Beyond Temptation (Forged of Steele #3)

Or had he?

She had noted the intense looks in his gazes, but he’d always looked at her that way. In the past she had chalked things up as a one-sided attraction that she could never act on…but today, following his lead, she had.

She doubted that she would ever be able to look him in the face and not be reminded of their kiss. Today she had been introduced to another facet of Morgan’s unique personality. His passionate side. It would be a side she would be constantly exposed to if they were to marry. Sheesh! For over a year he had been her nightly dream and she wasn’t sure she was ready for him to make the jump from being her Mr. Fantasy to taking on the role of her Mr. Reality.

But then, all she had to do was close her eyes to remember the exact moment he’d made his outlandish proposal. “I want you to marry me and have my baby.” The moment he had said the words, although she hadn’t been sure she’d heard him correctly, he had looked at her with that deep, dark gaze of his as a spark of desire had flooded her insides, overheating her senses. And the seductive scent of the cologne he’d been wearing hadn’t helped matters.

And later, right before he had left, he had taken the initiative to step closer to her, and she had boldly walked into his arms. And the exact moment their tongues had mingled, zapping her willpower with tenderness, she had known she was a goner. She knew even now that she would probably be whispering his name in her sleep. But that was okay. She didn’t know of any other man whose name she’d rather whisper.

And as she closed her eyes to peaceful slumber, it was Morgan’s face that occupied her dreams.

Morgan inhaled a steadying breath as he pushed himself out of bed and sat on the edge of it. The kiss he had shared earlier that day with Lena was still heavily on his mind, in his thoughts, embedded so deep in his memory that he couldn’t sleep and was so elemental it made his entire body ache.

The kiss had been everything he had known it would be and more, and she had felt just like he’d figured she would in his arms. Now his senses were incapable of any other thoughts but those of her. At this point if she were to turn down his proposal to marry him and have his baby he didn’t know what he would do.

He stood, deciding there wasn’t much hope of getting a lot of sleep tonight. His only hope was to try and get some shut-eye on the plane, which he would be catching in a few hours. Throwing on his robe, he made his way down the stairs to get a cup of coffee before going over some paperwork for his meeting with Cameron and Ben Malloy.

Malloy was an entrepreneur with multifaceted interests. A year ago Morgan had approached him and Cameron in regards to what he saw not only as a sound business opportunity but also as a way to give back to his hometown’s dying community. His latest venture was to open several shopping malls within urban areas of several handpicked communities around the country.

In recent years there had been an explosion of growth within the suburban areas of various cities, but there seemed to be a constant neglect within the downtown areas—where a number of African Americans lived. Most business owners—although they considered themselves rather astute—failed to recognize or acknowledge the potential growth in urban areas, and as a result, their narrow-mindedness had left the residents, those people living in the neglected areas, with limited access to shopping, adequate housing and entertainment.

Magic Johnson had brought attention to this issue when he opened several theaters within the urban communities across the country. And what Morgan, Cameron and Ben were posed to do was something similar with the development of a mall in St. Louis. Ben had asked their support and their aid in pouring a substantial amount of money into the project, and after doing a considerable amount of research they had determined it not only would be a worthwhile financial investment, but it would also be a way to help place development in those overlooked areas.

Morgan glanced at the clock when he entered his kitchen. It was three in the morning and he had a flight out at eight. After he’d left Lena he had come home to pack, prepare a quick dinner and savor the memories of his first kiss with the woman of his dreams.

Moments later as he sat at his desk, he absently stirred his coffee while trying to read the report Cameron’s secretary had faxed earlier. Instead of concentrating, his mind was stuck on other things, namely Lena. Would she agree to his offer of marriage? He smiled thinking once he had her in his bed there were no limitations to just what he could do and would do.

The die was cast and an indescribable warmth spread through him in knowing that if Lena agreed to become his wife and the mother of his child, he would have her right where he wanted her.