Malcolm put the phone in airplane mode, closed his eyes and made himself comfortable for the three-and-a-half-hour trip. Unlike on normal flights, lunch consisted of a three-course meal that fell in line with the players’ dietary needs, as outlined by Lauren.
After landing, they traveled by bus to the hotel. To minimize public contact, several measures had been put in place—separate entrances, key-controlled elevators, private floors and a dedicated security staff. Not even employees were exempt. They couldn’t ask for autographs and pictures or post on social media without consequences. All of which ensured players were rested and left undisturbed. Malcolm dropped his bag on the chair in the hotel room that would be the first of many for the season and stretched out on the bed. His veteran status afforded him a room to himself, but players in their first or second years had to double up. A quick glance at the nightstand clock showed the time to be just after five, which left him two hours to rest before dinner. He would have preferred to order room service, however, team rules prohibited its use, along with accessing the room’s minibar or going to the hotel’s bar.
He had just dozed off when his cell buzzed in his pocket. Groaning, he fished it out and checked the display, then smiled and sat up. Siobhan had sent him photos and videos of the transitional housing’s grand opening, and he immediately saw her PR skills at work. Malcolm’s heart swelled at the video of a single mother and her two children seeing their home for the first time. The two girls, who looked to be between six and eight, ran from room to room, their happy squeals filling the air, while their mother dropped to her knees and said a prayer of thanksgiving. It made him take stock of how blessed he was, and he vowed to always do what he could to help others.
Malcolm clicked on the final message and smiled at the attachment. Instead of replying, he activated his video messaging and called.
“Hey, baby brother,” Siobhan said when she answered.
“Hey, sis. Thanks for sending the pics. Looks like everything went well.”
“Oh my goodness, Malcolm. It was awesome! I’ve cried so much today, they sent out a memo saying the drought in California is over.”
Malcolm laughed. Though his sister’s eyes were slightly red, they were also sparkling with joy. “Congratulations, mama. I thought you guys had another week or so before Christian came to stay permanently.”
“I have no idea what happened. All I know is Justin and I got a call while we were at the opening from his social worker saying we could take him home.”
“And I bet you were there before she could complete the call.”
“Just about,” she said with a laugh. “You should see Nyla. She’s been following him around since we got home. And Christian is just as happy about being a big brother. We’re going to have dinner here Sunday afternoon, sort of a welcome party. I know you and Omar will be getting in late tomorrow, but I hope you guys can pop in for a few minutes.”
“Tired or not, you know I’ll be there. Where is he?” Siobhan walked into a bedroom, and he heard laughter and his niece’s happy giggles.
“Here they are. Christian and Nyla, Uncle Malcolm is on the phone.” She turned the phone so he could see the children.
“Hey, Christian. How’s your new room? Hey, Nyla.”
Christian’s face lit up. “It’s good.” He turned around and tried to point out everything in the room. “And see my bed? It has PAW Patrol on it.”
Malcolm had no idea who or what a PAW Patrol was, but he nodded. “That’s pretty cool. Well, I’ll see you in a couple of days, okay?”
“’Bye.” And he was gone.
Siobhan laughed. “So, I guess the conversation is over.” She held the phone toward Nyla. “Say hi to Uncle Malcolm.”
He waved. “Hey, Nyla. How’s my baby girl?”
Nyla babbled something, tried to eat the phone, then got upset when Siobhan wrestled it out of her hands.
“That’s it for the phone, little girl. Here’s your book.” That seemed to satisfy her. Siobhan came back to the phone. “I see you’re all reclined on your bed. Are you in for the night?”
Malcolm yawned. “Nope. Dinner is in an hour, then we have a chapel service and pregame meeting.”
“Oh. Okay. How are things with you and Lauren?”
Malcolm had figured that with everything going on, his sister would have forgotten about his love life, but he should have known better.
He obviously hesitated too long, because she said, “What did you do?”
He told her about him wanting space. “I didn’t say those words exactly, but in Lauren’s mind, it meant the same thing.”
“You’re afraid history’s going to repeat itself. I totally get that, Malcolm, because I did the same thing with Justin...more than once. Thank goodness my husband is a patient man.” She chuckled. “Otherwise I might have missed out on the best thing that has ever happened to me. Stop fighting your feelings for Lauren. Take it from me—all it does is make things worse.”
“I don’t recall asking for any advice. Don’t you have enough to worry about?”
Siobhan rolled her eyes. “Like that’s going to stop me from giving it. And I’ll never have so much to worry about that I can’t be there for you. Remember I changed your stinky diapers. That gives me privileges.”
Malcolm laughed. “Really, Vonnie? Why are you bringing up old stuff? It’s definitely time for this conversation to end.”
She blew him a kiss. “Love you. Be careful tomorrow, and have a safe trip home.”
“Love you, too. I will, although I probably won’t play more than a few downs.”
Justin appeared in the picture with Christian on his shoulders and Nyla in his arms. “What’s up, Malcolm?”
“Hey, Justin. I see you’re busy.”
“Yeah, but I’m loving it.” His smile matched Siobhan’s. “Later, bro.”
“All right. Gotta go. See you Sunday.”
“’Bye, sis.” Malcolm disconnected, his smile still in place. He tossed the phone on the bed and resumed his position. He adjusted the pillow under his head and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about his sister’s unsolicited advice. He’d never imagined having feelings for Lauren again and didn’t know how to stop fighting against the fear that had a grip on his heart. But one thing Siobhan had said rang true. He felt worse now than he had three days ago.
* * *
Lauren pulled the grocery cart up the steps leading to her condo and into the house. Valencia had teased her about looking like an old lady, but Lauren didn’t care. She could carry all her bags in one trip instead of two or three. And today she had more than usual. She’d put off shopping last week and had to replenish just about everything, including the basics like flour, salt, eggs and milk. It took her longer than necessary to unload because she was hungry and kept stopping to snack.
She put everything away, except for the items she planned to use for cooking. Lauren usually spent her Sundays doing meal prep for the week. With it being summer, she opted for light menus that included salads with shrimp or chicken and one-dish dinners—combined vegetables, meat and occasionally pasta—that took less than thirty minutes to prepare. She started with the shrimp and made enough to include in a shrimp-avocado salad and to sauté with asparagus. It would have been much easier to make or grab a sandwich daily, but Lauren tried hard to stay away from eating too much bread, so she learned to be creative with her meals. Bread topped the list of her most favorite foods and she had, once or twice, inhaled an entire loaf of warm French bread covered in butter over the course of one night.
Lauren removed the shrimp from the pan and added a small amount of butter and the asparagus. She cooked it just until it was tender and spooned it onto a plate to cool. Just as she lined up the bowls on the counter, her doorbell rang. She hoped it wasn’t her new neighbor who had moved in earlier in the week. The woman had come over three times asking t
o borrow first a screwdriver and a hammer, then later, after returning the tools, she’d asked if Lauren had a blanket she could have because she’d misplaced hers in the move and didn’t feel like going shopping for one. Lauren had been so outdone that it took her moment to respond. Using all the home training her parents had raised her with, she told the woman she didn’t have a spare one.
She snatched open the door, ready to say no to whatever the woman wanted but went still upon seeing Malcolm.
“Hey, baby.”
It took her a moment to find her voice. She hadn’t returned his call or replied to his voice mail. “Um...hey. Come on in. I’m in the kitchen.”
Malcolm followed her inside and closed the door. “Smells good. Is this for the week?”
She divided shrimp and asparagus into two containers. “Pretty much. I just do enough to take care of a few days, in case I don’t feel like cooking when I get home.” He watched her silently for a few moments. “I didn’t expect to see you, with you just getting back and all.”
“I know, but you didn’t call me back and I wanted to make sure we were clear on a few things.”
“I didn’t call you back because you needed to be focused for your game,” she said, not looking in his direction.
Malcolm gently turned her to face him. “You didn’t call me back because you were upset,” he countered. He pulled her into his arms. “I meant what I said, Lauren. I’m not giving you up. Not without a fight. That first day you showed up at the training facility, I was angry and hurt all over again, and I never thought we’d be here. I’m still scared as hell that we’ll end up like before, but I can’t stop what I’m feeling. And I think you’re feeling the same thing.”
His intense gaze dared her to lie. “I am, and I’m just as afraid as you are, Malcolm.” Truthfully, she’d fallen in love with him all over again, but now wasn’t the appropriate time to tell him. What if he didn’t feel the same? The chemistry between them had always been strong, and she could see him reacting to it and viewing their connection as nothing more than lust. Lauren stepped away and continued putting away her food.
He leaned against the counter and folded his arms. “So what do you want to do about it?”
She gathered her haul and placed it in the refrigerator. “We could continue as we are...if that’s what you want to do.” She moved the dirty dishes to the sink to wash later, wiped down the counters and hazarded a glance his way.
Malcolm angled his head and studied her. “Yeah. But that’s not all I want.”
Her pulse spiked. “What do you mean?”
“Are you done in here?”
“Yes. I’ll wash up everything later.”
Malcolm reached for her hand, led her into the living room and gestured her to the sofa. “For starters,” he said, sitting next to her, “I think we need to slow things down. Not sure how that’s going to work out, since all I want to do every time is see you is strip you naked and make you scream.”
Lauren blinked.
“But as you pointed out that night on the dance floor, we’ve both changed, and I want us to take time to get to know each other all over again.”
She hadn’t expected him to say that. “I think that’s a good idea. So, that means no more kissing and...”
He cut her a look. “Oh, I didn’t say all that. I will be kissing you just as soon as we’re done with this conversation. As far as the sex, we’ll see how it goes.”
“But you just said...”
“Yes,” he said slowly. “But I’m also a man who’s very attracted to you and who remembers with vivid clarity how it feels to be inside you.” He shrugged. “I’ll do my best, but that’s all I can promise. Hell, I’m having a hard time resisting carrying you to your bed right now.”
Lauren’s body came alive with his declaration, and it took all she had not to drag him there herself.
Malcolm placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Lucky for you, I can’t stay long. Otherwise...”
She smiled as a wicked thought crossed her mind. “You did say we would still kiss, right?”
“Yes.”
“And if I kissed you right now, you wouldn’t resist?”
“Hell, no.”
“That’s all I needed to know.” She pushed him down on the sofa and straddled him.
Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Lauren, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to kiss you, that’s all.” Lauren just hadn’t said where. She leaned down and kissed him with a thoroughness that had him groaning. She slid down and moved her hands under his shirt, taking it higher and higher as she kissed her way from his rock-hard abs to his well-defined chest and back down again.
“You’re going to get yourself in trouble,” he said through clenched teeth.
She silenced him with another kiss and continued her journey down his body. She grasped the waistband of his basketball shorts and rid him of them and his briefs. He tried to sit up and shift his body, but she held tight.
“Baby, no!” He cursed and jerked upright as she took him into her mouth.
But she didn’t stop. And she didn’t plan to until he screamed her name. His stomach muscles contracted beneath her hands and his legs shook. She swirled her tongue from base to tip and sucked him in deep, eliciting another guttural moan. He’d taught her how to please him, and she wanted to show him that she remembered every lesson and had picked up a few tricks on her own.
“Lauren, baby,” he panted, gripping the back of her head and keeping her in place. She increased the pace, and he went rigid and exploded. “Lauren!”
Lauren didn’t stop until the last spasm left his body. She lifted her head. He lay sprawled with his eyes closed, hands fisted and his breathing ragged. “Should I take that to mean you’re liking my kisses a little more now?”
Malcolm opened his eyes but made no comment.
She sat back, a satisfied grin covering her mouth. “I see your phonegasm...”
He chuckled. “Girl, you ain’t nothing nice.”
“That’s not what you were screaming a minute ago.”
He sat up and braced his hands on his thighs. “I thought we agreed to go slow.”
She smiled serenely. “We can go as slow as you like now. Oh, and your man card is safe with me.”
He shook his head. “I need to clean up.”
“I’ll get you a towel.” While he cleaned up in the half bath, Lauren did the same in her master bathroom and met him back in the living room.
“Do you have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?”
“Not really. Why?”
“Wanna take a ride with me?”
“Sure.” She glanced down at her shorts and sleeveless blouse. “Do I need to change?”
“Nope,” he said with a smile. “You’re fine.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Lauren eyed him for a lengthy minute and went to get her shoes and purse. Half an hour later, he drove them into an upscale residential area and stopped at a house that had several cars parked in the circular driveway and in front of it. “Whose house is this?”
“Justin and Siobhan’s.”
She went still. “Malcolm, I don’t think this is a good idea.” She knew how Morgan felt about her and could imagine what the rest of the family thought.
“I think it is. If you hadn’t interrupted our conversation, I would have told you the rest.”
“What rest?”
“That we’re done hiding our relationship.”
“We can’t... I mean...what if—” Her head was spinning. Carlos’s threat came back to her.
Malcolm grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “Sweetheart, there are no rules against us dating. I don’t plan to go all out when we’re at work, but I’m not going to avoid you or not say anything when our paths
cross. As far as my family, they already know.”
Lauren rubbed her temples and groaned. “Your family hates me. I can’t go in there.”
“My family does not hate you.”
She skewered him with a look. “Morgan?”
“She’ll be fine.” He got out, came around to her side and extended his hand. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”
She sighed and placed her hand in his. If this didn’t go well—and she didn’t see how it could—she would never speak to him again.
Chapter 15
Lauren let Malcolm lead her up the walkway to a large house with a meticulously manicured lawn. She expected him to ring the doorbell, but he just opened the unlocked door and gestured her in. “Shouldn’t you ring the bell or something? We can’t just walk in,” she whispered.
“Whenever we get together, we always leave the door unlocked. Go on in.”
As soon as she crossed the threshold, she heard laughter coming from somewhere in the back. Her gaze was drawn to the glossy natural maple hardwood floor. As followed the sounds, she surveyed the house’s open layout, with each room flowing seamlessly into the next one. Her steps slowed as they reached what she figured was the family room. When they noticed her and Malcolm, every eye turned their way and all laughter stopped abruptly.
Malcolm shook his head. “Hey. You all remember Lauren.”
His mother seemed to recover from shock first and rushed over. “Hello, Lauren. It’s so good to see you again.” She gave her a warm hug.
His father followed suit.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Gray. It’s nice to see you, too.”
“Congratulations on your new job. That’s quite a feat. We’re going to bring these men into the twenty-first century yet,” Mrs. Gray added with a wink.
Lauren smiled, feeling slightly better. “Thank you.” While everyone else wore shorts and tees or tanks with flip-flops or sneakers, Mrs. Gray had on a pair of navy slacks and a navy-and-white printed short-sleeved blouse with dressy two-inch heeled sandals. Her face looked as if it had been expertly made up and not a strand of her cropped salt-and-pepper layers was out of place.
Still Loving You Page 14