Too Sweet (Hayes Brothers #3)(69)

“Perfect, baby. Come here.”

Now that I’m sitting on the barstool, we’re almost eye level. I grip her chin between my forefinger and thumb, sinking into her mouth, searching for that addictive low. Nothing calms me down the way having her close does.

She’s an antidote to all the rage coursing through me.

The static and clutter clear enough that I can think clearly. Mia’s young. She should have fun. I know she misses her sister and that it means the world to her that Aisha invited her out.

“Did you say you want to go?” I ask her.

Her face blanches, not a trace of a blush. “Yes.”

I turn her around, pressing her back to my chest, and look over her shoulder to Aisha. “Compromise. Q, not Rave. I book the booth. One of the bouncers will watch Mia all evening, and she only drinks what he gives her.”

“A bouncer?!” she fumes, growing redder. “So he can report her every move to you? Nah-ah. Not gonna happen, baby boy. You need to trust her!”

“It’s you I don’t trust. If you ditch her, at least I’ll know someone’s looking after her. Take it or leave it, Aisha.”

“I don’t mind the bouncer, sis,” Mia says quietly. “Even if he tells Nico what I’m doing, that’s okay. It’s not like I plan to do anything he won’t approve of.”

God, she fits me so fucking right.

Aisha’s pout slips, morphing into a wide, self-assured grin. “So, if there was someone with us you trust, there’d be no need for the bouncer, right?”

I nod, grinding my teeth. She’s got a plan in place, I can tell. She’ll fight me on this to the bone.

Well, she met her match.

“Okay, fine. This is not over. You sure you don’t want one?” she chirps, waving a bottle of Corona.

“I’m sure. How about you come with us to The Olive Tree instead of drinking beer and eating pizza in front of the TV?”

Her mouth falls open a little. “What? Like a double date?” She glances at Toby and beams wider, slamming her beer on the counter. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes!” She rushes out of the room.

Toby smacks the back of my head as soon as the bedroom door closes behind Aisha. “Thanks, man. We were gonna fuck once you took Mia out.”

“I bet you already did today. Mia’s staying with me all weekend. You’ll have the house to yourselves until Monday. When was the last time you took Aisha out to eat?”

Toby shrugs, shoving menus into a drawer. “My girl’s not like yours. She doesn’t need wooing.”

“Won’t hurt, though, will it?”

“Oh, don’t look so sour,” Mia chuckles. “Sex can wait. Aisha won’t tell you this, but she’d like to be more than a booty call.”

“She is! Don’t give me that shit. You know I love her.”

I spin in my chair, one eyebrow raised. “You lost my number, man? Why am I not in the loop?”

Instead of explaining why he didn’t call me, he shrugs like it’s not a big deal. Maybe it wouldn’t be if this wasn’t the first time since I’ve known him that he proudly admitted to being in love.

“Fine, dinner it is,” he mumbles. “Let me get changed.”

I wrap my hands around Mia, my chin on her shoulder. “Tell me you know I trust you.”

“I do,” she admits quietly, toying with my fingers. “I like it when you do that.” She tilts her head back a little, whispering in my ear. “When you hold me like I’m so precious.”

“Most of the time, that’s all I want to do, baby. I know you need to have fun, but you’re mine now, and I need to know you’re always safe.”

She spins on her heel, her fingers back on my cheekbones, and the softest, sweetest kiss on my lips. “I am yours. Your girl. And your girl does as she’s told.”

“In bed, Mia. That applies in bed.”

“Everywhere,” she insists. “If you do something I won’t feel comfortable with, I’ll tell you, but until I do, you can be sure I don’t mind how controlling you are.”

She shouldn’t have said that.

Managing my paranoia is mission impossible on a good day. Knowing Mia will submit to my will makes it much harder to rein in my overbearing personality.

Aisha’s ready within ten minutes as promised, and no more than half an hour later, Mia sits across from me at my favorite table, tucked by the window overlooking the ocean. She tied her hair back on our ride here, leaving a few blonde locks dancing around her face that taunt me as she studies the menu, her lips swollen from my kisses, eyes glassy, happy, relaxed.

She’s gorgeous. So fucking gorgeous.

I catch her hand, brushing my fingers across her knuckles.

“What are you having?” she asks.

“You choose. I want to know what you like.”

Another smile, another tight squeeze in my chest. It’s surreal that I want to lock her up in my bedroom so no one can touch or look at her. We’ve been officially dating for a week, but tonight’s the first time I took her out. It’s the first step of millions I have to take to avoid getting carried away.

The waiter stops by the table, his eyes lingering on Mia one second too long as they sweep between the four of us. That’s enough to make my spine straighten like a metal rod.