Tempt Me

“Alcoholic or not?”

She shrugged. “Both.”

“Beer… and water. I’m not fussy. You?”

“White Russian and a chai latte.”

He laughed. “Okay… favorite holiday?” he asked, picking the next question.

She swallowed hard. “You go first,” she said. No matter her sunny outlook on life, holidays had always been hard for her. They always would be.

“Thanksgiving,” he said.

“Why?”

“Because it’s about family. I like the traditions. You’ll see this year.” He squeezed her hand more tightly and a little pang hit her in the heart.

Because they’d be his family traditions and she’d be the outsider looking in. Just as she’d always been. The nanny to his daughter, not his girlfriend or someone with meaning to him beyond her paid role. Of course, she was sleeping with him, but that didn’t count.

She bit her lip hard to distract herself.

“Mia? I asked your favorite holiday.”

“Oh. It’s too hard for me to choose,” she lied.

She did her best to get through them all. She didn’t love any one in particular, because she didn’t have wonderful memories associated with them like he did.

He came to a halt, pulling her to a stop when she kept going. She took a few steps back toward him. “What’s wrong? Why are we stopping?”

He smoothed back the hair the breeze had blown onto her cheek and she trembled at his touch. “I’m an insensitive ass.”

She blinked up at him, not understanding. “Why would you say that?”

He shook his head. “You go through life so happy. You insist you had such a good childhood that it’s easy to believe you and forget… you were in foster care. No matter what you tell the world, it couldn’t have been easy. Holidays had to have been hard. And I’m an idiot for not realizing that before I asked that question.”

A sudden lump rose to her throat, one she wasn’t used to feeling, because like he said, she did go through life happy and mostly grateful. Grateful her life hadn’t been worse. That good people had taken care of her. But they hadn’t been her parents and nothing could make up for that fact. She just rarely let herself think about it… or remember.

“How did you figure me out?” she asked.

A sad smile lifted his lips. “Oh, I caught your tone of voice. And I know your heart and how hard you try to convince people everything is always great.”

“It usually is,” she muttered, not wanting to fall apart in front of him. “And that wasn’t an insensitive question. And to be honest, I guess it would be Thanksgiving, too. Because it’s the season of giving thanks. I’m grateful for the ability to always look on the bright side.”

He tipped her head up with his hand beneath her chin. “You’re a special woman, Mia Atwood.”

“Thank you.” She forced a smile, unnerved by something he’d said, buried in the speech about how well he knew her.

He said he knew her heart.

He couldn’t. Or he’d know she was falling in love with him.

* * *

Back at the cabin, Austin sat in front of the fire. He kicked his feet up on the large ottoman in front of him and stared into the flames.

He couldn’t shake his conversation with Mia. How had he never realized how deeply her past affected her? He’d caught the wistfulness in her voice and had immediately realized so much about this warm, loving woman. She gave to everyone without thought to whether or not she’d get back in return.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated there was nothing he could do to change what was missing in her life. Nothing but… show her how special holidays could be by sharing his with her. He looked forward to that.

Before he could think further, his cell rang. “Reality intruding,” he muttered. A glance at the screen and he was right. “Hey, Dante. What do you have for me?” he asked.

“Your ex is involved with a guy who’s heavy into drugs. And considering the guy he met up with last time I tailed him? He’s probably into dealing, too.”

“You just earned a bonus,” he said, beyond pleased. “Tell me you recorded something.”

“Photographs. Nothing that’ll help you with your ex. Yet. But I’m closer.”

Austin blew out a deep breath. “Thank God for small favors. What about info on Parker Alexander?” he asked as Mia walked into the room.

Her eyes opened wide at the mention of her former employer.

He held up a finger, telling her to wait while he gathered details.

“Unfortunately, he lies low. According to my partner, he doesn’t meet with anyone, stays holed up in his apartment. I can’t get to his phone or computer, so I’m stuck unless he leaves the premises and we can tail him.”