Chapter 30
Thirty
REESE
It’s as if fate knew I needed to be pulled away from Malaki the second we were in the house, because otherwise, I would’ve made a complete fool out of myself.
Charleigh snuggles into my chest, pressing her cheek against my bare skin with a wistful smile.
I rock back and forth while still in my heels, my feet throbbing from all the standing.
I wait until she’s good and asleep before placing her back into her Pack ‘n Play, but before I leave, I shut my eyes and pray that fate is still on my side by the time I get to my room.
Or Malaki’s room–our room.
I quietly latch her door and stand with my back against the cool wall before attempting to get my bearings.
Malaki is the last thing I should be thinking about after getting that text from Benedict, yet here I am, full of eager anticipation.
My nerves are fried, and every brief touch from him left a lasting mark. I’m attracted to Malaki–who wouldn’t be?–but crossing the boundaries that I vehemently laid out on the table would make me a hypocrite.
Or a woman with needs.
I roll my eyes.
Eventually, I push off from the wall and hobble down the hall. My body reacts as soon as I reach for the handle, as if it knows what’s on the other side. I turn the doorknob, and my stomach flutters.
I find him right away, and although my nipples perk at the sight of him sitting up in bed without a shirt on, I silently curse him. If he were asleep, then maybe I could keep my composure. Instead, he’s watching some race on the tv with intense concentration.
The lamp on my side of the bed is on, while the one on his side is off. Yet, as soon as he sees me, he turns off the tv, and shakes out his damp hair. “Everything good?” he asks.
My nod is sharp.
I’m clearly on edge, full of nervous jitters. I’m acting like a virgin at the sight of him on the bed, as if he’s waiting to claim me.
God. I’m insane.
“I’m going to go get ready for bed,” I say.
So I can escape your hot stare.
I take one step toward the bathroom and wince. This is what happens when you’re not used to wearing heels. Your feet reject them.
Malaki pops up from the bed. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m fine–”
I pull my attention from his very toned pecs and scan the disapproval on his face.
“It’s just my feet,” I admit. “I’m not used to wearing heels.” I laugh quietly.
I take another step toward the bathroom, and suddenly, I’m forced to stop in place. Malaki’s arm wraps around my waist, and he tugs me backward until he’s able to sweep me off my feet.
Physically and metaphorically.
“Malaki! What are you doing?” I hiss.
A deep chuckle vibrates Malaki’s chest as he carries me into the bathroom. He flicks the light on and gently places me on top of the vanity. I open my mouth to scold him for picking me up like I’m a toddler, but then he disappears beneath me and grabs my foot.
The pad of his thumb gently brushes against my skin, and I’m rendered speechless.
He undoes the clasp around my ankle with his deft fingers, and it’s instant relief.
A breathy noise flows out of my mouth, and Malaki snaps his eyes to mine.
His jaw tightens as he slowly pulls the heel off.
He wraps his hand around my foot and gives it a gentle squeeze before massaging the sore skin.
“Better?” His voice is raspy.
I nod once and try to pretend like my heart isn’t racing out of my chest.
I can’t breathe, my lungs tight with need.
Malaki moves to the other foot with purpose, his fingers making their way to the clasp around my ankle where they brush against my skin.
Goosebumps appear on every surface of my body.
I inhale shakily, and I know he notices.
His cheek twitches, the blue color of his eyes deepening and playing tricks on my mind.
When our gazes snag, his pupils dilate, and that talented tongue of his slips out from behind his lips to wet them.
“There,” he says, dropping the other heel onto the floor.
I press my hands into the top of the vanity as hard as I can.
“Thank—” I can’t even speak. “Thank you.”
Malaki stays crouched below me on one knee with my ankle still in the palm of his hand. “Need help with anything else?”
Heat prickles my scalp.
Malaki’s thumb stops stroking the inside of my ankle, and our eyes catch. That tongue of his darts out again, and I’m suffocating on need.
“Reese?” The way he says my name has me wondering if the string tugging on my desire is tugging on his too.
I’m a ticking time bomb. One more hot touch and I’m bound to show him how desperate I am. All I hear is my heart beating inside my ears. The room narrows in on Malaki, and his hand travels little by little past my ankle and up to my calf.
He massages the muscle there, but I’m irrevocably focused on him.
A slow swallow moves down his throat, making his neck strain. His abs flicker as his fingers glide up to my knee. His hand leaving behind a trail of heat.
“You’re trembling,” he notes.
I exhale a shaky breath.
“Are you trembling for me, Dimples?” His voice comes out strained, and that’s exactly how I feel with the teasing touches against my leg.
He moves up even higher, his hand no longer visible. My dress hides the way his fingers ghost against my inner thigh, and I can’t take it anymore. I let my head fall backward and sigh wistfully.
How can a brief touch to my leg feel this good?
“You want me to stop?” he drags the words out slowly.
I make a noise that sounds an awful lot like no.
“Thank God,” he chokes out.
Without hesitation, he grips my ankle and props it on top of his shoulder before quickly shoving my dress up to my hips. I grab the fabric, bundling the satin in between my fingers to give him more access.
He mutters from in between my legs, “I’ve been thinking about doing this all night.”
Cool air sweeps against me as he pulls my panties to the side.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” I say the words, but at the same time, I push myself closer to his warm breath, hoping it’ll soften the ache.
“It doesn’t have to mean anything, Dimples.” He places a soft kiss to the inside of my thigh, and a breathy noise leaves me.
“Promise me it won’t change anything,” I whisper. “Tell me you won’t throw me away after this and kick me out of your house.”
Malaki nips the inside of my thigh with his teeth, leaving behind a bite of pain. “That’s for even suggesting that I’d do something like that to you and Charleigh.”
I swore I’d never trust a man again after Benedict, yet here I am, trusting Malaki with a lot more than just my body.
Malaki’s tongue glides over the spot he bit, and the faintest moan slips from my mouth.
“Plus…” his whisper brushes against my skin. “This is just as much for me as it is for you, Reese. I’ve been craving to find out what you taste like since the second we met.”
His candor takes me by surprise but not as much as his tongue does.