More to Life ✔

Chapter 42 Samet - Rain Dance

Maria smoothed her palms over her yellow dress and ambled toward Mitch, who waited on the beach. The cool evening air caressed her ocean kissed legs. "What do you need to talk about or do you enjoy ruining my potential..."

A grin snaked across his face. "Was that you trying to hook up?" He howled in laughter.

She hunched her shoulders and glanced at her toes.

"You looked like you were being stalked by a lion."

She groaned. "You're screwing with me." She turned on her heel, wondering if Nyan Min would still be interested, but Mitch caught her arm. Her stupid body responded to it with butterflies.

"No, I have a reason." He released her and searched his pocket. "My phone's been ringing at strange hours, international calls from someone you may be avoiding."

The blood drained from her face. "How?"

"You used my phone to call him."

"Arrg, sorry." Maria dug her feet in the sand and gazed at the water. Every breath was heavier than the last. While she'd wanted Mitch's opinion, she had never intended for Adrian to harass Mitch.

Mitch placed his hand on the small of her back, and his eyes reflected the crescent moon. "What happened?"

She waited, matching her breathing to the waves' ebb and flow. "He broke up with Kelsey, moved out, and offered me a flight to Canada."

"He's too late for that."

"I know!" Maria walked over to a log resting in the sand near the deserted restaurants, and Mitch followed suit. "It never ends."

"So end it."

"I thought I did!" Maria plunked onto the log.

Mitch lowered himself beside her and stretched out his long, tanned legs. "You two had that in common."

Maria hugged her knees to her chest. It had been crazy to try to repair their broken relationship months ago. She had made it much worse.

"Call him, reject his offer, and tell him you've moved on. Can't change the past, but you can change the present."

"Moved on?" Maria straightened and turned to face him. "According to you, I'm more like an antelope than a flirt. He'll never believe me."

Mitch chuckled then brushed a sandy hand against her cheek until it reached her chin. She willed herself not to tremble.

"If that's your obstacle, let me help," he whispered, even though they were alone.

He glanced at her lips, then in her eyes, but moved no closer. In the moonlight, his lips were pink and sun-chapped, appearing softer each second. As her breaths and heartbeat sped up, heat spread like sauna steam from his hand through her chest and to her abdomen. He waited without making another move.

After he'd chased other women, she hadn't expected this. It should have turned her off, but the attention from someone desirable who left a prettier woman to resolve Maria's relationship problems made her feel like someone's priority again. But as Emma said, it was only a kiss and wouldn't be long-term, Mitch's specialty.

"O-okay," Maria said.

Mitch's breath tickled her skin moments before his lips pressed against hers. His stubble tickling her sensitive skin became a distant memory as his hands and hungry kisses overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. Every earlier touch felt microscopic. She threaded her fingers through his long hair, stiff from saltwater. As she ran her palms over his defined pecks, he smiled beneath her kisses. Man, were his chest and abs sexy. He nipped at her bottom lip, and a moan escaped her.