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He cocks his head. “Is that it?”
“Is that it? That’s plenty, asshole.”
“Did you think we were going to put up signs all over town? Do you imagine I’m going to go telling everyone I’m rocking your world every night?”
“People would find out. And you said you would leave if I told you I wasn’t tempted. I told you.”
“But we both know you’re lying.”
I swallow, throat clicking. I think maybe if I claimed I wasn’t lying, he really would leave. But I don’t think I actually want him to. I don’t have the strength to convince him I don’t want this, because I’ve barely been able to stop imagining it so many times already. His hands on me. His mouth on mine. Finally getting the release of all the pent up sexual frustration I’ve felt since seeing him again…
He raises a finger and the amusement is back on his expression. “You’re worried about people finding out. That’s an easy fix, Mia.”
I hang my head. There’s more than that. I’m worried about my feelings. I know we have history, even if it was brief. I know my heart may not be able to handle casual sex with Nolan Saulters. But I also know we never slept together when we dated the first time. It didn’t get that far. It’s part of why the fact that he was sleeping around so carelessly after we broke off our brief relationship hit me so much harder.
Even if his reputation is a put-off as far as dating goes, it’s not exactly a bad thing if he’s only talking about a casual hook up. He’d know exactly how to get me off in ways I’ve probably never experienced. All I need to do is avoid focusing on how things ended between us and how everything since then has itself tangled up in my brain.
He runs his thumb down the edge of my jaw, making goosebumps rise up the back of my neck. “You’re considering it. I can see the look on your face.”
“I’m not,” I lie.
He lifts the pad of his thumb from my chin to my lower lip, dragging down and licking his lips as he watches his finger. “You’re a terrible liar.”
Finally, he steps back from me, still smiling as if this has all gone just about exactly as he expected. “You have my phone number. Take me up on my offer tonight and I’ll come. But if you wait past tonight, I’m going to make you beg for it.” He shrugs, as if he’s almost sorry to be so cruel. “I should get back to the guys before they wonder what’s up.”
He pulls open the door and gestures for me to go inside.
I plaster on the most normal expression I can manage, then walk back inside like everything is totally ordinary.
Yeah, ordinary.
21
NOLAN
It’s early morning and I’m in the living room of Jesse’s cabin. Carter, Maddox, Jesse, and Jake all went out for a morning run. I stayed behind with Liam to do some mobility work. He tosses me the heaviest of the resistance bands and I pull it apart, lifting my arms overhead for a deep stretch.
As usual, Liam seems to be able to sense that something is bothering me. He’s watching me with that annoyingly perceptive look he gets when he’s onto me.
“What happened this time?” he finally asks.
I shrug. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
Liam chuckles as he pulls his toes back, stretching his calves and hamstrings. He glances up from the stretch. “Certainly looks like you’re handling it.”
“Shut up,” I say, smirking. “I don’t get Mia, though,” I admit.
Liam nods. “What don’t you get?”
“I think it’s pretty clear we both want to sleep together. She also hasn’t made a secret of the fact that she doesn’t want to date me. I spelled it out for her three days ago.” I clear my throat, feeling a little embarrassed to admit too many details about that conversation. “She hasn’t taken me up on the offer, though.”
Liam sits up from his stretch, a bemused expression on his face. “The offer? What did you do, dude? Proposition her with money?”
“No,” I laugh, but I don’t elaborate.
“It seems like you’ve gone and messed things up again. What are you planning to do about it?” he asks.
“Shit,” I whisper. I was glancing at my phone while he spoke and I just saw the preview from Zander’s text. It’s a link to an article. A critical review, and judging by the headline, they didn’t like our food.
