I hurried to the end of the hall. Amir’s door was closed, but I decided to take a chance and slowly pushed it open. I got halfway when it creaked and I regretted every decision I’d ever made in my life. In the dimly lit room, the form on the bed stirred. I didn’t know what to do. If I pulled the door closed, it might squeak again. If I left it open, he’d know I’d been there.
“Zadie.”
My forehead hit the door. “Hi.”
“Are you going to stand at my door forever or come in?” Amir’s voice was low and gritty with sleep. “Get in here, mama.”
I entered his room, closing the door behind me, and warily approached his bed. He was on his back, one arm slung over his forehead. When I was close, his other arm shot out, grabbed the back of my legs, and drew me close until my knees hit the side of the mattress.
“Zadie,” he croaked, “whatcha doin’ here?”
“It’s almost noon,” I whispered. “You told me to come.”
He grunted, trailing his fingers up and down the back of my thigh and under my skirt. His blankets covered him from the waist down, and on top, he was wearing a button-up shirt.
“Did you sleep in your clothes?” I asked.
With a groan, he felt his chest, then let his arm flop. “Yeah, fuck. I came home and crashed.” His eyes fluttered open, focusing on me standing above him. “Whoa. I like that.”
“What?”
“Your pretty face being the first thing I see when I open my eyes. Fucking nice.”
He threw back the blankets and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the mattress. I tried to back up, but he caught my hips and kept me close, pressing his face into my stomach. At first, I just stood there in shock. When he rubbed his face back and forth, I brought my hand up, gingerly combing through his short hair. His moan was soft, but filled with bliss, so I continued, each of my strokes more sure.
We stayed like that for several long minutes. My hands in his hair, his face pressed against my belly, arm circling below my butt, the barest hint of sweetness filtering through the air. His breath warmed my skin beneath my T-shirt, but I shivered anyway.
“Need to go take a shower.” He gave my butt a squeeze. “You wanna make me breakfast?”
“Yeah.” I scratched his nape, drawing another moan from deep in his chest. “I’ll make you something. Go.”
He planted a kiss just below my belly button then rose to his feet. I took a step back, watching as he unbuttoned his wrinkled shirt, revealing his lean, golden torso dappled with dark hair. He tossed it on the bed and shot me a smirk before striding across the room and closing himself in the bathroom.
My hand shot to my chest, covering my fluttering heart. How did he do that to me? Without a single word, he made me feel more for him than I had for any other man. It didn’t make sense, but I was helpless, and I had been since the beginning.
Well, I couldn’t stand there pining over him forever. The fact was, no matter what my feelings were, I was still his little pet, and I had a job to do. I’d strip his bed, throw his linens in the laundry, make breakfast for the boys, then remake his bed.
Throwing myself into action, I picked up the shirt he’d tossed aside, catching a whiff of the sweetness I’d smelled earlier. That was strange.
I brought the material near the collar to my nose, taking a deep inhale, and nearly choked. That was not a good smell. Not at all. Cloying florals and irritating spices clung to the inside of my nose, making my stomach churn. I threw the shirt down on the bed, disgusted.
Why would that scent be on Amir’s shirt?
Morbid curiosity got the better of me. Climbing onto the bed, I lowered my face to the sheets. There was nothing on the far side, but where Amir had lain when I walked in, there was more of the same overly sweet scent.
Oh. Oh no.
Ripping the sheets from the corners of the mattress, I coughed so hard, I nearly gagged. There was no denying Amir’s clothes and sheets were covered in cheap perfume. He’d been out last night, and I guessed I now knew what he had done for at least part of it.
Thoroughly put in my place, I pushed away the feelings that couldn’t be dealt with right now and carried the load of sheets out of Amir’s room like a good little pet.
That was all I was. A toy. A pet. Something to own. I really,reallyhad to remember that.