Tease (Tease 1)

I shut off the taps just as there was a knock on the door.

By the time I got home it was well past midnight. I threw my keys down on the counter and took my shirt off. Unbuttoning my jeans, I stepped out of them and my boxers, leaving both in a pile on the floor. I climbed into bed, barely having the energy to pull back the sheets. Fuck, Melinda sucked the life out of me. She always left me feeling like I’d run a marathon. My phone beeped next to me. I reached for it.

Just caught the new cover for New Woman mag…apparently now I’m pregnant. B xx

I laughed. Bethany and I had a different kind of relationship from what I did with any of my other clients. With Beth, it wasn’t just business. I cared about all my clients, but I’d actually go out of my way to just hang with Beth—and I did. Every week—when she wasn’t working—we’d catch up. No sex, just two friends having a drink and a laugh. She was a fun girl with a great sense of humor. There wasn’t anything more there for either of us than friendship and great sex, and that kind of made our relationship even stronger. It was hard to be friends with someone you’re sleeping with, unless you find a way to separate the two things. It wasn’t always easy, but if it meant keeping our friendship in tact then I had to try and do just that.

I texted her back.

Crap, it’s not mine is it? See you Tuesday.

I put my phone back on the table and rolled over, drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Six

Friday crept up on me way too quickly, but to be honest, I was looking forward to a few days without sex. Now that’s a comment I’d never expected to say.

Getting up to the cabin was a yearly ritual that I loved. It gave me time to spend with Nic, Jake, and the girls. It also gave me a break from work, which every now and then I really needed. The cabin was situated next to a lake, which meant fishing, hiking, and lots of relaxation was in store for the next few days.

I arrived at Steenport just after lunch. A tiny fishing town, Steenport consisted of a general store and a bait shop. There were several cabins scattered around the lake, and being a holiday weekend, most of them were occupied.

Pulling up in front of number three, I noticed another car alongside Nic and Jake’s. It wasn’t unusual for them to invite friends up there with us, so I wasn’t too concerned. Getting out of the car, I opened the trunk and grabbed my luggage. When I reached the door, I knocked loudly. The door swung open and both Marlie and Tully stood there grinning up at me.

“Uncle Coop!” they yelled in unison. They ran at me, almost knocking me over, and threw their arms around me.

“Hey guys,” I chuckled, hugging them back. “Wow, you two are getting huge!”

Tully rolled her eyes with her typical five-year-old attitude. “You only saw us last week,” she reminded me as if I was an idiot. I shook my head and gently tugged her hair.

With one of them on either side of me, holding my hands—or, more accurately, yanking me along—we walked toward the kitchen. I loved going there. The wooden cabin was huge, with its four bedrooms, oversized bathroom, and a large living area. A log fire kept the place warm at night. A balcony overlooked the lake and wrapped around half the cabin, big enough for an outdoor table setting and a Weber grill.

We walked into the kitchen, and were greeted by Nic and Jake. My attention turned to a woman who was sitting at the table, her hands clasped in front of her. She smiled at me, recognition flashing in her eyes. There was something so familiar about her, but exactly what, I couldn’t put my finger on.

Then it hit me.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

Mia Westfield. The last time I’d seen her was when I was fifteen and she was fourteen. She’d been on her knees, behind her parents’ shed, giving me my first hummer.

Twelve years later she was sitting there, right in front of me, looking as sexy as hell.

She gaped at me. “Liam?” she asked, astonished.

Her mouth dropped open. Her dark brown hair hung loosely around her bare shoulders, the green top she was wearing clinched at the waist and brought out the emerald color of her eyes. Her tight jeans clung to the curves of her hips. I was surrounded by beautiful women every day, yet Mia’s natural beauty left me utterly speechless.

“Mia. What the hell are you doing here?” I sputtered, finally finding my voice, which came out as a squeak. Nic eyed me strangely as she emptied the dishwasher.

“You remember Mia?” Nic asked, surprised.

I nodded. How the fuck could I forget her?

‘Shocked’ was an understatement to describe how I was feeling. She was my sister’s childhood best friend. I’d had the biggest crush on Mia for four years, until she and her family relocated to Florida. The day before she left, she’d asked me to go with her down the back of her parents’ yard. Never in a million years had I expected what had happened next: Mia had made all my adolescent wet dreams come true in the space of five minutes.

“Wow, Liam. You look different from the last time I saw you.” She grinned. She bit her lip as she moved her gaze over my body.

I narrowed my eyes at her, not sure if she was playing with me. The last time I’d seen her, my pants had been around my ankles and my cock was in her mouth. Of course I looked different.

“So do you,” I replied, my eyebrows raised. “Last time I saw you, you were about this tall.” I motioned to the height of my crotch and she laughed, her eyes narrowing slightly as they locked on mine.