Page 19 of Embracing the Beat
MICHAELA
“Tonight was fun. Thanks for inviting me.” I smile, even though I’m sad our night out is coming to an end.
“Tonight was because of you. Welcome home, Mike.” He glances over at me with a quick grin before refocusing on the road. “As for the fun, it was more fun once we followed your rule.”
I laugh, pulling on the fabric stuffed into his cup holder, unexplainably fidgety in the comfortable seat of his Subaru. The fabric is smooth and cool as I slide it through my fingertips. “What is this?”
He glances over again and groans. “My tie. I wore it for back-to-school night.”
I didn’t see him this morning before he left for school. Probably a good thing. The white button-down and gray slacks were distracting enough. Add the tie in, and I might as well be a puddle on the floor.
“Do you wear a lot of ties?”
“Not if I can help it,” he says. “I don’t mind occasionally. On nights like tonight.”
“It’s still looped.” The silk threads through my fingers until it hooks on the knot at the center.
He lifts a shoulder and lets it drop. “I didn’t think about untying it, just getting it off.”
“I bet you look cute in a tie,” I tease him and he huffs.
“Cute? Puppies are cute. Kittens are cute. Cute is the kiss of death,” he complains.
“You don’t want to be cute?”
“No.” He pouts.
I laugh at his over-the-top reaction. “Well, what other word do you want me to use?”
“Handsome?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen you in a tie except for when you went to prom, and then it was a bow tie,” I tell him. “Not that I would mind seeing you in one. You could always model this one for me. Then I can make an informed decision.”
Flirting with him is dangerous. But I can’t help it.
“I could show you what I can do with it instead,” he murmurs, and my body temperature increases by a thousand degrees.
“What?” I didn’t hear him right. He’ll correct me, and I’ll realize I nearly embarrassed myself by combusting on the spot.
“What?”
“I don’t think I heard you correctly,” I say as he eases the car to a stop at a traffic light.
He looks at me, and I forget to breathe. His face is cast in light and shadow from the road around us, the other cars, but there is no mistaking the spark of heat in his eyes as he captures my gaze.
“You did. But if you need me to repeat it, I will. I could show you what I can do with that tie. If you want.”
My breathing shallows, and my heart thumps loudly in my chest. Desire surges through my body, flooding me with heat until my toes curl against the bottoms of my wedge sandals.
“I-I-I—” My brain has short-circuited, and I have no idea how to respond. Releasing my death grip on the silk material, I cradle it carefully in my hands.
The light turns green, and he turns his attention back to the road. I lick my lips and try to regain control of my body. When he doesn’t say anything else, I consider his words in the silence. It’s not comfortable, not awkward, but…charged, crackling around us and ready to ignite at any second.
Time speeds up, and it feels like four seconds later he’s pulling into the driveway and shutting off the car, still without a word. Is he second-guessing what he said?
The heated glance he sends my direction tells me he doesn’t regret anything. But if I tell him no, I have zero doubt he’ll accept my decision and forget this conversation ever happened. I’m in control.
My passenger door clicks open, and I jump before settling my hand into his. The innocent slide of my palm on his creates an electric arc from my fingers to my core, and my knees buckle.
