Page 76 of Regards, Mia

Jay pulls me closer. “This is dangerous territory,” he says.

I sift my fingers through his hair. “Worried you’re gonna fall in lovewith me?”

His dark eyes gleam. “I don’t worry about something that’s already happened.”

All the breath leaves my lungs. My heartbeat roars between my ears. My belly flutters, and I feel like I’m floating on air. A thrill races through me, followed quickly by the sting of wariness. I’m not a naïve young girl anymore. I know how men operate.

“You don’t have to say you love me to get me to have sex with you.”

His brow creases. “Who said anything about sex? We are just lying in bed together.”

“Which leads to kissing. Kissing leads to sex. Sex leads to us being happy for a short time until we both realize we aren’t right for each other and somebody gets hurt.”Probably me.I push against his immovable form. “You know what? Never mind. I’m tired.”

“I bet you’re exhausted. We just went from kissing to sex to breaking up, all in the span of ten seconds.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I think I have whiplash.”

I give him a little push that does nothing to budge him. “I’m going back to sleep.”

“And for the record, I didn’t say I loved you.” His hand rubs up and down my back in a soothing gesture. “When I tell you I love you, it’s gonna be special. Not because we’re in bed together.”

When I tell you I love you.

Not “if,” but “when.” As if it’s already been ruled on.

His lips brush my temple, warm against my cooled skin, and my laugh dies away. Other ideas bloom to life as his hand trails up and down my arm. Heat sparks in my chest, and I lift my face, eager for the softness of his mouth against my skin. His lips skim down my cheek, then finally, finally find mine.

CHAPTER 29

Old Habits

Mia is laid out on the mattress, her blonde hair spread on the white sheets, her skin kissed by the early morning light.

Mine.

I’ve pictured this moment so many times, it’s hard to believe it’s real.

Except for the fluffy robe. I never pictured that.

“Take this off.” I slide my fingers down the middle of the robe, parting it.

She sits up and lets it fall off one shoulder. Her eyes sparkle like ice on a clear mountain lake, so bright blue they’re almost silver. Running her fingers down the middle of the robe, she parts it just enough to give me a glimpse of her soft, full curves.

“You said I could call the shots,” she says.

The look in her eyes makes my heart stutter, then slam in my chest. Anticipation spikes along every nerve in my body. Need saturates my blood. I force in a calming breath and meet her hungry gaze.

“What do you want?”

She cocks her head to the side, looking at me as if she wants to devour every inch of me. Her gaze scorches a path over my face,then down the length of my body. “You,” she says, pointing to the mattress. “Lie back.”

Goddamn.

Heat thickens the air. Tension sizzles between us. And my heart just might explode before she even touches me.

She climbs onto my lap, and the robe parts around her thighs. I reach out to touch her, but she grabs my hand, pinning it to the mattress by my side with a shake of her head.

“No. Don’t move yet.”

Since I outweigh her by about a hundred pounds, I could easily break free of her grasp, but I made a promise. She’s in charge. I relax my hands and let her unbutton my shirt, one slow glide of her fingers after another, until the fabric gapes at my sides.

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