Page 9 of Regards, Mia

I reach for my wallet. Mia starts to protest, but I wave her off. “I’ve got this.”

A determined look I’m starting to love crosses her face as the server leaves the table. “I’ll split it with you,” she says. “The wine—”

I cut her off. “Come back to my place.”

She tilts her head at me. “You’re a cocky bastard.”

“It’s part of my charm.”

She shakes her head, staring at the tablecloth. “You ride a motorcycle,” she says, more to herself than to me.

I bump her shoulder gently with mine. “Want to take a ride on it?”

“Ha!” Her gaze leaps to mine. “Never!”

The horror on her face makes me smile. “Want to take a ride on something else?”

Laughter spills from her lips. “You’re fucking kidding me. You didnotjust say that.”

I shrug. “I did.”

Her head cocks to the side, and her hot gaze scorches over my face. I can almost hear her inner thoughts whirring.

I’m not her typical guy.

We don’t know each other.

I could be dangerous.

Seconds tick by, and neither of us says a word. The server drops off the check and I sign it, then tuck my card back into my wallet.

Mia finally breaks the silence. “I’m not getting on that motorcycle.”

Is that all that’s stopping her? Easy fix. “My place is a short walk.”

She eyes me for another beat, then nods and pushes back from the table. A thrill runs down my spine, and I scrape my chair away from the table, shooting to my feet to help Mia with her jacket. She’s tiny, barely up to my shoulder despite her high heels. Her diminutive size brings out the caveman in me. I fight the urge to haul her up and carry her out of here.

“Let’s go.”

She laughs at the rough edge of need in my voice.“I don’t take orders,” she says.

My arm slides around her waist, locking her against my chest. Desire surges through me as her curves flatten against my body. “I’ll let you call all the shots. But we need to get out of here.”

Her face lifts to mine, and our lips collide. I steel myself as pleasure scorches my veins. Every muscle in my body tenses as I fight the urge to claim her mouth. I hold back, making sure Mia knows the next move is all hers.

She could push me away.

Maybe she should.

But she doesn’t.

Her mouth parts under mine, and her tongue sweeps past my lips. My nerves sizzle in response to the slow, tantalizing caress of her tongue. She tastes of chocolate and wine, filling me with the need for more.

Her palm flattens on my chest, fingers sliding under the open collar of my shirt to steal a fleeting touch. My heart slams, crashing hard against her palm. She’s all fire, wrapped up in a petite package I’m dying to open.

She drops her hand, easing back to end the kiss. “I don’t usually go home with men I don’t know.”

I pull in a breath, willing my senses to stop sparking. Hopefully there’s a word she left off. I supply it for her. “But?”

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