"Are you going to give me a tour?" Mia's soft feminine voice comes from behind me.
"Sure. We just came from the basement," I say.
We walk a few feet down the hallway and I show her the kitchen, along with the living room. I watch as Mia walks around the living room, checking out each and every shelf. When she gets to where my books are, she smiles. "You read?"
"Sometimes," I say, not feeling one ounce of guilt.
I watch as Mia pulls out a few of my books, thumbing through them when she states, "You like mysteries. Or should I say more like Sherlock Holmes."
"Those ones I got from my Gran when I was akid," I tell her.
"So, these are pretty important?" she says, arching a brow, but making me a little suspicious.
"Yes."
I watch as she gently places it back on the bookshelf, before turning toward me, "I'll make sure to be careful if I read them."
"Do you like to read?" I ask her.
"Yes. But I'm kind of more a romance girl." She says it with a smile, which in turn makes me smile, because she's opening up to me, even if she doesn't realize it. Tomorrow, I'm going to be filling up a bookshelf with romance novels.
"Imogen, my housekeeper, comes twice a week, and will leave meals for us in the fridge. Make sure to write down any dietary needs, dislikes, and things you want. She'll get them for you."
"Okay," she breathes out, seemingly uncomfortable.
We walk down a short hallway. "Here's the half bath for this floor." Mia opens thedoor, peeking inside. She closes the door, then looks at me ready for me to continue further down the hall.
When we reach the closed door, I open it up. "This is my office." Then I drop my tone, staring right into her eyes "Don't go in there unless I'm in there."
"Why?"
"Because there is nothing you need in there,” I snap as we close the door.
Mia nods her head before I lead her up the stairs to the third floor, which is just a hallway with rooms off it. I don't bother stopping at any of the other rooms, just head straight to the room we will be sharing. I open the door, allowing Mia to walk in, keeping silent as she investigates.
After a few minutes she spins toward me. "Is this your room?"
"No, it's our room," I tell her.
"Kieran, I can't take your room. I'll just stay in one ofthe guest rooms."
"No. You will stay in the room with me. End of discussion."
"No,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You will stay here," I tell her before closing the door and locking it, placing the key in my pocket. Good thing I got keys for every room, it seems with this little vixen, I'm going to need it.
Mia starts banging on the door, screaming, “Kieran, do not do this. Do not lock me into a room again.”
“You didn’t really think I would just allow you to roam around freely until you earned it, did you?” I yell back.
Mia doesn’t say anything else, instead she just lets out a huge scream, continuing to bang on the door.
My fingers twitch to go in there and show her exactly who is in charge, but I know I need to walk away, before I say or do something stupid.
fourteen
Mia
