At this, he laughs. “You’re the only one that I want it then and there with,” he says, shaking his head. “Did you eat today, baby?”
She stops in front of the phone, her hands on her hips. “Roman, I don’t want to argue with you about this.”
He shrugs. “Fine.”
“Fine,” she says, and ends the call with enough force to topple the phone onto its side. The delicate drip of the tap gets to her, and she lasts all of three minutes before she redials his number.
“Fuck, I hated that. Let’s never do that again.”
He laughs. “Okay.”
Her flight lands early the next morning, and before she can even knock, his front door swings open. She isn’t sure who grabs who first. All she knows is the lightness of being pulled into the arms of the person she can’t breathe without.
“You’re here,” he says, pressing her against the door. His mouth lands on hers to push and pull. Twist and turn. His fingers cage her jaw, and his hand cradles the back of her head as he orchestrates their movements.
“Lucy,” she says through a gasp when he slips his fingers over the front of her jeans, the pop of the button echoing down the hallway, the catch of the zipper making her head spin with what’s about to happen.
“With Mom,” he says, pulling back to tug his shirt over his head. “Until tomorrow.”
Her hands splay against his chest, gliding up to his neck as she pulls him back down. His hands land on the door above her head as she opens her mouth to meet her tongue with his. She captures his top lip with her teeth, biting gently before pulling back to duck under his arms, earning a delicate groan from him.
“Great,” she says, lifting her shirt as she walks backward. “No more talking. I waited two months for this.”
“Are you all plotting against me? What is this?” Roman asks, his voice carrying.
Jahlani shrugs, avoiding his eyes as she looks over at Danica, Teryn, and Taylor, all sitting around his dining room table.
“You all blocked my roads like assholes,” he hisses, dropping his cards to the table, giving them a pointed look.
“Don’t be mad, we’re just teasing the birthday boy,” calls Danica.
“Whatever,” he says, pushing from the table.
Jahlani watches as he storms off, laughing behind her hand with Lucy in her lap.
“Uh-oh, I think we upset Daddy. Let me go check on him,” she says, lifting Lucy off her lap and to the floor. Down the hall, she leans in his doorway, watching him mutter and curse.
“Don’t be mad,” she says, and his eyes flick to hers. “It was my idea. I know how competitive you get.”
He doesn’t say anything, and she sighs, glancing into the hallway before shutting the door and turning the lock. She’s already halfway to him when he notices, and she looks up at him through dark eyelashes before slowly lowering to her knees.
“Jahlani—”
“Shh, I’m making it up to you,” she says, unzipping his front. He grabs her wrist, shaking his head.
“But … everyone’s in the room right there,” he says through harsh breaths when she shakes off his hand and works his jeans down his thighs.
“I’ll be quick … and you be quiet,” she says, licking him slowly.
She watches his eyes drift shut, and it’s not long before he gives in, his body shuddering, his breath coming out in bursts, her name a soft chant. When his eyes open, he helps her stand and kisses her hard before pulling back.
“Fuck,” he says. “Please, just ma?—”
Her eyes widen and she slaps her hand over his mouth shaking her head.
“Do not even think about asking methatafter I just didthat.”
He grumbles, pushing her wrist away to kiss down her neck. “Okay, okay, but soon, yeah?”
