Misty Blue
didn’t give a damn at the moment what his father thought of him.
    He grinned at his father. “If this is being punked, then I’m for it. Maybe if you tried it you’d stop yelling at everyone. Fine, Mom’s not the one to make you feel this way, so go find someone who will. Mia makes me happy.”
    Charles grunted. “Happy?”
    “Yes, happy.” Damien turned from his father, ending the conversation. “I’m sorry, baby girl,” he whispered to Mia. “I should have stopped him sooner.” He tilted her head slightly, kissed her throat, felt her tremble and was grateful he’d not lost her love. Then he pulled Mia into a deeper kiss, right there at the table.

Chapter Eight
    The ride back to Mia’s apartment was quiet. Damien would have liked nothing more than to cuddle up with Mia, kissing her until she threw him out. But not tonight. Tonight he had to set things straight with his parents, sever ties if need be.
    He sighed out loud. He knew in his heart he didn’t want it to come to that. But tonight was the last night he would stand by and listen to his father abuse Mia. It wasn’t going to happen again.
    “What’s wrong?” Mia asked.
    “Nothing.”
    “You’re sighing. You have something on your mind and you don’t want to tell me.”
    Damien smiled and dared a peek at Mia. “Are you reading my mind, baby girl?”
    “Would you mind if I did?”
    “If you’re reading it right now I don’t mind.” His mood was lifting. “Tell me what I’m thinking.”
    Mia laughed. “What you’re always thinking. That’s not so hard to read.” She laughed again before issuing a sigh of her own.
    “Okay, now you’re doing it,” Damien said. “Suppose you tell me what’s got you doing it?”
    “I was just thinking that I wish I had listened to you, just hopped on a plane with you and eloped.”
    “We still can.”
    “Keefe would kill me.”
    “Family,” Damien said. “That’s the problem we both have. Too many people in our lives we’re trying to please and they’re causing a problem.”
    There was a tightening in Mia’s belly that quickly spread upward. “Do you think we’re rushing things?” she asked softly.
    “Rushing things?” Damien answered. “Do you know how long it’s been? I’m about to burst from all this pent up energy. No way, baby, are we rushing things.”
    “Don’t joke. Not about that, not tonight.”
    “What’s wrong? You sound so serious. You know I’m kidding.”
    For a moment she didn’t answer, but just looked at him, licking her lips as she searched for the words.
    “When your mother and I were in the bathroom she warned me about you. She said basically that I was a novelty, that no woman had ever turned you down.” Her voice trembled and she stopped. “I know that you love me, Damien. I know that. But…I…I just wish you would stop saying that…you know…like what you just said. It does sound like you’re marrying me for one thing.”
    Damien didn’t answer. He shook his head instead. What did he have to do to prove to Mia that she was more important than sex? Even though he kept an erection whenever he was near her, and he wasn’t going to lie about that, sex didn’t have a damn thing to do with why he wanted to marry Mia. He needed her and more than anything he needed her to continue believing in him.
    He rubbed his palm against her thigh and sighed again. This time she didn’t ask what was wrong. She merely laid her head on his shoulder and entwined her fingers with his. In a few minutes they reached her apartment and he walked her upstairs, pulling her into his arms for a kiss, making no move to enter the apartment.
    “Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.
    “Not tonight, baby. Tonight I have to deal with my parents. I can promise you, Mia, that you’ll never have to live through another night like tonight.”
    “You can’t control your father.”
    “No, but I can control myself and if he ever acts like that toward you again, we’ll get up and

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