Page 88 of I Love to Hate You
“Why are you acting brand new?” she asks, giggling to herself. “You remember that I’ve been here before, right?”
“Yeah, but not when it looked like this, so it’s basically an entirely new house you’ve never seen before. So quit being a hater and feast your eyes while you enjoy the tour. Now, to your right is a new lamp I just bought. If you look closely, you can see that it’s blue.”
Both of us laugh, and just seeing that smile on her face makes all the pain we just went through feel a little further away. She’s gorgeous, whether she’s smiling or not, but when she’s beaming like this, Maya is radiant. I stand in front of her and just watch the muscles in her face shift up to show her teeth while she smiles, and my heart flutters with a brand-new feeling. I can’t define it, but I know it’s the strongest thing I’ve ever felt for anyone.
After a moment, Maya looks at me and catches me staring at her. “What?”
“I’ve missed you,” I admit, just before I step closer and pull her into a hug. Her face presses against my chest and I breathe in the scent of her hair. It’s fucking ridiculous what being close to Maya does to me. I’m the same guy who will beat a man to a bloody pulp for a multitude of reasons, but for her, I’m as soft as a kitten. How she manages to bring out a completely different side of me is something I’ll never know.
She hugs me back, her arms draping around my waist, and we just stand there for a moment, embracing it and finding comfort in each other. I know she’s still hurting from losing her father. It’s going to take tons of time for her to grieve and learn to move on, but I want to be there with her every step of the way. I want to be her rock. I want to be her support system, bracing each move she makes so she knows I’ll never let her fall. I want to be everything she needs. I am her safety net, and she is mine.
“I’ve missed you, too,” she replies, her voice muffled from being against my chest. “I’m so proud of you for buying a whole new house and putting it in the exact same place as the old one. I’m sure that took a lot of work.”
I laugh as we step away. “It most certainly did. My mom did most of the heavy lifting and planning the new arrangement, but I worked very hard. I’m a little sore, actually.”
“I bet you are, you big ole baby.”
“Speaking of new arrangements, how are things at your house? I can go by to help you clean up.”
“Nah, Samantha and I already did it after I got out of the hospital,” she says. “I’m glad she was the one to help, because she talked sense into me and helped me do my own redecorating. So, when you think about it, my house is brand-new, too.”
“Oh, word? We need to schedule a tour then.”
“I’ll have my people get with your people.”
I nod and smile. “My people are probably busier than your people, but if your people call a few times, mine might answer. Anyway, you want something to drink?”
“Oh, now your people are too good to answer my people’s calls? It’s like that?”
“Hey, don’t get mad at me. My people do tend to think they’re better than other people’s people, and they’re loners—not really people people.”
Maya bursts into laughter. “Bro, what are we even talking about? You’re so dumb.”
“Hey, don’t talk about me like that. You’re going to upset my people. Now, do you want something to drink or not?”
“Sure. Why not?”
“Cool. I’ll go grab it. Go ahead and sit down.”
As I turn on my heel to walk away, I hear the very familiar sound of Maya scoffing and sucking her teeth.
“Just because you have a new house doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do,” she says, and when I turn to look at her, I recognize the look on her face—all lust.
My chest rattles from my heart revving up as we make eye contact. “You just got here and you’re already starting shit?”
She shrugs and twists her lips together. “So?”
I turn to face her completely, my body heating up as thoughts of what to do to her come to life. “Maya, sit down on the couch right now, and wait for me to bring you back something to drink. Don’t be a brat.”
She grins, just before crossing her arms over her chest. “Why don’t you make me?”
My body moves like I’m trying to escape a fire. That’s what my need to be close to her feels like—an emergency that can’t be ignored. I take three quick steps to close the gap between us before my hands come up to cup her face and our mouths slam together. She lets out a lustful moan as her hands immediately begin to roam my body, making their way under my shirt and clamoring to squeeze the muscle there. I move one hand to her throat and the other to the back of her head, where I pull her hair back to give me access to her neck.
“I missed your fucking feisty ass so much,” I growl in her ear. “You have no idea what you do to me. Now do as you’re fucking told and sit down.”
I gently shove Maya backwards and she lands on the couch, her feet raising into the air as she giggles. Before her feet can hit the ground again, I’m on my knees in front of her, yanking down her pants and snatching them off her feet. Her pussy glistens in front of me, already wet from the playful, carnal dynamic we share, and I don’t wait to blanket it with my tongue. I’ve missed the taste of her enough already.
She sucks in a breath as her hands grab the back of my head, pulling me in further. I can barely breathe while I lick and suck her clit, but who needs air when you’re this fucking desperate for someone? All I care about is her pussy. My own life is meaningless by comparison.
