Try Me On for Size (25 page)

CHAPTER
Thirty

A
n hour
and three drinks later, Oliver was feeling pretty damn good. His troubles were miles away and it was just him and Mia. He flirted with her and she seemed to be flirting back.

The club filled in—a world Oliver was not used to. Couples stood around doing exactly what he and Mia were doing, only it was men hitting on men. But it didn’t bother him.

He looked over at Mia, sitting on her bar stool bopping along to the pop remix.

“Wanna dance?” he asked her.

“Oh, no. I’m good here.”

He slid off his seat and took her hand. “Come on. You know you want to.”

She shook her head but let him lead her to the dance floor, where it didn’t take long for her to start shaking her sexy behind. Oliver wasn’t much of a dancer, and had only spent limited time in the club scene, but the few drinks had pushed his inhibitions to the side. All he wanted to do was be with Mia and keep that smile on her face.

But the music changed, a slower R & B tune. As couples around them paired together, gyrating to the sultry sounds, Oliver locked his eyes on Mia’s, his hand on her waist pulling her to him. She wound her arms around his neck, swaying to the beat, rubbing her body on his. As his heart thundered inside his rib cage, he demanded his dick stay soft.

Her face stayed tilted toward him, lips begging to be kissed. Were they really? Or was it just his buzz and libido imagining them? A misplaced kiss could ruin everything. But then she raked her fingers through his hair. God, did she know how badly that turned him on? If she didn’t, she sure as hell would now.

As he leaned to her, the music faded and the people around them seemed to blur and move in slow motion. All except a hot pink sequined something or other shimmying on his right. He tried to ignore it, but for some bizarre reason, could not. He let his eyes break free from Mia’s stare for a brief second. And that’s all it took to realize who it was in the supershort, supertight dress, dancing and grinding, martini glass in her hand, tipping it back like she wasn’t with child. Alexiana.

He tried to turn his attention back to Mia—her waiting lips, that hunger in her eyes. But fury rose from his gut. What the hell kind of woman lies to a man, twice, about being pregnant? A stuck-up, snobby bitch who’d do anything to get her claws back into him.

Oliver stormed over to her. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Step off, asshole,” the guy behind her said, the one enjoying the raunchy dance with Alexiana, his hands on her thighs. The yoga instructor.

Oliver ignored him and snatched the drink from her hand, it’s remaining contents splashing out. “Well, obviously you lied to me, again, about being pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant?” the guy behind asked, his eyes as wide as the disco ball above them.

Alexiana stalked away, followed by Yoga Guy, followed by Oliver and Mia. She leaned to the bartender and ordered another drink.

“Okay, go ahead and down some more alcohol. Since there’s no baby in there to deform.”

“I ordered a glass of juice, dickhead. Same as the one in your hand.”

Oliver lifted the near-empty glass to his nose. Apple juice.

Alexiana’s plaything stood there, his eyes still bugged. “You’re fucking pregnant?”

“Yeah. Surprise,” she said in her most monotone voice. “You’re gonna be a daddy.”

“Holy fuck. This can’t be happening. I don’t want a kid.”

“Then you shoulda used a rubber.”

“I can’t deal with this.” The guy walked away.

“Get back here,” Alexiana yelled and started after him. “Chris! Don’t fucking walk away from me.”

Chris?
Had Oliver heard her right? He grabbed her arm before she got too far. “Your yoga instructor’s name is Chris?”

“Yeah. And?”

“I need to talk to him.”

“Why? You wanna beat the shit out of him for fucking your fiancée? If that’s the case, I should beat down Miss Lingerie here.” Alexiana eyed Mia. “I know you were screwing him behind my back.”

“Leave Mia out of this.”

“Oh, so it’s fine to punch out my fuck buddy, but yours is off-limits?”

Mia meant far more to him than that vulgarity, and he hated what Alexiana had insinuated. But he had more important things to worry about right then. “I need to talk to him about something else.”

Alexiana crossed her arms over her enormous chest, her tone changing. “What?”

Oliver got the feeling he needed to tread lightly. Maybe the sentimental angle would work. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. I want to make sure he does right by you.”

She stood silent for a minute; reminiscing maybe? “I saw him go into the bathroom.”

He pushed the door labeled Men’s Room, but instead of finding occupied urinals and closed bathroom stalls, he walked into an orgy. Oliver backpedaled right out of there.

“You dumbass,” Alexiana said. “No one goes into the men’s room here to use the toilet.”

“Sorry I’m not all up on my gay bar etiquette. I’m supposed to go into the ladies’ room? I can’t do that.”

“I’ll go,” Mia volunteered.

“But I need to talk to him.”

Their eyes met in mutual understanding. “I’ll bring him out.”

Oliver was worried about what Mia might do, but if this was the guy they needed, he deserved whatever Mia could throw at him.

MIA WALKED
into the ladies’ room at Club Paradise. A stall opened and a man came out, zipping his jeans. This was so weird.

“Excuse me,” he said and casually made his way to the sink to wash up.

No one else was there, but one other stall had a closed door.

“Chris?”

“How could you do this to me? I can’t have a kid right now. Why aren’t you on birth control or something?”

“Uh, it’s not Alexiana. I’m Mia. A friend of hers.” That lie could work, right? “Can we talk?”

“Not unless you’re gonna tell me what to do about this kid.”

“It’s not as bad as everyone says. My sister has two kids and she loves every minute.” Another total lie. No doubt she was going to hell. Might as well make it worth it.

“I’m fucking twenty-four years old. I don’t know if I even want kids, and definitely not now.”

“Well, the kid is coming whether you like it or not.”

“That’s not helping.”

“Sorry. Can you come out? So we can talk face to face.”

Mia heard the click of the stall lock. The light was brighter in the bathroom than in the club, so she could see him better. And seeing him better allowed her to recognize him.

“You’re the guy. Chris. The guy from the photos.”

“What photos?”

“Sex photos. You and Grant and my model, Logan.”

His eyes widened like they had when Alexiana had shared her shocking baby news. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think you do.” Mia stepped closer. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You tried to destroy my shop. Why? My father put you up to it, didn’t he?”

He tried to sneak past her, but she was too fast for him and sidestepped to block him.

“I don’t know anything.”

He slipped past Mia and she tried to grab him, but just as he reached the door, it opened. In stepped Oliver.

“It’s him,” she yelled.

Oliver grabbed Chris and pinned him to the wall. “You better start talking.”

“I don’t know anything.”

“You sure as hell do. And if you don’t tell us who put you up to it, well, let’s just say I have a lot of money and I know a lot of dirty people who can get rid of you. So, would you like to start talking now?”

“I didn’t even know the guy. It was just a fun time.”

“Wrong answer.” Oliver tightened his grip on Chris’s arms.

Mia’s turn to talk. “But you know Grant? I mean Marvel.”

“Yeah. We fuck around sometimes.”

“Why did you take Logan home with you?”

“He was hot and we wanted to fool around.”

“Why did you choose him? And who took the pictures?”

“That’s all I’m telling you.”

Mia had been standing back, letting Oliver be the muscle while she asked the questions, her anger building with every vague answer Chris gave. But that last one put her over the edge. She leapt toward him. “My father did this, didn’t he?”

“Get off me, bitch!”

Oliver shoved Chris’s head into the wall with a crack she could hear even over the thumping bass outside.

“This is your last chance,” Oliver growled.

The door opened and Chris’s terrified face changed to relief. But it was just Alexiana.

“Let him go!”

“Not until he tells us what we need.”

Mia watched Alexiana stare Chris in the eyes and give a slight shake of her head. And it clicked. “It was you? You tried to destroy my shop?”

Oliver turned to Alexiana. “Is she right?”

But she just stood there. Oliver turned back to Chris and shoved him into the wall again. “Tell me everything.”

“Fine. It was all her.”

“Chris!” Alexiana shrieked.

“You fucked up my life. I’m not gonna cover for you.” He turned back to Mia. “She knew I screwed around with Grant. And then she found out he used to work for you.”

“Shut the fuck up, asshole!”

“She paid me to drug that guy and take him to Grant’s. She was there the whole time. She took the pictures herself and I helped upload them.”

Alexiana grabbed Oliver’s arm. “He’s lying. Don’t believe a word out of his filthy mouth.”

“She told me she wanted to destroy the bitch who stole her fiancé.”

“Are you gonna believe this worthless yoga instructor or me?”

Oliver let go of Chris. “I’ll take my chances on him.”

Alexiana released a guttural growl as she charged at Oliver, like a lioness attacking a zebra.

Chris grabbed her in a full nelson kind of thing. “Stop. You’ll hurt the baby.”

“Like you care.”

Mia watched Alexiana, rage bubbling out of her. The same rage she’d felt for her father. The way she’d treated him, and he was actually innocent, as he’d claimed. “Why would you do that to me? You don’t even know me.”

“But you sure as hell know my fiancé pretty damn well, don’t you? Everything was perfect until you came along. I would be getting married next month and living happily ever after if it wasn’t for you.”

“Even without Mia, I wouldn’t have gone through with it. How could you be so vile?”

“Let go of me,” Alexiana shrieked and jabbed Chris in the rib with an elbow. She adjusted her dress then flashed her devilish gaze at Mia. “Nobody takes shit from me without paying dearly.”

“Well, news flash,” Mia said. “My business is better than ever. Amazing how the gays took to my shop. They love it!” She looped her arm through Oliver’s. “So now I have my successful business,
and
your man.”

It was wrong to rub it in like that. Mia knew, but she couldn’t help it. This woman had messed with her business and her family.

“Ready to get out of here?” Mia asked Oliver.

“So ready.”

They walked toward the bathroom door.

“Ollie, please!” Alexiana turned on the waterworks full blast. “I’m your oldest friend. You can’t just leave me like this, pregnant with a bisexual deadbeat dad.”

“Hey,” Chris said. “You don’t know I’ll be a deadbeat.”

“Good-bye, Alexiana.”

CHAPTER
Thirty-One

M
ia led
Oliver out of the club, the fresh air cooling her skin. Life all of a sudden seemed new and different.

When she’d realized it was Alexiana behind it all and not her father, a feeling of relief washed over her. She’d been in a constant state of animosity with her father and pretty much her sister, too, for years. And to now know everything he’d said to her that morning was the complete truth felt wonderful. He really did love her and want their family back. Mia hadn’t realized until that moment just how badly she wanted that, too.

And there was something else she wanted pretty damn bad. She and Oliver reached the end of the old brick building, once some kind of factory, and Mia pulled him into the narrow alleyway between buildings. She pushed him up against the wall, recalling the way he’d roughed up Chris. God, that testosterone had really aroused her.

She pressed her body to his, ravenous lips finding his even in the dark. “I want you,” she murmured between kisses. “Take me to your place.”

Massaging her body with his powerful hands, he grabbed hold of her ass. “Uh-uh. Your place is closer.”

Mia giggled as she pulled away and grabbed his hand, running toward the street where they’d parked. Oliver flashed the headlights with his remote as they approached and Mia dropped his hand, practically leaping into the passenger seat. When he got in she collected the front of his shirt in her hand, yanking him to her for another steamy kiss.

“We’re not going to make it to your place if we keep this up.”

“Fine by me.” She leaned even farther across the seat to him.

After a few more kisses, he interrupted the make-out session. “I want this to be right. Every other time we’ve been together has been either hurried or weirdly preplanned.” He ran his hand through her hair and rested it at the nape of her neck. “I want to take my time and make love to you.”

Well, didn’t that just make her want him more? Mia pressed one last simple kiss to his lips and sat back in her seat, yanking at the seat belt. “You better drive fast.”

“I think I know a shortcut.”

The first time Mia had led Oliver up the staircase to her apartment, her gut had been filled with jittery bugs. No butterflies, just nervous little gnats, her stomach telling her she was completely insane. But this time, definite butterflies. The happy kind, soaring and swooping, trying to burst through her pores so they could flutter around them.

Mia’s hands trembled as she tried to push the key into its slot, Oliver’s warm lips on the back of her neck making it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything, let alone connecting a key to a tiny keyhole. He took the keys from her and opened the door effortlessly. They stepped through and Oliver closed the door behind them, his lips once again on her neck, his hands at her waist, pulling her shirt from her snug pencil skirt. As he unbuttoned it, she arched into him, a nice hard protrusion pressing into her lower back.
I can’t wait to have you naked!

He spun her around and buried his face in her cleavage, pulling at the lacy cup holding her breast. As he suckled her nipple, Mia thought she might explode with orgasm right there. She wrapped her arms around his neck and head, pulling him to her.

Mia reached for his belt, fidgeting with it, since once again her fingers were not functioning properly. She pulled her body from his starving lips, a groan of disappointment, and sunk to her knees. His groans would take on a whole new meaning in about two and a half seconds. She’d waited for this moment, and embarrassingly, it had run through her mind many times.

Concentrating on the leather belt in front of her face, Mia ignored the salivation in her mouth, the throbbing in her body. She unzipped his jeans and tugged them down, preparing to unleash the real live Oliver, its glory so massive it almost stuck out the top of his elastic underwear band. Yanking the cotton away, she took him into her mouth.

“Holy fuck,” he whispered and rested against the back of the door, intertwining his fingers in her hair.

She’d never been a huge fan of giving head, but with Oliver, she craved it. And the way he massaged her scalp with his magical fingers made the entire experience far more exhilarating than it had been with any other guy—ever.

“You gotta stop,” he said and reached for her hand, pulling her up.

Did she do something wrong?

But by the way he drew her in, covering her mouth with his, she’d no reason to think there was anything wrong at all. His hands to her ass, he lifted her and started toward the bedroom, which seemed like a mile away.

Finally reaching it, he set her down, wasting no time in yanking her skirt and panties off. Mia watched him undress, standing in almost the exact same spot as that first night, this time feeling not one ounce of trepidation.

Unhooking her bra and flinging it and her shirt to the floor, she waited for Oliver to come to her. He crawled across the bed, stopping to dip his head for a taste of her. Jolts of pleasure tore through her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

As amazing as it felt, she wanted him on her and in her, connecting them. “I need you,” she begged, pulling an arm he had tucked under her body.

“Uh-uh,” he said, continuing with his sensual task.

No use fighting it. Mia relaxed her body, letting him take her far past anything she’d ever experienced before. And as he brought her to ecstasy, she gripped his biceps, riding the waves of orgasm.

Mia’s chest heaved, labored breaths, but no desire to calm herself yet. As Oliver kissed a trail up her body, her need to hold him had never been stronger. She spread her thighs even wider to accommodate his masculine form, her arms around him, pulling his mouth to hers. The sweetness of her taste was still on his lips, and she didn’t care.

He pulled back, her body aching for him. Why won’t he just do it? Fingers in her hair again, his gaze deep into hers, he gave her that smile she fell for the second she’d seen it.

“I didn’t think this would ever happen again,” he whispered, his expression having changed. “Are you sure this is what you want? Have you forgiven me?”

Had she? Would she want this so badly if she hadn’t? Yeah, she was desperate to make love with him right in that moment, but there was more. Much more. Everything that had happened that day had proved it.

Her hand brushed his stubbled cheek then made its way to the nape of his neck. “I have.”

Oliver lowered his mouth back to hers, a kiss starting soft, his supple lips caressing hers. As the kiss gained intensity, he pushed himself into her.

Oh, I missed this so much!
Mia moved her hands to his behind, firm muscles tensing beneath her touch with every thrust. She met him, move for move, his eyes now on hers. He slowed down, and while the horny Mia would have begged him to give it to her fast and furious, this felt . . . different. She wanted to watch his face, share in the joy of ecstasy with him. She was no longer embarrassed to let him see such vulnerability in her.

He hit her G-spot, vibrating her body, and laced his fingers with hers. He gave them a squeeze as he lowered to grace her lips with a soft kiss. Moving inside her, the pulses became more intense until she cried out in pleasure. All the while, she forced her gaze to stay on his, letting him see her, all of her. And when he erupted with his own orgasm, she held tight to him, watching the euphoria in his eyes.

Oliver descended on her, exhaustion overcoming him, fingers still intertwined, his chest heaving on hers.

“I could stay like this forever,” she murmured, in a state of bliss so deep she had no control over her thoughts. Normally she might have regretted letting them come out, but that moment, with Oliver, she didn’t.

He pulled up, letting go of her hand, and rested on his elbows. He kissed her and moved a stray hair from her face. “I love you, Mia.”

Her heart stopped. Her lungs stopped. The world sat still. Everything faded away but Oliver’s face. And the expectation in his eyes.

Mia thought of Bryn and Johnny, the only authentic true love she’d ever witnessed. Bryn had taken the chance at love all those years ago, no clue what would happen. And even after all the tragedy, she still believed in love. Mia had thought she was crazy. Couldn’t understand how Bryn could encourage her to put herself in the position to possibly meet the same misery.

But walking away now and never claiming Oliver’s love? Could she do that? She owed it to herself, to Bryn and all the true loves who’d found the same terrible fate as she, to push her fears aside.

Mia’s heart started beating again. Her lungs filled with air. Eyes welling with tears, an uncontrollable smile stretched across her face. “I love you, too.”

OLIVER WOKE
with Mia in his arms, her bare back to his chest. He knew in that moment he’d do anything to make sure he’d wake that way every morning for the rest of his life.

He nuzzled her neck and kissed it, a satisfied “mmm” emanating from her gorgeous throat.

“I love you,” he whispered, an undeniable urge overcoming him. He just had to say the words again. And wanted to keep saying them. He’d never said them to Alexiana, not even once. And before that, there had only been one girl, in college.

Mia turned to him, pressing her lips to his, and pulled away, eyes wide, her smile contagious. “I love you, too.”

“What do you want to do today?” he asked, his hand stroking her satiny skin, then moving between her thighs.

She followed suit and took hold of his already hard cock. “Well, after this, we can do anything you want to do.”

“I’d like to go to the hospital, if that’s okay with you. I know my mom will be so happy to see us together.”

“Absolutely.” She ran her tongue up his Adam’s apple and nibbled at his earlobe.

It was getting real hard to continue the conversation. “After we get her settled at home, we can do something fun.”

“This right here is perfect,” she said and moved on top of him, covering his hard on with her warmth. “We can do this all afternoon.”

“If you insist.”

AFTER TWO
more take-your-breath-away orgasms, Mia flopped onto the bed next to Oliver, too spent to move.

“What time do we need to leave?” she asked him.

“Probably soon, since I have to go home and change. Though I could always wear what I had on yesterday. I know my mother would approve. It would confirm that I spent the night at your place. My dad, on the other hand, would have some kind of comment to make.”

“And your place is kinda far from here, isn’t it?” She sat up. “We should probably get going.”

But he yanked her back to his warm embrace, both of them giggling. “I think I want to move. I lived there with Alexiana and all I see when I’m there is misery. And after being at your place and seeing how cool it is, my condo just seems boring. I want to live somewhere like this, with the exposed brick and the bay window.

A thought popped into Mia’s brain, and right away she knew it was too impulsive, too crazy. They’d just started this relationship, barely twelve hours earlier. The thoughts spinning in her head were insane.

But isn’t that how real love worked? Mia had known Oliver was special that first day meeting him, even though she thought he was Ryan, her first model interview. They’d had a connection.

For once in your life, damn it, follow your heart and do something crazy!
Maybe crazy was just what Mia needed in her life. It sure as hell had become a lot more interesting since she and Bryn had hatched their crazy idea months earlier. And a big part of it had been Oliver.

Mia kissed him and ran her hand through his hair, resting it at the nape of his neck, playing with his fuzzy little hairs just how he liked. “Move in with me.”

His eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“I wasn’t hinting for you to ask that. You need to make sure this is really what you want.”

Well, that didn’t sound like a guy who was happy he’d been asked to move in. “I am sure. But if you’re not, it’s okay.” She sat up again, trying to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible, even though she felt like she might burst into tears. “You don’t have to move in.”

He sat up, too, and wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing the back of her neck. “No, I want to! I love you, Mia, and I want to spend every minute with you. I just don’t want you to regret asking.”

She laced her fingers with his. “I already know I won’t.”

A half second later, Mia was tackled onto the bed, laughter from her throat as Oliver covered her with kisses.

“Is that a yes?”

“You better believe it,” he said and covered her mouth with a steamy kiss that made her never want to get out of bed.

“We should go,” Mia managed, breathless, as Oliver’s lips moved south on her body. She found it very hard to speak with such wonderful things going on. “So you . . . have time to . . . uh . . . change.”

He paused to look up at her, nothing but mischief behind those baby blues. “Fuck what my dad thinks.”