Bid Me Now by Rebecca Gilise

nudging Nick to pay attention. “He’s my neighbor. He always walks his dog late at night. It’s a bladder problem...the dog, not Mr. Johnston.” Despite her overheated body, Miri started to giggle.
    Nick looked up and gave a ragged groan. “And we were getting along so well.”  
      “Is he looking?” Her dress was at half-mast, her bra around her waist. The thought of that dainty bra subjected to such rough treatment almost caused a fresh giggle. Miri inanely wondered if her giggling worked as some kind of sexual release valve.
    Mr. Johnston was bent down, peering at the car from the path. Nick peered right back like this was a completely normal. “Uh-huh, he’s looking all right, but he can’t see much through the tinted glass. Just a couple of silhouettes.”
    “That’s a relief. He’s a terrible gossip. Retired civil servant.” She turned to watch Mr. Johnston disappearing down the path, dog in tow. “He’ll be back this way in a few minutes.”
    Nick grunted and stretched his long legs. “Maybe we need to cool off anyway, my sweet. I don’t want to be indelicate here, but my cock is so goddamned hard, these pants are bloody uncomfortable.”
    She wriggled to the side to get a view of his crotch. Even with the dim lighting and his dark pants, she could see the outline of his thick erection against the seam of his trousers. “Is that my fault?” She lifted her stare to meet his gaze, loving the flirting.
    Nick gave a half-groan, half-laugh, easing back to adjust himself. “Yeah, all your fault. Been like that for days.”  
    “You know they won’t let you in the art class with that. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t stare. I have a habit of doing that.”  
    “Stare away.”  
    Miri twisted a little to make herself more comfortable, suddenly conscious of how wet she was. With her dress halfway up her backside, her dampness was almost in his hand — he had to be able to feel it. And if he moved his fingers a few inches, he would be touching her right where she needed them. With a small shudder of desire, she pushed her fingers into his shirt again, watching her hand trace down under the cotton fabric to below his abdominals, slipping her fingers under his belt…
    “Miri, maybe we should…?”
    The subtle change in his tone snapped Miri’s head up. For a moment she was confused by his concerned expression. This was meant to happen, wasn’t it?
    Then she froze.
    Oh, God, he didn’t want her.
    For a few moments, Miri found it difficult to breathe as a hot trail of embarrassment wound a cruel path down her entire body. A simple goodnight kiss had ended up a minute short of a one-night stand, and she was acting like a sex-starved idiot.  
    Pitiful. Tragic. Inexcusable . The words ricocheted around in Miri’s head as if frantic for an outlet. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”  
    Her bra was stuck around her waist so she yanked the bodice of her dress up, holding it over her breasts and waiting with dread for Nick to tell her how ridiculous she was.  
    “Hey, it’s okay,” he said, nudging her chin up to look at her.
    She pulled her chin away, avoiding his gaze. “I really do have to get home.”
    He didn’t move. “Miri, I mean it. It’s okay.” He took her hand, and Miri shuddered as he pressed a soft kiss on her fingers.  
    “I know, but I have to go…I shouldn’t have.”
    “Have what? You didn’t exactly put yourself in my lap and pull your bra down.”  
    “That’s not what I meant.” She had a desperate urge to climb out of the car and run to her house, to the safety of her bed.
    Nick held on to her hand firmly. “I know what you meant. It’s okay.”  
    She felt him slide his hand from under her so she was now completely in his lap, his erection hard against her backside. Miri sat very still.
    “Look, it’s my fault for parking here so I could kiss you. I’ve enjoyed it.” He rasped a laugh. “Hell, you must be able to feel how much. But maybe it’s time to