He caressed the back of her head and her neck adoringly. “I’m kissing you.” He smiled into her mouth, softly nipping her bottom lip.
In the moment, she wanted him more than ever. With each press of her lips, she was letting go. The thought of losing herself paralyzed Zora. Her shoulders went stiff, and though her mouth was still gloriously attached to Mike’s, her heart stopped cold.
When it began to beat again, the spike of adrenaline made it feel like it might explode. All at once she was dizzy and weak in the knees. As they painstakingly pulled apart, Zora got lost in the tug-of- war of her emotions. How could she be begging for the kiss never to end on the inside, and at the same time need it to be over to confirm her feet were still on the ground?
“Mike…” she trailed off as she breathed his name and forced a smile.
How many years had she waited for this to happen again—to feel the soft pressure of his lips and the sweet taste of his tongue as it glided against hers?
His smile widened as he reached for the driver’s side door. “Let me get this for you. Or, should I drive?”
His eyes were lit up like the Fourth of July, but how was she to make any sense of it? Over the years, she’d been spectator to the parade of women Mike showcased and discarded. It was silly, insane really, to believe she was an exception to his rule. He was a clever man. How easily she’d walked into the trap—the magic, the spell he put her under, the way he so easily turned on the charm.
“Sure. You can drive.”
I’m in no condition.
Zora felt the flickering weight of his stare on her as Mike zigzagged through the streets toward his house to quickly drop of her things before going to Bite-Sized. His comfortable lean and their easy conversation made it apparent Mike was enjoying this new dynamic between them. He was completely oblivious of her growing unease. A few blocks from the house, he shifted from the conversation from the book deal into talk of the Chessington building purchase—something about Arnold rescheduling, and another company, Easton Investments.
As they came to a stop at a red light, he turned to her. “Maybe you can help me tonight, and then we can celebrate you.”
With the new expedited timeline for the book, Zora couldn’t think of a worse time to go back down this road with Mike. She couldn't afford to waste time on a fleeting fantasy.
Still, it was on the tip of her tongue to nod and tell him, Yes, of course I’ll help you. I’ll be and do whatever you want because you’re gorgeous and funny, and deep down, I know the real you.
Instead of spewing her love-starved guts, she peered out the window and watched as a wave of people crossed the street. One of them caught her eye. She was a pretty brown-skinned woman wearing bright red lipstick. She was tall, and her ebony hair fell around her shoulders. She wore a floral sundress and looked at Zora with familiar, kind eyes. Then, the woman smiled, and for a brief moment, Zora saw her mother.
Don’t give up on yourself, her expression pleaded.
Zora swallowed and tore her gaze away.
Before she could take it back, the words were out. “Actually, I can’t. I have a…date tonight,” she said. She tried her best not to notice how Mike stiffened.
Chapter Fourteen
Mike
Mike rolled down the window, and the cool mid-March air rushed into the cabin of Zora’s car. It washed over him, cleansing and fresh as he turned down his street, but it did little to clear the new tension wedged between him and Zora. They’d exchanged less than five words since she revealed she was going on a date later in the evening. It was eating him alive, but this was exactly the karma he deserved for showing up to the game a day late and a dollar short.
He’d waited all this time to kiss her, and now it didn’t matter.
She’d made her choice and he needed to respect it. All he could do was keep his head down and make it through the next month or so. He’d give her space and concentrate on work. That was all there was to it.
Still, a fire blazed inside him.
His face, neck, and ears were impossibly hot. His jaw tightened under the weight of his clenched teeth, and every time he opened his mouth, his throat burned with the fear of what might come out. He couldn’t look at Zora, let alone conjure up the right words.
She sneezed.
“Bless you,” he offered.
She sniffled. “Thank you. I promise, it’s just allergies.”
He pulled the car to a stop in the driveway and put on the emergency break. Why hadn’t he done the same with his body earlier?
What was it that made me think crossing this line was a good idea?
“Listen, Mike…“ Zora spoke softly and the weight of her stare set his skin afire, but he heard pity in her tone.
“It’s fine. Let’s just get your stuff into the house.” Mike hated his curt tone, but he wasn’t in the right headspace to hear her out.
He still had no clue how he was going to do this. Before he’d kissed Zora, there was the unspoken lie they told themselves. They were “friends with a past,” but nothing more. Now, after the way they’d kissed, his body dispelled that lie. She had parted her lips and he swore he felt her tremble in his arms. Her heart and body called to him, and he answered back with every inch of his body pulsing and throbbing with the same need.
He hadn’t held back.
All of his chips were in the pot, and he’d lost the hand.
The truth would be living in the house with the lie—a loud, uninvited guest they could neither silence nor turn away.
Mike exited the car and went to unlock the front door while Zora pulled out a duffle bag, her purse, and a few small totes. In silence, they passed each other almost a dozen times as they emptied the car and its trunk. Meanwhile, Zora kept swearing she would stay out of his way. Each time she did, Mike gave himself a mental pep talk.
It’s only a month—two tops. You can do this.
All he needed to do was focus on something other than Zora.
As he returned to the car again for another load, she slammed the trunk shut. “I think that’s it.” She shot him a reassuring smile.
“Oh, okay. I, uh…haven’t really done much to the place yet, but let me show you around, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
First, he showed her to the guestroom where she would be staying.
“It’s a really nice place, Mike.”
“It’s not much, but it’s warm and comfortable. No termites or dry rot.” He flashed a smile and moved on to the bathroom, the laundry, and the storage closet for her suitcases, before briefly noting his bedroom was down the hall.
“You’ve seen the living room, so, really, the only thing left is the kitchen.”
“I’m sure it’s amazing,” Zora said. “Ev and Sophia said it was better than the one at the restaurant.”
The instant they weaved into the kitchen Zora just stood there, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. She didn’t say anything. Her posture seemed to collapse.
“What?” Mike felt his shoulders tense. “Is it okay?”
“Oh, my god.” Her gaze seemed to cloud.
A smirk pulled at the corner of Mike’s mouth. Deep down, he’d hoped she would like his kitchen. It was partially the reason he’d offered to let Zora stay with him. She’d been his inspiration when it was being built. Every appliance and surface were top of the line. On some level, he’d imagined her someday making use of it.