She blew out an impatient breath. “What exactly is happening right now?”
He hated himself for doing this, but he felt forced to at least see the conversation through to its logical conclusion. As much as his hormones were screaming to be unleashed, this felt too important. Ross ran a hand down her spine before pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“If there’s even a chance of you pursuing politics, it’s probably not smart to get involved with someone like me. Sure, it’s a juvenile record, but I’m sure people will dig up anything and try to use it against you. I don’t want my mistake to ruin your chances. I don’t want to be your skeleton.”
“Ross—”
“This isn’t just fun and games. You need to be serious.”
Her fingers stilled and her eyes darkened. She pulled away from him completely, leaning against the countertop opposite of him. “You want to be serious? Fine.”
Ross wasn’t sure what he expected from her, perhaps for her to wake up and realize good times with him might not be worth the hassle. Or maybe he just wanted to save himself from eventual heartache. For the first time in his life, he didn’t feel strong enough to handle it, like whatever part of his heart remained, it was stretched so thin these days, it wouldn’t take much to cause an irreparable hole.
Mia cleared her throat, running a frustrated hand through her locks. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” she said. The confession made her face appear pained and he almost drew her into his arms again. “I don’t know what I’m doing and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I already told you this scares me. And I know nothing can be planned because life is always going to throw a couple of curveballs. As far as politics are concerned, I honestly don’t see anything more than research and teaching—”
“But you don’t know.”
“Okay, let’s say maybe I decide to do something more. It doesn’t matter. Whether I get into politics or not, you will never be some dark secret in my closet. You shouldn’t be a dark secret in anyone’s closet. Do you hear me, Ross Manasse? You are more than just one mistake. I like the whole man, and that includes the bones and muscle, heart and soul. And most of all your mind. God, when I look at you, seeing something shameful is not even worth entertaining because you’ll never be that to me.”
He stood there, unable to move, let alone respond. He tried to get his legs to move forward so he could wrap her in an embrace, press a grateful face into her neck and breathe her in, one floral note at a time.
She must have assumed his brain stopped working because her fingers went to the buttons of her shirt and she began to achingly undo one after another. She stepped close to him again, pressing kisses along his jawline.
He closed his eyes, releasing a jagged breath as shaky hands slid into the opening of her shirt, skimming silky skin. She already felt so good: warm, soft, pliable, everything he needed.
“You’re sure you want this?” His voice sounded gruff to his own ears.
“Good lord, Ross. All this skeleton talk and, yet, you still can’t pick up on how much I want you to bone me. How much clearer can I make this?”
A laugh rumbled through his chest. “Boneme? Nerd-girl, your vocabulary is already becoming so pedestrian.”
“Maybe it’s time for you to tutor me in a thing or two?”
He reached lower, grabbing her thighs, and lifting her up. With a gasp, her limbs wrapped around his torso. Ross gave her mouth a biting kiss. “It might be time for a little extracurricular activity.”
She laughed as she continued to press kisses to his face, and he carried her to his bedroom, fire burning through his veins.
When Ross laid her on his bed, her grasp on him loosened. He carefully removed her glasses, placing them on the nightstand. Then he took hold of the T-shirt on his back and pulled the garment off while Mia discarded her own shirt. Her finger traced a line along the ridges of his chest, her eyes dark and hazy. He couldn’t wait to do his own touching, and she seemed to be reading his mind when she rose to unhook her bra before unceremoniously dropping it on the floor. Mia reclined as if presenting herself like a platter ready to be sampled. Every part of her was breathtakingly beautiful.
“Taking your bra off was supposed to be my job,” he said, unable to resist kissing a path from her collarbone to each breast, and she moaned in pleasure.
“After all this back and forth between us, I might be feeling a little impatient.”
Just as she had the ability to inflate a cloud under him, he’d do anything to do the same for her. He started undoing the zipper of her pants with clumsy fingers. “All right, Miss Most-likely-to-be-taking-notes-while-being-seduced. Just so you know, if anyone is going to be taking notes tonight, it’s going to be me.”
“Is that right?” She lifted her hips so he could peel off her remaining clothes.
He nodded. “I’m studying what it takes to shut off that overworked brain of yours. I’ve never considered myself a people-pleaser, but right now I’m going to try my hand at being a Mia-pleaser.”
That shut her up. Her mouth parted on a soft intake and her skin developed an attractive flush.
Ross was becoming equal parts agony and hope. Agony because his body had convinced itself that if he didn’t have her soon he would possibly die. And hope because, even if this was contained to a single night, it was one moment where she would be absolutely his.
He traveled down the length of her body, nipping and kissing a path along her skin. Her breathing was increasing but he wouldn’t be satisfied with just that. His shoulder wedged her legs apart as he fit himself between them.
“Ross—”
He pressed his mouth there, ignoring her and began to kiss and lick. When Mia started to squirm, he latched an arm across her hips as he continued tasting her, running his tongue through her.
