Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“You remembered that?”
“Hard one to forget.”
“It’s actually really good. You should try it.”
“Um-hmm. We’ll see.” I grabbed my keys, then started out the door. “I’ll be back in a few.”
As soon as I got out to the truck, I called the pizza place and put in our order, then started driving towards town. On the way, I thought about everything that had taken place with Mia and Rosa, and something Mia had said kept playing over and over in the back of my mind—‘You need to stop trying to mess around with what’s mine!’
Mine.
It was a word I never dreamed Mia would use in reference to me, but now that I knew she had, I wasn’t sure what to do about it. Mia was an amazing woman—beautiful, smart, and sexy as fuck. Any man would be lucky to have her. I knew that. Her father knew it. Hell, everyone fucking knew it. I had to do right by her, even if that meant walking away.
That wasn’t something I wanted to do.
I liked spending time with her a lot more than I ever expected. I enjoyed her humor and quick wit, and the fact that she was tough and could handle her own. Hell, she definitely proved that today. It was hard to make sense of it, but there was something about her that made me feel better. I didn’t feel weighed down by the constant nightmares and regret, and that meant something to me.
She meant something to me.
I picked up the wine and pizza, then headed straight back to the house. When I walked in, I placed everything on the kitchen counter, then started for the living room. I was about to announce my arrival when I noticed that Mia was still on the sofa.
Her head was tilted back and her eyes were closed, and she looked absolutely beautiful. So innocent and vulnerable. I felt drawn to her, like a moth to a flame, and before I realized what I was doing, I was hovering over her, staring down at her mouth.
It had been ages since I’d kissed a woman. Even longer since I’d actually wanted to, but at that moment, I couldn’t imagine wanting anything more. I could feel the warmth of her breath as I inched closer. I could smell the soft scent of her perfume as my eyes drifted over the curves of her beautiful face, tracing the delicate lines of her lips—the lips I was about to taste.
I leaned in closer, and my pulse quickened as I brushed my lips against hers. It was just a touch, soft and tender, but I knew right then and there I wanted more—much more. There was no way in hell I could walk away from this woman. She had me completely spellbound, and she didn’t even know it.
Hell, I wasn’t even sure she knew I was in the room.
I quickly pulled back, checking to see if she was awake, but her eyes remained closed. Unable to resist, I kissed her again—ever so lightly, and I’d never felt anything so incredible. Time seemed to stand still, and everything around me faded into a blur. I continued kissing her until she started to stir. Her eyes opened and a light gasp slipped through her lips when she saw me hovering over her. “Wrath?”
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I placed my hand on the nape of her neck, pulling her mouth back to mine, and I kissed her like I’d never kissed anyone before. She didn’t resist. Instead, she kissed me right back, making it clear that her busted lip wasn’t an issue—not in the least. The scent of her skin, the warmth of her mouth and her body so close to mine had me spiraling. She felt too good, too right.
Every touch of her tongue only made me want her more. Hell, it was all I could do to keep myself from taking her right there on that fucking sofa. Having her mouth on mine set me on edge, making every nerve in my body burn with need. Feeling the heat surge through me as I deepened the kiss, our tongues twisted, tasting each other, and we were both quickly losing control.
I liked the feeling.
I liked it more than I thought possible.
With my mouth still fixed on hers, I snaked my arms around her and pulled her close, then carefully lifted her into my arms. I carried her into the bedroom, then slowly lowered her feet to the floor. I reluctantly pulled my lips from hers, and she looked up at me and stilled. She was waiting patiently for me to make my next move, but I stayed put. I needed a moment to find the right words to say to her, but there were none.
“I’ve tried, Mia. I’ve tried so damn hard. I’m not a fool. I know you deserve better than me.” I brought my hand up and rested my palm on her cheek. “But I can’t let you go.”