Sleeping in his bed is nothing more than sleeping.
Kissing him in public is for the watchful eyes and that’s all.
“Are you challenging me, Dimples?” Malaki stalks forward slowly, and my heart beats faster as I anticipate his next move.
I look past his hot grin and wide shoulders. If I run, he’ll chase me, and the thought of that does nothing but send flutters in between my thighs.
“I’m fast,” he admits out of nowhere, like he can read my mind. “The fastest in the league.”
“Arrogant much?” I tease.
He shakes his head. “Just stating facts, baby.”
My cheeks burn, and I’m so swept up in him calling me baby that I don’t even realize he’s swooping low and wrapping his arms behind my legs.
“Malaki!” I hiss.
His arms tighten around me even more as he heads for the stairs. We’re face to face, our breaths mingling as he smirks. “I warned you.”
I can’t help but laugh, and God, it feels good.
I don’t laugh anymore—not like I used to.
Our engagement may be fake, but the laughter that comes with being around Malaki is as real as it gets.
I wiggle my legs back and forth when he makes it to the landing. He opens the bedroom door, and he walks us into his–our—room. The dress I’m supposed to wear is hanging on the bathroom door, and I wiggle again, hoping he’ll put me down.
Malaki’s arms tighten, and our eyes lock. “You better stop doing that,” he rasps.
His heart hammers behind his chest against me.
“Then put me down,” I say quietly.
Malaki tips his chin, and I get a better view of his mouth. “Maybe I don’t want to.”
He shifts me in his arms when I start to slip. I graze something hard beneath his waist, and my stomach flips.
A slow swallow moves down his throat as he stares at me.
I force myself to say, “We’re going to be late.”
Malaki exhales, and then I’m slowly sliding down the front of his body. I brush against every one of his taut muscles before my feet land on the floor.
To hide the flush creeping along my skin, I race over to the bathroom and grab the dress from the hanger.
“I guess this means you’re going, then?” he asks.
I turn around, and my breath catches.
It takes me a second to regain consciousness again.
“Malaki!” I chide.
God, stop looking!
Malaki is in his tight boxer briefs, still sporting that hard bulge I apparently didn’t imagine a few moments ago. “What?”
“You’re practically naked!” I exclaim.
