“I missed you today,” she tells me, her hand patting my abs over my T-shirt.
“Missed you too, MiMi. What are we drinking?”
“Water?” she offers, making me snort. “Fine. There’s vodka in the freezer.”
She pulls away to go back into the living room. I play bartender, dumping Skittles into three tumblers and then filling them partway with vodka and then the rest of the way with Sprite.
“Come and get it, kids,” I call out.
Mia, ever the adventurous one, grins when she sees her drink. “What do you call this one?”
“Rainbow Barf.”
Brayden snorts. “It looks sick.”
“The longer it sits there, the sicker it’ll look. Better drink it while you can still see the colors,” I warn. “Don’t worry. I didn’t roofie you, bro.”
The corner of his lips kicks up in a maddening smirk. “Good to know.”
Mia darts her gaze back and forth, seemingly tense about our exchange. I refuse to piss her off because I’m jealous as fuck over Brayden. I’m smarter than that. If I really want to win Mia over, then I need to do it the right way.
Be the Ashton she knows and loves.
I’m about to open my mouth to say something dreadfully charming, but then Brayden wraps an arm around her waist. I’d think he was taunting me, just to piss me off, but he seems desperate to touch her. I can’t fault him, because I get it.
Mia is special.
I fucked up.
Frowning, I suck down my Rainbow Barf and then chomp angrily on the Skittles. The vodka concoction burns down my esophagus and starts an inferno in my stomach. I make myself another drink before walking into the living room, needing space. Just to be a prick, I park my ass down in the middle of the sofa. When they walk up to the sofa, I pat the cushion beside me for Mia to sit. Brayden’s dark eyes flash with challenge and then he takes their drinks, sets them on the table, and then sits beside me with her in his lap.
“I have an away game this weekend, but maybe Thursday night I could take you out,” he says, patting her thigh.
“That sounds nice,” she agrees. “I’ll miss you while you’re gone.”
Gag.
Fucking gag.
I level Brayden with a glare that says, “I kissed your girl last night.”
He smirks back with a look that says, “I know.”
Leave it to Mia to be upfront and open about everything. Makes me feel like an even worse douchebag for what happened with Drew, because I can’t tell her about it. I just can’t.
Brayden pulls her back against his chest, nuzzling against her neck, kissing her there. She giggles because she’s ticklish there—a fact I knew long before him. His eyes meet mine as he sucks on the flesh there.
Fuck him.
“Stop,” she warns him, though her voice is breathless and needy. It does shit to me. Makes my dick hard in my jeans.
He does it again, his eyes flashing with triumph. That he got the fucking girl. With my eyes burning holes into him, I take her hand and thread our fingers together. It’s something I would have done long before she kissed me that day. We’re affectionate like that. I bring her hand up and kiss one of her knuckles.
The room goes quiet aside from the way Brayden suckles on her neck. She squeezes my hand. I don’t know if it’s an apology or a reminder that she’s still here with me. Either way, I take it, squeezing her back.
Brayden’s hand cradles her cheek, turning her face to him. His challenging stare locks on mine, even after his lips fuse to hers.
I don’t back down or look away.
He nips at her bottom lip, making her whimper. My dick strains against my jeans. His eyes close and the tension bleeds away. I watch them, hating how much I enjoy the sight of them together. He’s fucking hot and Mia is gorgeous. I shouldn’t like it as much as I do.
Ding-dong!
Mia shrieks in surprise. Brayden grabs her hips and moves her aside to snatch his wallet up from the table beside his phone and keys. As soon as he walks off to greet the delivery person, Mia glances my way, her cheeks flushed.
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “That was probably awkward for you.”
“Let me tell you a secret,” I say lowly, crooking a finger at her to urge her closer.
She leans in so close I can smell his masculine scent lingering on her. “What?”
“It wasn’t awkward because I can still do this.” I kiss her soft lips and then pull away with a smile. “I haven’t lost you yet.”
Her lashes flutter against her cheeks and she presses her fingers to her lips, surprise shining in her eyes.
“What’d I miss?” Brayden practically growls as he drops the bag of food on the coffee table.
I wink at him. “Mia’ll tell you later. She doesn’t keep secrets.”