No One Is Watching
2136 Words
Alina’s POV
There was a man in my shower.
Not just any man.
Malik Wright.
In my shower.
I sat on the edge of my bed staring at the bathroom door while water ran behind it.
This was ridiculous.
I was grown.
I had children, bills, a career, responsibilities, and enough life experience to know better than to be sitting on my bed nervous because a man was taking a shower.
Except this wasn’t just some man.
This was Malik.
The man I’d spent years wanting from a distance.
The man whose voice had traveled through prison phones and somehow made me feel like he was beside me when he was hours away.
The man I’d driven hours to see just for a few controlled touches and kisses.
Now his clothes were on my bathroom floor.
His bag was beside my dresser.
His shoes were beside mine.
And tonight, nobody was coming to take him away.
I looked toward the bathroom.
“Jesus.”
The water stopped.
My entire body went alert.
Why?
I had no idea.
I stood.
Then immediately wondered why I’d stood.
Sit down.
No.
Standing looked normal.
Did it?
I walked toward the dresser and pretended to straighten things that were already straight.
The bathroom door opened.
Don’t turn around.
I turned around.
Mist followed Malik into the bedroom.
Gray sweatpants.
White T-shirt.
Bare feet.
Skin still damp around his neck.
And smelling like the body wash I’d bought specifically because I’d imagined what it would smell like on him.
Terrible decision.
Absolutely terrible.
Malik stopped when he saw me.
His eyes moved over me slowly.
Then that smile appeared.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You’ve been saying ‘nothing’ all day.”
“So have you.”
“What are you smiling at?”
“You.”
“Why?”
He leaned against the bathroom doorway.
“You nervous?”
There was that question again.
“No.”
“Lying.”
“I’m literally standing in my bedroom.”
“Our bedroom.”
“Don’t start.”
His smile widened.
“Come here.”
I folded my arms.
“You really like saying that.”
“And you really like coming when I say it.”
My mouth fell open.
Malik laughed.
“That sounded bad.”
“Very.”
“But was I wrong?”
“Goodnight, Malik.”
I turned away.
Two seconds later, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
I froze.
Not because I didn’t want him touching me.
The opposite.
His chest settled against my back.
His face lowered near my neck.
Warm.
Clean.
Real.
“You smell good,” I whispered.
“I hope so. Used half your bathroom.”
“I noticed.”
“Why you got fourteen bottles in there?”
“Because they do different things.”
“Soap is soap.”
I gasped.
“Get away from me.”
His arms tightened.
“Nah.”
“Soap is not soap.”
“Smelled the same to me.”
“Malik, I will put you outside.”
He laughed against my neck.
The vibration sent a chill down my arms.
That shut me up.
Of course he noticed.
His laughter disappeared.
Neither of us moved.
His hands stayed at my waist.
Mine rested over them.
Then his lips brushed the side of my neck.
Barely.
I inhaled.
“Malik.”
“Hmm?”
That sound didn’t help.
“What are you doing?”
“Kissing you.”
“I know that.”
“Then why you asking?”
Because I needed something to say.
Because my thoughts scattered the second his mouth touched my skin.
Because years of wanting somebody did strange things when wanting suddenly became having.
He kissed my neck again.
Slowly.
My eyes closed.
There was no table separating us.
No glass.
No rules about where his hands could be.
No officer pretending not to watch.
I turned around.
Malik looked down at me.
“What?” he asked.
“You know exactly what.”
“I don’t.”
“Liar.”
His eyes dropped to my mouth.
“Maybe.”
My stomach fluttered.
I reached up and touched the back of his neck.
His expression changed immediately.
Less teasing.
More focused.
“Trouble.”
“What?”
“Don’t start something you ain’t ready for.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Who said I’m not ready?”
He stared at me.
For once, Malik didn’t have a smart answer.
Good.
I pulled him closer.
Our mouths met.
The kiss started differently from the one earlier.
That one had been careful.
Sweet.
A confirmation.
This one carried history.
Every visit.
Every goodbye.
Every time we’d wanted another minute.
Every night I’d laid alone wishing he was somewhere he couldn’t be.
Malik’s hands tightened around my waist as mine slid around his neck.
He kissed me slowly at first.
Then deeper.
I backed up without realizing it until my legs touched the bed.
Malik stopped immediately.
His forehead rested against mine.
Both of us were breathing harder.
“You okay?”
I almost laughed.
“You asking me that right now?”
“Answer.”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
“Malik.”
“I’m serious.”
I looked into his eyes.
“I’m sure.”
He kissed me again.
I had never kissed Malik without being aware that somebody could be watching.
That realization hit me so suddenly that I pulled back.
His eyes searched mine.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Alina.”
I smiled.
“No one is watching us.”
His expression softened.
“No.”
“No cameras.”
“No.”
“No officer.”
“Nope.”
“No somebody telling us to separate.”
He shook his head.
“Just me and you.”
My chest tightened.
“That’s weird.”
“Good weird?”
“Very good weird.”
His thumb brushed my cheek.
“Then stop thinking.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I know.”
He kissed my forehead.
Then my cheek.
Then the corner of my mouth.
I smiled.
“You’re teasing.”
“Maybe.”
“Malik.”
“What?”
I kissed him before he could say anything else.
He laughed against my mouth.
That laugh disappeared when I pulled him closer.
His hands settled at my hips.
Mine rested against his chest.
I could feel his heartbeat.
Fast.
I pulled back.
“You’re nervous.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Your heart is beating fast.”
“Because you’re kissing me.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Don’t get cocky.”
“Too late.”
He shook his head.
“See, this why I couldn’t wait to get home.”
“For this?”
His eyes held mine.
“For you.”
That answer was entirely too good.
I looked away.
Malik touched my chin and turned my face back.
“Nah.”
“What?”
“Don’t run from it.”
“I’m not running.”
“You always do that when I tell you something real.”
I swallowed.
“Do what?”
“Look away.”
His thumb moved across my cheek.
“I wanted this.”
I nodded.
“Me too.”
“No. I mean all of it.”
His eyes moved around the bedroom.
“The house. The arguing. You telling me not to touch your thermostat. Me getting on your nerves.”
I smiled.
“You’re doing great at that part.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
He laughed.
Then became quiet.
“I wanted to hold you when the conversation got hard.”
My smile faded.
“I wanted to kiss you without somebody deciding whether it was appropriate.”
His hand slid into mine.
“Wanted to fall asleep beside you.”
My throat tightened.
“Wanted to wake up and you still be there.”
“Malik…”
“And yeah.”
That smile returned.
“I thought about other things too.”
“There he go.”
“What?”
“I knew you couldn’t stay sweet long.”
“I’m being honest.”
“Too honest.”
He laughed.
Then his eyes dropped toward the bed.
I caught it.
“Malik Wright.”
“What?”
“Don’t look at my bed like that.”
“Our bed.”
“You are abusing that phrase.”
He stepped closer.
“Am I lying?”
I tried to maintain my attitude.
Failed.
His mouth brushed mine again.
This kiss was slower.
Almost deliberately so.
His hands stayed respectful, but every touch felt amplified because I knew they didn’t have to be.
That was the dangerous part.
We could.
There was nobody stopping us.
The only boundaries in this room were ours.
And somehow that made me want him even more.
Malik pulled back.
“We don’t have to rush.”
The words surprised me.
“Who said anything about rushing?”
“I’m saying it.”
“Why?”
He took a second.
“Because I’ve waited too long for you to turn our first night into something we’re trying to prove.”
That silenced me.
“I know what people expect,” he continued.
“What?”
“Man gets home after years, first thing he’s thinking about is getting in bed.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re telling me you haven’t thought about it?”
He gave me a look.
“Alina.”
I laughed.
“Okay.”
“I’m still a man.”
“Obviously.”
“And you’re standing here looking like that.”
“Like what?”
“Trouble.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
He kissed me again.
Then stepped back.
I stared at him.
“Did you just walk away from me?”
“Yep.”
“Malik!”
He smiled.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“You started this.”
“And I’m stopping it.”
“That’s rude.”
He laughed so hard I threw a pillow at him.
He caught it.
“You mad?”
“Yes.”
“No, you ain’t.”
“Very.”
He dropped the pillow and came toward me.
I backed away playfully.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Come here.”
“No.”
“Alina.”
“Nope.”
He caught me around the waist.
I tried not to laugh.
Failed.
“Let me go.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I absolutely do.”
He loosened his arms immediately.
I looked at him.
He smiled.
“See?”
“See what?”
“You could always tell me to stop.”
My teasing disappeared.
“I know.”
“I need you to know.”
“I do.”
His voice lowered.
“I waited years. I can wait until we’re both ready.”
Something about that nearly broke me more than anything physical could have.
I wrapped my arms around him.
He held me.
“Tonight,” he whispered, “I just want to be here.”
“Here?”
“Here.”
He kissed my forehead.
“In this house.”
Another kiss.
“In this room.”
His thumb brushed my cheek.
“With you.”
I smiled.
“You really changed.”
“Don’t tell nobody.”
I laughed against his chest.
“Your secret is safe.”
Eventually, Malik pulled the blankets back.
I looked at him.
“You’re serious?”
“About sleeping?”
“Yes.”
“Trouble, I’ve dreamed about a real bed almost as much as I’ve dreamed about you.”
“Almost?”
“Don’t push it.”
I laughed.
We climbed into bed.
At first, there was space between us.
Maybe six inches.
It felt ridiculous.
I looked at him.
He looked at me.
“You really gonna sleep way over there?”
“This is my side.”
“Our bed, remember?”
“You are seriously getting on my nerves.”
He reached for me.
I went willingly.
My head settled against his chest.
His arm wrapped around me.
His heartbeat sounded beneath my ear.
No phone.
No recording.
No countdown.
Just Malik.
I traced my fingers over his shirt.
He kissed the top of my head.
“Goodnight, Trouble.”
“Goodnight.”
A few seconds passed.
“Alina?”
“What?”
“I love you.”
My eyes opened.
I smiled against his chest.
“I love you too.”
His arms tightened around me.
And for the first time since I’d known Malik Wright, saying goodnight didn’t mean goodbye.
Tomorrow would bring reality.
Tonight could simply belong to us.
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