Page 16 of Final Temptation (Alpine Peak #2)

Last night was unexpected.

I was terrified waking up to the sound of tortured screams and calls for help.

My instincts took over when I ran into Myles’ room.

The house could’ve been in the process of being robbed, and the cries from Myles could’ve been him being held at gunpoint.

But I wasn’t the type of person to sit back in fear.

When I saw the scared look on his face, the way his body was thrashing back and forth, and the sweat covering his body, I knew he was in the middle of a night terror. One I never wanted to live a day in.

I didn’t have to think twice when he asked me to stay with him for the night. I just wanted him to be okay. Last night, I was lost in the moment of helping a friend in need. This morning, I woke up missing the feeling of his body next to mine.

Avoiding the potential of an awkward moment, I slipped out of his room when the sun came up, immediately hopping in the shower.

If I lingered around too much, I was afraid something else would happen between us.

I hadn’t given him an answer to his friends with benefits proposition, but it didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about it every single day since.

Keeping my distance from Myles got harder every day that we lived together.

Especially when last night felt so intimate in an entirely different way than I was used to experiencing.

The more I tossed the idea around in my head, the more fun it sounded, particularly in my weak moments, when I woke up extremely horny or went to bed feeling lonely.

It could be so easy with him, just one room over.

I figured we’d continue to live our day-to-day lives, and the next time we got caught up in a situation like last week, maybe I’d live in the moment and give in.

I shut off the running water in the shower, steam surrounding the bathroom and the mirror fully fogged over. Reaching for my towel, I came up empty-handed as I grabbed the cold rack—not a towel in sight.

“Fuck! Seriously?” I whispered under my breath. Where was my towel? And why weren’t there extras under the sink? Standing in the nude, my nipples hard from the chill, I slammed the cabinet door shut.

It’s still early. Myles was sound asleep when I left his room. I can make a run for it across the hall to my room without being seen.

I balled up my dirty clothes, holding them against my chest, and turned the doorknob silently.

Exiting the bathroom, I peeked both ways.

Once I confirmed the coast was clear, I tiptoed the few feet it took to get to my room.

I only made it a couple steps when the rough sound of my roommate’s voice startled me.

“Now that’s a sight to see in the morning.” My head whipped to the side.

“Where the fuck did you come from!?” I screamed. My clothes were flying from my hands, alarmed by his sudden appearance. Before I had the chance to leave myself exposed for too long, I slapped my arms across my body, hiding the most intimate parts of me.

“I was making a cup of coffee. Want one?” Myles propped himself against the wall, sipping the warm drink with a smug grin plastered on his face.

“No. I don’t want a stupid cup of coffee. Why are you up so early?” I glared in his direction.

“I’m always up this early, Princess. You know that.” His eyes lowered slowly, traveling down my damp body.

“Yeah, but it’s the weekend. What crazy person wakes up this early when they don’t have to? And where the fuck did all the towels go?” I asked impatiently.

“I threw them in the laundry last night. Planned to fold them and put up fresh ones this morning. You know, because I wake up early. Figured I’d get it done before you got in there.” He took another sip. “Can’t say I’m mad about how the series of events took place, though.”

The way he looked at me, the tone of his voice, and the lust glossed over his eyes; it was a complete one-eighty from last night. It was that look on his face, the one that said he wanted nothing more than to fuck me into next week, that made my stomach drop.

The vulnerable man from last night was long gone, replaced with his primary fuck boy personality.

Why are both of those personality traits in him making my knees weak?

It didn’t help that I was standing here in my birthday suit, completely exposed.

His blue eyes met mine, both of our stares filled with desire.

Oh, how I love to tease this man.

I enjoyed any moment I could watch him crumble beneath me, to see the look on his face when he devoured my body with his eyes, but didn’t get to touch. The thought sent a wave of hunger straight down to my center, the tender spot between my legs growing hungrier by the second.

Dropping my hands and displaying myself, I allowed Myles a quick look before turning around to walk to my room.

Locking the door behind me, I told myself I only allowed him a glimpse so he could commit my curves to memory, when in reality, it was for me.

Because I treasured the tease—ate up any moment I could to give him a show.

I desired every moment I left him wanting more.

“Leave a towel behind the next time you do laundry!” I hollered from behind the door. I could hear Myles on the other side clear his throat, collecting himself.

I grinned, knowing the way I made him feel. I craved the moment he’d finally snap after I continued playing this game of cat and mouse. I loved the chase, the feeling of being wanted. Myles knew he had to earn me—it wasn’t going to happen fast, and it wasn’t going to happen easily.

The thought of making that man work for me created a feeling I needed to take care of before I could do anything else today.

Summer nights were my favorite time of the year. Tonight, we all planned to get together at Declan and Paige’s house for a bonfire. It was the four of us and Chase, all kicking back around the fire Declan got going down by the creek.

Their house was on the outskirts of Alpine Peak, in Cherry Creek. Outside of the busier part of town, standing by itself, with very few neighbors spread across miles. The quietness of this small part of town was peaceful.

Declan and Myles both worked in construction. It was a family business, and Declan built this house a couple years before he and Paige got together. It was a gorgeous, remodeled farmhouse. White exterior with floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge wrap-around patio, all built above the creek.

One of the highlights of this property was the extra patio built closer to the creek itself. In the summer months, we’d have bonfires here under the glowing string lights. We’d have a few drinks, grill up some dinner, and shoot the shit around the fire.

Somehow, Myles and I had escaped every opportunity to see each other at a bonfire since last winter—before the kiss. Mostly because if Paige said he was going to be there, I made up any excuse to get out of it.

I’m tired. My homework is piling up. Dinner with Dad, can’t make it.

Realizing it was our first time going together at all, and from the same place, he offered to drive.

The car ride all the way to Cherry Creek was full of tension—sexual tension.

No words exchanged, just heated glances.

Every time his eyes traveled the length of my legs, it took everything in me not to meet his gaze.

I could sense his mind whirling from the towel incident earlier, and I was still pent up even after I touched myself to the thought of him sipping coffee in a pair of boxer briefs that were molded perfectly to his body.

Dirty thoughts bounced around in my head until the very moment we hit the gravel driveway.

Heading down to the creek where our friends gathered, it was a warm day, and I was parched. The cooler, packed with ice, had everything from water to beer to soda. Deciding on a beer, I joined the rest of the group around the fire.

“So, Myles, how’s it going since you moved out of Mom and Dad’s?” Declan asked.

“It’s been good. I’m closer to work, the gym, everything in town. Plus, my roommate isn’t too bad.” He looked over at me, teasing.

“Honestly, I feel like I still live alone since this guy isn’t home most of the time, and he wakes up with the roosters,” I chimed in, the thought of our early morning racing back to the forefront of my mind.

“Thank fuck for that,” Chase said. “If he didn’t wake up so early, I’d be out of a gym partner.”

“The gym bromance is real.” Paige chuckled, looking between Myles and her brother.

“Chase is just trying to get pumped up for all the hot, college girls.” Myles laughed.

“At least I’ll have plenty of girls at my disposal when I get out of this small town. You’re stuck here with dating apps as your only option.” Chase sipped his beer, hiding a grin.

“And that’s my cue to go to the house and check on dinner!” Paige stood up, escaping the chatter of her baby brother talking about fucking around in college.

After a few sips of my beer, I was feeling feisty. “I have to say, the options on the dating apps around here are quite…boring,” I said, poking fun at Myles, hoping he’d take the bait.

His eyes found mine, glaring across the fire to where I was sitting.

“I know what you mean. I’ve seemed to fuck all the good ones already.

” I hid my smile behind my beer. Myles had no shame in who he was; he’d always been an open book.

But he was probably right—I knew he’d slept around plenty.

Most definitely more than I had, but he hadn’t fucked me yet to know what he was missing.

“You ever think about meeting a girl outside of one of those apps?” Declan addressed Myles.

“And where do you expect me to meet women now that I don’t go to Peaks every weekend? No way I’m meeting someone at work, and my meetings are a hard pass.”

“What about the gym? I see the way Amanda eyes you every time we check in.” Chase wiggled his eyebrows.

“Who’s Amanda?” I blurted out, unexpected jealousy stinging me.

“She’s the chick who works the front desk at the gym,” Chase answered.

“I’ve already hooked up with her. She’s nothing special.” Myles’ eyes shifted toward mine before finishing. “She fills a void—that’s it.” I fidgeted with the label on my beer bottle, taking in the sounds of chatter around me.

I knew Myles was a player. Of course, he’d hooked up with a girl he saw at the gym every day. Yet something inside me stirred, the feeling sitting in my stomach like a ton of bricks.

“You know what’s a crazy idea?” Declan asked.

“I don’t know, brother. Tell me,” Myles shot back sarcastically.

“Maybe if you try having a conversation with someone before getting in their pants, you may just get somewhere with one of these girls.”

I glanced up at Myles as he rolled his eyes at his brother. The boys continued to talk, their voices eventually fading to the background as my thoughts grew louder.

It felt pathetic being jealous of Myles hooking up with other women. Feeling envious of another woman wasn’t an emotion I often felt.

Myles and I flirted—we found ourselves in situations we wanted to act upon but refrained from. Nothing had actually happened between us that should trigger these feelings I had brewing inside me.

Myles was a shameless flirt, and the thought of being closer to him—being his friend with benefits—sounded wildly heartbreaking.