Page 108 of Cuffed By Love

Game on then.

If they’re not in an exclusive relationship and are just friends, then there is nothing stopping me from pursuing her now I’m single. Maybe this breakup is a blessing in disguise after all. Two days in the most romantic city with my Tinks. When an opportunity presents itself, there’s only one obvious option of what to do with it. Seize the fuck out of it.

Mira Evans, when you’re concerned, all bets are off. You’re the object of my desire, and I’m coming full force to stake my claim. I’m going to make you mine once and for all.

* * *

I’ve beenon pins and needles since I’ve come home from work. It’s been a while since I felt this fired up and excited. My palms are sweating, my heart’s beating just a little faster. I lift my gaze to look up at the sky, and when I see the stars twinkling in the sky, my stomach does this strange flip. All I want right now is to go to Mira’s place, take her into my arms and kiss her again till I lose every bit of my breath. I need to go about this the right way. The last thing I want is for her to feel like a rebound. Like I’m using her to nurse a broken heart when in reality, my heart has never truly recovered after losing her. I’ll wait as long as it takes for her to trust me enough to let me in again. This time there will be no running away. I’m going all in with one goal in sight. To finally take back what was once mine.

The hours drag until morning came, and I’m outside Mira’s house, leaning against the town car, waiting impatiently for her to come out. The sun is beaming down on me, and I immediately regret wearing a black shirt. My heart leaps up to my throat when the door opens, and she steps out, pulling her suitcase along the driveway. I lower my sunglasses to the bridge of my nose and watch her avidly walking toward me. Fuck me; she’s so damn gorgeous. She’s wearing a light grey, snug, figure-hugging mini dress. The sporty, casual type, not the ones you wear on a night out. Her wavy hair pulled up into a high ponytail, leaving her smooth neck and chest exposed to my ravening gaze.

I walk over to her and smile, “Morning, Tinks.” I greet, brushing a kiss on her cheek before taking the small suitcase from her and carrying it back to the car. I can feel Mira watching me while I hand the case to the driver, and he packs it in the boot. Meanwhile, I open the door for her and gesture for her to get in. “Shall we?”

Mira nods and gracefully slides into the car. After closing her door, I walk around the car and get in the other side. Mira looks at the coffee cup with her name on it sitting in the cup holder and looks over at me. “You got me a coffee?” Mira questions, surprised. I nod and pick up my cup.

“I got us coffees. You forget I know firsthand how cranky you are when you're caffeine-deprived. You turn into a little Tasmanian devil.” I tease her with a smirk and take a sip of my coffee.

“Shut up. I do not!” Mira protests affronted, peering at me, all wide-eyed and beautifully flustered. I chuckle, pleased by her reaction.

The drive to the airport was forty minutes. Luckily, the roads were empty, and we didn’t hit any traffic. During the drive, we talk about the conference and go through our schedule. “We’ve got nothing but checking in and registering for the conference today, so what do you say we go explore the city?” I suggest, and Mira nods, sipping the last of her coffee and setting the cup back in the holder.

“Mm, absolutely. I’ve never been to Rome, so I’m excited to explore.” She admits, her eyes twinkling while she looks over the leaflet of things to see in Rome.

“How fortunate that you have a well educated, devilishly handsome tour guide to show you around.” I croon, and she opens the leaflet and looks over it and then back at me with an adorable frown.

“Where? These are older women.” She retorts, her lip quirking when I cock my head and give her a pointed look. “Oh, you meant you? I think you’re letting that ego of yours run wild again, King.”

I laugh and lean a little closer. “It’s not just my ego that’s running wild, Tinks.” I drawl, and she turns her head to look at me.

“No?”

I shake my head slowly, staring into her eyes. “No.” I take her hand and press it to my chest so she can feel my pounding heart. Mira’s eyes lower to our hands for a drawn-out second and flicker up to my eyes again. Those golden orbs of hers go meltingly soft at my silent admiration. I skim my fingers along her arm, up toward her neck until they sweep along her jaw, my thumb tracing the outline of her bottom lip. I’m just about to lean in and press a soft kiss upon those rosy lips when the car rolls to a stop. Mira pulls back a little, her eyes flutter open, and she looks at me raptly. I smile at her and drop a kiss on the tip of her nose instead. We have time. The next time we kiss, I have no intention of stopping, so it needs to be timed perfectly.

The flight to Rome is two hours. Mira is sitting opposite me reading a manuscript; she’s completely engrossed in whatever she’s reading, so I don’t bother her. I urge myself to focus on doing some work, but my eyes keep drifting to her. I sink further into my seat and observe her. Fuck doing any work.

“Stop staring at me, Dev.” She suddenly says, startling me. She doesn’t even bother looking up from her manuscript.

I grin and rub my jaw, still watching her. “I’m not staring. I’m admiring. If you’ve got a problem with it, come over here and do something about it.”

Mira finally lifts her eyes to look at me. The corner of her eyes crinkle, and she shakes her head. “And what exactly would you like me to do? Gauge your eyes out?”

I laugh and lift my foot, nudging her knee playfully. “Or something a little less gruesome, perhaps?”

She pushes my foot away with a huff. “Such as? How about I pick up that pillow and beat you with it?”

I nudge her again. “Go on then.”

Mira picks up the pillow and throws it at me. “Stop it, you bloody imbecile.” I bat away the little blue pillow as it comes hurling toward me and laugh.

“Did you wake up and choose violence today? And you’ve got the cheek to get insulted when I call you a Tasmanian devil.”I tease her, nudging her with my foot again.

Mira sighs and slaps the manuscript shut, and throws me a glare. “You bring out the violent in me. It’s a chemical reaction.”

“I believe that’s what you called sexual tension, Tinks,” I suggest, playfully wagging my brows at her. “There’s really only one way to resolve that minor problem.”

Mira crosses her arm over her chest and raises a brow. “Like throwing your arse off this plane, you mean? I’m contemplating it, don’t worry.”

I laugh and throw the pillow back at her. “You would never. You’d miss me too much.”

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