Page 56 of Hard Rock Temptation
“Permission granted,” I replied immediately.
Micah snorted an amusement laugh. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
He went silent for a time, and we both basked in the afterglow. I was on the verge of falling asleep, a post-coital mid-afternoon nap, when he spoke up.
“So…” he began hesitantly. “Are we okay?”
TWENTY-FOUR
MICAH
Iwas hesitant to ask, worried about the answer, but my fears were immediately eased as Kay hurried to turn over in my arms to face me and put her hands on my cheeks.
“We’re more than okay,” she said fiercely, green eyes shining. “I was only worried because you were holding yourself back. I thought it was because you were still unsure about this relationship. But you were holding back for me. You didn’t have to,” she added, “but I understand that you thought it was for my sake.”
“I’m sorry I made you doubt us,” I said, regret a sharp pang in my chest. I tucked a damp red curl behind her ear. “I never wanted you to feel that way. I’m fucking crazy for you, Kay.” I tried to put just as much fierceness into my voice as she had in hers. I had to make sure Kaylee knew how much I felt for her.
“I know that now,” she said softly. She nuzzled my palm and sighed. “I should have taken a dose of my own medicine,” she continued. “I’m always the one telling you to use your words. I should have just asked sooner. I shouldn’t have let it weigh on me like that.”
“Isn’t that what they call healthy communication skills?” I asked, my lips twitching upward. “Maybe we should try it more.”
Kaylee let out a light chuckle and laid her head back down on the pillow.
“Maybe we should,” she said.
Before I could respond, her phone pinged from the pocket of her shorts on the floor. She groaned and flopped over.
“If it’s one of the others telling us to stop making so much noise, I’m going to kill them,” she grumbled, then heaved herself off the bed and started digging around in the pile of discarded clothes.
I laid on my back, arms tucked under my head, enjoying the view of her pert ass. I was paying such close attention that I noticed instantly when her whole body tensed up.
“What is it?” I asked, sitting up in bed.
Kay didn’t say anything, just sat kneeling over the piles of clothes with her back turned to me and her glowing phone in her hand.
“Kay?” I prompted. “What’s wrong?”
I heard her inhale shakily, but she didn’t speak. Concerned now, I got off the bed and crouched down next to her on the floor to wrap my arms around her shoulders. I waited for her to say something, but she just bit her lip, still tense.
I gently tucked her head under my chin. “Remember that ‘healthy communication skills’ thing we just talked about?”
She broke her silence with a snorted huff.
“It’s my mom,” she finally said reluctantly. “She won’t leave me alone.”
“What does she want this time?” I asked.
Kaylee shrugged listlessly. “More money. Same as always.”
I squeezed her tighter. “You should tell her to just fuck right off,” I said, a dangerous rage bubbling up inside me, the same as it always did whenever that woman entered the picture.
“I can’t, Micah,” Kay said. “She?—”
She bowed her head, her lower lip trembling. I didn’t want to see Kay cry. Not over that woman.
“It’s okay, I understand,” I told her, trying to make sure the sympathy in my voice didn’t tip over into pity. Kay would hate that. “She’s your mom. Telling her to fuck off is easier said than done, right?”
Kaylee rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes, scrubbing away unshed tears, and sniffled.
