After Hours (13 page)

“Baby, please don’t leave. I want to talk to you,” Forbes pleaded.

Jerking her arm away, Jametria glared at Forbes. “You don’t have the right to touch me.”

“Fine, I won’t touch you.” Forbes held up his hand and slid away from her. “But will you stay here and talk to me?”

“Do we really have anything else left to say to each other? Didn’t we get it all out at my book signing?”

“No, we barely scratched the surface. I’m not going to stop telling you how much I love you. You have to give me another chance to prove it,” he practically shouted at her. “Why can’t you understand that I have never been in love like this before? You’re everything to me. However, you’re blowing me off like I was some kind one night stand.”

“Forbes, you tarnished my favorite childhood memories. I loved how my Uncle Wayne always gave me the newest toys for my birthdays and Christmas.

“Do you know how it feels knowing everything came from stolen money?” Jametria said, holding her tears at bay. “He was the only family I had left and now he’s locked away. God, I don’t even think I can look him in the eye anymore.”

“I can be your family,” Forbes whispered, tracing her jaw with his finger. “We can make our own memories. Baby, I love you more than the air I breathe. All I think about is how you smell early in the morning. Or the way you slept on my chest after we made love. Can’t you see that we’re meant to be?”

“Forbes, don’t,” Jametria murmured as she tried to move her head away.

“I can’t help it,” he rasped, sliding his hand into her hair. “You’re everything that I want in a wife and the mother of my children. Children that I don’t want to have with any other woman but you.”

Leaning closer he kissed her softly on the lips. Forbes moved back and trailed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I’m going away for a while, but I want you think about my words.” Why was she allowing Forbes to talk to her like this?

“Anytime you doubt my sincerity or love for you, remember what I just told you. I’m in love with you; however, if you decide not to forgive me. I’ll never stop caring about you.”

“Please stop,” she whispered, trying to shake off Forbes’ spell. “I don’t need this. I’m going on a trip to clear my head and your words aren’t helping me.”

“Where are you going?” Forbes asked, watching her closely.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Are you going to be with another man?”

Jametria thought about lying, thinking it might scare Forbes off, but she changed her mind. “No, I’m going away by myself. Anyway if I was going to be with a man it wouldn’t have been any of your business.”

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, darling,” Forbes corrected. “Once you shared that sweet body of yours with me, it became mine and mine alone.”

Hot shivers of desire shot through her body as she remembered how it felt to make love with Forbes. He was the
best
she had ever been with. He knew how to make each part of her body come alive.

Shaking off the hot memory, she quickly stood up and grabbed her bag off the floor. “Why did you have to say that to me? You know that we aren’t together anymore.”

Forbes got up right after her and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You’re only upset with me at the moment, but we are still a couple. I’ll leave you alone for a while but not forever. I’m giving you a fair warning that I’m coming back for you. I’m not giving up until you’re my wife,” he said, turning away from her and walking away.

Jametria opened her mouth then closed it. “I can’t. I’m not ready yet,” she whispered, but her heart was weakening. A small smile touched her lips at the thought of being back with Forbes.

Chapter Twenty

“I know that you sent him to that airport don’t bother denying it,” Jametria said, staring out the Penthouse window.

“I swear, I didn’t send Forbes to the airport. I wouldn’t have done that to you,” Africa swore on the other end of the phone. “But how did it feel to see him again?”

Spinning around, Jametria moved around the living room and tried to forget how good it felt to have Forbes that close to her again. He had brought back so many good memories that she wanted to forget.

 “I felt nothing at all,” she lied. “It was like talking to a stranger.”

“Stop lying, you know that you loved every minute of it,” Africa laughed on the other end of the phone. “You’re still in love with him, so why don’t you stop fighting it?”

“I’m not in love with Agent Huntington. I wish you would stop saying things like that. He’s in my past and that is where he’s going to stay forever.”

“Do you believe those lies you’re telling yourself? Because I know that I don’t believe them.”

“I’m not lying,” Jametria denied.

“Are you saying that if Forbes never crosses your path again that you wouldn’t miss him at all?” Africa challenged. “Your heart doesn’t speed up every time he walks into the room, or you can’t stop thinking about him any chance you get?”

Jametria’s wide smile spread from ear to ear. She was so happy that Africa couldn’t see her face right now. “I don’t think that we’re talking about me anymore. Sounds like you’re referring to how you feel about Zane, am I wrong?”

“Zane isn’t all that bad, but he does have a way,” Africa laughed.

“I still can’t believe you like someone as controlling at Agent Rogets.”

 “People who live in glass house shouldn’t—”

“I’m not being a hypocrite,” she denied. Why would Africa say something like that to her?

“Come on. You know that you’re in love with Forbes and you’re too stubborn to admit it. Give the guy a second chance. Hell, at least let him take you to dinner when he gets back in town.”

 “Why are you doing this to me? I don’t want to forgive him. Can’t I stay mad at him a little longer?” she asked matter-of-factly. “He’ll think that what he said to me at the airport is what won me over.”

“Forbes is gone on another assignment for a while. He doesn’t know how you’re feeling. Take this time to rest and get stuff done. You’ll have plenty of time to talk to him when he gets back. I know that he’ll be more than happy to hear anything you have to say to him.”

“When did you become such a romantic? I thought you didn’t like Forbes anyway. Now you’re pushing me towards him with no questions asked. Does Zane have anything to do with your sudden change of heart?”

“We aren’t talking about Zane, so stop pushing the conversation over to me,” Africa said.

Jametria was trying her best to struggle against what she knew was impossible to fight. She did want Forbes and she was willing to work things out with him. It might take them a little longer than he thought, but in time she knew that they could get back the love she first felt with him.

“I’ll admit what I’m feeling if you confess that you’re interested in the aloof Zane Rogets,” she challenged, knowing Africa would hate her for it.

“You know that I hate you, right?”

“I love you too, Africa.”

“Fine, I think that Agent Rogets is very attractive, but he is a little too cocky for my tastes sometimes,” Africa admitted.

“Okay…my turn. I think Forbes is one of the hottest men I’ve ever laid eyes on and I think that I still love him.”

“You think?”

Just from the tone of her voice, Jametria knew Africa was making a face at her. “I’m not saying any more than that. This trip was supposed to be about me and nothing else, so I’m going to hang up now.”

“Bye, Jametria.”

“Bye, Africa.”

Hanging up the phone, Jametria grabbed her laptop off the living room table and headed into the kitchen. Falling down into a chair, she folded a leg in the seat and picked up where she had left off.

****

Tyra stood shell shocked as Marco told Paul her secret. She felt as if the ground had opened up and swallowed her whole. What was she going to do? Paul knew her deepest secret now. Sure she had flirted back with him in the office, but that was different from him knowing that she was in love with him.

“How could you tell him?” she whispered, glaring at her nephew. “I told you that in confidence and you just blurted it out.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but he was acting all crazy about the ring and it came out,” Marco apologized. “He was bound to find out anyway.”

“No, he wasn’t because I was never going to tell him,” she shouted slapping her nephew in the chest.

“Why weren’t you going to tell me that you loved me?” Paul asked.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Tyra muttered, embarrassed.

“Yes, it does matter. I want to know.”

Tyra hated being put on the spot like this. It wasn’t fair to her. Paul wasn’t ever supposed to find out about her feelings. She was just going to turn in her resignation and move away from him. Now, because of her nephew’s big mouth, it was all out in the open.

“I wasn’t going to tell you because I know you aren’t in love with me. You might find me attractive or even lust after me a little. But I’m not stupid enough to believe that you’re in love with me,” she said.

“Tyra, I have so much to tell you. Will you come with me so we can talk?” Paul reached for her but she moved away from him.

“No, we don’t have anything to say to each other.”

“Yes we do,” Paul said. “Please let me take you somewhere so we can talk in private.”

Tyra blinked back the tears in her eyes. Paul was going to try to be nice about her feelings, but she couldn’t stand seeing the pity in his eyes. “Sorry, I’m not going anywhere with you.” She stole a glance at her nephew. “Kiki will love that ring. I hope you decide to propose to her.”

“Tyra, I’m really sorry. I truly didn’t mean to let that slip.”

“It’s okay.” She sighed then looked at Paul. “I’m taking the rest of the day off. I want some time to myself.” Spinning on her heel, she headed back in the direction of her car.

“Why are you always running from me?” Paul asked, wrapping his hand around her arm, spinning her back around to face him. “You never stay still long enough for me to talk to you.”

“Paul, we have nothing to say to each other.”

“I think we need to talk about what your nephew told me back there. Are you really in love with me?”

“Marco doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” she said, staring down at her arm then back up to Paul’s face. “Would you please let go of my arm?”

“Tyra, I only want to talk to you.” He sighed, releasing her. “Can’t you spare me a few minutes?”

“You have five minutes,” she said, looking into the face of the man she was in love with.

Paul saw the way Tyra was looking at him and he wasn’t getting a good feeling from it. All he wanted to do was love her for the rest of his life but she was acting like she hated the sight of him.

“Can’t we go somewhere less public?” he asked again. “I don’t want us talking out here in the open.”

“Where do you suggest that we go?”

“How about my house?” he suggested. “I know how much you love sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace.”

“I don’t think so…I think right here is fine.”

“Tyra, please don’t do this to me. You know that I only live two blocks from here. You can follow me in your car,” Paul pleaded, touching her lightly. “I swear I’m not going to pressure you into anything. I only want a chance to talk to you…really talk to you.”
 Why did she have to be so weak when it came to him?

 “You won’t try to make me stay longer when I want to leave?” she asked, already feeling herself giving in.

“I swear I won’t put any added pressure on you. Does that mean you’re going to come with me?”

“I’ll follow you in my car because I have to meet Neil in an hour.”

Jealousy raced through his body at the sound of another man’s name coming from Tyra’s lips. Who in the hell was Neil? Why was Tyra going to blow him off to see another man? “Who is Neil?”

“Paul, we aren’t in a relationship. You have no right to ask me questions about my personal life.” Turning away from him she headed back towards her car. “Let’s go. I don’t want to miss my dinner date with Neil.”

Biting back another question, Paul stomped to his car and got inside. He would get Tyra to tell him everything that was going on between her and Neil once he got her alone. He pulled out of the parking lot and made sure that Tyra was behind him as he drove towards his house.Why hadn’t he told her weeks ago how he felt about her? Now when he was ready to admit his feelings, she was with another man and his chance of being with her might be gone.

****

Closing the laptop, she dropped her head down into her hands and thought about her
relationship
with Forbes. He swept into her life out of the blue and she fell hard for him. Would she be able to come back from the way he manipulated her mind and emotions?

Was she taking this too seriously by not talking things out with Forbes?

She wondered if Forbes was the man she had been writing about for most of my life?
Could I have my happy ever after with you
?”

Jametria didn’t know what to do; she was more confused now than she had been when all of this first happened. She wanted to forgive him, but could she actually trust him again with her heart? How could she trust him not to lie to her again?

Groaning, Jametria got up from the seat and found her car keys. She wasn’t about to waste all her of vacation in New York worrying about Forbes. She would eventually figure out what to do when it came to him.

Chapter Twenty One

“You can’t keep thinking about Jametria or you aren’t going to get this job done. Hudson is very dangerous and if he even thinks that you’re a federal agent, he’ll kill you.”

Forbes shoved his sunglasses down on his nose and relaxed in the warm sun of Miami. He wasn’t worried about Hudson finding out his true identity. Right now, his new boss was too busy counting his drug money to even care about what day of the week it was.

“Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be trying to win over Africa? I heard she’s really giving you a run for your money.”