That in itself was a mortal sin.
Another lumped onto the growing pile.
Redness streaked across her chest and lit on her cheeks. The sweet scent of her made me want to do wicked, bad things.
“What does that mean?” she murmured, her voice raw and laced with misunderstanding.
I understood the affliction.
Only thing I knew was I couldn’t stay away.
This girl had me hooked.
I planted my hands on the counter on either side of her, boxing her in. I leaned in closer, close enough that our noses brushed. “Means I couldn’t leave.”
And there we were.
Full circle.
Our bodies a mess of desire and our eyes a disaster of questions.
An annoyed groan echoed from behind us. “Would you kiss her already? I’m about to revoke your man card, Leif, and I don’t even have one yet. That’s just embarrassing.”
My attention swung around to Brendon who was smirking all over the place. Kallie smacked her hand over her mouth to stop a laugh. And Penny . . . Penny blushed like she’d just witnessed something salacious.
I pitched my attention back to Mia.
Beautiful Mia with her carved cheeks and her full lips.
Yeah.
I wanted to. I wanted to kiss her.
So, I did. I kissed her soft. The girl so sweet where she sighed against my lips.
My forehead dropped to hers, and I whispered, words just for her, “I’m sorry, Mia. I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. I meant that.”
She barely nodded, unsure, and she seemed almost relieved when my phone buzzed.
I looked at the message.
Rhys: Keep your moody ass in Savannah. Put out a 9-1-1 and booked a show at The Hive. Tomorrow night. Maybe it will give you a second to come to your senses. Strap on your boots, the cavalry is coming, baby!This guy. Couldn’t stop my smile if I tried.
Me: Fine. I’ll be here.Rhys: Ah, too easy, brother. Seems to me you were experiencing some kind of cold feet. I can’t wait to meet her.Could almost see him waggling his brows from across state lines from beneath his trucker cap.
Me: Fuck you, man.Rhys: Not my type, dude, not my type. But count me in for another taste of those sweet Savannah ladies. Bring yours.I looked up at the girl who was watching me.
Unable to resist, I snatched the first two fingers of her right hand and swung it between us, that simple connection feeling like the most powerful thing.
“Want you to come somewhere with me, Mia. Tomorrow night.”
“Like . . . on a date?” she clarified, like she didn’t believe what I was asking.
“If that’s what you want to call it. My band’s coming into town. Want you to be there.”
Bewildered, she stared at me, completely caught off guard.
“Auntie! Say yes!” This squeaked from Kallie.
“Please. Say yes.” Words grunted free, hand tightening around her fingers.
She warred. Think we both could feel us getting too deep.
“You should go, Mom.” Penny’s timid voice hit me from behind. It tugged directly at the string the kid had sewn in me.
Connection fierce.
Something I wasn’t sure how to undo.
Worry moved through Mia’s face when she glanced at her daughter before she looked back at me.
Scared.
Hopeful.
With all that bright, bright light.
She gave me a tight nod. “Okay.”
And I felt it for the first time in three years.
Excitement.Twenty-FourMia“You’re going on a date with him?” Tamar nabbed me by the wrist, screeching as she flung my arm around.
Waving a hand in her direction to quiet her, I tiptoed over to the door and peeked out.
Coast clear.
Breathing out in relief, I clicked the door shut and turned back to my sister-in-law who was standing there with one of her signature smirks.
Nothing but a red-lipped Cheshire. If we weren’t careful, every canary in Savannah was going to go extinct.
“Are you trying to announce it to the whole dang house?”
This time she waved a flippant hand at me. “Um . . . newsflash, Mia, the whole house already knows. How do you think I do?”
“You’re a snoop?”
A low giggle rolled off her tongue. “Okay, now we both know that’s true, but this I heard straight from your brother’s sexy mouth, which he heard from Baz, who heard from Shea, who heard from Kallie. Apparently, Brendon and Penny were in agreement to keep your secret, but when I pressed them, they gave. Five bucks each.”
The explanation came from her casually.
Nothing but nonchalance.
Disbelief widened my eyes. “You bribed our kids?”
She shrugged. “Who said money can’t buy happiness?”
“You are terrible.”
She laughed. “That’s why you love me. And besides, it wasn’t like you didn’t have a whole audience when the man asked you out. That took some balls.”
Or he was just a sadist.
Because how was I supposed to say no?
I mean, not that I wanted to. Which probably made me the biggest fool of all.
I heaved out a sigh and sank down onto the side of the bed. It didn’t matter that I was almost thirty, my nerves still rattled. “And what did my brother have to say about all of this? He sure didn’t seem all that keen when Leif first got here.”