Page 11 of Pretending with the Mountain Man
She looks down at her mug. "I hope so. After everything with Jason, I questioned my judgment about a lot of things. But never teaching. That's the one thing I've always been sure of."
The mention of her ex reminds me of why she's here, the danger potentially following her. But it also reveals something she might not realize she's sharing. "You put others first. Give them space to explore safely while keeping yourself contained."
Her eyes snap up to mine, startled. "What do you mean?"
"You create safe spaces for your students, but who creates that space for you?" I take a sip of tea, watching her over the rim of my mug. "Who gives Melody permission to explore?"
A dark flush spreads across her cheeks, visible even in the dim light. "That's not... I don't..."
"It's not a criticism," I say gently. "Just an observation."
She sets her mug down with a soft clink. "What about you? Who gives the protector permission to be vulnerable?"
I swallow a smile. "Touché."
"We're not so different, are we?" She takes a step toward me. "Both creating safe spaces for others. Both keeping parts of ourselves locked away."
I set my own mug down, suddenly aware of how close we've drifted toward each other. "The difference is, I've had decades to learn my boundaries. To understand what I want."
"And what do you want, Malik?" Her voice drops lower, sending heat through my veins.
"Things I shouldn't." The honesty slips out before I can stop it.
Melody takes another step, now close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from her body. "What if I want those things too?"
"Then we're both fucked." My voice roughens.
She reaches out, her fingers brushing my forearm, tracing the lines of muscle there. "I've spent the last year being afraid. Doubting myself. Second-guessing every decision." Her eyes lift to meet mine. "But being here, with you... I'm not afraid."
"You should be." I don't move away from her touch, though every instinct screams that I should. "I'm not a safe choice, Melody."
"Safe choices haven't worked out so well for me." Her fingers slide up my arm to my shoulder. "Maybe it's time I tried something different."
I catch her wrist, halting her exploration. "If you keep touching me like that, there's no going back."
Instead of retreating, she steps closer, until our bodies nearly touch. "What if I don't want to go back?"
"Melody." Her name is both a warning and a prayer on my lips.
"Stop overthinking this." She rises on her toes, bringing her face closer to mine. "For once in your life, just feel."
My control fractures. I release her wrist to cup the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as I pull her toward me. Our lips meet with none of the hesitation I should be feeling, only hunger that's been building since I first saw her in Bean & Bloom.
Melody melts against me, her body soft and yielding as her mouth opens beneath mine. I taste chamomile and something sweeter. My free arm wraps around her waist, pulling her flush against me as the kiss deepens.
She makes a small sound in her throat, half surprise and half pleasure, that sends heat spiraling through me. Her hands clutch at my shoulders, then slide up to the back of my neck, holding me to her as if afraid I might pull away.
I won't.Not yet. Not when she fits against me like she was made for my arms.
The kiss turns demanding, my dominant nature taking control. I walk her backward until she hits the counter, then lift her onto it in one fluid motion. Her legs part instinctively, allowing me to step between them, bringing us impossibly closer.
"Yes," she breathes against my mouth, and my name has never sounded so good.
I trail kisses down her throat, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips. She arches into me, head falling back to grant better access. The trust in that simple gesture nearly undoes me.
"Wait." The word comes out rougher than intended. I pull back slightly, trying to gather thoughts scattered by desire. "There are things you need to understand before we go further."
Her eyes flutter open, confusion and arousal warring in their depths. "What things?"
