Between the Covers

by Louisa Masters

  It hadn’t.

  When she looked back at Malik, he was staring at her in a way that made her feel completely powerful.

  “Your turn,” she suggested, and the words seemed to bring him back to himself.

  That wicked smirk tilted his lips.

  “Why don’t you do it?” he asked, leaning back against the couch arm in a way that made her think of an emperor reclining on his throne.

  She arched a brow. “You say that like you think it’s a challenge.” Leaning forward, she undid a few shirt buttons, then slid her hand inside. His skin was warm, lightly furred, and just the act of having her hand on him ramped up the tension between them.

  He sat up, catching her unaware, and kissed her, his hands going back to her waist and then moving up her back in a smooth slide that made her shiver. Her nipples, already erect, went so hard it almost hurt—from having him touch her back. If she’d needed proof that she wanted him, she had it.

  In the next moment, he was cupping her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples, and she moaned and moved to straddle him, wanting to be closer. The fabric of his pants, ridiculously soft and smooth as it was, irritated her when it came into contact with the inside of her thighs. She wanted him naked, skin to skin.

  “You need to be naked,” she demanded, breaking their kiss again and attacking his shirt with fervor.

  Huffing out a breathless laugh, he helped her get his shirt off, then shifted her off him so he could stand. Hands on the waist of his pants, he paused.

  “What are you doing?” she asked indignantly. Was he stopping? She squeezed her legs together. No fucking way!

  “I don’t have anything here,” he said. “We should move to my bedroom.”

  Oh.

  “Okay.” She scrambled off the couch, and they headed down the hallway, leaving their clothes strewn around and the TV on.

  Some things were more important.

  Malik’s bedroom was fantastic. She’d seen it in passing but had never been inside. It was furnished in warm woods, with plush, jewel-toned fabrics and sumptuous leather. His bedcover was an ocean of quilted blue silk that she wanted to roll around on.

  There’s a thought….

  She strolled nonchalantly past him, making sure to add a bit of a sway to her naked hips, and collapsed gracefully—she hoped—onto the bed, lying back on the deliciously soft, cool silk and moaning her pleasure.

  Malik’s pants hit the floor and a second later, he was beside her.

  “If I could paint, I would paint a portrait of you like this,” he said hoarsely, skimming a finger slowly down the center of her chest. “You are amazing.” He lowered his head and licked her nipple, keeping his eyes on her face the entire time, and when she smiled, her breath hitching a little, he opened his mouth and sucked it inside. She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the sensation, lifting her hand to tangle it in his hair and hold him to her. This was the best kind of dream come true; his scent, the warmth of him, the weight of him. His touch. Her whole body yearned to be closer.

  He lavished attention on the other nipple, and then just when Dani was beginning wonder if she would actually come from that alone, something that had never happened to her before, he began to kiss his way down her torso. Over her stomach, pausing to kiss her navel, the faint rasp of his five o’clock shadow a tease against her sensitive skin.

  “Malik, you’re killing me,” she gasped when he traced his tongue along the crease of her thigh. He came deliciously close to where she so desperately wanted him… then drew away.

  Hissing, she grabbed his head, and he laughed and lowered it, that talented tongue darting out and flicking her clit.

  Dani’s eyes rolled back in her head as he settled down to work. Yes!

  Malik’s talents lay in more than just words.

  The tension in her grew higher and higher, and she had to force herself not to squeeze her thighs around his head, not to clench her fists in his hair, not to….

  Stars exploded behind her eyelids, and for a moment she stopped breathing.

  As her brain slowly came back online and she lay panting desperately for breath, she became aware of Malik lying beside her. She dragged her eyelids open to see him propped on an elbow, smirking smugly.

  “That was acceptable,” she wheezed, and he laughed, a delighted sound that both thrilled her and made her want to punch him.

  Right.

  “Where are the condoms?”

  He gestured toward his groin, and she saw that he was already wearing one.

  Good.

  Surging up, she took him by surprise and knocked him over onto his back, straddling him before he could regain his composure. A moment later, she was lowering herself over his cock.

  It had been a while for her, and he wasn’t exactly small anyway, so she eased down carefully, taking her time and enjoying the stretch, the rub against each and every nerve ending.

  The sound that came from Malik made her feel like a goddess.

  By the time she’d taken all of him, there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead and he was swallowing convulsively, his gaze fixed on her face.

  So she tightened all those muscles.

  “Fuck, Dani….” His hips jerked under her.

  “Shh. It’s my turn to play.” She leaned forward, pulling partly off him, and kissed him, then straightened again, tightening everything as she slid back, and his groan was music to her ears.

  Then she took pity on him—and herself, because his dick felt incredible inside her, and she wanted more—and began to move.

  It didn’t take long. Dani went first, despite her best efforts to hold out, and no sooner had she cried out, every muscle clenching, than Malik surged into a sitting position and rolled her over. She barely had time to suck in a breath before he was thrusting, once, twice, hard, in a way that made her think maybe she could—

  He yelled, his face pulling into a rictus of pleasure that was so beautiful to her.

  And then he collapsed, catching himself on his elbows at the last second, a small courtesy that just confirmed her suspicion that she was already halfway in love with him.

  And she was totally okay with that.

  Chapter Ten

  They spent a long time discussing the best way to tell Léo about them. They were certain he’d be happy as long as they were happy, but still, it was a potentially messy situation and he was bound to have concerns.

  “We could just let Ben do it,” Malik suggested as they lay in bed being lazy Sunday morning a week later, and although Dani made the appropriate shocked and reproving noises, she considered the idea.

  Which Malik knew, the bastard. Sometimes it seemed like he knew her better than she knew herself. She’d never been in a relationship that was so instantly comfortable. She could be entirely herself, and they just fit seamlessly into each other’s lives. Add the insanely hot sex to that, and there was really nothing more that she wanted.

  “No, we can’t do that,” she finally declared. “He’s your best friend, and he’ll be hurt if he finds out from anyone else.” They weren’t worried at all about telling Ben. Her bestie was not subtle about his matchmaking attempts. “We should do it soon. Now. Call and invite them for brunch.” She sat up and did a mental inventory of the pantry and fridge.

  “Now?” Malik protested, running a hand down her naked back. “I thought we could….”

  She leaned over and kissed him. “We will. Call Léo, and then we’ll have”—she grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch—“an hour before we have to get up.”

  “Or I could not call Léo, and we’d have a lot more time.” He pressed a kiss to her palm and smiled charmingly.

  “Or I could call Ben and tell them to come right now,” Dani replied sweetly. “The longer you leave this, the worse it will be. How would you feel if you were in Léo’s place and you found out weeks later?”

  Malik sighed. “Fine. You’re right. Hand me my phone.”

  Dani grabbed it, and then yelped when it b
egan ringing in her hand. “It’s Lucien,” she said, passing it to Malik. As he answered, she got out of bed. Even if he wrapped up both conversations quickly, it would take him a few minutes, and she needed to use the bathroom anyway.

  When she got back, he was staring glumly at his phone. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay with Lucien and Si?”

  “Yes.” He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, then pulled back and crushed her dreams for morning sex. “They flew down this morning to surprise us all. Brunch has been brought forward to thirty minutes from now. I already called Léo and told him.” The mournful tone made her chuckle.

  “That sucks,” she said frankly, “but I guess we can just spend the afternoon fucking on the balcony.”

  He brightened. “You would do that? You’re the best girlfriend ever!”

  Dani shrugged, took his hand, and tugged him out of bed. “It looks straight out over the ocean, and the angle of the railing means nobody on a boat could see anything. So, sure. Now go shower while I check if we need anything, and then you can go to the supermarket while I shower.”

  “Or we can just call downstairs to the concierge desk and they’ll arrange for everything you need to be delivered,” Malik said over his shoulder as he wandered naked toward the en suite bathroom. Dani was distracted by his muscled back and ass, but still shook her head at the reminder of the level of wealth and privilege Malik was used to.

  Fortunately, she’d just done a shop a few days before and the kitchen was well-stocked. By the time she heard a key in the front door half an hour later, they were both showered, dressed, and breakfast was half done.

  “Hey!” Ben bounced into the kitchen and came over to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for cooking. I love the yacht club, but it’s nice to have brunch at home sometimes.”

  “No problem. Can you get the juice out of the fridge?” Dani focused on staying casual. She’d seen Ben in person three times since she and Malik had hooked up, but never while Malik was there too. She knew Ben suspected something was going on with her, but so far he hadn’t pushed. It was, however, extremely likely that he’d see the new dynamic between her and Malik and guess. Most people failed to give Ben credit for being observant, but he really was.

  Fortunately, Lucien came in then. “Dani, there you are.” He swooped in to kiss her cheek. “I hope you don’t mind us invading like this. Simon and I couldn’t decide how to spend our Sunday, and what better than a day with friends?”

  “It’s great to see you,” Dani said sincerely. “Where’s Si?”

  “Here.” Si dodged around Ben, who was carrying the orange juice out to the dining room, and came to hug her. “What’s this about you living here now? Ben was telling me the other week, but I still don’t get it.”

  Shit. Shitshitshit. With all the “how do we tell people” tension over her and Malik hooking up, she’d completely forgotten that Lucien and Simon didn’t know Malik was an author. What reason had they been given for her moving in?

  “Uh—”

  “Actually,” Malik broke in smoothly from the doorway, “that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve been waiting to tell you until I saw you in person.” He was looking at Lucien, who raised an eyebrow.

  “Sounds serious. Is everything okay?”

  “Absolutely,” Malik assured. “Just… something I should have told you a long time ago.”

  The oven buzzed with impeccable timing. “Breakfast’s ready,” Dani said brightly. “Head on through and I’ll bring it out.”

  “I’ll help,” Malik said, which neatly saved him from the questions burning in Lucien’s gaze.

  Five minutes later, the food had been served and they were settled in at the table. Dani forked up some of the frittata and pretended not to notice that Ben was staring a hole into the side of her head.

  “Malik, the suspense is killing me,” Lucien declared, then turned to Léo. “What’s this all about?”

  “Why are you asking me?”

  Lucien waved a hand dismissively. “Please. As if Malik has ever had a secret from you.”

  Dani choked.

  Fortunately, Si didn’t have to pound too hard on her back before she was breathing again.

  “Sorry,” she rasped. “Went down the wrong way.”

  Malik shook his head, smiling wryly, then said to Lucien, “Wait just a moment.”

  He got up and left the room, returning quickly—which Dani was thankful for, as Ben had seemingly grown even more suspicious and she was sure she was turning red under his stare.

  Malik handed Lucien a paperback book—one of his.

  Lucien took it and turned it over, studying it from all angles. “I know this author,” he said. “Léo’s got all his books. Are you starting a book club or something?” The question was teasing and entirely rhetorical, but Malik answered anyway.

  “Not exactly.”

  Idly, Lucien opened the book, flipping through the front matter, then stilled. “Oh, it’s signed. Did you meet the auth—” He stopped and stared at the title page. “It’s signed to me.” He looked up. “In your handwriting. Is this a joke?”

  Malik shook his head, and Dani held her breath.

  “You wrote this?”

  “Yes.”

  “You wrote all those books?”

  “Yes.” Malik’s voice was tight now, and Dani wished she could go to him, hold his hand.

  “You….” Lucien looked back down at the book in his hand. “How the hell did you keep this a secret?”

  “It wasn’t easy.” Some of the tension had eased now, and then it disappeared entirely when Lucien broke out in a grin.

  “I knew you were up to something, you sneaky bastard. No way could you not be bored out of your mind just living off investments and partying—especially these last few years, with less of the parties. I wish you’d told me.”

  Dani grinned.

  “I wish I had too,” Malik said frankly. “Léo was the only one who knew—first it didn’t seem real enough to tell anyone, and then… I don’t know. I’m glad you know now, though.”

  “This is so impressive.” Si reached over and took the paperback from Lucien. “I’ve seen these books at Léo’s—there are a lot of them. That’s brilliant, Malik.”

  “Six so far,” Malik confirmed. “Number seven releases in October, and eight is in edits now.”

  “Eight books.” Lucien shook his head. “You blow my mind, Malik. I’m so proud of you. I have to read these books now.”

  “You really do,” Léo told him. “I’ve been nagging you to for years. If you had, you might have guessed before now.”

  “Really?” Lucien took the book from Si and flipped a few pages, as though thinking about starting right away, but Si stole it back and got up to put it on the sideboard.

  “You can read it later. Not around food, though, because it’s a signed copy and you don’t want to ruin it.”

  Malik laughed. “If he does, I have more,” he began, but Si shook his head.

  “Nope. If you want to gift him a copy, that’s really nice of you. But if he wrecks it, he has to replace it.”

  Lucien waggled his eyebrows and said, “Look at you, getting all authoritative,” and they all laughed.

  “Anyway,” Malik went on, “that’s why Dani’s staying here. She’s taken on the herculean job of being my assistant, and it worked out easier all round for it to come with room and board.”

  “Oh.” Si sounded disappointed, and Lucien nudged him.

  “Do you want to try that again?”

  Somewhat abashed, Si said, “No, sorry—I’m glad you’ve gotten a job here, Dani, and that you’re staying. I just…. When Ben said you’d moved in here…. Uh…. I had—a different impression, that’s all.” He sounded embarrassed as hell by the time he stammered to a stop, and Dani couldn’t blame him. After all, as far as he knew, she and Malik were just employer and employee, and he’d basically just said that he’d thought they were together. Which they were. But he didn’t kn
ow that.

  Fuck, it was confusing. She looked across the table at Malik, who was looking at her, an eyebrow raised.

  She nodded.

  He turned to Léo. “There’s something I need to tell you. All of you.” He swept his gaze around the table to take in the rest of them.

  Léo set down his fork. “Something good, or something for which we need to call the lawyer?”

  Ben pinched him. “Léo! Malik doesn’t need our help to call the lawyer.”

  “Thank you, Ben,” Malik said dryly. “The confidence you have in me is inspiring. No, Léo, you don’t need to call the lawyer. It’s good. Wonderful, in fact.”

  “Don’t keep us in suspense,” Lucien piped in. “Honestly, Malik, all these secrets are giving me heartburn.”

  “Dani and I are seeing each other,” Malik said, and the table fell silent. Léo’s mouth dropped open.

  “Seeing each other?” he repeated faintly, and Dani couldn’t blame him. Could Malik have made it sound any more bland?

  “We hooked up,” she blurted, and all eyes turned to her.

  “You bitch,” Ben declared. “How could you not tell me? I knew you were keeping something secret from me. After everything I’ve done to get you two together, how could you not have told me the second it happened?” He was working himself up into full melodrama, but Léo interrupted.

  “After everything you’ve done to get them together? What the hell has been going on?” He sounded incredulous. Ben rolled his eyes.

  “Honestly, Léo, how did you miss it? I haven’t exactly been keeping it secret. Why do you think I was so keen for Dani to move in here?”

  Léo shook his head, seemingly still unable to get his head around it, and Dani began to worry. She’d known he’d be surprised, but she’d hoped he’d also be happy.

  “Well, I’m thrilled to hear it. Congratulations, both of you. I knew you’d be great together,” Si said, and Dani smiled gratefully at him.