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Looking at her orange hair, Rafferty decided he would have to look at the house of Mia’s dreams one day soon. Probably this week. He himself couldn’t tell the five remaining from the one that was gone. But for Mia, he was suddenly very interested. Until right now, he had no idea that just a house could make her so excited.
As the men came back, they joined in the conversation, and it turned to who had lived in the houses on The Hill over the years. Since the three who had grown up in town were almost all the same age, they couldn’t remember back too far, but the recent history gave them enough to talk about.
Soon they were heading back to their cars. Again, Rafferty and Mia were in the back, but Rafferty let Mia drive. Her eyes had lit up at the prospect, and he wondered if he had made a mistake.
But it hadn’t been a mistake. Not only had he been able to wrap his arms around her, but she spent the entire time talking to him. No real conversation, but excited words and questions about what they should do. Mostly, they just let the group get ahead of them to see how wet they could get. And they got wet and dirty.
When they finally made it to Math’s yard, the other four had already crawled off their machines. And when Ruth had seen Mia, she stated that the orange-haired woman wasn’t allowed in her new SUV. To Rafferty’s delight, he had to take her home.
They said their goodbyes and headed back to town. Of course, this meant his pickup’s interior would be covered in mud, but he got to spend a few more minutes with Mia, so it was a price he was willing to pay. And the Mia he was bringing home was happy and seemed to forget her anger at him.
At her door, he watched her jump out of the cab. Climbing out, he rushed around to follow her. She was already at her door when he caught her. Following her into the stairwell, they stood at the small landing that held three mailboxes, though he was sure there were only two apartments.
“I had fun today,” he said, because the day had been nearly perfect. All it was missing was spending the rest of the day with her.
“It did turn out to be pretty fun. Even if they are all sticks in the mud.”
“I think we’re the muddy ones.” Rafferty smiled at her.
“You definitely are,” she said, leaning against the wall behind her.
“You need a mirror.” He had been itching to touch her hair all day, so he ran his hand over the orange hair with flecks of mud in it. Some were more chunks than flecks.
“Are you flirting with me, Rafferty?” she asked, then licked her lips.
“Do you want me to?” He watched her tongue.
“Yes,” she whispered breathlessly, then quickly said, “No.”
He lowered his lips to hers, “Let’s go with yes.”
As his lips finally touched her soft ones, he wondered why it always took months for him to kiss her again. Deepening the kiss, he pulled her soft, wet body to him. Her hands went around his neck and held on to him. God, she felt so good in his arms.
The room suddenly echoed with the sound of Taylor Swift singing about New York. Mia pushed away from him and dug in her pocket, pulling out her phone. “Mandy,” was all she said.
Turning away, she headed up the stairs, talking to her cousin. He watched until she made it to the top of the landing, then she was gone.
Leaning against the wall she had just been leaning against, he cursed her cousin. If she hadn’t called, he might have been able to follow her up the stairs and maybe into the shower. Stomping out the door and into the sun, he wished it would just rain to match his mood.
CHAPTER10
Well,that didn’t go as expected. As the personal attendant to the bride, Mia had been in charge of getting the bride to the altar. But instead, she had shoved the woman out of the church window in the pouring rain to avoid the altar. And she would do it again if asked, or if the bride was as jittery as this one had been. Cold feet didn’t even begin to explain what had happened.
It had been close to three hours since Natalie, the bride, had left, and most of the church was empty. A bridesmaid was still lingering, and the groom was talking to her. Maybe a little too close. Not that it mattered anyway—the wedding was off, and so was the relationship. The groom could do anything he wanted.
Upstairs, she knew her friend Hazel was talking to the pastor somewhere, so Mia was glad something good might have come from the failed wedding. Hazel had been avoiding the man for weeks, but Mia knew there was something there. This was maybe just the kick in the pants they needed.
Which was why she was avoiding leaving the basement, staying in the little room in the back of the basement where the bride had gotten ready and escaped from.
Pouring herself another paper glass of whiskey she had brought with her, in case the bride needed encouragement, she wondered how she was getting home since the bride took her Jeep. Well, maybe that wasn’t really an issue. She lived four blocks away, but it was still raining out.
Once the smiling bridesmaid and groom left, she could clean the rest of the basement and be on her way, but the two were in no hurry to leave. But then again, neither was Mia. All she was going to do was go home—she wasn’t up for the reception that was still taking place.
At least her dad could celebrate his daughter not getting married. Based on his reaction when she had told him Natalie had left, she knew he would be celebrating today. It seemed not many people were upset the wedding was off, not even the groom.
The door opened, and Rafferty stuck his head in the room. Seeing her, he smiled. Then he slipped into the room and shut the door behind him. Today he was wearing gray slacks and a light blue dress shirt, and he looked far too good, as usual.
Since the trail ride, she hadn’t seen much of him. Well, she saw him in all the usual places, but nothing more. Not that she was going out as much as before. She was beginning to think she was turning into the town’s new hermit since Ruth was going out far more than she was these days.
