One More Time_A Second Chance Romance

by Rye Hart

  Malcolm was the one to lean in, surprising me when he brushed his lips across my cheek. I gasped as he turned my face toward him, forcing me to stare deep into his eyes. When he leaned in again, his lips touched mine and it was over for me. I felt the fires ignite between my thighs and my body explode with sensation.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he pulled me in, closer. His tongue pushed past my lips, slipped into my mouth, and before I knew what was happening, Malcolm had lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing at all, and carried me over to his desk. He sat me down upon it, pushing my skirt up around my waist, and I wrapped my legs tight around him.

  “Malcolm, we probably shouldn't –” I murmured, but I don't think he heard me.

  Although I knew we probably shouldn't, I somehow found that my hands were on his belt. I was struggling to unbuckle it, even as I fought the urge to rip his pants off of him,

  “Casey, you have no idea the shit I've had to deal with this week,” he gasped, helping me with his belt buckle. “I was so happy to get your text. It was the one bright spot in this whole shitty week.”

  “You were? It was?”

  “MmmmHmmm,” he said, nuzzling his face against my neck as he gently nibbled my flesh. “I didn't even know I needed you until you walked through that door, but God, Casey – ”

  His hands slide up my inner thighs as his tongue explored my mouth. My panties were pushed aside, and he circled my clit with his fingers. I bit down on his lip, by accident, but Malcolm returned the favor, nibbling my lip as he fingered me.

  “Third time's a charm, right?” he whispered against my lips.

  “Yes,” I whimpered. “Yes, Malcolm, please –”

  His pants had slipped down onto his hips, and before I could finish my sentence, I felt his gloriously stiff cock pressing hard against me. With my heels digging into him, I pulled him closer to me, no longer able to resist. Like he said, third time's the charm. Might as well keep trying until we succeeded, right?

  But, it was somehow more than just that, for the both of us. I could feel it.

  He thrust himself into me with a low grunt, burying his cock deep inside of me. I tightened my hold on him as I muffled the sounds coming from my throat, burying my face into his shirt as he fucked me on top of his desk.

  Papers scattered across his desk, fluttered to the floor with a rustle as we knocked them down with our frantic movements. Malcolm was desperately pumping his hips, thrusting himself into me hard and fast. He fucked me as if his life had depended on it. I held on for dear life, savoring the way he felt inside of me, the way he kissed me. I never wanted this to end.

  “Look at me, Casey,” Malcolm said, and I lifted my face to stare into his eyes. “God, you're so beautiful.”

  He rammed himself into me, deeper and harder, holding onto my ass for leverage. I cried out, and instantly feared that others might hear us. If Malcolm was concerned about that though, it didn't show on his face. He continued pounding himself into me, our foreheads pressed together and our eyes locked on each other as he fucked me as hard as he could.

  When my noises grew louder, he kissed me, silencing my screams with his mouth as I crested to the peak of my orgasm. My entire body tensed around him, and he muttered against my lips.

  “Yes, oh yes, Casey, come for me, baby,” he said.

  His voice was deep and animalistic as he urged me to lose control. Malcolm lifted my ass off the desk, pulling me into him and that was all I needed. I bit down, hard, on his lip as my body spasmed uncontrollably. I whimpered as the pleasure coursed through my body, from my head down to my toes. A warmth spread from my center, causing my toes to curl and my hands to grab hold of anything they could. I clung tightly to Malcolm's shirt as the wave of my orgasm crashed down hard over me.

  I opened my eyes and saw Malcolm watching me, a look of pure desire on his handsome face, as he thrust into one more time. I felt him pulsing deep within me, and a growl escaped his lips as he exploded in my womb.

  For a moment, it was like no one else existed – it was just him and me. And as I felt his warm, sticky seed filling me up, I let myself go, crying out as another orgasm took me by surprise. Malcolm held onto me, our bodies riding out the pleasure together until every last ounce of his seed was inside of me.

  I let my head drop to his chest, and I tried to remember how to breathe normally. Malcolm stroked my back as we sat there, our bodies still intertwined together. His heart beat was fast and hard, thundering against his chest. I could have listened to that sound all day, but Malcolm lifted my face up to look at him again, brushing his lips against mine.

  “You have no idea how badly I'd needed that,” he said.

  “I know what you mean,” I said, whispering softly against his lips.

  “Have I told you lately how amazing you are?”

  Both heat and color rushed to my cheeks, and I almost said something I would have come to regret. The emotions of the moment made me feel something stronger than lust or even like for the man in front of me.

  “You're the one who's constantly surprising me, Malcolm,” I said.

  “I can say the same about you, Casey,” he said.

  Malcolm gently helped me down from the desk, steadying me on my feet. He kissed my forehead one last time before stepping away and pulling up his pants.

  I smoothed down my skirt, and suddenly, it all came back to me. Where we were, why I was there, and the fact that we needed to keep things low-key, and about the task at hand. At least sex could be written off as helping move things along, but my feeling for Malcolm grew more and more complicated every time we were together.

  “Sorry for the distraction,” Malcolm said, putting his belt back on.

  “It's okay, I'm certainly not complaining,” I laughed.

  Malcolm's smile went all the way to his eyes, the dimple in his left cheek standing out more than usual.

  “That's good to hear, because I certainly enjoyed myself too,” he said.

  I averted my gaze, feeling like I might explode with happiness because of the way he looked at me. Every time he smiled, something inside of me melted. Butterflies in the stomach, a racing pulse – all that cliche love crap I never believed in before was suddenly very real to me.

  I was walking on thin ice with Malcolm, and I knew it.

  “Well, I better get going,” I said, moving toward the door.

  Malcolm stopped me by grabbing my arm and pulling me into him. He held me close, my head resting on his chest. Neither one of us said anything for several long moments. I closed my eyes and melted into him, relishing the way his arms held me close. A girl could get used to that, I thought. The moment the thought crossed my mind though, I silently chastised myself and stepped back from his embrace.

  “Malcolm, we shouldn't be spending so much time together,” I said.

  My hands were still on his chest, and I ran my fingers down his shirt, playing with the buttons. It was a distraction to keep me from looking into his eyes though. I didn't trust myself to look at him.

  “I know, technically we're only supposed to be trying for a baby, but I can't help it. I enjoy spending time with you,” he said.

  “I enjoy it too,” I admitted. “I enjoy it too much. That's why it's probably not a good idea.”

  He lifted my chin up and kissed the tip of my nose.

  “I care about you more than I should, Casey,” he said.

  A lump formed in my throat, making it hard to speak or swallow. I wanted to tell him I felt the same way, but I froze. I just stared at him and couldn't speak for the longest time.

  “I'm sorry for complicating your life,” he sighed. “That was never my intention. I'll try to be more professional from now on.”

  I'd remembered what Terrance had said to me, about how Malcolm didn't know what was good for him. I cared about him, more than I should have, but I knew things would end badly for both of us if I didn't have his family's support. God knew they wouldn't want their son with someone like
me. Terrance was probably more than right about that.

  Still, I couldn't deny my feelings any longer. “I care about you too, Malcolm.”

  His smile returned, brighter than ever. “You do? Cynical, grumpy, Casey actually likes me?”

  It was hard not to laugh as I playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Shocking, I know,” I said. “I'm as surprised as you are.”

  “That makes me really happy, Casey. You have no idea,” he said.

  He ran a finger down the side of my face, ticking my flesh. I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes.

  “You make me happy, Malcolm,” I said.

  There was a knock at the door, which caused me to jump back. I stumbled, nearly falling over the chair in the process. Malcolm caught my hand just in time and helped keep me on my feet.

  “Yes?” he said.

  Alyssa poked her head into the room, a smile on her face. She looked from me to Malcolm, blushing slightly as if she knew she'd interrupted something.

  “I'm sorry, Mr. Crane,” she said. “But, Mr. Brownstein is here to see you now.”

  “Tell him I'll be right out,” he said. “Give me a few minutes to wrap this up.”

  Alyssa nodded and closed the door behind her as she went. Malcolm walked over to his desk and picked the papers off the floor.

  “Think she knew what we'd done in here?”

  “Oh, I'd say the entire office knows,” I teased. “Not like I could keep quiet.”

  He looked pleased, a cocky expression on his face. “I have to go to this boring meeting,” he said. “But, before I do, what was it you'd wanted to talk about?”

  Money. I came here to ask for an advance to help pay my bills. Now, however, after we'd had sex, it just felt wrong. It would have made me feel like more of a whore than sometimes already did.

  “Nothing. It's not important,” I said. “I should probably be going.”

  “Casey,” he called out to me. His voice was strong and dominant, and stopped me in my step. “Talk to me. What do you need?”

  “I – I don't remember,” I lied, staring at the door.

  “Yes, you do,” he sighed. “Do you need some money? Something to help you out for the next few months until things are finalized?”

  “No,” I choked out.

  My voice was weak and halting. It didn't even sound truthful to me.

  “I promised to take care of you, and I will,” he said.

  I heard a drawer opening and Malcolm shuffled around in it, which caused me to glance over my shoulder at him.

  “This should be enough for a few months, anyway,” he said. “If you need more, ask. You're doing me a huge favor, Casey, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repay you. Don't forget that.”

  “I won't, Malcolm. I'll never forget it,” I said quietly. “Thank you.”

  I'll also never forget you, I wanted to add, but I kept that to myself. Things were moving way too fast, and it scared the crap out of me. Terrance's words also echoed through my mind – I wasn't good for him, and I should stay away.

  Yeah, he was probably right, but Malcolm Crane was a hard person to ignore. Especially when he wanted something.

  It just so happened, he wanted me.

  ~ooo000ooo~

  I stepped out of Malcolm's office, check in hand. It would be enough to get us through the next few months, easily. Hell, it had been more than I'd expected, by far. Malcolm meant it when he'd said he would take care of me, and I felt like I was walking on air as I left his office.

  I was walking toward the elevator when someone spoke and interrupted my thoughts.

  “Excuse me.”

  I looked up and saw a good-looking, well-dressed man who reminded me a lot of Malcolm. Given that it was a family business, I wouldn't have been surprised, but the idea of running into one of his family members like that sent a jolt of panic slicing through me.

  The man reached out a hand to me. “I'm Adam,” he said. “Malcolm's brother.”

  “Oh, hi,” I said, shaking his hand. “I'm Casey.”

  Adam looked me up and down, as if he was studying up on me for a pop quiz or something. I'd remembered Malcolm mentioning a half-brother, and I assumed that must be him.

  “Malcolm has told me about you,” I said before I could think better of it.

  “He has?” Adam asked. “Good things, I hope?”

  “Uh, mostly neutral. Just that he had a half-brother,” I said.

  “Yes, that's me alright,” Adam said. “So how well do you know my brother?”

  I looked back at Malcolm's office. His door was closed. Mr. Brownstein had already been escorted inside by Alyssa.

  “We're friends,” I said.

  “Only friends?” he asked, a slick, greasy smile curling his lips. “Because I sense there's something more going on than that. And I usually have a pretty good nose for these things.”

  “Nope. Just friends,” I lied. “It was nice meeting you, Adam, but I need to get going.”

  I headed toward the elevator again, but Adam stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

  “Has he introduced you to the family yet?”

  “No,” I said. “Why should he?”

  Adam shrugged. “Just curious,” he said. “Thought you might like to see the real Malcolm, on his home turf. Maybe even meet his parents.”

  “I'm not sure we're that close, Adam,” I said, my throat tightening. “Now, if you'll excuse.”

  “Would you like to come over and meet everyone?” he asked. “We're having a dinner party tomorrow night, and you're more than welcome to join us.”

  “I don't think that's a good idea,” I said.

  “Ah well, if you change your mind and are curious, here's my card,” he said. “You never know. It might be a good idea to check out his home environment. See what kind of family he has.”

  I took his card, mainly to be polite, and pushed my way past him. “Thanks, Adam, but I don't believe that'll be necessary.”

  “Very well,” he said. “If you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”

  “I do,” I said, tucking his card away in my purse.

  When I got to the elevator, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Thank God, I got rid of him, I thought.

  I couldn't let his family suspect anything was going on. Especially, not his brother. Not that I knew the first thing about Adam, but I could tell he was up to something. I could smell people like that a mile away.

  And considering what was going on, whatever angle he was playing couldn't be good. Not for Malcolm and not for me.

  Not to mention the fact that he'd just given me the willies. He was a good-looking guy, sure, but something wasn't right with him. It left me feeling very unsettled as I stepped into the elevator.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  MALCOLM

  “What's she doing here?” I muttered to my mother as we walked into the dining room.

  “She's carrying your child, Malcolm,” Mom said. “Think about what this means for you. Whether you want to continue your relationship with Danielle or not, she's still the key to you earning your inheritance.”

  “Dad invited her, didn't he?”

  “Yes, he did,” she said. “But I don't necessarily disagree with the decision.”

  My mom stood tall and stiff, her arms crossed in front of her. She gave me the typical “Mom Stare of Doom,” and while I might be too old for her to boss around, I respected her enough to be on my best behavior.

  Danielle was seated at the table when we walked in, and she smiled at me, patting the chair beside her. Normally, I would have sat in that chair, but seeing her sitting there, looking at me expectantly, I eyed the one across from her instead.

  I'd just turned and started to head for the seat when Adam swooped in and claimed it for himself, sitting next to our father. My mother was on the other side of him, Danielle next to her.

  I could have sat farther away from everyone, down near the other end of the table, but that
would have made me look like a petulant child. Everyone looked at me, waiting for me to join them at the table, so with a sigh, I sat beside my ex-girlfriend. I still wasn't convinced the baby was mine.

  Danielle grabbed my hand and placed it on her belly, a wide smile on her face.

  “Feel it, Malcolm?” she beamed, smiling brightly.

  I felt nothing. No movement, no sign of life. Nothing. She clearly felt something though, and her eyes filled with joy.

  “The baby kicked. I'm sorry you missed it, but hopefully soon, you'll get to experience it with me,” she said.

  “Isn't it too early for that?” I muttered.

  My mom piped in. “She's about four months along? Then no, you can feel movement at about sixteen weeks,” she said, a look of happiness in her eyes I hadn't seen for some time. “It's early, but it just shows that the baby is healthy.”

  I nodded. “Good to know.”

  “You have a lot to learn still,” Dad said. “But don't worry, it'll come to you, Malcolm. It'll be second nature to you in no time flat.”

  Sure, it will, I thought to myself.

  Alba brought our dinner out to us. Tonight, it was filet mignon, grilled asparagus, and diced potatoes with butter and chunks of crab meat. My father's favorite – he never skimped on fancy meals. I'd have been just as happy with a burger and some animal style fries from In-n-Out, but family dinners were always a formal affair.

  Thinking about In-n-Out brought back pleasant memories and I couldn't contain the smile, as I remembered eating fast food in bed with Casey.

  “What are you smiling about, Malcolm?” Adam asked from across the table.

  “Nothing,” I said, my face returning to its normal, blank mask. “Just thinking about how much I love a good steak.”

  “Uh huh,” Adam said, scooping some potatoes onto his plate. “Are you sure it doesn’t have something to do with that girl who left your office yesterday? The sexy little brunette?”