Chapter 8 #2
"Okay," I say after some careful ponderation, turning to look at Mia. She meets my gaze steadily, her expression calm and collected despite the tension in the air between us all. "What do you suggest?"
Ryan considers this for a moment before speaking again.
"I want you to leave," he says simply. "Both of you. Mia too."
"What?" she exclaims, sounding just as shocked as I feel. "Why would we do that?"
He shrugs nonchalantly, but I can see the calculation in his eyes.
"Because it's the only way I'll ever be able to trust you again," he says.
I'm not sure I understand his reasoning, but I don't stop him.
"I need time—time away from both of you—to figure out how I really feel about this whole thing.
" He pauses, then adds, "And maybe, with a huge amount of luck, when we're all a little less emotional and a little more rational, we can talk about it without wanting to kill each other. "
He's projecting, but I don't say that. I'd never hurt him.
Mia looks at me uncertainly, and I can see the concern in her eyes. She's not sure if this is really what Ryan wants or if he's just trying to get rid of us for his own reasons.
But as I look between my best friend and the woman I love, I know that this is our only chance to make things right between us all.
"Okay," I finally say, making up my mind. "We'll go." I turn to Mia, who still looks unconvinced. I know it's a difficult thing to do, but beggars can't be choosers. "But we're not going far—just enough distance for Ryan to feel like he has the space he needs."
She nods slowly, her expression softening slightly as she realizes that this might really be our best option. I can't think of anything else we could do.
"Fine," she says, turning back to face her brother once more. "But only if you promise to keep in touch and tell us how you're feeling as soon as you can."
Ryan looks between the two of us for a long moment before sighing and nodding reluctantly. "I will," he promises. "But it might take some time, especially with work keeping me busy."
Mia nods, accepting this compromise even though I know she's still worried about what all of this means for our relationship.
◆◆◆
The drive back from the airport is tense, to say the least. Ryan asking us to stay away for God knows how long hangs heavy in the air between us like an unwanted third passenger.
Mia keeps stealing glances at me, showing concern and frustration, while I struggle to keep my hands on the steering wheel instead of reaching out to comfort her.
The further we get from the airport, though, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing tension between us—the kind that has nothing to do with Ryan or his ultimatum. It's been building since we left her parents' house this morning, and I don't know for how much longer we can keep ignoring it.
I can see Mia squirming in her seat beside me as she shifts uncomfortably, and I know she feels it too.
Fuck. This is unbearable.
As if sensing my thoughts, Mia reaches out, placing a tentative hand on my thigh. The simple contact sends a jolt of electricity through me, and I have to bite back a groan at the feeling of her touch.
"Pull over," she commands.
"What?" I ask, startled by the unexpected request as I glance sideways at her. "Why?"
She doesn't answer, instead squeezing my thigh gently with her fingers and letting them drift dangerously close to where I'm already painfully hard just from being this close to her.
"Mia," I warn, gripping the steering wheel tighter in an attempt to maintain some semblance of control. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."
But we are still animals, despite our intelligence, I realize. All animals get uncontrollable urges sometimes.
Mia laughs softly, a sound that's both sexy and infuriating all at once. "Who cares if it is or not?" she teases, her fingers moving higher up my thigh until they're almost—but not quite—touching me where I ache for her most.
I growl low in my throat, torn between wanting to pull the car over immediately and finish what Mia started, or maintaining some semblance of self-control and waiting until we reach the hotel we booked.
In the end, it's Mia who decides for us.
She leans over, her hand still on my thigh as she reaches up with her other one to grasp the back of my neck, pulling me towards her so that our lips meet in a needy kiss.
The suddenness of it takes my breath away, and I can't help but respond, kissing her back with equal fervor as we pull apart slightly before coming together again.
The car swerves briefly as we lose ourselves in the moment, but I manage to correct my course just in time to avoid an accident—although I'm not entirely sure how we make it to the shoulder of the road without crashing into something.
As soon as we come to a halt, Mia pulls back slightly, breaking our kiss and looking around with a nervous expression on her face.
"What if someone sees us?" she asks breathlessly, licking her lips nervously. Wait, now she's worried about that?
Regardless of what she's thinking, I shrug, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath. "You want this, so let them look," I say, reaching out to pull her towards me once more. "I don't care who knows we're together."
Mia doesn't need any further encouragement; she straddles my lap in one fluid movement, her skirt hiking up around her thighs as she grinds against me through the fabric of our clothes. The friction feels amazing, but it's not enough—I need more.
I reach down between us, pulling at the hem of Mia's skirt until I can finally get my hands on her bare skin underneath. She gasps as my fingers find their way inside her panties, stroking her hot, wet center.
"So ready for me already," I groan, sliding one finger inside her easily before adding a second to stretch her even more. "I love how responsive you are."
Mia moans loudly, burying her face in my neck as she rocks against my hand, seeking her climax. The sound of her pleasure sends a jolt of desire through me, and I know that I need to be inside her right now or risk losing control completely.
"Off," I growl, tugging at the waistband of Mia's panties until she gets the message and lifts up enough for me to pull them down over her hips and off entirely. She kicks them away carelessly before reaching between us to unzip my pants and free my aching cock from its confines.
"Fuck," I groan as her fingers wrap around me, stroking me slowly while she positions herself above me. "That feels too good."
She grins wickedly, guiding the head of my cock to her entrance before sinking down onto me in one smooth motion. We both moan loudly at the feeling of finally being connected again.
"God, you feel so fucking good," I say, my voice ragged as Mia begins to move on top of me, setting a slow but steady pace that drives me wild with desire.
She leans back slightly, her hands resting on my shoulders for balance as she grinds against me, taking me deeper with each thrust. The position allows me to watch her tits bounce and sway with every movement, and I can't help but reach out to cup one in my hand, kneading the soft flesh gently before moving up to tweak her nipple between my thumb and forefinger.
Mia gasps, arching her back as she speeds up her movements, chasing her release faster now. Her nails dig into my shoulders, marking me through my shirt as she uses me for leverage.
"Yes," I hiss, encouraging her on despite the slight pain. "Fuck yes, Mia. Ride me harder."
She does as I say, her hips moving faster and more erratically now as she gets closer to orgasm. I can feel it building inside me too, a familiar tension that's threatening to snap at any moment.
I reach down between us again, finding her clit with my fingers and rubbing circles around the sensitive bud while I thrust up into her from below.
The added stimulation is enough to send Mia over the edge, and she comes with a loud cry, her pussy clamping down around me as wave after wave of pleasure washes through her.
Feeling her climax sets off mine too, and I come hard inside her, my cock pulsing as I fill her completely while she rides out her orgasm on top of me.
As we both come back down to earth, Mia leans forward again, resting her forehead against mine as we catch our breath together. Her lips curve up into a soft smile as she looks at me, and I know that this—us like this, together after everything—is what I've been fighting for all along.
"I love you," I whisper, reaching up to cup her cheek gently in my hand. I could say that an infinite number of times and it would feel different every time.
She leans into the touch, her eyes welling up with tears. "I love you too," she whispers back before pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
We sit like that for a while longer, just enjoying each other's company and basking in the afterglow. Eventually, though, reality comes crashing back in, and we know that it's time to get moving again.
But for now, all I can think about is how fucking lucky I am to have Mia in my life—and how determined I am to keep her there forever.