Mia gives him a fake smile. She’s so easy to read.
“Yeah, it’s great. Thanks for forcing me to come out with you.”
Liar. It’s so obvious that Mia hates it here. She folds her arms across her chest, as if uncomfortable in the tight shirt, but all it does is push her tits out even more. And I’m an asshole for noticing.
Will releases Mia from his grip and leans forward to grab a bottle of vodka from the ice tub on the table in front of us. He sets it down on the table and reaches for three highball glasses, filling each of them with Absolut and cranberry.
What is this girly shit he’s making us?
Will hands a drink to Mia. “Try to have fun. It wouldn’t kill you.” Then, he passes one of the glasses to me, before taking a sip of his own.
“Stop nagging me, Will.” Mia lifts the glass to her lips and gulps down half the liquid in one swig. “Let me do my thing without babysitting me for once.”
Will cocks an eyebrow at Mia, his expression softening by the second. “Be careful. You know I worry about you.”
For as long as I have known Will, he has always treated Mia as if she’s a piece of fine China. Her parents treat her the same way. She’s not the delicate little girl I once knew. Not even close. So, why does he still treat her like a child? If Will had more confidence in his sister and her ability to handle herself, then he wouldn’t be up my ass about her all the time.
Mia pounds the rest of her drink and gets up from the couch. “I know, Will, and I will be fine. I can take care of myself. Now, if you don’t mind, I want to go downstairs and dance without you chaperoning me.”
Will sinks further into the couch and kicks his shoe up on the table. “Ethan is going with you.”
He glances at me as if he’s waiting for me to escort Mia. Not that I have an issue with dancing with her. But is he going to watch us? If so, I have to be careful what I say and do around her. Because dancing with Mia could be dangerous for us both.
“You coming with?” I ask Will.
He shakes his head. “No, I texted that girl I met last night. She should be here in a few. I also have the waitress to keep me company.” Will flashes a cocky smirk and then winks.
Will stole the better of the two girls from me last night, leaving me with the annoying friend who talked my ear off all night. She had irritated me to the point that I didn’t even want to kiss her. All she cared about was how much money I make and what it’s like to be a professional hockey player. That conversation gets old, as do the gold diggers.
So, I drank my ass off and hung out at the bar until it was time to head to Mia’s apartment. Knowing I would see Mia, I was somewhat on my best behavior. I didn’t want to smell of another woman. That would have given her another reason to hate me.
When we reach the dance floor, the club is in full swing. Sweat glistens off the bodies of those grinding on each other, the people surrounding us throwing elbows in our direction as we push our way through the crowd. I have to move Mia in front of me to keep her out of their reach. With my arm hooked around her stomach and my hand on her shoulder, I steer her deeper into the throng, out of Will’s line of sight.
He told me to dance with Mia. Will gave me his permission. Does that make this right? Fuck if I know. I’m so confused about the entire situation. Until I know if Mia could be more than just sex, I can’t cross the line. I cannot fuck up. I have done so much of that in my life as it is already. But what’s one more mistake?
We eventually find an open space in the middle of the floor, giving us just enough room to join our bodies together. Mia spins around so that we are facing, presses her palms to my chest, and looks up at me. Her bright blue eyes slice right through me, gutting me. Nothing around us matters. When I look at Mia, there’s only the beautiful girl I have had feelings for since I was in high school. Back then, I knew it was wrong. Now, it’s even more forbidden. But that’s part of what makes the idea of us so exciting.
My skin pricks with electricity when Mia slides her hands up my arms, gripping my biceps with her fingers. She begins to sway her hips with a sensual look in her eyes and digs her nails into my skin. We don’t need to exchange words. She wants me. I want her. There’s nothing left to say. But where is Will?
I glance over my shoulder and up at the balcony where we left Will and let out a sigh of relief that he’s not standing there. His date must have arrived by now and keeping him more than entertained. Good. Because I need Will distracted and drunk.
Mia turns around so that her back is facing me and rubs her ass on my thigh, slowly making her way to my growing erection. I’m thankful no one can see how turned on I am by Mia. And even more thankful that Will is not here to see this.
She knows what she’s doing, dropping low enough that I get a nice view of her ass. For a girl who never leaves the house, Mia sure has some moves. And she sure as fuck knows how to work her killer curves.
She wants me to touch her back, and yet I have my hands at my sides, allowing Mia to do what she wants to me. If only she knew just how much she’s doing. With Will not around, what could it hurt? What’s one dance?
I lean forward to whisper in her ear, and she stills from my breath on her skin. “Keep doing that, little lamb, and I’m going to bend you over and fuck you right here on this dance floor.”
Mia stops shaking her ass and tilts her head back so that our eyes meet. Sweat dots on her forehead and brows, her glassy blue eyes burning a hole through me. “I’d like to see you try, E.”
She hasn’t called E in years. Most of the time, it’s dickhead or douchebag.
Moving my hands to her hips, I pull her into my chest. “Is that a dare?”
She smiles in acknowledgment.
Game on.
11
Mia
What am I doing? Grinding on Ethan like some horny college girl at a bar is not my style. Not even close. So, why can’t I stop myself from rubbing my ass on his cock? I love it that Ethan is hard for me, of all people. For the girl who has been in love with him since we were kids. For his best friend’s little sister. His very off-limits sister.
I glance up at the balcony to check for Will. At least he hasn’t caught us. Yet. If we keep this shit up, it’s only a matter of time before Will figures out that the old feelings we once shared are back and stronger than ever.
Moving my hips back and forth to the music, I lean my head back and look up at Ethan. His thick muscles wrap around me, his hands moving down my sides. He stares at me with his mouth open, his teeth gently grazing his bottom lip. I want to bite it, suck it. Girls next to us are screaming at each other. One of them bumps into my arm. But neither of us can take our eyes off the other.
Under the heat from the lights and the steady pace we are maintaining, I am gasping for air. Or maybe Ethan is the one doing this to me. My skin burns from the fire that Ethan leaves in his wake. He pushes his hands down my body, feeling every curve. And I let him. Even though we should stop. We both know this is wrong.
When the song changes to a more techno beat, I work harder, move faster. Ethan dips down to brush his lips along my neck and tastes me. His tongue lightly grazes my skin, and as he does this, his manly scent burrows in my nostrils. I drink him in, allow myself to sense and feel everything about Ethan.
I reach behind me and drag my fingers down his chest until I find his hard cock. Ever since I saw him naked this morning, I wanted him. As much as I try to deny it, I am only lying to myself. He grows harder for me, filling up my hand, and does something I least expect. Ethan bites my neck, tugging at my flesh with his teeth.
At first, it hurts, but then I realize I like the pain. I want more. And Ethan gives it to me. My nipples are like daggers poking through the thin fabric of my shirt, and when Ethan slides his hand up my stomach to feel the tiny buds, I moan. So fucking loud I feel self-conscious. Until I realize no one can hear me. No one cares that we’re practically fucking on the dance floor. Oddly enough, no one has recognized Ethan. Shocking.
S
weat drips into my eyes and down my face, wetting my mascara. With the makeup and lights blinding me, I can hardly see the faces in front of me. So, I close my eyes and rest my head on Ethan’s chest. He’s so much bigger than me that no one can even see me, not with Ethan’s muscular frame covering me. Not when his hands and tongue claim their control over me.
Ethan has his back to the balcony, providing us with some form of privacy from my brother. By now, Will must be busy with his hookup of the hour. At least we have that going for us. I open my eyes to double check, turning just enough to see past Ethan’s shoulder to search for Will. All good. For now.
After the song switches over to a faster, more upbeat tempo, the crowd changes with it. Everyone is moving so quickly that their bodies and faces become one giant blur, a mess of hair and colors and swirled images. I’m not drunk, not even buzzed. Ethan has me high on him. One taste of what it would be like to be with Ethan is all it takes for me to be drunk on pleasure.
Ethan takes both of my arms and holds them behind my back, restraining me. I look up at him, lost in him and the moment and wishing it would never end. But hours pass by whether want them to or not. I have no concept of time. All I know is that my core has been aching with desire since we got on this dance floor. However long that has been.
Now holding my arms with one hand, Ethan pushes the hair off my neck and cups my chin in his other hand. He plants a trail of kisses along my jaw, before making his way to my mouth. As he pulls down my bottom lip with his thumb, Ethan wets his lips. And then he goes in for the kill as if he’s the predator, and I’m his prey.
His lips crash into mine with so much intensity and passion that I almost lose my balance. But Ethan is there to catch me, pinning me against his chest. He takes my lip and sucks on it, tugging at it with his teeth. I like the pain that shoots down my arms. I love the way he makes me crave this closeness. When Ethan sweeps his tongue into my mouth, I melt into him, as if our bodies are fused together as one.
I waited ten years for this kiss. Ten years for this man to touch me in ways I’d only dreamed. Ethan is no longer a dream. But the idea of us together is nothing more than a façade. Will would never be okay with us. So, we have tonight. One night to make up for the last ten years of longing.
We stay that way until the strobe lights go out and the crowd dies down along with the music. Ethan finally lets go of me, holding me at arm's length. He studies my face and shakes his head.
“I wish I would have done that ten years ago,” he says. “I wish a lot of things.”
“Me, too,” I confess. “Why did we wait this long?”
He frowns as if the Ethan I had all night is gone. “You know why.”
I nod. “Will.”
There’s nothing left to say.
Ethan leads me upstairs by the hand, his touch sending shockwaves throughout my body, followed by sadness. Now that I’ve had Ethan, I want more. Reality sucks ass.
When we reach the top landing, we find Will making out with two blondes in the VIP area. Bottles of alcohol are on the table, the floor littered with cups and shakers. What the fuck happened up here? One girl is grinding on my brother with his legs squeezed between her skinny thighs. And they’re both kissing the other girl.
“I think I’m gonna be sick.” I lean into Ethan and whisper, “Are they having sex?”
He tilts his head to the side as if he’s not sure. “Umm…I don’t think so. But who knows with your brother.”
“Maybe we should leave. This is kinda gross. I can’t stay here and watch my brother fuck random chicks in public. What the hell is wrong with him?”
I turn on my heel, slipping out of Ethan’s grip, and he comes up from behind me. He grips my hips to keep me in place, leaning down to speak against the shell of my ear. “Stay here. I’ll take care of your brother. Don’t move, okay?”
I sigh. “Okay.”
Sadly, this is not the first time I’ve seen my brother with two or even three girls. He’s a serious manwhore, always has been. His popularity with women only worsened when he became a professional hockey player. Will has been in the newspaper with different girls dozens of times. And every time my mom dies of shame. To some extent, so do I.
But that also makes me a hypocrite, because I practically allowed Ethan to fuck me on the dance floor. I would have let him, too. That’s the sad part. Even though he was rough and aggressive, I could feel his restraint. He didn’t want to take things with us too far. His hesitation was evident, and every so often one of us would look over our shoulders to check for Will, reminding us that what we were doing is forbidden. Wrong. So wrong that it felt right.
After a few minutes, Ethan comes back from talking to Will with a smile on his handsome face. “Ready to go? Will is going home with those girls. He said not to wait up.”
“Oh, okay.”
He flashes the cockiest of grins as if he has a hidden agenda. Then, it hits me. We have my apartment to ourselves for the night. And now, I’m smiling like a fucking fool, our expressions mirroring each other.
12
Mia
On the Uber ride back to my apartment, Ethan has his hands all over me. But he doesn’t kiss me. We don’t even look at each other. He slides his hand up my thighs and feels every inch of my exposed skin, forcing me to bite the inside of my cheek to be quiet. It was one thing to feel each other up in a crowded club, but not with a private audience in the front seat.
When the car stops, Ethan forks over a wad of cash and thanks the driver. He helps me out of the car, and by the time he gets me outside, he has me over his shoulder.
“What are you doing, E?” I push down the back of my skirt, as he shuts the door and waves to the man.
“You were moving too slow, and I have plans for you that cannot wait.”
His deep, masculine voice produces an aching within me that I cannot ignore. I burrow my face in the crook of his neck, no longer wanting to fight him. As much as I want him to put me down, I allow Ethan to carry me over the threshold.
He holds out his hand. “Give me your keys.”
I retrieve the ring from my purse.
Inside the three-story brownstone, a narrow hallway to the right leads to a set of doors. Each floor has two apartments, with the smallest ones on the lower floors. The walls are painted stark white with lights overhead that cast a yellowish hue around us. This early in the morning my neighbors are either still out partying or in bed. Half the building is filled with people my age, while the other half are retirement age and fast asleep.
Given Ethan’s athletic build, he has no problem taking the stairs two at a time, as if it’s nothing. He’s a big guy, and in his arms, I feel safe, secure. Ethan manhandles me like I’m a doll. He sets me on the floor to fumble with the keys, opening the door and kicking it shut before he lifts me up again.
As Ethan pushes my back into the door, I wrap my legs around his middle and slide my hands up his chest. Holding me tight, his lips crash against mine with a fury. I hadn’t realized how much I missed his touch until now. More like I craved him. The second our mouths had separated at the club I wanted more. Now, I have it. All of him.
Ethan kisses me, our tongues working in harmony as one. He invades my mouth with a vicious hunger, ten years of pent up sexual desire exploding at once. And I feel every one of those years. He tells me with his body how much he’s wanted this. Claims me with each flick of his tongue. Possesses me with each finger he digs into my side.
After what feels like an hour, our lips part, both of us out of breath and panting. Ethan cups the side of my face with his big hand and sighs. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this, Mia.”
“Me, too.” I barely get the words out.
He shakes his head. “Too fucking long.”
We stare at each other, a beat passing between us before he pushes my panties aside to run his finger along my slick folds. Testing my wetness, Ethan slides his finger in and out of me and makes a hissing sound.
�
��So wet. So fucking tight. Damn, Mia, what are you doing to me? I thought I could control myself with you. I have to control myself. But I can’t.”
“Then don’t,” I whisper.
“Don’t say that. I want to fuck you on every surface of this apartment. I want my cock inside every part of you. I want it all.”
I press my finger to his lips to silence him. “Will is out for the night. We get one night. One night to fuck and forget. One night to get this out of our systems.”
“Your brother would never forgive me. He flipped out over me touching your leg at the interview.”
“He doesn’t need to know, E. It’s just you and me. Maybe my neighbors will hear us, but I don’t give a shit about what they think. The couple next door to me is loud as fuck most of the time.”
He laughs. So do I.
We share a short-lived moment where it’s just Mia and E, the boy I fell in love with ten years ago. This is the Ethan Waters I know. Deep down inside it hurts knowing that tonight can never be more than a fling. But having Ethan for one night is better than not at all.
He kisses me again, but this time as if he’s saying goodbye. Tightening my grip on his back and neck, I hold onto Ethan for dear life, afraid of losing any contact with him. I take all his anger and pain, absorb his sadness and fear because his emotions mirror mine. We both want more. But we can’t have it.
Ethan carries me to the kitchen, with my legs still around his back and my nails clawing at his neck. We don’t even bother to separate our lips until my ass hits the countertop. I don’t even think. I act on instinct, working on the buttons of his navy dress shirt. I flip them open one at a time, and when I get to the last button, Ethan shakes it off.
He plucks a condom from his pocket, before taking off his pants and boxers, and rips the package open. I push up my skirt, slide my panties down to my ankles, and let them drop to the floor.
Ethan wets his lips as he takes in the sight of me. Staring at me like a ravenous beast, he sinks to the floor in front of me, parting my legs with his strong hands.
More than Roommates Page 7
