Garrett said, moving toward the
curb. The darkness had fallen around them, bugs fluttering around the
streetlights.
Mia started to turn the corner, heading for the hotel’s
front entrance. “Cool. I just need to run up to my room, grab my purse.”
“Don’t worry about it, I got this.”
She stopped, turning to face him. “Are you sure? I mean, I
asked you, so I really don’t mind—”
“For god’s sake, Mia, just come on and let me buy you
dinner.” He held out his hand to her.
She crooked a smile, something in her insides becoming warm
and fluttery. Even exasperated, he was cute. “Fine then. I’m ordering dessert,
you’ve been warned.”
He laughed, and for a moment she could have sworn it was the
most wonderful sound she’d ever heard. She grabbed the hand he offered and,
fingers laced together, they ran across the street, both laughing as a taxi
driver honked his horn and cursed at them.
Mia led Garrett past the dry cleaners, a convenient mart and
an office, finally stopping in front of La Bella Italia. He opened the door for
her again, and she grinned. She’d never been with a guy who could be considered
a gentleman. She’d opened her own doors forever, but this was nice. Even though
he was stubborn, and sometimes a pain in the ass, Garrett was definitely
classy.
“Two,” she said in response to the hostess’s question.
“Somewhere private,” Garrett said, then looked down at her.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
She shook her head and they followed the short-skirted
hostess through the tables. Laughter and conversation mixed with soft jazz, the
sounds fading slightly as they arrived in the back corner of the restaurant.
The curved booth was partially shielded from the rest of the tables by a large
potted plant.
“Is this okay?” The waitress indicated the table.
“Perfect.” Mia smiled as she slid into the booth. Garrett
folded into the other side, his long legs almost not fitting under the short
table. The hostess gave them each a menu, and with a promise that their server
would be right over, disappeared.
And they were alone. Mia glanced over at Garrett. He was
close, but not as close as she wanted him to be. His gaze was trained on the
menu, but his knee was bouncing as if he was agitated.
“You okay?”
He nodded without looking over at her. “Fine.”
Mia bit her lip as she flopped open her own menu. The pasta
primavera had been great the other night, so she didn’t even need to look over
the plastic-coated pages. But it gave her something to focus on while she tried
to figure out what was happening here.
Why had she asked him out? And, even more important, why had
he said yes?
Their server appeared, a young guy with peroxide-blond hair
and an easy laugh. Garrett ordered a bottle of wine and they placed their food
order. Once they were alone again, Mia made up her mind. Damn it all to hell,
she was going to learn more about this guy.
“So you used to be a cop, huh?” She toyed with the sweaty
stem of her water goblet.
“Yes,” he said, drumming his fingertips on the tablecloth.
“For seven years.”
“So what do you do now?”
He looked over at her then, and she fought to keep still.
“Private investigation, mostly. I do contract work. It gives me time to, well,
you know.”
“Right.” Mia dried her fingers on the napkin in her lap,
glad her hair fell forward so he couldn’t see her blush. “Find the guy.”
“What about you?” Garrett said quickly. She couldn’t blame
him for the subject change, but she wished he’d picked a different one. “I know
you’re a piercer, but I don’t really know anything else about you.”
Mia sighed. Well, she’d started this, so she might as well
see it through. “I’m from south Texas, originally. My grandmother basically
raised me because my mom was too busy with drugs and different boyfriends. My
dad had cancer and died when I was pretty young. Mom moved back to Mexico when
I was twelve. When Abuela died, I
curb. The darkness had fallen around them, bugs fluttering around the
streetlights.
Mia started to turn the corner, heading for the hotel’s
front entrance. “Cool. I just need to run up to my room, grab my purse.”
“Don’t worry about it, I got this.”
She stopped, turning to face him. “Are you sure? I mean, I
asked you, so I really don’t mind—”
“For god’s sake, Mia, just come on and let me buy you
dinner.” He held out his hand to her.
She crooked a smile, something in her insides becoming warm
and fluttery. Even exasperated, he was cute. “Fine then. I’m ordering dessert,
you’ve been warned.”
He laughed, and for a moment she could have sworn it was the
most wonderful sound she’d ever heard. She grabbed the hand he offered and,
fingers laced together, they ran across the street, both laughing as a taxi
driver honked his horn and cursed at them.
Mia led Garrett past the dry cleaners, a convenient mart and
an office, finally stopping in front of La Bella Italia. He opened the door for
her again, and she grinned. She’d never been with a guy who could be considered
a gentleman. She’d opened her own doors forever, but this was nice. Even though
he was stubborn, and sometimes a pain in the ass, Garrett was definitely
classy.
“Two,” she said in response to the hostess’s question.
“Somewhere private,” Garrett said, then looked down at her.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
She shook her head and they followed the short-skirted
hostess through the tables. Laughter and conversation mixed with soft jazz, the
sounds fading slightly as they arrived in the back corner of the restaurant.
The curved booth was partially shielded from the rest of the tables by a large
potted plant.
“Is this okay?” The waitress indicated the table.
“Perfect.” Mia smiled as she slid into the booth. Garrett
folded into the other side, his long legs almost not fitting under the short
table. The hostess gave them each a menu, and with a promise that their server
would be right over, disappeared.
And they were alone. Mia glanced over at Garrett. He was
close, but not as close as she wanted him to be. His gaze was trained on the
menu, but his knee was bouncing as if he was agitated.
“You okay?”
He nodded without looking over at her. “Fine.”
Mia bit her lip as she flopped open her own menu. The pasta
primavera had been great the other night, so she didn’t even need to look over
the plastic-coated pages. But it gave her something to focus on while she tried
to figure out what was happening here.
Why had she asked him out? And, even more important, why had
he said yes?
Their server appeared, a young guy with peroxide-blond hair
and an easy laugh. Garrett ordered a bottle of wine and they placed their food
order. Once they were alone again, Mia made up her mind. Damn it all to hell,
she was going to learn more about this guy.
“So you used to be a cop, huh?” She toyed with the sweaty
stem of her water goblet.
“Yes,” he said, drumming his fingertips on the tablecloth.
“For seven years.”
“So what do you do now?”
He looked over at her then, and she fought to keep still.
“Private investigation, mostly. I do contract work. It gives me time to, well,
you know.”
“Right.” Mia dried her fingers on the napkin in her lap,
glad her hair fell forward so he couldn’t see her blush. “Find the guy.”
“What about you?” Garrett said quickly. She couldn’t blame
him for the subject change, but she wished he’d picked a different one. “I know
you’re a piercer, but I don’t really know anything else about you.”
Mia sighed. Well, she’d started this, so she might as well
see it through. “I’m from south Texas, originally. My grandmother basically
raised me because my mom was too busy with drugs and different boyfriends. My
dad had cancer and died when I was pretty young. Mom moved back to Mexico when
I was twelve. When Abuela died, I
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