Too Close

Chapter Twenty Six

I love you so much

Miles' words replayed over and over again in her head. She didn't feel as blissfully as she expected to, hearing those words from him. It was always a statement she wanted to hear from his lips and directed to her, just not while he was intoxicated and inside of her. At least for the first time.

She wasn't even sure if he'd meant it. They were both high on passion and she felt like he was just caught up in the moment and saying what he thought he was feeling. With a rush of lust that was so strong, it made him add the "so much" at the end.

Or maybe he really was in love with her? And was so deeply in it that he couldn't say the phrase plainly, but needed to add the measurement so she knew just how true it was. She'd always heard that a drunk mind speaks a sober heart.

Miles never had great timing either. She'd never forget the times he interrupted her date with Jared, had the head of the art department email her as if she was in trouble just so she'd talk to him, and their risky encounters on campus; one in the janitor's closets and another in his office.

Was she even ready to say it back to him? Sure, her skin got a tingly sensation whenever he touched her, and her pulse grew rapid and rang in her ears whenever he talked to her or entered her mind, which happened so much during her day that she'd never admit to how much she thought about Miles. What he'd say to her, do to her, and do for her played almost infinitely on a loop in her mind, making it extremely difficult to focus on what tasks she had at hand. Those thoughts also came with an everlasting smile that might as well have been tattooed on her face.

But maybe she was just in lust herself.

The thought of him just saying it and not having the feelings to back it up, crossed her mind again. She was overthinking and questioning her own feelings just for him to tell her he didn't mean it.

Gianna plunged her face into his pillow but turned on her back when she inhaled and breathed in his cologne that was left behind. Her busy mind would have easily been cured if Miles was there, but he'd left in the early hours of the morning to make it to Paramount Studios for another meeting about the adaptation of his book.

Attempting to escape the reminders of him, which was impossible being that she was in his home, Gianna went to the bathroom to get herself together. It was the last day of their trip and she was not ready to go back to Seattle. Finals were waiting for her back at home and the carefree feeling she had would soon elude her.

Brooke was doing her own thing with Keia, so she had no one else to spend her time with. She went into the bathroom and noticed the Dr. Teal's products on the countertop with a sticky note that read Use these in Miles' handwriting.

She'd stopped herself from smiling, wondering if this was an act of love or just him taking care of her, which was normal since Miles always made sure she was more than comfortable.

Or maybe his catering to her was always acts of love and early signs she'd missed?

"Girl, chill out." Gianna huffed, trying to ease her mind. She took advantage of the foaming bath and salts and used them to relieve the soreness and aching that came from last night's activities.

She sat inside the huge and sunken bathtub, scorching water and eucalyptus-scented bubbles sloshing against her skin. She let her body soak in the relaxing mixture until the water turned cold and took a shower to properly clean her skin. Body butter seeped into her pores and its fragrance stuck to her as she rubbed it all over her arms and legs.

The grey slip dress she threw on fit her like it was cast on her body, the spandex clinging to every part of her while flowing when it came down to her feet. She faintly heard the sound of the locks clicking and tried to make her thoughts into sensible words to say to him when he opened the door. She didn't know if he'd bring it up or if she should or if they would try and make small talk and pretend like it didn't happen.