If only he could erase it. It would make everything in his world right again.
Her next words had the effect of an anvil crushing his chest.
“You should probably go,” she said in a quiet but firm voice. “Thank you again for coming with me today.”
“Phylicia—”
She held up a hand. “Don’t, Jamal. It’s just not a good idea.”
“Yes, it is.” He knew he wasn’t being fair, was probably crossing a line that he shouldn’t cross, but dammit, he missed her. “You can’t tell me you haven’t been miserable these past few weeks. I dread even going to the house in the morning, because it’s so damn hard to work near you and not touch you. To have you ignore me. Do you know how much that kills me?”
She pulled her trembling bottom lip between her teeth. “You’re going to hurt me,” she said in a small voice. “You may not even realize it, but you will. It always happens.”
He captured her hands and brought them to his lips. “Not this time. I promise you, Phylicia. I will never, ever do anything to hurt you.”
She pulled in a deep breath and blew it out in a rush. “This is such a mistake.”
“Stop saying that,” Jamal pleaded. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers as he looked into her eyes. “Nothing about us being together could ever be a mistake. The two of us together…it just makes sense.”
He could tell when she relented. The rigidity in her limbs eased, and she melted against him. He captured her chin and tipped her face up, sealing his mouth to hers as he ran his other hand down her spine, to her soft, perfectly shaped rear end. He pulled her more firmly against him, nestling his hardening body against her soft warmth.
“Don’t make me regret this,” she pleaded.
“Never,” Jamal whispered against her lips.
Without another word, Phylicia took him by the hand and led him to her bedroom.
Chapter 12
Phil awoke thenext morning with a start, springing up from the pillow and glancing around the room.
“What’s the matter?” came Jamal’s sleep-roughened voice.
Her entire body relaxed with languid relief. He was still here.
“Nothing.” She eased back onto the pillows, and Jamal stretched an arm around her, pulling her against his side. He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.
“We should probably get up,” he said.
“Probably.”
“I don’t really want to,” he admitted.
A smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Neither do I.”
She stretched, lining her body up against his corded muscles. A shiver of desire ran through her as she felt his erection coming to life against her thigh.
“We definitely don’t have time forthat.” She laughed.
“I can be really quick when I have to,” he murmured against her shoulder.
“But then you’ll just want to do it again,” Phil said, disengaging from his hold and scooting off the bed.
“God, you’re sexy,” he said, his eyes heating her skin as they ran up and down her naked body.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
