for, liar

Chapter 52

I admit, I didn't think Miles was serious about making the Coca-Cola cake until we were back at the beach house and he started pulling out ingredients from the pantry. He looks up a recipe on his phone and preheats the oven.

I sit at the counter, pressing my palms on the marble countertop. "You're actually baking a cake?"

He looks up from his phone with a smile. "It'll make you feel better." He promises and starts mixing ingredients in a plastic bowl.

I'm impressed that he doesn't hesitate with any of the tasks. I wonder how experienced he actually is with cooking and baking. I always wanted to be good at it but I never acquired that skill like Maddy.

In fifteen minutes, the cake is in the oven just like that. Miles sets the timer on the oven and sits down next to me on the other bar stool.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" He asks and reaches for my hand.

His warm fingertips dig at my wrist and pull my arm closer to him.

"Yep. All good."

I feel better now that I've eaten and relaxed. I think I got a little too much outside air because now I just feel like I need another nap. Being outside is exhausting, especially if you're out in the heat and sun all day.

"The cake has twenty-five minutes to bake so we can do whatever we want until then." He says and taps his fingers on the inside of my wrist.

I nod and yawn. I pull my arm away to cover my mouth. "Holy shit. I'm so tired."

"Let's go sit on the couch."

He gets up from the chair and puts his hand out. I grab it and let him pull me to my feet. He walks me over to the living room couch and sits down on it,  pulling me down onto his lap before I even get a chance to sit.

"Damn." I giggle and wrap my arms around his neck.

He smiles and stares up at me. I lean my head on his shoulder and close my eyes.

"You smell like saltwater." He whispers.

"Well, I wonder why." I laugh. "You do too."

He chuckles and nuzzles his nose into my neck. I smile again, moving my face closer to his. Our noses bump each other for a split second and I open my eyes to find him staring back at me. I bite my lip in probably the least sexy way possible. Luckily, he doesn't seem to find it unattractive at all. Our lips meet and now I don't feel nearly as tired as I did two seconds ago. It's like a switch went off to wake me up and all I want to feel is this.

I bring my hand up to his dark brown hair and run it through my fingers, tugging at the ends. He starts to kiss me fiercely so I know that must be something he enjoys. His hands move from my back down to my lower waist. I can feel his heart racing through his shirt. His breaths quicken and he keeps kissing me steadily.

I don't want to get into this now because I just know he'll stop before we can get anywhere, but my body disagrees. I couldn't stop now. For once, this is what he initiated. Why would I want to ruin it if he's becoming more comfortable with me?

"Bree." He breathes against my lips and breaks off.

I spoke too soon.

"Yeah?" I whisper.

"I'm sorry I didn't say it back."

Say what back? I didn't say anything.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, pulling away to look at his face.

His cheeks are the same shade of red they always are when he's nervous or excited.

"I'm sorry I didn't say I love you when you said it. I should've said it back."

"Miles...we don't have to talk about this right now." I say slowly.

He drops eye contact and hangs his head down. "Bree, I do love you." He whispers.

"What?"

I heard him but he wasn't looking at me. I need him to look at me.

I put my finger under his chin and lifted it up, forcing our eyes to lock again.

"I love you." He says.

I can't believe how freeing it is to hear him say it. I thought I was going crazy thinking I was feeling all of these emotions that he didn't feel so he would just never be able to say it back to me. I dreaded being the first one to say the words but I genuinely meant it when I did.

Instead of saying it back, I kissed him again. He already knows how I feel. If not by the words I say, then by my constant worry that he's okay, spending every free minute that I can with him, and wanting so badly to take new steps in our relationship like meeting each other's families.

He tightens his grip around my waist. Everything feels much more intense now. I wonder if that's what he's feeling too. I hope it is.

I slide my hand down to the hem of his shorts when we hear the sound of the back door unlocking. He quickly pushes at my hips, forcing me off of his lap to the other side of the couch. Both of us are equally out of breath. Lauren and Penny walk in with their beach belongings and set them on the floor. Miles pulls one of the small pillows into his lap and adjusts his posture. I fight a laugh when Lauren walks into the living room and looks at us.

"Hey guys! What are you two up to?" She asks.

"Baking a cake." Miles answers.

His face is so fucking red.

"Do I need to turn the AC up? You look flushed, honey." She says and walks over to him, feeling at his forehead.

He swats at her hand. "I'm fine, the oven makes it a little hot in here. I'm alright." He turns his face away.

I'm trying really hard not to laugh. I lean my elbow on the arm of the couch and cover my mouth.

"Well we're going to watch a movie in the movie room. You're more than welcome to join us."

They have a movie room in this house and I'm just now finding out about it?

"Sounds good." He says.

Lauren's eyes go from him, to me, and back to him. She raises an eyebrow and chuckles.

"Let's go Penny. You're choosing the movie." She says and walks up the stairs.

Penny grabs the leftover coffee cake from the fridge and walks up there behind her. We sit in silence for the remainder of the time it takes for the cake to bake. The oven timer goes off and I excitedly jump out of my seat.

Miles laughs, dragging his hands down his face. "Let's eat some cake."

Gladly.

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