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For about the millionth time today I wondered how I could convince Mia to drop her lease and move in with me. I could set up a nice little termite nest near the back door of her place, but I didn’t want to risk ruining her things. Roe had all but assured me he could get the property under foreclosure; her dick landlord wasn’t the most upstanding citizen and hadn’t paid property taxes on the place in three years. I’d even thought about breaking my own damn leg and asking her to move in to help me. In the end I’d scrapped every plan because I didn’t want to manipulate Mia, I wanted her to move in because she wanted to be here.
Most of their belongings were already mingled in with mine and I was perversely happy every time I looked at our shoes lined up next to each other by the front door. It helped soothe the guilt every time I pushed another boundary.
When Miles was at school and Mia was working at the flower shop, I’d sneak into her place and grab as much as I could. Today’s haul included most of her junk drawer and a box of Christmas decorations from the top of her closet, things she wouldn’t notice missing right away. Technically you could still call this manipulation, but Mia had definitely caught on to what I was doing and hadn’t said a word.
“Hey, angel, rough night?” She walked into my waiting arms and pressed her face into my chest. My heart pounded like it had been waiting to beat until it was with her again.
“Uh huh,” the words came out muffled against the fabric of my shirt. Kissing the top of her head, I rubbed my hands up and down her back, massaging some of the knots that formed from carrying heavy trays of food and drinks all night.
The late-night shifts were a problem. I knew she didn’t like being away from Miles in the evenings and I fucking hated how tired she looked when she came home. Not to mention all the asshole men that hit on her when she was trying to do her job.
“If you guys moved in, you could quit the dinner shift. The house is paid off and I’ve got the other stuff covered.”
Mia turned to stone in my arms and I wanted to punch myself in the dick for my lack of tact. All my careful preparation right out the window because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.
She lifted her head, sharp brown eyes piercing mine. I tightened my hold on her, waiting for her to rip me a new one, grab Miles and try to leave. Try, because there was no way in hell I’d let her. I’d never hurt a woman in my life and I wouldn’t start now but I wasn’t above tying her to my bed and making her come over and over again until she was wrung out from pleasure and too tired to walk away. My dick was all for that plan but luckily my brain kicked in and decided groveling would be the better way to go.
“I’m sorry, Mia. I’m an asshole. I have no right dictating what you should do with your life and your job. Don’t leave, just…forget I said anything.” She blinked, but gave no indication that my words had any effect. The silence stretched and panic bubbled inside of me, my grip tightening slightly on her shoulders and my biceps bulging as they prepared to throw her over my shoulder and go with the bed tying plan.
“Okay,” she finally whispered.
“I-okay?” For a moment, I thought she could read my messed-up brain and was giving me the green light to drag her inside and eat her pussy until she passed out.
“Okay,” she said again, there was no doubt in her tone. “Miles and I will move in. And you’re right about the late shifts. I’m tired of being away from my boys every night. I’ll talk to Brooks and once he has someone that can take them over for me, I’ll switch to day shifts on the weekends. I’m not looking for a handout, Adam. I want to pay my own way.”
Fuck that, I wasn’t taking Mia’s hard-earned money. I had no problem with her working as long as she was happy but every cent she earned would stay with her and Miles. Even if I had to conscript Roe into doing some behind her back financial wizardry.
Cradling the back of her head, I bent down and pressed my lips against hers. I couldn’t remember ever being this happy in my whole damn life. Images filled my mind of what our future would look like, the three of us, a family. Holidays, vacations, celebrations. It was the most beautiful fucking thing I’d ever seen and I intended to make it a reality.
“Come inside. Let’s put Miles to bed and then I’m taking you to our bedroom where I’m gonna show you all the perks of living under the same roof as your man.”
Mia’s cheeks flushed from my words and she let out a squeal when I lifted her feet off the ground and swung her into my arms. When I carried her over the threshold, I imagined Mia in a long, white gown, face full of love and laughter like it was right now. Our eyes connected and I knew she was having the same thoughts as me.
“Soon, angel. Very fucking soon, if I have my way.”
* * *
MIA
The door snicked shut and I stepped back, staring at the hand-drawn sign taped to it. ‘Miles’ Room’ was written in red crayon, the ‘s’ drawn backward and room spelled with a ‘u’ instead of two ‘o’s.
Smiling, I ran my finger over the paper wondering what his reaction would be when we told him that thiswashis room, permanently. Normally, I’d worry myself sick over his reaction but my motherly intuition was telling me that he’d be just as thrilled as I was. This was our home; Adam was our home.
I turned and tiptoed to Adam’s bedroom, no, he’d called it ‘our’ bedroom. My smile grew even wider when I stepped inside and softly closed the door, locking it just in case.
I’d shared a bedroom my entire life, the lack of privacy could be comforting at times and stifling at others. Once Miles and I moved into the duplex I’d sworn to never share my space again. Now, looking around the room, a sense of rightness filled me. The previously empty nightstand was covered with my things. The latest read for book club sat next to my chapstick and lotion. There was a small vase filled with wildflowers that Miles and Adam had surprised me with yesterday. A chair in the corner held a basket of freshly folded laundry, a mixture of both Adam’s and mine that he must’ve done earlier. Looking around, I realized that sharing a bedroom with Adam Gage was the one exception.
“I’d give anything to know what you’re thinking right now.” He emerged from the bathroom, his shirt gone and nothing but a pair of black sleep pants hung low on his hips. His hair was down, brushing the tops of his shoulders and my eyes swept over the dark tattoos that covered his arms and chest. They’d intimidated me the first time I’d seen them but now I loved each one because they were a part of him.
“I was thinking that there’s no way that you look like that and do laundry. You’re just a figment of my imagination, aren’t you?” He tipped his head back and released a booming laugh. Even his throat was sexy as it vibrated with the sound.
When he was done laughing, he crooked his finger at me and it was like a string connected us and he was pulling me in. He pressed his thumb into my chin and tilted my head back, staring at me with his golden eyes.
“If either of us were a fantasy, it’d be you, angel. Never wanted to keep a woman before but fuck if I don’t want to keep you. There’s a lot of things I’d do to have you in my life, my bed, and laundry is the very fucking least of them.”
My breath caught when he lowered his head and his tongue delved into my mouth to dance with mine. The kiss was drugging and Adam managed to strip us both naked without ever disconnecting his mouth from mine.
“Fuck, Mia, you’re ready for me, aren’t you, angel?” His fingers ran through my folds and I rocked my hips forward when he sank them in deep. I was beyond ready for him, to the point I felt like I might explode if I didn’t have him inside me soon.
