I nibble on her ear, just to be a dick. “Because I can.”
She doesn’t even try to wiggle away—or rear back and butt me in the face, which is what I deserve for that. This girl chooses her battles like she can only ever pick one. She doesn’t waste her energy on fights she stands no chance of winning. Adrian thought she was dumb at first, but that’s not it. It’s something else, something I can’t quite touch or identify. I want to dive inside her brain until I understand why she does the things she does.
I can’t, so I settle for cupping her perfect breast, massaging the soft globe in my hand. I squeeze her nipple, waiting for a response she doesn’t want to give me.
“I can’t believe I was this wrong about you,” she finally says. I can’t hear fear in her voice, but I feel it in the shaky way she exhales. It shouldn’t be so goddamn intoxicating. I bury my face in her hair, breathing in the faintest scent of coconut. I should have Maria bring her shampoo to my bathroom so she has it. I like it.
“People are wrong all the time,” I tell her.
Her breath comes out with even less steadiness as I brush my lips across the nape of her neck. “But you…” She trails off, drawing a shuddering breath.
Maybe I should’ve done this before I fucked her. I just finished, and to be honest, I’m starting to want to fuck her again. I can’t do that. I mean, I could, but it would be excessively dickish, all things considered. I’ll wait until morning, but it’s going to be a long night.
“But I….?” I’m interested in hearing whatever else she wants to say, but my fondling has thoroughly distracted her.
She swallows, her chest rising and falling with more effort than breathing should require. Her voice is unsteady as she says, “Nothing.”
I let my hand drop to the curve of her magnificent ass. I give it a squeeze and she jerks, surprised.
“Stop it,” she snaps, swatting at my hand. “Stop touching me.”
“I like touching you.” I say it lightly enough that it sounds like I’m being an asshole, but it’s not even a lie. I’ve kept my desires mostly in check, but having her here in my bed is testing my control. Up until now I’ve been trying sample cups; now I have a Mia buffet laid out before me, just begging me to eat my fill.
“You’ve ruined my life,” she states, rather dramatically. “You’re the last person I want to touch me.”
I trail a finger up over her hip anyway, considering her words. “I could’ve killed you already. Still can, if it’s your preference.”
That silences her little ass. I smile faintly, splaying my hand over her stomach and tugging her body snugly against mine. Consequently, she can feel my cock pressing against her ass now.
“Seriously?” she asks.
“I have a short refractory period when I’m fucking someone new,” I explain.
“Yay me,” she mutters back.
“I mean, it could be, but in this case probably not.”
She shakes her head at me, faintly disbelieving. “You’re something else.”
“So you’ve said. Is that as specific as you’d like to get? Go ahead; I’ll give you a free shot. Lay into me.”
“I don’t want to lay into you,” she mutters.
“Oh, come on,” I say, giving her a little squeeze. “Tell me what an evil, manipulating bastard I am. I want to know your meanest thoughts.”
“I don’t want to be mean.” She settles right into my embrace, even though her tone remains sullen. “I want you to stop ruining everything.” Apparently finding her gumption, she pries my arm off her so she can roll over and glare at me. “You create your own problems, you know? I tried to be your friend and you did this. If you don’t like your life empty and lonely, let people in. Don’t treat them like this.”
Absently running my index finger down her arm, I inform her, “I can treat people however I want to treat them, Mia. Loyalty to me isn’t something you give because I deserve it; it’s something you give if you want to continue breathing.”
Mia shakes her head at me, like I just don’t get it. “There’s an enormous gulf between loyalty and love, Mateo. There’s a difference between trusting people not to kill you and letting them into your heart.”
I smile so condescendingly that she can’t help flushing and looking away from me. She’s reminding me so much of that night in the library right now, seeking out the damaged part of me, trying to lead me toward a better path. It was adorable that night, and it’s adorable now. Even now, this ridiculous girl looks at me and imagines it’s a front, that surely beneath the asshole who hurts her there’s a lonely man who needs healing.