Page 93 of Test the Ice
REESE
When I wakethe next morning, the sun is already streaming through the window. I sit up and brush my hair out of my face. I immediately look to Malaki’s side of the bed, my face heating from the instant memory of what we did last night, but it’s empty.
Did that really happen?
I glance at the time on my phone.
Charleigh should be up by now.
My legs get tangled in the blankets, and I fall to the floor with a thud. I quickly climb to my feet and rush toward the door to throw it open. I’m instantly hit with the scent of…bacon?
If I hadn’t just fallen like a bag of potatoes out of the bed and hurt myself, I would think I was still dreaming.
In fact, part of me wonders if last night was a dream too.
When I make it to Charleigh’s room, it’s empty.
Does Zoe have her?
I follow the scent of bacon down the stairs before coming to a complete stop at the sight.
My heart swells as soon as I lay eyes on Malaki, shirtless, holding my daughter. She’s happily playing with a spatula, like she’s the one cooking breakfast.
“Does your mama like eggs?” he asks her. “Or is she more of a pancake girl?”
Charleigh smiles, and I nearly faint at the sight of Malaki grinning back at her. “You could stop a war with that smile, Charleigh-girl.”
And he can apparently stop my entire world by existing.
What have I gotten myself into?
I’m mid-panic when my sister’s whisper reaches my ear. “Stop eye-fucking your fake fiancé and just do it already.”
I yelp and slap my hand over my mouth to keep my response behind my trapped lips. The last thing I need to admit aloud is that Idid,in fact, fuck my fake fiancé. I have no idea what he’s thinking this morning. Was last night just a moment in time between us where our facade got the best of us? Is he going to pretend that it didn’t happen? Was he being serious when he said all those things to me last night, or was he just caught up in the heat of things?
“Ma, ma, ma, ma!”
My hand falls, and I quickly banish the futile thoughts in my head for another time. I smile at Charleigh when Malaki turns to face me. Zoe brushes past with a quick snicker, and if I weren’t too busy trying to act normal, I’d stick my foot out and trip her.
Brat.
“Good morning.” Malaki’s voice is smooth and steady.
Very unlike what I'm feeling at the moment.
“Hi,” I squeak.
A loud laugh bursts out from my sister, and I send her a scathing look. She stuffs a piece of bacon into her mouth to hide her amusement.
“How’d you sleep?” Malaki asks. The longer we stare at each other, the more curved his mouth gets.
I’m almost certain he’s grinning at me because he knows I slept like a baby, thanks to the orgasms.
I shrug, playing it cool. “Fine. You?”
“Just fine?” he questions.
He looks at Charleigh with wide eyes. “Did you hear that? Justfine?”
