Page 11 of Sinful Restraint

I looked.

My stomach growled. “Actually, I’m kinda hungry. I only had a bag of chips and juice at the salon.”

Cruz glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “We can’t eat yet ‘cause Titan been actin’ like he’s the food police in dis bitch.”

I snorted. “You mean he told you to stop eatin’ up everything in the kitchen?”

Cruz smirked, his eyes growing more dangerous. “I wish I could eat something else instead.”

My steps faltered, but I maintained my balance this time.

“Wh-What did you say?”

He stepped closer to me, causing me to tilt my head back and soak in his six-foot-five frame. “I said, I wish I could eat something else instead.” He gently gripped my chin. “Something a little sweet. Tart.” He inhaled my neck, causing me to shiver. “Wet and juicy.”

My heart was racing, and my head was spinning, unable to comprehend how Cruz could be so flirty with me out of nowhere.Sis, this ain’t out of nowhere. Cruz has been flirting wit’ you for years. It just never felt like … this.

Just as my mind started racing with possibilities, he pulled a red apple out of his pocket with his free hand and wiggled his eyes. “Shit, this apple is just what my mouth wanted.”

“Boy, stop,” I teased, slapping his hand away and stepping out of his space. I shook my head, already feeling lighter like I always did with Cruz, even when we were arguing about something.

That’s what he did. He made me forget my stress and laugh about stupid shit. In a way, Cruz felt like home since he knew so much about my childhood, having been there for most of it. That made everything I was feeling for him risky, especially when watching him take a big bite of that apple was downright sinful. It took a minute to realize he had said something else.

“I missed that,” I admitted.

“Call of Duty?” he repeated. “Want to play?”

“Uh, maybe later,” I told him, needing some water to cool off from his seductive fruit mouth. I thought he may stand there andtorment me some more with his sexiness, but luckily, he went back to the living room.

I kicked off my shoes and stretched, before heading toward the kitchen for some water. As soon as I stepped inside, Storm was already there, leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

“Long day?”

I paused, surprised that he asked. Honestly, it felt strange to say that my day had been long when I spent most of it at the salon. But Storm always asked questions that meant more than what they seemed.

I shrugged. “Nah. Just got my hair done.”

His eyes dragged over me slowly, like he was taking me in. He nodded. “It looks nice.”

Something about how he said it made my skin warm. Storm wasn’t loud like Cruz, nor was he quiet like Titan. He was the type that sat back and observed and thought before he spoke. That’s what made his words hit different. They were contemplative.

“How you feelin’?” he asked, voice lower now. “For real.”

Confused. Aroused. Confused.I looked away, forcing a small smile. “I’m good.”

He held my gaze for a second longer before nodding. “Aight. Lemme know whenever you’renotgood.”

“I will.”

I exhaled the moment I left the kitchen before he could see the effect he had on me. I didn’t get far as the scent of grilled steak hit me before I even made it to the dining room.

My stomach growled as I looked up to see Titan setting a plate on the table, moving like he had already expected me to be home around this time.

“Damn,” I muttered. “Are you psychic now?”

He didn’t say anything, just nodded toward the chair. Titan wasn’t much of a talker, but he spoke in other ways. He was the one who made sure the doors were locked at night. The one who stood between me and any man who looked too long any time we went someplace. And the one who grilled my steak just the way I liked it, without me even asking.

I sat down, picking up my fork. “Have you eaten already?”

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