Page 24 of Claimed By my Frenemy

I study her face from here, and I know I’ll beat myself up if I don’t at least try.

That kiss earlier… She made me hard in a matter of seconds, and I’m pretty sure she felt it. I want her, and if I’m reading things right, I think she wants me, too.

I should just walk around the counter and kiss her. See how she reacts.

But I still don’t move.

“It’s getting late now,” Mia says. She turns to look out the kitchen window which looks out on my property. “Looks like they’ve finally got things calmed down on your property.”

I walk toward the window so I can look over her shoulder. It’s an automatic reaction to what she said. I need to check on my property.

But once I’m there, I can’t help but feel like I should move. I should leap across the room to put some space between us. But I don’t.

I stand there, shoulder to shoulder with Mia, and the proximity is making it hard to think straight. She has some floral scent on her, something tropical and light.

My body is responding to her nearness in ways I can’t ignore, but I try to keep my mind on the conversation, the view outside, anything but the overwhelming urge to grab her and press my lips against hers.

“Well, they’ve gone home for the night. Let’s hope they addressed the problem properly so there’s no two a.m. flooding,” I say, trying to sound casual.

Mia’s arm brushes against mine as she peers out the window. “I can at least get water from my faucet again, so that’s got to mean something good.”

Her voice is soft, almost tentative, and I can feel the same tension in her that’s coiled tightly inside me. My heart has picked up its rhythm, and it’s encouraging me to do things I should.

Boom. Boom.Touch Mia’s arm.

Boom. Boom.Spin her toward you and tilt her chin upward.

Boom. Boom.Kiss her so hard that you take her breath away.

Before I know what I’m doing, I turn to face her. I can’t keep what I’m feeling out of my voice, even though I’m trying so hard. “Mia, I think…”

She turns to look at me, her eyes wide, and that’s all the encouragement I need. There’s something about the way she bites her lip that encourages me. She wants me to kiss her, that much is clear, and I don’t think I’m capable of rational thought at the moment.

I close the distance between us in two quick steps, my hands coming up to cup her face. She inhales sharply, but she doesn’t pull away. Her eyes lock onto mine, and I can see the same desire reflected back at me.

“Tell me to stop,” I murmur, my voice barely more than a whisper.

She doesn’t say anything, just stares up at me with those intense, blue eyes. I take that as my cue and lean in, capturing her lips with mine. I try to hold myself back at first, just to make sure this is what she really wants. But then, she leans in. I feel her hand on my chest, and she’s grabbing the folds of my shirt, not pushing me away.

My body reacts instantly, my need for her surging to the surface.

My tongue experimentally darts into her mouth before darting back into my own. Then, I taste her again, touching my tongue to hers. A feeling of electricity runs through me.

Mia moans softly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. I slide one hand down her back, pulling her flush against me, and I can feel her body respond, her hips pressing into mine. My erection is against her stomach, and I’m not trying to hide how she’s turning me on.

I keep waiting for her to push me away, to tell me to stop. I keep pausing, thinking this will be the moment that she says she was just teasing me.

“God, Mia,” I murmur against her lips. “You drive me crazy.”

“I can tell,” she replies, pushing her hips just slightly against mine so that she rubs my erection.

It takes all my remaining self-control not to rip her clothes off in that moment. I want to push her against the wall and force her muddy pants to the floor so I can touch the pink folds of skin without a barrier.

I kiss Mia again, hard, showing her how she’s turned me on and what’s going to happen if she lets me.

Mia pulls back slightly, her breath coming in short gasps. “What are we doing, Theo?”

“Whatever we want. Whatever feels right. You’re in control, and you tell me when to stop,ifyou want to stop.” I kiss her again, but suddenly, just tasting her lips isn’t enough. I need more. I want to taste her whole body.

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