More to You ✔

Chapter 8 - Bar Brawl (Mitch)

Mitch's muscles flexed he leaned his elbows onto the table overlooking the crowded dance floor in the EDM room populated with a mix of the Thai university-aged crowd and a handful of foreigners who were probably expats or tourists who'd looked up Bangkok's popular club districts. Lasers and flashing lights forming alternating patterns on the walls and dance floor were enough to give the average person a seizure, yet Emma danced out there to some electronic dance song with Maria. The Filipina swung her hips in distracting ways while the deep-v in her little black dress hypnotized him. Taking a slow breath, Mitch ran his palms over his rough jeans. He ached to touch Maria and feel her pressed up against him, but he knew better than to tempt himself.

"I don't like the two of you together," Shawn said over the music.

"It's not like that, man. I was just being neighbourly."

Shawn crossed his arms over his tight, gray t-shirt and shook his head before leaning closer to Mitch. "Lingering at her desk all week, flirting with her, and way you were looking at each other at the apartment? I'm not buying it. If you're sleeping together, you're not walking away from it until she leaves Thailand, changes departments, or she ends things. Replacing two teachers in our key stage this year was enough of a nightmare."

"But look what Sun and Dan's departure tossed in your lap." Mitch tilted his head toward the girls, in particular Emma whose crop top sparkled like a disco ball.

Shawn's scowl deepened. "I'm serious, Mitch."

"I'm not sleeping with her."

"But you're trying to," Shawn countered.

"No, I'm..."

Mitch's gaze travelled to Maria in that sexy little black dress he'd never seen before tonight. It was like she wanted to punish him for challenging her earlier offer. Had she been wearing that... heat returned as he imaging of caressing her perky, shapely breasts which peeked out of the dress's v-neck that almost dipped down to her stomach. Sitting beside her during the cab ride had been a Buddhist-level test of self-control, as each bump reminded him no bra was hiding under there. She was no twig where that would go unnoticed, and he liked her even more for it.

"You're what? Undressing her with your eyes?" Shawn shot him an unimpressed look.

"Can you blame me?"

"Just channel it elsewhere."

Mitch wanted to as she'd been overly attached to her last boyfriend, her only boyfriend. That was almost as bad as being untouched. Since her ex had been such an ass, Mitch would become a replacement, and being that he was better than that clown, she'd think they were meant to be together long term. Though if she wore that dress for him once a week...

He shook away the thought, focusing on the colourful strands of light sweeping across the crowd, who jumped up and down as the beat intensified. She already had those family dreams and anyone could fill that space at the moment, even someone as ill-suited as himself. He cringed. Shawn knew why that was a terrible idea, so Mitch understood Shawn's concern.

"We're friends. You know how it is." Mitch's eyes flickered to Emma just long enough for his friend to comprehend. Shawn's shoulders slumped.

He was too by the book to make a move while working as her boss, but it didn't stop them from flirting more than was comfortable. Mitch knew why his buddy was drawn to her, and as unhealthy as it was, he never brought it up. It would mean talking about her. Instead, he kept his distance from Emma, though that grew harder as she befriended Maria and Shawn, and he'd lost Becca as a shield. Driven away was more accurate, but the result was the same.