I grin down at her, my beard dripping water onto my shirt. “I wasn’t going to let you ruin those beautiful shoes.”
“You’re out of your mind.” She laughs and shakes her head. “But thank you.” She strokes her fingers through my beard gently. “Got you all wet though.”
I chuckle, and she goes bright red.
“Oh,god.” She presses a hand to her face, then looks at me between her fingers. “You can put me down now, you know.”
“I like watching you squirm.” I chuckle as she slaps me in the chest.
“You bastard.” She wraps her other arm around my neck, and smiles shyly. “I’d ask you in, but… Your driver’s waiting.”
I suck in a careful breath. “I could always send him away.”
“Mmm, and how would that look?” She leans closer, tentatively, her eyes flashing to mine, and brushes a soft kiss against my lips.
I freeze as fire races through my veins. It’s the tenderest of kisses, soft and light, no hint of lust behind it. It’s so sweet I swear I’m going to fall to pieces.
“Good night, Dominic,” she says softly, and I reluctantly put her on her feet.
“Good night, love.”
She turns the key in her door, pausing before she pushes it open, and looks at me over her shoulder.
“I did have a really lovely night with you,” she says, and I give her a nod.
“I did, too.”
“See you Sunday.” She pushes the door open, and Tank’s joyful yaps can be heard in the distance. I wait until the door’s locked, staring at my feet for a moment. I want to knock, and tell her I want to stay. I want to kiss her lips properly.
I want to do more than that, but fuck, that would be enough for me right now.
Then I remember the driver’s waiting, and I drag myself back down the path. I don’t want to go back to my apartment, alone. I don’t want to indulge in yet another fucking agony wank while I imagine Mia in my bed. I want to turn around and beat the door down, go in and tell her she’s mine and I’m hers, and I don’t even care what that means for us, in this whole fucking situation.
But I don’t. I can’t.
I sit in the back of the car and let the lingering feeling of her lips on mine carry me home.
My phone pings, and I eagerly scoop it out of my pocket, expecting it to be Mia. But it’s not. It’s not Mia, and the name on my screen makes my heart drop.
It’s fucking Archie.
Thanks for taking her tonight. You’re a good dad to us.
That’s all it says.
And instantly I’m overcome with guilt.
I’m meant to be a dad to her, not a fucking sleazy old pervert imagining what she looks like naked.
I don’t reply to him, because I don’t know what to say. The shame is so deep and overwhelming that all I can think is he can see exactly what I’m feeling, whatshe’sfeeling, and he’s going to put a stop to it all.
14
MIA
Char’s fingerssnap in my line of vision, and she laughs when I blink rapidly.
“Sorry, god, sorry.” I shake my head and take a gulp of my coffee. “I’m completely spaced out today.”
