I had a hard time picturing JJ growing up middle class in small-town Texas. “Texas, right? Or was that the boat salesman’s past, not yours?”
I wasn’t about to admit in the past two weeks I had done some research into the real James Beckett Jr, commonly known as JJ. I knew for a fact he’d been raised in Texas. I also knew his height, weight, and, I was embarrassed to admit, his net worth. I hadn’t gone looking for it. It had popped up almost immediately when I had done a Google search of his name. Well, technically not his net worth, but what his signing contract and bonuses had been. He had what my mama called “fuck you” money. So much money that you could say “fuck you” to anyone and get away with it.
“That was the truth. Everything I told you was the truth, except for my occupation. I do own a condo in Miami and I spend summers there. I grew up in Texas and went to LSU.” He stared at me, intently. “And I want you to call me James.”
“Why?” I scratched behind the puppy’s ears to keep her calm. I clipped the leash onto Mia’s collar. He really needed to change this dog’s name. It was very uncomfortable to be her namesake. Oddly flattering, that he had still been thinking about me. But weird, because it didn’t feel flattering.
“Because I do.”
That was specific. I let it go and set Mia down on the sleek flooring. She took one excited step and then froze. I bent down and encouraged her. “It’s okay. You’re doing great. It’s just marble. I think. I don’t know my flooring, Mia. But you’re safe, I promise.”
She took a tentative step, sniffing the floor as she went.
“It’s good to put her on different types of flooring so that she doesn’t get scared of the sensation of sliding or the clicking of her nails.”
“Do you have a dog?” James asked.
“No. I share my apartment with Christina and her two-year-son. A dog would add to the chaos. Plus, I work too much. It wouldn’t be fair. But growing up we had tons of animals. I grew up wild in the woods.”
“That I can totally see.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean? Before I could comment on it, he asked another question.
“What brought you to Vegas?”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to share my personal life with James. But it wasn’t really my personal life or my story. It was my mother’s story and Lord knew she was proud of it. “My mama met a man on the internet when I was in high school and moved us out here. He was in a motorcycle club and mama loves a bad boy.”
James looked down at me. “That must have been a big change for you.”
“Huge.” That was enough said about that. “Come on, Mia, let’s try this walking thing.” I looped the leash multiple times around my wrist to have full control so I could teach her how to respond to a gentle tug. I started walking and she eagerly tumbled forward, taking the hint.
“What about you?”
“What about me?” I glanced over at him but he wasn’t looking at him. He was watching the puppy gallop along.
“What kind of men do you like?”
Him. Not men like him. Just him. But that would be idiotic to say because he still thought I was a lying thief. Besides, he was baiting me again. A second look over at him showed he had that smirk on his face.
“Apparently, I’m attracted to men who don’t exist. Fictional men.”
He gave a grunt of acknowledgement, but didn’t say anything further. The doorman held the front door to the building open for us and greeted James and the puppy. “Good afternoon, Mr. Beckett, Miss Mia.” Then he surprised me by smiling at me and giving me a nod. “Good to see you again, the other Miss Mia.”
“Thanks,” I said, slightly bewildered. He might have been the same doorman from back in December, but I wasn’t sure. It had been the crack of dawn and I had been freaking out, rushing to get to work.
“You’re the OG Mia,” he said.
“One hundred percent,” James said. They bumped fists.
Okay. This name situation was not cute.
Puppy Mia ran over and went potty on the thin strip of artificial grass.
“Good girl, Mia,” James said, in a singsong voice. “Daddy is so proud of you.”
Yeah. Not cute at all.
* * *
JJ
* * *
Mia, the woman, was ignoring me and focusing all her attention on Mia, the puppy. She was definitely annoyed about the name situation. I had to admit, it wasn’t ideal now. But I hadn’t expected to ever see OG Mia.
Yes, she fascinated me.
One hundred percent, I wanted her back in bed.
But I don’t beg.
She’d made her feelings pretty damn clear by leaving again without a word.
I’d been contemplating my next steps. Or if there should even be any next steps. Only an idiot would go after her a third time and expect a different result, because she had a reason to stay away from me—she’d stolen my stuff and didn’t want to get caught.
But that didn’t stop me by being tempted by the thought of seeing her again.
So instead of tracking her down like I definitely wanted to, I had named my puppy Mia.
Getting a dog had been in my plans since the end of the season, and I had secured a puppy in this particular litter back in January, but the name had been an impulse move. I wasn’t lying about the reason. My new puppy was a devious redhead who liked to run off with anything left on the floor and hide it in the corner of my closet. She had a stash going of dirty socks and chewed-up tissues.
The puppy had arrived at the perfect time, keeping my thoughts firmly on getting adjusted to a new schedule with her, and away from her namesake. The dog couldn’t prevent me from thinking about her at night though, when my bed was empty and my cock was aching for release. I hadn’t been with a woman since a few weeks before Train’s bachelor party and I had no desire to hook up with anyone random. Or even call an old friend with benefits.
I wanted Mia. No one else.
Miles thought I had lost my mind, and he wasn’t wrong.
At the end of the day, Mia had to be responsible for the theft of my ring and wallet. Wanting her in my bed was all fine and good, but I shouldn’t act on it, and I shouldn’t be asking her anymore questions about herself and her personal life.
I knew all of that.
It wasn’t going to stop me though. I wanted what I wanted. And I wanted Mia.
I had resisted the urge to contact her, so I felt like I had done my due diligence in staying away from her. I’d made it two whole weeks.
But then that morning she had appeared on the dog-walking app I’d signed up for. Just there. Mia, smiling in her photo, right at me. She’d been one of three walkers available right then and I had to bribe off the first guy who tried to snag the job by canceling his walk, but paying for it. Then after that, it was easy. She’d taken the walk request and had shown up at my apartment building on apparently pure coincidence.
The universe had us crossing paths three times now, and I was just going to roll with it. Naked. In my bed. With Mia.
Her sarcasm and unwillingness to back down impressed me. She might have been the only woman I’d met besides my mother who was willing to call me out on my shit. I appreciated that. Liked the challenge. Got turned on by her sly comments. Her remark about liking fictional men was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. It was a blatant challenge, and I wanted to prove myself.