Page 80 of Dare You to See Me
“Do you ever feel like you’re being watched, Malik?”
“Do you mean watched as in what I do in front of the kids?”
“No. Not like that.”
“Like how, then?” He reaches his arms under me and pulls me until I’m sitting in his lap.
“Like, you can’t see them but you feel their presence. The hair on the back of your neck stands up. Your flesh grows cold and dots with chills. You get that feeling in your stomach. You know, the one that tells you to–
“Run?” he finishes.
I gulp and feel those aforementioned bumps roll across my arms and legs. “Yeah. Like that.”
He works my wild hair away from my face with tender attention. “I think we all feel like that at one time or another. Especially after something that shakes you to your core. Your safe space has been invaded, whether actually or mentally, and you walk on a constant edge. But don’t worry. I’m here and if there’s someone out there watching you, I’m right next to you watching them and planning their demise.”
“Oh yeah, Mr. Tough Guy? Mr.I have glitter stuck on me on a daily basis?” I joke and he tickles my side.
“You brat. You love the glitter. One day I’m going to come home with my face covered in glitter just so I can eat your pussy and leave it sparkling.”
I gasp and smack playfully at his chest. “You pervert.”
“Yup. And that’s how you like me.” His smile softens and then fades away. “I’m serious, Soleil. I’ll protect you and Dahlia. To the ends of the world. And if that means quitting my job so I can be by your side every minute of every day, I’ll do it.”
“Okay buddy. You’re getting a little ahead of yourself. You seem to have skipped a few hundred steps between here and wherever that is, you speak of.”
He maneuvers me around so that instead of cradled in his lap, I sit straddling it. His hands rest under my ass and even through my sleep pants, I can feel how warm they are. And I can definitely feel how hard he is. I could bend over and sneeze and he’d be erecting a tent in an instant.
“I don’t care if I skipped one or a hundred steps, it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I want to be the one looking after you and Dahlia. I want to be your protector and shield you from the bad, and destroy anything or anyone who would dare think to harm you.”
He massages my ass, his strong fingers kneading with firm pressure, and I start to squirm. I can feel myself start to grow wet and my nipples are hard. I’m no better than he is because a smile from him can start me up.
“Let me be the one to love you, Soleil. Pick me and I promise to be the armor of your life and keep you safe.”
“I have picked you, Malik,” I tell him, ignoring the other words.
“I don’t mean pick me for now. I want you to pick me foralways.”
“Mali–”
“I’m in love with you, Soleil. I don’t know where you are in terms of how deep your feelings go for me, but I am without a doubt in love with you.”
My heart lodges in my throat, choking all words down. I can’t possibly say the same because I don’t think I’m there yet. I’ve been in love. I married the man I thought was my soulmate, and I lost it all. Love doesn’t come as easy for me. Not the second time around.
My mouth hangs open but I have nothing to say. I can’t say I’m sorry I don’t feel the same because I may or may not. My heart and my head are on two separate tracks and who knows if they’ll ever meet up.
He kisses my collarbone and trails up my neck until he reaches my ear. “Don’t say anything. I’ll wait for you to catch up. I’ll wait as long as it takes. Just know that I’ll be here.”
I turn my head to look at him, my brown eyes meeting his gray ones. His fingers lightly brush against my cheek and follows a path down my body until he reaches the waist of my pajama bottoms. He plays and teases, running the tips of his fingers left to right until finally dipping inside.
His skin is warm and mine is hot with need. My panties are damp and I’m but a feather touch away from coming. My breath stutters when he brushes my throbbing clit. He flips his hand so that his palm presses against me and his fingers crawl to my opening.
His middle finger dances up and down and curls, drawing a moan from me. He sinks two inside and the fuse is lit.
I place my hand on his shoulders and roll my hips, grinding on his fingers, working to get a better angle. I move faster and dig my nails into his t-shirt, drilling straight through it.Slamming my eyes shut, squeezing them tight, I come all over him.
I’m flipped over as I ride out the ecstasy and my pants are yanked from me. Malik buries his head between my legs and his tongue replaces his fingers, licking me clean.
“I want you inside of me,” I rasp, but he continues his assault, licking and dipping his tongue.
