Page 36 of Caught off Guard

“Although Lena plays a lot, I echo her sentiments about tonight. I enjoyed the game and appreciate your never-ending generosity. She can be over-the-top, but her heart is in a good place.” I hoped Cairo wouldn’t put me in a tight box if Lena offended him.

Cairo took off his cap and placed it on the side table before lifting my chin with his fingers. My breath caught as my eyes landed on his parted lips. They looked so soft and plump. His moisturized skin had me wanting to caress his cheeks, but instead, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He enveloped me in a warm hug and kissed my cheek.

“Don’t ever apologize when people are being real, especially your family. I’m jealous that Lena consistently sees a side of you that I don’t. I know you’re holding back. But you don’t have to. I promise I won’t judge you for being yourself.” He rubbed my back in circles.

That warm, jittery feeling that happened every time I was near him washed over me again. When Cairo encouraged me to be my true self, I yearned to do it. But something in me couldn’t break free from the formality I’d become so accustomed to displaying.

It wasn’t that Cairo wasn’t a nice man. I was just stiff around him. I hoped he didn’t stop pouring his positivity and encouragement into me. The last thing I wanted to do was turn him off like I probably did last night.

“Let me get you settled in your room before bed. It’s the least I can do as your host.” He kissed my other cheek and reached for my hand, which I gave him without hesitation.

Physical touch must have been Cairo’s love language because he adored placing his hands on me. Although it had never been mine, it was becoming a favorite.

I wasn’t sure what getting settled in meant, but it sounded suggestive. My mind went to the gutter as I anticipated how intimate we might get. Would he kiss me with such passion that I would pass out like one of his romance novels?

With anticipation, I followed him up the stairs, sneaking glances at how good his butt looked in those dark jeans. When we entered my bedroom, he closed the door. His eyes never left my body as I tried to look sexy but barely could with Lena’s killer heels on my feet. I gingerly tipped toward my suitcase perched on a large chest at the foot of the bed. My heart raced as I kicked off my shoes, then unzipped my luggage.

Did he plan to spend the night with me? Why was he standing and staring at me like that?

“Remember what I told you when I FaceTimed you on my way to the game?”

I blushed as I sat and rubbed my tired feet.

“Which part? You said a lot of things.”

“That I wanted to take your clothes off and seduce you.” He closed the distance between us and pulled me to my feet, tracing his fingers down the front of my see-through blouse.

“Look at all that pretty brown skin. I know it tastes delicious.” He brushed my hair back and kissed, then licked the side of my neck.

His tender lips felt like heaven on earth as he rolled his tongue over small patches of my skin then sucked those spots as he was extracting precious juice from a lemon. I braced myself for the intensity of his roving mouth by holding onto his shoulders. When we separated a couple of minutes later, I clutched my chest and shook my head at him in disbelief. Cairo’s larger-than-life presence continued to overtake me.

“Sir, how do you have so much energy after playing an entire professional basketball game?”

He moved his lips up my jawline and to the corner of my mouth. In a low voice, he spoke directly into my ear.

“I’m a professional for a reason, sweetheart. I’m conditioned to run up and down a court for miles without getting tired. That level of action energizes me.” He raised his head and licked his moist lips.

“Good to know.” I gently slid past Cairo’s back and gestured to my small hobo bag, signaling that I needed to get by him to get to it.

He moved aside with his eyes on my face the entire time.

I pulled out a roller ball of essential oils and concentrated as I rolled it over my wrists. When I was done, I placed the ball back in my bag. In my avoidance of Cairo’s eyes, my eyes landed on an unwrapped, rectangular jewelry box next to a white noise machine at the base of the brass lamp near my bed.

“That wasn’t here when I left.” I offered questioning eyes to Cairo before walking across the room, picking it up, and examining it.

He shrugged as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

“Open it,” he said.

I tugged on the thin white ribbon covering the paper and slipped my finger under the peacock-blue paper to release the tape that kept it intact. Within seconds, I opened a long beige box and gasped. I pulled out one of the prettiest necklaces I’d ever seen.

The pavé diamond mask pendant rested on a sturdy gold chain. I rubbed the subtle lioness cutout with the pads of my fingers, amazed at the uniqueness and beauty of the piece.

Since Cairo was a man of purpose and great taste, I knew it had a deeper meaning than what appeared. I lifted my eyes to his, mesmerized by the blinding glory of his smile.

“This is gorgeous. A mask?”

He closed the distance between us and rested one hand on the small of my back. I dropped the necklace in his other open palm. He unfastened the clasp and moved behind me to place it on my neck.

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