Page 14 of Falling for 42
The sound he makes—half a groan, half a roar—sends aftershocks through me, and I watch, transfixed, as his cock pulses against mine, hot ribbons painting both of our stomachs. My name spills from his lips like honey, sweet and unhurried, and something inside me clenches hard, my heart twisting in my chest.
We’re both heaving, trying to catch our breath, our bodies spent and sticky, but neither of us care one bit. Kobe collapses onto me, his weight grounding and welcome as I thread my fingers into his damp hair.
He presses his face into the crook of my neck, and his lips find my skin in a languid, unhurried kiss. “You’re fucking unreal,” he murmurs, his voice soft but laced with awe.
I laugh, breathless and a little delirious. “I’m unreal? Have you seen yourself?”
His answering chuckle is low and warm, his body rumbling against mine. He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes softer now but still blazing with an intensity that makes my pulse race. “I wasn’t kidding before,” he says, his thumb tracing lazy patterns on my side. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll gladly drink you dry again.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but I can’t fight the grin that splits my face. “Give me five minutes, and I might take you up on that.”
Kobe smirks, brushing his lips over mine in a teasing kiss. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
For now, though, we stay exactly as we are, tangled up in each other, our heartbeats gradually syncing. The outside world can wait.
CHAPTER 9
KOBE
Everything feels different.But the rightness that settles in my chest every time I flick my gaze up and at Malik, checking he’s okay, is all the confirmation I need that it’s the best kind of different.
We’ve been going for three hours. And honestly, I’m impressed he’s not complained once. Nor has he taken a break. We are just about to wrap up, though. There’s more work to be done—maybe another couple of hours tomorrow, and then we’ll have a longer break before the next session.
What I’ve outlined so far is already incredible. Hands down, the finished piece is going to be some of my best work.
Malik’s been talking nonstop, which usually I find annoying. But not with Malik. He’s told me stories about his childhood, even some of the shit he, my brother, and their friends have got into over the years.
“It wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made, especially after too many beers,” Malik says, grinning. “But you can blame your brother for daring me to climb the tree outside our building and jump onto the roof. I actually made it, thank fuck, but then I couldn’t figure out how to get back down without dying. Mikey ended up having to call the fire department.”
A laugh bursts out of me, completely unbidden. The mental image of Malik getting himself stuck on the roof as an adult is hilarious and utterly endearing. I set the tattoo machine down and wipe his arm clean before looking up at him.
“I can totally see you doing that,” I say through a chuckle. “And I bet Jackson didn’t let you live it down.”
“He still doesn’t,” Malik admits, his smile softening into something more intimate. “Every now and then, he’ll randomly ask me if I’ve climbed onto any good roofs lately. Just to keep me humble.”
Something about the way he looks at me—equal parts amused and bashful—makes my heart clench. I can’t help myself. Leaning down, I press my lips to his, capturing them in a kiss that starts soft but quickly deepens. His hand moves to cradle the back of my neck, his fingers splayed, keeping me close as our mouths meld together.
The doorbell chimes faintly from the front of the shop, snapping me out of the moment. I pull back reluctantly, my chest still warm from the kiss.
But then, there’s the sound of footsteps outside my small room—too familiar—and my stomach drops.
Sid.
Malik notices the tension that shoots through me. His brow furrows, his thumb brushing the edge of my jaw. “What’s wrong?”
“I—” I start to apologize, but the door swings open without so much as a knock.
Sid walks in like he owns the place, his grin cocky, his eyes immediately landing on me. Then he notices Malik, his expression shifting just enough to show confusion and curiosity, though the grin doesn’t waver.
“Well, I didn’t know you had company,” Sid says, his tone dripping with feigned politeness. “Should I come back later,or…?” His eyes flick to Malik and then back to me, sizing up the situation. “Who’s this?”
I open my mouth to answer, but Malik beats me to it.
“Malik,” he says smoothly, his voice calm but firm. “And you are?”
Sid arches a brow, clearly not expecting Malik to speak up. “Sid. A friend of Kobe’s.” The words are casual, but there’s an edge to them that makes my skin prickle.
Malik’s lips twitch—not into a smile, but something closer to a challenge. “Friend, huh?” He glances at me briefly, and in that moment, I know he’s testing the waters.
