Page 17

17

MIA

Michael came through the door of the treehouse that, as I looked around, turned out to be surprisingly spacious. I could even stand up in it. Michael, however, was way taller than I was. While he was on his feet, he had to hunch his shoulders, so he dropped to his knees in front of me. He held me captive with his gaze as he shrugged out of his shirt and spread it on the wooden floor.

It was dark except for the dim light from the moon and stars filtering inside, but I could see the burning lust in his eyes. He reminded me of a dangerous predator with delicious prey in his sight. From what I remembered of our night together, Michael was about to tilt my world on its axis and set it ablaze.

“I’ve been dying to be inside you again, Mia,” he said as palmed my hips and pulled me closer. While I was shocked by his confession, the husky, urgent quality of his voice made my knees quiver, and I had to clutch his shoulders for support while he undid the buttons of my shorts. He pulled it down my legs, followed by my underwear.

Not once did he break eye contact, and I had to stifle an aroused moan. He exuded this commanding, primal energy that had my ovaries quivering and made me want to bend to his will. Plus, we were about to make love outside, in a treehouse. It was wild, crazy, and exciting. If he suddenly pounded his chest and growled, “Me man, you woman,” I’d likely orgasm on the spot.

The air between us crackled with tension as I stood before him with my lower half exposed in the moonlight. He still wore his pants, but he undid his belt and zipper and dropped them while he caressed my thigh with one hand. As soon as his shaft sprang free, he pulled me to him and lifted me in one motion. As soon as my legs were around his waist, he captured my lips for another ravenous kiss, which I couldn’t get enough of. Kissing Michael was almost orgasmic.

As he smoothly carried us to the floor where I lay on his shirt, I felt his hardness pressing into my stomach. I squirmed, wanting him even closer. I needed him inside me so badly I ached.

I tore my mouth away from his and reached between us to grab his harness. He bucked and growled, “Mia…” as if in warning.

“Please, Michael.” My voice was so tight with need, it was barely recognizable.

His groan echoed with resignation as he gave in to my plea and pushed into me. There was only the slightest resistance this time before my body accepted him as if it remembered him… as if we were made for each other. There I went again, getting ahead of myself where Michael was concerned.

“I hadn’t planned on doing things this fast,” he said as he gazed at me. There was the slightest glint of amusement in his eyes as he tenderly brushed the tendrils of my hair out of my face.

The gesture made my abdominal muscles clench and my heart stutter. Yeah, as I remember, Michael liked to indulge in mind-blowing foreplay that resulted in multiple orgasms before the main event. However, tonight, I just needed… him .

“I couldn’t wait,” I whispered. My back arched off the floor as he continued to fill me until he was completely buried inside.

The wild I-need-to-fuck-you-now energy he’d radiated before had turned into something slower, sweeter, and much too intense. It was dangerous to my heart and emotions. His thrusts were slow and sensual, each one sending pleasure throughout my body. I clung to him, my nails digging into his back as his eyes pierced mine into mine. He seemed to be looking into my soul. As much as I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.

Maybe things got too intense for Michael after a while, too, because a shadow of uncertainty that wasn’t there before flickered in his eyes right before he dipped his head and buried his face between my neck and shoulder. The die hard romantic inside me wondered if maybe this was more than just sex for him too…

“Mia,” he whispered.

I wasn’t sure if he wanted to say something more or if he was just feeling as overwhelmed as I was, but I loved the sound of my name rolling off his lips like that.

“Michael…” I returned as I held on to him tighter.

When he lifted his head to look at me again, that untamed, smoldering look gleamed in his eyes. I remembered it well. It was the one that made me feel like I was the only thing in this world he wanted. If only I were really his and he was mine… so he’d always look at me like that. A gasp escaped me when he swiftly rolled us over so that I straddled him.

Before he moved again, he searched my face and asked, “Is this okay?”

My heart instantly melted into an infatuated pool. I’d gathered that Michael Hayes was a dominant creature, especially during sex, but he always turned it down a notch to make sure the other person was comfortable. He was incredible, and I was… Oh, dear God.

I’d fallen in love with my boss. Stupid me. I gazed down at him, hoping he didn’t see my apprehension. It was an awkward time to realize that I’d put myself into a position that would likely lead to a broken heart.

“Mia?”

Jolted out of my stupor, I quickly whispered, “Yes. This is perfect.”

He gripped my hips firmly to guide my movements. Since this was my second time with a man— only this man—I felt a sliver of shyness because he watched me so closely. However, as his thrusts became more urgent, pleasure coiled inside me, ready to explode. It wiped away all timidness and worry about consequences.

My inhibitions flew out the treehouse, and I rode him with wild abandon.

Michael groaned—more like growled—an expletive. “You feel so good, Mia. I dreamed about having you like this again. Ride me harder.”

His words spurred me on. With my hands on his chest for support, I enthusiastically did as he ordered.

“That’s it. Good girl,” he drawled as he gazed at me with satisfaction.

Those two words did something to me, and I wasn’t even sure why. I just felt like I wanted to please him, to hear them again. I moaned loudly when his hands slid up my torso and he palmed my breasts. The way he squeezed and teased my hypersensitive nipples heightened my arousal. The slick friction drove me to the heights of ecstasy. I had to wonder if sex was always this good or if this time with Michael was so intense because of the tension that had simmered between us for weeks.

My head fell back, and a cry erupted as my orgasm hit me harder than I expected. However, it was muffled. I was so absorbed in the moment, that it took me a moment to realize that Michael had a hand clamped over my mouth… because I almost screamed . Although music and chatter were going on inside the house, someone might have heard me.

As my entire body quivered and I floated in a cloud of bliss, I mumbled my apology into his hand. He let out a little laugh that turned into a drawn-out groan as my wall spasmed around him. His body went taut, and without warning, he cupped my nape and tugged me down to cover my mouth with his.

The kiss was frantic, almost desperate as his body shook with his release. As we clung to each other, waves of pleasure still moved through me until they gradually receded. For a moment, the entire world was still with only the sound of our ragged breathing and the warmth of our connected bodies.

I didn’t bask in the blanket of complete bliss for long because the reality of what we’d done seeped in fast. I slowly lifted my head to look at him. He stared back, and I saw the turmoil gathering in his eyes. That raging lust that told us to ignore the possible consequences of crossing the professional line was gone, and we were both caught up in that oh-shit-what-did-we-do moment.

Michael seemed to be in a better space than I was. Then again, he had much better control over his emotions than I ever would. “Mia,” he began. “That was…” Even as he inhaled deeply, he tenderly swept a tendril if my hair behind my ear. “I guess now we talk…”

I tried to swallow the panic clawing its way up my throat. I shook my head. Talk? We couldn’t do that… I couldn’t. Not now, anyway. I still reeled from the recognition of my deeper feelings for him. Plus, he was still inside me, for goodness’ sake.

He must have seen my apprehension because, as he watched me, his brows furrowed and he let me go. I instantly scrambled off him and blushed profusely as we both stared at our combined fluids running down my thigh. The realization that we didn’t use protection seemed to stun us both into silence because we just sat there in the treehouse and stared at my leg for the longest time.

With my face scorching, I finally moved and reached for my underwear. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

Michael snagged my wrist, and I reluctantly met his gaze. “We’re going to talk,” he said.

I wanted to roll my eyes at his decree. Did he have any idea how utterly bossy he sounded? “Fine, but I’d prefer we did that without your semen pouring out of me,” I hissed. “So we’ll talk later .”

He dropped my wrist, and his eyes widened slightly. Maybe he was shocked that I spoke to him like that because he was the one who usually gave the orders. In true, annoyingly controlled Michael fashion, he inclined his head and cooly stated, “As you wish.”

I glowered at him because I couldn’t help it. I was kind of jealous of his ability to have his shit together even at a time like this. A tiny part of me was smug that I’d seen him lose his cool on a few occasions, though, like tonight. I suspected not many got to see that.

The air around us sparked with awkwardness as we dressed… Maybe I was the only one feeling it. He was dressed first and made his way out of the treehouse. As I made my way down the ladder, I stiffened when I felt hands circle my waist to help me the rest of the way. Right now, Michael’s touch was like a live wire. I was actually afraid of it because the tension between us felt like it might spark an electrical fire.

His hands lingered on my waist a moment too long even after I was on solid ground, and heat surged through me. He spun me around to face him, and my breath hitched in my throat.

“Look, Mia,” he began. “We’ll talk later as you requested, but I don’t want things…”

The swish of the sliding door opening interrupted him. We turned to stare at the porch like guilty teens caught making out as Aunt Neddy and Poppy stepped out hand-in-hand.

“There you two are,” Neddy said. “You’ve been missing for a while. We started to worry.”

To my dismay, the entire family came out to crowd the porch. The music from Neddy’s birthday celebration filtered out as more than half a dozen pairs of eyes fixated on us.

“Michael, I heard you laughing earlier… loudly .” His mother gazed at him as if he were a different creature than the one she gave birth to.

Michael’s dad folded his arms over his chest as his gaze swung between his son and me. I wanted to sink into the ground. Our wet, disheveled appearance must have painted a clear picture. His uncle and other aunts watched us with silly, knowing grins.

“Um… There was a toad…” I said lamely and immediately wanted to facepalm myself.

Michael gave me a raised eyebrow look before he took control of the situation. He stepped in front of me, and I gratefully hid behind him.

“Alright everyone,” he said. “The show’s over. Go back inside. We’re fine.”

“Were you and Mia playing in the treehouse, Daddy?” Poppy asked.

I cringed. Kill me now.

Michael’s inhale was audible as if he, too, stirred in unease. “Sure, sweetheart. Mia and I were playing in the treehouse…”

Aunt Neddy snickered, but she stopped and instantly looked repentant. I couldn’t see Michael’s face since I was hiding behind him, but I could imagine the sharp look he gave his aunt to cut off her amusement.

“Well, since you two are fine, we’ll leave you alone,” she said. She gave us a smug look before gathering the troops to lead them back inside.

Michael and I remained by the treehouse, staring at the door.

“Oh God,” I groaned after a while. “Your entire family knows what we just did, don’t they?”

“Don’t mind them,” he said.

I covered my face and groaned again before trudging toward the house.