Adam, Enough Said (This Can't be Happening) (17 page)

“How the hell can I feel sorry for a woman who's so goddamn hard headed? There’s nothing to feel sorry for, Mia! I know you can live on your own. I know you don't need or want my help....BUT I FUCKIN’ WANT YOU!
Just you
! That first day, I left because I thought Eric was something different to you and I was pissed, but I was planning on sitting outside that building every night until I saw you again!"

Oh. My. God.

He paused, took a deep breath and continued, "I don't want you to leave me. I don't want you sleeping in this room while I'm on the couch. I want to help you, because I can. I want to help you, because I want you with me all the fuckin' time. And when the time comes that you do need somebody, I want that somebody to be
me
and not that fuckhead Eric! And something else…the only reason I haven’t touched you, is because I promised you I wouldn’t until you gave me the okay, but now that this bullshit’s out of the way, you can bet your sweet ass you belong to me now!" he roared, and the neighbors pounded on the wall for us to shut up.

I closed my eyes.

It was such a relief to know he didn't feel sorry for me, but this was insane. We hardly knew each other and we were already fighting like a married couple.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Adam,” I admitted softly
, before opening my eyes. “I've never had a boyfriend and you scare me.”

“
Back at you, Baby,” he muttered without hesitation.

I swallowed hard, still t
rying to keep my tears in check, and then I admitted, "I like it when you call me Baby...and Freckles.”

“I know
. Your body relaxes every time I say it and I like to watch,” he responded.

W
hen I muttered, “arrogant bastard” under my breath, he grinned. I sighed. “I don’t like fighting with you,” I said somberly and Adam's grin vanished.

“
That wasn't fighting,” he stated matter-of-fact, but he sulked like a little boy being sent to the time-out chair.

“Adam, we were fighting. We always fight.”

“This isn’t fighting, Freckles. This is us.”

Oh shit. That was
really, really sweet.

The tears I’
d been holding back filled my eyes.

Chapter
Twelve

Adam Bryant

"I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry..." she repeated over and over as she looked up at the ceiling, blinking fast.

I frowned.
She was gonna cry? What the hell did I say wrong now? I thought on that for a second…

N
ope, nothing. I hadn’t said anything to make her cry. But she looked like she was going to cry. I couldn't even get past the fact that she
knew
how to cry.

"Mia, what--" I started, but when she
faced me, I slammed my mouth shut. Her eyes were bright and glassy with unshed tears, her cheeks were flushed and her nose was pink.

Oh no...Oh shit...

Shit
!

Panic
! That had to be what I was feeling, that painful constricting in my chest.

What the hell
did I do with a weepy woman
?

But looking at her sweet
, sad, yet vulnerable face, I realized I’d rather slit my own throat than see her cry. On instinct, I reached out, yanked her against my body, wrapped her in my arms and buried my face in her neck. I took a deep breath and the familiar scent of coconut calmed me instantly.

What
is she doing to me
?

“
Baby, I don’t know what’s goin’ through that pretty head of yours, but you’re killin’ me here.”

I felt her
breasts press further into my chest as she inhaled.

“I want you
,” she breathed against my ear and I stiffened.

“That’s why you’re crying?”
My voice was hoarse.

“
I'm not crying. I just have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ve never wanted anything or anybody as much as I want you,” she finished and my arms around her tightened as I closed my eyes and let her words wash over me. I touched my lips to the crease between her neck and shoulder, allowing my mouth to savor her skin as my body savored her words.

“Freckles, you have no
idea. I’ve been going crazy wanting you,” I growled.

I felt her shudder.

"Then do it," she whispered and pulled back to stare up at me. Her gaze was unwavering and her dark green eyes captured mine. I wanted to tell her that she didn't have to do this, that I'd wait until she was sure - which of course, I would - but fuck that. She was about to be mine, and whether it was now or later, that wouldn't make a difference.

I
stood motionless as she kicked off one heel, dropped to her bare foot and then kicked off the other. She was tiny, but sexy as sin. She gripped the dress at her shoulder and pulled her arm through. Then, she did the same to the other side, and before I knew it, she shimmied out of the scrap of material and stood in a black lacy bra and matching panties. My mouth watered and I was rock hard just looking at her.

I've always known, but nothing she's ever worn did her body justice. Not even the painted on dress she just took
off. I've seen her perfect hourglass figure in jeans, shorts, dresses, t-shirts, tanks...even my clothes, but seeing her in the nude was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. And I knew it was because Mia actually meant something to me.

The strings of her panties outlined the curves of her hips just right. The cups of her bra only hugged
half of her full breasts. Her ass was round, her stomach was flat, and she was thick in all the right places.

I
shifted my dick in my pants.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare
at me?" she asked quietly, bringing me out of my stupefied daze.

"Hell
, no," I replied, not even recognizing my own voice.

I needed to touch her and
I needed to touch her now. I ripped the shirt over my head, kicked off my shoes and shrugged off my jeans in record time. This left me in my boxer briefs, which was exactly where Mia's wide eyes were trained, and I watched her throat move as she swallowed hard. When I took a step closer, her eyes hit mine and I saw the fear in them.

I rested my hands on
her hips and her chest rose and fell faster.

"You sure about this, Mia? It's gonna happen anyway, but
we won't do this if you're not ready now." My chest filled with anxiety at the possibility she'd say no.

"I'm ready
. As long as you're sure it's only me."

I frowned.

"Care to explain?"

"I mean..." She took
a deep breath and licked her lips nervously. "...I want to be the only one, Adam. If you get tired of me or find someone else, you can let me go, and I'll go. But while we're doing this, please don't touch anyone else. Don't hurt me like that."

I
closed my eyes at the fear in her tone. It hurt, but it also melted my heart. When I opened them, I cupped her cheek, bent and touched my lips to hers. I kissed her once...twice...before resting my forehead on hers.

"You didn't
have to tell me that. I'll never hurt you. I'm gonna piss you off and screw up - it's inevitable - but I promise I'll never hurt you that way, Baby." I kissed her sweet lips once more.

She nodded an
d sighed.

"Thank you," she whispered
.

I pulled away.

I couldn't wait any longer. "Mia, get in bed before I take you standing up right where you are."

She gave me a hesitant smile, but it was soft and her eyes sparkled.
The moment she turned, my eyes landed on her voluptuous ass, and I watched it walk to the bed and climb in. I followed and laid down beside her as she laid on her back. Her head turned toward me.

"I'm a virgin," she
admitted quietly and I bit my tongue to keep from grinning.

"Yeah,
Freckles, it's pretty obvious, but I'm glad you spelled it out for me."

Her eyes narrowed
and her lips thinned. "You know, no one likes a know-it-all."

My smile broke free.

"You do," I retorted as my hand hit her bare stomach. It tensed and she turned away from me to look at the ceiling. I trailed my fingers up her stomach and over her bra but they didn't dip inside.

Her whole body stiffened.

"Look at me," I ordered and when she did, I continued. "Don't be nervous. It's just us here. You and me. I'll go slow."

"Have you done this a lot
?" she asked, and it was my turn to freeze.

"Have I done what a lot?"
I asked and held my breath.

She rolled her eyes
, but she looked really uncomfortable.

"Taken a girl's virginity.
You sound like a pro and I don't know if I should be upset or glad that you know what to do."

I relaxed
, reached for her hand and laced my fingers with hers. "This is the only question about other chicks that I'm gonna answer in this bed, Mia. No, I've never taken a girl's virginity."

"Really?"
she asked, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"
Yeah, really. At least not that I know of, but I honestly never asked...or cared."

She gasped.
"That's such an asshole thing to say. And you didn't ask me either."

I shrugged.
"I didn't ask you, because I already knew the answer. And I might be an asshole, but you're the only one I've ever cared about."

She stared at me
in disbelief and blinked a few times, before turning to look back at the ceiling. If I wasn't mistaken, her eyes watered.

"You better not
fuckin' cry, Mia," I growled, though I had no idea what I'd do if she did - I just knew I was desperate not to see her cry.

She sighed
. "How is it you can say something so sweet, and be a jerk at the exact same time? And the scary part...why do I like it so much?"

I shifted
, crawled over her, spread her legs with my knees and put my face in hers. I held myself up by my elbows and forearms, framed her face with my hands and told her, "Breathe, Mia."

She
closed her eyes and exhaled audibly.

"
Nuh- uh, let me see those beautiful eyes, Baby." I pushed gently and as soon as I saw green, I laid it all out. "This is me. I'm an asshole. I'm a jerk. I say the wrong thing at the wrong time. I always have and always will...but, Freckles, you're the only woman that will get me. Do you understand?"

When she nodded, I continued, "
From now on, we're an
us
until one of us wants out, which I'll warn you, is gonna be a long way away...if at all. Deal?"

She licked her lips and it took everything in my power to resist
licking them too.

“
Deal," she breathed an eternity later, wrapped her hands around the back of my head and pulled me to her. I slanted my head and kissed her. She opened for me, ready and willing, and we stayed like that, kissing soft and slow, taking our time, our lips learning each other, our mouths committing the feel to memory…until I knew she was ready for more.

I broke away
, only for as fast as it took me to remove her bra, panties and my boxers. I didn’t know the proper protocol for taking virginity, but Mia was nervous and I didn’t want to push her too far or make her feel uncomfortable.

But I did get in one long fuckin’ look.

“Jesus,” I whispered, looking down at her body in awe. Never have I seen anything more beautiful. She moved to cover herself, but I put a stop to it, fast.

“
Don’t. It’s just us in this room, Mia. You and me. And you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, but d
oubt still lingered in her eyes and I could practically hear her heart beating faster. Something about her genuine nerves and her worrying about what I thought of her looks, pierced my heart. Her open vulnerability was playing a number on my emotions.

“
You’re gonna ruin me, Mia. I just know you are.” I shook my head, resigned to that fact.

I reached
into the nightstand, grabbed a condom, set it on the bed and caressed her body with my hands. I felt her heart pounding against my chest and I took her mouth with mine. I tasted her until I felt her relax.

That
is when I started to move against her in preparation.

I worked my hips against hers and her breathing hitched, but she didn’t protest. I put my hands on her
body, caressed her, rubbed her, comforted her until she was begging for more, and rubbing herself against me.