16. Lila

16

LILA

"Why don't you take a break?"

Jake stood over my desk, snatching the folder I was working on out of my hand.

"I'm fine," I said, grabbing it back. "Work is soothing for me today. Both the distraction and the relief that I still have a job."

I smiled as Jake narrowed his eyes at me.

"Of course you have a job. To be honest, I figured there was more to why you moved up here than needing a change and buying into Claudia's love for the country."

I snapped my head up.

"You did?"

He nodded. "Your references were stellar and you had Claudia vouching for you, so I didn't think you were dangerous. I thought whatever brought you up here was personal and your business. I hate what happened to you, but I'm glad you're here."

"Thank you." I swallowed after I caught my voice crack, dizzy from the whirlwind of emotions from last night. Happy to be with Mike, furious with Ted for possibly coming back for me after all this time, and terrified of how angry Ted could be now and what he'd do to the people I'd grown to care about.

Jake draped a hand on my shoulder. "And my son is too. You light him up in a way I've never seen. And for that, and getting me out of financial hell, I'm very, very grateful."

I nodded when the lump in the back of my throat blocked any words I wanted to say in reply.

When my life had imploded because of Ted, I'd been on my own. My parents had brushed me off, I couldn't get the police to help me, and "friends" other than Ally had faded away, not wanting to deal with Ted if they'd invited me out with them.

Here, I'd found people who cared about me enough to get angry on my behalf and worry about me, even when a potential stalker made my very presence around them risky.

"Car is as good as new."

My head shot up from my keyboard at the sound of Mike's voice. He sauntered over to my desk, twirling my car keys around his finger. His gorgeous and easy smile was a balm to my troubled soul, even if I had a feeling he was faking it a little for my sake.

"Thank you," I said, pushing off the chair. "Who's giving you a ride back?"

"You're taking a couple of hours off," Jake said behind us before Mike could answer. "A request from Officer Russo."

"Don't be silly. I'm almost finished with?—"

"And it can wait," Jake said, coming up to us with a wide grin, jerking his chin toward the door. "See you in the morning."

"Okay." I relented, a real smile pushing across my lips for the first time all day. "I guess I'm leaving with Officer Russo."

"Guess you are," Mike said, offering me the crook of his elbow. "Get your stuff. You're playing hooky with me this afternoon."

I turned back to my desk, saving my work before shutting down my computer and grabbing my phone and purse.

"See you in the morning," I told Jake over my shoulder as I slipped my arm through Mike's.

"Did you really ask your father to let me out early?" I asked Mike as we headed to my car.

"I did. I figured you could use a break. Far away from the chaos of yesterday. See? Good as new," Mike said, tapping the door.

The blue paint almost glowed in the sunlight, making my car look even better than before the scratches.

"I can't believe how good it looks." I skated my finger across the door, the metal smooth to the touch instead of the ragged scratches from last night.

"Aaron and his crew do good work. They've fixed a few scratches and dents for me over the years. Looks great, right?"

"Almost as if it never happened," I muttered, the words sour as they slipped off my tongue.

Because it did happen. And while I very much wanted to think I was a victim of summer mischief, I knew deep in my gut that I wasn't. This was intentional and, I feared, only the tip of a scary iceberg.

"So you'll let me steal you from my father for an afternoon," Mike said, snaking an arm around my waist as I stared at my car door.

"Sure," I said, falling back into his embrace as I shut my eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Where there are no assholes from the past or stupid kids in the present. Just you and me," he whispered. "I've thought about you all day."

"You'll be happy to know that I managed not to have another panic attack in front of your father. I guess it is easier when people know."

"I wasn't thinking about that. Well, okay, I was a little."

I swiveled my head to his wry grin.

"I was worried about you being shaken up, yes. But mostly, what I thought about was last night," he whispered as he coasted his hand down my hips. "How sweet you tasted when you came on my tongue, your beautiful tits bouncing as you rode my cock."

"Jesus, Mike," I hissed as his hands drifted above my waist, one of his thumbs brushing against my breast.

"I want you to come back to bed with me."

Heat pooled between my legs from the husky dip in his voice.

"At four in the afternoon?"

He spun me around and pulled me flush to his body, a feral gleam in his eyes as he smoothed his hand down my cheek.

"Yes. And this time, I want you in my bed. I want to wake up in the morning and smell you on my sheets and feel you everywhere."

My eyes flicked to his waist, his erection pressing against me through his jeans. If we were being watched, this would only make it worse, but part of me, regardless of how reckless it was, wanted to antagonize Ted if he really was back.

Ted had trapped me in a box, afraid to live anything but a quiet life under the radar, alone. I wanted to love Mike out loud, enjoy every bit of him until we were sweaty and spent.

Before you have to say goodbye.

I blinked away the intrusive thought before I registered the one before it.

I wanted to love Mike out loud.

I loved Mike.

How could I love Mike? I'd only known him for a short time, but from the moment we met, I'd gravitated toward him like an out-of-control magnet, only growing closer to him every time I tried to pull away.

No matter whose prints were on my car, I wanted to forget it—at least for today and tonight. Erase it from my mind as it had been scrubbed from the metal.

I didn't want to be anywhere else but in Mike's arms tonight.

He pressed his lips to mine. I grabbed the back of his neck, expecting the kiss to catch fire, but he gave me a soft peck. His mouth lingered on mine before he eased back to reach behind me and open my door.

"Come home with me," he rasped, his gaze snagging on mine as I found the same lust, fear, and exhilaration in his eyes that coursed through my veins.

"I need you close," Mike said, his voice low and husky. The air thinned between us as I watched the roll of his throat. "Naked and close."

I muttered a breathless yes before climbing into the car. As I scanned the street, a weird tingle zapped across my neck as if we really did have eyes on us, but I didn't want to think about anything else but Mike's dirty promises for the rest of the afternoon.

I pressed my knees together to ease the ache between my legs as Mike stepped into the driver's seat and took off. He kept his gaze on the road as his hand went to my knee, the hem of my dress inching up as his palm slid to the inside of my thigh.

The short drive to our block seemed like forever as we hit every red light, Mike's hand drifting higher at each stop, making it even worse. As we finally turned onto our block, I noticed the tightness in his jaw as he pulled my car in front of his apartment.

I was about to tell him to park in front of my door and we could just walk, when he shut off the engine and crushed his lips against mine.

"Mike," I whimpered against his mouth. "We should get inside."

"Yes, we should," he said, his voice dark and dangerous as he slid his hand all the way up my thigh and cupped my pussy. My hips arched off the seat on instinct as my heart thudded in my ears.

"I thought you wanted me in your bed," I said, my breaths coming quick as he skated his hand up my stomach and dipped it inside my panties.

"I do, but I wanted a taste first. I'm not the only one impatient, though, am I? You're soaked, sweetheart." He circled my clit with his thumb, my legs falling open as he slipped a finger inside.

"I have never wanted someone this much," he gritted out as he slid two fingers inside me, pumping them in and out before he brought them to his mouth and sucked them clean.

"I never thought you had such a filthy side."

He laughed as he nuzzled my neck. "I'm only this filthy with you. I don't think I'll ever get enough."

I cupped his cheek, my fingers shaking as they traced over his stubble. I couldn't get enough either, and I hoped neither of us would pay for my weakness.

"Let's go, sweetheart." He brought my hand to his lips and kissed the outside of my wrist, just like that night he'd picked me up for a drink and I'd realized I'd never be just Mike's friend.

I'd always want more because as much as I'd fought it off, I wanted him.

I followed him as he dug his keys out of his pocket and unlocked his door, holding it open for me to step inside.

I felt safer here, even though I only lived across the street. Mike locked the door behind us and lifted me up by the waist, hoisting me over his shoulder.

"I can walk the ten feet. What are you doing?"

"Not wasting any time," he said, peeling his shirt over his head and flinging it onto the floor with a soft thump. "I promise I'll make it good. I just need you." He took my face in his hands. "I need you so fucking much."

He took my mouth in a hungry kiss. We were a mess of lips and tongues as we pawed at each other. He broke the kiss to lift my dress over my head, pulling me close as he reached behind to unclasp my bra.

"Look at you," he whispered, wincing as if he were in pain as his gaze raked over my body. "So fucking beautiful."

He dug his hand into my hair and brought his mouth back to mine. I fumbled with his belt buckle, my hands shaking with impatience until he popped it open.

I caught his hands and dropped to my knees, keeping my eyes on his as I pulled his jeans down his legs along with his boxers until his cock sprang free.

"Lila, no," he pleaded as his eyes went wide. "I've been keyed up all day, and if you do that, I won't— fuuck ."

I swirled my tongue around the tip of his cock before I swallowed him whole, taking him to the back of my throat as I bobbed my head, sucking and licking along his hard length.

He whimpered as he fisted my hair, groaning when I sucked harder and took him deeper each time he tried to pull back.

"Lila, please," he whispered. "I want to come inside you, not down your throat. Sweetheart, stop."

He pulled away, falling out of my mouth with a wet pop.

"You have a mouth on you, Delilah," he said, repeating my words from last night with a sexy smirk playing on his lips.

"Up," he said, pulling me up to stand by my underarms and giving me a gentle push toward the futon.

"Only fair," he rasped as he slid my panties down my legs and tossed them on the floor. "There she is. So damn pretty."

He hooked my leg over his shoulder, teasing me with tiny kisses and soft bites before he devoured me, sucking my clit into his mouth.

The vibrations from his moans ricocheted down my legs until they flailed back and forth, so close to the edge, my eyes began to tear.

I bucked my hips off the bed, chasing more friction when he snaked his tongue inside me and swatted my ass with a loud smack.

I clutched one of his pillows to my face and screamed into it, my release hitting me hard until I melted into a puddle on his mattress.

When my eyes blinked open, I found him rummaging through a drawer next to the futon.

"Listen," I said, grabbing his wrist. "I've been on the pill for a long time, and after Ted, I was tested and I was negative, and there's been no one since. I trust you if you trust me."

"I was negative too the last time I was tested, and I haven't been with anyone in a while," Mike said, his eyes wide as he slammed the drawer shut. "And of course I trust you."

"Then get over here." I yanked his arm until he fell on top of me.

"I've never been inside anyone bare before," he said, smoothing the sweaty hair off my forehead. "Makes sense that you're the first."

He kissed me, this time slow and sensual as he slid inside me, gasping a fuck as he started to move.

"I'm not surviving this," he whispered into my neck as he went deeper, grabbing my leg behind my knee and hooking it over his hip. "It's too good," he panted, taking my mouth in a sloppy kiss as a groan escaped his throat.

"So good," I agreed, my head sinking into the pillow as he hit a spot deep inside no one else had ever been able to find. I wouldn't survive this either—or ever be the same if I did have to walk away to keep him safe.

I lifted my hips, meeting him thrust for thrust as the futon squeaked under us. I pressed my hand against the wall, trying to alleviate some of the pressure and not break it, but Mike didn't seem to care as he went harder, the frame supporting the mattress dropping with a loud creak as tremors took over the lower half of my body.

"That's it. Such a good girl," he whispered, his voice raw and cracking as he dug his fingers into my thighs. "Hold on, sweetheart."

Mike buried his head into my neck as he pulsed inside me. His chest heaved against mine as he lifted his head, raining kisses over my eyelids and down my cheeks.

"I'm ruined." He rolled off me and drew me into his side.

"I think I am too." I sat up on my elbows. "Could we just stay here forever? I could do your father's books from here, maybe."

"If you stay naked, I'm on board with that plan." He kissed my shoulder. "We can at least stay here until we have to go to work tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me," I said, cuddling into his side.

"Don't go," he whispered against my jaw, painting kisses down my neck. "Stay with me."

We had been brazen and thoughtless today, high on each other with a fuck-you attitude to whoever was watching.

But if it went beyond watching and cars weren't the only things hurt, staying wasn't an option. Not in town and not with Mike.

I'd soak up all I could and hope I wouldn't have to give it back.