Page 44 of Phantom Faceoff
I want to ask what that means, and why he’s suddenly okay with this after literal weeks of silence.
But I don’t want to break the moment.
We can dissect these strange new desires later.
Preferably when all the blood in my body flows back to my top head instead of the one straining this comically small towel.
When he kisses me this time, it’s soft. Timid.
My head spins.
Who are you, Malachi Blanchard? And why does wanting you make me wantother things, too?
Chapter Thirteen
Malachi
I regret my life choices.Every last one of them.
Showing up to Zander’s stupid game was a gross miscalculation on my part. Julian had been texting me ‘boo-hoo Zander’ messages for weeks, often about how down in the dumps he is and asking me to hang out with them. I always decline.
But then he sent me a video of Zander playing today. He looked angry. Aggressive. It sparked something in me. Pride almost. Which is strange.
I couldn’t focus on any of the work I was trying to get done. My brain kept toying with the idea of seeing him and knowing exactly what would happen if I did.
What’s one more time?
There is no kissing him just once. No touching him once.
It’s like an instant addiction. The moment I taste him I never want to stop.
It was supposed to be one visit, a short and sweet congratulatory kiss—something to sate us both.
Somehow, Zander read me like a book. Hell, he read me like a goddamn comic page.
“Please kiss me … Daddy.”
It wasn’t innocent. It was desperate.
Now, I’ve dug myself a hole I’m not sure I can crawl out of.
“Daddy.”
“Shut up.”
“You’re ignoring me.”
“You’re being a brat.”
Zander barks out a laugh, garnering the attention of a couple patrons flipping through vinyls.
“You like that, though.” He waggles his eyebrows, and once again, regretting life choices.
“If you don’t watch it,” I mutter under my breath, “I’ll show you what happens to brats.”
Which is? I have no fucking clue. When Julian is acting bratty, he’s easy to tame. Easy not to raise my hackles. But with Zander?
It’s only been a few hours, and I feel like I’m completely exasperated.
