"You're crazy. I'm wearing a dress."
I bend forward, not losing this argument. "I'll hold it down."
Mia draws in a deep breath before jumping on my back like she's hopping on a two-ton horse. She's a little thing, but the weight pushes me forward and I stumble a few steps before bracing her. My hands reach back, holding each corner of her dress tight to her legs. My hands are practically cupping her ass. The way her hands wrap around me like her life depends on it offers me a feeling of being needed. It's been so long since I've felt that. She just keeps surprising me with emotions I've packed away and never planned to open again.
"Have you ever carried a girl down Colorado Street before?"
"This would be a first."
"Me, too. I've never had a piggy back ride before."
"Never?"
She pulls tighter as we jog across the street to the hotel. I grip her dress and her ass firmly, making sure she's not exposed to the horny drunks gawking on the corner.
"My dad let me ride on his shoulders at a carnival once, but that's it."
That's kind of sad, but I don't say it. "My sister used to make me pretend I was a horse. I'd have to get on all fours and walk her around the house. It got old, but I was rewarded with carrots."
Mia snorts. "At least you got something out of it. My brother never did anything like that for me. He'd probably buck me off into the pool."
"I take it you and your brother aren't very close."
"We were once. He's seven years older than me and I'm pretty sure he never wanted a sibling. When I was like four, I think he realized I wasn't going anywhere and he started paying me some attention. Once he hit his teen years, I barely saw him. Now that we're adults, we've just sort of existed around each other."
"Sorry to hear that. What about your parents, are you close with them?"
"My dad and I are very close. My mom and I get along, but we're not as close as me and my dad. Her and my brother have that bond, though. What about you? Are you close with your parents?"
We reach the entrance of the hotel and Mia hops off my back; we stand in front of the doors and continue our conversation. "Nah. I've never been real close with my mom or my dad. They've always put their efforts and attention on their business so I just sort of did whatever the hell I wanted. Made a lot of bad choices growing up."
"I can relate to that. My parents are married to their work. Well, my dad, more so, than my mom. She just sits on the sidelines and cheers him on. When he got sick—" Her words trail off and a sadness peeks behind her eyes. "Never mind." She fakes through it with a smile. "You wanna get a drink?"
My shoulders shrug. "Sure." I pull open the door and walk in behind her.
She glances down at her foot and smirks. "Doesn't Tito's have a policy on shoes?"
I nod with a chuckle. "You're probably right. Tell ya what. Come up to my room and I'll make us a drink."
Her steps stop, so I do the same. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Last time I came up, I left without panties." Her cheeks flush, and it's cute as hell.
"All the more reason to join me. I can return those to you."
We walk down the narrow hallway to the elevators, Mia with one shoe on and the other still in my back pocket. "I can't believe you carried me all the way here," she says as we stop at the elevator.
I press the button to go up and smirk. "I can't believe you let me. After all, we did agree to pretend our night together never happened."
Her cheeks blush, once again, cute as hell. "True. But, you also turned me down for lunch and left me with a complex."
We step inside the elevator and I tap the button for my floor. "I did do that, didn't I? In my defense, I'm not a fan of mixing business with pleasure."
She looks over at me, wide-eyed with her hands folded in front of her dress. "What's changed? You're the one who agreed to this outing, and the one who invited me up to your room."
"Spontaneous decisions. I've never been good at them. It could also be that I'm starting to enjoy your company."
An airy breath escapes her. "Gee, thanks, I guess. I'm glad you're starting to enjoy my company. Such a romantic, you are."
The elevator doors slide open and Mia is the first out. I step out behind her and place a hand on the small of her back to lead her in the right direction, though, she's been there before. "Let's just say I was never expecting to see you in Mr. Glasson's office that day and I was thrown for a loop. I needed some time to process what was going on."
Mia stops. She turns toward me, her chest flush with mine. "And what is going on?"
I wish I knew.
"We are going to have a drink while I glue your shoe back together." I swipe my card and push the door to my room open. Once we're both inside, I wave toward the sofa on the opposite wall of the bed. "Make yourself comfortable."
Mia takes a seat, appearing too nervous for my liking. Her hands set in her lap with her ankles crossed on the floor. She's still wearing the one sandal and I smile inwardly as I watch her out of the corner of my eye. She looks around the room as if she's getting a feel for my taste, when this room is not my own, and I certainly wouldn't decorate it like this. My bachelor pad back in Cincinnati was all black and white. Everything from the furniture to the bedding.
I pull out the sandal from my back pocket and set it on the bed then open the mini fridge and pull out a bottle of club soda and a bowl of limes that room service brought up yesterday. "I'm out of ice, but if you prefer some, I can go down the hall and fill the ice bucket."
"That's not necessary," she says, finally sinking back into the sofa a bit and getting more comfortable.
I pour a shot worth of rum into the tall glasses then fill them with club soda and a squeeze of lime then I drop the lime in the glass. Once both drinks are made, I join Mia on the sofa.
She takes a sip and I watch her reaction as she licks the juice off her lips. "Mmm, not bad."
"Thanks. Nothing fancy, but it beats drinking in the bar with one shoe. Speaking of," I stand up and set my drink down on the end table beside me. "I think I've got some super glue. Just to get both feet home safely." I walk over to my bag and unzip the side pocket. I pull out a mini tool kit and see the super glue.
A little squirt on the strap and I hold it in place while I watch Mia sip on her drink. She's beginning to relax, which I find enlightening. She always seems so tense and on edge. Much like I am. I'm not sure when I changed plans from avoiding her to bringing her up here, but I'm glad I did. Even if nothing will ever come of this, it beats another evening alone.
"Tada." I hold up the sandal with the strap intact.
Mia snorts. "Oh my gosh. You're the best." She stands and walks toward me with her drink in hand.
When she reaches for the sandal, I hold it back, teasing her. "I'm sorry I blew you off with the lunch offer."
Her smile fades quickly as a serious expression looks back at me with soft eyes. I watch intently as the tip of her tongue sweeps across her lips. I want to kiss her so fucking bad. But what kind of person would that make me. I vowed that I'd stay away; yet, here I am. I told myself it was one night, but I'm so damn hungry for her.