Page 25 of Egotistical Jerk
"Simon pulled a fish hook out of Bridget's butt the first day they met."
Mia's head whipped around and our faces were so close I felt the puff of air against my skin when she let out a breath.
"Are you serious?"
For the first time since I'd met her, she was looking at me with something other than anger shining in her eyes. I liked it.
"As a heart attack." My lips curved upward and for a split second her gaze dropped to my mouth before it rose to meet mine again.
"Wow."
"What are you two whispering about?" called Bridget, who was busy setting the table on the deck.
I jerked my chin in her direction while pointing toward her necklace, "That."
She looked down and ran a finger over the pendant on her chest. It consisted of two letter Js back to back with a diamond on the tip of each. Her smile was dreamy. Out of the blue, Mia's hand wrapped around my arm and she tugged me closer. My heart flatlined before it jumped back to life.
"Is that the—"
"No," I croaked out.
I flicked my gaze to where Mia was holding on to me; the skin beneath her palm on fire. I drew in a breath and that citrus smell of hers spread through my veins like an adrenaline shot to the heart. We hadn't been so close, not since that first day in the cafeteria. The need to lower my mouth and finally taste her was almost desperate.
"It's a replica," I barely managed.
Mia studied the pendant for a few seconds before turning her attention back to me. Thin lines marred her forehead, and I had to fight the urge to smooth them with my thumb.
"I can't decide whether it's the most romantic thing I've ever heard of or the weirdest."
A low chuckle slipped over my lips at her honesty. "Yeah, I hear you."
She smiled then and I couldn't help but smile right back at her. It also wasn't lost on me that this was the first time we weren't fighting. As much as the verbal sparring, as Simon put it, entertained me on some level, I liked this more. Her back wasn't ramrod-straight, her shoulders were relaxed and there were no signs of daggers in her eyes.
I wanted to steal her away to a quiet corner where I could learn all her secrets and tell her all of mine. As if she'd just read my thoughts, Mia blinked. Her gaze dropped to her fingers still clutching my arm. Her brows dipped low before she snatched her hand away as if being burned.
"What's everyone drinking?" Simon suddenly asked.
"Water or soda is fine." I didn't miss the hitch in her voice. Nor did I miss her deep intake of breath before she cleared her throat and added, "I'm driving."
Without sparing me another look, she took a step away from me and hurried toward the table to take a seat next to Bridget.
I, on the other hand, couldn't move an inch. My feet were stuck in place, my gaze glued to the woman I so badly wanted to know more of.
"If you keep staring like that, she might think you're a bit of a creeper." With a laugh, Simon wrapped his big paw around my upper arm and dragged me into the house with him. Once in the kitchen, he pulled two wine glasses out of the cupboard and set them on the counter.
"So." He couldn't even speak with a straight face.
Narrowing my eyes, I echoed, "So?"
"That seemed cozy. Were you finally planning a date?" Waggling his brows, he moved to the fridge and retrieved a bottle of wine and two water bottles.
"No, Mom," I said dryly. "We were talking about your wife'sbottom."
I gave my best impression of a British accent on the last word. When Simon looked at me with murder in his eyes, I barked out a laugh. "She didn't know how you two met."
Simon nodded, he looked thoughtful as he filled the two wine glasses. "Hands down, the best day of my life."
The heavy feeling inside my chest was back. Gnawing at me like an itch that wouldn't go away. What would my life have looked like if I had what Simon had? If I had someone to come home to, someone who understood the kind of pressure we faced daily?
