Beautiful Surrender

by Sherelle Green

  “Are you sure?” he asked. Mya stopped walking and turned to face him.

  “Even though I’ve been on an emotional roller-coaster the last couple days, I learned that I had a mother who cared, a foster mother who proved she was always more than just a foster mother and somewhere out there in the world I actually have a sister.”

  She took a deep breath. “So to answer your question, no, I’m not 100 percent okay with suddenly finding out all this info, but the nervous energy that you are picking up on is not from what’s going on with the case. It’s the fact that this event is a do-or-die one for us. We have received a substantial amount of support for the after-school program, but I also hope we exceed above and beyond our goal today so that we can help out even more programs.”

  Malik studied her eyes and gently rubbed his thumb across her chin. “You are truly an amazing woman,” he said speaking straight from the heart.

  “I know,” she said playfully. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

  “And there’s the Mya I know,” he said with a laugh.

  “The Mya you know never left,” she said as she started back walking. “I need this event to be perfect and I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t make sure everything is flawless.”

  “Have you been having trouble sleeping?” Malik asked when they made it to the room.

  “Yeah, I guess I have too much on my mind. That’s why I’m making these last final touches in the room tonight, so that I won’t have it on my mind when I go to sleep.”

  Malik watched Mya hop from random parts of the room checking on table setup and the stage, and then handling a variety of tasks in the corner of the room where items would be raffled off.

  Watching her work was something he wasn’t sure he’d ever get tired of seeing. He admired her work ethic and he was proud of the way she was handling everything since her talk with Ms. Bee. He’d expected her to shut down a little bit and possibly block him out, but she hadn’t done that.

  Time waits for no one. The conversation he’d had with Al Riviera echoed in his mind as he reflected on the excuse he’d given Al for not asking Mya out until after the event. They’d been spending a significant amount of time together, so in many ways he felt like they had already gone on several dates already.

  Although he had no problem opening up to Mya about his past, there was a certain time in his life that he wasn’t ready to talk about. A time in his life that often seeped into his dreams reminding him that no matter how much he tried to forget it, he couldn’t. And he never would be able to.

  A part of him felt like a hypocrite. He had allowed Mya to open up to him in a manner he doubted she ever had to anyone without being able to do the same to her. But somehow, he felt like saying the words out loud would push her away just as it had pushed away other women in his past.

  “Okay, I think I’m done for the night,” Mya said breaking his thoughts. He’d been so wrapped up in his own mind he hadn’t even noticed her approaching him.

  “Good thing. I thought we might be in here all night.”

  Mya lifted her eyebrows. “You didn’t have to stay in here with me.”

  “If I didn’t, we both know you would still be in here finding something that needs your attention.”

  Mya glanced around the conference room one final time. “You’re probably right.”

  “I know I’m right,” he said with a laugh. “So what are your plans for the rest of the night?”

  “Let’s see. I’ll probably lay in bed, close my eyes, and pray I actually get some good sleep tonight.”

  As they stepped into the elevator, Malik pondered Mya’s words. “Would you be up for a nightcap in my room?” he asked turning toward her. “I have a bottle of wine that I was saving for tomorrow night, but we could crack it open tonight.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Sipping wine is supposed to be relaxing. You don’t have something else you need to tell me tonight about the case, do you?”

  He shook his head and laughed. “No, I don’t. I figured since you’ve been having trouble sleeping anyway, and I don’t plan on going to bed right away, we could spend that time together.”

  She turned one eyebrow in curiosity. “Doing what?”

  Malik wondered if she could hear the rasping in her voice when she asked that. His eyes dropped to her lips.

  “You’ll find out when you get there,” he said when the elevator arrived on the floor that his room was located. “But I promise, we won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

  Malik was usually a very calculated thinker, but tonight, he wanted to lay all his cards on the table. He held his arm in the doorway to block the elevator from closing until he got an answer.

  “I guess I’ll come,” she said when the door tried to shut for a second time. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

  “See you then,” Malik said as he finally let the door shut and proceeded to his room.

  When they’d arrived at the resort and conference center, Malik had hoped they’d be on the same floor, or better yet, that they’d be stuck with connecting rooms again.

  He wanted to give her a carefree night before the date auction. By the look on her face in the elevator, he was pretty sure she assumed that his solution to her lack of sleep would be something sexual. And she’d be right in assuming that. But Malik was a gentleman. Little did Mya know, he’d set up a late-night picnic in one of the gazebos on the resort ground that the owners had recommended.

  He checked his watch and called the front desk.

  “Hello. This is Malik Madden. I was told to call the front desk five minutes before I was ready to pick up the basket I had prepared.”

  “Thank you for notifying us,” said the desk clerk. “We will have the basket waiting at the gazebo. Would that be all right?”

  “Yes, that’s perfect. Thanks.”

  After Malik hung up the phone, there was a knock on the door.

  “You’re a few minutes early,” he said with a smile when he opened the door and then stood back to let her enter the room.

  “I know,” Mya replied. “Guess I didn’t need the full ten minutes.”

  Malik noticed that she had reapplied some color to her lips. She smelled good enough to eat and if he was lucky, he planned on doing just that.

  Mya went over to the couch and took a seat.

  “Actually,” Malik said walking over to her. “Don’t get too comfortable. We’re about to head out.”

  She looked at him inquisitively. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see,” he said with a sly smile.

  “Um, did I forget to tell you I don’t like surprises?” Mya said getting up from the sofa.

  “Do you honestly think that will make me tell you where we are going?” Malik asked.

  “I was hoping so.”

  “Not a chance. You’ll just have to trust that it’s a surprise you will like.”

  She shot him a doubtful look.

  Her expression still remained when they passed the lobby and headed to the side doors that led outside.

  “Uh, I don’t follow people out into the dark without knowing where I’m going,” she said as she stopped walking.

  “This time you will,” Malik said as he pushed her through the doors. “Now quit being so difficult and just follow me.”

  “What’s the fun in being obedient?” she asked with a laugh.

  “Didn’t we just have this conversation not too long ago?” Malik asked rhetorically. “Sometimes, it’s okay to be submissive.”

  “I remember our conversation,” Mya said as they arrived at a dimly lit path that lead to the gazebo. Instead of a table and chairs, the staff had done a great job setting up a round wicker lounger with cream body cushions and large throw pillows. A stan
ding wine chiller and two glasses were next to the lounger.

  “Oh, wow,” Mya said as they approached the gazebo. “This setup is gorgeous. Is this why you brought me out here?”

  “Yes, it is,” Malik said as he led her up the stairs to the lounger. “I figured you’d had such a long week and I wanted to do something special for you.”

  Mya began fiddling with her sundress as she looked around at the decor. She’s nervous, Malik concluded.

  “This is really beautiful,” she said, looking anywhere but in his eyes.

  “What’s bothering you?” Malik asked.

  “Nothing’s bothering me,” Mya said as she ran her fingers across the wine bottle. “I’m just surprised you did all this for me.”

  Malik walked over to her and caught her hand. “Don’t be. You’ve been so stressed out lately and although the stress is warranted, you have to find time to take care of yourself and forget about everything else that’s on your mind.”

  Malik lifted her chin so that she had no choice but to look into his eyes. “Tonight, it’s all about you,” Malik said as his lips got closer to hers. “You don’t have to be strong and tough all the time, Mya. Let me take care of you for a change. Let me help ease your mind.”

  He watched the rim of her eyelids fill with unshed tears. He didn’t want her to cry. The auction was tomorrow and Mya was the type of person who would be disappointed at herself if she let her emotions get the best of her before such an important day.

  “You’re fine,” he said, hoping that she truly listened to his words. “Everything’s fine.” When she closed her eyes, he gently kissed both of her shut eyelids before lightly touching his lips to hers.

  “Now,” Malik said clasping his hands together. “I’ve been with you all night so I know you didn’t eat dinner.”

  “Malik, I can’t eat a full meal,” she said placing her hand over her stomach as she sat on the wicker lounger. “My nerves are too bad and the last thing I need tomorrow is a stomachache.”

  “I knew you’d say that,” Malik said as he went to the table in the back of the gazebo and grabbed the picnic basket the staff had placed there. “That’s why instead of a full meal, we have a variety of cheeses, fruit and crackers for you to munch on. I figured it would be easier to convince you to eat this instead of dinner.”

  Mya glanced at the snacks and gave him a smile. “Is there anything you didn’t think of?”

  “Nope,” he said with a confident grin as he opened the bottle of wine to pour them both a glass.

  * * *

  As they made their way back inside the resort, Mya couldn’t believe how much better she felt. Everything that Malik had done was so sweet. She couldn’t recall a man caring about her well-being the way he did.

  She glanced at her phone and noticed it was 10:00 p.m. They had been talking under the gazebo for nearly two hours, although it hadn’t even felt like that long. The responsible thing to do would be to return to her room and get some much-needed rest before the date auction. But she wasn’t ready for the night to end and there was still no guarantee that she would go back to her room and actually be able to go to sleep. She looked up from her phone when she felt Malik’s eyes on her.

  “Tired of me already?” Malik asked, looking down at her phone.

  “No, I’m not,” she said as she tucked her phone away.

  “That’s good,” he said studying her eyes. “I didn’t want to have to finish the rest of this wine by myself.”

  She gave him a flirtatious smile as they stepped onto the elevator. “Why, Mr. Madden,” she said, stepping closer to him when the doors had shut. “Are you inviting me back to your room for another nightcap?”

  “That depends,” he said as he ran his fingers up and down her arms. “Are you saying you want to come back to my room with me?”

  She tilted her head to the side.

  “I just want you to be sure that’s what you want to do,” he said as he continued to glide his fingers over her arms. “The decision is yours, but make no false pretenses, if you come to my room, the furthest thing on my mind would be talking.”

  Her skin felt hot enough to burn a hole through her clothes and she swore she saw steam coming from the sauna between her legs. When the elevator opened and Malik stepped out, he kept his eyes glued to hers, his thoughts visible and unyielding.

  She tried to move her legs, but the predatory look in his gaze was holding her hostage in her spot. “You have to make a decision,” he said stopping the elevator door again. “I’m afraid the next time it tries to close, it will signal a loud noise.”

  Malik was right and Mya didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was always so witty and quick to come back with a statement. But she felt all those times she thought Malik was safe and boring were finally coming back to haunt her. The looks he shot her way were anything but friendly.

  “Who said a nightcap had to involve talking?” she said, pushing him aside and exiting the elevator.

  “Keep talking trash,” he said with a smirk as he slipped his key card in the slot. “You’ll need all that feistiness after I’ve had my way with you.”

  When Malik opened the door to his suite, she walked deeper into the room and shot him a seductive smile. “I’d like to see you try,” she said as confidently as possible. “I may just have my way with you first.”

  She waited for him to say something back and when he didn’t, she turned around to find his eyes locked to hers. Oh man, why am I teasing him? she thought as she tried to control her breathing. When he stepped to her, she stood her ground as realization hit that he would probably be the first man to ever make her so nervous that it rendered her speechless. And that thought scared her way more than she was willing to admit.

  Chapter 14

  “Sit down,” Malik said firmly as he pointed to the sofa. She liked the more aggressive side of him and the daring side of her wanted to see what he would do next. Mya did as he asked right away and slid onto the sofa. She winced a little and tried to mask the pain she felt in her calves. Her muscles were extremely tight and for the umpteenth time today, she regretted her three-mile run yesterday evening.

  “Are you okay?” Malik asked, not missing a beat. “I noticed that you’ve been occupied with your calves all day. Are they sore?”

  When he came to sit on the couch next to her, she could’ve sworn her heart leaped to her throat. “I’m fine,” she finally answered. “I went running yesterday and I’m not really a runner.”

  “Did you stretch before you ran?” he asked as he ran his fingers down her legs to her feet before picking them up and placing them in his lap.

  “Uh, no. I probably didn’t stretch like I should have.” She was trying to concentrate on answering his questions, but his hands on her legs were making it extremely difficult.

  “Tsk, tsk,” he said pointing a finger at her. “Running 101—always stretch out your legs and calves first.” His finger outlined her left sandal before he slid the shoe off her foot.

  “Did I ever tell you how much I like your toes?” he asked as he removed the other sandal.

  “No, I can’t say that you have,” she said as she squirmed in her seat, anxious to have her foot back. When his fingers ran across the bottom of her feet she jumped and immediately began tugging her feet upward towards her chest.

  “Nope, I told you what would happen if you came to my room,” Malik said as he stretched her legs back over his lap. “You can’t outrun me right now any more than you could outrun your thoughts yesterday.”

  Mya’s head flew to his as she observed his steady gaze on hers. Is there anything this man doesn’t pick up on? But he was right. Yesterday, she’d ran just for that reason. But all it had left her with were sore calves and an early appointment to her hairdresser’s that morning to try and tame her unruly hair th
anks to the Chicago rain that she’d also been caught in on her run back home.

  “Do your calves and feet hurt?” Malik asked. She nodded, not trusting her voice to answer.

  Slowly, he began kneading circles in her right foot, massaging out the cramps that had developed. His hands moved to her right calf, using the same technique he had used on her foot. Mya dropped her head back on the cushion and closed her eyes as she let herself enjoy the way his hands were making her feel.

  “Does that feel good?” he asked as he moved to her left foot and calf.

  “Amazing,” she said, not daring to pretend that she wasn’t enjoying every minute of it.

  “Am I getting all the right spots?”

  Oh man, was he! “Yes,” she said as she held in a moan. “You’re getting all the right spots.”

  “We’ll see,” he said before working both feet at the same time. Not only had Mya never received a foot massage before, but she also had never even let the woman who did her pedicures get this up close and personal with her feet. Malik knew how to work each and every muscle and before she knew it, she was in her own bubble of relaxing bliss. She was completely oblivious to how far up her dress had risen, nor did she realize that she was giving Malik his own personal peep show.

  When she felt his slick tongue on her toe, she nearly jumped out of her skin. She lifted her head and opened her eyes to pull her toe away from his mouth, but she couldn’t. It felt better than she was willing to admit.

  “Malik,” she said breathlessly as he worked her foot with his mouth and his hands.

  “Hmm, you shouldn’t have said my name like that.”

  She didn’t have time to focus on what he was doing or even say anything in return. He had already left her feet and was traveling up her legs, settling on her calves. He twirled his tongue in circles on her thighs, continuing to massage her calves as he did so.

  “Do you like how that feels?” he asked in between thigh kisses. She whimpered a sorry yes, unable to really formulate any coherent words. Her lack of speech seemed to prompt Malik to continue his plan to have his way with her body.