The Girl Next Door
Chapter 22

For years, I've fantasized about Mia touching my junk. Although, in my mind, it was more of a caress. Maybe there would be a little licking and sucking thrown in for good measure. In no way did I expect her to try popping them. f**k me.

My poor balls throb with a strange mixture of need spiked pain. Surprisingly, that last maneuver wasn't enough to kill the desire rampaging through my system. Although it took the edge off. All I have to do is think about Mia's curvy body pressed against mine, and I'm once again rising to the occasion.

My tongue swipes across my lower lip, and a taste that is distinctly Mia explodes in my mouth. I don't want to dwell on how different the outcome would have been if Colton hadn't interrupted us. Stupid motherfucker.

The moment he realized I had my hands full of the only girl I've ever wanted, he should have turned around and walked away. f**k the chicks we're meeting up with. Instead, he took joy in pissing her off, and now I'm back to square one. She wouldn't even give me a chance to explain.

Does she really think I have any interest in other girls?

Hell, no. It's always been Mia.

Colton is the one trying to drown himself in p***y, not me. He might not be willing to admit that he f****d up when he cut Alyssa loose, but deep down, he knows he made a mistake. I have no idea why Colton thinks nailing as much a*s as he can get his hands on is the solution. The only thing it's going to do is up his chances of contracting an STI.

Right now, I'm all but wishing it on him.

With a sigh, I swim to the side of the pool and hoist myself out. I scoop up my towel, running it over my hair and body before heading inside the house. As I jog up the staircase to the second floor, I force down my growing erection. I'm not sure what's worse. A case of blue balls or bruised ones.

Seems like I was dealt both.

Every time I take a step forward with Mia, something inevitably happens, and I get shoved back four or five steps. It's like playing a game of Chutes and Ladders. Those damn chutes will get you every time.

I jump in the shower and lather up under the warm fall of water. What I should have done was turn it ice cold. My fingers stroke over my c**k, and I realize that I'm going to have to rub one out. Otherwise, I'll be stuck in this perpetual state of need, and I'm not willing to put up with that. I close my eyes and remember how good it felt to have Mia's body wrapped in my arms. The way our mouths fused together as she gyrated against me has my d**k turning hard as a rock.

So.

f*****g.

Hot.

My fist tightens as I pick up speed. Seven strokes later, I throw my head back and groan out my release as water pours over my body. It feels nothing like when I came inside her, but it'll have to do.

Mia would freak out if she knew that she was my go-to spank bank material. I'm tempted to shoot her a text and let her know, but it would only aggravate her more, and I'm not about to do that. I irritate her enough without even trying.

My phone chimes with an incoming text. I glance at it, knowing that Colton has grown impatient. But that's too damn bad. He can cool his a*s in the car after the way he jacked up my night. I would have rather spent it with Mia than sitting around with a couple of girls, watching Colton make moves in his quest to get laid.

Although, let's be honest, he doesn't have to try very hard. Colton is the pied piper of p***y. He can get his d**k sucked anytime he wants. There are always girls waiting for his text. They don't care if it's a one-time deal. As long as there's no expectation of something more, he'll keep them around.

Not bothering to respond, I toss the phone on the bed and grab a T-shirt and a pair of jogger shorts. I thrust my fingers through my hair and head out the door. Colton glances up from his phone as I slide onto the front seat of his convertible Beemer. "Took you long enough," he grumbles. "I was about to take off without you."

"Too bad you didn't do that when you realized I was busy."

"Give me a f*****g break," he snorts. "We both know Mia can't stand your damn a*s. What were you gonna do? Screw her in the pool? You might not realize it, but I did you a solid. That girl would have hated you even more than she already does." f**k. He's right.

If we'd taken it any further, she would have been more pissed off than she already is.

When I don't respond, a grin slides across his face as he cups his hand to his ear. "I'm sorry, what's that?" He pauses for a moment. "You're welcome, Colton? Thanks for saving me from myself?"

"I wouldn't go that far," I mutter, slouching on the seat and staring straight ahead.

"Please. I couldn't get Mia to come out with us if there was even a slight chance you would show up." He c***s his head. "Doesn't that tell you something?"

Of course, it does, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

Colton has turned into a real surly bastard since the breakup with Alyssa. One of these days, he's going to get a fist in the face.

"Just drive," I snap, unwilling to continue the conversation.

"You know I'm right," he singsongs before starting up the engine and squealing from the driveway. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's never gonna happen with that girl. You need to move the f**k on."

I slouch further onto the buttery-soft leather. He's not telling me anything I don't already know, but that doesn't mean I want to hear it. Especially from him.

"Maybe," I bite out, "you should do yourself a favor and take your own advice for a change."

His jaw tightens as he stares at the ribbon of road in front of him. "Don't think I'm not trying," he mumbles. "Every damn night, I'm trying to get over that girl."

"You f**k so much," I snort, "I'm surprised your d**k hasn't shriveled up and fallen off. Remind me to buy you some balm for your birthday."

A hint of a smile lifts his lips, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't I know it, brother."

Silence falls over us as Colton turns the Beemer onto the main stretch of road.

He clears his throat and continues to stare straight ahead. "Did Mia mention Lys at all?"

I glance at him and consider sharing the intel I've gathered. Maybe it'll help him realize that she's really gone, and he needs to take his own advice and move on. Colton would never admit it, but he blew up that relationship because he was too chickenshit to have

one.

"Guess she's studying abroad in London for the year."

His lips tug down at the corners. "No s**t?"

"Yup."

"Huh."

He says nothing more, and I don't bother asking questions. That's the beauty of our relationship. We don't need to sit around, whining about our feelings and crying over the girls who got away.

At the end of the day, what the hell would it change?

Not a damn thing.