B00Z637D2Y (R) (15 page)

“Not at all.” Unable to help himself, he brushed the back of his knuckles over the smooth skin of her cheek. “And I have a theory about the flakiness, Mia—”

“Mr. Anderson?” Jacob’s voice interrupted through the speaker, startling them both. “We’ve arrived at the destination. You’re thirty minutes early.”

“That’s perfect, Jacob. Thanks.”

“Early. Wow. Mark and Sue will be so surprised.”

Michael relaxed against the seat and smiled. If things worked out as he hoped, Miss Mia Argarapolis would be surprising not only her friends, but herself as well before the weekend was over.

Chapter Twelve

“Miiiiiiiiiiaaaaaa!” Sue squealed from the porch of the small bed and breakfast. Mia hadn’t seen her friend in over a month and had been nervous. They’d emailed and texted about the wedding, but once her bridesmaid dress measurements had been sent and details finalized, contact dwindled. Mia didn’t know if this was due to Sue’s busy schedule or the awkwardness resulting from the breakup with Jason. Since he was Mark’s best friend, the strain on her friendship with Sue was inevitable.

Sue wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her in a bear hug while Clancy barked excitedly at their ankles. “Wow. It’s been forever. You look great. That dress is a knockout. And look at your darling dog!” Behind her, Mia felt the air stir and Sue loosened her grip. “You must be Michael the Mystery Guy.”

“In the flesh.”

“And it’s very nice flesh, too,” Sue said, extending her hand over Mia’s shoulder. I’m Sue Adams, soon to be Sue Bartell.”

“Michael Anderson, Mia’s fiancé.”

Mia flinched at the title and moved out of Sue’s embrace.

Her friend scanned Michael from head to toe, then did the same to Mia. “Nice to meet you, Michael Anderson, Mia’s fiancé.”

Before Michael could respond, Jason stepped out onto the porch followed by Mark, who checked his watch. “Early! Do we go with the closest estimate, or void the bet since all predictions were for a late arrival.”

Dammit.
Of course they’d placed bets on how late she’d be. They always did. And she always laughed like it was funny and not a joke at her expense. A sick churn swirled in her stomach. This was going to be a disaster. As if he could read her mind, Michael took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey, Mike!” Jason called as he strode toward them, hand extended.

“Michael,” he corrected, shaking her ex’s hand.

“This is my hunky groom,” Sue said.

“Mark Bartell. Glad you’re here.”

“Me, too.” Michael shook his hand, and then gave Mia a brilliant dimpled smile. She couldn’t help but smile back. She’d expected his presence to make her uncomfortable, but it actually gave her confidence and took some of the stress off. She wasn’t doing this alone.

“Let me show you guys to your room,” Sue offered.

Room. Singular. Shit.
Of course there would only be one. They were supposed to be engaged. That meant she’d be at war with her libido all weekend. Hopefully, there would be two beds in the room or a sofa like at the apartment. Michael picked up both suitcases and they followed Sue into the quaint bed and breakfast.

“Mark and I, and our parents, are on the first floor. Separate rooms, of course. You know Mom. We can’t share a room before the wedding because it’s bad luck or some such nonsense.”

Mia loved Sue’s mom. Always designating herself den mother or camp director—so unlike her own hands-off parents.

“Jason and Kelli are on the second floor, and so’s the photographer,” Sue continued. Michael tensed noticeably at the mention of a photographer. Sue grinned back at them as she reached the second floor landing. “And you two are on the top floor.”

Well, at least they had a floor to themselves. Sleeping arrangements might not be that bad after all.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Sue cracked a cheery white wooden door open just enough to reveal the smallest room Mia had ever seen. A narrow bed filled almost the entire space, barely leaving room to creep in through the door, which could only open part way before bumping the bed.

Sue giggled. It was her familiar high-pitched titter she did when she was nervous. “I’m sorry about the room.” She stepped away from the door. “It’s small, but so’s the hotel and the wedding party.” She brushed her blond curls over her shoulder. “And, um… honestly, Mia, nobody expected you to really bring a date.”

Great. Just great.
She closed her eyes as an embarrassed flush burned her cheeks.

…

Michael set the suitcases down in the hall and squeezed through the partially open door into the room so that he could compose himself. How could Mia’s friends sell her so short?

“There’s no closet,” Sue said from out in the hallway. “The owner told me that you could keep your luggage downstairs in the storage closet and she’d give you a key so you can come get things any time you need them. You can’t leave suitcases out here in the hallway or on the stairs because of fire code or some silly thing. ”

The room was clearly a converted attic with walls sloping to a low peak right above the bed, which meant he couldn’t even fucking stand up straight. He poked his head into the miniscule bathroom and grimaced. There was no way two people and a dog could share this space comfortably. Especially two people who had a business-only relationship.

He was tempted to call Jacob and get Mia out of this place where people she called friends placed bets on how late she’d arrive and thought so little of her, they hadn’t even considered she might have a date. Honestly, her being the maid of honor struck him as terribly odd.

“Again, sorry about the room, Mia,” Sue said. “I really thought you’d be alone and wouldn’t mind because, well, you’re used to sleeping in less than ideal situations.”

“Yeah,” Mia’s voice sounded flat. “I sure am. I slept with Jason for almost a year, and that was certainly less than ideal.”

Sue gave another shrill giggle. “Well, there’s that. So… We’re good then?”

Michael squeezed through the door into the hallway. “We’re great,” he answered before Mia could get a word out. He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him, which made him feel better about the ridiculous room, the way Mia’s friends treated her, and even Sue’s obnoxious nervous giggle. “Better than great.”

Mia wrapped her arm around his waist as if the contact soothed her as well.

Sue smiled. “We’re planning to hit some shops a little later and Mark and Jason want to visit a pub that’s nearby.” Sue scanned them, pausing when her gaze hit his fingers wrapped around Mia’s shoulder. “If you guys are game, we’re meeting on the porch in an hour.”

“Sounds great.” Mia’s voice was a little too cheerful and bright.

After giving Clancy a pat on the head, Sue headed down the stairs, passing Jason and Kelli on the landing below. For a moment, Mia said nothing as her friend’s footsteps faded and her ex and his girlfriend closed the door below them.

When she finally spoke, she didn’t make eye contact; she stooped to pet the dog instead. “I’m so sorry about this, Michael. I’m sure you’re accustomed to huge suites and chocolates on the pillows, not dinky rooms the size of a closet.” She kept her attention on Clancy, but he could see the tears pooling in her eyes, and it made him want to take her in his arms. “If you want to leave, I’ll totally understand. I can come up with a cover story. They all saw you. I’m sure that is enough to give them a weekend of gossip.”

She stood and he took her face in his hands. “Please stop.” He ran his finger over the smooth skin of her cheek, wishing she could see herself through his lens, not that of her friends. “I’m not here for luxury accommodations. I’m here for you.”

Her eyes met his, and her lips parted. He wanted to kiss those lips—wanted it more than he’d wanted anything in a long time. Briefly, her gaze flitted to his mouth, then back to his eyes and he hardened.

“Your words are as smooth as your public image, Michael David Anderson. A girl could fall hard for you if she weren’t careful.”

He found himself holding his breath.

“Good thing I’m very careful,” she added.

Dropping his hands, he took a step back, making sure his expression didn’t reveal his unexpected disappointment.

She leaned down and unsnapped Clancy’s leash. “Go on in, Mr. Fancy Pants. You can hold down the fort when we’re gone.” The dog trotted ahead. After grabbing her suitcase, she pushed into the room and flopped it on the bed next to where Clancy made himself right at home nestled into the stack of pillows. “So we need to get our story straight.”

“What story?” Michael set his suitcase on the bed next to hers since there wasn’t a square inch of floor space to spare.

“How we met, how we fell in love, you know… our story.”

“I suggest we stick to the truth as much as possible. We met when you caught bread on fire and flooded your bathroom.”

She popped the lock on her suitcase “Well, that’s certainly believable.”

“And we just keep all the facts the same, except it happened earlier… say, maybe the day you moved in?”

“I’ve only been next door to you a total of six weeks, Michael.”

“It was love at first sight.”

She rolled her eyes and unzipped her suitcase. “The great and mighty Michael Anderson falling for his flaky nobody neighbor who almost burned his place down…
at first sight
. Yeah. They’re going to believe that, no problem.”

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“The self-deprecation. Why would I
not
fall for you?”

“Because I’m… me.”

“That’s not a sufficient answer, Mia.”

She pulled out a heap of horrible green and yellow knitted material and slammed the suitcase shut. “That’s because you don’t really know me well enough. Here.” She shoved the blob of knitting at him.

“What on earth is that?”

“It’s a gift for you from Gladys. She made a matching one for Clancy, see?”

It was a sweater…sort of. “Surely you don’t expect Clancy or me to wear those.”

“I think it was a really sweet gift and you should write Gladys a thank you letter.”

He held up the bigger sweater, which had a lopsided M on the front and groaned. “I should have my lawyer write her a Cease and Desist letter.”

She wrapped the matching scarf around her neck and Michael bit his lip to keep from remarking how bad it looked with the cashmere dress. She knew what he was thinking, though, and her eyes narrowed. “I’m guessing you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about by the time this wedding is over. ‘Because I’m me’ will be completely sufficient to answer why a man like you would never fall for a woman like me.”

And as he stared at her, flushed and wearing a spectacular dress with a horrendous handmade scarf, he realized he had fallen—and hard.

From below came male laughter, and then a playful, feminine squeal.

Mia paled and closed her eyes. “Insult to injury,” she whispered.

More laughter drifted up. By the sound of it, Jason and Kelli were going to make the most of their hour before shopping, heedless of the potential audience above them… or maybe because of it. Michael would put nothing past Jason after hearing him insult Mia.

“This was a mistake,” she said. “I should have followed Jason’s advice and not come.”

If there was anything he’d learned in his life, it was to fight fire with fire, and if that didn’t work, piss on the fire and put it out. He threw his head back and laughed loudly, then met Mia’s wide eyes and winked.

Her mouth fell open with disbelief and he laughed again, ending it with a long “Mmmmm, Mia, yes!”

She covered her mouth and giggled as he shoved his suitcase off the bed. It hit the floor with a loud bang as it wedged between the bed and the door.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a fire code violation,” she said, still giggling.

“You think so? Because I’m just getting warmed up. No fire in here yet.” He picked up the sweater. “Though I would love to burn this.” He stepped over his suitcase and grabbed the handle of hers.

“On the bed now!” he ordered loudly and she gasped. He leaned close to her ear. “Please sit so that I can get by you,” he whispered. She sat and he lifted the suitcase over her head, hitting his own on the sloped ceiling, which caused her to burst out laughing herself.

“Do that again!” she cried, grin huge as she played along.

He rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head and placed her suitcase in the shower—the only place with enough room for it, and threw the sweaters on top. “You like that, do you?” he said, amused by his exaggerated volume and her resulting giggles.

“Yes!” she shouted in a breathy voice, clearly for the couple below, but he benefited as well and his whole body hardened at the sound.

Beautiful Mia, completely unselfconscious, sat on the bed with her head back, laughing, soft cashmere fitted to her curves. She was extraordinary and didn’t even know it. But he did, and was damned determined she would, too. But first, he needed to shut down the prick below, who had treated her so badly.

He sat on the bed, and she scooted over to make room for him. Clancy, unfazed by the activity, remained curled up between the pillows.

Feet on the floor, he bounced once and the bed creaked, which caused her to start laughing all over again. He loved her laugh. It made him feel free and unburdened. Then he bounced and it creaked again, and she snorted, which was even more adorable than the laugh. Soon, they were both bouncing and moaning, and laughing until they were breathless.

He wasn’t sure when it happened, but somewhere between the snort and her last moan, they had drifted together, bodies touching from knee to shoulder as they sat side-by-side, no longer bouncing. The images of them tangled up in the bed, moaning for real had taken over his brain, and he slid his hand over the smooth, warm skin of her knee, and then up her thigh, pushing the soft fabric of the dress up as his fingers brushed gray silk.

Her head fell back and she sighed, which was possibly the sexiest sound he’d ever heard.

Running his fingers over the silk, it was obvious that acting turned on had actually turned her on—as it had him. “You’re wet.”