Scandalous - Michael B Jordan

chapter 32

he blinked. twice.

"and a milkshake?" because i really missed dairy. he stared at me a moment longer. then he gave me a clipped single-word answer.

"yeah."

i inhaled deep and let it out slow. "okay." milkshakes i could handle.

he pulled back on the road, and a half hour later we were in a town south of where i've grown up that i never spent any time in. not that i've spent time anywhere growing up except the farm.

manoeuvring the giant car into a lot built long before giant suvs, bakari parked and cut the engine. "wait there." getting out and rounding the front of the vehicle, he scanned the almost empty lot and dark sky before opening my door. "come on."

thunder cracked overhead as i got out of the suv.
bakari grabbed my backpack and put his arm around my shoulders as he ushered me up rickety stairs and down the length of the outdoor corridor barely wide enough for the two of us.

the motel was a long way from the hotel penthouses and suites i've lived in for the past decade, but i didn't realize how different until he opened the door at the very end with an actual key.

i looked around the small, drab room that smelled faintly like mildew as he locked the dead bolt and threw the chain. "there's only one bed."

"i'm not gonna try and fuck you right now." he tipped his chin at my feet. "leggings and shoes off. get in bed." he tossed his keys and phone on the nightstand then took his gun out of his back waistband and set it down.

i stood there, just taking in the sight of him. "you're bossy."

he pulled his shirt over his head as he stepped out of his own shoes. "you have no idea."

i eyed the uncomfortable-looking side chair. "i'm not that tired."

he stepped up to me, but he didn't touch me. "clothes off, or i take back what i said."

nerves and anticipation coursed through my veins. "that seems kinda backward. take your clothes off so i won't fuck you."

his intense gaze ratcheted up a thousand degrees. "do not test me right now, jensen."

hearing him call me by my last name instantly killed the tingle between my legs. kicking off my shoes, i slid down my leggings. "you know what's not sexy?"

"you taking off to fucking iowa?" he yanked the bedspread that'd seen better days off the bed.

"no." but i took note of his tone and statement and filed it away to think about later. much later. when i had a plan to get away from him so i didn't fall right back in bed with him. the irony wasn't lost on me as my leggings pooled at my feet. "you calling me jensen isn't sexy."

"wasn't meant to be." he took his pants off and threw them over the back of the side chair. "get in bed."

thankful i had worn underwear today, my eyes roll as i crawl on to the queen-sized bed that looked way too small for him alone, let alone the two of us.

without hesitating, he got in beside me, angled my back to his chest, and slid one giant arm under my head and the other over my waist. his unique scent, all power and man and soap, washed over me.

inhaling deep, i curled into him as i wrapped my hands around his forearm. not realizing how tired i was, i exhaled and my eyes fluttered shut. for three heartbeats, i was in heaven. then he took me completely off guard.

"i didn't spend ten days of my life looking for you just so i could tell you to make a phone call."

shocked, i turned and glanced up at him. "then why did you come for me?"

he shook his head. "fucks sake, woman. seriously?"

yes. no. i didn't know. not knowing what to say, i stared at him.

he shook his head again, then closed his eyes. "go to sleep."

that was it? "you're gonna drop a loaded statement like that and not follow it up?"

"you don't want me to follow that up." he replied, not opening his eyes.

"why?" i stupidly asked.

"because–" his eyes opened and his intense gaze focused on me. "the only way i'm gonna follow that up is by sinking so deep inside of you and pounding out my frustration for as long as it took me to get here." i sucked in a sharp breath as liquid desire threatened to spill between my legs.

"but before that happens, you and i have a lot of shit to talk about. and right now, i'm too damn tired, so we're sleeping."

shocked, miffed, elated, horny, i was all of it. but the only thing that came out was a whispered protest. "what if i'm not tired?"

"go to sleep, aspen." he warned.

holding his gaze for a moment, i fought a smile. then i closed my eyes. a second later, he exhaled and i felt his head shift on the pillow next to me.

"old man." i whispered.

"watch it."

i dared a peek at him and all of his shirtless glory. his eyes were closed, but the corner of his mouth twitches up.

i gave in to the smile i've been holding back. then i snuggled into his strength and safety and fell asleep.