Page 34 of Cursed Luck
“She didn’t. Mom died giving birth to Brandy.”
“Shit, that really sucks…”
Caught off guard by her simple yet accurate words, he laughed. His full belly laughs drove out the dark thick pain that always came with the topic. Mia really was the balm to his soul.
Before she could respond, the waitress appeared with their food. “Here you go. I’ll be back to check in. Do you need anything else?”
They shook their heads, and he reluctantly released Mia’s hands so she could eat. Each of them dug into their food. She moaned a few times, drawing his attention to her mouth. It was sinful to see a woman enjoy her food so thoroughly.
Edward leaned in. “You realize you’re making a lot of sexy noises over there, right?”
She wiped her mouth, her eyes wide as she peered around. “Really? I’m just starving, and it’s so damn good.”
He looked her over slowly. “I’m starving too…”
A beautiful pink filled in her cheeks as she understood the meaning of his words. She was not dressed overtly sexual or doing any of the stupid things some women seemed to think men found attractive. Mia was being herself, and it was all he wanted. Her confidence drew him in like a bee to nectar.
Mia sucked down her water. “How’s your food?”
Edward grinned, pleased to see he’d managed to make her as flustered as he was. “It’s good…”
“But?”
He flashed her his devilish smile. “But I can think of otherthingsI bet taste better,” he said, allowing his eyes to trail down what he could see of her body.
Desire reflected in her gaze as she wiped her mouth. “You’re starting to come in rather hot, aren’t you?”
He began to question his forward words. They had obviously affected her, but with the tight rope he seemed to travel with Mia, he needed to rein in his raging libido. He was not always forward with women. He did not understand his raw need to toss her over his shoulder and find the nearest private spot to strip her naked.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to…” Edward peered around and leaned his arms on the table to get closer. “There’s no question there’s an attraction between us—”
“But why does it feel like if we don’t tear each other’s clothes off, we’ll die?” she asked.
Edward sat back and stared at her a moment. “Exactly! There are these lucid moments where I just want to get to know you better and others where the fog of lust is blinding.”
Mia chuckled, the sound warming him from the inside. “I’m guessing our magic is pushing us to solidify our mate status,” she whispered.
He forced himself to look away. “Would we even be here if not for its push?”
An uncomfortable silence descended on them as they contemplated his words. He shoved a tasteless piece of steak into his mouth and mashed it around as he waited for an answer to come to him. Raising his gaze, he found Mia lost in thought, tapping a fry against her lower lip.
Edward did not know how to navigate their situation. On one hand, he found her beautiful and intelligent, and the strength she posed added to her attraction. In the other, he did not want to suffer like his father had after magic united him to his mother before tearing them apart.
“I’d ask how this is going, but whoa.” Vanessa’s voice tore him from his grim thoughts.
“Everything okay?” Carter asked, his arm wrapped around Vanessa’s waist.
Edward studied them a second. Until Vanessa came into Carter’s life, Edward had never seen his brother so happy. The stress from Carter’s job as a doctor seemed to roll off him the moment he met his mate’s gaze.
Magic or not, Edward wantedthat.
“Can we join y’all?” Vanessa asked as she lowered into the seat next to Mia.
“Uh, yeah, sure…” Mia managed to tell them.
“Move over, bro,” Carter told him, giving his arm a slap for emphasis.
Carter leaned forward on his elbows and took them all in. “Normally, I stay out of other people’s shit. Not my business, right?”
