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“You were angry last night. It was about them, wasn’t it?”
“My mom called Celia before the scare yesterday. Made out like she was apologizing, but I’m sure it was all about her and nothing to help Celia. Celia still feels like she owes them, even though she doesn’t owe them anything.” He paused, swallowing. “It’s no wonder that her blood pressure shot up. Trenton waved it off, said it could have happened anyway, but—” Malcolm’s jaw clenched again.
Jami didn’t have any solutions. She agreed with Malcolm. His parents had no business being around Celia at the moment.
Malcolm’s tensed jawline shouldn’t have been tempting, but after the night they’d had together, it was. The way his hard muscles had felt under her touch, under her kiss, made her breath catch. Skylar had been right. There was something hot about Malcolm’s protective streak, despite the judgment he expected.
Jami grazed his chin with her lips, trailing them down his neck, which shuddered under her kiss. “Are you feeling angry right now?” she asked, her voice huskier than she intended.
Malcolm’s hand was gentle as he brushed back her hair. He let out a shaky breath, his lips tilting up in a half smile. “Don’t tempt me like that. Reggie will be here soon to start on prep.”
“How soon?” Jami asked.
Malcolm laughed, though the rough sound cut off as he frowned.
Jami wasn’t sure what to make of his expression. “You okay?”
Malcolm lowered his forehead to press against hers. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”
Jami’s chest felt like it could shatter from the way it squeezed.
Malcolm pulled away, nodding toward her laptop. “About these night classes. How late at night?”
Jami blinked as she stared at the newest picture of the campus. “They’re long because they’re starting midsemester. With six weeks instead of twelve, the hours double.”
“And when do they start?”
“Next week.” It was as if saying it out loud made the idea real. Jami stared at the image of the looming campus. “I’m only starting with two classes, and they’re on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”
“We’ll go shopping on our next Sunday then.” Malcolm took a bite of his pancakes with his free hand.
Jami looked down at their linked fingers. “Shopping? Tanya already took me for notebooks and pencils and stuff.” She figured she could buy the books on campus before the first class.
Malcolm paused midbite. “Tanya knows?”
“Not about the classes themselves. She stayed in the car and never asked what I bought.” Jami thought that was why she and Tanya got along. The other server rarely probed. “I wanted to tell you first.” It was silly that her cheeks warmed. Jami reached for her fork with her free hand, not wanting to release the warmth she held either.
“Good,” Malcolm murmured.
At the soft word, Jami looked into his warm, brown eyes.
“I always want to be your first person,” he admitted.
“I—” Jami cut off the words, her eyes widening as what she’d almost said locked up her throat. Malcolm had been trying to tell her how he felt a few times. It wouldn’t be fair if she said it first.
“Sorry, that probably comes across as a bit possessive, but it’s true.” Malcolm shrugged as he finished taking the bite on his hovering fork. “And we’ll be shopping for a car on Sunday. No arguments. You need your own transportation with me working most nights.”
“As long as you don’t pay for it. I’ll ask Skylar.” Jami turned back to her food, smiling as she remembered how often her sister had called lately. “She keeps bugging me to take her money, and I agree that this is something I need. At least until the insurance payout comes.” Her smile fell at the reminder of the fire.
Malcolm’s hand squeezed hers. “If we don’t find a vehicle right away, I’ll send Blake or Nicholas to pick you up.” He caught her eye again. “No arguments. With—” He stopped himself, but the worry was there in his eyes. “It’s not safe,” was all he said.
“Andrew doesn’t call me. I don’t think he will.”
“Humor me. I can be a pain, but it’s not like you didn’t know what you were getting into.”
Jami remembered the night she’d first met him. Malcolm had been overprotective even then. “I happen to like who you are.” She leaned forward, kissing him. Her tongue teased stray syrup from his lip before she pulled back. “All of you.”
Malcolm’s gaze locked on her lips.
