Neighbors with Benefits (Anderson Brothers, #2)(44)

She lay back down, staring up at the sky and said nothing for a long time. Her breathing was quick and shallow. He’d surprised her.

He was used to being one step ahead at all times, and with this woman, he was forever racing to keep up. Somehow, he’d relinquished control to her completely, and amazingly, he was okay with that.

He’d learned in his years of business that silence was sometimes more powerful than words, so he let the silence play out and they watched the clouds go by and gulls glide overhead.

“I probably would have slept with you without all of this,” she said finally.

Well, that wasn’t what he had expected. He sat bolt upright, startling Clancy. What the f*ck did that mean? He closed his eyes and took a calming breath. From her point of view, perhaps that was a reasonable response. Go to the why, not the what, he reminded himself. She’d been hurt before. Had felt used and betrayed.

She took his hand as she sat up, and her wide eyes met his. “You’re shaking.” She brought his hand to her face and placed it against her warm cheek, then turned her face to kiss the inside of his palm, a gesture so sincere it made his throat tight. “You’re cracking. That calm, expressionless mask is letting a little light in so I can see the real you underneath—the one you hide from the public.”

“Perhaps I should have you sign a non-disclosure statement promising to never tell anyone I’m a real person with real feelings.”

“Not necessary. Nobody would believe me anyway.” She placed a container in the bag.

He grabbed her hand as she reached for another container. “I didn’t do this as a ploy to sleep with you, Mia.”

“I believe you.” She pulled her hand away and brushed the hair from her face before continuing to clean up. “I almost wish you had.”

He gathered up the boxes closest to him and put them in the bag. “Because I would be living up, or down, to your expectations?”

She grabbed the remaining items and put them away. “Yes.” After a moment, she met his eyes. “And no.”

Afraid to speak, or even move, he waited for her to go on unprompted. He had no idea what was in her mind, which was not a familiar scenario for him.

“You scare me, Michael.”

Now, that was unexpected. “Why on earth do I scare you?”

“You’re so… you. And I’m so me, and I have no idea why you would even look at me twice.” She was speaking so fast he could barely keep up. “You have everything and I have nothing and I don’t see why in the world you are even hanging out with me in the first place. I mean, really—”

And before she could utter another word, he covered her mouth with his. After a moment, she relaxed and kissed him back, gently scraping her nails across his scalp, causing chills to race up and down his spine. Clancy stepped across his lap to the outside, allowing him to close the space between them, and the feel of her body against his made everything else going on minute and unimportant. He rolled her on top of him and fisted his hands in her hair, pulling her down to him. Spending time with this woman did something for him that work never had. She filled an emptiness he’d not known existed. And unlike any other woman he’d been with, the more he knew about her, the more he liked her, and wanted her—and needed her. He could have kissed her forever, and he might have, had his alarm on his phone not gone off.

Shit, shit, shit. “We need to hurry or we’re going to be late to the rehearsal dinner.”

“Oh, no.” She pulled out her phone from her pocket as she rolled off of him and frowned. “I need to shower and do my hair. There’s no way we’ll be on time.”

This was his fault, but there was no chance in hell he would let them be late. Not when everyone expected it of her. “You showered before we left this morning. Throw on that red dress, put on some lipstick, and call it done.”

She stood. “Back to ordering me around, huh?”

He pointed to the sand just off the blanket and she stepped off as indicated. “Damn right.”

“He’s so bossy, Clancy.”

He shook the blanket, folded it, and placed it in the bag. “It’s one of the things you like about me.” He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him, skimming her neck with his lips, then trailing his hands lower. “You have the greatest ass…now get it moving so we’re on time for this thing.” He gave her a playful pop and she giggled, picking up Clancy’s leash and running for the trail from the beach.





Chapter Fifteen


Mia was relieved they’d made it to the restaurant on time, but her heart was still racing from the rush.

“We’re not doing the boy/girl/boy/girl seating thing,” Sue said after Michael had been introduced to Mark’s parents and her mom. “Just sit anywhere.”

Mark and his dad were to her left, with the two mothers chatting happily in the next two chairs, which left the seat next to Sue open. Before she or the waiter hovering nearby could do it, Michael pulled out Mia’s chair.

“Kelli called,” Sue said. “She and Jason are running late.”

Michael pushed her chair in and sat to her right and for a fleeting moment, his mouth turned up in what she could swear was a smirk.

“But you’re on time,” her friend said with a grin. “I think Michael was right.”