held it out in the palm of his hand.
“What is it?” she asked as she took it from him.
He shrugged. “Open it.”
Movement drew her eye back to the door. Noah was standing there, lingering just outside the room.
“What’s this?” She held up the little package.
“Look for yourself.”
She looked from Noah to Lewis. The look of fascination on his face said that he didn’t know what was in there either. It was all starting to make her nervous. She had a couple of ideas what it might be, but that just made her heart race even faster.
Only one way to know for sure.
She opened the bag and tipped its contents out onto her lap. A burgundy velvet pouch landed on her thighs. She picked it up. Jewellery. But he knew she didn’t wear jewellery. Her ears weren’t even pierced.
“Open it.”
She thought she heard a tremor in Noah’s voice. Pulling open the drawstring with trembling fingers, she upended the bag over her palm. A ring tumbled out. A stunning solitaire with a thin band of gold.
Noah came over to the sofa and took it from her. “What do you say?”
Now that was a good question. “Is this...?”
He nodded. “Will you marry me?”
She looked at Lewis. He smiled and nodded. “You don’t mind.”
“I like him, Mum.”
Turning back to Noah, she took a good look at him. She wanted to fix this moment in her memory. The poor man had set his mouth in a tight line and it looked like he’d stopped breathing. Was he really that nervous?
“So, what’s your answer?”
She was tempted to keep him waiting and watch him squirm, but when it came down to it, she didn’t have the heart. “Yes.” She nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
Noah wrapped her in his arms and kissed her like he was never going to stop. It was what she hadn’t dared to dream about. Noah Trent loved her. And she loved him too.
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Did you love Black Girls and Bad Boys: Changing his Tune? Then you should read Black Girls and Bad Boys: Stealing Loretta by Neneh J. Gordon!
Jordan Bernardino is the kind of man your mother warned you about. Confident, handsome, charismatic... and a professional thief.
Loretta on the other hand is well on her way to becoming a bank manager. Until Jordan walks in with a gun and a balaclava and steals a kiss along with a great deal of cash.
But it isn't enough. He needs more money to buy his way out of the mob and he wants more than just a kiss from that sexy black banker.
He charms his way into her bed, hoping it will lead him back into her vault, but an unfamiliar emotion creeps up on him - guilt.
When Loretta finds out what he's up to, she has to make an impossible choice - do the right thing and leave him to face the violent consequences, or risk everything she's ever worked for to save his skin.
This novel is roughly 41,000 words long and is not intended for readers under the age of eighteen.
EXCERPT
“For crying out loud, woman.” He didn’t want to threaten her with the gun again. There was still a bad taste in his mouth from the last time. “Just open a damn box!”
She looked at the gun pointing harmlessly down at the floor. He’d left himself with nowhere to go.
“Look, there’s a lot of money upstairs. You got here before lunchtime so there’s plenty in the tills. Take it. The police will be here soon. Just take it and go.”
Damn her. Why couldn’t she have been a typical grey middle-aged man who didn’t give a shit? “Maybe I will.” He moved closer and picked up the faint floral scent of her perfume.
If she wouldn’t let him into the safety deposit boxes, he’d just have to take something else.
“What are you doing?” She took a step backwards.
“You want me to take the cash and nothing else?”
“Yes. There’s more than—”
“Make it worth my while.” He stepped closer and she backed away.
“What?”
“One little kiss and I’ll go back out there, take the bags and leave.”
She stared into his eyes. Now that he looked closer, there were flecks of darker brown in the hazel of her irises. It was a shame they hadn’t met under different circumstances. If he’d run across her in a bar he’d have bought her a drink and given her his best line in chat.
But he had a feeling she was enjoying the rush of an armed robbery.
“No!”
He stepped up to her again. This time, she didn’t move away.
“One kiss.” His gaze fell to her full lips. Gina was usually drenched in lip-gloss, but the bank manager’s lips were tantalisingly bare.
“One kiss and you’ll go?” Her voice dropped to a low murmur that made the breath catch in his throat.
He nodded, getting closer still. She was even prettier at a second glance. Her lips parted ever so slightly. She was thinking about it. Why did he get the impression she was one of those quiet ones you were supposed to watch?
“Okay.”
Read more at Neneh J. Gordon’s site.
Black Girls and Bad Boys: Changing his Tune Page 15