Milan’s expression softened before she shook her head. “This started before tonight.”
“You sure?”
“Yes...”
I watched her closely, looking for any hesitation, but there wasn’t any.
Milan moved first.
She leaned toward me and pressed her mouth against mine, slower than she had the first time but with more certainty. I gave her a second to change her mind before sliding one hand around the back of her neck and kissing her the way I’d wanted to since damn near the moment I saw her.
The kiss quickly deepened. Milan shifted closer until her knee pressed against my thigh, and when my hand settled at her waist, she moved into me instead of pulling away.
I broke the kiss long enough to look at her. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”
She quickly shook her head and said, “I don’t…”
“You sure?”
“Vice…”
The way she said my name let me know she meant that shit.
I kissed her again, and this time there was nothing between us except the little bit of space we kept closing. Milan’s hands moved over my chest before sliding around my neck, and when I pulled her onto my lap in a riding position, she came willingly.
Her mouth left mine long enough to catch her breath, but I kissed along her jaw and down the side of her neck, feeling the way her body softened against me. She smelled like soap and whatever lotion she used, and every small sound she made pushed me closer to losing the control I’d been holding onto.
Milan leaned back enough to look at me. “We’re not doing this on the couch.”
I smiled. “Who said we was?”
“I’m just letting you know.” She laughed, but it faded the second I stood with her in my arms.
“Mmmm,” a soft moan escaped her lips as her legs tightened around my waist anyway.
I carried her down the hallway toward my bedroom while she kissed me again, and by the time we reached the bed, whatever nervousness she’d been holding onto had started disappearing.
I set her down slowly, giving her one more chance to decide whether this was really what she wanted. She stood in front of me with her hands resting against my chest, her eyes moving over my face.
“I’m sure,” she said quietly without me even having to ask. “I been sure about this…”
I nodded and kissed her again, brushing my thumb across her cheek, trying to memorize her face. I wanted to remember this version of her—the one that wasn’t running… wasn’t looking over her shoulder… wasn’t pretending she had everything under control.
Just Milan…
She’d spent weeks acting like I got on every nerve she had. Now she was dying to give me the pussy.
I ain’t gon’ lie…I liked winning.
16
MILAN RIVERS
For a few seconds after I woke up, I stayed still beneath the covers, trying to remember where I was. Then the night before came rushing back all at once. The picture outside my door. Vice showing up. Packing a bag. The private elevator opening directly into his condo.
Then him...
I opened my eyes and found him lying beside me, one arm stretched beneath my pillow while the other rested across my waist. He was still asleep, which surprised me. Vice seemed like the kind of man who woke up before the sun just so he could tell everybody else they were behind.
