Page 132 of Falling Into Gravity

“I looovvve—” Aku sucked her lips into her mouth, euphoria taking over her voice.

Malik gave her slow, deep dick strokes while looking into her eyes. Meanwhile, he constantly told her how much he loves her and wants to give her that fairytale she deserves. “The world could be burning, but long as you with me…let that hoe burn.”

Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, legs spread back, touching her shoulders. “I?—”

“Shh,” he hushed her. “Don’t talk…just let me make you feel good, baby.”

“You doooo!” Aku writhed under him.

The room smelled like sweet, nasty, love-making. Their bodies tangled under the covers, bare skin still hot from everything they just gave each other. The TV was on low, playing some late-night rerun that neither of them paid attention to. Malik laid on his back, one hand behind his head, the other still resting on Aku’s thigh. She was draped across his chest, chin on his collarbone, nails dragging light circles on his stomach like her fingers didn’t know how to sit still when she was in love.

He was quiet, but not distant. The kind of quiet that comes when your heart is full and your mouth don’t know how to hold all that truth at once.

Aku rolled onto her side, facing him. “You alright?”

Malik looked at her, eyes red but soft. “I ain’t never been better,” he said, low. “You made me feel safe…emptied me out too,” he teased.

She swallowed, lips trembling before she smiled. “Good, that was the goal.”

He cupped her cheek, running his thumb over her jaw. “You know what’s crazy?”

“What?”

“I used to think love was some shit for everybody else, some shit that passed me by. But then you showed up talkin’ shit, wearin’ them stupid ass boots in a hundred degree weather, actin’ like you wasn’t tryna love a nigga. And now…I’m ruined.”

Aku laughed a little, soft and tired. “You not ruined. You better.”

He didn’t say anything…just stared at her, eyes heavy with something deeper than lust. “I wanna give you everything…whatever makes you smile, I’m tryna be that.”

“You will.”

“I mean it though, Aku. I don’t want you to ever feel like you gotta dim anything for me to shine. I’m tryna be the type of man your Daddy wasn’t ready for, but your Mama gon’ smile at every time she see him.”

That pulled a chuckle from her. “You already fought my Daddy. What’s next?”

He smirked. “Now I gotta fight you.”

She leaned in and kissed his shoulder, then his chest, then his neck—slow, careful kisses like she was thanking each part of him for still being here, still breathing…still choosing life. Her body slid down his, kissing the bruises gently. Her hands moved over his skin, tracing his ribs like she was trying to learn them by heart.

Her mouth was warm, full, careful but sure. She took him in slow, pausing to let his body twitch, moan, react. Her tongue moved in circles, her lips soft as her hands anchored his hips to the mattress.

He hissed through his teeth. “Damn…you tryna kill me? Told you I was empty,” he laughed.

Her eyes locked with his, teasing. “No, just tryna remind you who the fuck I am.”

Malik’s head fell back, hands clenching the sheets. Her name tumbled out his mouth again and again, like a prayer he couldn’tstop chanting. She talked him through every stroke. Told him to let go, to stop overthinking…that she had him…and she did…all of him.

When it was over, she kissed his thigh, and crawled back up to lay across his chest again. He pulled her into his arms and whispered against her hair.

“I love you, Dorothy. I been saying that shit over and over ‘cause I gotta keep reminding myself.”

“I know,” she whispered, “I heard you.”

She laid there for a while, listening to his heartbeat. It was steady…strong. She smiled into his skin and closed her eyes.

When he was good and sleep, Aku slid out the bed an hour later, careful not to wake him. She grabbed her robe, pulled her sweaty waves back into a loose ponytail, and padded down the hallway. When she opened the front door, her Mama was already standing there, eyes scanning her like she used to do when Aku snuck in late from a party.

“You alone?” Aku whispered.

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