“With Francesca. He’s being a little charmer. He’s making her want a baby. Tell Sal I said, ‘you’re welcome,’” she adds, eyes twinkling with mischief. Now she pokes me lightly in the chest. “You didn’t answer me. How’d your talk with Vince go?”
“Fine.”
She brightens, and some of the weight comes back to rest on my shoulders. “Good. I knew it would. His new girlfriend seems awesome. I didn’t expect her to like me, but I’m glad she does.”
Smiling faintly, I point out, “You wouldn’t like her if she didn’t. You never like people who don’t like you.”
“That’s not true,” she objects. Turning back just a little, but not leaving my embrace, she says, “Adrian didn’t like me for a while, and I always liked him.”
“Yes, I remember,” I murmur, wryly.
Mia flushes a little, playfully narrowing her eyes at me. I wink and give her a little squeeze, dipping my head to give her another kiss.
Adrian interrupts. “Can I get out? You guys have me blocked in over here, and I’m clearly not a part of this.”
“I mean, you could be, but Elise would never allow it,” Mia jokes.
“Stop that,” he mutters.
Mia leans into me, pushing me back a little so there’s space for Adrian to get out. She turns her undivided attention back to me, still with her arms around my neck, gazing up at me like I’m the single greatest person on the planet. It’s ridiculous and adorable when she looks at me like that, but it happens a lot. I have no complaints.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” she says, softly. “I know you wanted to resolve the issue more… permanently, but I very much appreciate your restraint.” She leans in, dropping a few kisses along my neck and assures me, “And I will appreciate it even more tonight.”
My eyes drift closed as she lightly bites my neck, then brushes her soft lips across the spot to make up for the roughness—like there’s anything to make up for. She just likes to make amends. It works out, since I certainly like when she does, too.
When my eyes open again, I see Adrian standing there, giving me a look of unsubtle judgment. I sigh, meeting his gaze. Mia’s still kissing my neck. She doesn’t even know what she’s doing, and she’s wrecking my plans.
“Still want me to talk to Ryder?” Adrian asks, now that Mia’s piling on evidence of all I have to lose if she finds out.
As if she knows the stakes, Mia pushes up on her toes, getting close to my ear so she can whisper, “I want your cock.”
Jesus Christ.
I sigh, completely fucking defeated by Mia, raining her love and affection down on the fire I was just about to start. I shake my head at Adrian. “Never mind.”
Now Adrian’s amused, but he merely nods and scoots past to give us a little privacy.
We need a hell of a lot more privacy than this, though.
Reaching down to grab her hand, I haul her back out of the drawing room and back toward my study. She flashes me a grin, speeding up to keep stride with me. I don’t know how I can still crave her with such intensity after five years together, but I do. She’s like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle, each tab plugging perfectly into me, each blank carved out to perfectly interlock with my most jagged pieces. Bringing her to me may be the only good thing Vince ever did in his life, but it sure was a hell of a gain.
I guess maybe I can let him live. It’ll make Mia unhappy if she ever finds out I didn’t, and he may think he got the last word in, but I have Mia’s love, so I’m the clear winner. No point risking it for vengeance. That’s not my style. Cooler heads prevail—I know this.
Pulling open my study door, I slip inside with Mia. My hands move automatically to her hips, guiding her back against the wall. My gaze rakes over her body, taking in the way her snug black dress hugs her perfect curves. One hand skates up her abdomen, coming to rest on her stomach. It’s still too soon for her to show with this pregnancy, but I very much like knowing my baby is growing inside her. That’s the way it should’ve been from the beginning. Mine. Every part of her is mine.
I drop my hand from her stomach, reaching for the hem of her dress and hiking it up. Hooking my fingers in the black lacy fabric underneath, I yank her panties down, dropping to my knees as I do.
She sighs in anticipation, pushing her head back against the wall as I spread her legs. I kiss my way up the inside of her left thigh. My tongue flicks out and I trail just the tip along her skin as I make my way closer to her pussy. I don’t put my mouth on her once I get there, though—I hover, letting her feel my breath, giving her a moment to anticipate. She’s already emitting helpless little hitched moans, her whole body tensing as she waits for me.