Chapter 8
Xiah
I shifted in bed and my body ached, bringing a smile to my face because I was immediately reminded of the night I’d spent with a man who understood the assignment.
I snuggled deeper into the bedding, tugging the covers closer to my body.
My head sank deeper into the pillow before I sighed my contentment.
The euphoric moment lasted for all of five seconds before I began to panic.
As cozy as this bed felt, it damn sure wasn’t mine.
My eyes shot open and I was blessed, or cursed, with the handsome profile of the man I just mentally praised for the amazing night he delivered.
His face was relaxed, and based on the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest, he was asleep.
Shit, I need to leave.
I should have left last night but…
No time to worry about all the woulda, coulda, shoulda, I needed to get out of this bed and out of this damn suite.
I lifted the covers and carefully eased from beneath them, watching Kove the entire time to make sure I didn’t wake him.
When I managed to gently place my feet on the floor and distanced myself from the bed, I began moving around the suite, collecting my clothes from last night.
I wiggled into my dress, then my panties, before I collected my phone, purse, and shoes.
I glanced at the beautiful man I was leaving behind once more before I quietly padded to the door to leave.
As soon as my hand touched the handle, I exhaled a sigh of relief because I was out of here… or so I thought.
“Ay, Xi, hold up.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I closed my eyes with my fingers on the door handle, ready to push down so I could escape.
I could walk right out of this room and never have to see this man again.
Kinsley could show up to closing and I would still get my check.
I could also block his number and not accept any calls or texts if that was the route I chose to go.
But I could not avoid the obvious right now.
“Um, thank you for, um, you know… the sex. I have to go.”
What the fuck, Xiah?
Did I really just thank him for sex?
I slammed my eyes shut once more, feeling even more mortified before I pushed down on the handle and attempted to make my grand escape, but fuck me…
I felt him behind me before his hand landed on the sleek wood surface of the door above my head. I lifted my chin and glanced over my shoulder to find narrowed eyes locked onto my face. I returned a scowl and shifted so my back was against the door and I was facing him.
“I would like to leave.”
“Apparently but I want to holla at you for a minute.”
I arched a brow. “Are you holding me hostage?”
He frowned briefly before smiling sexily. Kove stepped back and locked his arms over his massive chest. My eyes did a happy dance from that stupidly handsome face down to the briefs he put on before I found enough common sense to focus on his face.
“No, I’m not holding you hostage. I’m asking you not to run up out of here like last night didn’t happen.”
“It definitely happened…” I mumbled without meaning to, which had him smiling again.
“Aight, then how about you don’t run up out of here because last night did happen.”
“I think that would probably be the smartest thing because…”
“We had sex, Xi. I know you’re not tripping off that.”
“No, I’m not, it’s just the after sex thing is kinda weird. The whole what next part. It’s probably easier if I just go…”
“I don’t want easy. I want you and ain’t shit about you easy. Come chill for a minute. At least let me feed you before you leave?”
“I’m not hungry.”
He grinned and allowed his eyes to move over my body. “Aight, then you can feed me. I like to eat and I’m more than happy to let you feed me.”
“No, absolutely not. I’m gonna go.”
His massive hands landed at my waist and he brought my body to his before he dropped a kiss to my forehead. “Don’t overthink all this. Just come chill for a minute.”
He released me and walked back into the suite and I groaned under my breath before I followed him to the small living room where he settled onto the sofa and lifted the tablet for room service.
I sat in the chair to the left of where he was seated and looked around the suite while he silently swiped and tapped at the screen.
It took him ten minutes to decide what he was ordering before he tossed the tablet on the sofa next to him and his eyes were on me. “You a track star?”
“What?”
“You looking like you’re waiting on the start gun.
” He smiled sexily when his gaze started at my head and traveled south.
Based on the visual I currently offered, I indeed looked like a runner.
My body was perched on the edge of the chair, feet planted side by side on the floor, back straight as a steel rod, and my purse and shoes were clutched in my lap.
Runner… Definitely a runner.
I relaxed my posture a little but that was the only physical adjustment I made.
Kove leaned forward and extended his muscled, tattooed arm in my direction.
He tugged at my shoes, and because the motion caught me off guard, I released them.
Once they dropped to the floor, he reached for my purse but I forced it against my stomach.
He laughed and dropped back against the sofa.
“You don’t do random sex…”
“No…” I rushed out and he smiled, dropping his hand to his lap. Those long fingers wrapped around the reason I was sitting here like an idiot until I managed to lift my eyes to his.
“It wasn’t a question. The way you just hit me with a thank you for your service is proof enough that this is not your thing.
Even if it was, I’m not judging. I respect anyone who does what they want and has no regrets about doing the things that make them happy.
Life is complicated as hell most days so get it how you’re living and by any means necessary. ”
“But you’re still holding me hostage.”
“I want more than your pussy, Xi, so yeah, I’m going to keep you here for as long as I can and accept whatever you’re willing to offer while you kick it with me.”
Our food arrived and I was grateful Kove decided answering the door in his briefs might not have been the best decision so he put on his sweats from last night, accepted the three trays of food, and I enjoyed what possibly could have been the best breakfast I had ever had in my life.
Blueberry Belgium waffles topped with blueberry preserves and syrup, perfectly cooked, fluffy, scrambled cheese eggs, and sausage links that came out of the pan about two seconds before being considered burnt. Exactly the way I liked them.
My tastebuds and stomach both agreed with being held captive.
Now full and still feeling the blissful reminders of the way he worked my body last night, all I could think of doing was escaping to my apartment, taking a hot shower, and curling up on my sofa to recoup the sleep I wasn’t allotted last night.
But my oh my was the reason for my lack of sleep so very worth it…
“Breakfast was superb. Sex last night was superb times ten but I really do need to go.”
Kove lifted his massive hand and pushed his spiral curls from his face.
I was somewhat jealous of how beautiful his curl pattern was because I imagined he didn’t do a damn thing to maintain it while my multi blend of 4B and 4c coils, although beautiful when at their prime, required a lot of love and care to whip into a presentable shape.
“You got plans?”
I ran through my previous thoughts of what my day would look like then nodded seconds before I told a lie. “Yes, work.”
There, he can’t refute that.
“It’s Saturday?”
My head was moving once more to agree. “It is but you do realize weekend viewings are prime for most people because of work and all.”
“How many do you have?”
“Two?”
“What time?”
“Two,” I blurted, then followed up with, “The first one is at two.”
He smiled sexily and lifted the tablet next to him. After he tapped the screen, dropped his eyes briefly, the device left his incredibly large hand and was tossed on the cushion beside him.
“It’s eight, which means you have a couple hours.”
“I live thirty minutes from here and still have to shower, dress, and…”
“Where you live?”
I frowned and blinked at him. “I don’t think we’re at the ‘where do you live’ stage. That’s not what this is. We had sex…”
“And you thanked me so I’m going to assume that means it was decent enough for you to consider doing it again.”
Oh God yes…
“We’re not doing that again.”
The smile he delivered which had my pussy quietly speaking on my behalf argued in protest.
“Aight, so we’re not at the ‘where do you live’ stage but I have to admit this shit is unfairly imbalanced. You know where I live.”
“I sold you the house.”
“Doesn’t matter how the knowledge was acquired. You still have the upper hand but we’ll leave that shit alone for now. You have a couple hours before you have to leave, so let me hook some shit up for you.”
“Hook what up?”
He lifted the tablet and began tapping the screen. “I told you last night, my goal for getting this suite wasn’t sex. You wanted to enjoy the spa here. They have my card on file so you can bill whatever you want to the room. They got a lot of shit on here. Pick whatever you want.”
He extended the tablet and I looked down at it before my eyes made it back to him.
“Is this like your thing? Sex and morning after pampering as a thank you for lending me your body before you go back to your life because the sex was thank you enough. That’s not necessary.” I pointed to the tablet and he laughed.
“My thing damn sure isn’t giving women unlimited access to spa treatments, It’s more like, let me eat your pussy one last time before I send you on your way.”
I’ll take that please…
“Oh, well, then I’m good on both. I really need to go.”