She broke their kiss, panting. "Cameron, I need you inside me now."

God, he needed that, too. Gripping the back of her thighs in his hands, he lifted her, spreading her legs wide to accommodate the fit of his hips while Mia pushed the folds of her skirt out of the way and locked her knees against his waist to give him better leverage. The head of his cock slid along her sex, bathing him in her slick moisture, until he found that perfect fit into her body.

He drove into her, high and hard and deep, the force of his penetrating thrust rattling the pictures on the bathroom wall. He immediately stilled, praying the pictures didn't fall and crash to the floor-and send the Wilde family racing upstairs to find out what the commotion was all about. Mia's eyes grew wide, as if she was thinking the same exact thing, and then she burst into infectious giggles.

He pressed his mouth to hers to quiet her, though he was grinning, too. "I'm thinking doing it up against the wall isn't a good idea." But it wasn't as though they had a bed available.

"As good as it feels, I think you're right." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she arched her lower body, and moaned softly as he surged infinitely deeper. She caught her breath. "How about the counter, behind you?"

He glanced over his shoulder, relieved to see the large, flat surface. "That'll work." He'd make it work.

Bracing his hands beneath her bare backside, he turned around and set her on the bathroom counter so her bottom was poised right on the edge. The height was perfect. So was the view of where they were joined.

"Lean back, and keep your legs wrapped around my waist," he said, all too aware of the mirrors surrounding them, which only served to make their tryst more erotic.

She did as he asked, bracing her hands behind her on the counter-a seductive position that ended up being sexy as hell. Her back was arched, and her exposed breasts jutted forward, those taut, rosy nipples so ripe and sweet-looking his mouth watered for another taste. Her tousled hair fell around her face and shoulders like a cloud of midnight silk and then there were the strong, pale thighs gripping his hips and the electrifying scratch of her leather boots against his bare skin.

With his own hands free, he dragged them up the inside of her thighs, until both of his thumbs were touching her intimately, alternately stroking her clit and caressing the petals of flesh that led to the entrance of her body, where his own lust and need had gathered in a throbbing ache.

She whimpered and wriggled against him, and when that didn't get him to move the way she wanted and needed, she clenched her inner muscles around him. The effect was like being sucked into the softest, tightest, hottest of sheaths, and he groaned and instinctively thrust into her. Except once wasn't enough, not when his body was urging him to move harder, deeper, faster, and give into climax simmering just below the surface.

With his fingers still coaxing her higher, he leaned forward and captured one of her pert nipples between his lips. He swirled his tongue over the velvet soft aureole, and grazed his teeth across the pearled tip before doing the same with her other breast. With her hands immobile, she couldn't do anything but let him have his way with her… as she'd promised him downstairs.

But as her breathing quickened, escalated, so did the long, smooth pumping of his hips and the friction and pressure of his thumb against her clit. He felt her orgasm building, climbing, and he lifted his head from her breasts so he could watch the slow, dazzling way she came apart just for him.

She was like his every fantasy come to life. So sexy. So intoxicating to every one of his senses. Her beautiful breasts bounced softly with each of his successive thrusts, the muscles in her thighs quivered, and her head fell back as her body convulsed around his and her climax swept her away.

Her lips parted, but before she could let loose a cry of pleasure, he covered her mouth with his own. He kissed her, as hard and deep as their bodies were fused, and groaned right along with her as they both crashed over the edge of a stunning, spine-tingling orgasm.

Long minutes later, her warm sigh drifted along the side of his neck while her hands caressed beneath his shirt and up along his damp back. "You are so addicting," she murmured huskily.

So was she. In every way.

Still buried inside Mia's silky heat, Cameron glanced at her face and the content smile on her lips. She looked happy. Sated. And she was glowing like a woman who'd been well pleasured. He wanted to keep her that way… forever.

Forever his.

The emotion that swelled in his chest at that moment was raw and possessive and incredibly real. And the more time he spent with Mia, the stronger and deeper it grew, crowding places in his heart that had been empty and just waiting for the right woman to come and along and complete the man he was.

That woman was Mia. He knew it. Accepted it. Just as he knew and accepted she wasn't ready to hear he wanted her to be a more permanent part of his life.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, he smiled at her and smoothed the errant strands of hair from her soft, flushed cheek. "Do you think anyone missed us?" he asked, teasing her.

"Do I look like I care?" she said with her usual abundance of sass.

Cameron laughed, though he knew with certainty that she would care if someone came looking for her and found the two of them screwing like rabbits in heat. But he didn't call her on that, either.

Instead, he moved away, cleaned up, and refastened his jeans. "I'll go downstairs first. You can arrive a few minutes later."

Giving her one last quick kiss, he stepped out of the bathroom and started down the hallway and toward the stairs, only to come up short when he saw Mia's brother, Joel, waiting there. He was leaning against the railing, arms crossed over his massive chest, looking way too intimidating in his black T-shirt and black jeans.

Cameron wasn't about to give anything away and tried to act casual, though he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that didn't bode well at all. "What are you doing up here?"

"The downstairs bathroom is occupied." Joel pushed off the railing, but before he could head down the hall, Cameron stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

Shit. The gig was so up with this Wilde brother. "You can't go in there."

Joel lifted a dark brow. "Why not?"

Cameron knew Joel wasn't going to make any of this easy on him. Joel knew, and now he was going to use every tactical maneuver he'd learned in the military to kick his ass just as soon as Cameron admitted the truth. And then Joel was going to tell his brothers and cousins what was going on, and the entire family was going to castrate him.

Ignoring the twinge in his groin, Cameron 'fessed up, because lying to Joel wasn't an option for him, not if he wanted to earn the man's respect in the end. "Mia is still in there."

Joel smirked. "I didn't realize you needed someone to hold your dick while you took a piss."

Cameron cringed at the sarcasm edging the other man's words, because it was so obvious that Joel was baiting him. Cam kept waiting for a spark of outrage, but Joel remained calm, and that actually worried him more than an outward show of anger.

He'd come this far, so Cameron figured he might as well spill everything. "Mia and I… we've been seeing each other privately."

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"You're not mad?" Cameron asked cautiously.

"Why in the hell would I be mad?" Joel looked genuinely perplexed. "It's about damn time the two of you hooked up. We all knew it was bound to happen. Besides, I'd rather see my sister settled with someone like you than some schmuck who can't handle her."

Except Mia wasn't looking to be "settled," and therein lay the rub to their relationship, and the situation.

"By the way," Joel said, an amused grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "When I made the bet earlier that Mia would get the best of you before the day was over, I didn't mean like this. However, a bet is a bet, and the way I see things, you lost."

Cameron wasn't about to argue logistics with Joel. Reaching into his back pocket for his wallet, he pulled out a twenty dollar bill and slapped it into Mia's brother's hand, hoping the payout would work as hush money, as well. "Look, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone about Mia and me just yet. She's still playing hard to get about all this relationship stuff, and I've learned that she's got to come around in her own good time." Never mind that she was being stalked and he'd yet to find out by whom.

"Fine," Joel said, nodding in understanding as he tucked the cash into his front pocket. "I'll keep this to myself for now. However, if you hurt her in any way, I'll be the first in line to rip your nuts off."

Cameron didn't doubt that for a minute.


LATER that same night, Mia unlocked her apartment door and turned to Cameron, who was standing behind her, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. Because it was Saturday night and neither one of them had to work tomorrow, she really didn't want to spend the rest of the evening alone. Not after the wonderful day they'd had together at her niece and nephew's birthday party.

"Care to come in for a little bit?" she asked, smiling up at him. "I wouldn't mind having the company. We can watch a movie or just talk," she said, wanting him to know she wasn't inviting him in for the sole purpose of jumping his bones. She honestly, truly, just wanted to be with him tonight, without any ulterior motives in mind.

"Sure, I'd like that," he said and followed her inside the apartment.

She set her purse and keys on the foyer table. "Are you hungry?"

He laughed lightly. "I can't believe I'm saying this after everything I ate today at the party but yeah, I am kinda hungry."

"You're a big boy with a big appetite," she teased, her voice laced with a sexy underlying innuendo. "Come on, let's go see what we can find to fill you up."

She led the way into the kitchen, with Cameron following behind, and was surprised to find that Gina was there. She was standing by the stove making herself a cup of hot tea. As they walked into the kitchen, she cast them a quick, cursory glance.

"Hi guys," she said but didn't turn around as she stirred cream into her tea.

"Hey there." Mia was glad to see Gina was safe at home, instead of at Ray's for the weekend, which had been the norm for the past month. "I didn't realize you were here."

Gina shrugged and lifted the collar of her long-sleeved terry robe so it covered her neck, which immediately tipped off Mia and put her on alert. "I came home from Ray's early," Gina said and finally faced them. "He had some things to do this weekend, and I didn't want to stay at his place by myself."

Mia noticed right away that Gina had been crying. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was pink. And Mia didn't care for the way she was clutching the thick material of her robe at her throat, as if Gina was trying to cover up something she didn't want them to see. Like new marks or bruises courtesy of Ray.

Gina picked up her mug of tea, and her hand trembled slightly. "I'll just take this into the bedroom so the two of you can be alone."

"You don't need to go," Mia said quickly, hating the thought of Gina sequestering herself in her room when it was obvious something was wrong. "We were just going to make something to eat. Why don't you sit out here with us?"

"It's okay, really." Gina forced a smile. "I'm really tired. I'm going to drink my tea and then go to bed."

Mia watched Gina go, and as soon as she heard her bedroom door close, she released a frustrated sigh. "He's still manipulating and abusing her."

"I agree. All the signs are definitely there." Cameron came up to her, his gaze searching her face. "Do you want me to leave so you can talk to her?"

"No. I've said everything I can, and most of the time she doesn't want to hear what I have to say, anyway." Mia dragged her fingers through her hair. "I'm just grateful she's here at home, where she's safe. I'll spend some time with her tomorrow, just the two of us. Maybe take her to a movie."

"Okay, if you're sure you want me to stay."

"I do." She opened the refrigerator and grabbed the lunch meat, mayo, lettuce, and tomato, and set everything on the counter. "Besides, I just don't trust her excuse that Ray was busy this weekend, and I feel much better having you here. At least for a little while."