I tilted my head slightly. “What?”
He smiled, slow. “You look like trouble.”
“Good,” I said, stepping closer. “I promised myself I’d find some.”
The corners of his mouth lifted just before he kissed me. It started soft, testing the space between us, then deepened. Thekind of kiss that made the rest of the room blur. My pulse jumped, the taste of tequila and heat tangling on my tongue.
He pulled back a little, resting his forehead against mine. “You sure this is just for your vision board?”
I laughed, still catching my breath. “Ask me tomorrow.”
He grinned. “Fair enough.”
I looked up at him again, feeling that dizzy rush I hadn’t felt in a year.. the kind that reminded me I still had a pulse and I still had wants.
“Come on,” I said, my voice lower than I meant for it to be. “Let’s get out of here before I forget this is public.”
He didn’t argue. Just reached for my hand like he’d been waiting for me to say it.
When his fingers tightened around mine, my heart did that wild, stupid thing again. I didn’t know what would happen next, but I wanted to find out.
We didn’t rush. We strolled, letting the air cool our skin. My lips still tingled from the kiss, and every time I looked at him, I thought about how it felt. Like damn.
By the time we made it up to my hotel room, I had forgotten what air conditioning felt like. I was burning up from the inside out.
I fumbled with the key card, my fingers suddenly clumsy. He stood behind me, close enough that I could feel his cucumber poking my ass. “You good?” he asked.
“Mhmm.” I finally got the door open, and we stepped in.
He didn’t touch me right away, which made it worse. He looked around like he was checking the space out. “Nice room,” he said, nodding. Then he turned to me with a small smirk. “So… this part of the vision board too?”
I shrugged, kicking off my sneakers. “Might be.”
He stepped closer. “What if I told you I’ve never been part of someone’s vision board before?”
I looked up at him. “Then I’d say you’re doing amazing so far.”
He let out a quiet laugh and lifted my chin with his fingers, his eyes dropping to my mouth again. “Lyrix…”
That’s all he said.
I didn’t even know what I expected, but Maison kissed me like he knew what I needed. Not just wanted. Needed. Like he could feel how long it had been since I’d been held and touched. He didn’t kiss me like he was trying to get something out of it. He kissed me like he was trying to put something back.
His hands found my waist, slid up slowly, then down again, anchoring me. I felt his grip tighten. And I melted.
My knees didn’t just go weak, they gave out a little. He looked at me with those eyes that made me want to smile, laugh, and climb him like a tree all at the same time.
And I realized, I loved the heaux phase. Loved the freedom. The energy. The yes of it all.
I hadn’t even touched the surface of what was possible yet, but in that moment, with Maison’s hands on my waist, my body was fully awake for the first time in forever.
He stood in front of me like he was memorizing me. Like he was committing every curve, every freckle, every soft part of my skin to memory, just in case he never got the chance again. Hishands were warm and slow as he peeled off my bodysuit, inch by inch. And every time another part of my skin was exposed, he kissed it. A soft kiss to my shoulder. A warm one to my hip. A lingering one just above my navel.
“You’re really something,” he said, eyes heavy with heat as he traced his fingertips down my sides.
I started to speak, but he shook his head and said, “Shh… don’t say anything yet.”
He pulled back just a little, his hands resting on my thighs now. “You ever been touched in a way that made you remember who you are? Like, really are?”
