Savor You (Fusion #5)(16)

“Mia, you made it pretty damn clear that you didn’t want to be found.”

She nods. “I might have been an overreactor in my youth.”

“Maybe a little,” I agree. “We were both young and stupid.”

“And embarrassed,” she reminds me. “Even the doctor told me there were other ways to get a man to stay with me. I didn’t have to make up a fake pregnancy.”

“That doctor sounds like the stupid one.”

She nods, and then shrugs, and drinks the rest of her wine. “I was going to find you last night and apologize. But then I realized that I don’t know where you’re staying, and I don’t have your number.”

“You do now.”

“I do?”

“I sent you a text earlier.”

She frowns. “I haven’t even looked at my phone today.” She pulls it out of her bag and smiles. “You sent me a cake emoji.”

“I was hungry for cake.”

“Did you get some?”

I shake my head. “No, the paying customers ate it all.”

“How rude,” she mutters. “I’ll save you a piece tomorrow.”

“What time are we coming in?”

“Seven thirty if you want to get any work done.”

I frown. “Mia, it’s midnight now.”

“Yep.”

“Let’s talk about these workaholic tendencies of yours.”

“Or let’s not.”

“I’m serious. You’re going to kill yourself if you keep this schedule up.”

“Opening a business is always rigorous, Camden. Of course I put in more than forty hours a week. I have a kitchen to run, and now I’ve been talked into a television show.”

“You didn’t want to do the show?” Why is she doing it if she didn’t want it?

“No way. That was Riley’s dream, and once things started happening, it just sort of snowballed. I just wanted to have a successful restaurant. I don’t want to be on TV. I’m not exactly TV material.”

“That’s not the first time you’ve put yourself down, Mia.”

“Oh please.” She waves me off. “I’m not putting myself down. I’m stating the truth. There aren’t many curvy girls on TV, and that’s the truth. Besides, being in front of the camera was never my thing. That’s Addie. Yet, here we are. I’m the one who gets to be the face of Seduction.”

“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur and reach for her hand. “I wish you believed that.”

“I do.” She smiles ruefully. “Sometimes. I think self-image issues are part of the girl DNA. I’m not obnoxious about it. But you asked.”

“I did?”

“I think so.” She laughs now and shrugs. “I don’t actually remember.”

“If I were to ask you to join me for dinner, somewhere other than Seduction, would you say yes?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“You have soft hands.”

“I wash them a lot.”

It’s quiet in the restaurant, and the light is low, and in this moment, it feels like we’re the only two people in the world. It feels familiar and new all at the same time, and all I know for sure is, I need to kiss her. To have my hands on her.

I stand and lean over her, caging her in between my arms and the bar.

“Mia?”

“Uh huh.”

Her eyes drop to my lips and she runs her tongue over her bottom lip, and it’s almost my undoing.

“Whether you believe me or not, I think you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”

“Okay.”

“And I’m going to kiss you.”

Her eyes jump up to meet mine.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Honestly?” I move between her legs, pressing closer. “I don’t give a fuck if it’s a good idea. I’m going to do it, and I’m doing it now. So if you’re going to say no, you’d better say it now.”

“I don’t think I’m going to say no.”

She takes a deep, shuddering breath and lets it out slowly.

“You should hold on to something,” I suggest and immediately regret it when she fists my T-shirt in her hands, holding on tightly. “Ah yes, your old signature move.”

“I always had to hold on to something when you kissed me,” she whispers.

I brush my nose lightly against hers and move in slowly.





Chapter Five





Mia


Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, he’s going to kiss me. Maybe he shouldn’t have warned me because now all I can think about is that I haven’t brushed my teeth in over fifteen hours, and what if he turns his head in the same direction I do and we clash teeth?

Oh God, this could be very bad.

But his hands glide up my arms and into my hair where he fists them and holds on for dear life as his lips sink over mine. He’s still for a moment, and then we’re all tangled lips and moans of pleasure. It’s exactly as I remember it being ten years ago.

His tongue glides over my lips and he nibbles the corner, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. He cups my jaw and neck, and peppers sweet kisses over to my cheekbone and farther to my ear.