11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Mia

My body has been tense all day. Ever since he said those words to me at the grocery store. I’m ashamed to admit that it instantly made my panties wet. He was so crass, and I should be offended. For all women, I should have smacked him and told him to get his finger off me.

But instead, I stood in place, my body scorching as I almost begged for him to put that finger to work somewhere else.

I haven’t been able to shake it since. Dinner was torture. It was like every move he made, every muscle in his arm was amplified by my desire for him.

I’m going to need to take care of myself when I get in bed to get my body under control. I can’t go walking around here panting at the very sight of him. Though I’m starting to doubt an orgasm is going to turn down the flames.

I look outside the window as the wind starts to pick up speed. The trees are blowing wildly in the night as a loud boom of thunder shakes the house. It’s an eerie feeling out there. I’m not used to these southern storms. They feel more intense than the ones we get up north.

I grab my book and pull back the covers of the bed to get in.

My phone goes off and I see a text from Savannah.

Savannah: How are you doing?

I think about it for a second before I text back.

Me: I’m hanging in there. It’s weird to be away from you guys. How are things going over there?

I watch the three dots appear and disappear repetitively. I almost give up on a message coming through when my phone beeps.

Savannah: I’ve debated on whether or not to tell you, but your brothers have been working with the cops. They tracked down his recent credit card activity to North Carolina. We don’t know if he’s on vacation or just getting close to you. Just be careful.

I put my phone down on the nightstand. Fear feels like it is gripping me by the throat, making it impossible to breathe. My entire body is trembling. A crack of lightning makes me jump followed by the wind blowing a large tree branch onto the side of the house. The scratching and banging is about all I can take.

I run out of my room and begin pacing back and forth in the hallway. I try to reason with myself that I’m safe, that he isn’t here, but I can’t stop from panicking at the thought that this isn’t over. Will it ever be over?

Does over mean I’m dead?

I start to cry as my thoughts take over until I’m startled by a voice.

“Mia?” Eric stands in his doorway with messy hair and a sleepy face.

He’s only wearing black boxer briefs and his sling. Even through my panic, my body still has a slight reaction. I’m messed up.

“What’s going on?” he asks, voice etched with concern.

My body keeps propelling me back and forth. “Just my ex. His credit card is showing him in North Carolina. It’s fine. I’m fine. He’s probably just on vacation and we’re all blowing this totally out of proportion.”

He takes me by the arms and stops me. “Are you sure about that? Why are you outside my door pacing back and forth?”

Tears continue to spill down my cheeks. I can’t look him in the eyes. “It’s just the storm. Every noise creeps me out. My brain keeps conjuring up images of him outside the house trying to get in.”

He takes my hand and pulls me into his room. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” I ask reluctantly.

He doesn’t answer. He just brings me to his bed and pulls the covers back. I look down at his bed and up at him.

“Just get in, Mia. We don’t have to make a big deal about it. It’ll make you feel safer. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I’m too drained to fight him on it. All the years that I’ve tried to take care of everyone else, it feels nice to hear those words spoken to me. Just for tonight.

I climb under the covers and roll onto my side facing away from the middle of the bed. I can feel him slide in next to me but it’s a king size bed, so there’s plenty of room. A part of me wants him to roll to my side and wrap his arms around me. To tell me again that I’m safe with him.

Every time I close my eyes, I picture it. My body can almost feel what his warmth would be like.

After tossing and turning for a while, I end up facing him. I steal a glance and notice he is lying on his back, his eyes open.

“You’re awake?” I whisper in the dark.

His chest rises and falls with a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because my dick is hard as a rock knowing that you’re under the covers with me right now in only a t-shirt and underwear.”

My entire body shudders at his words. I want to reach out and feel the evidence of his arousal. Liquid pools in my underwear as I picture what it looks like.

I wait for him to say something else. To look at me or maybe even touch me, but it never comes. He turns away, making it glaringly obvious that whatever he’s feeling at the moment isn’t something he plans on acting on.

The rejection stings.

I came into his bed to feel protected and safe, but somehow end up feeling hurt and dejected. The story of my life.