Page 31 of Rebound

“You’re not my type. I like bald men. Black preferably, but I’m flexible there.”

He runs his hands over his head. “I’m not shaving my head. I won’t look good bald. I have a dent right here. Feel.” He takes one of my hands and puts it in the middle of his head.

I pull away. “I’m not attracted to you. I want passion,” I tell him.

“Really? Because you could not stop looking at my dick that day you were snooping around in my bedroom. You checked out my ass too.”

I stare into his eyes, unable to utter a single word to refute his claims. I’ll take this to my grave, but he’s very handsome. He has beautiful green eyes and full lips. He has a nice tan, and his naked body is perfection. When he smiles, my stomach does a little somersault, and I’ve never experienced that with anyone before. I can see why all the fangirls want a piece of him.

“Kiss me,” he says. “If you feel nothing, I’ll drop it.”

“I’m not kissing you with your chicken breath.”

He sighs and sticks his hand in his pocket. He takes out a packet of mints and shoves two in his mouth. I look at his lips again, and then into his eyes. I take a mint and crunch it between my teeth. My heart starts to beat like a drum inside my chest. I lick my lips in anticipation. He’s clean-shaven, and I wonder if he can even grow facial hair. I don’t remember the last time I kissed anyone who wasn’t family.

“Maybe we should stand up,” I say, nervously clearing my throat. I start to stand, but he wraps his arms around my waist. I lose my balance and end up on his lap. His firm lips land on mine before I can situate myself.

I haven’t sat on a man’s lap since way before I hit puberty. It’s not something I ever thought about, but right now, I don’t think I ever want to leave. His lips feel warm and soft. Much softer than I thought they would.

I think I hear myself whimper. I open my mouth to breathe, and he takes that as a sign to go inside. His tongue is like velvet. I close my eyes and lose myself in the softness of his lips and the safety of his arms. My hands find their way to the nape of his neck, and they travel up. His hair is a buzz cut, so I can’t slide my fingers through it, but his hair and skin areso soft.

I press myself to him and he lifts me so I can straddle him, and I can feel him through his shorts. My body suddenly comes alive in a way it never has before. His hands slide underneath my shirt, and I can feel his warm hands on my bare skin. I don’t know what possesses me, but I slowly grind on top of him.

I hear another moan, and I don’t know if it’s him or me. I don’t care. All I care about at this moment is this man, this kiss, and the softness of his hands on my skin. Those large hands cup my ass. No man has ever touched my ass before, and I don’t want him to ever stop. My nipples harden, and I rub my chest on him to ease the ache in my breasts. I grind on him to ease the need between my legs.

The kiss continues until I hear a phone ringing in the living room. When I realize it’s mine, I jump off his lap as if I’ve been caught doing something I have no business doing. I almost trip as I run to my phone and see Mom flash across my screen. I take a deep breath and pray that my heart will slow down. I also say another prayer that my mother doesn’t detect anything wrong with me.

“Hey, Mom,” I say as calmly as I can.

Chapter 19

Seth

I didn’t expect that. I expected her reluctance to my proposal. I anticipated every argument she had. It’s one thing I’ve learned from Coach. Anticipate the other side. Anticipate their moves. Anticipate their questions. What I did not anticipate was for that kiss to go the way it did.

I’ve never been big on kissing. To me, it’s more intimate than sex, and I’ve never wanted to get that close to another person. Not until this very second. I want to kiss her again, but when she puts a hand to her chest and gasps, I know something is wrong. I cross the room and stand next to her.

“Tomorrow?” she asks. “Already? They’re discharging her tomorrow? She’s eighty and had a stroke on the operating table, and they’re ready to kick her out of the hospital? Where is she going?”

I put a hand on her shoulder, but tears fill her eyes and fall down her face. “That place is a dump. There’s no way that we can send her there,” she says. She stands by the couch and faces the window, hanging her head. She talks to her mother for a few more minutes, and when she hangs up, she sighs and drops herself onto the couch. I sit at the end, lift her legs, and put them across my lap.

I will never tell her this, but she has huge feet for a girl.

“They want to put her in this subpar rehab,” she says. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”

I put a hand on her ankle. Her skin is smooth and it feels cool and nice to the touch.

“That doesn’t have to be the case.” I put her legs off my lap, take her hands, and lift her into a sitting position. “We can help each other,” I repeat.

“Except you have a child to consider. Do you know the guilt I will feel if I have to walk away from her? I don’t want to do that.”

And that right there is why I knew she would be the perfect fit for us.

“What would make you leave?”

“Um, you,” she says, pointing at me. “You can’t keep it in your pants. I’m looking for a passionate love affair. I’m not ready to be a parent, which is what you’re asking of me. And you can’t keep it in your pants. Did I mention that already? I refuse to let you or any man humiliate me.”

“Yes, I can. I haven’t been with anyone since I got Jasmine full-time. I promise never to cheat, but you have to promise to be a real wife.” Her head jerks back at my tone. “Yes, you will have to be a parent. I need help, and Jasmine needs a mother figure.” I remember the words Coach spoke to me when I was freaking out at the possibility of being a father. “There are worse things than being a parent, Layla. And as for love, you can fall in love with me. Problem solved.”

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