Page 50 of Mending Hearts

“You think Pasha is into a bodyguard with benefits scenario?” Mia perked up and tilted her head. “I didn’t take you for a threesome guy, but if that’s what you want—” She turned toward the door, where Pasha was still struggling with her last bag.

I chuckled, but I didn’t haul her back like I was tempted to do. I wanted to see how far she’d take this.

She took two steps in Pasha’s direction and spun around. “You’d really let me ask him?”

“Would you? I thought it might be funny to watch you try.”

“My suffering amuses you?” With a groan, she smacked me in the chest with her open hand.

“Aww, Mini.” I set down her suitcase and smoothed her hair, drawing her into my chest. “This isn’t suffering. Suffering will be when you figure out you have to cook and clean for yourself.”

“I still have money, Pretty Boy. I’ll be paying people to do those things.” Mia laughed into my chest.

“What?” I held her away, feigning surprise. “You’re telling me my fantasies of you in a maid outfit or wearing just an apron aren’t going to happen?”

“They’ll only happen if you take out my bodyguard first. Are you up for it?” Her fingers slid into my hair, and she tugged me down so her lips grazed my ear.

“Where do I have to take him?” I nuzzled her neck and flicked my tongue along her earlobe.

The chuckle that escaped her was deep with amusement and desire. “I think you should show me the basement.”

“There’s a second bedroom down there,” I murmured before kissing her neck.

“There’s another bedroom down there?” She trembled in my arms, clearly distracted, and then she gasped, smacking me in the chest again.

“Yeah, two up, two down.” He winked. “You didn’t ask how many bedrooms there were, just where I slept.”

“You knew what I was asking.”

With a wicked grin, I picked up her suitcase easily just as Pasha finally staggered in the door. “How these fit in plane?” A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his brow.

“We took my jet, so I can do what I want. For commercial airlines, if you throw enough money at a company, they’ll let you do almost anything. I’m in the top tier of all the frequent flier programs, so that goes double for me.” She grinned. “They’re not too heavy for you, are they?”

I watched the exchange and couldn’t help but smile. There was a lightness to Mia today, as though a tremendous weight had disappeared. Did she feel the difference? Every time she said or did something, she glowed. Maybe I had made the right decision by asking her here, by convincing her to do this. On the tour, I wasn’t completely sure. She didlove to entertain, or at least parts of the spectacle, and she was damn good at it.

Mia caught me staring at her. “What?”

“You look happy. It’s a good look on you.”

She grabbed her hair in a fist and seemed to consider my words before straightening to her full height. “I am happy.” A soft laugh of disbelief filled the entryway. “Imagine that.”

The best part was that I didn’t need to. She shone, shone in the same way she did when she was on stage and the fans were belting out her songs back to her. Somehow, at least for today, she was finding that level of energy inside herself instead of having to absorb it from a crowd.

“I’ll take your bags down,” I said as Pasha disappeared out the door to grab anything else from the car. “Then we’ll hit the grocery store. I don’t want you getting hangry.”

“I think I’m going to like it here.” She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and nodded.

Chapter Fifteen

Mia

Mia

While we wandered through the grocery store like an old, married couple, I tried to ignore the stares. For the most part, I was finding success. Wherever I went, I attracted attention, and I hadn’t exactly gone incognito in my short skirt and glittery top. Got to flaunt it while I still got it.

“The whole town will think you’re shacked up with a stripper.” I popped my gum and tossed a bag of kale into the cart.

“You really think most of these people don’t know who you are?”

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