“Right. I’ll leave you to it, then. Thanks, Mia.”
“You’re welcome,” she mutters. “Thanks for making me dinner. Most of the time, you’re an ass, but sometimes, I see a glimmer of the boy I once knew in there.”
I move away from her, hanging in the doorway for a few seconds. She rubs detergent into the fabric, oblivious I’m watching her. Thinking over her words, I channel the person I once was with Mia.
“Tell me something good,” I say.
She drops the stain remover in her hand and glances over her shoulder at me. “What if I want to start with my something bad?”
I smile at her. “Tonight, I only want to hear your something good.”
She grins so wide it illuminates her beautiful face. “It just happened a minute ago. You were always my something good.”
It takes every ounce of energy I have inside me not to close the distance between us and give Mia the kiss I’ve wanted to give her for ten years. Instead, I decide to leave her with something better.
“You were mine, too,” I admit.
It’s the truth.
Mia was my ray of sunshine during the darkest days with my father. I wish I didn’t have to walk away and act as if this never happened. It’s hard to act normal around Will when every feeling I ever had for Mia comes to the surface when we’re in the same room.
We need distance.
So, I do the right thing and walk away without another word wishing Mia wasn’t my best friend’s little sister.
Chapter Nine
Mia
After the incident in the laundry room with Ethan, I have trouble focusing on anything other than his mouth during dinner. I watch Ethan like a hawk, all while he rambles on to my brother about hockey. I zone out, having zero interest in their conversation. I couldn’t care less about hockey even after all these years of following my brother’s career. And I honestly don’t care to learn.
Between bites, Will asks me if I want more wine. I slide my glass to the center of the table for a refill.
After almost kissing Ethan, I need as much alcohol as I can consume. What was he thinking getting that close to me? Why is Ethan making moves every time we’re alone? He tests my self-control on purpose. If he had kissed me, I wouldn’t have stopped him. Either he’s trying to torment me, or he wants to kill me. Probably both.
Midway through our delicious dinner, Will gets up from the table to open another bottle of red wine.
On his way back to the table, he says, “You ready to go clubbing?”
Confused, I point a finger at my chest. “Are you talking to me?”
Will laughs. “Yeah. Who else would I be talking to?”
“Ethan,” I say, stating the obvious.
“You’re going,” Ethan growls. “It’s not a request.”
He reminds me of the beast from Beauty and the Beast when he commands Belle to eat dinner with him or starve. Ethan’s so bossy. He acts like an extension of my brother sometimes, and it’s annoying.
“You don’t control me,” I snap. “And I’m not the club type. Go without me.”
“There’s no such thing as the club type,” Ethan shoots back. “You either like fun, or you don’t, and since you have the personality of a ninety-year-old lady, we have no choice but to kidnap you if you don’t come willingly.”
“Wow!” My jaw drops, though I’m not the least bit shocked when it comes to Ethan. “This must be one hell of a club if you’re resorting to threats.”
“We’ve been there a few times,” Will adds. “It’s pretty chill. Just come out with us. Live a little, Mia.”
“What club?”
Will lets out a sigh of relief. “It’s called The Sixth Floor.”
Why is he so desperate to get me out of the house? I’m what you would call a homebody. I like staying in to read and catch up on my shows.
“Is that the new club on Delaware Avenue?”
Will nods.
“Wear something sexy,” Ethan says in a serious tone. “No frumpy sweaters or pajama pants.”
Will’s face scrunches in disgust. Teeth clenched, he looks at Ethan. “Dude, don’t tell my sister to wear sexy clothes. Gross. She can wear a turtleneck sweater down to her ankles for all I care. Actually, I would prefer it.” He says the last part looking directly at me.
Ethan laughs.
I frown.
Will growls.
“I don’t have anything to wear that either of you would consider appropriate,” I say. “So, you can count me out.”
“C’mon, Mia.” Will stuffs a slice of garlic bread into his mouth and speaks between bites. “You never do anything remotely fun. I’ll throw you over my shoulder in what you’re wearing if I have to. Just get out of the house and meet someone.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. “And by someone do you mean some sweaty club dude? No thanks. Neither of you seem to understand that I only have work clothes and lounging around the house stuff like jeans, sweats, and tees.”
“Then don’t think of it as a club,” Will says. “It’s nothing more than an oversized bar that plays techno music and throws crazy raves.”
“I’m sure you have at least one dress in your closet,” Ethan says. “Maybe even a skirt. Go look, and if you don’t find something, I’ll take you to the store.”
“I have to work tomorrow.”
At this point, I would do anything to get out of going with them. I’m more of a ‘drink vodka from the bottle while eating Cheetos and researching articles on my beat-up MacBook on the couch’ kind of girl. Will was always the outgoing sibling and the constant center of attention. We couldn’t be more opposite. Ethan is a mixture of us, or at least he was ten years ago. I don’t know the man he’s become, but I want to know him. So bad.
Thirty minutes later, I dig through my closet, beyond frustrated and ready to give up. When Ethan walks into my room, I smell his musky scent before I hear his footsteps behind me.
Ethan laughs. “Did you throw your clothes on the floor so you could use that as an excuse not to go?”
I scan the piles of clothes around my feet and sigh. “No, stupid. I was looking for something to wear.”
“You won’t find a dress on the floor, Mia.” Ethan slides hangers along the metal rack with his muscular chest pressed against my back. “You weren’t kidding, huh? Do you own anything other than jeans or something with holes in it?”
“The holes are intentional.” I turn around to face him, stunned by how polished and refined he is at all times. Why is he so damn perfect when I’m a hot mess? “It’s not like I sit around with scissors and cut up my jeans and shirts.” Tugging on the sleeve of his navy oxford, I continue, “We all can’t look as good as you do on short notice.”
He cups the side of my face in his big hand and strokes my cheek with his calloused thumb. “You’d look good in a trash bag. Stop dragging your feet and get ready before I have to dress you myself.”
Once the thought is planted in my mind, I can’t stop myself from imaging Ethan undressing me. He does that well enough with his eyes. And now I’m thinking of him naked and sweaty with me lying next to him.
Stop it, Mia. Get your shit together.
“You were never this bossy,” I choke out. “What happened to you?”
“I’m not the same person, Mia. The sooner you get that through your pretty little head, the easier it’ll be for you to come to terms with the fact that I’m not going to change. This is who I am now, take it or leave it.”
“I don’t believe it for one second.” I place my palm over his heart and move closer. “For whatever reason, you don’t want to let me back in. You were never this arrogant and rude to me.”
He covers his hand over mine and blows out a puff of air. “Some things are better left in the past. You can either get to know the person I am now or cling to the memory of the boy you had a crush on when we were kids.”
I snort. “I did not have a crush on you.”
A smirk turns up the corner
of his mouth. “That’s a lie, and you know it.”
“Whatever.” I take a step back, and his hand falls to his side. “I have to get dressed. Can you get out?”
“You have nothing to wear. Let me take you shopping.”
“I don’t know whether to be offended or flattered that you would do something so selfless for me.”
He pushes his hands to his hips and shakes his head, staring at me with one of his killer smirks. “Someone has to help you.”
I close the distance, and our mouths are almost touching. “I don’t need your help or your pity, E. Now, get out of my room.”
Ethan cups my shoulders with his big hands. “I’m calling my personal shopper at Boyds whether you like it or not.”
“You’re impossible,” I counter. “Whatever. I don’t see why you’re so insistent on me going out with you and Will tonight. The last thing I want to do is watch skanky women grind on you.”
“Good,” he growls. “Because the only woman I want grinding on me is you.”
I gasp at his comment.
Ethan is making this living situation too hard for me. And we’re only less than twenty-four hours into the arrangement. I won’t last a month with him invading my personal space, all while forcing me to confront my feelings for him.
“You can’t turn this on and off whenever you see fit, Ethan. Will is your best friend, and I’m his sister. He will kill both of us. Don’t act like you like me one minute and hate me the next. Even Will is starting to notice the subtle things you do and say to me. When Will saw your hand on my knee at the Wells Fargo Center, I thought he was going to rip your face off.”
He cups the side of my cheek with his hand and whispers, “He doesn’t have to find out. You’re a big girl now, Mia. You can make your own decisions without your brother there to hold your hand.”
I lean into his touch and sigh. “Stop torturing me, Ethan.”
“I think I’m torturing myself more than you,” he says under his breath.
“Are you ready?” Will says from the doorway.
When I step back, Ethan removes his hand from my face and shoves it into his jeans pocket. Pretending around Will is hard for both of us. I have no idea how to handle the sexual tension that burns like a lit match with Ethan. My brother senses it. He’s not stupid. Despite our attempts to conceal the truth, my brother will eventually walk in at the wrong moment and kill us both.
I turn my back to Ethan and sift through my closet, dragging the hangers along the metal bar. “Give me a few minutes. Okay?”
“You don’t have anything to wear,” Ethan points out. “Let me call my girl at Boyds. What size do you wear?”
I glance at him over my shoulder. “None of your business.”
His eyes rake over my body. “Size two?” He stops when he reaches my breasts and takes in the size of them. I almost laugh at his comment. There’s no way in hell my curvy ass is fitting into a size two.
“We don’t have time to fuck around in department stores,” Will says, throwing his hands on his hips, his jaw set in irritation. “Find something to wear and let’s go. We’re going to a club, not a wedding. No one will care what you have on as long as it’s passable to get in the front door.”
This time, Ethan doesn’t bother to argue. He keeps his mouth shut and follows Will out of my bedroom. I close the door behind them and lean against it.
With Ethan out of my sight, I can finally breathe. For now.
Chapter Ten
Ethan
After we leave Mia in her room to get dressed, I follow Will into the living room. He kicks back on the couch across from me, shooting daggers in my direction.
Fuck, how much did he see and hear? I lose my head when I’m around Mia. Despite my feelings for her, I can’t lose my best friend over unresolved issues from the past.
We hold each other’s gaze for a few seconds before I lean back against the couch. I cough to clear the lump forming at the back of my throat.
Will studies my face as he reaches for the television remote on the coffee table between us. “What were you doing with my sister?”
“I was only trying to help her get ready.”
Will clicks on the television and flips through the channels, shaking his head. “That’s not what it looked like to me. Do you like Mia? You know, you can tell me if you do.”
Yeah, right. The second I say I do I’ll catch a fist to the jaw. I know firsthand just how dirty Will plays on and off the ice. And I would deserve every single punch for the thoughts I’ve had about his sister.
“No,” I lie. “I don’t like Mia. Not like that. She’s too proud to admit she needs help from us, and she has nothing decent to wear. I offered to have my girl at Boyds pick something out for her. It wasn’t a big deal. Don’t read into it.”
“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to jump down your throat. Thanks for helping Mia out. She won’t take anything from me.” He blows out a puff of air and drops the remote onto the coffee table in front of us. Will folds his arms over his chest and leans back with his eyes focused on the flat screen. “You ready for next week’s game?” Will asks without looking away from the television. “We barely made it into the playoffs this year.”
I nod in agreement. “If Kane didn’t score in overtime, we would’ve been out.”
Tyler Kane is our team captain for a reason. He’s hands-down the best center in the league and one of the smartest offensive players I’ve ever known. His ability to lead our team from barely winning games to making the playoffs is a big deal. That’s why Mia and her friend interviewed us earlier today.
“How do I look?” Mia walks into the room, snapping me back to reality. My mouth falls open as I take in the sight of all of her curves on display for me. “Do I pass as ‘club appropriate,’” she says, using air quotes, “or am I still underdressed?”
A silly expression crosses her face, one that makes me smile. I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s beautiful, a complete fucking knockout. And still my best friend’s younger sister. So, there’s that.
Despite her hatred of the gym, her legs are surprisingly toned, and the tight leather skirt that rides up her thighs shows off every curve. She hates to work out or do anything that resembles exercise, but by the look of her body, I find that hard to believe. My gaze travels up the length of her delicious body as I take in the strapless gold top that’s practically plastered to her big tits. Her cleavage is popping out from the top, which is another surprise. She’s even wearing heels. Not flats or boots. She ditched her usual attire.
What happened to her mom jeans and sweaters? Damn, she looks good. But she would look good in anything—even the mom jeans. Where has she been hiding this outfit?
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from making any obscene facial gestures. Will notices every movement I make around Mia. Right now, my dick is getting hard just thinking about burying my face between her legs. And her tits. Fuck.
“See, I knew you had something in that closet.” Will turns off the television and pushes himself up from the couch.
Mia glances at Will and does something that resembles a curtsey, tugging at the edges of her skirt as she smiles. “I clean up good, huh?”
Will moves toward her and studies her clothes. “Well, I’m not thrilled about the length of your skirt or the low-cut top, but they have a dress code at The Sixth Floor. They would never let you in wearing jeans and boots. Stay close to Ethan and me. I don’t want anyone near you. Okay?”
She nods. “You have nothing to worry about.”
But he does.
He just doesn’t know it yet.
“Don’t drink too much,” Will says. “No dancing with any guys.”
Mia rolls her eyes at him. “Yes, Dad. Anything else? Do you want to check my homework before we go out?”
I laugh, but Will doesn’t find it funny. He shoots me a pained look, and then his gaze falls back to Mia. “I’m serious.”
“Yeah, whatever, Will. This was yo
ur idea, not mine. I’ll just dance with Ethan then if you’re going to be such a buzz kill.”
Will pulls his phone from his pocket, tapping on the keys at a feverish pace. “Yeah, stick with Ethan.”
Am I violating my best friend’s trust? I haven’t done anything wrong. Yet. But I know I will.
How can I stop myself when Mia licks her lips at me or flips her blonde strands over her shoulder, giving me come-fuck-me eyes. She’s a fucking temptress, and she knows it.
“Uber will be here in five minutes,” Will says before heading into the kitchen. “We need to get a good buzz going before we get to the club. Do you have anything other than this old bottle of vodka?” He digs through Mia’s freezer and holds up the almost empty bottle. “Any chance you have some Jack around here?”
“No.” Mia moves her hands to her hips and frowns. “You can take it or leave it. And I expect you to replace whatever you drink. That’s all I have left.”
Mia glances at me before following behind Will, and I trail behind her, taking in the sight of her body. Her ass. Those legs. I’m so fucking screwed.
One month.
I can do this.
Deep breaths.
Even I don’t believe myself. Why would Will?
No one has ever looked more out of place in a club than Mia Roman. She glances up at the ceiling, memorizing every detail of the room as the cocktail waitress leads us upstairs to the VIP section Will reserved for us. He chats up the waitress, while I keep Mia entertained and at my side.
My hand grazes her ass when I have to pull her closer to make room for a drunken couple to pass us on the stairs. She jumps, looking startled, until she realizes it was me touching her and not some random dude.
Luckily, Will is busy with the blonde bombshell leading us to the VIP section, too busy staring at her huge rack. So, I keep my hand on Mia’s ass for a few seconds longer to see if she’ll tell me to stop. She tips her head toward Will, and I nod. If anyone is aware of how close Will is, it’s me.
Ethan (Face-Off Book 5) Page 6
