The Girl Next Door
Chapter 21

My attention snaps to him as I swallow down my nervousness. There's a fire burning in his bright green eyes. It kindles an answering flame deep in my core.

My ankles hook around his waist, bringing me flush against his taut abdominals. Like the rest of him, they're rock solid. I'm tempted to explore the grooved musculature with my fingers, but don't dare. He stares at my mouth as his tongue darts out to lick at his lower A punch of arousal slams me in the gut.

lip.

All right, maybe it hits a little lower.

With a pent-up breath, I wait for Beck to make the next move. Instead, he remains still, eyes focused patiently on me. Seconds tick by, and it becomes obvious that he isn't going to take control of the situation. A fresh wave of anxiety crashes over me. This is my dare, and Beck is going to force me to follow through with it.

Okay. I can do this.

Unsure how to proceed, I tilt my head, bringing my face closer until his breath can drift across my lips before mingling with my own. The intimacy is dizzying. It's like I've been drugged. We stay frozen, breathing each other in and out before I work up the courage to press my lips against his.

Everything about Beck is hard and chiseled. Except for his lips. I forgot how soft-almost plush in their plumpness-they are.

A strange sense of boldness surges through me, and I angle my head, stroking over his top lip before repeating the caress with the bottom. Beck doesn't move a muscle. He gives me the freedom to explore him at my own pace.

A sigh of pleasure leaves my mouth before floating in the air between us. His hands wrap around my backside. Both of his wide palms settle on my cheeks before tugging me closer, pressing me against his body. I tangle my arms around his neck until there is no space between us. My n*****s pebble at the feel of his unyielding strength. Heat builds like an impending storm in my core.

He groans when my tongue slips inside his mouth. His grip tightens on me, fingers sinking into flesh. In the beginning, I was desperate for him to take over, but not anymore. There's something empowering about the way Beck allows me to control the situation. We both know that if he wanted, he could have me out of the water and flipped onto my back, panting beneath him.

Instead, he allows the kiss to unfold leisurely.

At my speed.

There is no pressure, only pleasure. So much that I'm almost drunk with it.

Our tongues tangle, sliding against each other. The exquisiteness of the movement is more erotic than I could have dreamed possible. My fingers slide into his hair to hold him in place. Barely am I aware that I'm grinding my p***y against his stomach. It feels like my body is spinning out of control.

When I pull away, he grumbles, "Not yet."

Relief pounds through me.

Maybe I dragged my feet about following through with this dare, but now that my lips are on his, I want to take full advantage of the situation. If I'd thought kissing him would prove that I'd over-embellished his skills, I was woefully mistaken.

I reposition my head before my mouth settles on his. When he opens, my tongue slips inside, and I lose myself in the feel of him. The way our tongues tangle, becoming one, weaves a dream-filled cocoon around us. The outside world disappears. A moan slips free as I continue to move against him.

The friction feels so damn good. Need gathers in my core. It pulses through my body like that of a steady drumbeat as I remember what it felt like to have Beck's thick erection sliding inside me.

I need so much more than this.

The words are on the tip of my tongue when a sound penetrates the Beck-induced haze that has fallen over me. A whimper of protest erupts from my throat when he pulls away. It takes a moment to regain my bearings. Why did we stop?

I'm on the verge of exploding. Any moment, I'm going to come right out of my skin. It's the best and worst feeling in the world. I want his mouth back on mine, dragging me under so I don't have to think about the repercussions of my actions. "Dude, I thought we had plans."

Those six words are like a bucket of cold water being dumped over my head. The fog evaporates, and I'm once again clearheaded as I blink up at Colton. A shit-eating grin lights up his face.

Oh.

My.

God.

Please tell me this isn't happening.

"Hello there, Mia," he chortles. "Can't say I expected to replace you here."

Colton knows exactly how I feel about Beck. When he and Alyssa were together, he tried numerous times to cajole me into joining the three of them, and I always shot him down. After a while, it became a running joke between us. He would ask, and I would refuse. The biggest kick in the a*s is that I only have myself to blame for my current predicament. All I want to do is slink home with my tail tucked between my legs, but that's not possible since I'm pinned against Beck's body. And he doesn't seem to be in a hurry to let me go. "Colton," I mutter. Any moment I'm going to burst into flames. To be found like this is beyond humiliating.

He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his shorts and rocks back on his heels. "So, what have you crazy kids been up to?"

Ugh. He is so loving this.

"Wait in the car," Beck snaps, "I'll be out in ten."

Heat fills my cheeks, making them feel like they're on fire. I'm sure they resemble overripe tomatoes by now. It only adds to my upset.

At myself.

For allowing the situation to get out of hand.

What is it about this guy that makes me lose my head?

"You gonna come out with us, Mia?" Before I can respond, Colton continues. "I doubt the chicks we're supposed to hookup with tonight will appreciate that, but oh, well." He shrugs. "Sucks for them."

Chicks we're supposed to hookup with...

I press my palms against the steely strength of Beck's chest and try to push out of his embrace, but I don't get far.

Why am I such an i***t? How many times do I need to get burned by this guy before I finally learn my lesson?

"Dude," Beck snaps, "get the f**k out of here before I beat your a*s."

Colton holds up his hands in a gesture of surrender as if he doesn't understand why Beck is pissed off. "Whatever. Don't get your panties in a bunch." As he slips through the iron gate, he calls over his shoulder, "You got ten. Wrap this s**t up, and let's go." Once Colton disappears around the side of the house and we're alone, I slam my fists into Beck's chest. "Let go of me!"

"Mia-"

"No!" I shake my head, unwilling to hear him out. No more excuses. "Just let me go."

"Give me a chance to explain!"

With his arms locked around my body, it's impossible to move.

"Don't bother. It was just a stupid game." Even though I try to keep the hurt and anger locked deep inside, it all comes flooding out in a rush. "You better get moving. You've got chicks waiting for you." I hate the jealousy that drips from my words.

"They're just a couple of random girls we're supposed to meet up with tonight, that's it."

I can't hear anything through the pain that has all but swallowed me whole. "I don't care. Let me go." I feel like such a fool.

"Mia," his voice becomes so low that it sounds as if it's been dredged from the bottom of the ocean, "please."

"Let go!" I pound on his chest with my fists. If only it were possible to do damage. Instead of hurting him, I'm inflicting pain onto myself.

When he refuses, I snake a hand between our bodies until I'm able to wrap my fingers around his balls. His eyes flare as mine narrow. Once I have his undivided attention, I give them a good squeeze. A hiss of breath escapes from his lips.

As soon as he releases me, I bolt toward the tiled edge and hoist myself from the pool. I glance over my shoulder and replace Beck where I left him. He's hunched over with his hands cupping his d**k and balls. "Was that necessary?" he groans.

"Yup." Even though he's in pain, I can't bring myself to regret the damage I've caused. He deserves every bit of agony.

I grab my towel and cover-up, hightailing it from Beck's yard before he can recover.

As I'm about to push through the gate, he calls out, "This isn't over, Mia."

I swing around. "That's where you're wrong because nothing was ever started."

With that last parting shot, I walk away, leaving him to hold his balls.

Hopefully, he'll be too sore to use them tonight.

We'll just consider that a little gift to the chicks he's meeting up with.