Worthy

BLURB:

Three friends. Three challenges. Are they willing to risk everything for love?

Tessa Obum shares everything with her best friend Anuli Okoro. Inseparable, they’re bonded by a secret so dark that it could destroy them both if it ever comes to light. When she meets business mogul Peter Oranye, she knows their dalliance will never be serious.

Try telling that to Peter who seems to only have one mode—intense—and is single-mindedly determined to have all of Tessa no matter the emotional and physical costs. Peter has only ever loved one woman. The guilt of her death leaves him unable to get close to another woman for many years. Until Tessa. Now he’s ready to break his abstinence streak.

But getting involved with a damaged woman especially one who won’t let go of her BFF is wrought with dangers, especially when someone else wants them all broken. When their secrets come to light, will any of them be worthy of the love they crave?

WHERE TO BUY

EXCERPT:

As she came out of the bathroom stall, she caught her reflection on the mirror and glanced at herself again. It was always a shock to see the transformation in her whenever she came out on Friday night. She looked like a different woman from the person she was during the day. During the week.

Now a different woman stared back at her with brown tresses of wavy clip-in extensions almost to her hips, smoky dark eyes and sultry red lips. The soft stretch jersey dress moulded onto curves. She was unrecognisable. She preferred it that way. Of course. The person she was on these nights wasn’t who she was for the rest of the time.

Keeping the two personalities, and worlds, separate was key to her survival.

She tidied up her makeup and headed out the door. She pulled her phone out of her bag to check messages and stumbled into someone. The force of the impact sent her stumbling back on her stilettos.

“Oh,” the man said and reached for her flailing arms.

Fingers wrapper around her upper arms and tugged. She slammed back into the warmth of his rock abs. Breath whooshed out of her lungs and she clutched his silk shirt to steady herself.

For a moment, she didn’t move. A little disorientated. A little sucked in by the safety of the body cocooning her. Something made her lean in, close her eyes and suck in a huge breath.

Wow. He smelled good. Better than good. Divine. She couldn't remember the last time she stood this close to a man who made her was to nuzzle him and mark her body with his scent of cologne, musk and man.

“Are you okay?” the sound of his voice rumbled so low it seemed to emanate from his chest.

Shivering, she opened her eyes and looked into his. Her breath caught. His were an obsidian shade, dark and compelling. His pristine skin was a tawny colour, the hair cut pretty close to his scalp. Brown brows arched over sharp eyes, strong nose bridged an equilinear face, completed by lush lips and a square chin.

She wasn’t a small girl and she stood in tower high shoes. Still he loomed over her, his white dress shirt buttoned up without a tie. She followed the lean line across his wide shoulders down to the narrow hips and legs in charcoal trousers onto the ebony wingtips.

He was fucking hot—front cover of GQ magazine jalapeno hot.

Her body temperature went mercurial and she suddenly wished for a blast of arctic air.

“Hello?” His voice rumbled with concern.

She suddenly realised that he’d asked if she was okay and she hadn’t replied. Heat spread up from her chest and she worked saliva into her dry mouth before speaking.

“Yes,” her voice sounded alien. “Thank you. Sorry. I’m not usually that clumsy.”

She brushed the hair that had fallen on her cheek away.

“It’s fine. I was the one walking fast. I should’ve known someone could be coming out of the door. Let me buy you a drink to make up for it.” He stepped away.

She missed his closeness, a pang spreading on her chest. There'd been something there between them when they'd had body contact. She wanted to feel it again.

“How about you come and dance with me instead?” She stepped near him, wanting to re-establish physical contact.

He frowned and glanced towards the dance floor. “I’m not really a good dancer.”

She smiled when he looked back at her with those assessing eyes of his. She knew she looked great in her outfit and unless he already had company which wasn’t likely if he was offering to buy her a drink, then he hopefully wouldn't be able to resist her.

She placed her hand on his arm. “It’s not that difficult and I bet you’re a man who could do whatever he put his mind to.”

He grinned, a boyish grin complete with a dimple that made him appear younger than the early to mid-thirties she’d placed his age.

“When you put it that way then, then I can certainly try.”

“Great.” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, tasting the lipstick. “I’m Tessa.”

“Peter,” he said as she pulled him along onto the dance floor.

The music playing was Yes No by Banky, a slow rhythm that made her step close to him and clasp his shoulders. They stood inches apart.

“Sway with me,” she said and started moving.