Chapter 6
Jake
The shrill ring of my phone jolts me awake, pulling me from the most amazing dream where I was still wrapped around Mia, our bodies joined as we rode out the waves of our pleasure together.
I groggily reach for it, knocking over a half-empty bottle of water in the process. When I finally locate it buried under last night's clothes, I see Ryan's name flashing on the screen. Fuck. He always calls at the worst times.
"Morning," I grumble into the phone, trying my best to sound normal despite the fact that his little sister is currently sleeping next to me, naked and gorgeous, with her long hair splayed out across the pillow like a dark halo.
"Hey, man. Just checking in on you both," Ryan says, completely oblivious to the fact that 'both' now has an entirely different meaning than it did yesterday morning. "How's it going?"
"It's… fine," I hedge, looking down at Mia. She stirs slightly at my voice, her eyes fluttering open to meet mine. I put a finger to my lips, silencing whatever question she was about to ask.
"Just fine?" Ryan asks, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Come on, Jake. Give me something more than that."
I clear my throat, trying to think of something—anything—that doesn't involve Mia's naked body or the sound of her moans echoing through the room last night. "The house is fine," I finally say. "Mia's… adjusting to being back home."
Ryan laughs softly. "Yeah, I bet. That place always was a time capsule. Mom and Dad refuse to let go of any of it, even though most of that stuff is probably older than we are." He pauses, then adds, "How's Mia doing? Really?"
I can't help but reflect on the fact that his statement contradicts the reality that their parents threw away her stuff to turn her room into a home gym. Maybe he doesn't know about that yet. Anyway, it's of little importance.
I glance at Mia again, taking in the way her lashes cast shadows, the slight curve of her lips. She's beautiful—inside and out—and I can't help but feel a surge of protectiveness towards her. Even though Ryan is my best friend, even though I made him that promise all those years ago…
"She's good," I say, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. "Strong, as always."
Ryan sighs in relief on the other end of the line.
"I knew she would be. But it's still hard for her, you know?
Losing her job and her apartment all at once…
and then that fucking piece of shit ex of hers.
" He pauses, as if remembering something.
"Hey, did Mia ever mention that guy to you? The one who broke up with her?"
I feel Mia tense next to me, and I know she can hear every word Ryan is saying. I shake my head slightly, even though he can't see it.
"No," I lie. "She hasn't."
"Well, keep an eye out for him," Ryan warns. "He's a total douchebag. If he shows up at the house or anything—"
"I've got her, Ryan," I say, cutting him off before he can finish. My hand finds Mia's under the covers, giving it a squeeze as if to reassure her.
Ryan seems satisfied with that response. "Okay, man. Thanks for everything. I don't know what we'd do without you."
I look at Mia again, and this time, she smiles softly at me. And in that moment, I remember that even though I still have Ryan's trust—even though he still believes I'm keeping his promise—I've broken it.
But I don't regret it, not even a little bit. Because everything that happened last night… everything that happened between Mia and me… it was worth it. To be honest, I'm already wondering when we will do it again.
As soon as I hang up the phone, Mia's eyes widen with concern. "What did he say?" she asks. Her concern is evident, but she doesn't need to worry so much.
I sigh and run a hand through my hair, knowing that this conversation is inevitable now. "He wanted to know how we were doing," I admit. "He asked about you specifically."
"Oh God." Mia covers her face with her hands, groaning into them. "What did you tell him?"
"That you're good. Strong," I say, taking her hands in mine and pulling them away from her face. "And that's true, isn't it? No matter what happens between us, you're still the same amazing woman you've always been."
She looks at me then, her eyes reflecting the myriad of things she's feeling—fear, excitement, maybe even a hint of sadness. "What are we going to do, Jake?" she asks. "About Ryan, I mean."
She's too worried for someone that, before, said she stopped caring.
I take a deep breath before responding, knowing that this is the most important decision we'll have to make together. At least for now.
"We keep it a secret," I say finally. "Until he gets back."
Mia nods slowly, chewing on her lower lip as she considers my words. "Okay," she agrees after a moment. "That makes sense. It's not like we can just spring this on him while he's deployed and risk him doing something… rash." She shivers at the thought.
I pull her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We'll figure it out together," I promise her. "When he comes home, we'll tell him everything."
She leans into me, pressing a soft kiss to my chest. "Knew you were going to say that," she echoes. "And I like it."
"Good," I say, smiling down at her. "Because I think we've both been doing enough alone for a while now."
Mia chuckles softly, snuggling up against me. "Yeah, we have."
There's a moment of silence then, and I can tell she's thinking about something, something she's not sure how to bring up but that she has to.
"What is it?" I ask gently, nudging her with my shoulder.
She looks up at me, her cheeks flushed pink. "It's just… this whole thing with Ryan. It feels like we're sneaking around behind his back," she admits and I realize she's not wrong. "And I don't want that to define us or our relationship. You know?"
I nod, understanding exactly what she means. "Me neither," I tell her. "But it won't always be like this. Once he knows, once we're free to be together publicly, everything will change."
"I hope so," Mia says.
"Hey," I say, tilting her chin up towards me with my finger. "It's going to work out. You'll see." And then, because I can't help myself, I lean down and press my lips softly to hers. She responds immediately, melting against me as our kiss deepens.
When we finally pull away, breathless and grinning like idiots, Mia rests her head on my chest again. "Okay," she says softly. "Until then, it's just us—secretly, sneakily, happily us."
"Deal," I say, wrapping my arms around her and holding her close.
◆◆◆
The car ride back to Mia's parents' house is a blur of nervous glances, stolen touches, and electric tension that's almost palpable in the air between us.
I catch her looking at me more often than not, her eyes lingering on my hands as they grip the steering wheel or her tongue darting out to wet her lips when she thinks I'm not paying attention.
And fuck if it doesn't drive me crazy.
I want nothing more than to pull over on the side of the road and take her right then and there.
But we're playing with fire here, and one false move could send us spiraling into a mess neither of us wants, especially now that we've decided to keep our relationship a secret from Ryan until he gets back from deployment.
So I focus on the road ahead, trying my best to ignore the way her thigh is pressed against mine, the heat radiating off her body and making my own temperature rise in response. It's going to be a long two weeks if we're already feeling like this after just one night together.
But God, what a night it was.
As soon as we pull into the driveway, Mia turns to me, her eyes dark with desire. "We shouldn't," she whispers, even as her hands reach for my belt, tugging at the leather strap. "But I want you so fucking much right now."
I groan, leaning back against my seat as she frees my hardening cock from the confines of my pants. "Mia," I warn, but there's no heat behind it.
She grins wickedly, wrapping her hand around me and giving a tentative stroke that has me hissing in a breath. "We can't do this here," I say, looking towards the neighbors' houses. Anyone could see us.
"Then take me inside," she demands, already pushing open her door and stepping out onto the driveway.
I'm out of my seat and following her before I even realize what I'm doing, catching up to her just as she reaches the front door. I spin her around, pressing her back against it as I claim her mouth with mine, devouring her like a starving man, which isn't too far from the truth. I am very hungry.
She moans into the kiss, her hands tangling in my hair as she grinds against me, seeking friction through our clothes. I can feel how wet she is already, and it's driving me wild.
"Inside," I growl, lifting her up so that she can wrap her legs around my waist. She laughs softly, guiding me to the correct key on her keychain before we stumble through the door, still locked in our desperate embrace.
Somehow, we make it upstairs without breaking anything, Mia's dress already hiked up around her hips and my pants unbuttoned but still on.
I kick open the guest room door—fuck the consequences, not caring that it might be damaged—and carry her straight to the bed, falling onto it with her still clinging to me.
She tugs at my shirt, pulling it over my head before tossing it carelessly aside.
I help her out of her dress next, my hands shaking slightly as I reveal inch after inch of her smooth skin.
When she's finally laid bare before me in nothing but a lacy bra and matching panties, I can't help but groan.
"Beautiful as always," I tell her, trailing kisses down her neck and chest until I reach the swell of her breasts.
She arches into my touch, gasping as I unhook her bra and slide it off her shoulders. Her nipples are already hard, begging for my mouth, and I don't hesitate to take one between my teeth, sucking gently while my fingers toy with the other.