Giving In To Love
795 Words
Chapter 5
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Aaliyah woke up the next morning with Marcus on her mind.
That was becoming a problem.
She lay in bed staring at the ceiling, remembering the night before. Not just the kisses. It was the way he had looked at her afterward, like he was trying to understand something she hadn't said.
She had wanted him.
She still did.
But wanting someone was one thing. Trusting them with the softer parts of you was another.
Her phone buzzed.
Marcus: Did you sleep?
She smiled.
Aaliyah: Eventually.
Three dots appeared.
Marcus: You were thinking about me.
She rolled her eyes.
Aaliyah: Don't flatter yourself.
Marcus: Too late.
She laughed into her pillow.
Later that afternoon, Marcus called.
“I want to see you.”
“You saw me yesterday.”
“I know.”
“That's not an answer.”
“I don't need an answer. I just wanted you to know.”
She was quiet.
Then she said, “Come over tonight.”
There was a pause.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“All right.”
His voice had changed slightly.
She noticed.
And she smiled.
That evening, Aaliyah opened the door before he could knock twice.
Marcus looked at her for a long moment.
“You look nervous.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because you're looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to…”
She stopped.
He smiled.
“Want to what?”
She shook her head.
“Forget it.”
Marcus stepped inside.
The door closed behind him.
For a while, they simply talked.
But something was different tonight.
The silence between them didn't feel awkward anymore.
It felt charged.
When Aaliyah reached for her glass, Marcus's fingers brushed hers.
Neither moved.
He looked at her.
She looked back.
“Tell me if I'm going too fast,” he said quietly.
Aaliyah swallowed.
“You're not.”
He leaned closer.
Their lips met.
This time, there was no hesitation.
Aaliyah wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Marcus held her carefully at first, as if he was still giving her room to change her mind.
She didn't.
She kissed him again.
The kiss became slower, deeper, filled with all the things neither of them had managed to say.
When Marcus's hand moved gently along her back, Aaliyah shivered.
He stopped.
“Still okay?”
She nodded.
“Don't stop.”
He kissed her neck softly.
Aaliyah closed her eyes.
For once, she stopped thinking about tomorrow.
She stopped wondering what could go wrong.
She simply let herself feel.
Later, they lay together on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, their breathing finally calm.
Aaliyah rested her head against his chest.
Marcus ran his fingers through her hair.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Then he said, “I don't want this to be just physical.”
She lifted her head.
“It isn't.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“I just need you to know that.”
Aaliyah studied his face.
“Why?”
“Because I care about you.”
Her heart tightened.
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough to want to know more.”
She smiled faintly.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“Probably.”
She laughed.
Then she became quiet.
“I think I'm falling for you.”
Marcus didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached for her hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
“I think I already fell.”
Aaliyah looked at him.
There was no clever response this time.
No teasing.
No pretending.
She leaned forward and kissed him.
It wasn't a desperate kiss.
It was softer.
Almost grateful.
Because somewhere between the first accidental meeting and this quiet evening together, something had changed.
She had stopped wondering whether Marcus was the kind of man she could love.
She was beginning to wonder whether he might be the man she had been waiting for all along.
And that thought frightened her.
But for the first time, she didn't run from it.
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