Thirty-Four
THIRTY-FOUR
MALIK
“Shh. You’ve gotta keep your voice down, doll face. You don’t want everyone to know what we’re doing in here, do you?” I hold my hand over Soleil’s mouth as I pump harder into her.
We’re hiding in Hendrix’s pantry while the rest of our friends sit out by the fire. Dahlia and A.J. and Sloane are roasting marshmallows and have become an unbreakable trio. Dagen told us she was bringing her brother and sister with her this weekend because they couldn’t stop talking about Dahlia. Now the three are best friends and already talked Soleil into letting Dahlia stay the night. She was worried, but I promised her that Dagen would take good care of her, and reminded her that it meant alone time for the two of us.
But I couldn’t wait until we were home to have her. My dick was throbbing in my pants. We told them we were going to get the bag that Soleil always carries in her car with extra clothes for Dahlia. Then I made a little pit stop when I pulled her into the pantry.
The shelves shake and the food rattles, threatening to come crashing down. Soleil holds onto them, bent at the waist and pants to her ankles. Her teeth sink into my palm when I pinch her clit and thrust faster. I know we don’t have much time, so I work quickly to bring us both to a climax. I drop my hand from her mouth and yank on her hair.
“You like my dick, baby? You like the way my fat cock spreads you wide open?”
“Ye-yes.”
“God, I fucking love the way your tight cunt squeezes me. Am I the biggest you’ve ever had?” I want to hear her praise.
I need to hear it.
“The biggest. I swear.” Her whisper is breathy and I know my girl is going to come soon.
“Don’t lie to me, Soleil.” I growl into her ear then bite down on her earlobe.
“Aah. I’m not.” She struggles to keep her voice down. “You're so thick, I can feel every vein. I love it so much. Please don’t stop. I’m almost there.”
I smirk and feel my dick throb. My body is ready but I won’t go before her. I stick my fingers into her mouth and she gets them nice and wet. Pulling them out, I rub furiously on her swollen clit until she cries out.
I grit my teeth, holding on for the moment I feel her body convulse before I come in her warm pussy. Her body goes from riding my dick to rigid and still. Then it finally happens.
Her legs begin to shake, goosebumps roll across her skin, and she gulps down air like she may never breathe it again. Once I know she’s completely drained, I let myself finally break and pour into her.
Soleil reaches back and jerks me closer, her nails digging into my bare ass and keeping us locked tightly.
I pull her to standing and turn her head over her shoulder to take her mouth in a kiss. My dick grows soft inside of her but I don’t want to leave the comfort of her hold. When I can no longer stay nestled, I slip out and tuck myself back into my jeans.
“I need to clean myself up, Malik.” She looks around the pantry for something she can use, and I spot some paper towels on the top shelf.
Reaching over her, I pluck them up and rip off a sheet. “These aren’t going to be very soothing. Want me to just suck you clean?”
She rips the towel from hand. “No. It would be embarrassing enough to have someone catch us with our pants down. But I’d be mortified if they walked in on you sucking on me. Plus, what if they could smell it…like, on your mouth, you know?”
I flick my tongue, swiping her lip. “I don’t give a fuck. Let them smell your sweet pussy on my lips. Maybe I should let them sniff my fingers. Mmm.”
I run my fingers under my nose and she smacks me, then shoves the used paper towels in my hand.
“You’re so gross. C’mon. Let’s get out of here before they start to get suspicious.”
I slide open the large door with frosted panels and see Kyle standing in the kitchen with the biggest goddamn smile.
And yes, we dragged her along with us. Soleil didn’t want her to feel left out of the mix, so she came along.
“You know that glass is see-through, don't you?” She huffs just as Soleil steps out behind me, eyes wide with embarrassment. “You’re lucky Dolly or one of the other kids didn’t come in. It looked like a fucking erotic puppet show.”
I step forward and high five her with a laugh. “Nice. I like that one.”
Soleil groans and presses her forehead to my back and grips onto my biceps.“I should’ve never let you two meet.”
I twist my arm and tuck her under my arm, kissing her head. Danté comes walking into the kitchen and he has a devious smile that makes me very nervous. That look never means anything good.
“Did you find Dahlia’s stuff?” He asks.
“No,” Soleil lies. “I must have left it at home.”
“Hmm. Did you try looking in your car? I can’t imagine that it was in the pantry? Especially the way you two were looking.”
“Oh my gosh, kill me.” Soleil buries her head into my side and grips tight to my shirt.
“I said the kids didn’t see you two but I never said anything about the other guests,” Kyle explains.
“Who do you think told her to come watch the show?” D flips his lip ring and I just know Soleil’s face is bright red.
“That’s it. I’m going to go lay in the street and hope a garbage truck runs over me.” Soleil pulls away from me and spins towards the entryway.
Kyle quickly follows behind. “Wait for me, Sunny. I need to make sure you look good when the news vans show up.”
“I hate you,” I hear Soleil yell before walking out the door.
Danté and I grab another beer from the fridge and make our way outside just as Dahlia screams. I drop my beer and run to where she stands by the fire. Dagen is kneeling holding her hand and A.J. clings to Dahlia’s arm.
“Are you okay, Dolly?” A.J. asks.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” I scoop Dahlia in my arms before anyone can answer, touching her face and arms and legs, checking for cuts or bleeding.
Hendrix walks up with Sloane right behind him and A.J. scurrying to his side, as usual. “She touched the end of the stick and burnt her finger. I think it’s okay.”
“It hurts,” Dahlia cries and I jog inside with her wrapped tightly around me.
Sitting her on the counter, I turn on the faucet, checking for the cold water and stick her finger in the running stream. She sniffles with fat tears in her eyes and I kiss her forehead.
“It’s going to be okay. Maybe we should all go home,” I tell her.
“No! Please. I want to stay with A.J. and Sloane.” She cries harder and I wipe away her tears that fall.
“What’s going on? Dahlia, why are you crying?” Soleil comes in, wearing my hoodie, and walks straight to where we stand.
“I burnt my finger.” Dahlia pulls her finger from the water and lifts it to Soleil’s face. “But I’m okay. Please say I don’t hafta go home.”
“I suggested we all leave.” My hand smooths over Dahlia’s hair and I grab her finger once more, and return it to the water.
Soleil assesses her, the tears now drying up and a wobbly smile on her face. “I guess if you feel okay. I don’t want you bugging Dagen or Hendrix, though.”
Dahlia’s eyes light up and she nods frantically. “I won’t. Promise. Daddy–I mean Malik made me feel all better.”
My heart stops and I get lightheaded. Not in a way that is worrisome, but rather in a way that has me playing back her words.
Did she call me daddy? I know it was an accident but it felt so right. I look at Soleil who watches me and tries to gauge my reaction. Instead of making a big deal and possibly making Dahlia feel uncomfortable, I pick her up off the counter and set her on the floor.
“I’m sure A.J. and Sloane are waiting for you. All good?” She nods and I kiss the tip of her finger. “Okay. Mommy and I will be right out.”
She skips out of the kitchen and outside like nothing happened. I turn to Soleil with a wide smile but she doesn’t look the same. She’s stone faced and I couldn’t read her if she had a chapter guide. Kyle looks between us then walks away without a word.
“Why the face?” I do the same to her as I did with Dahlia, and set her on the counter.
I come to rest between her legs and rub away the furrow that creases her forehead. She looks almost mad.
“I’m sorry she called you that. She must have just been worked up from the adrenaline.”
My head jerks back, a little thrown off by her apology. “Sorry? You don’t need to apologize. I don’t mind. I actually liked it. I felt important and it’s comforting to know that she feels safe with me.”
She pushes on my chest and jumps down. With her back to me, she paces into the living and falls to the sofa.
“You’re not her father, Malik. You’re barely anything.”
Heat surges through my body and I make my way over to her. “What the fuck does that mean, Soleil?”
“It means we’ve known you for a total of three months and you’re telling me you love me, and now my daughter accidentally calls you dad and you look like you’re mentally moving us into your home. You’re about a hundred steps ahead of me.”
I drop to my knees, pushing hers apart and nestling between them. “So because we’ve only known each other a short while, you think my feelings for you can’t be real? My feelings for Dahlia?”
She looks away and blows out an exhausted puff of air. “I’m saying that I’ve been there once before. I loved someone who I thought loved me back, and he only ended up hurting me. And my daughter is the one who suffers the most. I can’t have her falling for you only to be destroyed if we break up. You cannot feed ideas to either of us. We have to live in reality, not your fantasy of what it could be.”
Anger pulses through my veins. “Don’t take out on me what you feel for another man. I’m not Gene, and I never will be. I’ll never hurt you. I’ll never cheat on you. And I sure as hell won’t ever do anything to cause Dahlia pain. I want only to bring you both happiness. You deserve as much.”
“You don’t get it, Malik. I–”
“You’re right. I don’t get it! I don’t get what has you so upset. She accidentally called me daddy. Okay. It happens. Do you know how many of my students have called me that? And when I’m the only male role model she has at school and home, it seems perfectly logical. But don’t get mad at me because I liked it. I’m not Danté, or even Hendrix up until recently. I’ve always known I want a family. So excuse the fuck out of me for having the smallest bit of hope.” I hold my thumb and index finger apart, then throw my hands up.
I rise to my feet and stride to the front door. I need air. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. How can we be arguing about this? Because I care too much?
I slam the door behind me and walk out towards the woods at the edge of Hendrix’s property. I let my hands rest on my head as I close my eyes and breathe deep, working hard to calm myself. I’m not that guy who can’t control his emotions anymore. I’ve dealt with that and grown up. Fighting with my hands and stabbing with my words aren’t in my arsenal. I let those go. But hearing her say all of that has the guy I buried long ago rising up.
“Malik.” A small hand touches my back and a soft voice calls my name.
I jump and spin around, coming face to face with Soleil who looks grief stricken.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. I think I’m just scared.” Her fingers peek out of the baggy sleeves of my sweatshirt and she shuffles from foot to foot, looking embarrassed but also shaken.
I stare at her, my hands shaking and heart pounding, and a ringing in my ears that drowns out my thoughts. But I don’t need to hear my thoughts when my heart already knows just what it wants to say.
Reaching out, I yank her to me, surrounding her body with mine. She circles her arms, hugging me tight and nuzzling into my chest.
“This is all just so much for me. I’m still navigating how to be a single mom, then you come in and flip my world upside down.”
I gently tug at her head to look up at me and see the tears swimming in her eyes.
“Don’t cry, doll face. I’m sorry, too.” I kiss and pick her up. “I guess I can be a bit overwhelming.”
She scrunches her face, closing one eye and twisting her lips. “Mm, I’d say more than a little but less than a lot.” Her smile returns and I feel the weight of a thousand pounds lift and fall away. “I just need you to be patient with me. I’m still learning to live in this new life, so sometimes I make mistakes or say the wrong thing. It’s not that I’m insensitive, I just really don’t know how to feel about all of this. Okay?”
“I’ll be patient with you if you’re patient with me. I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you, and I just want to indulge. I want to smother you with love and affection and I don’t have a ‘take it slow’ gear. But I promise to cool my jets.”Her pink lips stretch into a small smile and I sigh, relief flowing through me. “So now that we had our first fight, can we have make-up sex?”
I waggle my brows at her and when she laughs, I swallow it in a deep kiss. I may have promised to be patient and cautious, but I never said I wouldn’t push her every boundary. With both of my hands under her ass, I move her to rub up and down on my hard dick.
“How do you feel about the dark woods?” I ask her, taking a step further into the brush.
“No. Absolutely not. We already got busted by Kyle and Danté in the pantry, I will not be caught naked in the woods.”
She wiggles out of my arms until I set her back down on solid ground.
“Henny told me a place where no one will find us.”
“TMI. Now it’s emphatically no. Come on.” She grabs my hand and tows me back towards the house.
I drag my feet then almost run over her when she stops abruptly. I look at her as she stares down at the palm of her hand and feel the blood drain from my face. In her hand sits a shiny gold key. She stares at her palm, eyes squinting as recognition begins to click into place.
Sweat beads at my hairline and I start to shake. It’s her key. The one I took from the rock she hid it in a couple weeks ago and stuck in the hoodie I changed into at the garage. The one I forgot about and then threw in the back of her car on the way over here.
Her head tilts, side to side, and I can tell the question she wants to ask is on the tip of her tongue. Words swirl together, working to make up a sentence that will explain what she’s seeing.
“So that, uh…that’s your key.” My mouth feels dry as I try to come up with the right words that will get me out of this situation with Soleil still by my side. “I was worried about leaving it there while you and Dahlia were staying with me. Especially if someone really did get into your house, I didn’t want them to have access to any of your personal belongings.”
A high pitched buzzing is playing in my ears and I hold my breath, waiting to see what she says. Will she believe me? Can she see through my lie and will she find out all of the other secrets I keep?
She stares at me and then the key, rolling my words around. Her face is impassive so I can’t draw any guesses as to what she’s thinking. The silence is deafening and complete torture.
With a sigh, she closes her fingers over the key and returns it to the pocket. “Thanks. I never would have thought to do that.”
I smile, nervous relief behind it, and take her hand in mine. We spend the rest of the night doing things that only lovers do in the dark.