The fish nearly melted in his mouth and was bursting with flavor.
“That’s good. I’m sure she was happy to wake up and have you there.”
“You ever feel like people are expecting more of you than you even know how to give?” he asked, chewing slowly with a creased brow.
Ayla snickered and used her fork to seal her mini pies shut. They looked just like the ones they served at McDonald’s.
“All the time.”
“I feel like I’m still trying to figure that shit out, but people look to me for answers like I got ’em.”
Pausing, she let her arm fall to her side. Contemplating her answer, she half shrugged and went back to her task. She wanted the kids to be able to have these when they woke in the morning with breakfast.
“They look to you because they can, Kong. You’re strong. You’re a survivor. You’ve witnessed loss up close, and you’re still standing. Life has been anything but a breeze for you. I think people see that and expect you to be this strong, confident, fearless man.”
“Is that what you see?” he pried, squinting as she dabbed each pie with her butter/oil blend over the top so they could bake.
“Among other things,” she muttered, avoiding his piercing stare. “But don’t think you aren’t the only one out here still trying to figure things out. Life is full of one transition after the next. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing enough with my life.”
“You’re the one holding this house together right now,” he admitted.
“You hold it together.” Ayla shrugged.
“Nah, I hold it up. You make it livable.” He dug into more of her food. “There was a time when I was putting in twelve and fifteen-hour days just to avoid coming home. Now I’m looking forward to seeing what your next meal will be or to hearing about what the kids have been up to.”
Ayla looked at him in a way she normally avoided. It was direct, open, and searching. This vulnerable side to him was sexy. It was nice to know that something soft rested inside this man who seemed so hardened and hollow at times.
“Don’t.” Kong glimpsed her and leaned back in his chair.
He toyed with some of the salmon and rice, moving it around on his plate nervously as her big mocha brown eyes drank him in.
“Don’t what?”
“Look at me like that. I’m not good for you, Ayla. Going there with you would only make this complicated.”
She studied him, bringing her hands to rest against the counter.
“It’s already complicated,” she murmured, grabbing the dish towel to dry her hands again.
She went to pop the pies in the oven and set the timer for an hour for them to cook. Once she loaded the dishwasher, she turned and found Kong finishing the last of his food. He walked his plate to the sink and washed it. Silence had filled the kitchen since she shut off her playlist. Facing her from the sink, desire coiled in his stomach watching her put the cap on the flour and sugar containers. He knew he should walk away, but Ayla was a weakness he didn’t expect. When he stepped up beside her, she faced him instinctively. The heat brewing between them was unavoidable. She reached for his wrist. It was a small touch, but enough to make Kong freeze.
“You shouldn’t do that,” he warned, his tone low and tinged with lust.
Ayla swallowed. “I know.” She moved closer, sealing the space between them.
Their faces were close now, too close. The faint scent of the liquor on his breath along with his masculine cologne mesmerized her. Neither of them moved. Kong did something he hadn’t done with anyone in years. He let himself want Ayla. Not just physically. His hunger for her went beyond that. Cupping her face gently, he gave her every chance to pull away, but she didn’t. The first kiss was hesitant. A slight brush of his mouth over hers, then it turned deeper. The way their tongues swipedtogether wasn’t rushed or desperate. It was two people standing on the edge of something for too long.
When he nudged her back and searched her eyes, he could feel himself being swept away by her gaze. A surge of electricity shot through Ayla’s veins, and when his fingertips brushed against her arms, every part of her shuddered. He wanted her in a way he never wanted anybody, with a desperation that put a twinge of fear in his already cracked heart. He knew this was wrong, but with need pumping and emotion flooding his heart, that didn’t matter. Ayla was perfect, and everything in this moment held him captive to her simple yet alluring charm.
Sliding his hand down her waist, he pulled her into him, kneeling so he could scoop her off her feet and into his arms. Crushing his mouth against hers, this time it was more intentional. Boundaries be damned. Tonight it wasn’t his concern.
“Mmm,” she moaned against his lips, sliding her tongue into his mouth and holding his face in her soft hands.
Kong’s third leg stretched to its full potential, and his footsteps led right to Ayla’s bedroom door. Entering her simply decorated room that smelled like her favorite cashmere body mist, he kicked the door shut and reached behind him to lock it. He carried her to her bed, gently placed her on her back, and rested between her supple thighs. His hands roamed her frame, skin like silk, only enticing him more when he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. The intimacy was quiet, tender, almost reverent. He knew this was her first time, so he wanted to slow it down and allow her to set the pace.
“It’s okay. I want this,” Ayla panted, reaching for his pants to unbuckle them.
This wasn’t how she imagined her first time. For so long, she’d overanalyzed, thinking it had to be perfect, when really it had to be the perfect person. Kong was everything she never sawherself with, but now that he was in her life, she wanted him to remain a part of it.
