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Mal finished his juice then set his glass down and picked up his phone “I have a call starting” He started to get up, but stopped Placing two fingers under my chin, he turned my head and leaned in for a kiss

His full lips moved slowly atop mine, and his warm hand moved up to hold the side of my face A soft moan escaped my lips The kiss itself: simple and quick Still htless Malcolm pulled back He ran his thu, si back a tidal wave of emotion

“You better go so you’re not late for your call” I needed him out of the room before I burst into tears for no damn reason

Mal looked at his phone to check the tih “I really hate conference calls” He gavedownstairs to his home office

Shawn shifted inslowly, I eased off the couch to carry hi Shawn in his crib, I looked around the space Malcolm had done for him My hand went to my lips The emotion that had come over me downstairs hurabbed the receiver out of the master bedroom and headed to the basement

Malcolave a nod in , I should have gone back upstairs and let hi need to be with hiht I didn’t want to be that woy, but in this moment, I was

He turned as I approached I put the monitor next to his laptop He opened his arms in surprise to make room for me as I straddled him I buried my face in his neck and wrapped my arms around him

Mal responded by placing his free hand around ht, clean scent embraced me in its perfect blend of sensuality andarm provided me cohter against him His words faltered I could feel him turn his head toward me

“Baby, are you all right?” he asked the moment his call ended

I nodded

“You sure, because asht as I held him

“You can’t leave me,” I whispered My face remained buried in his neck

“I wasn’t planning on it”

“No!” I said, sitting up to face hiht I’d steeled ainst this Protected my heart behind reinforced steel doors, drowned in concrete, and surrounded it with aand showedBut all I knowall I know is that now I’m here, and you loveto make excuses, or look for it in the smallest of actions so I feel better about myself I don’t have to do that, I don’t have to tell myself you lovethe words Like upstairs when you kissed me, it wasn’t the kiss, it was the after How you looked at meI was ready to cry”

Malcolm reached up and wiped away the tears that rolled down lad you can feel howand it’s what I’ve wanted for a long time But you sound very distressed, and that worries me”