by Kenya Wright
I opened the door and continued to walk. Being around my sisters had taught me not to engage. A brokenhearted woman was one of the most dangerous things to behold. It was best to keep one’s mouth shut and leave the area immediately.
I headed to the elevator.
“You don’t even know what love is!” Vicky yelled as she stood half-naked in the hallway. Another man opened his door and peeked out before closing it.
She rushed back into the room, appeared in the hallway again with a wine glass, and slung it my way, coming nowhere close to hitting me. “I hate you!”
This went well.
I pressed the button to call the elevator up.
“Logan?” Vicky sobbed. “Wait. Let’s talk about this.”
Oh no. I think we’re good to go on the communication side.
I forced a weak smile and shook my head as other people opened their doors to check out what was going on.
“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean that about Mulligan.” Vicky headed my way. The elevator opened.
I jumped on and pushed the first-floor button faster than I thought I could. There was no way she could get on the elevator with me and take this scene down into the lobby. She was still half-naked.
“Logan?!”
The elevators closed right as she got in front of them.
Holy shit.
I’d woken up with a simple schedule for a chill day. The morning was supposed to be hanging with Mia downtown. We were just going to grab the Kingmaker books, eat something awesome, catch up on our lives, and then say our goodbyes. After that, I’d planned to grovel for ten minutes as I watched Mia leave my car. Later, I’d fuck Vicky, get home, check on my sisters, read the book, and go to sleep.
Nothing had gone as planned.
Tonight, Mia was breaking up with Tyson and I was going over there to console her.
I left the hotel with no further scene with Vicky. I’d been worried that she might’ve taken the stairs, still half-naked and dressed like Princess Era. I checked my phone before starting the car. There were no messages from Mia. I hoped Tyson had gotten there and taken his stuff without any fuss.
Chapter 11
Logan
It took me thirty minutes to get there. By then, Mia texted me that her brother had showed up. I stopped at a gourmet grocery, grabbed some wine and a meat and cheese platter.
Mia answered the door with a bottle in her hand. She dripped with gorgeous delight—all wild and tipsy—completely letting herself be free.
She’s lucky her brother is here.
She gave me a hug that caught me by surprise. “Thanks for coming back.”
I savored the warmth of her. “It’s no problem. I enjoy spending time with you.”
She let me go. “How was your date?”
“It wasn’t a date.” I carried the stuff in.
“Then, how was the...just sex?”
“No sex happened.”
Surprise flared in her eyes as she walked past me and headed to the kitchen. I couldn’t help but study the subtle, yet sexy, sway of her hips. Mia’s body was so thick and soft. My fingers throbbed with the need to capture the swell of that flesh between my palms, jerk her forward, and cradle that plush bottom in my hands.
She glanced over her shoulder and caught me staring at that ass. “Oh...I...love how you came bearing gifts.”
I set the stuff on the counter. “That’s the only way to come.”
“Well...” she batted her eyes at me. “That is not the only way to cum.”
I chuckled. “I see a little wine makes you wicked.”
She held two fingers up and showed an inch of space. “Just a little.”
Her kitchen had a comfy feeling, always filled with a sweet smell due to her baking. My stomach always growled when I came to her place and she always obliged, stuffing me with flaky heart-shaped pastries filled with warm chocolate.
Those were her specialties, and she always had a fresh baked dozen around. Currently, a few sat on a near the fridge. Her brother must’ve grabbed some and devoured them. A trail of crumbs led out of the kitchen.
She caught where I was looking and grabbed a broom. “Rob has always been messy.”
“Let me help,” I offered.
She swept it up. “No, I’ve got it.”
She dumped the crumbs in the trash can and lay the broom near the wall, right next to a bulletin board covered in pictures of wedding cake designs and ads for some of her tastings events.
Mia’s work ethic was flawless. I loved that my sisters looked up to her. She was worthy of being their role model. And it appeared she’d started and grew her cake business all on her own—with no help from her parents or trust funds like me.
That made me respect her even more.
Her brother came out of the living room, glared at me, and then relaxed his expression. “Oh. Hey, Logan. I heard a man’s voice and thought it was that jackass.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Tyson hasn’t come yet?”
Rob smiled. “You don’t see any blood, right?”
“Not funny.” Mia placed the bottle of wine she was carrying on the counter. “I was just opening this up for Rob and me. Do you want some?”
“Of course.” I pulled out the platter. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m getting there.”
“Yes, study food!” Rob grabbed the platter and began to carry it into the living room. “This exam might be the death of me.”
Grinning, I watched him rush off with the platter. “What are you studying?”
“Criminal Law. It’s an open book exam which sounds easy, but there’s so much shit that could be tested on, and the damn book is 1800 pages.”
“Ouch.” I gave him a half smile. “Well then, enjoy the food. I’ve brought more. You can have that platter to yourself.”
“Really, Rob?” Mia went to him and snatched the platter from his huge hands. “Maybe you could’ve said, ‘Hi, Logan. How are you doing, Logan?’”
Rob grabbed some of the cheese and mumbled between chomping, “Hi, Logan! How are you doing, Logan?”
“It’s fine.” I studied her.
“See.” Rob took the platter back. “It’s fine. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to study.”
“Have fun.” I saluted him and returned my attention to Mia, thinking about the text messages she’d sent. “Why do you feel stupid?”
“I just do.”
“Don’t.” I moved close to her and wanted to pull her into my arms, but I had to take my time. The hug from earlier had been everything and more. Her soft body had pressed against my hard chest, almost waking up my cock. I wanted to kiss her, brush my mouth against those lips, pick her up, carry her into the room, and make love to her.
Our time will come.
But I had to be patient. I had to make sure this was something she would be open to. And that, sadly, would take time. First, she had to get over this idiot and move on with her life. And the whole time as she healed from the bruises Tyson had scraped on her heart, I would be there comforting her, holding her, and one day making her mine.
She raised her glass. “To friendship.”
I licked my lips. “To friendship.”
She guzzled half of the glass and set it on the counter.
I laughed and moved it away from her. “So, you’ve put getting drunk on this evening’s schedule?”
“Pretty much. I’m already tipsy.” She inched over to me and leaned her hip into the counter next to her, barely a foot lay between us. “What did you do on your not-date?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m nosy.”
“It didn’t turn out that well.”
“Why not?”
“I ended it with her. I wanted to focus.”
“On what?”
I ignored it. “What did you do, when I left?”
She frowned and tried to grab her glass of wine. “I would rather talk about your not-date.”
I moved the glass out of
her reach. “What did you do?”
“You’ll be disappointed.”
“I doubt it.”
She let out an exasperated breath. “I read more of Tyson’s notebook.”
I moved the glass back in her reach. If she’d opened herself up to more of Tyson’s dark mind, she would need more wine.
I grabbed the bottle and poured a little for her. “So...you read his notebook.”
“I can’t help it. I had to know more.”
“And, what did you find out?”
“He slept with Ashley at my birthday party right in the kitchen next to the sink. She was watching us dance the whole time...” Her face scrunched up in disgust. “The whole time Tyson was having anal sex with her, she watched us. It was all so crazy.”
Now things are making sense.
“That was what that stain was about,” I said. “When I gave the owner the house back, he’d given me a bad review on Airbnb about it. Said there was oil and other sticky things on the floor. I thought he was insinuating that it was semen, but—”
“Wait a minute.” She leaned her head to the side. “Why did the Airbnb review you?”
I shrugged. “I rented the house for that weekend and had to pay the host extra money. Someone had already vomited into the pool.”
“Apparently that was Karan. At least that’s what Tyson wrote in the notebook.” She sighed. “Of course, you paid. That’s right. The idiot said it in the notebook.”
“I can’t believe he wrote that part.”
“Tyson likes writing about his hate for you.” She ran her fingers through her long hair. “The whole time, you’ve been amazing to me, and he’s been the worst man ever. And the whole time, I never saw it. I’m sitting in this relationship with him for no reason, almost trying to teach him how to love me, but in the end...I don’t even know how to love me.” She turned my way. “That’s why I feel stupid. It was all clear as day, and I just ignored the signs. When I’m around him, I feel icky and odd. When I’m around you, I feel...”
I hung onto those words, needing her to finish.
You feel what?
Blushing, she went back to her glass. “Maybe, I’m more than tipsy.”
“Maybe, you should say what you want.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Maybe, it does.”
“I was just saying that whenever I’ve been around you, it always felt so right...I mean...you know...we’re friends and...”
“We enjoy each other’s company.”
“Yes.” She looked away. “That’s what I meant. I’m just saying. I wished I’d...never mind.”
“What?”
“I wished I’d ended up talking to you that first night in Heaven. I wish we’d hit it off.” She took a sip of her glass. “I’m sorry. Does that make you uncomfortable?”
Shocked, it took me a minute to take it all in. Here I thought it would be a while before I could finally tell her my feelings. Instead, she’d opened the door for the conversation.
Still, I had to tread carefully. Every second mattered. She was already hurt from Tyson. I had to make sure I took care of her as a friend too instead of just listening to my heart. Meanwhile, my cock threatened to stiffen, hoping for an exciting night.
Calm down.
I walked over to her and did my best to keep my cock from getting harder, pushing unsexy images in my head—football, Calculus, a car speeding down an open road, and multi-colored balloons rising high into a summer sky. One by one, I played the images through my mind on an endless loop. Anything to keep my cock from punching a hole through my jeans.
Still, it was hard to be so close to her without tasting her lips. “No, Mia. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable.”
It just makes me want to fuck you right now.
I pushed the thought away and cleared my throat. “In fact, I feel the same way.”
She finished the last of her wine and placed the glass on the counter. “Tyson thought you liked me. He wrote about it a lot. Ashley was jealous about it too.”
“It sounds like I haven’t done a good job of hiding my obsession.”
“Obsession?” She blushed and looked away. “You’re overexaggerating.”
I was going to wait, but why? Say it now. What’s the worst that could happen?
I grabbed her chin and gently pulled her focus back to me. “I wanted you the first time I saw you. Tyson ran for you first. I punked out and let him. It was the worst mistake of my life. For the past three months, I’ve been kicking myself for it. For the past two months, I’ve been watching him kiss and hold you, and secretly hating him.”
Her breathing increased as her chest rose and fell.
“Sometimes...” I sighed. “I think about kissing you, and it feels so real, and I swear your mouth is on mine. And when I touch my lips, your kiss isn’t there, and I hate life.”
“I’ve...I’ve thought about kissing you too.”
Anticipation rushed through me as I inhaled her scent. “It’s been a crazy day. I know you’ve already learned a lot, so we don’t have to talk about this right now, but...”
This intense look hit her eyes. “But what?”
“I want to explore something more with you...one day. I want you to consider it.”
Mia licked her lips, and it drove me crazy. I’d been trying to stay relaxed, take my time, but instead, I pulled her closer into my arms and gazed at her. She leaned against me.
“What was that about?” I whispered.
“What?”
“Those lips. Why did you taste them?”
Another flush darkened those cheekbones and those sweet lips parted. My fingers burned with the urge to press my thumb to the plump curve of her mouth, watch it indent under the pressure before I slipped it deliciously forward and into her mouth and over her wet tongue. Fuck. I had to have her. I yearned for her. I craved her.
When I spoke, I couldn’t even keep the hunger out of my voice.
“Tell me,” I begged.
“I’ve been drinking.” She gave me a nervous chuckle. “I shouldn’t be taken seriously right now.”
“Tell me.”
“I was just thinking that...” She pressed her soft, full breasts against mine. “I was just thinking that I’m glad I found the notebooks. I’m glad that Tyson cheated because now I could...”
“Damn it. Finish.” I pulled her in closer to me. “Stop teasing me.”
“I was thinking that because of all of his mess, now, I could finally...fuck you.”
My cock jerked against my zipper as her confession slipped through my mind. “Finally? All you had to do was ask.”
“I couldn’t. You were his friend.”
“Well, I damn sure am not his friend anymore.” My cock got harder as she pressed against me. She shivered, and I hoped it was in desire. Her curves enticed. The scent of alcohol drifted from her lips and I wanted a taste.
I continued to hold her tight, relishing in this delicious, stolen moment with her curves pressed soft against me and her heartbeat reverberating through me. My body came alive, motivated by the memory of July 4th when I’d held her close.
“Tyson fucked up.”
“He did,” she whispered back.
“I would’ve left you alone. I would’ve never tried...but he should’ve never disrespected you.”
“Fuck Tyson.”
“Yes, fuck Tyson.” I leaned down and kissed her.
How long had I imagined this moment? Hundreds—maybe, thousands—of times over the last three months. The sweet scent of her skin. The heat of her in his arms. The taste of her tongue. The tantalizing pressure of her soft lips against his and the lovely moan that would escape them.
Thousands of hours of fantasizing about Mia. Day after day, I’d drowned in those wild, perfect fantastical moments. But those daydreams had never come close to the reality of the moment I now experienced.
I kissed Mia, and all my walls broke down. A rush of hot desire ran through them, wild an
d cock-achingly delirious. My words were lost on our tongues. The tasting. The sucking. The teasing and slipping. She overloaded my senses. Our mouths sensually battled the other.
Had her brother not been there, I would’ve lifted and carried her into the bedroom, caressing every inch of her. Licking and lapping. Every curve, every crevice.
“Mia.” I slipped my fingers to the back of her head, steadying her and claiming that mouth even more. “Damn you, Mia.”
I explored her body with my other hand, unable to stop myself. Low moans left her lips, telling me she enjoyed every touch.
Too bad she wore jeans. I couldn’t wait to get my hands within them, yanking away her panties and sliding my fingers between her legs to relish in the slickness of her. My cock twitched at the possibilities. And she had to be wet. She molded against me as if ready for more than a kiss. Her hard nipples pushed against her thin shirt.
I left her lips and leaned away. “I wanted to kiss you forever.”
She shivered against me. “It was better than I thought it would be.”
“You’ve thought about kissing me too?”
“A lot.”
“We should’ve never denied each other. We should’ve just went for it.”
“Then, we would’ve been no better than Tyson and Ashley. Better to do it right than to do it at the cost of other’s feelings.”
“No. Fuck them.” I slipped my hands along the curve of her hips, moved it past her lovely flat stomach, and cupped my hand over her breast. She bit the bottom of her lip as her breathing increased.
“We don’t wait anymore.” I stroked one of her nipples over the thin shirt and bra, feeling it stiffen. Low moaning, she shuddered under me.
“We don’t hold back anymore or think of anyone else,” I said. “It was stupid to deny us while everyone was all around, taking exactly what they wanted, having a big ball.”
Had her brother not been there, I would’ve torn away the tiny shirt and wrenched the bra off her. How beautiful would her nipples look? Tiny chocolate points floating on soft caramel. I swallowed, thinking of how sweet it would be to lap and flick my tongue over one nipple. Would she cry out in desire and beg for more?