Chapter 17

Chrysti was wrapped up in Jalen, and she didn’t want to move ... which was exactly the problem.

Jalen’s arm was draped over her waist, his body warm against her back. His slow, steady breathing tickled the nape of her neck, and the worst part was that it felt good, comforting, and safe.

The sex last night and that morning had been epic, which wasn’t a surprise. She figured it’d be hot, intense, and overwhelming, but this feeling she was having now was unexpected.

She shifted slightly, and Jalen’s grip on her tightened again. His large hand pulled her even closer. “Where you goin’?”

Chrysti froze. “Relax, I was just stretching, big guy.”

Jalen made a low sound in the back of his throat. It was a deep, satisfied hum, before pressing his face into her hair. “You feel good.”

Chrysti felt her stomach tighten. She swallowed, trying to keep her tone light. “That’s ‘cause you just rearranged my insides.”

Jalen chuckled, a deep, lazy sound that sent a shiver down her spine. “Damn right.”

She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a smile. “Cocky as hell.”

Jalen nuzzled her neck with his lips brushing her bare shoulder. “I got a reason to be.”

Chrysti felt her cheeks warm.

That cocky-ass voice.

She should get up. Take a shower. Create some distance, but instead, she stayed right where she was. Letting herself enjoy it.

Jalen’s fingers traced lazy circles on her stomach, his touch feeling gentle this time.

“How do you feel?” he murmured.

Chrysti blinked because that was a loaded question. Physically, she felt sore as hell but utterly satisfied. Emotionally, she was confused as fuck.

She just shrugged though. “I’m good. You?”

Jalen shifted, propping himself up on one elbow. His dark brown eyes locked onto hers, searching her face. “I mean for real, Chrysti.”

She exhaled, running a hand through her messy brown waves. “I don’t do this.”

Jalen raised an eyebrow. “Do what?”

She gestured between them. “This. The ... morning-after shit.”

Jalen smirked, amused. “You mean cuddling? I must’ve done a number on you.”

Chrysti groaned, shoving his arm. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Jalen laughed. Then, his face grew serious again. He reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You wanna talk about it?”

Chrysti hesitated because that was the thing about Jalen. He wasn’t just hot and good in bed.

He was attentive and he paid attention, which was dangerous because it made her want to trust him, and she didn’t trust men.

She sighed, flopping onto her back, staring at the ceiling. “You ever get so used to people letting you down that you just stop expecting anything else?”

Jalen watched her carefully. Then, after a beat, he nodded. “Yeah.”

His voice was low, understanding, and somehow, that made Chrysti’s chest tighten even more.

She licked her lips. “Every guy I’ve ever let in has burned me. Either they cheat, lie, or just ... walk away.”

She turned her head, meeting Jalen’s gaze. “So yeah. Maybe I don’t do this because I don’t see the point.”

Jalen didn’t say anything right away. He just studied her, with an unreadable expression. Then, he slowly reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. It was such a simple gesture, but damn if it didn’t make her heart race.

“I’m not them,” he said softly.

Chrysti swallowed. “I know.”

That was the problem. Jalen was different, and that scared the hell out of her.

She exhaled, her eyes shifting back to the ceiling. “You know what the worst part is?”

Jalen waited.

“It’s not even that I think you’re gonna hurt me. Not exactly.” She paused, trying to find the right words. “I mean, yeah, that’s part of it. There’s always that voice in my head telling me to wait for the other shoe to drop. To start looking for the lie. The reason you’re going to disappear.”

Jalen nodded slowly, his thumb stroking the back of her hand.

“But honestly?” Chrysti continued, her voice quieter now. “What scares me more is who I become if I let you in. I’ve spent ... God, I don’t even know how many years building this wall. Telling myself I don’t need anyone. That I’m better off alone. That if I just don’t expect anything, I can’t be disappointed.”

She let out a humorless laugh. “And it worked. Like, it actually worked. I’m successful. I’m independent. I don’t owe anyone shit. Nobody can take anything from me because I don’t let anybody close enough to take it.”

She turned her head to look at him again. “So, who am I if I’m not that woman anymore? If I let you in, if I let myself want this, and you turn out to be exactly what I’m afraid you’ll be ... I don’t just lose you. I lose the version of me that was bulletproof.”

Jalen didn’t speak for a long moment. His eyes searched hers, like he was working through what she said, and Chrysti’s chest tightened again because most men would’ve already been trying to convince her she was wrong. Trying to argue. Trying to reassure her with words that didn’t mean anything.

Jalen just held her hand.

Finally, he spoke. “You weren’t bulletproof, Chrysti. You were guarded. There’s a difference.”

Chrysti’s throat tightened.

“I’m not them,” he said again. “And if you let me in, you don’t lose yourself. You just stop fighting so hard to keep everyone out.”

She felt her eyes sting, and she blinked hard, refusing to let that happen.

“Damn it, Moss,” she muttered. “Don’t say shit like that.”

Jalen smiled, soft and patient. “Why? Hits too close?”

“Yeah,” she admitted quietly. “It hits too close.”

Jalen lifted their joined hands and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her knuckles. “You don’t have to figure it all out today, but don’t run from it either.”

Chrysti let out a shaky breath. “No promises.”

Jalen smiled. “I’ll take that. For now.”

He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers in a soft, lingering kiss. Chrysti melted into it before she even realized what she was doing. When they pulled apart, Jalen grinned.

“Now, let’s get a shower and then let’s get some food. You gotta refuel after last night,” he said.

Chrysti rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. They got up and walked to the bathroom and Chrysti turned on the shower. She looked over and saw Jalen was still smiling.

“What are you smiling so much for?” Chrysti asked curiously.

“Because I get to have you soap me up,” he said, grinning.

Chrysti gave him a look but struggled to hide her own smile.

“We’ll see,” she responded.

A minute later, Chrysti stood under the hot spray of the shower, her body still aching in the best way from the night before.

Jalen stepped in behind her, his large frame towering over her. His body appeared to still be radiating heat from the night before. His hands immediately found her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

“You sure you’re cool with this?” Jalen murmured, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.

Chrysti smiled, tilting her head to the side, inviting him in. “A little late to be asking that, don’t you think?”

Jalen chuckled, that deep, knowing sound that sent a shiver down her spine. His hands slid down her stomach, fingers teasing over her skin, tracing the curves of her hips.

The water poured over them, hot and soothing, steam curling around them as Jalen’s lips skated over the side of her neck.

Chrysti let out a slow, shaky breath. He had already wrecked her body last night and that morning, but somehow, she still wanted more.

Jalen reached for the body wash, pouring it into his hands before gliding them over her shoulders and down her back. His touch was slow, methodical, and intimate.

Chrysti’s eyes fluttered closed. She hadn’t expected this. She’d expected the shower to be another round, fast and desperate, his hands sliding over her body with the same hunger from last night. Instead, his fingers were working over her tight muscles, easing the soreness he’d put there.

He wasn’t trying to start anything. He was just ... taking care of her.

When was the last time someone did that for her?

She couldn’t think of an answer.

“You’re sore, aren’t you?” he asked, amused.

Chrysti rolled her eyes. “I’ll live.”

Jalen smiled again, massaging the lather into her skin. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

His fingers worked her muscles, easing the tightness in her shoulders and lower back. Chrysti hummed as her eyes slipped shut.

Damn. This feels good as hell.

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making a sound that would give too much away. Because the thing was, this wasn’t supposed to be the part that wrecked her. The sex was supposed to be the part that wrecked her, and it had, but this — Jalen’s hands working the knots out of her shoulders, his thumbs pressing into the tight spot at the small of her back where she always carried tension after a heavy lifting day — this was different.

This was the part she hadn’t built defenses against.

Sex she could handle. Sex was performance. Sex was something she could match him on, push back against, win or lose but never lose herself in. But this was the kind of touch you couldn’t fake or compete with. The kind that didn’t ask anything from her. The kind that just gave.

She opened her eyes, watching the water sluice down the tile. Her chest felt tight in a way that had nothing to do with the steam.

Jalen’s hands drifted lower, kneading the flesh of her hips before sliding down to her thighs.

“You good?” he murmured against her skin as his lips grazed the spot just below her ear.

Chrysti bit her lip. Yeah, she was good. She was better than good.

She was in trouble. That’s what she was.

She turned in his arms, facing him, pressing her body against his. The water ran down his chest, over the ridges of muscle, dripping from his shoulders. Chrysti dragged her acrylic nails down his chest, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

If she was going to be in trouble, she might as well be in trouble her way. On her terms. With the part of this she understood.

Jalen’s dark eyes locked onto hers, with a hungry expression. “If you keep looking at me like that, we’re never leaving this shower.”

Chrysti smiled mischievously. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Jalen groaned, gripping her hips as he pressed her back against the cool tile. Their mouths crashed together as Chrysti’s hand found his cock and began to stroke.

Soon after that, they went at it again.

Ninety minutes later, Jalen slid into the booth across from Chrysti, grumbling under his breath.

“This is bullshit.”

Chrysti smirked. “You’ll live.”

Jalen folded his arms, leaning back in his seat. “You really couldn’t just let me have Waffle House?”

Chrysti arched an eyebrow. “I refuse to let you take me somewhere where the cook might be in a fight before our food even hits the table.”

Jalen snorted. “That’s what makes it great. The food tastes better after some chaos.”

Chrysti shook her head, laughing. “I like my eggs without a side of trauma, thank you.”

Jalen chuckled, watching her with amusement. Chrysti was different. Every woman in his life was special in their own way, but Chrysti challenged him. She made him work for it, and damn if he didn’t like that.

Later, the waitress arrived with their food, setting down their plates. Jalen eyed his French toast, eggs, and turkey bacon, shaking his head.

“This ain’t a waffle.”

Chrysti popped a piece of her biscuit into her mouth, grinning. “Nope, but you’ll survive.”

Jalen sighed dramatically, but when he took a bite, he nodded in approval. “Aight, I’ll admit. This is fire.”

Chrysti smirked, taking a sip of her coffee. “Told you. Now eat up, big guy.”

Ten minutes later, Jalen leaned back in his seat, sipping his coffee, watching Chrysti carefully.

She was clearly trying so hard to act normal, like last night hadn’t been earth-shattering and like she hadn’t fallen asleep in his arms and woken up still wrapped around him.

She was playing it cool, but Jalen knew better.

He smiled, resting his chin on his hand. “You gonna sit there and pretend like last night didn’t change your life?”

Chrysti snorted, tearing off a piece of her biscuit. “Please. I’ve had better.”

Jalen arched an eyebrow, fully amused. “Damn. That’s how you gonna do me?”

Chrysti grinned, popping the biscuit into her mouth.

Jalen shook his head. “See, now you’re just lying to yourself.”

Chrysti smiled softly but didn’t argue.

Jalen chuckled, turning his attention back to his food. They ate in comfortable silence. The tension from the night before still lingered, but it wasn’t awkward. Jalen was confident that Chrysti would come around. She just needed time.

After their meal, they stepped outside into the mid-morning sun, the crisp air cutting through the heat left over from their night together. Chrysti pulled her car keys from her purse, but Jalen reached out and gently took her wrist.

She looked up at him, her eyes guarded.

“What?” she asked.

Jalen held her gaze for a moment before speaking. “You’re still pretending like this didn’t happen.”

Chrysti hesitated. Then she sighed, shifting her weight. “I don’t know what this is.”

Jalen took a step closer. “You don’t have to. Just ... please don’t run from it.”

Chrysti stared at him for a long moment before smirking. “You just don’t want me to run because you wanna do that shit to me again.”

Jalen laughed, low and deep, stepping even closer. “You ain’t wrong.”

Chrysti rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were warm. “Go home, Moss.”

Jalen grinned, lifting his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine, but you’re texting me later.”

Chrysti scoffed. “I’ve got better things to do.”

Jalen watched as she walked to her car, shaking his head. She was lying again, and they both knew it.

Jalen kicked off his shoes, plopping onto the couch, exhaling deeply. His body was still worn out from last night, but he felt good. Damn good. His phone buzzed, and he grabbed it off the coffee table, expecting it to be one of the other women.

Instead, a name he wasn’t expecting but was pleased to see flashed on the screen.

Chrysti Oliveira.

Chrysti: “I don’t know why, but I already kinda miss you right now. Whatever. Don’t get a big head about it.”

Jalen stared at the message for a second before a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.

Meanwhile at Chrysti’s apartment, Chrysti tossed her phone onto the bed after sending the text, already regretting it.