Page 63 of Mending Hearts

A stifled laugh escaped her. “No, I want you. Inside me. God, I want to feel all of you.”

“Who am I to deny you on your birthday?” I crawled up her body and shed the rest of my clothes as I went. When we were face-to-face, I stared into her eyes for a moment. Those perfect, perfect eyes. Who knew one night all those months ago would lead to this? “Happy Birthday, Mia.”

She stroked my face, and another piece of our connection solidified, unspoken, lacing us tighter than any words could. Then she pulled me down for a kiss, and I slipped inside of her, my favorite place in the world, and we started to move in sync.

She was sprawled across my chest when she let out a sigh of contentment. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a birthday this good. Actually, I know I haven’t.”

“I aim to please.” I linked our hands and kissed her fingertips. Celebrations and surprises came easily. Pay attention, and the rest fell into place.

“I’m going to take advantage of your post-sex bliss and ask for a favor.” She shifted onto her side, flipping her hair around to lie against her shoulder. “And just because it’s my birthday, you don’t have to say yes.”

“What do you need, Mini?” I stroked the side of her face. Denying her seemed unlikely.

“A dress.” She grinned.

“Another one?”

“Yeah, but this one is for the gala run by the editor of VISION. You know what I’m talking about?”

“The biggest fashion event of the year.” I rubbed a hand down my face. With a sideways look at her, I shook my head. “I can’t make your dress for that. It’s in what—” In my head, I went through the time between now and then. “Four weeks?”

“I sort of forgot about it until my mother reminded me today.”

“You heard from her?” I frowned and turned to my side, so we were face-to-face.

“Sure, yeah. I mean, she’s not heartless.”

I wasn’t going to get into that debate, and I didn’t want to admit I hadn’t invited her to the surprise party. Maybe Mia had figured out the omission. “They’re not going to let some nobody design your dress.” For a designer, dressing someone for the VISION Gala meant you’d made it.

“I can ask whoever I want. People think you’re assigned a designer, and some people are. But I’m not big enough for that, not trendy enough yet. I want you to make it.”

“What’s the theme?”

“Space exploration.” Mia covered her face and peeked through her fingers.

“Space exploration?” Shouldn’t be surprising. The themes were never something you could anticipate, which is what created such a buzz in the industry. The gala was a melding of fashion and art. “You’re almost definitely going to look pregnant a month from now. If you don’t, you’re some sort of freak of nature.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I’m just saying,” I ran my hand through my hair, “it’s a massive risk for you if I don’t get the dress right to conceal your bump.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” She raised her eyebrows. “Not the international attention or designing to some wacky theme, but that my pregnancy might show?”

I stared at her for a beat and was tempted to laugh. She really didn’t understand me at all. “You and the baby are my priorities. So, of course exposing the two of you is my biggest concern. To spend months hiding your pregnancy to have the truth crash down around us over a dress at a fashion expo is ridiculous.”

She collapsed onto her back and stared at the ceiling. I watched her in silence, my mind already drawing sketches, considering materials, the best way to conceal her bump within the parameters of the theme.

“I might be able to do it,” Iadmitted.

“Iknowyou can. The dress will be incredible. My dress today, Tyler, was one of the prettiest, mostmethings I’ve ever owned. Do that again, but on a bigger scale.”

“So, your expectations are pretty low then. Perfect.” I chuckled and picked up a strand of her hair, twirling it around my finger.

Mia opened her mouth and then closed it again. “Okay, don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not trying to be a dick, for once. You’re really talented. Why are you wasting your vision in a thrift shop in a tiny town in New York?”

I blew out a breath and eased onto my back beside her, lacing my fingers across my middle. Another opening to be honest, to draw us closer emotionally. She was probably expecting me to blow her off as I’d done every other time she asked anything about the shop or Katie. She had no idea how closely linked the two were.

“I worked on a small theater tour when I finished college, which you know. I networked my ass off to get a spot on that crew. Months of shitty jobs in Little Falls while I tried to build a portfolio and make some connections in the industry. Katie and I were living together, and I caught a break. I was so sure that’s all I needed—a foot in the door.”

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