Page 55 of UnWholly Angels
A darkened smirk spread across my face, knowing my request would be something he had been waiting years for. King had come out to play, and now I needed him to show face for me, anytime I want. “I have to make a phone call, then I am going to finish my puzzle. You, sir, are going to relax tonight. No fighting me on this either,” I demanded.
The song switched over, and a nostalgic tingle formed in my abdomen. Riley’s finger rested on my lower back. The warmth radiated from his hands, and I felt warm, noticing his other hand moved to my phone, turning up the music to a song we used to dance to as kids.
Surprisingly, he stepped back, allowing me to hop from the counter with ease and held his hand out. “You know, I never did get that dance you promised me on prom night?” he said softly.
I swallowed down my nervousness for the man in front of me. That was the beautiful thing about what we had and are trying to build again. He never needed to say he loved me. While it was nice to hear, I just knew it in his everyday routine, acts of service.
Make breakfast.
Give me a kiss.
Throw a few jokes.
Grab an energy drink and leave.
That was the most mundane routine someone could have, and I fucking loved it. Riley would never admit it worked, but it did. My eyes moved to his outstretched hand. My eyes became wet, my legs propelling forward to meet him. He placed a hand at my waist, and the other gripped my hand tightly, lightly swaying us around before ordering the system to ‘dim the lights.’
Love swelled within me as I returned the gesture, settling one hand over his heart and the other around his neck, forcing his head down slightly. For a moment, we sat there rocking side to side, and I almost regretted giving him the night away. This was a completely different feeling from a mere half an hour ago.
This was closeness in rare form from Riley, something never taken lightly. So intimate, so rhythmic, so…unraveling.Not many people could deal with what we had to overcome, or complete such a close connection with clothes on.
After a moment, Riley straightened up and snaked his hand into my hair, his thumb rubbing slow, comforting circles into my head. His heart thrummed against his chest with each breath taken. “Are you sure this isn’t too much, Riley? That I am not too much.”
He tightened the already iron grip he had on me, pulling me further into his chest and placed a kiss on the top of my head. “You are all kinds of crazy, Maya, but too much…never.”
A small tear slid from my eye as memories flooded my brain, the song ending way too soon for me; I wanted another and another until our legs hurt and our bodies dizzy from spinning in circles. Those were for the fairy tales, though. The fight was far from over, and that was why I would hold onto these smaller moments for as long as I could.
“Thank you for showing up for me,” I mumbled.
The song ended, and we stepped away from each other. Riley had a wide grin plastered across his face, and I returned it with grace. Right now, we were in our own little bubble; we deserved to be there. “I really love that these moments are so impossibly perfect, Riley, and these memories, all ours.”
“I'll always choose you, Maya, and that will never change. Now eat, then leave me to play with the guys,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, you have fun, and I’ll be around if you need me.” Riley nodded as he walked the plates to the sink and dropped them in.
I had a favor to ask Chloe tonight. Once answered though, I’d have to decide if the punishment was worth the risk.
Once Riley was a safe distance away, I grabbed my phone, taking the stairs two at a time as the phone continued to ring, dinner long forgotten.Please don’t go to voicemail.I silently begged and rolled my eyes, deciding to text because she never answered the phone.
Maya
Can you meet me at our place in an hour?
Chloe
Of course, I just need to put the kids to bed.
Everything Okay?
Maya
Just meet me in an hour.
My fingers ran through the dew on the grass when headlights appeared in my peripheral vision. My heart palpitated, and I knew why, trying to push it down as always and to be strong for those around me. I swear the fear I harbored for the situation caused my nerves to always be in a state of fight or flight, and I’d been dissociating more often than not. On the way here, I hadn’t realized I was sitting at a green light until a series of beeping horns forced my hand.
It was such an out of body experience. The worst part was that I didn’t even know when I came back. Riley was hesitant about how late it was, but I was sure that he had something tracking me somewhere, rude. Plus, it was Chloe, he’d never tell me no. Deep breaths brought rationality back to my mind, and I plastered a fake smile when Chloe crouched, settling in the grass.
Pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose in the tell-tale way she did, it was silent before she asked, no demanded. “Spill, Maya…What’s going on.”
