was delicious, and still Nick didn’t seem inclined to get to the point of the expensive restaurant. When the check arrived, he scooped it before she could. He always did that, even though he was drowning in college debt and, thanks to her four parents, she was not.
Outside, there were no cabs to be had. There was only a light mist in the air so they started walking. The construction crew was gone. Not that it mattered. No one would have bothered her with Nick at her side. He held himself in a way that spoke of a tough, easy confidence. He never went looking for trouble, but there was an edge to him that said if he happened to come across some, he wasn’t opposed to kicking its ass.
And growing up as he had, she had no doubt he could do so with little to no effort.
They made it to her tiny place, enjoying the crazy, over-the-top lights and Christmas decorations of the city. At her door, Nick playfully pushed her up against it. “You’re all wet, Mia…”
She took a moment to enjoy the feel of his hard body holding her pinned, then tipped her head to his. The flight confirmation was burning a hole in her purse. “Nick? Before we go in…”
He bent and kissed her cheek, her jaw, her throat, his hands slipping inside her coat. “I’m as adventurous as the next guy,” he murmured hotly against her skin, making her shiver because she knew exactly what his hands and mouth could do. “But out here in the hall?”
She went still and then smacked him on the chest. “That’s not what I was going to say.”
He laughed and straightened, leaving his hands on her hips. “No?” His eyes were gleaming with mischief and a sexual promise that made her rethink turning him down for anything.
“ No ,” she repeated, her heart speeding up a little. “Nick—”
He kissed her again, full of intent and purpose, and only when her bones had melted did he pull slowly back. “Sorry,” he said. “You’re just so damn sweet.”
“You can gobble me up inside,” she promised. “But I sort of have a Christmas present for you.”
He dropped his hands from her. “You said no Christmas presents, that we’d go away together for a weekend next month when we both have off, and that would be our gift to each other.”
“Okay, so it’s not a Christmas present,” she said. “Call it a present present. Do you remember months ago when I told you I was going home for Christmas for my aunt Chloe’s wedding?” She hesitated. “Well…I bought two plane tickets, not just one.” She pulled his confirmation from her purse and handed it to him.
Mia’s aunt Chloe and her fiancé, Sawyer Thompson, had been together for five years now. Being committed but not tethered had suited both of their wild souls, but recently Chloe had caught baby fever from her sister Maddie, who’d just had her second child.
Nick stared down at the paper Mia had handed him. “The wedding in Lucky Harbor?” he asked. “In Washington State?”
“Yes,” Mia said. She’d spent her first summer there five years ago at age seventeen, where she’d found and met her birth parents. She’d discovered her first crush there, too, her first love.
She and Carlos had done their best, but they’d been so young. Too young. Their teenage romance hadn’t survived, but she’d still gone to Lucky Harbor as often as she could over the past five years. “I realize it’s all the way across the country,” she said. “And also that it’s short notice, but I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while now. I just didn’t want you to feel obligated.”
He wasn’t looking like he felt obligated. He was looking like she’d clobbered him over the head with her purse, and some of her happiness faded.
“You want me to meet your birth parents?” he asked slowly.
“No,” she said slowly. “Well, yes. But mostly I just want to spend the holiday with you.” She knew the holidays had never been kind to him, and she wanted to show him how magical it could be.
Outside, there were no cabs to be had. There was only a light mist in the air so they started walking. The construction crew was gone. Not that it mattered. No one would have bothered her with Nick at her side. He held himself in a way that spoke of a tough, easy confidence. He never went looking for trouble, but there was an edge to him that said if he happened to come across some, he wasn’t opposed to kicking its ass.
And growing up as he had, she had no doubt he could do so with little to no effort.
They made it to her tiny place, enjoying the crazy, over-the-top lights and Christmas decorations of the city. At her door, Nick playfully pushed her up against it. “You’re all wet, Mia…”
She took a moment to enjoy the feel of his hard body holding her pinned, then tipped her head to his. The flight confirmation was burning a hole in her purse. “Nick? Before we go in…”
He bent and kissed her cheek, her jaw, her throat, his hands slipping inside her coat. “I’m as adventurous as the next guy,” he murmured hotly against her skin, making her shiver because she knew exactly what his hands and mouth could do. “But out here in the hall?”
She went still and then smacked him on the chest. “That’s not what I was going to say.”
He laughed and straightened, leaving his hands on her hips. “No?” His eyes were gleaming with mischief and a sexual promise that made her rethink turning him down for anything.
“ No ,” she repeated, her heart speeding up a little. “Nick—”
He kissed her again, full of intent and purpose, and only when her bones had melted did he pull slowly back. “Sorry,” he said. “You’re just so damn sweet.”
“You can gobble me up inside,” she promised. “But I sort of have a Christmas present for you.”
He dropped his hands from her. “You said no Christmas presents, that we’d go away together for a weekend next month when we both have off, and that would be our gift to each other.”
“Okay, so it’s not a Christmas present,” she said. “Call it a present present. Do you remember months ago when I told you I was going home for Christmas for my aunt Chloe’s wedding?” She hesitated. “Well…I bought two plane tickets, not just one.” She pulled his confirmation from her purse and handed it to him.
Mia’s aunt Chloe and her fiancé, Sawyer Thompson, had been together for five years now. Being committed but not tethered had suited both of their wild souls, but recently Chloe had caught baby fever from her sister Maddie, who’d just had her second child.
Nick stared down at the paper Mia had handed him. “The wedding in Lucky Harbor?” he asked. “In Washington State?”
“Yes,” Mia said. She’d spent her first summer there five years ago at age seventeen, where she’d found and met her birth parents. She’d discovered her first crush there, too, her first love.
She and Carlos had done their best, but they’d been so young. Too young. Their teenage romance hadn’t survived, but she’d still gone to Lucky Harbor as often as she could over the past five years. “I realize it’s all the way across the country,” she said. “And also that it’s short notice, but I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while now. I just didn’t want you to feel obligated.”
He wasn’t looking like he felt obligated. He was looking like she’d clobbered him over the head with her purse, and some of her happiness faded.
“You want me to meet your birth parents?” he asked slowly.
“No,” she said slowly. “Well, yes. But mostly I just want to spend the holiday with you.” She knew the holidays had never been kind to him, and she wanted to show him how magical it could be.
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