“I told you he would say yes,” Olivia teases, cupping his cheek and planting a chaste kiss on his lips.
He rolls his eyes. “You are the smartest woman in the world. I have no idea why I would doubt you.”
He kisses her again, cupping her cheek as she clings to his shirt. Another kiss…it’s finally when I see his tongue poking out to deepen their embrace that I cough. Mia chuckles beside me. Austin looks at me scowling, like I’d just interrupted a moment between him and his fiancée.
“I’m the one that said yes. If anyone should be getting this kind of attention, it’s me.” I laugh.
“Are you feeling left out, Dr. Adams?” Mia teases, but her tone has my blood soaring south to my pants.
“You talk the talk, love, but do you walk the walk?” I lean in, inhaling her lavender perfume like it’s a drug. Her eyes dip to my lips. It’s been weeks since she asked me to back off, to remain friendly. This is the first time she’s indicated we can resume our flirting, and the sangria is adding to the siren going off in my head to grab the horns with both hands.
“I think you know I can walk the walk.”
“Nope…no idea. We’re just friends, remember?” I murmur, quite enough that Austin and Oliva can’t hear us.
She twists in her chair, leaning toward me so our noses are almost touching. Her smirk is within kissing distance, and I’m desperate to close those final inches.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“Love, there is nothing you can make me say that would stop you showing me exactly what you can do. I’d lie, cheat and steal for it. Don’t doubt me.”
Her lips part, her eyes widening at my admission. I’m not just flirting; I’m outright propositioning her.
“Ahem, if I can’t flirt in my own home, then this—" Austin points his finger between Mia and me, “—can’t be happening right in front of me.”
“Shh. I was enjoying this development.” Olivia slaps his finger down before nodding enthusiastically at us.
Mia flushes and withdraws. Austin-fucking-Black is gonna hear my wrath later when I chew him out for ruining the first time Mia’s openly flirted with me in weeks.
“Champagne? To celebrate our best man.” Olivia slaps down on her thighs to stand.
“I’ll help,” Mia offers, following her across the patio.
We both watch our women link arms and flutter into the house, giggling as they lean into each other.
“I’m glad they’ve given us a moment because I want to tell you something,” Austin says, his brows knitting together. We’d had our weekly catch-up yesterday, so I figured this wasn’t something to do with him, but instead, me.
“Okay, let’s hear it.”
“Man, I’m fucking buzzing you two are finally admitting you like each other. It’s been a long time coming.”
I grin. “Yeah, it’s a slow process. Mia doesn’t want to risk her career, so she’s apprehensive.” I don’t mention her lack of trust in older men, especially her history. It’s no one’s business except hers.
He nods. “Listen, you know how I feel about girl code.”
“Yes, but I’d like to remind you that you are not a girl, and if this is about Mia, I want to know.” I use my therapist's voice, which only makes Austin scoff.
“I overheard the girls talking earlier. Mia mentioned you’d been leaving her notes.”
Notes?
I rack my brain, trying to think about what she could mean, but I come up empty. I haven’t been giving her notes at all. Except my therapy session notes for her to write up, but that doesn’t sound like what Austin is referring to.
“I…I don’t know what you mean.”
He dismisses my words with a flick of his hand. “It’s none of my business. All I’ll say is you should maybe rein them in a bit. I think the last few have been a bit much.”
A bit much?
