Chapter 26
Mia
A pparently, I’m a pantser, even a mood writer if that’s a thing. My attempt to outline my other book failed miserably, but this new story is flowing. Sitting at my favorite spot at Marie’s café, where the sunlight is just perfect. I’m trying to focus on the page in front of me, but my mind keeps drifting back to last night with Jake.
We curled up on the couch watching a movie. His head leaned against the armchair, mine nestled against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. His arms snug around my waist, and our legs tangled together. I was warm all over, and an odd giddy rush went through me. The musky scent of him mixed with lavender was overwhelming. I was aware as never before of the working of my flesh.
His finger traced lazy circles on my back, his touch sending tiny electric waves down my spine. His hand slipped between my thighs before he slid my panties aside and entered me slowly. My breath caught in my throat as he began his slow torturous pace, that was unnerving and intoxicating.
His eyes remained fixed on the screen; the movie's dialogue mixed with our heavy breathing. “ Keep your eyes on the screen, baby. You don’t want to miss the movie ,” he whispered, a playful command that made it even more difficult to focus on anything but his slow and deep thrust.
I tried to focus on the images on the screen, but it was nearly impossible with the overwhelming sensations he stirred in me. A soft moan escaped him, mingling with mine, and barely audible over the sound of the TV. It felt so good, yet I needed more, I needed release. I squirmed, trying to adjust to find that sweet release, but his arms tightened around me, his grip firm, holding me exactly where he wanted.
“ Please, I need more. ” T he words slipped out as a plea.
“ More what, princess? ” His movements slow, tantalizingly grazing that perfect spot, pushing me closer to the edge, yet still so far from where I needed to be.
“ Please, I need to cum .” My words were desperate as the tension kept unbearably building within me.
He chuckled , a sound that was dark and smooth as velvet . “ S ince you asked so nicely, like a good girl . ” H is soft growl that filled the air.
He shifted, bending his legs up, moving faster, harder. My hand clung to his shoulder as he drove into me, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body. My entire being tensed as an ecstasy surged like a supernova exploding within. I shattered into countless shimmering fragments, each wave of my climax scattering light across the dark canvas of my closed eyelids. The next thing I remembered was waking up this morning in my bed. I must have fallen asleep right after.
How can I go back to regular cuddling after this? He is ruining me for anyone else. I shut my laptop, a little harder than intended. I can’t write like this.
Marie comes over with a freshly baked cookie, placing it in front of me. “Looks like you need this,” she says with a knowing smile. “Why are you attacking the poor device?”
“Nothing,” I sigh.
“Want to talk about it? I’m a good listener,” she offers softly, taking the seat across from me.
Maybe talking will help. “I’m staying with this guy for the summer,” I start. “It’s been amazing. We’ve been enjoying each other's company, just like we agreed. Nothing serious.”
Marie waits silently, giving me space to find the words. “It’s just… We have less than two weeks left and I’m not ready for it to end. But it was clear from the beginning that it was just for the summer.” My chest tightens with the reality that we have little time left.
“Have you talked to him about how you feel?”
“No, and I don’t think it would change anything. He doesn’t do relationships, and I can’t keep being casual with him once the summer ends.”
I pause to watch a couple having coffee together.
“I want love, real relationships—the kind that makes your heartbeat wildly or fills your stomach with butterflies. But he doesn’t.” The words spilling out more freely now.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she says. “But sometimes talking can make a difference. It doesn’t hurt to try.”
She might be right, but I’m not ready to face that conversation yet. I don’t want to risk the little time we have left.
“Thanks for listening, and for the cookie.” I smiled at her.
“You’re welcome, dear. It’s my pleasure.” She stands up to leave. Then stop, turning around to look at me. “I almost forgot to give you this.” She takes something out of her apron that looks like an old book. “It’s an old journal. Remember the couple I mentioned? This is her journal. Maybe it will help with your mysterious waterfall.”
I grab the journal from her. It’s old and brown, with a worn cover. I stare at it as she walks away. Slowly, I open it, noticing the faded cursive handwriting inside. It’s a bit hard to read, but I can make it out. I’m about to start reading when I receive a text message.
Jake: Hey, where are you? You’ve been gone all morning?
I read it with a wry smile tugs at my lips. Speaking of the sweet devil.
Mia: I’m at the cafe. I should be back soon.
Jake: Why didn’t you wake me up before you left?
Mia: What, did you miss me or something?
Jake: I miss our morning sex. (winking emoji)
Of course that’s all he missed.
Instead of responding, I pack up my laptop and put the journal in my backpack, and head back to the cabin. Pulling up, I notice Sarah and Alex’s cars outside. I had almost forgotten they were coming over.
I step inside, and the house is eerily quiet. They must be in the back. I drop my bag on the kitchen island and follow their conversations coming from outside.
Peeking through the slide door, I see them lounging by the pool, which reflects the clear blue sky and the mountains behind them. “Are you and Mia a thing now?” Alex asks as he lounges comfortably with his hands under his head.
They haven’t noticed me yet.
“Why is everyone suddenly so interested in me and Mia?” Jake sighs, his frustration audible. “I’ve already told Sarah—Mia and I are just enjoying the summer. That’s it.”
“So y’all just forget about each other in a couple of weeks like nothing happened?” Alex presses, not letting go.
“I… I don’t know, maybe we can stay friends.”
My heart sinks in my stomach at his words. It’s the truth, but it still hurts. I turn to walk away but Sarah notices me. “Hey, Mia, you’re back.”
“Hey, guys.” I step out with a forced smile plastered on my face. Our eyes lock, his gaze piercing, searching for something in mine. I break away first, taking a seat next to Alex instead of him. I focus on the mountain view, finding some comfort in its steady presence.
“We have pizza, wings and beers.” Alex points out towards the table loaded with food. “Beers are in the fridge,” he adds.
“I’ll start with the beer.” I get up to walk inside.
“I’ll grab it for you,” Jakes offers quickly.
“It’s okay. I need to change anyway. I’ll grab it on my way back,” I reply, brushing off his offer.
“I’ll come with you.” Sarah links her arms with mine, and we head upstairs to my room, closing the door behind us. She sits on the bed in her black one-piece bathing suit, which highlights her slim figure perfectly.
I open my drawer and pull out a yellow two-piece bikini. “You, okay?” Sarah asks from behind me.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I force a smile as I put on my bikini top.
Sarah watches me for a second in the mirror. “We’re friends, right? I know we don’t know each other that well, but I like you.”
Smiling, I look at her reflection. “I like you too and yes, we’re friends.” I sigh as I adjust my bikini.
“So talk to me, you don’t look fine.”
“I’m just not ready for the summer to end.” The words spill out heavier than intended. Being here with Jake, he has a way of making me forget everything, my mom, my dad, and the freaking book I need to finish. When I’m with him, everything else fades until there’s nothing but him.
“Is it because of Jake?” Her eyes watch me closely in the mirror.
“Yes, and no,” I admit, pulling my shorts over my bikini bottoms. “Being here has allowed me to escape everything else. Going back means facing all of those issues again. And yes… I’m going to miss Jake.”
How his smile brightens my darkest thoughts, how his touch seems to speak directly to my soul. I’m not ready to let go, not ready to return to a world where he isn’t my everyday. I push the feeling down, locking it away where it can’t hurt me—for now.
“I see the way he looks at you. Even if he doesn’t want to admit it, I know he has feelings for you too.”
“Jake doesn’t do feelings. He made that clear.” The idea of him having feelings for me is too dangerous to hope for.
“Men are stupid sometimes. Maybe you should talk to him and tell him how you feel.” She’s the second person today who has told me to talk to him. Maybe they’re right, or maybe talking to him will only confirm what I already know. My mom always told me that men are simple creatures and if they want you, you’d never have to guess. If Jake wanted more with me, he would tell me.
I don’t want to think about that right now, I just want to have a drink and have fun. “Come on, let’s go have some fun.” I tug Sarah’s hand and pull her off the bed, eager to end this conversation. “Do we have something better than beer, possibly something that doesn’t taste like goat piss.”
“Oh my God,” Sarah burst out laughing, “how on earth would you know what that tastes like?”
“I imagine just like beer.” We both laugh as we descend the stairs.
“Yes, we have whiskey,” she says as we walk in the kitchen.
“Awesome.” I grin, opening the fridge, and looking for the passion fruit juice I bought last week. I take that out, and some ice from the dispenser while Sarah gets the glasses. And of course, we can’t forget the whiskey. We head back outside to rejoin the guys, the late afternoon sun warming my skin.
His green eyes observe my approach, scanning me thoroughly, and making my steps clumsy. We settle everything down on the table as I mix the passion fruit with whiskey over ice.
Sarah hands a drink to Alex and I extend the other to Jake, our fingers linger on the glass before I pull away. I watch as he takes a sip of his drink. “This is good, how’d you come up with the idea?” His eyebrows raise.
“It’s my cousin’s favorite.” I smile, ignoring the flurry of bird wings flapping wildly in my stomach.
“It’s good,” he says before taking another sip. I sit on the lounge chair between Alex and Sarah.
After a few minutes, Jake jumps in the pool and Sarah joins him to see who’s the fastest swimmer. Alex and I laugh as we watch them. Turning to Alex, I catch his gaze fixes on Sarah, a mix of longing and something deeper, shadowing his features.
“How long have you been in love with her?” I whisper, nudging him with my elbow.
He flinches, clearly surprised, his gray eyes snapping to mine. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I tilt my head, raising my eyebrows.
“Is it that obvious?” he sighs, his shoulders sagging.
“To someone who is paying attention, yes.”
“Since forever, I guess.” His eyes find her like a magnet.
“You should tell her how you feel.” I touch his arm.
He shakes his head. “And ruin our friendship? Besides, she has a boyfriend.” His gaze drops to his hands as he fiddles with his drink. My eyes trace the detailed tattoo sleeve covering his arm, a compass rose that spreads across the entire limb, with a delicate crown resting atop the compass.
“I still think you should,” I insist, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.
He chuckles, a bit ruefully, and looks up at me. “So, you told Jake that you’re in love with him?”
I stiffen, my heart skipping a beat. “I’m not…in love with him,” I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly, a flush creeping up my neck.
He stares at me with a knowing look.
“I’m not,” I say, firmer this time before standing up and brushing off the imaginary dust off my shorts.
I glance at the pool where Jake is already watching me. His eyes send electric waves straight to my chest that make my heart beat faster.
“I need another drink,” I mutter, ignoring Alex's knowing eyes and Jake’s intense stare. I make myself another drink, this time more whiskey than juice. Then, another as the evening blurs into a dusky haze. I’m getting tipsy and the quiet is getting on my nerves.
Why is there no music?
I connect my phone to the surround sound system, and the first song that blasts through the speakers is ICU by Coco Jones. Maybe it’s the whiskey making me bold, but I start dancing like nobody's watching. As I turn around, my eyes catch his, and he’s definitely watching. His gaze, hot like sun at its zenith, scorches across the pool and lands squarely on me. Every moment we spent together, every touch, and every look plays back in my mind like a movie. Something in the way he looks at me says he’s right there with me connecting by an invisible strand.
He pulls himself out of the pool, water droplets dripping off his body, each muscle defined and glistening under the moonlight. His approach is slow, deliberate, making every second stretch. He pulls me back against his chest, his body still damp.
“You know what you do to me when you move your body like that.” His teeth catch the lobe of my ear. His breath, warm and intoxicating, mixing with the music, pulses through my veins, making my skin tingle with anticipation.
My hands rest on his arms, and his fingers interlace with mine. “Keep dancing,” he whispers against my ear as Coco Jones continues to play through the speakers. His hand finds its way inside my pants, stroking me through my soaked bikini.
My fingers dig into his forearm, my breath hitching at the sensation. “What about Sarah and Alex?”
“They went to grab more food and drinks,” he says. I hadn’t even noticed them leave, but I wouldn’t have been able to stop him even if they were still here. His touch strips away all my control; everything else fades, leaving only the sensation he provokes. My fingers clutch his bicep.
“Are you upset with me?” His finger continues to stroke me through the fabric.
“No,” I exhale sharply, my body tensing and relaxing in waves under his skilled touch. My free hand clutches at his thigh, trying to anchor myself.
“You sure? Because you’ve been ignoring me,” he observes, sliding two fingers inside, as if to underline his point.
My back arches, pressing closer into his embrace, our bodies hidden by the shadowy light. From a distance, it looks like we’re still dancing. My hands grip his wrist, both pushing and pulling, unable to decide.
“I wasn’t,” I pant out as he thrusts deeper, my body grinding against his fingers as he hits just the right spot. My legs wobble with the building pressure, and I clutch at his arm for support.
“We got tacos and drinks,” Alex announces, oblivious to the scene. I look up over Jake’s shoulder, his back facing them as they walk towards us.
Jake quickly removes his fingers, stepping back as I pull away. I stagger slightly, still flushed from my release. He casually licks his fingers, savoring the taste, the sly grin on his face visible only to me in the dim light. My hands smooth down my hair and adjust my clothes, trying to compose myself, grateful for the shadows that hide my flushed face.
I laugh, a genuine burst of amusement that sets Alex off too. He doesn’t know why I’m laughing, but it’s contagious, and soon Sarah joins in, her laughter mingling with ours. I cover my mouth, trying to stifle the giggles, my shoulders shaking.
“What did I miss?” she asks through her giggles.
I shake my head, still smiling, feeling a mix of exhilaration and secrecy. “It’s nothing.”
Maybe it’s the alcohol, the music, or that freaking orgasm, but whatever happens after this, I’ll never forget this summer. It’s been the best fucking summer of my life, even if I leave with a broken heart.
I was never the girl who just had fun, but I like this version of myself.