More than a Fling: A Romance Collection Read online

  Why does someone so attractive have to be so damn annoying? After all the years of me hating Ethan and him being a dick in return, I cannot stand the sight of Ethan fucking Waters. He knows he’s God’s gift to women. And he is, which makes me hate him even more. Fucker.

  Will and Ethan raid my fridge for a few minutes before they realize I have nothing to offer.

  “Speaking of credit cards,” Will says, “why don’t you use yours to buy some food?”

  “Because I have school loans, rent, a car payment, and a no money left on my credit card. If you two are going to stay here, you can at least buy food. I can’t afford to take care of you.”

  “We will get you some food tomorrow,” Will mumbles. “I hate to see you living like this. Why didn’t you say something, Mia?”

  “Food would be great. Enough about my living situation, Will. I don’t need another brotherly lecture.”

  Will reaches for the bottle of vodka in my freezer, but I steal it away from him.

  “You’ve had enough to drink tonight.” I tuck the bottle back in place and shut the freezer door. “I made up the bed for you in the guest room. Why don’t you get some sleep? I have to get up early for work.”

  “Me, too,” Will slurs, holding on to me for support.

  I stare at him, confused. His season ended last week. Damn, he’s drunk.

  Leaving Ethan in the kitchen, I escort Will into the bedroom. The room is small, not much larger than a decently sized walk-in-closet. Will stumbles into the dark room and walks into the metal bed frame, hitting his shin hard.

  “Fuck,” he yells and falls onto the mattress, grabbing his leg with both hands.

  I sit down next to him and turn on the bedside lamp. The dim light casts a shadow on his face. We look nothing alike. My brother has our father’s chestnut colored hair and hazel irises, while I have our mother’s dirty blonde hair and light blue eyes.

  “Do you want me to grab you a glass of water and some Tylenol?”

  He shakes his head and sinks into the pillow, staring up at me with one eye open. “No, I’m good. Goodnight, baby sis.”

  I strip off his shoes, throw them onto the floor, and push myself up from the bed. “Night, big bro.”

  Will is snoring by the time I close the door behind me. For a few seconds, I forget what awaits me in the kitchen. Until I find Ethan, sitting on the counter, pounding the bottle of vodka I took from Will. Asshole.

  Ethan holds it up to his lips and winks at me. He drinks most of the remaining liquid just to spite me.

  “Hand it over,” I hold out my palm and wait for him to give it to me.

  He takes one more sip, before he places the bottle in my hand, squeezing my fingers around it along with his. A chill runs through me from the cold bottle and the effect Ethan’s touch has on me. We always had chemistry, so it’s no surprise that being this close to him stirs up feelings from the past. Those emotions last for all of three seconds before I remember what he did to me. I recall how much I hate him and turn away from him.

  When Ethan slides off the counter, he falls into me, knocking into my shoulder. I stumble for a second and use the refrigerator handle for support.

  “Time for you to go to bed,” I tell Ethan.

  “Yes, Mommy,” he says, breathing vodka in my face. “Are you going to tuck me in too?”

  I snort. “In your dreams, buddy.”

  He hooks his arm around my back, and his hand grazes my left breast.

  “Don’t be a pig, Ethan.”

  Oblivious to his groping of my tit, he mutters, “What are you bitching about now?”

  He’s trashed, far worse than when he used to sleep over our house in high school. Ethan was never mean to me when I was in middle school. Our relationship was special, something I had treasured. Until he left me without saying goodbye. He was a different person when he came back from Boston.

  I have to hold on to the divider that separates the living room and kitchen to get Ethan over to the couch without knocking the pictures off the wall. We almost take out the flat screen television on top of the oak chest my parents had given me when they moved.

  Somehow, I manage to get Ethan over to the sofa without falling on the floor, with my arm around his back and his weight pushing down on me. But not without him taking me with him. I’m about to dump him on the cushion when his foot tangles with mine, tripping me in the process. We fall sideways onto a stack of pillows. He’s two hundred twenty pounds of solid muscle, toned to perfection, and draped over me like a heavy blanket.

  The heat from his body makes me crave the closeness. I’m all too aware of the response he has over me. My nipples harden from his breath on my neck and the connection we share. I missed Ethan when he was in Boston, but that man is long gone. In place of the boy I fell in love with, I got a hockey star—and an arrogant one at that.

  Ethan nestles his face into my neck, his lips grazing my skin. His kisses send chills down my spine. Is he too drunk to realize he’s kissing me? Why do I like it? Ugh, I can’t go from hating to liking Ethan all over again. That ship has sailed. But he’s drunk and making me horny. Not a good combination for either of us.

  Will is in the other room, I remind myself because I need to stay focused.

  Ethan perks up, taking in his surroundings with one eye open. As if we are still kids, I place my hand on his knee. Why does everything feel so natural with Ethan? I shake the thought from my mind, but the nagging in the back of my mind won’t go away. My feelings for Ethan never dissipated. The love I once felt mostly turned to hate, and on occasion, those emotions turn to lust. And I hate myself for thinking of Ethan in that way.

  He sensually runs his calloused fingers down my forearm, causing the tiny hairs to stand at attention. Even in his drunken state, Ethan knows exactly what he’s doing. Everywhere our skin meets leaves a trail of fire in its wake.

  I want to throw him off me, but instead, I allow him to massage me. We don’t speak or make eye contact. The Ethan I once knew is in there somewhere, hidden by the new version that I loathe.

  “Your skin is soft, like a baby,” he whispers. “I could touch you all night, my little lamb.”

  I raise a curious eyebrow, surprised that he’s not calling me a pirate hooker or one of his many nicknames. Instead, I get the one I know and love. Little lamb. My two favorite words.

  “You’re only saying that because you’re drunk. Don’t think I will forget about you bailing on me.”

  He sighs and leans back against the couch pillow, still rubbing my skin. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s not what you think. No matter how many times I tell you that you don’t believe me.”

  “Then tell me why you left.”

  He moves his hand to the sofa, and I already miss his touch. “Forget it, just go to bed, Mia.”

  Ethan pulls his shirt over his head and throws it on the floor. I lick my lips at the sight of his muscular chest and abs that make me want to bounce quarters off them.

  He rolls onto his back and looks up at me. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to have a little fun every once in a while. Stop being such a pain in the ass.”

  “I wish I could, Ethan, but I have to work hard if I want to get anywhere. I’m not as naturally gifted and wonderful as you, Mr. Perfect.”

  “I’m not perfect, far from it,” he growls. “Stop pretending like you know me because you don’t. You don’t know shit about me…” His voice sounds sad before he trails off. “No one does. Not anymore, anyway.”

  I suck in a deep breath and blow it out, frustrated and somewhat upset by our exchange. “You have one chance. That’s it. Continue being a jerk and you will have to find somewhere else to crash. I don’t even know why either of you would want to stay with me when you can both afford to stay in a hotel. I’m sure your insurance policy will pay for it.”

  He sighs but doesn’t respond, hopefully letting it sink in, though I’m sure he is too drunk to absorb anything I am telling him.

  Will and Eth
an both play hockey for the Philadelphia Flyers. They can afford to stay somewhere else, yet they chose to live with me. How will I make it through another night with Ethan in my apartment? All the old feelings come rushing back every time Ethan is near, consuming me, driving me insane.

  After a long and awkward pause, Ethan clutches my waist and pulls me onto his chest. I try to break free from his grasp, but my desire to fight him only causes him to tug harder at my shirt. He pulls me onto his bare chest and turns me over so that half of my body is on top of his.

  “What are you doing, Ethan?”

  With my head next to his, our mouths only inches apart, his glassy green eyes meet mine. I wish I could find the courage to pull away from him. He makes me weak. Being this close, I want to kiss Ethan, find some form of comfort in him even if it’s only for one kiss. He’s a handsome mess and probably too drunk to remember anything tomorrow.

  Ethan raises his fingers to my cheek and begins to cup my face with his big hand. “You’re beautiful, Mia,” he whispers, his voice low and sensual. “Too bad you still hate me.”

  I don’t respond to his comment because it’s probably for the best.

  He props his head on a stack of pillows and looks over at me, his eyes slowly closing. “Stay with me.”

  Ethan moves around to get comfortable, giving me some room. He’s in such good shape, not an ounce of fat on him that he makes me feel subconscious in my pajamas. Distracted by his abs, I stop for a second to take in the sight of him. I stare for far too long and have to remind myself not to gape at his pelvic muscle or think about what he must look like naked.

  “Ethan, I want to sleep in my bed.” I lift his heavy arm off me.

  His eyes shut, fluttering as if fighting sleep. A few minutes pass where I listen to him breathe before I give in to him. I can sleep next to Ethan tonight. I won’t fall for him again.

  Every part of me craves his touch, wants to know what it’s like to be one of Ethan Waters’ puck bunnies, but my brother would murder us. Who would Will kill first? I cannot cross that line with Ethan. But I want to every time I’m around him.

  My hatred for Ethan only fuels the sexual tension between us. Will picks up on it, too, most of the time having to get between us. Good thing I only see my brother once a month. Ethan doesn’t usually come with the package. I purposely plan my trips to the luxury apartment they share on the Camden Waterfront around Ethan’s schedule.

  My eyelids begin to droop, and the stress of my new living situation and the fact that it’s now three a.m. are coaxing me into a trance. I need sleep. Without thinking too long about it, I close my eyes and press my palm to Ethan’s chest, cocooning myself in his warmth.

  Overcome with exhaustion, I tell myself not to dwell on Ethan and the past. No longer denying the affection I have for Ethan, I fall asleep to the sound of him breathing in my ear, wondering what my brother will think if he finds us together.

  Chapter Five

  Ethan

  When I wake up, I have a weight on my chest that digs into my stomach. One more hour of sleep, I tell myself, as I slide my hand up a girl’s thigh, slowly making my way to her big tits. For the second time this week, I’m in bed with a strange girl. Anymore, my life is turning into one big party with hockey in between. The last thing I remember, I was at the bar with Will, pounding a beer with a girl on my lap, and the rest blurs together.

  I prop myself up on my right elbow to lean over the woman next to me and slip my hand beneath her shirt. She backs up against my chest, and I move her hair out of her face and off her neck, allowing me access to plant soft kisses on her neck.

  My dick hardens as I palm her left breast in my hand and continue to leave a trail of kisses on her skin. She feels amazing, her nipple very responsive to my touch.

  “Five more minutes, Mom,” she mutters under her breath.

  I laugh, and then I stop myself because I recognize Mia’s voice. I would know her voice anywhere. No, it can’t be. Sitting up, just enough to look at her, I open my eyes and sigh. Fuck. If Will sees us together, we will be fighting in the middle of the living room for the next hour. I have too much of a hangover to deal with this shit right now.

  Mia’s wearing a pink pajama top without a bra and matching shorts that curve to the counters of her delicious body. It doesn’t occur to me until she stirs in my arms that my hand is still cupping her breast. The usual morning wood combined with Mia’s nipple between my fingers is not a good mix. I lean against the couch and stare up at the ceiling, slowly moving my hand.

  “Ethan,” Mia growls. Then, she jolts up and elbows me hard in the chest.

  Mia rolls onto her side and pushes herself up, her face searching mine. I’m not sure if she’s going to punch me or kiss me. We stare at each other for a few seconds, before she blows out a puff of air in my face.

  Will is going to murder me. This cannot be happening. As much as I had wanted to hook up with Mia years ago, I always stopped myself because of her age. Most of all, nothing happened because of Will.

  I glance at the clock on the wall above the flat screen TV that reads six thirty a.m. Now that our season with the Flyers is over, we can sleep in late. At least for now. So, why the hell am I awake? Last night, Will and I decided to celebrate our freedom, after a long and grueling season.

  Unlike my best friend, I don’t need an excuse to party. Still, we have shit to do today. The life of a professional hockey player doesn’t end when we get knocked out of the playoffs. Our team meeting with the local newspaper starts in a few hours.

  Mia gets in my face, our mouths several inches apart, and she sighs. “As long as Will didn’t see us, we can pretend this never happened.”

  Her cheeks flush with embarrassment when she tilts her down and to the tiny buds poking through her shirt.

  “Ugh, I can’t believe you were groping me in my sleep. Gross.”

  “Don’t act like it wasn’t good for you.” I laugh, somewhat amused and kidding with her.

  Why do I always say such stupid things to Mia? It’s my defense mechanism to keep her at a distance. The secrets I keep from everyone—including Mia—are buried for a reason. I don’t want to think about my past or how the choices I made have also impacted my future, one I would have given anything to share with Mia.

  She shakes her head, her lip curled with revulsion. “What is wrong with you? This has to be a new low, even for you, Ethan.”

  “No, it wasn’t like that.” I have to defend myself. “I thought you were someone else. I’m half awake. Give me a break, would ya?”

  “Whatever.” She dismisses me with a wave of her hand. “Don’t let it happen again.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  She nods in acknowledgment.

  I sit up as she pushes herself up from the couch. I shouldn’t be staring at her ass, but it’s hard not to think of Mia in inappropriate ways. She was beautiful as a girl, and now that she’s a woman, I cannot take my eyes off her body, one that’s now made for sin. Made for me. And I want to do lots of sinning with Mia.

  When she catches me checking her out, she frowns. “Try to behave yourself while you’re living here.”

  “I never behave,” I shoot back with a wink.

  Mia shakes her head. “If you’re going to live here, we need to have some rules.”

  I smirk. “Like what?”

  “For starters, a shirt. Do you own one?”

  I glance at my bare chest and then roll my eyes at her. “I guess you won’t be cool with me walking around naked.”

  Biting down on her lip, she thinks over her response and says, “Just keep your hands off me and your dick in your pants, and we will get along fine. And no skanks in my apartment.”

  “I could check into a hotel,” I counter. “Since me living here is such an issue for you.”

  She shrugs. “Go right ahead.”

  Then, she walks out of the room, as if I don’t even exist. I guess I deserve that.

  Chapter Six
/>   Mia

  Ethan Waters is the most annoying man on the planet. One more night like this, and I will be out of a job and homeless. Then, I’ll be the one crashing at his place instead of him freeloading at my ghetto paradise. As if it wasn’t bad enough that I had to put Will to bed and listen to Ethan snore until I fell asleep, now I have Ethan hogging up the bathroom.

  How could Will do this to me?

  “Get out of the bathroom!” I make a fist and bang on the door, screaming at Ethan. “I have to brush my teeth and get ready for work.”

  Ethan laughs on the other side. Bastard.

  A few seconds later, the door cracks open, just enough for me to push my way inside. Standing in front of the mirror, with a towel wrapped around his waist, Ethan is perfection. I hate myself for allowing the thought to creep into my mind. But it’s hard to deny his sex appeal.

  Steam from the shower clouds around him, reminding me of a commercial for body wash. Ethan could model for an ad no problem. Water drips from Ethan’s shaggy brown hair and trickles down his handsome face. A mist dots his thick chest and muscular arms, drawing my attention to every curve of his defined stomach. I bite my bottom lip once I get to the well-defined V that traces down to his package.

  “See something you like, Princess?” His deep voice pulls me from my sex-induced haze.

  I look up at Ethan with my jaw clenched in anger. “Nope, not anymore.”

  He reaches behind me, pushing my face into his wet chest to shut the bathroom door. “Don’t let Will hear you say that.”

  I step back and roll my eyes at him, wiping the water from my face. “Like he would ever believe that we were friends.”

  “You didn’t come outside to talk to me every night because you wanted me to be your friend.”

  “Don’t act like you know what I wanted from you,” I spit back, annoyed. “You bailed on me without a second thought and still won’t admit why you left. It’s not like you would have been interested in a kid. You were on your way to college, and now look at you.” I hold my hand out to admire his body. “You have plenty of women falling all over you, and why wouldn’t they?”