She looked up and pouted at her father, then at me. “Then why did you give James an invitation?”
“Because he’s family, right, James?”
All I could do was nod, seeing Mia frown. She stayed quiet and held the stuffed baby elephant I had gotten her because she liked stuffed toys, and I was more than willing to be useful for her collection. We both had run out of ideas to gift her dad, so we had bought him a ticket for an entire day at a spa so he could relax. She even paid half of it from her savings, even when I tried to reject it.
* * *
I checkedthe time on my watch, and it was almost past midnight. We had watched three episodes of the series and Clyde was passed out on his recliner chair while Mia had already gone upstairs to sleep in early because it was a school night.
Pulling the quilt off of the couch, I tucked it over Clyde and turned off the television.
“Goodnight, old man,” I whispered to him and picked up my cellphone, checking the kitchen island if I had to clean anything. But Mia and I had stocked the dishwasher together, and the counter was clean.
I went upstairs to say goodbye to Mia if she was awake when I heard it…
The smallest, softest whimper coming through her door.
“James…”
10
WILL YOU TEACH ME?
MIA
Itouched my breasts through the thin tank top and sighed. It felt good. But it wasn’t enough.
“James…” a small whimper elicited from my throat as I imagined his large hands caressing my skin. Holding my breasts, pinching and rolling my nipples.
My back arched, and I felt an intense rush of arousal, my clit throbbing for attention. I wanted more. So much more. I whimpered again, cupping myself through the shorts and bit my lip at the warm touch.
“Mia.” A sharp knock made me freeze. I quickly sat up on the bed, straightening my clothes as if I was caught with my hands in a cookie jar.But this was probably ten times worse than that.
“Yes, come in.” I leaned back on the headrest, pretending to read a book.
James opened the door and looked at me with a dark expression on his face.Did he hear me? No. I don’t think he did.
“Clyde fell asleep on his recliner and… what are you reading?” He raised his brow, crossing his arms and showing off his delectable arms.
Fuck me.
“I’m reading romance.” I met his stare and said, “It has friends to lovers trope, and it’s really cute.”
“I’m sure it is.” A small smile curled at the corner of his lips as he glanced at the said book in my hands and said, “Princess, you’re holding it upside down.”
I glanced down and sure enough, I was holding it upside down. I was in a hurry when he had knocked and didn’t notice the mistake.
Fuck me twice. I gingerly straightened it and cleared my throat, looking anywhere else but at him even though I felt his intense stare on my face, heating it up.
“What were you really doing, Mia?” he asked, his voice much closer than before and I swallowed the lump in my throat when I felt him invade my sanctuary.
“I… I was doing no—”
I gasped when he touched my face, cupping my jaw and making me look at him, meeting his piercing blue eyes. His touch was warm and electric. I wanted to lean in and kiss him. His thumb brushed over my cheekbone as he whispered,
“Don’t lie.”
It was a warning. Which I didn’t listen to because lying and teasing him was more fun. I wanted to unravel him. See what was beneath the facade of a hot billionaire-slash-teacher. See what kind of person he was underneath his crisp shirts and slacks.