I stopped for fuel at a gas station shortly past the cabin. I checked my messages and saw one from Mia. I rubbed my lips together and clicked on the message. I felt oddly nervous about hearing from her. Running away like an embarrassed schoolgirl hadn’t done much for my self esteem, nor did it paint me in the picture of the mature, levelheaded adult I considered myself to be.
I hope I didn’t scare you off. I really enjoyed spending time with you, I just want to move things slowly. Mia xx
I chuckled and texted back.
No you didn’t scare me off. Headed back early to catch up with some work. Hope to see you later?
It surprised me how much better I felt after hearing from her. What shocked me even more was how much I was looking forward to seeing her again.
Chapter Eight
I unlocked the front door and threw my bag down in the hallway. The drive from the cabin had taken a good few hours, and now I felt like I needed a break to get over the last few days. A vacation from my vacation—that’s great.
Glancing at my phone, I saw it was just after one in the afternoon. I was meeting a client at four. That gave me enough time for a shower and an hour or so to relax.
Stripping off my clothes, I made my way down to the bathroom. I turned on the water, stepping under the stream once it had reached temperature. I sighed as the hot water ran down my face. Sleeping with Mia last night would have been a big mistake, and I was glad we didn’t let it get that far—but leaving this morning without talking to her about it was an even bigger one.
Way to make things more awkward. She was going to be there in a few days for god knew how long. Living under the same roof as a woman I was insanely attracted to was just asking for trouble.
I closed my eyes and ran my hands through my hair. Kissing her had been so amazing. The feel of her skin on mine, the way she touched me, and the way her hands had brushed past my erection. I glanced down and saw that I was at full mast. If I didn’t have to service a client in two hours, I’d have been yanking that thing like there was no tomorrow.
See? There were downsides to my job.
I turned off the water and got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist. I used another towel to roughly dry my arms and chest. Turning off the fan and the light, I made my way down to the living room. Grabbing the remote, I slumped down on the sofa and yawned.
After I switched on the TV, I ran aimlessly through the channels, disgusted with the viewing options for a Monday afternoon. I sighed and turned it off, deciding that nothing was the better option. I picked up my phone again, feeling like hormone-driven teenager.
Almost done with work, and now I’m sitting in front of the TV considering watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I think I need to get out more. Or shoot myself. Not sure which yet.
She texted back right away.
Are you suggesting people who watch TSLOTAT don’t have a life? Before you answer, consider that you’re referring to one of my favorite shows, and us fans are a rabid bunch.
I laughed. Of course she shortened it.
This new information surprises me. I thought you were better than that. Honestly? I’m a little disappointed and considering retracting my offer of accommodation.
I chuckled to myself as I switched the TV back on. Now I felt obliged to at least give the show a go before I gave her shit about it. My phone beeped.
Oh, so now you offered? The last I checked, you were kind of roped into it by your sister. Either way, maybe I should retract my acceptance on the basis of your shitty taste in TV shows.
I roared with laughter. Now I had to watch the damn show, if only to give me more ammunition to use against her.
Shut up you idiot. I’ll see you later.
Putting the phone aside, I flicked it onto TSLOTAT—god, now I was doing it.
It didn’t take long for me to be fully immersed in the story, and on the verge of driving down to Target to buy the full four seasons. The only thing stopping me was the shit I’d get if my stash were ever discovered. If that got out, I’d lose all respect as a male escort—hell, I’d lose all respect as a man.
After three back-to-back episodes, I forced myself to turn the TV off. That shit was like crack, and Betty’s mispronunciation of the word ‘coincidence’ was getting on my nerves.
Fuck, I really did need a life. All I did was work and sleep. Maybe I needed to take a course or something. Things were serious w
hen you found yourself getting sucked into shows intended for fourteen-year-old girls.
Lying back on the sofa, I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling really tired. I couldn’t fall asleep—I had less that an hour to get to my appointment with Delaney, but I could daydream.
My mind wandered directly to Mia. I wanted to text her again, but I didn’t want to be that guy—you know, the male equivalent to the clingy girl who keeps texting and texting after sex. I threw the phone onto the armchair on the other side of the room and went back to thinking about her.