Chapter 3
Three
REESE
I don’t get swept off my feet by men.
After Benedict blinded me with his chivalry and tricked me into thinking he was a decent man, I stopped falling for sexy smirks and flirty eyes.
That doesn’t stop Malaki Young from trying, though.
I acted like I didn’t know who he was, but I knew right away.
Each time I drive to the hockey arena to pick up boisterous Blue Devils fans in need of a ride, I spot his face on the little flags lining the street.
Most of the players in their jerseys are listed, though his photo always catches my eye first–not that I’m admitting that to anyone.
He nudges me with his shoulder on the way to my car. “Alone at last.”
A surprised laugh leaves me. “Alone at last? You just met me two minutes ago.”
He smiles, and I’m choosing to pretend that it isn’t heart-stopping.
Malaki towers over me, his height casting shadows against my face as we walk toward my car.
His smile digs even further into his chiseled face. “And I already find myself wanting to get you alone,” he admits.
My steps falter.
I know all about Malaki from the overly chatty and often tipsy hockey fans I’ve picked up from the arena over the last several months.
He’s known as one of the best defensive players in the league with speed that outshines all the rest. He’s even up for MVP of the year.
But I don’t let those facts deter me from steering clear of that tempting twinkle in his eye.
“Hey…” he starts quietly. “I’m only kidding."
I peer up at his tall frame, and he wears a face of worry.
Suddenly, I’m offended by the thought that he doesn’t want me alone.
Wait, what? Why do I care?
“I’m over here.” I point at my car.
Malaki follows behind, silence settling in between us.
I reach for the door handle, but he steps in front of me, leaving my hand outstretched in between us. I pull back out of shock, half irritated that he’s blocking me from my car. “What are you–”
I drop the question when I’m met with an opened car door. Malaki’s large hand remains on the door handle while the other rests on top of my car. He motions for me to get inside, his eyebrows rising to his forehead like he’s confused that I haven’t moved from the spot on the pavement.
“Oh.” I slowly sit down in the driver’s seat and allow my lips to form a forced smile. “Thanks.”
Malaki dips his chin, a playful smirk twitching on his lips.
“You’re welcome, Dimples.”
My nose scrunches at the nickname. It’s been a long time since someone has pointed out my dimples. “Very original."
He chuckles before shutting my door.
I’m tempted to just drive away, because I’ve been alone with this guy for two minutes, and he’s already managed to make me laugh.
Sure, he’s a little arrogant, and I’m certain his gentlemanly tactics pull girls into his bed like some sort of siren call, yet I find myself staring into his eyes for a second too long, which is never good.
Not to mention, I need the money.
I start to set up the Uber ride on my app when the passenger side door opens.
Malaki sits nonchalantly in the front seat, and I can’t help but snort.
He glances over at me. “What?”
“Nothing.” I busy myself with the phone, but I can still feel his gaze lingering on the side of my face. “It’s just–” I peek at him and roll my lips together. “Most people sit in the back.”
Malaki, with his wide shoulders, turns and glances at the backseat.
Thank God I took Charleigh’s car seat out.
“Looks small back there,” he notes.
It is. If I could afford an SUV, I’d get one. The bigger the car, the more money I’d make.
I run my gaze over his large frame and shrug. “You’d fit,” I say.
He would be super cramped back there, and I’m pretty sure there’s a wafer stuck to the seat from attempting to appease Charleigh earlier when she was getting antsy from our trip to the store, but it’s fun to act unimpressed by Malaki and his sturdy body.
His ego could surely afford a few hits.
“I’m over six feet,” he argues.
I purse my lips and openly gawk at him. “Oh, you looked much shorter than that.”
He huffs, and I turn away to hide my amusement.
After getting the Uber drive set up, I have him tell me his address. It doesn’t take long for me to realize that he lives in the same complex as Daisy, and I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m pretty certain he’s Kane’s roommate.
“I think you just don’t want me next to you,” Malaki says. “Because you and I both know that I tower over your tiny frame.”
“I am not tiny,” I argue, putting the car in drive.
He grunts, and I glance over at him. He’s staring out the passenger side window, but even from the glimpse of his profile, I can see his lips twitching with humor.
If only he knew that I had a baby nine months ago, and my body isn’t quite the same as it used to be.
I’m still thin, mostly because I don’t have time to eat, and even when I do, healthy food is much more expensive than junk food, but my belly isn’t as tight, and it’s hard to fit my hips into those skinny jeans I wore a year ago.
“You are tiny,” he says. “But you’re also mighty.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Mighty? What makes you say that?”
Our eyes catch when I stop at a red light. I ignore the way my stomach flips, because absolutely not. There is no time or place in my life for a smooth talker like Malaki, even if he has made me laugh more times in the last twenty minutes than I usually do in an entire day.
“I don’t know...” he drags his words out while simultaneously running those blue eyes over my body.
The light turns green, and I silently thank it for giving me a reason to look away. Being under Malaki Young’s scrutiny gives me hives.
“You just seem…independent?”
Okay, so he can read people. Big deal.
I remain quiet as I turn onto his street, the tall apartment building standing like a beacon of light.
“I can tell you don’t put up with anyone’s bullshit.”
I used to, but I’m much less likely to do so since leaving that run-down trailer on the south side of town. I took my sister, gave my dad the middle finger, and removed us from trash, as Benedict likes to refer to it.
I park in front of Malaki’s apartment building and end the ride. His phone pings, but he doesn’t touch it. Instead, he stares at me from the side. The longer I look at him, the faster my heart beats. It isn’t until he grins that I turn away.
“It’s sort of hot,” he admits.
I roll my eyes, pretending like I don’t care that he just referred to me as hot.
Get a grip, Reese. Just because it’s been nearly two years since I’ve been with a man, or had an interaction with one that didn’t make my skin crawl, doesn’t make me desperate.
I do not crave a man’s attention or his compliments. Nope.
“Let me take you out.”
I freeze in the driver’s seat. The butterflies in my stomach, unfortunately, do not. Apparently, I do crave a man’s attention.
My refusal comes swift as I turn toward him. “No.”
His lip lifts, and I hate that it makes him so much more enticing. I could totally see myself getting lost in his blue eyes, and paired with that smirk? Jes-us.
“How’d I know you’d say that?” His half-grin turns into a full-blown smile. His teeth are bright white and perfectly straight. Some hockey players have missing teeth, but not Malaki. That’d be such a shame, considering his smile makes my head spin.
I turn away and stare out the windshield to get out from underneath his spell.
“I don’t date,” I say.
“So you’re taken.” He says it like a statement instead of a question.
A laugh erupts from my mouth, as if I have the time to date.
He hums quietly. “So you’re not taken…”
I think he’s talking to himself more than he’s talking to me.
He shifts in the passenger seat, his knees nearly hitting the dash. “Why don’t you date?”
The excuses are endless: I don’t have time to date. I have an overbearing ex who is threatening to take custody of my daughter if I don’t force myself to love him. Oh, and then there’s the little tidbit that I have a baby!
What Malaki won’t understand is that he and I aren’t compatible even in the slightest. Maybe we could’ve been if I didn’t drop out of college to wash bottles and change dirty diapers several times a night. I have responsibilities that leave zero room for a fling with a guy like him.
A few seconds of silence pass before he blurts, “Are you a lesbian?”
I’m shocked, but only for a second. I slowly turn toward him and raise an eyebrow. “You think that’s the only logical reason as to why I won’t let you take me out?” I cross my arms and scoff. “Talk about arrogant.”
His jaw drops slightly, but I still see the hint of mirth lingering on his face. “I didn’t say that. I was just throwing out suggestions.”
Instead of getting out of my car that’s still idling in front of his complex, he seemingly grows more comfortable.
He leans back in the passenger seat and pushes his legs apart a little, this time his knees actually brushing against the dash.
I stare at his fingers as they tap against his jeans, and I have no idea why, but it’s sort of attractive.
“Dinner and a movie?”
My gaze slides from his hand, all the way up to the grin on his face. When our eyes catch, he shakes his head. “Okay, not your thing. What about…”
I hate that I want to laugh.
“Bowling?” His eyebrow hitches, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep him from knowing I’m amused.
He rolls his eyes when I stay quiet. “Bowling isn’t my thing either. I suck.”
I feign surprise. “Admitting you aren’t good at something? Wow.”
His flirty gaze slices to me. “There are plenty of things I’m not good at…but there are also things I’m very good at.”
A rush of heat whips at my cheeks, and he winks, as if he knows exactly where my mind went.
My thoughts have taken a sudden detour, and somehow, I’ve ended up in a porno with Malaki Young.
A coil of lust pulls at my belly, and my pulse quickens.
It’s been too long since I’ve done anything with anyone.
The last time I was kissed was by Benedict, and it ended with a slap to his face.
Malaki’s growing list of date ideas pulls me from my dirty aspirations. I hear the tail end of his next idea. “Water park?”
“Water park?” I give him a wary look. “There’s a water park here?”
He chuckles. “No, but I’m running out of options.”
“I’m not dating you,” I repeat.
There’s a challenge in his eyes. He squints and then smiles. My lips beg to smile, the dimples I’ve had since I was a baby threatening to appear.
“Then let’s hang out as friends,” he suggests.
I laugh sarcastically. “Said no guy ever.”
“You haven’t been around the right guys, then,” he says matter-of-factly.
I sigh and reach for my Skittles. The bag crinkles, the Skittles tacky in my hand. I pop a few into my mouth and suck on the ends of my fingers.
I catch Malaki’s eye, and he’s staring at me. He blinks once, twice, then slowly turns away and stares out the windshield. “Fine,” he sighs. “You pick the activity, and text me when you figure it out.”
I snort. “You’re not getting my number.”
He turns toward me with one eyebrow raised. “Who says I don’t already have it?”
I pause. Does he?
I mentally shake my head. There’s no way he has my number.
My phone pings, and his attention snaps to it. Before he has a chance to grab it and text himself my number, I snatch it from the dashboard mount and press it against my chest. His cheek twitches, like he wants to smile.
I glance at the screen and read Zoe’s text asking when I’m coming home.
She probably wants to go out with her friends, because that’s what college girls do. Instead, she’s at home, babysitting her niece.
“Oops, looks like I have another ride request,” I say.
Malaki’s mouth turns down into a disappointed frown, and I hate to admit that I’m kind of bummed to see him go too. But it’s better this way, and I know it.
“Alright,” he says.
The door opens, letting in the Chicago city air, and just when I think he’s accepted that I won’t go on a date with him, he leans toward me with his elbow on the center console. His low voice slips into my ear. “Thanks for the first date. It was fun, Dimples.”
A surprised gasp leaves me when he backs away.
“This was not a date,” I argue.
“Felt like one to me,” he says, sticking his hand into my bag of Skittles.
“Hey!” I blurt.
He pops a few Skittles into his mouth, winks at me, and then shuts the door.
I speed away before he makes it to the door of his apartment complex, as if leaving him sooner is going to wipe away the blush covering my cheeks.
My phone pings just as I turn the corner, and I see the five-star rating and astronomically high-dollar tip he’s left me. Since I’m all alone, I let myself smile, but if he was here to see me, I’d make sure to roll my eyes.