She touched the side of his face with her hand and then ran her finger across his bottom lip. “I’m really beginning to like you a lot. You’re a better man than I first gave you credit for.”
He grabbed her hand kissing the tips of her five fingers. “You know what I’m beginning to think? That you’re something pretty special yourself,” he confessed.
Gathering her into his arms, he held her snugly. His body leaped to life just from the mere touch of Maymi’s body against his. However, now wasn’t the time for them to make love. She needed him to comfort her in a different way.
“Come back to bed with me,” Jensen said, removing his hands from her body. He grabbed her hand pulling her back towards the unmade bed.
“Jensen, I’m not in the mood to do anything,” Maymi said, stopping him halfway there.
Turning, he looked down into her face seeing the perplexing emotions there on display. “I won’t lie. I would love to make love to you, but I think you need something else more now. So, come with me,” he said again, tugging her towards the bed.
He got on first and scooted over before tugging Maymi down on the bed until she lay down next to him. He wrapped his arm pulling her to his body until they were cuddling.
“Baby, all I want you to do is relax and go to sleep. You opened up a lot to me tonight about Hudson. I know it had to take a lot out of you.”
Maymi placed her hand on top of his squeezing his fingers. “Thank you for listening. I really hadn’t talked openly about Hudson with anyone,” she told him.
Her confession wrapped around him like a warm blanket. He was entirely caught up in his own emotions tonight as he began to feel some tangible bond forming between them.
“Sweetheart, you’re welcome,” Jensen answered.
Yet, Maymi didn’t answer him. Instead he heard the soft sounds of her breathing. Jensen brushed her hair off the side of her neck planting a kiss below her earlobe. As she slept in the bed with him, he thought about where the next step of their relationship was going. He was positive he was more ready to see where it would go between them than her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Early the next morning, Maymi sat at the kitchen table watching Jensen as he fixed them some breakfast. He was only wearing a pair of low fitting jeans that made his ass look absolutely perfect in her eyes. The muscles in his back moved every time he reached for something on the counter.
“I’ve never had scrambled egg whites with spinach before for breakfast,” she admitted. “I’m not too sure if I’m going to like it. I’m more of a traditional pancakes and bacon lover. You know, the classics.”
Jensen stopped what he was doing and looked at her. The sight of his bare chest had her squirming around in the kitchen chair.
“I’m hoping you will be willing to give it a fair chance. It’s very healthy for you packed with a lot of nutrition.”
Maymi glanced down at her body covered in Jensen’s white shirt from last night. “Are you saying my body needs some help? I’ve never gotten any complaints about it before,” she said.
Turning down the burner, Jensen moved away from the stove and came over to her. He moved her legs apart and stepped between them.
“Baby, your body is sexy as hell,” he praised, running his hands over her breasts stopping to play with her nipples.
“Oh,” she moaned, softly leaning into him.
“Did I have a problem with your body last night and less than twenty minutes ago,” he whispered against her lips.
“No,” Maymi answered, staring at Jensen.
“Good, don’t ever doubt how much I want you,” he said, stepping back. “But, I like your company just as much. You make me more relaxed than I’ve been in a very long time with a woman.” Jensen winked at her then went back over to the stove and worked on finishing up their meal.
“Tell me more about your life. I don’t know that much about you. What are your hobbies, interests? What gets you excited?”
“I told you one of them on our date,” he answered, taking the food off the stove.
He divided it up on two plates next to him and then sprinkled a little low fat cheese before bringing them over to the table.
“I still get a lot of comfort from staring at the stars. I believe it comes from the memories it brings up of my father.” Jensen placed one plate in front of her and then took one before sitting down.
“Were you always close to your father?” Maymi asked then took a bite of her food.
She couldn’t believe how good it tasted on her tongue. Who knew spinach for breakfast could be this tasty?
“He was my best friend. Casper was closer to our mother and I loved her as well, but I could tell my father anything. He was my biggest supporter,” Jensen said then took a bite of his food.
“It must have been nice. Do you not have one bad memory of him?”
He swallowed before answering her. “I can’t say that I do. Whenever I asked him something he gave me his full attention no matter how dumb the question might have been.”
“Do you think you were your father’s favorite?”
“Not at all, he gave me and Casper the same amount of attention. My brother never felt left out of anything we did together. My family was the best when I was growing up. Both of my parents are gone now, but I still miss them each and every day.
“When did they die?”
“I was a freshman in high school when my mother died and my dad lived long enough to see me graduate from college. I’m so thankful I had both of them for so long.”
For the next several minutes, Maymi and Jensen continued eating in silence as both of them got lost in their own personal thoughts of their pasts. Neither wanted to think about memories, but they kept rushing back into their minds.
Placing her fork down on the plate, Maymi pushed it away and studied Jensen for a few minutes. “Finish telling me about yourself,” she said, watching him closely.
Last night, she had opened up the deepest part of her soul to him. How could she not want him to give her a sneak peek into his as well?
Raising his head, he watched her thoughtfully for a moment. His eyes searched her face like he was reaching into her thoughts to figure out what she wanted him to tell her. “What do you want to know?” he asked, wiping his mouth was a napkin. “I thought I had told you about me already.”
“You did, but that stuff was about your family. I want to know something about you,” she said, pointing her finger in his direction. “What is the sexiest thing you’ve ever done? Do you have a guilty pleasure? Are you planning to open up to me some more?”
“Are you sure that you want to hear my craziest?” he warned.
“Yes, I do,” Maymi answered, her curiosity piqued even more. She bet it was something good with the way Jensen looked.
“After spending three years working as a personal trainer at several local gyms, I decided one day I wasn’t living my dream anymore. So I quit and checked into opening up my own gym; however, I ran into one problem. I didn’t have enough capital to make a down payment on the place I wanted so to make some quick cash I—” Jensen stopped talking and just looked at her.
“Don’t stop there,” Maymi said, leaning across the kitchen table. “Tell me the rest.”
A gleam came into Jensen’s dark brown eyes as he also leaned across the space towards her.”
“I was a male stripper for several years.”
She was too startled by his confession to say anything. All Maymi could do was stare at Jensen as thought after thought raced through her mind. One thing was for sure, he was an ever-changing mystery.
“Did you take it all off?”
He gave her a look of utter disbelief as he fell back against his chair. “Is that all you have to ask me?” Jensen asked. “Some of my past girlfriends got upset by the fact I took off my clothes for money and no, I didn’t get completely naked.”
“I always thought male strippers were pretty sexy. So, I can’t be upset that I’m
dating one.”
Jensen stared, complete surprise on his face and then he smiled at her. “Maymi, you never cease to amaze me,” he said, getting up from his seat.
He came around the table and stood directly in front of her. “Care to play hooky with me today,” he asked, pulling her out of her seat. “We can spend the day doing anything that you wanted.”
“I hadn’t planned on opening Sinful today because I was going to work on the books. I need to see what item is selling and the ones that aren’t. I need to have a quick sale to get rid of them.”
“I’ll make a deal with you. Spend a few hours with me and then I’ll take you to Sinful this afternoon to get that work done.”
Maymi already knew her answer before Jensen made his suggestion. “I can spend the rest of the morning with you, but I need to be back at work later this afternoon. I can’t afford not to get this done.”
“Baby, I can do it,” Jensen said then kissed her. “How about we take a shower together before I leave?” His hands roamed up and down her back stopping to cup her ass in his hands. He rubbed his erection against the front of her.
Linking her arms around his neck, Maymi stared up into Jensen’s eyes. “Do you really want to take a shower or make love? You know the latter will cut into our time together.”
“I’m a gambling man, so why don’t we take our chances and see what happens?” he suggested, swinging her up into his arms and carrying her from the room.
“Jensen, put me down,” she laughed. “I can walk on my own.”
“How about you let me carry you and if you’re good I’ll give you a private dance later?”
Maymi instantly stopped squirming in Jensen’s arms. She had already seen him naked but the mere thought of his powerful body moving to music shut her right up. She wasn’t foolish enough to miss out on that opportunity.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Do you plan on hiding out in your office every time there’s a staff meeting?” an amused voice asked from the opened doorway.
Jazmaine took a minute to get herself together before glancing at Mr. Mashiro. She hoped he wouldn’t search her out today, but he did it. She should have known knew better to think he wouldn’t.
Turning her head, her eyes instantly connected with his across the room. He looked at her as if he were photographing her with his eyes for later. Maybe it was just the artist in him and she was reading too much into the situation.
“Mr. Mashiro, I wasn’t hiding out as you called it,” she corrected. “I was working on a project.”
“How much longer are you going to keep telling me the same story?” he asked, coming into her office closing the door behind him.
She looked at the door and then back at Akito. “Is there a reason you closed my door?”
“Yes...privacy.”
“Mr. Mashiro, anything we discuss should be done with an opened door so everything will be professional.”
“Akito,” he corrected. “This is the last time I’ll tell you my name isn’t Mr. Mashiro,” he told her.
“I’ve heard other women here call you by your last name. Why is it different for me?” she questioned, watching him.
Sauntering across the room, Akito stopped at the corner of her desk. He placed one hand on the desk and the left one on the arm of her chair. “I don’t have any interest in them but I want you to know you outside the workplace.”
“Mr—” Jazmaine started and then stopped when his dark eyes narrowed at her. “Akito,” she said and he smiled bringing an immediate softening to his handsome features.
“Don’t tell me no,” Akito said, “You’re making me think the word yes isn’t even in your vocabulary.”
“I know the word yes,” she answered.
“Great, I’ll pick you up at six o’clock tonight at your place,” he said, moving away from her personal space.
Jazmaine stared at him dumbfounded until it set in that she had been tricked by him into agreeing to a date. “No, wait. I wasn’t agreeing to a date with you.” She got up from her chair and hurried behind Akito.
Suddenly, he stopped and spun around causing her body to run into his. His hands wrapped around her upper arms holding her against his hard, tight body. “Today is the day I’ve spent weeks waiting for. I finally get to take you out on a date,” Akito said with his sexy British accent.
The feel of his touch on her body was blocking all other thoughts from Jazmaine’s head. Each time she saw him, the pull was stronger. She had to admit his appeal was devastating.
“Alright, I’ll still keep my word and go out on this date, but I want to keep it simple, nothing over the top or expensive. I’m not into anything too flashy,” she said, stepping back from him.
Looking down at her, Akito slid his hands into the front pockets of his perfectly tailored slacks drawing her attention to his hard muscular thighs.
“So, are you telling me I can’t pick you up in a limo and take you to the best restaurant in town? I wanted to impress you, but all of your demands are tying my hands,” he complained.
Yes!
Jazmaine swallowed down her smile. Her request had taken some of the wind out of Akito’s sails. She liked that she gave him something to think about. He wouldn’t be able to just take her on a cookie cutter date to gain points with her like he probably had done with numerous female groupies.
This time he would have to put more thought into planning a cute, simple first date. It would have to be something more towards her tastes instead of showing off how well he could toss his money around to bragging about who he was.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jensen squeezed Maymi’s hand as they walked around the park together. He couldn’t recall the last time he simply went for a walk with a woman. Usually when he came to this certain park, it was to run or work out with Chloe when they were dating.
Doing this with Maymi was very relaxing with the sun shining down on their bodies. It was a feeling he could get used to experiencing again with the pretty woman next to him. He hadn’t planned on falling for Maymi, but he was slowly becoming more and more interested in her to the point that he didn’t want them seeing other people. He wanted them to be exclusive.
It wasn’t like he had anyone else in his life at the moment, but he wasn’t so sure about her. Yes, it might have been a while since she made love but she still could have an admirer lurking somewhere in the background. She was a beautiful woman on the inside as well as the outside, even Casper had noticed that about her.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Maymi asked, bumping her shoulder against his arm.
Looking down at her, he saw the happiness in her eyes and didn’t want to ruin it by pushing her too fast. She might not be ready to be in steady relationship with him. They might be going out causally, but he wanted to be more than just her dating buddy.
He pulled Maymi off the trail over to a park bench away from the other couples walking around. Sitting down next to her, he let go of her hand and placed his hand on her thigh. She glanced at it and then back up at his face.
“Is there something wrong?” she questioned.
“Yes and no,” he answered, honestly.
“I’m not following you,” Maymi said.
“Sweetheart, I’ve really been enjoying the time we have been spending together lately. I know we’ve only been on a few dates, but those have made an impact more than any others I’ve done before.”
“I’ve had a good time too, Jensen. We’ve had a lot of enjoyable times together with everything being so comfortable and neither one of us putting pressure on the other one.”
Jensen hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions after hearing Maymi’s words but he went ahead with his plan. He wanted Maymi as his girlfriend— his woman.
He couldn’t see her out on a date with any other man but him. She wasn’t the package he thought he would fall for, but she was everything the universe knew he needed.
“I feel the same way and that’s why
I want us to officially become a couple,” he said.
Maymi’s eyes widened in alarm then she slid away from him on the bench putting some distance between them. He understood her fear at getting involved with him because of the love she had shared with Hudson, but he was dead and he wasn’t. He was right here in front of her ready to take things to the next level.
“Don’t you think we should keep things as we have them? I mean, what’s wrong with us going out and maybe making love afterwards. We don’t need to put a title on anything.”
Was she actually suggesting friends with benefits?
Stretching his arm across the back of the bench, Jensen moved back towards Maymi pleased when she didn’t move back from him. He moved his other hand up and down her leg trying to relax some of the tension from her body.
Maymi agreeing to do this was a lot bigger step for her than him. The last man she was involved with died tragically, but Maymi had to understand that their relationship would be totally on a different level.
“I disagree with you. There’s a lot wrong with us trying to be friends with benefits. I want to introduce you as my girlfriend to as many people as I can. I want to show you off and be proud you’re mine and no one else.”
She reached out and touched his hand. “I can’t guarantee if I can completely be in a committed relationship with you a hundred percent.”
“Maymi, no one can guarantee anyone a hundred percent of anything because life doesn’t work that away. All I’m asking is we give it a chance and agree to be exclusive. I don’t want you to feel pressured, but I do want you to be solely mine.”
“Jensen, I wasn’t expecting you to toss all of this into my lap out of the blue,” Maymi said, looking at him with confusion. “I need some time to wrap my head around all of this. I thought we were only taking each day as it came since we’re both so busy with our jobs.”
Maymi quickly stood up causing him to jump up right after her. Had he spoken too soon and scared her? Jensen saw he might have spoken too soon. He hadn’t meant to tell her any of this today, but everything just came out before he could stop the words.
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