Loves Redemption

his proposal.
“Most of the time I feel like I’m running to keep up in my normal day routine. Imani
House takes a lot of my time and energy. But, anything that I’m able to do to help capture the person who killed my sister, I’ll do. As far as the monetary compensation, it would be accepted on behalf of the House. It takes a great deal of money to keep the programs running and fully staffed,” she said, accepting his proposal.
“Great. I’ll speak with Lieutenant Hernandez, but like I said, we’re budgeted for outside
consultation.” He let out a low breath in gratitude, relief coursing through him when she agreed to help. He wanted her aid and knew she could be valuable to the investigation. He also wanted to be around her as often as possible so he could get to know her.
“I’d better get going. I didn’t get a chance to ask you, but were you able to get your car
back without too much trouble?” he asked as she followed him to the door, bringing Friday night into the conversation to see her reaction. The flush on her golden cheeks gave him the answer he was looking for.

CHAPTER 5
“Thank you, I did. Dalia brought me to work, and I drove myself home.”
Maya gave him a side-glance from beneath lowered lashes. She wondered at the sudden
turn of conversation. Memories of the kiss they’d shared replayed itself with ongoing regularity in her mind, which made it hard for her to get any real work done.
She was the first to admit she wasn’t used to the intense sexual thoughts she’d been
having because of Mark. Instead of feeling guilty, she thanked God for them because they kept her mind occupied and away from thoughts of Ally.
She glanced at the man at her side, the one that was the cause for her errant thoughts, and instantly her nipples peaked when she saw the way he was watching her lips.
He was looking at them like he wanted to eat them. Before she could react, he bent his
head on level with hers, took her chin between his fingers and boldly did what his eyes had been promising.
He ran his tongue along the seam of her mouth, encouraging her to open for him. After
she obeyed his silent request, he took advantage and pressed his tongue deep into her mouth.
With a deep groan, he settled her closer and deepened the kiss.
With a moan, she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, standing on tiptoe to
get closer to him. He withdrew his tongue from her mouth, only to lightly bite her lower lip.
Maya shivered at the unfamiliar sensations.
She was restless, feeling like she couldn’t get close enough to him, her body strumming
hard with desire, making her shake.
He broke contact with her mouth, his breathing harsh as he rested his head close to hers
and took deep even breaths. Bereft, she instinctively reached up to touch his mouth before
bringing her hands back down to her sides, ashamed of her neediness.
He took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth. Closing his eyes he began to
softly kiss each finger, rubbing the backs of them gently against his lips. Goose bumps tingled up her arms with his touch. The burgeoning sounds of the house began to slowly make its way into their temporarily private world, and he lowered their joined hands to his chest.
“What is this? This feeling, this whatever, I’m not even sure what to call it,” she asked
shakily, trying in vain to withdraw her hands from his much larger ones. Finally she stopped struggling, allowing him to keep them where they were, nestled between his.
“To tell you that I understand what this is between the two of us would be a lie. I can
honestly tell you I’ve never in my life felt like this.” He turned her back around to face him when she tried to turn away.
“I’m serious. I know it sounds like some type of line, but it’s not. From the moment that I laid eyes on you when you were outside the lieutenant’s office, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind, Maya.” He wracked a frustrated hand through his hair, spiking it in all directions.
“I don’t understand any of this,” she admitted.
“Neither do I, but I’m not going to run from it. I won’t rush you; I know that this is all
new to you, and that you just lost your sister. I want us to have the opportunity to find out where this may lead. Is that fair? Can you give me that?” His expression was somber, his eyes asking questions she didn’t have the answers to.
“I’ve never been involved in a long-term relationship before.” With a laugh directed at
herself, she continued, “Correction, I’ve never been involved in any real relationship before. I’m not sure if I know how, or even that I want to,” she admitted.
“I find it hard to believe that a woman as beautiful and as intelligent as you are has never been involved in a relationship, Maya. As far as you not being sure that’s what you want, I want it enough for the both of us. Please give us a chance to get to know each other better, and we can move at any pace you’re comfortable with. Just so that we’re moving together.”
Maya smiled in response and gave him the nod that she knew he wanted. “I can’t promise
anything. But I would like to get to know you better, Mark. But I warn you most of my time is spent here at Imani House. It’s important to me, and I would never sacrifice it for anyone or anything.”
“I wouldn’t try and come between you and your love of the work you do. I want a chance
to be able to share you and we’ll see that you can have both a relationship