“I take it you’re here for me,” he said.
Mia smiled, glancing down at her shoes before meeting his eyes again. “Well, I’m not here to reminisce with the dog.”
“I’m glad you stopped by.”
“You are?”
“Mm-hmm. We never got to watch that movie.”
She laughed. “Darn. You’re right. Total fail. Well, you know what they say, if at first you don’t succeed…”
“Try, try again,” he finished for her. Ross’s hand beckoned her toward him. She came because she couldn’t help it. He was her opposite magnet and the rules of science dictated this pull each of them had on the other. She walked straight to him and didn’t stop until her body was pressed to his and her arms wrapped around his waist. She lifted her face, her chin poking into his firm chest.
“Hey, Russo.”
“Hey, Rosso. I like the way you kiss.”
His eyes grew soft, his gaze traveling to her mouth. When his lips kissed hers, it was sweet and tender, giving her that warm feeling of connection again. They stayed like that for a moment before Ross lifted her by the waist, dragging her into his house and to his bedroom.
Chapter Twenty-Six
One morning inMarch, Mia was pulled from her heavy slumber by a warm, gentle squeeze across her midsection and his voice low in her ear. “Time to get up, Russo. You’ve had enough sleep. Come on, I made breakfast.”
She pressed her face into the pillow and moaned her complaint like a fussy toddler. Although she had to admit, it wasn’t the worst way to wake. It beat the ear shock of an alarm and a bruised banana for a quick breakfast, as she raced out the door.
As soon as Ross vacated the room, she cracked an eyelid. Reaching for the nightstand, she fumbled until she located her phone and glasses. She sat, yawned, and did a quick finger comb through her hair as she slipped on her glasses and checked the time. Sunbathed in the morning light, Mia bent her knees, drawing them to her chest, propping her head on a palm as she stared across the bedroom. Hermes sat in the doorway threshold, watching her, his long pink tongue rolling out in a happy pant.
Welp. She woke up in Ross’s bed. Again.
During these last few months, Mia spent more time in Ross’s home than she did at her father’s when she wasn’t working or taking photos. The Lanza-Manasse house was a place where she could actually breathe, one that was lived-in and comfortable, plus Ross was here. His home didn’t have sad memories of her mom or the new eggshells she had to walk on because of her dad. One day, Mia even snuck a printed selfie she took with Hermes and placed it onto the crowded surface of Ross’s refrigerator. When he discovered the new addition, he smiled while shaking his head, but the photo remained in place. Mia could admit it was silly, but this was her way of leaving one tiny mark on a place that felt like home, even if it was a temporary one.
Hermes gave a small bark from the threshold. Seems like he was having a good day. Mia called him to her and pulled the small animal onto the bed, cuddling him. While he wasn’t out of the woods yet, the veterinarian told Ross she was feeling optimistic about the dog’s prognosis and he responded well to the treatment. Just in case, Mia gave Hermes lots of kisses and told him what a good dog he was until he squirmed away and darted out of the room.
That was her cue to get out of bed. Mia crawled out from the covers, and dressed. Ross stood at the stove wearing a dark gray T-shirt, and sweatpants. His raven-colored hair was disheveled from sleep and those sexy forearms were making her breakfast. She couldn’t imagine a more appealing scene.
The delicious scent of smoky peppers and caramelized onions filled the air. Mia’s stomach responded with an embarrassing grumble. His eyes turned to where she stood in the bedroom threshold ogling him like a creeper.
“It’s about time,” Ross said.
She approached him. “What are you making? It smells good.”
With a wooden spoon, Ross did a quick stir of the ingredients in his frying pan. His other arm drew her to him, and he tucked his face into her neck, pressing his lips there. She tried to dismiss the warm feeling of comfort and safety this simple gesture produced inside her chest. She could pretend there were no calendars, warning her of a Ross-less future, nor any maps, threatening to distance her away from this kitchen. She wanted to soak in the moment, revel in her contentment, live in the now.
“It’s just a simple chorizo hash and eggs. No big deal,” Ross said.
Her arms threaded around his waist as she snuggled into him, kissing his scratchy jawline. “I think we have different ideas of no big deal,” she murmured before kissing him again, “Considering what I normally scarf down for breakfast, this is a feast.”
Ross smiled as he basked in her affection. “Says the overachiever who’s always looking to score extra credit on everything.”
“Oh, I’m not complaining, Ross Manasse. I like being spoiled, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea on your part.”
“Next time, I’ll kick you out with nothing but a stale granola bar. But you better grab us a couple of plates since I’ve already gone through the trouble of making it.”
With their plates filled, they sat at the dining room table. She took the olive green chair with the chipped paint. Mia sat in this particular spot enough times to claim ownership of it in her mind. She was tempted to use a steak knife to carve her initials into the wood. This act might declare her intention to sit in this chair for the rest of her life. It was a ridiculous dream, but it didn’t stop her from eyeing the steak knife on the table.
“I take it you’re not working today,” Ross said.
“Not today,” she replied while staring out the window. She was thankful to have a day off. She didn’t mind working at the coffee shop, but she was starting to feel restless about her situation. Although she enjoyed working with Natalie and her coworkers, coffee didn’t seem to be her life passion either.
