Page 13 of Night and Day
There was nothing inappropriate about his voice, yet heat sizzled across her skin. She imagined a dark room and a soft bed, him whispering to her in that same velvety soft voice, but more guttural. The somber conversation topic kept her on her best behavior, but if they were in a different location at a different time, she’d be on her way to unleashing her inner slut.
Tamika removed her hand from his and shifted in the chair. “You’re welcome.”
Anton opened his mouth as if to speak, but his gaze flicked to the lobby and he stiffened. Tamika twisted her head and followed his gaze. Her mouth fell open.
Calvin was at the elevator, wearing a tan jacket and tan slacks that posed a striking contrast to his mahogany skin. His arm was casually thrown around the shoulders of an attractive woman with peachy-brown skin and a long sheath of shiny hair cascading down her back, as if she’d stepped out of a shampoo commercial minutes before. She wore a cute red dress that hugged her shapely body. They looked like they were returning from a date.
“That’s Melissa,” she heard Anton murmur in shock, as if—despite their previous conversations—he only now fully understood that his girlfriend had run off with another man.
Tamika had thought coming here was a long shot, but they’d made the right decision. She hopped up from her chair and tossed her little black purse over her shoulder.
“Tamika, wait.”
Anton grabbed her wrist, but she easily snatched her arm free and charged toward the couple. All the fury from the past week thundered through her like a runaway train.
“Calvin!” she screamed.
The doorman, Calvin, and Melissa turned in her direction, and Calvin’s eyes widened when he saw her.
“You lying, thieving…” Claws out, Tamika was ready to attack, but Anton grabbed her around the waist from behind and pulled her tight against his body.
“Calm down,” he whispered, breath brushing her neck.
The air contracted and for a few moments, time stood still as Tamika lost her ability to think. All she could do wasfeel. Her mind zeroed in on the warmth at her back, the firmness of Anton’s body, and the way the spot between her thighs pulsed at the weight of his arm around her waist. Being held against him was eye-opening, and Tamika temporarily forgot her anger, flustered by her visceral reaction to their close contact.
“Anton, what are you doing here?” Melissa asked, staring at him.
Anger leaked from Tamika’s muscles, and she relaxed her tense body.
Anton released her and stood beside her, facing the couple. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question, since you told me you were on a business trip in California?”
“I…”
Calvin dropped his arm from around Melissa. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but—”
Tamika planted her hands on her hips. “You know exactly what’s going on. You’re busted, liar. You said you were on a trip with the boys, but instead I find you here. This is an apartment complex, Calvin. Do you care to explain?”
“Listen, I know how it looks.”
“It looks like the two of you are having an affair behind our backs,” Tamika snapped.
Calvin and Melissa shared a guilty glance, and then Melissa looked at Anton, her eyes imploring. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“So you ran off and pretended you were going on a trip? How exactly did you intend to explain what was happening when you came back from your so-called trip to California?” Anton folded his arms across his chest.
“I don’t… I don’t know. I didn’t think that far ahead.” Melissa swallowed and looked at Calvin for help.
He immediately straightened his shoulders and placed a protective arm around her. The move did two things—angered Tamika and hurt her immensely. Here was the man she thought cared about her, blatantly showing that the woman he really cared about was standing beside him.
“We didn’t mean for this to happen, but now that you know…” He paused as the elevator doors opened and a group of four exited and walked around them. “Now that you know, I see this as a good thing. We didn’t want to lie, but we didn’t know what else to do. We—”
“You could have told the truth,” Tamika hissed between clenched teeth. “You could have been upfront and honest instead of sneaking around behind our backs.”
Calvin glared at her. “How did you find out about us? How did you find out we were here?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Tamika smirked.
“Yes, I would. That’s why I asked,” Calvin said louder, almost to the point of yelling.
