“Well, a sucker is born every day, and now this chef has about seventeen ideas he wants me to back him in.”
“Of course he does,” I said with a laugh. Taking a sip of my wine, I asked, “No drink for you?”
“Driving safe cargo later.”
“Ah, maybe it’s because you may see Tommy?”
“That too,” Mick said, shaking his head, “but I’m seeing you now. What shall we eat?”
“Thai?”
“Definitely, but before I forget, I made a small stop today in New York.”
My eyes widened. “Please tell me you don’t have another puppy stashed around here.”
“Better.” He moved to the other side of the kitchen and picked up a tiny box.
“Um, what’s that?” A chill of excitement ran down my spine while my gut churned with fear.
This was getting serious, right?Should it be?
Mick caught my eye. “Don’t get stuck in that overactive mind of yours. Save that for your writing.”
He popped open a box, revealing the most gorgeous pair of earrings. Two little eyes stared back at me, blue in the center and outlined with crystals. Or diamonds.
My gut churned again.
“Now all the bad will be cast away,” Mick said, handing me the box.
When I took it with shaky hands, he reached for my ear, gently removing the small hoop I had in.
“Put them on,” he said with authority.
I did what he asked without arguing, willing my hand not to tremble while I took off the backing to slip the post into my piercing.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Mick shook his head, telling me not to say it, but I couldn’t help it. I thanked him again.
With both earrings in, I stood and kissed him. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt their protection like a cloak wrapped around my body.
Our mouths fused and then opened, our tongues exploring. His minty breath, coupled with the wine in mine, lit a fire in me. We stayed that way for a while ... until my stomach growled, and Mick took it upon himself to break free and order Thai for delivery.
“Now, where were we?” he said, smirking.
“You were telling me how you’re becoming a restauranteur?” I said coyly, leaning back into the bar.
“That was earlier, and while I didn’t think the restaurant biz was for me, I like this guy. The chef. So I am. But I meant when my mouth was on yours and my hand was itching to be underneath those clothes.”
A jolt ran through my body. Classic Mick. He didn’t need to be explicit to set all of me on fire. All I needed was a promise of his hands or mouth on me, and I was primed.
“Oh yes, now I remember.”
He pounced on me, lifting me onto the bar. Wedging himself between my thighs, he kissed me senseless before tugging off my sweater. It fluttered silently to the floor as Mick’s lips traveled down my neck and over my breastbone, landing on the fabric of my bra, directly over my nipple. He nibbled on the satin before breaking free and blowing warm air across the dampness. Chills ran through me as he repeated the same pattern on the other side, my heart beating furiously underneath where he was working voodoo with his mouth.
“Love every inch of you,” he murmured.
I didn’t know what the hell he meant, but I liked hearing it.
