Chapter 22 #2
I point at the red light. He follows my finger, then exhales as his shoulders sag. “Oh. That’s just the charging light. It’s not recording.”
I cup his cheek. “Oh.” A smile tugs at my mouth. “It would’ve been kind of hot if it was. Watching back everything we did.”
His eyes flicker with curiosity. “Are you into that? Making videos?”
“I’ve never done it,” I admit, “but I like being adventurous.”
He drops his gaze. “I don’t have much experience in the adventurous department. What we just did is probably the most adventurous I’ve been.”
“Hey.” I slip a finger under his chin and tilt his face up. “We all start somewhere.” I study him—his glasses straight on his nose, his hair a little messy from my hands. “You okay?”
He blows out a deep breath. “Yeah.”
I move closer, tucking my knee over his thigh because it feels natural now. “You were really good. Probably one of the best.”
His brows lift. “I was?”
I nod. “You listened. You took direction. That almost never happens. Most guys think they’re god’s gift to women, so obviously they know everything, but you were different. Excellent pacing. Perfect pressure. The way you sucked on my clit…” I dramatically fan myself.
He swallows, eyes softening as he looks at me. “You make it easy.”
My throat suddenly turns into the Sahara Desert. “I need water.” I push myself off the bed. “Do you want anything?”
“I can get it for you.” He sits up.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll grab it.” Mostly, I just need to get out of this bed and away from Miles before I find out what other magic tricks his tongue can do. “Do you want anything?”
“Sure. There’s bottled water in the fridge.”
I slide my underwear up my legs, fasten my bra, and head downstairs, doing my best not to replay the last thirty minutes in my head. Because wow. For someone who claims he doesn’t know what he’s doing, he absolutely does.
I open the fridge while my brain betrays me—his hands on my body, his thumb brushing over my nipple—and grab two bottles from the shelf. A faint creak sounds behind me.
“Miles?” I pause, then close the fridge, plunging the kitchen into darkness. “Miles?”
The overhead light snaps on. Two people stare back at me. I scream and fling both bottles across the kitchen. One crashes against the wall and the other hits the floor.
“Whoa! Nora? Is that you?”
I blink, my eyes adjusting to the light. Miles’s dad.
Shit! One hand flies to my chest, the other wraps instinctively around my hips. I spot a kitchen towel hanging from the oven handle and snatch it, covering myself as best I can, which is… not much.
Footsteps thunder down the stairs. “Mom? Dad?” Miles blurts. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh,” Jackie says, smirking. “We didn’t realize you had company.”
Miles moves instantly, stepping in front of me. He’s only in boxers, his body radiating warmth as if that somehow helps. “You said you were going to be gone for the week.”
“We were, but we made it all the way to the resort before your dad realized he forgot his heart medication. So we turned back. We’ll leave again in the morning.”
I plaster on my most polite smile while inching toward the stairs. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kayson. It’s… lovely to see you again. I’m just going to… go put on more clothes now.”
“Nice to see you again too, Nora,” Jackie calls after me.
I barely register her words as I bolt upstairs.
Whispers drift up from the kitchen, and my brain immediately latches onto the fact that Miles lives with his parents.
It helps explain the whole virgin thing, but I didn’t expect it.
This house is super nice for a thirty-one-year-old to own.
Not to say it’s impossible, but how much money does a drone pilot make?
Miles appears seconds later, mortified. “I’m so sorry. They weren’t supposed to be home.”
“New rule,” I say, yanking on my leggings. “If you live with your parents, you don’t bring dates home. That’s just—awkward as fuck.”
His eyes widen. “Oh—no. I don’t really live with them.”
I pause. “How do you not live with your parents? Or do they invite themselves in whenever they feel like it? Sleep in a spare bedroom?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “They live with me.”
I stare at him. “That’s the same thing.”
“Well—technically, I bought their house. They travel a lot, so they just… stay here when they’re in town.”
“Slightly better,” I concede. “Still incredibly awkward.”
He winces. “I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. It was just… surprising.”
A quiet settles between us. My gaze drifts to the bed and then to him. “I should probably go.”
“Oh.” Miles straightens. “Yeah. Okay.” He clears his throat. “Can I ask why you came over tonight? You said you were thinking of something but never finished.”
Fair question. Why did I come over? It definitely wasn’t supposed to involve swapping orgasms. In fact, it was to prevent the swapping of orgasms. I’m a terrible person.
“I—” I hesitate, then shrug. “I stopped to ask if I could get the recipe for the chicken bowls you brought over to my mom’s at Christmas. ”
His mouth curves into a smile. “Yeah, they’re super easy. I’ll text it to you.”
“Great!” I say, way more chipper than normal to sound casual. I point toward the door. “I should go.”
“Wait.” He moves to shove his hands in his pockets, but he’s in boxers and doesn’t have pockets, so he settles for crossing his arms instead. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
I blink. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I was thinking… I’m going to the RC park for a bit. If you want to come… I could teach you how to fly again.”
Spend more time with Miles? I shouldn’t. “I—” I stop myself from overthinking. “Yes. I would love that.”
Light flickers in his dark irises. “Okay. Tomorrow.”
Once he’s dressed, he walks me out to my car. The night air is cool, but it does nothing to chase the heat from my cheeks.
When we reach the driver’s door, he pulls it open for me. “Text me when you get home.”
“I will.” I slide into the car before I can second-guess myself. He closes the door, and as I pull away, I catch a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror still standing at the curb, hands in his pockets, watching until I turn the corner.
The plan was never to get closer. But somewhere between the unexpected sweetness of his surprise and the intimacy, I did. And the realization settles warm inside me, undeniable, and just a little terrifying.