12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Eric

This is absolute fucking torture. I’m living in my own nightmare. I barely slept last night knowing she was inches away from me and all I needed to do was pull her underwear to the side and I would find sweet relief.

What is it about her that has me reacting like this? I’ve never been so crazy over a woman before. I’ve been attracted to them, wanted to sleep with them, but it was never such an out of control, all-consuming feeling. Not like what I’m experiencing now.

This is terrifying.

I walk into the kitchen and she’s on her phone. She’s holding a cup of coffee in her hand and laughing at something. She hasn’t noticed me yet, so I just stand here watching her. She’s effortlessly beautiful.

Not an ounce of makeup on, hair a mess, but still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

I try to work out what draws me to her like this, but it’s impossible to calculate. She just seems different from any of the women I’ve been around. Kindness radiates from her, touching anyone who is in her path.

She’s dangerous. She has the power to break me, which is why I cannot let myself give in. I have to be strong and resist.

I take confident strides directly to the coffee machine. This is ridiculous. No woman has that kind of power over me anymore, not again. I start to pour my coffee and she reaches around me to grab the creamer.

Her arm brushes my stomach, causing the hairs all over my body to stand. She just goes about refilling her coffee like she didn’t just turn me upside down with a simple touch.

It pisses me off. I wonder how she would like it if I did the same to her.

Fuck it. If she wants to drive me crazy, let’s see how she feels. I’ve seen the way she looks at me, I know she likes what she sees.

I can tell she’s talking to Layla. I hear my sister’s loud voice through the speaker as she rambles on about God knows what. She has her elbows on the counter as she continues to talk like I’m not here.

She’s bent over the counter, ass sticking out. I decide I definitely need something from the drawer she is standing in front of. I can’t even remember what’s in that drawer at the moment, but that doesn’t matter.

I step behind her, my body a breath away from hers. I place my hand on her hip and give it a gentle squeeze. She stands up straight and turns to look at me. I step closer until my body is flush against hers.

Her eyes open wide. I let time stand still as we both stare at each other, our breaths mix together. I get lost in her reaction, noticing her cleavage that is now rising and falling rapidly. Then I remember what I’m supposed to be doing.

I reach for the drawer, pushing my body further onto hers. I open it and grab the first thing my hand touches, never letting my eyes leave hers. Retreating back a couple of steps, I raise my hand.

A small smirk creeps across her mouth. I’m holding my niece’s miniature doll. I don’t know how the damn thing got in there, but here I am, a grown man trying to play tricks on the woman who is driving him crazy, holding up a damn doll.

I feel my face turn down in anger as she bites her curved lip.

“Dammit,” I growl as I throw the doll on the ground and storm off.

That is not what was supposed to happen. My hand grips my hair as I pace in my bedroom. If I didn’t have this fucking sling on, I could at least lift some weights to blow off some steam.

I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore.

I want to tell her to leave, that this is starting to fuck with my head, but with her ex out there, I can’t imagine letting her leave. She’s only been here for a week, and I’m already worried about her like she means something to me. It’s crazy.

I need to figure out a way to release some energy in this damn sling. I have some large logs that need to be cut for my outdoor fireplace. I can cut through all of it if I use the electric chainsaw.

Fuck it. I don’t care if it’s annoying or how long it takes, I need to get out of here. I’ll get some work done later.

My arm is doing better anyway. With the ibuprofen, it only hurts when I move it. I slide my sling off and whip my shirt over my head with my good arm, then put the sling back on.

It’s sunny out and probably in the seventies, I don’t need a shirt while I’m working out there. We’re most likely on our last few days of getting some good vitamin D before the colder weather starts to gray the sky.

The sun beats down on my back as I cut the final piece of wood. I’ve been at it for hours, but it’s been worth it. I’m drenched in sweat. I wish I could go jump in the pool, but my stitches won’t allow for that. I’m stuck with only a shower to cool me off.

On my way back to the house, I spot movement by the pool. Mia is resting on one of the chairs in a red two-piece bikini.

Avoid her, you fool.

Instead of listening to my inner voice, my feet start taking me directly to the pool. I stand at the end of her chair as I wait for her to notice me. I cough, impatient with her complete disregard of my presence.

“Oh, hey,” she smiles up at me.

Her eyes drink me in, fixated on the sweat dripping down my chest. I notice her squeeze her thighs together, and my dick starts to harden in my jeans.

“Enjoying a little sun this afternoon?” I ask.

“Yeah, figured I’d get some sun in before the cold weather sticks. Are you done playing with your doll?”

She can’t even keep a straight face. She thinks she’s so funny. I’ll show her.

“As a matter of fact,” I rip my belt buckle open then push down my jeans until I’m standing in only my black boxer briefs. Her eyes are staring at my bulge, which is substantial, if I do say so myself. “I’m exhausted from playing with my dolls. I think I’ll dip in the pool to cool off.”

I kick my jeans to the side and walk over to the pool’s entrance.

She can’t hide her reaction to me.

I see it.

I feel it.

And she is lucky that I’m so fucked in the head, or I’d be balls deep inside of her by now.

I walk down the steps, the warm water not doing much to relieve my aching muscles. I step down until I get waist-deep, then stop.

“What are you doing? You can’t get your arm wet?” she says, trying to act indifferent but I can sense her concern.

I turn to her and smile. “Just going to walk around this end of the pool for a while. Not going any further? Why? Are you worried about me, Mia?”

She rolls her eyes. If only I could slap that luscious ass of hers to teach her poor attitude a lesson.

“Not worried. But don’t expect me to keep changing your clothes like a child if it gets worse.”

I chuckle to myself. She’s got a fire in her. It’s fun messing with her. Maybe that can be my new strategy to deal with my attraction. If she thinks she got an eyeful of me before, just wait until I walk out of this pool with my briefs molded to my dick. That’ll teach her.

But before I get a chance, she stands up from her chair. “I think I’ll go change, maybe get started on dinner. Enjoy.”

When her ass comes into view, I nearly lose my footing. My fingers coil by my sides with the desire to squeeze, to fucking mark those cheeks. Cheeks that are on full display to me. Her skin is tan, which must mean she wears a two-piece often.

Why does that piss me off? And who the fuck does she think she is walking around my house like that? Is she trying to torture me? Now she’s leaving me with a raging hard on and no outlet.

I stomp up the steps of the pool and through the kitchen, leaving water in my tracks. Once inside my bathroom, I rip off my briefs and get into the shower. I move the spray to my right, keeping my left arm out of the direct stream of water.

I grab my dick, stiff and thick, and start to stroke it. My grip is hard and punishing while I chase relief. My eyes close as I picture her perfect body, the sexy blush that drives me wild, and that ass. I’m coming hard within minutes as I picture painting her ass with my cum.

After the final jolt of pleasure is released, I let my head hang down under the water as I try to compose myself. This is not who I am. I don’t get so crazy for someone that I have to jack off in the shower like a teenager. I don’t even feel satisfied, not even close. This woman is turning my world upside down.

When did this happen? How did this happen?

While I get dressed, I try to pinpoint the time that I lost control of the situation, but I keep coming up short.

It wasn’t instant lust. Sure, I noticed she was beautiful, but I didn’t immediately lose myself over her beauty. So how did it get to this so quickly? There’s just something about her movements, the way she carries herself. It’s all so different, so confident without being arrogant.

When I walk into the kitchen, she’s standing over the stove with a glass of wine in her hands.

She looks up at me and smiles.

I groan and walk over to the fridge. I’m not going to have dinner with her tonight. I’m sick of feeling like this in my own home. I need some space.

As I look up and down the shelves, the aroma from her chicken parmesan drifts past me. Motherfucker, she’s a good cook. Maybe that’s what’s going on, she’s putting me under a spell with her food.

I shake my head. Clearly, I’m losing my mind. Now I think the woman staying with me is magically controlling my mind. Maybe I got an infection from my cut. Do I have a fever? I feel my forehead like it’s going to solve everything.

“Are you hungry?” she asks.

I turn around and see her grabbing two plates. “I am. But I’m not eating with you,” I grind out.

“Oh, ok. I can just put this in the fridge for whenever you’re ready.”

I take a step closer. “Maybe I don’t want to eat your food, Mia. Maybe I just want to be left alone.”

“What’s gotten into you?” She slams the plate down.

I take another step closer. “What’s gotten into me? You walking around my place in next to nothing, cooking me food like you’re my girlfriend. I don’t need this right now.”

“Fine! I was just trying to be nice!” She takes an abrupt step toward me, her body only inches away. “But I’ll stop it. I’ll leave if I’m too much of an inconvenience.”

She turns to storm away, but I catch her by the arm and spin her toward me. “You can’t leave. It’s not safe.”

She looks me up and down. “I’m not staying here if I’m not wanted, Eric.”

She pulls her arm away, and takes off again, her footsteps thundering down the hall. I try to talk myself out of chasing after her, but I lose.

“Well, that’s tough shit,” I scream as I jog to catch up with her. She turns around at the bottom of the stairs and I continue toward her. “You’re staying.”

“No, I’m not. You don’t want me here.”

“I never said that!”

She laughs bitterly. “You just said it!”

“No! What I said was I don’t need this.” I point back and forth between us. “This fucking attraction!”

Her jaw drops. “Are you kidding me? That’s why you’re throwing a tantrum? Because you’re attracted to me? Well, I’m not attracted to you, so problem solved.”

She starts up the stairs. “Bull shit,” I call as I follow her. “I see the way you look at me. You can’t stop drooling over my body.”

We’re at her door. Before she opens it, she looks me up and down again. “It’s not that impressive. I’ve seen better.”

I slam my hands on either side of the door frame and cage her in. “I don’t believe you for a second. You can’t hide the way those thighs squeeze together when you see me half-naked. I know you’re just trying to ease the throbbing between your legs. I bet I made you so fucking wet downstairs when you were eyeing my dick by the pool.”

“Oh, please. Your dick isn’t even that impressi…” I don’t give her the chance to finish her lie. My lips capture hers, swallowing her words.

I can’t control the fire inside of me that has been stoked by her presence. The world outside disappears as we fight with our mouths. Every move of our lips is another effort to prove a point.

I slide my tongue into her mouth, and she responds with a moan. She reaches around my back, sliding her fingertips up. My hand grips her jaw as our tongues work together in a brutal attempt for control.

My dick begs for some relief, breaking me from the spell. I pull away quickly, my breath is ragged as I take her in. Swollen lips, chest rapidly rising and falling, intoxicating big beautiful brown eyes.

I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I lost control.

“Fuck,” I yell as I hurry down the hallway to my bedroom.

I slam my door and begin to pace back and forth. That wasn’t supposed to happen. How did it happen? One second, we’re yelling at each other, the next, my tongue is in her mouth and I’m kissing her with everything I have.

Okay, it’s fine. It was one slip up. I won’t let it happen again. I just have to be more careful. Apparently, fighting with her gets me going. Not sure what the hell that’s about.

Despite everything, my dick is still hard after that kiss. But I refuse to jerk off again to the thought of Mia. My attraction to her seems to be a slippery slope, and I need to resist these temptations.

After hiding out in my room for an hour, my stomach growls for the hundredth time. I go back downstairs for dinner, and see that Mia cleaned up, but left a plate for me in the fridge with plastic wrap over it. Even though I want to prove a point that I don’t need her or her cooking, I can’t resist it. I warm it up and sit by myself while I try to pretend it’s not even that good.

I end up going to bed early but can’t seem to wind down enough to fall asleep. I toss and turn for hours when I hear my door crack open.

Her silhouette appears in my doorway, and even a darkened shadow of hers manages to make my heart beat faster. I watch her walk further into my room, her fingers playing with the bottom of her long t-shirt.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t be in here. I just…it’s dark and I can’t stop thinking about him. Wondering where he is.”

I don’t know this motherfucker, but what he’s doing to her causes this rage inside of me unlike one I’ve ever felt before. She is too perfect, too kind to be afraid to sleep alone.

“Come on in,” I tell her, knowing there is no world in which this all ends well, but not wanting her to feel unsafe.

She crawls under the covers. We lie awake in silence for a moment.

“I’m sorry about the kiss. It shouldn’t have happened,” I admit, needing to get the words out.

She sighs. “It’s alright.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Mia. I want you to stay here. I want you to be safe. I’m just…I’m messed up in the head. We can’t let that happen again.”

She turns away from me. “Got it. Goodnight.”

This is good. It’s how it should be. But I already hate the distance I feel from her and the sadness in her voice.

“Goodnight, Mia.”