Page 34 of Fated Shot

“So, will you let me pay for this?”

“Nope.”

“UGH, you’re so stubborn,” she sighs, exaggeratingly flopping back on the couch. I laugh, opening the lid and handing her a slice before grabbing one for myself. “Well, thank you for paying—again,” she grumbles before taking a bite.

“You’re welcome,” I say as I press play. The timer on the screen continues to countdown.

“IT’S THE SECOND BOWLING BALL!” I scream.

“It’s the second pin on the left,” she replies confidently. And for the third time in a row she correctly identifies the cake from the group of items while I’m left dumbfounded.

“It’s not fair. You’re a professional, I’ve been conned.”

“You picked the show!” She says with an exasperated flail as she grabs the clicker and hits pause. She laughs. “Let’s watch something else.”

“Nah, I’m too committed now. I want to finish the season off,” I say, staring forward.

“There’s like five more episodes.”

“Well then, we better stop wasting precious time chatting. Play, please,” I say, pointing at the TV.

Wordlessly, she presses play and settles back into the couch, her arm resting against my side as the show continues.

After another two episodes and half the pizza later, the glow of the TV washes over us through the darkness of the rest of the apartment. I peek down to my left, where Mia has nuzzled in a little closer to my shoulder, impossibly long lashes resting on her cheek. Reaching between us, I grab the remote and hit pause. The sound of her soft breaths beside me is almost enough for me to vow never to move again, but the open pizza box in front of us prompts action.

I cautiously stand, trying my best not to shuffle her too much, grabbing the box as I walk into the kitchen and set it in the fridge. There’s some rustling coming from the couch, and when I return, her sleepy eyes slowly open.

A half-mumbled “What time…” escapes her lips as her eyes close for an unusually long blink. I stifle a laugh as I watch her struggle to reopen her tired, blinking eyes. “I’ll go… illgohome,” comes out.

“Come on, sleepy, let’s get you to bed,” I whisper gently as I lean down to pull her to her feet. Her frustrated grumble is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard as she flops, eyes still closed.

“… too sleepy to… walk,” she lets out before leaning back to try and fall onto the couch.

A full-blown laugh erupts from deep in my throat as I wrap my arm around her thigh, scooping her up into my arms.

A sigh escapes her. “I’m heavy.”

“You’re not heavy, Mia,” I whisper, carrying her effortlessly up the first few steps. I wait for her typical rebuttal, but she settles her head into my neck and remains quiet as I set her gently on the bed. The moment I do, her body wiggles deeper into the duvet as her head turns to nestle into my pillow. It’s one hundred percent going to smell like her, and I fucking love that thought.

I zip down to grab us some water, and by the time I return, setting a glass on the bedside table closest to her, she’s snoring quietly.

I settle into the other side of the bed, staring at the ceiling. This is the best. How on earth everything can fall into place so quickly astounds me, but I’m not going to overthink it. She stirs slightly, squishing her face deeper into the pillow. I shift to my side, excruciating pain radiating through my torso, but I’ll be damned if I miss a second of this view.

My hand grazes her cheek as she leans into my touch. “Mmm.”

“Goodnight, Mia,” I whisper, smiling as I close my eyes.

Chapter 15

Mia

You know that moment when you first wake up and you're clinging to the warmth of your bed, still trying to make sense of the world? Well, I’m having one of those moments.

My thoughts drift back to the craziest dream. I slept with Jack Brody, and I’m reliving every delicious detail, squirming at the thought of him inside me. Clenching my thighs together, I feel the roughness of my jeans between my legs.

Confusion seeps into my spectacularly vivid imagination and slowly tugs me closer to reality. Feeling a heavy weight on my waist, I force an eye open. A squeak slips out when I spot the tousled hair, chiseled face resting perfectly on the pillow, and striking navy blue eyes watching me.

“Morning,” Jack says as his lips curl into a ridiculously beautiful smile.

---