CHAPTER4
Mia
I am such an idiot.Not only is Stone my brother's best friend from college, but they're going clubbing tonight.
Stonewaslaughing at me earlier. I was wrong when I thought he was flirting with me. He was humoring me, making fun of me.
He's into women more his age with more experience. I may be naïve, but I'm not as naïve as my brother thinks. I know Jeremy gets around and plays the field, so it's ironic as hell that he believes he has the right to tell me what I can and can't do.
It’s none of his business, but I’m sure he’d be pleased to know that his baby sis is still a virgin.I'm not saving myself for marriage or anything. I've just never found anyone I wanted to give myself to that way. But my little lady bits came alive for Stone, and I thought he might be the one who finally made me a woman.
That all just flew out the window. I was stupid about the whole thing.
"God, did I really walk next door and offer him a cup of sugar?" I ask my little pup.
Trixie looks at me with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.
"Why am I asking you? You're a bigger slut for Stone than I am." The only difference is Trixie can get away with it because she's a cute puppy.
I'm just going to have to forget about Stone. That's all there is to it.He's my brother's best friend, and he's not interested in a girl like me. Technically, I’m still a teenager.
I groan when I think of Stone telling my brother about my ridiculous ass coming over and offering to lend him a cup of sugar.
My brother will probably lose his shit if he finds out I have a crush on his best friend.
Wait, I donothave a crush on him. I just met the guy, and yeah, he's insanely hot, but so what? That's all there is to it.
I'm just going to stay in my yard, and he can stay in his. This won't be a problem.I can be a mature adult about this.
I take a deep breath and tell Trixie, "I'm nineteen and fixing to go to fashion school. I have to stay focused on my career."
When I get home, Trixie hits the food and water bowl while I pull out my charcoals and my sketch pad and get back to what I love doing best—sketching out some new designs.
I do not think about the new guy who just moved in next door. I definitely don't look out the window when I hear his car pull in around midnight because I don't care when he comes home.
It's none of my business how late he stays out.
Still, I notice that he comes home alone.
* * *
"Trixie!" I call my fluffy ball of terror as she makes her escape.
I tried to slip out of the door to water my daisies, but Trixie was as fast as lightning when she heard the doorknob turn.
"Come back here!"
She ignores me, running from my yard to next door where Stone is lifting…well…stones.
He's laying them in a ring to create what looks like a flower bed. My mouth goes dry when he stands to his full height.He's not wearing a shirt, and his muscles ripple with every move. It's hot as hell today, and beads of sweat glisten on his skin as they roll over the ridges of his chest and abdomen.
Okay, so I've never been one of those girls who get off on hot, sweaty guys. Sweat, in general, is kind of disgusting, but this is Stone, so can I help it that I want to lick those beads of sweat from his firm skin?
Yeah, that's gross. But tell that to my hormones because my vagina has perked up the way Trixie does when she hears the crinkle of a food wrapper.
"Hey, girl," Stone greets my pup as she runs over and jumps on his leg, begging for his attention.
He bends over to give her a few strokes on the head before he stands and wipes his brow with the back of his arm.