Czytaj książkę: «A Pleasing Temptation»

Chapter 1

“Finding a man has never been my problem,” Kamaya Boudreaux mumbled under her breath as she exchanged a look with her older sister, who grinned. “I can find a man. A very large, well-endowed man!” Her tone was low, the comment meant for her sister’s ears only. She winced when she realized her twin brother had happened to overhear.

“Ewww! Way too much information,” Kendrick Boudreaux muttered, a deep frown pulling his full lips downward.

Kamaya shot him a look as she rolled her eyes.

The private jet had barely taken off before Kamaya was being interrogated by her parents about her personal life. Or lack thereof, depending on how you chose to look at it. Her family had just left Arizona where her parents had married off their youngest daughter. Now, they were suddenly focused on Kamaya, the only one of their nine children still unmarried. Both had had way too much to say. Kamaya shook her head and rolled her eyes a second time.

“You work too hard, Kamaya,” Senior Boudreaux noted. “You can’t find a man when you’re always in that office by yourself!”

Kamaya took a deep breath. “I really don’t, Senior. But aren’t you the one who always told us to handle our business first? That all the rest could wait? That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Obviously still giddy that her most pretentious child had gotten married in the most pragmatic manner, Katherine Boudreaux laughed. “She’s not alone all the time, Senior. That Paxton boy is always sniffing around. Just waiting for Kamaya to show him some attention. Isn’t that right, Kamaya?”

Laughter rang warmly through the space. Kamaya was beginning to wither under the parental assault, and her siblings seemed amused as she sank deeper into her leather seat. Beginning to look like a twelve-year-old under the scrutiny, it was clear she wasn’t entertained by their conversation. Without some sibling intervention she knew the plane’s landing would be her only saving grace from their old people’s impromptu relationship intervention.

“Paxton’s cool and all,” Kendrick interjected, referring to Kamaya’s friend and business partner, “but he’s not right for Kamaya. You know anyone she dates has to pass my approval first, right? Can’t have my twin with just anybody!”

“I know that’s right!” their brother Darryl interjected. “Only the best for our girls!”

Their oldest sister, Maitlyn Sayed laughed. “Yeah, right! You boys used to get a kick out of scaring our guys away more than anything else. Just ask Tarah!”

“Tarah’s glad we scared them off,” Kendrick countered. “If we hadn’t she wouldn’t be Mrs. Nicholas Stallion. Knowing how she used to pick ’em, she’d be married to that guy with the crossed eye.”

“I thought he had a squint eye,” Katherine teased.

Kendrick shrugged. “Crossed, squint, whatever. He wasn’t the right guy, either.”

Kamaya released a soft sigh. “Well, I really appreciate all this family love and support but, really, I don’t need any help right now. When I do, you all will be the first to know.”

Her brothers and sisters all laughed as one of them changed the subject, reminiscing about everything that had been good and right about the wedding. Then their mother shifted the conversation back to Kamaya.

“Kamaya, have you thought about where you’d like to be married? Do you want a big wedding or small wedding?”

“Weren’t you just pointing out that I needed to find a groom?” Kamaya said snidely. “Let’s not put the cart before the horse. Isn’t that one of your favorite mantras?” She paused. “You all really just need to leave me the hell alone!” she snapped.

Katherine cut an eye at Kamaya then, her stare noting her displeasure with Kamaya’s curt tone.

The entire space went quiet, everyone holding a collective breath. A cloud of tension suddenly hung low enough to touch. Gazes skated back and forth between Kamaya and their parents, waiting to see who would jump first. Only the hum of the plane’s engines sounded in the air.

Kamaya suddenly tensed, her eyes widening. “I didn’t mean to say it like that,” she mumbled, contrition furrowing her brow. Her eyes skipped from one of her parents to the other. Her father had shifted forward in his seat and her mother’s jaw had locked tight as she sat with her arms folded over her chest. “I apologize. That was really rude of me.”

Katherine nodded. “It was downright disrespectful and I expect better than that from you. From all of you! That’s not how your daddy and I raised any of you kids.”

“Don’t let it happen again,” Senior said matter-of-factly. “You all know how to speak to your mother like you got some sense! I won’t tolerate any disrespect toward this woman and I don’t care if you are in your feelings!”

“Yes, sir,” Kamaya nodded. “I really am sorry.” She turned her eyes toward her twin brother, suddenly wishing she could find a hole to crawl into. Damn, how old am I? she pondered, feeling very small under the scrutiny of her parents.

Kendrick wrapped her in a bear hug, laughing heartily. “It’ll be all right, Yaya,” he said, calling her by the pet name he’d used since they were two years old. “We all know you didn’t mean it.”

Kamaya gave her siblings a look. Deep down she had meant it, and each of them knew it. Maitlyn winked at her.

Feigning exhaustion, Kamaya shook herself from her brother’s embrace. Rising from where she sat, she moved toward the rear of the luxury aircraft and claimed an empty window seat in the back corner. Waving a hand for the stewardess she asked for a blanket and a pillow. After covering herself from head to toe, she closed her eyes and pretended to fall asleep.

For another ten minutes her parents bemoaned her situation and then, just like that, the conversation stalled, everyone seeming to fall into their own thoughts. Kamaya welcomed the quiet, grateful that she was no longer the center of the unwanted attention. She was even more appreciative that no one had been able to read the emotion on her face as she, too, had suddenly wondered why there was no significant partner in her life.

A soft sigh eased past her lips as she snuggled deeper beneath the warmth of the blanket around her shoulders. Kamaya had never put much thought into her own happily-ever-after. She had always considered relationships that lasted longer than a minute to be an anomaly. For every one that seemed to be going well, she knew a dozen others that had imploded with a vengeance.

Kamaya had never imagined the perfect guy to grow old with, because she truly believed none existed. Even when her siblings had each fallen head over heels, one after the other, she’d waited with bated breath for the other shoe to fall on each of their relationships.

Her sister Katrina had been the first. She had been married, widowed, and left a single mother at a very young age. Her heartbreak had set the tone for what Kamaya never wanted to see in her own life. Then Katrina had been seduced by corporate attorney Matthew Stallion. One of four wealthy brothers out of Dallas, Texas, Matthew had swept Katrina off her feet. The two then married, and were now raising Katrina’s son Collin and their own child, Matthew Jacoby Junior.

Their eldest brother, billionaire Mason Boudreaux III had been next, finding forever with the only Stallion sister, Phaedra. The two were now building another successful empire with their two sons Cole and Fletcher, and their daughter Addison.

Following on Mason’s heels, their brother Guy had gotten a lifetime gig with filmmaker Dalia Morrow, their passionate premiere netting them five achievement awards: two sets of twins, Sydney and Cicely, and Zora and Langston, as well as their son Oscar. Their brother Darryl had been next. Truly his, Camryn Charles had designed their future from start to finish, their only daughter, Alexa, tossed into the mix.

Big sister Maitlyn, the second mother of the Boudreaux brood, had crashed and burned with her first marriage, but she’d actually tried it again, her heart afire for Zakaria Sayed, the very best friend of Kamaya’s twin, Kendrick. Maitlyn and Zakaria’s daughter, Rose-Lynn, son, Zayn, and a baby yet to be named, had the couple making up for much lost time.

Kendrick had never been interested in a long-term relationship, and was solely focused on his top-secret career. On the subject of marriage, the twins had seen eye to eye. Then Kendrick had gotten himself lost for twelve days of pleasure with a client. Vanessa Harrison had been his dream come true, and when he’d finally come up for air, he, too, had been ready to walk down the matrimonial aisle.

Even the most conservative of the Boudreaux siblings, the son everyone had sworn would be the last to marry with him being so committed to his career, had beaten Kamaya to the altar. Their brother Donovan had flown around the world to the Tuscan heat chasing his dream. Now he and renowned author Gianna Martelli were writing their own love story as they awaited the birth of their first child.

And now, with Tarah, the baby of the family, suddenly someone’s missus, Kamaya found herself on the hook, everyone anxious for her to catch and reel in her own happy ending. But, truth be told, despite all that happy everyone in her family claimed to be having, Kamaya just wasn’t willing to trust any man with her heart.

Maitlyn dropped into the seat beside her. “You good?” she asked, concern ringing in her loud whisper.

Kamaya nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She lifted her eye toward her parents who were huddled in conversation. “They still mad at me?”

“They weren’t mad. Mom’s just worried. You know how she is. And you snapping at her didn’t help. Now she’s even more concerned about you.”

“I didn’t mean for that to happen. It just slipped.”

“Yeah, you were being a little sensitive. Do you want to talk about it?”

Kamaya shrugged. “Not really. I’m just ready to get back to work. I need to focus on something other than bridal gowns and floral arrangements.”

Maitlyn giggled softly. “It really wasn’t that bad. And how beautiful was our little sister?”

“She was stunning. It’s so strange to see Tarah all grown-up and mature-like. Nicholas has been good for her.”

“She’s been good for Nicholas. And your turn is coming.”

Kamaya scoffed. “Did anyone ever think I might not want a turn?”

Maitlyn nodded. “I did. But your mother says differently, and you know Katherine Toutant Boudreaux is never wrong about anything!”

“You got that right!” their mother interjected. She had moved down the aisle and was suddenly standing beside them.

Kamaya smiled. “You still love me?”

Katherine waved a dismissive hand at her. “Don’t I always?”

The three women smiled brightly at each other. Their ensuing conversation was calm and easy, Kamaya falling back into balance with everyone.

The flight attendant interrupted the moment. “Ma’am, the pilot is preparing the plane for landing. We’ll need you to take a seat and put your seat belt on, please.”

Katherine nodded, hesitating for one minute longer. “Are you coming to the house after we land?” she asked, meeting Kamaya’s stare.

Kamaya shook her head. “I don’t think so. I really need to stop in at the office and check on things, and then I want to go home and catch up on some sleep.”

Her mother nodded. “Plan on lunch next week. I need to make sure you’re really okay.”

Kamaya smiled, exchanging a look with her sister. “Yes, ma’am.”

* * *

“Yes, ma’am. I will. Yes, ma’am.” Wesley Leroy Walters was nodding into his cell phone.

On the other end, his mother, Annie Walters was cataloging a lengthy list of must-dos and expectations. “And I want you to get to church sometime soon,” the older woman said.

His father laughed, chiming in on their three-way conversation. “God knows your heart, son! Just do a drive by, wave at the pastor and get back to work. Jesus will excuse you.”

“Leon Walters! How are you going to tell our son some foolishness like that!” Annie exclaimed.

His father laughed and Wesley laughed with him. He could just imagine the look on his poor mother’s face. It made him smile as he thought about the only woman in the world who had his whole heart.

“It’s all good, Ma. I promise I’ll go to service this Sunday,” Wesley said. Behind him, the sound system suddenly blasted on, the throbbing techno bass of the 1983 club hit “White Horse” echoing throughout the room. It surprised him, his eyes widening as he slammed his palm against the mouthpiece of his cell phone.

“Wesley, what’s that noise?” his mother questioned, the sound carrying over the phone line.

“Sorry!” he exclaimed, as he shot a look at the sound man in the corner, gesturing for him to turn the music down. “I turned on my radio and didn’t realize the volume was so high,” he said, the little white lie spilling past his full lips.

His father chuckled. “Thought you all were having a party in that office of yours.”

“No. No. Nothing like that,” Wesley said as he shot an evil eye toward the other men in the room. “But I do have to run,” he said. “I need to get ready for a meeting. I’ll give you a call tomorrow, okay?”

“Of course, baby,” his mother answered.

“Handle your business, son!” his father added.

After telling them both that they were loved, Wesley disconnected the call. “What the hell?” he shouted over the music.

On the stage, Bryan Lackey was refining his dance routine. He gave Wesley a thumbs-up as he gyrated his hips from side to side.

Trey Jackson laughed. “You know he did that on purpose, right?”

Wesley shook his head. “I swear, if one of you outs me to my mother there’s going to be hell to pay!”

The other men in their group laughed heartily and Wesley couldn’t help but laugh along with them.

Bryan turned off the music and jumped down from the stage. “Sorry about that, big guy. I didn’t know it was your mother. I just knew you were lying to some stray you picked up here at the club.”

“When the hell have you known Mr. Straight-As-An-Arrow to pick up anyone from the club?” Trey asked.

Bryan shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything,” he said casually.

“You do know who you’re talking about right?”

The group laughed.

Wesley shook his head. Standing among his closest friends in the world, the men he’d known for too many years to count, he trusted them with his secrets. Knowing not one would ever purposely betray him, he also knew that any of them would take great pleasure at an opportunity to make him sweat.

Since his sophomore year at Grambling State, the men in that room had stood by him, offering a friendship that felt more like a family bond. He and Bryan had met first, college roommates. Biracial, Bryan had been the only blue-eyed blond with a porcelain complexion in their dorm. As much as he stood out, he’d fit in, and they’d become fast friends.

Trey Jackson had been their fraternity brother, pushing them both to pledge Kappa Alpha Psi. When the trio had bemoaned the stresses of financial aid or lack thereof, Victor Hudson had come with an answer to all their problems. Wesley remembered that defining moment as if it had just happened yesterday.

The party they’d been invited to had been a Who’s Who of Louisiana’s finest. A smorgasbord of beautiful, sexy, financially successful women looking for a night of entertainment. Before either Wesley or Trey could change their minds, someone had turned on the music, each had been given a stage name and the rest had been history. They had all started dancing to supplement their empty pockets. Now they each continued for a variety of reasons. Together, they were the hottest male exotic dance troupe to grace the state.

Bryan “The White Prince” Lackey, Trey “Hammer” Jackson, and Victor “Black Magic” Hudson were Wesley’s closest friends and they made up both the senior management team and talent at his newest venture: The Wet Bar. The newly purchased franchise was destined to be the hottest nightclub in New Orleans.

He turned toward his office. “Joke all you want. Being straight-as-an-arrow has kept me out of all sorts of trouble. You three should try it sometime.”

“Like that would be fun,” Victor quipped, and then turned the music back on.

* * *

Inside his office Wesley blew out a heavy breath as he dropped into his leather executive chair. Despite his joviality with his boys, he hated lying to his parents. Keeping secrets from them hurt his heart. It wasn’t how he’d been raised and it wasn’t at all indicative of the man he strove to be. But neither Leon nor Annie Walters would approve of his endeavors in the adult entertainment market. Although he knew his father would wink and make a joke about his situation, he also knew his mother would be mortified. And that’s why he had never bothered to tell them.

Dancing hadn’t been Wesley’s career of choice. It had been a means to an end, and with that goal just at his fingertips he could appreciate it for all it had been. He had preferred being called an exotic dancer, but in the adult entertainment industry stripping was what he had done. Stripping had helped pay for his bachelor’s degree in business management and his master’s in finance. And it was currently helping him purchase this franchise.

He aspired to be a corporate mogul, running his own multi-million-dollar business and The Wet Bar was just the beginning. He had danced to pay the bills and dancing had afforded him the opportunity to save and invest the money he’d made. The Wet Bar franchise was a viable business opportunity and he planned to transform and legitimize the business, making it the most talked-about venture in an industry some considered tawdry and decadent. Renovating the New Orleans location was just the beginning. He then hoped to purchase additional franchises and expand to multiple cities throughout the nation.

Despite his efforts to hide what he did from his family, there was no hiding that he knew the business like the back of his hand. He knew how to grow the client base and how to give them what they wanted. Stripping didn’t begin to define the entertainment business that would become the cornerstone of his empire.

The office door opened and the echo of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” vibrated through the entrance. Bryan poked his head into the room. “Hey, you busy?”

Wesley shook his head. “No. Just trying to figure out what comes next. Come on in,” he said, as he gestured for his friend to take a seat. “What’s up?”

“We got a call from the corporate office. A local television news show is doing a profile piece on the company and since our renovations are almost done, they’d like to film here.”

“Here?”

Bryan nodded, a wide grin spreading like spilled sugar across his face. “They said they’d like to spotlight you and your goals for the business. They thought it would be a good idea to showcase the grand reopening to help promote the place.”

“Wow! That’s...wow!”

Bryan laughed. “That’s what I said. They’re going to send some folks from their executive team to scout the place, talk to you and make sure it’s all a good fit for what they’re looking to accomplish.”

Wesley took a deep breath. “When?”

“They’ll be here tomorrow at noon.”

A loud expletive blew harshly out of his mouth. “I need to talk to the contractor. We have to be done on time. We can’t blow this.”

Bryan winked. “I grabbed him earlier and told him to come see you before he leaves.”

Wesley nodded his appreciation. “This is really happening.”

“Man! You’re about to blow up!”