Page 57 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“He’s lost everything, Naz. He has two kids with a goodwoman, but she left when he spiraled again. She had just been through too much.She’s with another guy now, and Cliff is finally getting access to the kidsagain. He’s piecing things back together.”

“I reached out a few times in the past, but he was neverreceptive.” I take both her hands in mine. “But if there’s anything I can everdo to help, let me know.”

“Maybe give up on this idea of us going out,” she sayssoftly, half-hopefully.

“We shouldn’t have to.” I tighten my grip on her fingers andshake my head, holding her eyes with mine. “I get why then it was bad timing,but maybe now…it could be right.”

She sucks her teeth but makes no move to pull her handsaway. “It’s not worth the drama it’ll cause if Cliff finds out.”

“Not worth it to who?” I ask, stepping closer, filling thesmall space between her knees. With one finger, I lift her chin, caressing thetiny indentation bisecting the delicate surface. “I’d like to at least see ifit could be worth it to me.”

Even now, this close, the pull between us is strong, vital.I lean forward, never dropping her eyes from mine, giving her plenty of time topull away, to push me away, if she chooses.

She doesn’t choose.

The shorter the distance between our lips, the closer I get,the shorter her breaths come, shallow pants that lift her breasts and coastpast her full lips. I’m so close now, we exchange a ragged sigh, my mouthhovering over hers.

“I’mma kiss you now,” I whisper.“Unless you tell me not to.”

Her silence stretches between us, and her lashes drop tocover the emotions swimming in her eyes—curiosity, lust, need.

Guilt.

I press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth, nibble atthe full curve of her bottom lip, lick the delicately drawn bow at the top. Shegasps, her mouth opening the smallest bit. I take immediate advantage, lickinginto her, seeking and finding the sweet, slickinterior. She moans, and I suck on her tongue, at first gentle, and thenincited by the whimpers slipping from her throat, harder.

I cup her face between my hands, thumbing the smooth skin ofher cheeks. The cadence of the kiss changes,intensifies as our movements become more hurried, more desperate. I slide mypalms down her neck, over her shoulders and back.

“You feel good,” I mutter against her lips.

I kiss across her cheek and behind her ear, drawing in theclean scent tucked into the cove for me there. “You smell good.”

I trail kisses down her throat, taking the satiny skinbetween my lips and nipping lightly with my teeth. “You taste good.”

She arches her neck back, offering herself to me.

“I’d like to spend some time with you,” I whisper in herear. “The date we never got before.”

She stiffens, pulling back and closing her eyes, her lipsstill swollen from my bites and kisses. “Naz, I can’t.”

“Takira, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not being ridiculous.” Shaking her head, she hops offthe table, pushes past me, and grabs her shoes, hooking the heels over onehand. “I’m choosing my brother.”

She walks away swiftly, but it takes no time to catch her.With legs as long as mine, one of my steps equals twoof hers. I take her by the elbow at the base of the stairs, turning her to faceme.

“That’s not the real choice, Takira. Not me or him. It’sjust you and me. He’s a grown man who’s experienced incredible disappointmentand made a lot of mistakes. I sympathize with that, but he can’t expect you topay for them. That’s not fair.”

“It doesn’t make sense, his anger at you,” she says, tuggingher elbow free. “His grudge against you isn’t fair, but you’re a trigger forhim, and he almost died. Didn’t you hear me?”

“I heard you say he’s been clean for a long time and has anew job.”

“Exactly, and I don’t want jeopardize that because you’re anitch I never got to scratch.”

“Oh, we’re gonna scratch, Kira.”

My words come out soft and certain in a way she may notrecognize, but I do. It’s the tone I’ve heard from myself when I want somethingbadly, I’ll do whatever it takes to get it. I willed myself to reach beyond myskill the night I subbed for Cliff. I pushed myself all through college so Iwould shine hidden among brighter, better talents. It’s what I required ofmyself to go from a second-round draft pick to an all-star who, against allodds, won a ring in the League when most never do.

At my words, low and determined, she pauses, one bare footon the step, and considers me over her shoulder. She doesn’t want me? Fine. But she didn’t kiss me like a woman who didn’twant me back.