9. Mia
9
MIA
There has been a forklift blocking the street for most of the day as Theo has materials delivered.
I haven’t spoken to him since our interaction at the hardware store yesterday, and honestly, I think it might be better this way. We’ll both work on our separate projects and then, when Theo eventually finishes his, he’ll move on to something else. I’ll stay here in my bed and breakfast and make it the most successful one that’s ever been run.
And we won’t have to see each other ever again.
I step out on the back porch, which is mostly shaded by this time of day, and settle down on the rocker with a glass of ice-cold sweet tea.
I glance over at Theo’s property casually to see what sort of materials are being delivered and if they’re almost done with the unloading.
I’m pretending that I’m looking at my phone, because I don’t want anyone over there to think I could be interested in what’s happening. But the truth is I can’t help but let my eyes wander over there every few minutes.
Theo is outside, and he’s wearing “work clothes.” His jeans are smudged with dirt. He’s wearing a T-shirt, but that’s smudged, too. Every time he moves a certain way, I think he’s about to take off his shirt. I want to see his smooth, muscled chest, the one I felt but didn’t see the other night.
It’s hard not to notice the way he moves with confidence, directing the delivery of materials, talking with his contractors, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. His shirt is drenched with sweat within a matter of fifteen minutes, and it’s sticking to his well-defined muscles. I can’t help but wonder how easily he would be able to pick me up and put me wherever he wanted.
I take a sip of my sweet tea, feeling the cold liquid slide down my throat, but it doesn’t take away the heat that swells every time Theo calls out an order or grabs something heavy and moves it himself.
I want to be angry with him, but I can’t deny that Theo is still incredibly attractive. The years have only refined his rugged good looks, and the way he carries himself now is… Well, it’s stirring feelings I’d rather not acknowledge.
Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to explore the physical connection between us. We never had the chance as teenagers, and there’s an undeniable chemistry simmering beneath our arguments. I let my mind wander to the possibility of something physical.
I just imagine Theo turning and striding over to my porch. He would pick me up and whisper in my ear, “I think all this work has made us sweaty. Let’s shower together.”
And I would agree wholeheartedly. We’d go inside, and I would watch him strip naked and step into the stream of water. My mouth has gone dry just thinking about Theo showering, and I reach for my glass of sweet tea.
When I turn to Theo again, he looks up and catches me staring. Our eyes lock for a moment, and I quickly look away, feeling my cheeks flush. When I glance back, he’s already making his way over to my back porch. I have only a couple of seconds to gather myself so I don’t sound like some love-desperate teenager.
Leaning casually against the far side of the porch’s railing, he says, “Hey, Mia. Enjoying the show?”
I roll my eyes, trying to appear unaffected. “Just wondering when you’ll be done blocking the street. Some of us have things to do, you know.”
Theo chuckles, his grin infuriatingly charming. “I’ll make sure we’re out of your way soon. Just getting the last of the materials delivered. Then, the forklift and truck will be gone at least, though they’ll be here another few months.” Theo motions to a group of men who are maneuvering an excavator across the property.
I take another sip of my tea because my throat is feeling so, so dry. “Well, at least the constant beeping will be done. Some of us who live on this street don’t enjoy all the constant noise.”
He raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by my attempt to sound stern. “You mean the constant noise of turning an old house into a bed and breakfast?”
I glare at him, but there’s no real heat behind it. “At least my renovations aren’t inconveniencing the entire neighborhood. I think if you surveyed everyone on this street, you would win ‘most annoying’ of the two of us.”
“Sexiest, most hard-working, or most generous to the community maybe, but most annoying?”
I nod, sticking by what I said. “We could start canvassing the neighborhood right now. And sexiest? We both know I would win that.”
Theo shrugs, and I’m not sure how I feel about the way his eyes slowly scan my body. “Oh, come on. Admit it. You’ve been watching us all day. I think that says something about who might or might not win.”
I scoff, but I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “Don’t flatter yourself, Theo. I have better things to do. I’ve been painting. Am I not allowed to come out on my back porch and have a glass of tea without being accused of spying on my neighbor?”
“Sure, you’ve got lots of important things to do. Drinking tea is clearly one of them. Staring at your neighbor is another. Did you want me to take off my shirt? Is that it? Is that what you’ve been waiting for?”
“Oh, I’m not waiting for anything except peace and quiet, which judging by the pace you’re moving, won’t come for the rest of my lifetime.” My eyes linger on Theo’s torso, because even though I ignored his question about wanting him to take his shirt off, I know exactly what the answer is. It’s a resounding yes. I want him to take every shred of clothing off.
I want him to whisk me away upstairs, and… But these thoughts are dangerous. They’ll make me do something I’ll regret if I’m not careful.
Theo laughs, a deep, genuine sound that sends a shiver down my spine. “I’m glad I can at least keep things interesting for you.”
“Interesting isn’t the word I’d use,” I mutter, though my heart isn’t in the insult.
We stand there, a comfortable silence settling between us. Then, I realize I should probably offer Theo some tea even though I don’t know whether he likes it. Even though offering him tea might indicate I’m offering him something else. Even though he’s my sworn enemy.
“Let me get you a glass of tea,” I offer. I stand up and leave my own glass on the little white, wooden table and head inside to get some for Theo. Inside, I have a moment to gather my thoughts without Theo’s piercing eyes reading them.
I return, holding a cold glass of sweet tea in front of me.
To my surprise, Theo has settled into the second rocker, the small table the only barrier between us. I hand over his glass of tea, and he murmurs a thanks before gulping it down.
“I like it when a woman takes care of her man, you know.”
I raise an eyebrow at that comment. “Well, first of all, you’re not my man.”
“And secondly?”
“What?”
“You said ‘first of all.’ That means you must have another reason why you don’t like what I said.”
“Well, second of all, you’re annoying so you could never be my man.” The words feel harsh as soon as I’ve said them, but I don’t know how else to protect myself from the danger that being around Theo presents.
“Oh, really, is that what you call how wet I made you just by kissing you? Was that annoying?”
My cheeks flush, and it’s not related to the heat.
“Do you want to experiment with that again? I kiss you, and you keep yourself from getting wet. Challenge.”
“That’s not even a challenge.”
“Oh?” Theo’s voice has dropped a few octaves, and he’s leaning forward. All I would have to do would be lean forward a couple of inches, and we would be kissing. “So, you think it would be easy? How about we kiss for two straight minutes, then I get to put my fingers in your panties and see if you’re wet? Deal?”
But I can’t take him up on it because I’m already getting wet. I can feel my pussy tightening at the thought of him touching me, and it takes a good twenty seconds for me to remember how to speak. I have to try to form an answer for him.
“No deal.”
“Why not? Too afraid you’d lose?”
“Maybe,” I admit.
Theo laughs. “I could offer you a new deal if you want. You and I kiss for two minutes, and if you’re wet after two minutes, I’ll take you in any position you want.”
Theo is not mincing words. He wants to have sex with me, and I want to explore it, too. I want to explore his body and see what he looks like when he comes. I want him to make me feel as good as he did the other night.
I open my mouth to answer, but then, one of Theo’s contractors calls out, breaking the spell.
“Hey, Theo! We’ve got a problem here.”
As soon as the contractor approaches our property line to shout at Theo, I hear a pop. Water starts gushing like an open fire hydrant over the back quarter of Theo’s property.
“Damn it!” Theo shouts as he leaps off my porch. He hurries over to the men, and a heated conversation I can't hear very well starts to take place.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I rise from my chair, moving closer to the property line to get a better look at what’s happening. I see the contractor gesturing frantically to a spot where they’ve been digging. The water is not slow, and I wonder what the excavator has damaged.
As the men scramble to contain the situation, I feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. The water is pooling rapidly, and I realize with a jolt that it’s heading straight for my property. I hurry back to my porch, my heart pounding as the water begins to seep into my yard.
This isn’t just something funny that’s happening to him.
“Hey, Theo!” I shout, trying to get his attention. “That water is coming into my yard!”
He looks up, his expression one of alarm. “Damn it,” he mutters again, before rushing over to assess the situation.
I watch helplessly as the water continues to spread, soaking into the ground and creating a muddy mess. Theo and his crew are doing their best to contain it, but it’s clear the damage is done.
I can’t let anxiety hit me, because it can be overwhelming when I start to worry about something. Instead, I grab our empty glasses and take them inside. I’m going to wash them and put them away while Theo deals with the water. He’ll be able to fix it.
But when I turn on my tap, nothing is coming out. I shut the sink off then turn it back on, but nothing more than a dribble comes out.
This is serious, then. I hurry to the hall bathroom and try that sink, too. Nothing. Theo and his crew have really done something now.