Page 66 of Wild

"I didn't come down much later than you. I probably got around five hours."

"That's not enough, Mia." Erin lets go of her chin and wraps her fingers around her wrist to take her pulse.

"I'm getting used to you touching me, and I don't know what I'll do when you stop."

The words are out before she thinks them through, and Erin lifts her eyes from Mia's hand and meets her gaze, then drops her attention to Mia's parted lips. What she does next feels almost automatic—the logical next step, given the burst of butterflies in her chest and the need to feel something more than just the warmth of Mia's skin.

She raises her free hand, slides it along Mia's neck, and cups the back of her head before leaning in. The first thing Mia feels is Erin's tongue brushing her lower lip before slipping into her mouth. The kiss is so hot and urgent that a moan escapes Mia as she grabs Erin's waist and deepens it. This time Erin doesn't back her up against something and pin her there, doesn't press her whole body against Mia's—she can't let her want climb any higher than this. She pulls back with a soft, wet sound from the last kiss she presses to Mia's mouth and steps a couple of feet away from temptation.

Mia blinks. For a moment she's not sure what just happened, and she has to get used to the hollowness she feels on her lips.

"You always kiss me at the worst possible moment," she murmurs, dazed, glancing toward the door—but then her crooked smile appears, and Erin's lips curve too.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

The doctor clears her throat and tugs at her collar to fan herself, then steps close to Mia again and takes her wrist.

"I lost count of where I was," she whispers, eyes on her watch as she starts over.

Mia takes Erin's hand and moves it, placing it flat against her chest.

"Racing, Dooley. I don't think you're getting a real reading right now."

Erin presses her lips together and a laugh comes out through her nose.

"Fair point. We'll do it later. Come on, let's get out there before they think you passed out."

Mia pulls the hoodie on, and Erin—in another move that doesn't seem to take any conscious instruction from her brain—smooths the hood down over Mia's shoulders.

"I made plans with Noah," Mia says before Erin reaches for the door.

"I'm sorry?"

"I want to spend the morning with you. We don't have to do anything, or pick up where we left off in there—" she gestures toward the wardrobe, talking too fast, nervous like she's standing in front of her first date, "—but I already made plans with Noah."

"It's fine, really—"

"I don't want to overwhelm you, Erin," she interrupts, "but I can't take much more of this. I need you and me to—"

"Hey." Erin turns all the way toward her and this time drags a strand of hair slowly off Mia's forehead and back, holding her gaze. "Go with Noah. We'll have time, just the two of us, another time."

Mia exhales, frustrated.

"I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm really turned on." The singer stamps her foot against the floor and Erin bursts out laughing. "I know you asked me for time—time for yourself, to figure out what you want—but if you're still not sure, don't kiss me again. Because every time you do—"

Erin cuts off the stream of words with another kiss, slower and softer than the last one, that leaves Mia's head spinning.

"I want to keep doing it," Erin whispers against her ear, leaning close. "And I can't wait to go to bed with you. But I don't want it to feel forced. I want it to happen naturally, when the moment's right. Right now we have to go out there for the meeting, and after that you're going with your friend and you're going to have a good time."

"What are you going to do?"

Someone knocks at the door and they both jump and step apart.

"Everything okay in there?" Jude asks. "I have to leave in twenty minutes. I need you to—"

"We're coming out now," Mia cuts him off sharply.

Erin reaches for the door handle, but Mia stops her, hand on her arm.