P. Stormcrow

Malcolm

Sky was still standing by the door by the time Malcolm hobbled over. Despite his hesitation, he placed both hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

She blinked and shook herself as if it would help her come out of her daze. “Oliver…he…”

Malcolm couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his lips. “Told you he cares.”

“Yeah,” Sky echoed faintly and rubbed one cheek hard with the heel of her palm. It was something he had seen her do all day. She probably didn’t even notice it.

“Hey—” Malcolm took her hand and eased it from her own face gently— “you’re going to rub yourself raw.”

Sky startled and stared at her hand as if it was an alien thing. “I guess I just feel like I still have grave soil on me. And with what I saw earlier in the washroom…”

My face! 

Sky’s screams echoed in his head. The morning seemed so far away already. “Tell you what. If you want to go take a shower, I’ll go see if I can find something for you to wear.”

“You’re sure?” Sky turned to gaze up at him with those for like eyes and Malcolm’s stomach did a funny flip. He had no doubt that she was far from innocent, with her skepticism and her bravado but she still called out to the protector in him. And something more.

“Yeah. Go.” He pointed the way to the bathroom in the tiny apartment.

“All right.” Sky turned and walked in the direction he indicated.

“Fresh towels are in the closet outside the bathroom,” he called after her.

Sky didn’t turn but raised a hand over her shoulder.

Christ, it had only been a day. This woman was going to be the death of him. Once she stepped out of view, he sighed and rubbed his face before making his way to the kitchen. His leg may be Busted but his hands were perfectly capable of washing dishes and he didn’t want his mysterious guest to do all the work.

Plus then he wouldn’t be hearing her turn on the water and could maybe ignore the fact that there was a beautiful woman naked in his shower.

Yeah right.

Malcolm shook his head clear but it wasn’t until he heard the water in the shower turning off that he remembered belatedly the clothing he was supposed to find her.  He hobbled to his single bedroom and pulled out the smallest T-shirt and sweatpants he could find, just as the door opened and Sky peeked through.

Fuck. He knew perfectly well that she was naked behind that door and his imagination spun out of control. His cock stirred within his pants but he closed his eyes and stuck his hand holding the clothes out. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Her voice was soft but laced with amusement that only made his cheeks burn harder. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen a naked woman before, wasn’t like there hadn’t been any using his shower before. But somehow, Sky provoked all sorts of different reactions.

Fuck.

He busied himself gathering extra blankets and a pillow for his night on the couch. The soft click of the door was all the warning he got, however before Sky stepped into view. 

Her bare legs stuck out from the T-shirt that fell just above her knees. Sky swam in the top he gave her but somehow it only made her sexier. She extended her arms, clutching his pants. “Sorry, I couldn’t get them to stay on.”

Malcolm cleared his throat and took the offending article of clothing from her. “No need to be sorry,” he mumbled and turned around if only to remove any thoughts of temptation from his mind.

But the image of her in his shirt remained seared into his brain.

“Malcolm?” Sky asked, her words soft.

“Right. Yeah.” Malcolm cleared his throat and jerked his head toward the bedroom door. “I’ll take the couch. If you need anything, just holler.” Before Sky could protest, he hurried out of the room and didn’t stop until he stood in the middle of his living room, his pulse racing.

He had let her chase him out of his own bedroom and she didn’t even lift a pinkie. Malcolm rubbed his face. Christ.

Nothing to do now but to make the night more comfortable for himself. Malcolm arranged the pillow on one side of the couch and laid himself down before pulling the blankets over himself.

The pain in his leg made it all the more awkward and kept him awake as he shifted this way and that, trying to find a better position to no avail.

Malcolm kept turning and tossing through the night, keeping an ear out for Sky. So at the first scream that sliced through the quiet of the night, he scrambled off the couch only to nearly fall over as he forgot about his injury and put weight on his bad ankle. He caught in himself on the cover table then proceeded more with more care toward the bedroom.

“Sky?” Malcolm rapped his knuckles on the door. And when no answers came, he knocked again.

Voices. More than one. A female voice much lower in pitch than Sky’s. What the fuck?

He knocked harder. “Sky!”

Instead of answering, a third voice spoke, this time distinctively male, followed by a high pitched wail that Malcolm recognized as Sky finally. Without waiting anymore, he took a step back then kicked the door hard.

It worked and Malcolm barged in without another thought of the now-broken door. Dim light emitted from a bedside table lamp cast shadows over the furniture and floor crowding together

 He swept his gaze across the small bedroom but found no other person other than Sky still laying on the bed. Puzzled, he slowed as he watched Sky falling to soft mutterings under her breath. Talking in her sleep. But who were the other voices?

I can’t be hearing things. The memory of the giggled they all thought they heard back at the office sent chills down his spine. No, this is crazy.

A whimper left Sky’s lips and she began to toss and turn though her eyes were shut tight. Alarmed, Malcolm hurried to her side and knelt beside the bed.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” On instinct, Malcolm placed a hand on her forehead and smoothed her silver shot locks back. No luck. Her eyes remained close but by the way her face scrunched up, brows drawn in worry, it looked as though true rest alluded her.

“Hey, come on,” Malcolm murmured and gently shook her with his other hand.

She snapped her eyes open and she stared straight ahead with wide eyes, the white in them spelling out a level of horror Malcolm struggled to comprehend. But it alarmed him enough that he shook further. “Come back Sky. Come back. What you’re seeing is just a dream.”

Sky’s head turned toward him, still seeing something far from him. Unease crept into the edges of his consciousness but he pushed it away as he kept calling to her until at last, her gaze refocused back on him.

“Malcolm?” His name trembled on his lips as she shuddered. 

“Yeah, I’m here.” He stilled his hands but when Sky only continued to shiver, he spoke again. “Bad nightmare?” Nevermind the voices. Perhaps he had imagined them. But the last thing Sky needed was for him to bring it up, as spooked as she was already.

“Something like that,” she muttered.

“Want to talk about it? Sometimes sharing it makes it less scary.”

The skepticism she regarded him with in return almost made him laugh. “Maybe later.”

“Okay.” He didn’t want to push. “You should try to get some more sleep.” Hell knows he wanted more himself.

She nodded and Malcolm rose from the side of her bed to hobble once more out. But just as he reached the door, Sky called out. “Stay.”

He shouldn’t be surprised but he was as he turned. Small and vulnerable now, he recalled the pride she challenged him with earlier this morning and wondered just how much it took for her to ask him of this. And when she scooted to make room on the bed, he sucked in a breath, wondering if he was going to get any sleep at all if he agreed. Not that he expected anything to happen but laying next to someone he found immensely attractive was not going to help.

Still, the sight of her pulled at his heartstrings and despite the mental protests, he climbed into the bed nonetheless. On purpose, he left the light alone, guessing that Sky wouldn’t be comfortable in complete darkness. Instead, he pulled the blankets back up over both of them.

“Thanks,” Sky whispered, the single word scratchy. Her voice must have been still hoarse from the screaming.

“Don’t mention it.” Malcolm laid down and turned his back to her. But he was all too aware of her soft warm body next to him and laid awake staring at the darkness.

“Hey,” Sky spoke from behind. “Are you still awake?’

Malek stiffened and wondered for a moment if he should fake being asleep but breathed out instead. “Yeah.”

Another pause. The silence laid between them, thicker than the blankets on top. 

“I can be out of your hair in the morning.”

“What?” Surprised, Malek shuffled, turning to face Sky at last. “Why? No. You don’t have to leave.”

The haunted look in her large emerald eyes worried him and when she said nothing in return, he ventured to put a hand on the side of her head, noting at the same time that her face like the rest of her was small enough to almost fit against his palm.

“You don’t, Sky. You can stay as long as you need to.”

“But I—”

Malcolm shook his head. “As long as you need. Now, get some sleep.”

Sky chuckled but the sound was bitter. “Not sure I can even close my eyes.”

Her face was close. So close and the vulnerability of her admission tugged at his heart in ways he didn’t expect. So before he could process his own intentions, he tipped his head forward and kissed her on the forehead.

It was a quick peck really but Sky stared at him in shock and heat crawled up Malcolm’s neck. But before he could suggest he spend the night back onto the couch, Sky reached for him and pulled him in.

Their lip ls crashed against each other and the scent of mint filled his senses. My shampoo. But it was her lips, soft and yielding yet demanding of his own that drew all his attention. 

I shouldn’t be doing this. This is insane.

Fuck.

He slid his hand around to cup the back of her head, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. When her lips parted the slightest, he took advantage and slipped his tongue. That’s it, he had lost all reason.

When she nipped his lower lip, he groaned and tugged her back ever so gently with his grip in her hair. When she obeyed and leaned back, his cock throbbed.

“You want to play?” His voice sounded harsh even to his own ears, tension tightening his throat. 

“I want to forget.” Determination gave her face harder lines and he wanted to laugh and spank her at the same time.

He rolled her to her back. His leg complained but he ignored it and shifted to hover over her instead.”I can help with that.”