I pull up after an hour in the gym, my hair still damp, to see Mila sitting on my front step. It’s almost seven p.m. after her fourth day at work. It seemed a little obsessive to work from the office on the days I’m usually at home, so I haven’t seen much of her today.
“You don’t have a key under your mat,” she says when I get out.
“Of course not. That’s asking to be robbed.”
She stands up. “I’m bored.”
“What am I, a last resort?”
“I haven’t even called the girls yet.”
“How long have you been out here?”
“I counted to three-thousand six hundred, and then came over.”
Chuckling, I shut my door and throw my bag over my shoulder before I walk towards her. “You counted for one hour, waiting for me to get home?”
“You always go to the gym for an hour, you little creature of habit.”
“Any longer than that and I want to shoot myself. Jason is evil.” I let us in. “I assume you want coffee and books?”
“Marry me, Reid.”
“Sorry, I’m saving myself for someone without an obsessive personality.”
“She sounds boring.”
Mila follows me through to the kitchen. I put my bag on the floor and fill the coffee machine with water. She sits on a stool and rests her elbows on the worktop, chin propped on her hands.
“Why are you so bored?” I ask.
“I don’t know. Living at home is weird now.”
“How so?”
“Beats me. Nothing has changed. I still love spending time with my parents. It’s just… different.”
“You’re ready to fly the nest, little birdy.”
She scrunches her nose up. “Ew, is that it?”
“Every day is a learning curve for you, isn’t it?”
“Since I ended things with Liam for good, yeah, apparently.”
“It’s a good thing.”
“I know. God, I’m tired. Working full-time leaves very little time for fun.”
I raise a brow. “You just sat on my doorstep because you’re so bored. What fun is working preventing?”
“You sound very judgemental right now, Walker.”
I make our lattes and carry them through to the living room, smiling when I hear her hop down from the stool to follow me.
“Are we drinking somewhere else or are you stealing my latte?”
“I’ve been working all day, done an hour at the gym, and now I want to relax.”
“We’re going to watch TV, aren’t we?”
I put our drinks down. “I’m going to have a quick coffee, shower, and watch TV. You can do whatever you like.”
“Can I root through your drawers?”
“You can do what you like within reason.” Why did I not see that coming?
She sits beside me on the sofa and tucks her feet underneath her. “I’ll behave.”
I hope not.
“What are you going to watch?”
I shrug. “I’ve no idea.”
“Random shit on Netflix? A cold case show? I love those!”
“Murder cases?”
“Uh-huh. I’ve only watched a couple. I love murder. Well, not like love it, but it’s fascinating, right?”
“Have you watched Killer Inside?”
“Yeah. They’re fucking psychos.”
I nod. “All right, I’m showering first. I assume you’re a binge watcher?”
“You assume right. Be quick; I’ll drink your latte, too, if you’re not back before I finish mine.”
I race upstairs to the bathroom. Half so that Mila won’t drink my latte, and half because I don’t want to waste the time I have with her. At least I’m finally back in the office tomorrow.
I shower, scrub a towel over my body, and change into joggers and a T-shirt. When I get back downstairs, she’s still drinking her own coffee.
She looks up, her eyes raking over my body in a way that makes my dick stir.
“That was fast.”
“There was talk of theft,” I reply, sitting down and picking up my mug.
“If someone tells you they’re going to take something from you and you don’t prevent it, who’s in the wrong?”
“The thief, Mila. Still the thief.”
She shrugs. “It’s basically permission.”
“Press play,” I mutter, shaking my head at how utterly ridiculous she is.
“I quite like it when you’re bossy.”
My chest expands, and I glance sideways.
She isn’t looking at me. She’s watching the screen so intently, it’s like she’s taking mental notes.
“Should I be concerned that you’re so interested in this?”
“Sleep with one eye open.”
“I’ll just lock the door. At least I know now that you can’t pick a lock.” I bring the mug to my mouth and take a sip.
She side-eyes me, scowling. “Is that a challenge?”
I put the mug back on the coffee table. “Why would I challenge you to break into my house?”
“Maybe that’s one of your kinks, to find a woman sneaking around your home late at night.”
“Isn’t that your kink?”
She purses her lips, the scowl deepening. “I don’t think we need to discuss why I’m weird.”
“Wait, you think it’s weird?”
“To want someone to sneak into my room at night and do me? Kinda.”
I slump back against the sofa. “To do you. I’m assuming you don’t want just any guy off the street to do that to you.”
“Correct.”
“Then why is it weird?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. Liam was never adventurous, and it made me feel like wanting sex outdoors or trying new things wasn’t normal.”
“The only person who gets to decide what’s normal for you is you, okay?”
“Have you ever snuck into a woman’s house at night?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Would you?”
“Are you asking, Mila?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean, dickhead.”
“Yes, I would. Denying yourself something you want will never make you happy. You need to be with someone who will explore, who will take you to the edge, and jump right off with you.”
She bites her bottom lip, her frown deepening as she considers my words.
Her eyes lock on mine and her chest rises.
Nothing but lust is pumping through my veins.
I want to move closer and claim her mouth. I want to kiss her senseless, slide my hand into that hair, pull her onto my lap, and grind her against my erection.
She’s going to taste so good.
Her eyelids fall heavily. The frown disappears, and her mouth parts.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, breaking the spell.
Her eyes bulge. “For sex?”
Throwing my head back, I laugh. “Fucking hell, I’m talking about dinner.”
“Oh my God!” She whacks my stomach with the back of her hand. “Stop it! You made that sound really dirty. Reid, for fuck’s sake, stop laughing!”
I brush my hands over my face. “I’m sorry.”
“You are not sorry.”
I glance her way. “So, are you hungry?”
“Yes… twat.”
“Chicken tacos?”
“I love tacos. Can I help you cook again?”
I stand. “Absolutely not.”
“I’m not that bad in the kitchen. I made a salad.”
I pick up my mug and take it through to the kitchen. Mila follows, and Netflix is forgotten. “I never said you were bad.”
“Why are you so precious about it? You let me in your office, at your desk.”
“I draw the line at the kitchen.”
“What’s your damage?” Mila perches on the stool, waiting for me to change my mind.
“The Walkers don’t share kitchens.”
“Ah, it’s your parents’ damage. I get it.”
“Wine?”
She sits back on the stool. “Now you’re talkin’. Can I pour it or is that not allowed either?”
“I’m going to let you get it… this once.”
“I feel so privileged.”
Mila moves past me to get two wine glasses from the cupboard. She gets the white from the fridge and pours, while I slice chicken.
“Here you go, dear,” she teases, placing a glass in front of me.
I look over my shoulder and grin. “Are we an old married couple?”
“We look like it. It’s nice to do something like this without feeling like I’m trapped and trapping someone else. All that’s missing is that jumping off the edge sex.”
“Dinner can wait if you want to do that now?”
She laughs, playfully slapping my arm on her way back to her stool.
Control yourself. I’m trying not to be a rebound here.
I almost slice into my finger when Mila sighs deeply as she watches me. It sounds like longing and makes me burn with need.
What is she thinking right now?
Same as me? That we should ditch dinner and feed the other hunger inside us both?
I look over to see her sipping her wine, eyes fixed on mine like she was waiting for me to glance her way.
“I’m starving here,” she teases.
Yeah. Me, too.