“You haven’t?” Her eyebrow lifts in disbelief.

“Nope. Scouts honor.” I tap two fingers to my temple.

“You were a boy scout?”

“Lasted a day.” I grin. “But it’s the truth about the food. I just broke my breakfast virginity with you.”

Her cheeks turn deep pink.

Too much?

Like I care. I want her. Bad. Fuck everything I’ve said these last few days about staying away. I can’t. I’m not holding back with her anymore. There’s something here with Mia, and I have to find out what it is.

Our gaze holds for one beat … two…

She looks away to the food. “The waffles look really yummy. Well, it all looks yummy. And the pancakes look … delicious, and the toast is…” She’s stumbling on her words. It’s cute to watch.

“Toast,” I finish for her with a chuckle.

As if on cue, her cheeks flush again. She starts to chew on the inside of her lip. Watching her do that makes my cock pulse and my heart race.

“You should eat. You missed dinner last night.” I push the tray toward her.

She pinches her lower lip between her thumb and forefinger. “I am quite hungry.”

Tentatively, she reaches out and picks up a waffle, putting it on her plate.

I sit and watch as she pours maple syrup on the waffle, then lifts it to her mouth and takes a bite. Her eyes close on the food, and the small moan that escapes her stands my guy to attention.

Fuck. Me.

It sounds exactly like the moans I spent most of last night imagining her making.

I shift in my seat, tilting my body from her view, then cross my leg over the other to hide the boner I’m now sporting.

I dig into the pancakes and start piling them up on my plate.

Dozer trots over and lies by my chair, giving me the doe eyes.

I take a pancake off my plate and give it to him. When I look up, Mia’s gazing at me with a smile.

My chest starts to ache again.

“This is a good waffle,” she says, tearing off another piece and putting it in her mouth. “Am I okay, to give Dozer some?” She gestures to my greedy ass dog who has swallowed the pancake I just gave him whole, and is now eyeballing the food in Mia’s hand.

“Sure.” I smile.

“Here, Dozer.” She pats her leg, holding out the rest of her waffle to him.

Dozer is over there quick flash. Taking the waffle, he swallows it whole, then lays his head on her knee, gazing up at her for more.

And that’s how the rest of breakfast goes. Dozer having Mia’s full attention while she continues to feed him her breakfast, in-between feeding herself.

And I sit here watching. Like the third fucking wheel.

Seriously, this is getting out of hand. I’m getting cock blocked by my dog. Dozer and I are going to be having a serious man to man chat.

I’m feeling pretty relieved that we’ll be out of here soon, and I’ll get to have a little one on one time with her.

Yes, I’m completely aware of how pathetic I sound. You don’t need to tell me.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Mia says, wiping her mouth on a napkin. “It was delicious.” She rises from her chair, handing me her plate. I put it on the tray.

“Are you sure you’ve eaten enough? Dozer had most of it.” I nod at him, passed out on the floor, content with all the food he’s had from her.

“I’m good.” She presses her hand to her stomach indicating that she’s full.

I don’t know how she can be after the small amount she ate, but then she is only a tiny thing.

“You want a hand clearing away?” she offers.

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll just dump them in the kitchen and wash them later. You ready to head out for Farmington now?”

She pauses by the chair, her fingers gripping the edge of it. “Sure.” She smiles.

It’s one of her forced smiles. I’ve gotten pretty used to recognizing them over the last couple of days.

I lift the tray, balancing it on my forearm. “We can go later if you want?”

She contemplates this for a moment, then shakes her head. “No. We should go now.” Her eyes meet mine. “If I don’t, I’ll chicken out.”

Chapter Twelve

Mia

“My car or yours?” Jordan asks.

I look between his Mustang and my Mercedes.

The Mercedes that Oliver bought me two years ago. The day after he’d broken my arm.

Apparently he didn’t mean to do it. It was an accident.

It didn’t feel like an accident.

The car was supposed to be an apology.

All it did, all it does, is remind me of my weaknesses. Remind me of my life before now. Of every single beating before and after it.

It reminds me of him … them.

“Yours,” I reply. “If that’s okay?”

“It’s more than okay.” Smiling, Jordan pulls his keys from the pocket of his jeans.

“I’ll pay for gas,” I say as I walk toward his car. I don’t want Jordan to think I’m taking advantage of his kind nature.

He stops by the hood, the smile quickly changing to a frown. “No way.” He shakes his head.

“Of course I’m going to pay for the gas you’re using to do me a favor.” I open the door and slide onto the leather seat.

The car dips as Jordan folds his tall, lean body into the car. “No way. I’m not taking any money from you for gas. End of.” His tone is forceful.

Instinctively, my shoulders pull in. The feeling of defeat washes over me.

Then out of nowhere, something spikes in me. Adrenalin floods my bloodstream, kicking my senses to life.

I know it’s only a small thing, and I know Jordan is trying to be kind in his own way … but I’m really tired of men telling me what to do and how things are going to be.

And I’m even more tired of the fact that I let them.

Well, no more.

I open the car door, climb out and shut the door behind me—a bit too hard—and head toward my car.

I know it looks like I’m overacting, but I’ve spent my whole life under-reacting. I need to start behaving like the woman I want to be, and this is me starting. Maybe it’s not the right way, but I’m new to this, and apparently my words don’t seem to work with Jordan, so I’m trying actions.

I hear his door open, and the sound of his confused voice follows me. “Mia, are you okay?”

“No.” I toss the word over my shoulder.

My body is trembling with nerves, but I hold firm.

“What’s wrong?” He sounds worried. I hear his door shut on a clunk.

I turn as I walk. “You. I don’t do well being told what to do.”

Wow. I can’t believe I just said that! That was awesome!

Face forward, I keep heading for my car.

“Okay…” He sounds confused. “And where are you going?”

“To Farmington. Alone.”

I hear his frustrated growl, then the sound of jogging footsteps over gravel heading my way.

I’d be lying if I said my heart wasn’t in my stomach. Or that my pulse is beating so loud it’s all I can hear.

I’ve just got my car door open when his hand comes on the door from behind me, holding it shut.

I bristle. He’s close. Millimeters away I’d say.

My body reacts with fear … and lust.

Quite an abundance of lust, in fact.

I know I find Jordan attractive—okay, I’ve got the serious hots for him, but the level of desire I feel right now is off the charts. I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s coming off me in waves.

I’m all weak knees and wet panties. I’ve never felt this turned on before. One minute I’m pulling up my big girl panties, and the next I’m more than willing to drop them for him.

To say I’m confused is putting it mildly.

Getting back to my task at hand, I push all my confusing lusty feelings aside, take a deep breath in, square my shoulders, and turn around.

And … he’s smiling.

No, he’s grinning.

There’s something else in his eyes. I think I know what it is because it more than likely mirrors my own eyes right now, but I could be wrong.

I’m not exactly the most experienced when it comes to men.

And Jordan and me right now? Not a good idea. No matter how sweet, funny, and gorgeous he might be. Yes, he is the epitome of sex. So freaking hot. I bet he’s amazing in bed. I can only imagine what he looks like under those clothes of his…

I hear a low chuckle, and it snaps me out of my sex thoughts. I realize I’ve been ogling his body like a pervert.

Great. Just great.

My face flushes bright red. “Something funny?” I snap.

“Nope.” Shaking his head, he flashes me a glimpse of his white teeth.

I tilt my head to the side with my hands on my hips. “So, why exactly are you laughing at me?”

His eyes flicker down my body, then back up again. I feel it, like he’s just run his hands all over me.

“For a tiny thing, you sure can be feisty.”

Arguing the tiny part would be a moot point because I am vertically challenged. But a ‘thing’? Hmm … I don’t think so.

I fold my arms over my chest and straighten my back. “I’m not a thing.”

He eyes me for a long moment. His face suddenly a blank canvas. Then he leans down and says close to my ear, “Bad choice of words. You’re right. You are most definitely not a thing. You, Mia … are most definitely a woman.”

My stomach jolts, and I can’t help the gasp that escapes me. I press my thighs together.

From the laugh and cocky look on his face, he totally knows the effect he just had on me.

It annoys me.

And turns me on.

In equal parts.

Smiling, he runs a hand through his hair. “Fine. We’ll do this your way. You can pay for the gas.”

What?

What were we talking about again?

Oh, yeah. Paying for gas.

Wow. Well … that was easy.

I’ve never in my life won an argument. And that instantly makes me suspicious.

I narrow my gaze on him. “Why are you giving in so easy?”

“Why are you questioning it?”

“Because … uh … because…” Because this isn’t life as I know it. “Because the men I know don’t back down so easy.” They don’t back down ever.

Sorrow flickers briefly in his eyes. I hate the way it makes me feel.

Exposed and vulnerable.

The two things I really do not want to feel right now.

“Men you knew, Mia,” he says. “Not me. And surprisingly, I can compromise. Not all the time, so don’t go getting used to it.” He grins. “I just don’t want to spend the next however long disagreeing with you over this when I know I’m gonna end up giving into you anyway.”

“Because?”

Taking a step back, his arms fold over his broad chest.

“Because you’re a hard girl to say no to.”

Oh. Okay then.

I suddenly feel lightheaded.

And light-hearted.

“So are you going to take this win and get back in the car?” He sweeps a hand in the direction of the Mustang. “Or are you going to stand here all day being stubborn about it?”