Seduced by Moonlight - kenya wright Page 0,1

five hours, Imani.

My bones grew weary. My ankles ached from carrying around my thick hips and thighs all day.

Suck it up. You can do it.

I piled a stack of dishes on top of the cart as Mama Joe finished cleaning up the tables. She should’ve been retired by now, laying out on her porch and sipping on lemonade. But the old woman had a daughter hooked on drugs. Now she was forced to take in her two grandkids and repeat motherhood in her sixties.

Life can be so unfair.

I helped Mama Joe out. “I can wipe down those tables over there before I get my next table.”

“Imani, you’re already working double shifts. Now you’re helping me?” She put her hands on her hips. “You’re going to kill yourself before you make it to thirty.”

I sucked my teeth. “I’m already thirty.”

“No. You can’t be.”

I grinned. “Yes.”

She whistled. “Time is passing so fast. It seems I can’t keep up anymore. Thirty already? Mary, Joseph, and Jesus too. You need to get out of here and live your life.”

“Yes. That’s what you told me on my birthday night.” I walked over to the table and helped her stack dishes.

“I told you that?”

“You did, and we smoked a big joint with some of the marijuana you grew in your garden.”

“That’s why I can’t remember.”

I laughed.

“Go on now, Imani. I’ve got this. I’m not that old.” Mama Joe wiped the sweat off her forehead and adjusted her gray wig. “Besides, those new bikers are back. They’re at table ten. Those boys want the usual. I told them their waitress would be right over.”

“Their usual? Okay.” After doing a morning shift and still being there for the afternoon, my back throbbed, but I sucked it up. No one gave extra tips to a whining waitress. “Let’s see if I can remember it. Five plates full of steaks—medium rare?”

“You’ve got it right, but make it six plates.” She gestured behind me. “They said another was joining them. That must be him right there.”

I turned to see who she was talking about.

Wow.

A large man entered and ducked his head under the doorway. He towered over everyone, wearing the same leather jacket that his friends wore. He had on a white shirt that hugged his massive chest, low hanging jeans that were ripped at the edges, and heavy black boots. No patches covered the jacket, which made me think that they weren’t a gang. Just a bunch of guys that loved bikes and leather.

Now that’s a man.

I calmed my body down as I drank him in. Unlike any of the guys from my town, muscle wrapped every inch of him.

I bet he has no problem getting women into his bed.

He had a youthful look, appearing close to my age of thirty. His dark black hair was cut short on the sides. It looked like he had not shaved in a few days. Stubble covered his chin and jaw.

Don’t even think about it. He’ll be bad news like the others.

Desire ran through my body, yet I shook it off. If anything, these guys were just passing through. Crystal Lake’s biggest profits came from tourism.

In the summer, the town served as a playground for outdoorsy people. There were tons of high-end luxury cabins nestled amid stunning forests and wildflower-filled meadows. Many hiked around the sparkling lake and through the evergreen forests of the town’s many mountains. Guided horseback rides showcased the true beauty of the area.

In the winter, thousands arrived for the sprawling expanse of ski terrain. It was a paradise for powder enthusiasts. However, no one ever remained. No matter the season, gorgeous men came in the diner for food, partied with the local females, fucked them, and then left, never calling them again. Many times, I’d been one of those women falling hard for a tourist, thinking I would get a ticket out of town. Always, I woke up the next day in wet, disheveled sheets with only my broken heart to keep me company.

Yeah. He’s just passing through.

Still, an intense desire coursed through my blood.

He walked my way. Our gazes locked. He stopped a foot from me and pierced me with an intense gaze. So hypnotizing.

I said no. I can’t do it.

I promised myself to never be a fool in love again. And this guy wouldn’t be an exception, even though he took my breath away as he stood in front of me. His expression remained neutral, but those eyes were windows, speaking of something more—heat and ecstasy.

For several