Walking out of the office, I stop on the bottom step and try to push aside the pout on my face as I say good evening to some of my colleagues. Putting the phone up to my ear after selecting Mia's phone number, I wait patiently for her to answer while I begin my slow trek to my apartment.
No answer.
I figured it'd be a long shot. She told me she'd be busy in meetings all day which made it nearly impossible to talk to her. The launch party for Chanel really opened up a lot of doors for her and while I'm incredibly proud of her accomplishments and all of these high-end companies begging to work with her, it sucks not having her around as much this past week.
Mia:
I'm so sorry!
My boss asked me
to join them for
dinner tonight.
I won't be home
until later.
Be there as soon
as possible!
I love you!!!
Sighing and no longer forcing a brave face as I walk down the well-known street, I send her a quick message letting her know it's okay and that I love her, too.
It was fine. I could find something to occupy my time and after a stressful week myself, having a beer or two away from the confines of my lonely apartment seemed like a great idea.
The bar I've passed by on many occasions came into view. Many people could already be spotted inside wearing outfits similar to mine and obviously getting an after-work drink as well. Music blared from inside. Loud enough to be heard outside of the open door and onto the patio but quiet enough to still have a conversation if you wanted to.
Sitting down at the end of the long half-circle cherry wood bar, I lift two fingers to signal to the bartender that I'm ready to order.
Her brows raised as she waited for me to proceed and I suddenly remembered that I'm in Paris and they freaking speak French here.
"Um, un IPA, s'il vous plaît," I request with an unsure tone, hoping she understood what I was ordering.
"Est-ce que quelque chose sur le robinet va bien?" the woman asked and my mouth opens and closes a few times, totally confused about what the hell she just asked me.
"Est-ce que quelque chose sur le robinet va bien?" the woman questioned again, obviously growing annoyed by my lack of response.
"Oui. Je paierai ses verres."
The voice of the man now taking a seat beside me took me by surprise. Looking over to my right, I see Cameron take a sip of his own pint of beer while the bartender slides mine in front of me.
"Merci," I state with a charming smile, doing my best to make up for my lack of communication skills and earning a warm grin from her in return.
"What did you say to her?" I question Mia's ex-husband even though he's been avoiding looking in my direction.
Turning to face me, he chuckles and swallows down his most recent sip. "I just told her that I'd be paying for your drinks."
Shaking my head, I place my mug back down and lick my lips dry. "That won't be necessary, but thank you."
"It's no problem. I've been a jerk to you so it's the least I could do. You've done nothing to deserve how I've acted. I apologize for my behavior. Please, let me buy your drinks tonight," Cameron states and I take a moment to look him over before nodding in agreement.
Fuck it. A free drink is a free drink. I'll take the bastard's money if he's willing to give it away.
We continue to sit in silence. I don't plan on sparking up any conversation with him or bonding over a stressful work week. To be honest, I'd wish he'd just go sit somewhere else, but as I glance around, I realize all the other seats in this small bar happen to be conveniently taken.
Great.
"How's she doing?" Cameron breaks the silence, causing me to chuckle into my glass.
The smirk on my face couldn't be held back if I wanted it to. "She's doing wonderful. She's in great hands."
"Look, I'm not trying to start a war with you. As I said, I was a jerk and you didn't deserve that," he responds and my smirk turns into a raised brow as I keep my line of vision straight ahead and my jaw clenched.
"Neither did Mia," I firmly state.
Nodding his head, he takes a deep breath before finishing off his mug and silently requesting a refill. "You're right. She didn't."
I don't know if he expects me to feel some sort of sympathy toward him, but I definitely do not!
"Another work dinner or function, I'm assuming?" he ponders as he begins his next round of the golden-hued liquid. "She tends to have those pretty often."
"Mm," I simply grunt while looking around again in hopes of another empty seat.
"It gets tiring; her working so much. Eventually, you find yourself working longer hours or going somewhere to occupy your time. Such as a bar, for instance," Cameron continued.
My brows knit together as I look at his side profile. "I'm not going to punish her for living her own life or working hard."
"Of course not," he huffs out a chuckle. "But don't be surprised if one day you're the bad guy for living your own life, too."
"Your own life and a double life are two completely different things," I snap back at him.
Holding his hands up, he laughs and shakes his head. "I never said I was innocent. I gave into desires and curiosities I should never have. I just know a different side to Mia than you do. That's all."
"Maybe the side you know of her was because of how you treated her. Ever stopped to think that if you were better to her that maybe you would have got a better version of her in return?"
Nodding, he drops his hands to his lap. "Every damn day."
A soft hand and ironically the scent of the same fragrance my company just put out into the market filled my senses as my eyes land on the manicured nails grazing my chest. Knowing they weren't Mia's, I gently take hold of the hand and remove it from my body while looking back at the woman smiling at me.
"Salut, beau gosse," she says flirtatiously as her eyes roam me from head to toe.
Even with my limited knowledge of the language, I knew that she called me handsome. Even without it, it wasn't hard to tell she was coming onto me. Glancing over to Cameron out of the corner of my eye, I see him peeping out the situation, obviously finding amusement in it.
Looking back at the woman, I shake my head. "Sorry, I'm taken."
"Désolé, je ne parle pas anglais." The woman continued to smile at me in a way that would make a single man weak in the knees.
Feeling defeated at the language barrier, I stare up at the ceiling, trying to rack my brain for a response since she just told me she doesn't speak English. Of course, she wouldn't! Why would anything be easy today?
"Il a une petite amie," Cameron answers for me and I cock my brow, curious as to what he actually said and not trusting him to do the right thing. "Relax. I told her you have a girlfriend," he says to me as if he knew what I was thinking.
Judging by the disappointed look on her face and how she pouted and waved goodbye, I let my guard down for a moment. Okay, so at least he didn't fuck me over that time but I still wouldn't trust him if I had to.
"You really need to brush up on your French, my guy," Cameron laughs and raises his glass to me.
Chuckling, I couldn't even deny that fact. Clinking my glass with his, I take a drink. "I really do."
"What happened to Mia teaching you?"
Taken by surprise that he knew about that, I slightly cough and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. "She, um... well, the dynamic changed eventually."
"You and her really never...? Before we split?"
"Not even a kiss," I reply, knowing what he was asking.
"Damn," Cameron peers over to a random group of friends conversing at the other end of the bar. "I was so convinced she was probably out cheating on me that I did the unthinkable. I really am an asshole, huh?"
Without words, I give him a look that spoke volumes, in itself.
"I'm glad she found you, Jimin. She deserves better than I could ever give her."
Okay, he's clearly drunk. And why is he being so nice? Something inside of me told me that there was more to this random encounter.
"What did you mean by that text the other day?" I blurt out, ready to get it off of my chest. "When you said that you wouldn't tell her little boyfriend about what you two talked about."
"You saw that, huh?"
"I see everything," I admit shamelessly.
Mia has never hidden anything from me. She even told me about the text herself before I ever had the opportunity to tell her I accidentally saw it.
"She was telling the therapist that she missed how things were with us when we first got together. She said she worries that you and her will end up having the same fate." Taking another drink, he swallows before he continued, "After I walked her back to the office, she was saying how if she could go back in time, she wouldn't have gotten so close to you while we were having problems."
My heart restricted in an uncomfortable way. She regrets me? She regrets how we met?
Those things are some of my most cherished memories. Even if they weren't ideal, I'd never regret being there for her when she needed someone. When she needed me.
Taking a moment to think for myself, I remember who it is I'm speaking to and squint my eyes. My gut tells me that there's more to the story, even if that's really what Mia said.
I'd rather hear it from her than just take Cameron's word for it.
"I'll talk to her later," I simply state in a monotonous voice.
"It's why I wasn't planning on saying anything to you."
"I'll talk to her later," I say again, this time looking into his eyes. Finishing my beer, I stand from my stool and pause before walking away. "Appreciate you picking up the tab."
Striding out of the bar with my hands in my pockets, I breathe in the fresh night air before continuing my path back home. I wasn't mad at Mia. In fact, I was a bit sad she never said these things to me but I get it, it was spoken in therapy. All I knew is that I wanted to speak with her directly before allowing her ex-husband to get into my head and make my insecurities flourish.
My neighbor waved to me as I reached my door and I did my best to plaster on a smile as if nothing was on my mind until I could get inside my place.
Dark and empty, I placed my keys on the small table and took off my shoes before removing my tie. A shower. That's what I needed. A long, hot shower to wash away the stench of beer and calm myself before Mia got home.
The shower head poured out a stream of warm water, slowly coating the glass door with condensation and fog as I undressed and stepped inside. The smell of her soap on the ledge flooded my senses, immediately soothing my racing mind.
There was more to what Cameron was telling me... about everything. He may know a different version of Mia, but I know the version of her that is loved and cared for. The version of her that has her heart protected enough for her to be vulnerable if she needs to be. She is safe with me. She knew it and I knew it. Tonight, I was just caught off guard but the reality is, Mia and I are good! More than good.
We're in love.
Lost in my train of thought, I didn't hear or notice the shower door opening. I didn't even sense her presence until I felt a small kiss on my shoulder and her beautiful hands gliding across my abs.
"What's on your mind?" she quietly asked while continuing to kiss my shoulder, sending a tingling sensation into my chest.
"Do you regret us meeting? Or better yet, how or when we met?" I work up the courage to ask.
Knitting her brow, she slowly turns me around so that I'll face her. The water slides down the tip of my nose and my drenched bangs hang over my eyes, but it's clear as day how concerned she is.
"Where is this coming from?" Mia's eyes search mine while she stands on the tips of her toes and pushes back my hair, my hands automatically moving to hold onto her sides to keep her stable.
Two sets of brown eyes study each other for a moment. My mind wondered if I was going into something that didn't even need a discussion in the first place while my heart ached to know her side of the story. The last thing I'd want to do is start some kind of argument or have her think I don't trust her. On the contrary, I don't trust her ex and I just need a bit of reassurance right now, but I find it hard to just come out and admit that. Straight up ask her to console my worrying mind even if logic tells me there's nothing to worry about.
"I went to a bar after work because I didn't want to be home alone so early and I ended up running into Cameron there." She sighs at the realization, her eyes slightly rolling at the sound of his name, but she looks back at me, urging me to go on. "I brought up that text he sent you the other day."
"The one he was trying to sound so secretive about?"
Nodding, I pull her a little closer to my frame. "I asked him what he meant by that. Basically, he said that you regret when we met and if you could go back in time, you wouldn't have met me then."
"Baby, no," she shakes her head and steps even closer, not caring if the water was now trickling over her as well. "He's such a manipulative dick. I was saying that I wish I had met you under different circumstances. Not when I was going through a divorce. I even said I wish I could have met you first. I don't regret you or us, Jimin. I just wish he wasn't a part of our story."
"You don't regret meeting me?"
"Never. Not once have I ever regretted you being in my life," she reassures me. "As weird as it is to say, I don't regret Cameron either. It made me the woman I am today and I know that everything he put me through just made me appreciate you that much more."
It was as if a magnetic force pulled me to her as I took her face into my hands and kissed her lips, needing to feel her closer to me. Her arms wrap around my waist, her hands gliding over my back and down to my ass as she brings our bodies together. Taking a step forward, I place my hand on the tiled wall behind her head, deepening the kiss and eliciting a moan from her in the process.
Slipping my remaining hand away from her cheek, I needily grab her leg and place it around my hip, thrusting against her core. Our heavy breathing intensifies as my tongue glides across her neck and her nails scratch into my shoulder blades, the painful sensation adding to the pleasure my body is ready to feel.
Sucking onto her skin, she whimpers beautifully near my ear as I rock against her, growing impossibly hard as I feel her wetness surrounding me before I've even gone inside. Mia turns her head, her eyes imploring me to fuck her.
Reaching between our bodies, she takes hold of my dick, stroking it tightly and slowly in her palm and making my breath catch in my throat. My mouth hangs open as I keep hold of her gaze, allowing her to do whatever she pleases with me. I don't think I'd ever tell her no.
My body stills when I feel her moving to slide the tip between her folds until I'm suddenly at her entrance, just needing to slightly push to fully bury myself inside of the woman I love. My brows come to a point, questioning her if it was okay. Answering me by sinking down onto me, I groan at the sensation of getting lost in her. Not just her body, but within her soul, her eyes, her heart, her mind.
The way her head slowly pressed against the wall and her eyes shut was a euphoric sight. Her beautiful plump lips parted as I slowly thrust inside of her. Pulling her other leg up so she was encompassing me, her salacious moans caressed my ears.
Keeping her in my grip, I roll my hips to press into that known spot that makes her body tense up, earning a much more passionate kiss from Mia. What started off as sweet lovemaking was quickly turning into something much needier. Her hands slipped into my hair, pulling on the strands as I began to fuck her roughly, keeping her ass in my hands while she holds onto the wall for stability. Her moans grow louder, echoing in the small space and submitting to me as I nibble on her shoulder.
"You're mine, do you hear me?" I damn near growl as I pound into her.
"I'm yours, Jimin," she whines, grabbing onto me as tightly as she can. "All yours."
My heart seemed to skip a beat at her declaration. "Fuck, I love you, Mia."
"I love you."
Setting her down on the floor, she peers up at me hopelessly as I slip out of her until she's being forcefully turned around with her hands pressed against the cold tile. Using my knee, I spread her legs some more as I direct myself back into her. My left hand comes up to knead her breasts, my thumbs brushing over her hardened nipple while my right slips between her thighs to rub her sensitive clit.
Mia's back arches at the feeling, her arms coming back to clasp behind my neck while I kiss hers. She's impossibly wet. Soaked so deliciously for me that I can hear it over the running shower as she calls out my name over and over again.
"Come for me, beautiful. I don't know how much longer I can last," I unashamedly beg.
The sweet sounds she makes for me increase as my fingers work to make her body surrender until I feel her squeeze me tightly, pulsating around me until I have to rip myself away from her as I spill my seed on the shower floor to be washed down the drain. We remain in the same spot, unable to move as we continue to pant as we come down from our high. Keeping her in my arms, I kiss her neck and shoulder sweetly, smiling when I notice the tired grin on her face.
"I'm sorry if you ever felt the need to question my love for you," she whispers.
Turning her to face me, I pull us both back under the stream of water. "I'm sorry I ever did. There has never been a reason for me to."
Reaching behind me, I grab her loofah and body wash and start to wash her from head to toe, kissing her lips every few seconds and doing it again just because it made her happy. I'd do anything for that smile.
Just like I know, without a doubt, she'd do anything to put a smile on mine.