27. Mia
Chapter 27
Mia
I an’s family was amazing and I’m still worried that when he finally kicks me to the curb, they’re going to be upset with me. But I can’t worry about that now. What’s done is done.
Meeting Sawyer, I realized he’s nothing like I read online about him, and I chastise myself for even giving the online articles about him a second of my time. I should know better by now. Everything they’re saying about me is bullshit; why would what they’re saying about him be any different?
I’ve changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my own personal ‘collection’. Right from one of my boxes Ian had delivered today from my apartment. If I was going on this date with him at any other given time, I would wear my own clothes, and so I’m going to show him who I am. Just Mia. Ripped jeans and everything.
As I’m finishing brushing my hair, there’s a knock on my door. I take a deep breath before opening it because I’m suddenly nervous. I have no clue why; it’s not like I haven’t spent most of the last week with him.
“Hi.” I say shyly as I open the door and see Ian standing there holding a handful of flowers.
“Hi.” He hands me the flowers. “These are for you. I picked them myself.” he says proudly.
“They’re beautiful. Come in while I put them in some water.” I open the door wider for him to come into the room.
He pulls his other hand from behind his back and hands me a vase. “I wasn’t sure if you had anything in here to put them in, so I brought this.” He hands me a small blue vase.
I laugh, “You’re right. I don’t. Not sure what I was going to do with them.” I take the vase and fill it with water from the bathroom sink, putting the flowers into the vase. “Thank you.” I stand back and admire the flowers.
“Shall we?” Ian holds out his elbow. “Reservations are in…” he looks at his watch, “two minutes. Don’t want to be late.” He laughs.
I slip my hand through his arm. “I’m ready.”
Ian leads me down the stairs, through the great room, past the outdoor patio and pool area to a blanket spread out on the beach. It’s a calm night and there’s barely any movement on the ocean. There are candles lit around the blanket, with an assortment of pastries and ice cream containers.
“I hope I have your favorite flavor.”
“If you have strawberry, you’ve won my heart.” I say as I sit down on the blanket.
“Is that your favorite?”
“It is. What’s yours?”
“Strawberry.” He says with a small smile. “You’ll see that the strawberry container has been opened already. I couldn’t help myself when I brought this all out here.”
“You did all this yourself?”
He nods as he opens the carton and starts scooping ice cream into a bowl. “One or two scoops?”
“Depends. What else do you have here?” I wave at the other containers.
“Brownies, cookies, and two pies. Apple and peach.”
“Oh boy. Okay, one scoop of strawberry ice cream and one brownie, please.”
Ian gives me my treats and then makes a bowl of ice cream, two scoops, and a piece of apple pie for himself.
We eat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying our desserts and watching the moonlight dance off the gentle waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
“This is really nice, Ian. Thank you.” I say as I lick the rest of the melting ice cream off of my spoon. It’s late June in Florida, so even though it’s dark out here, it’s still warm, hence the melting ice cream.
“You’re welcome. So, tell me, what do you think about my crazy family?”
“I think you’re very lucky to have them. They obviously really love you. It’s special.”
He nods, “You’re right. I’m lucky to have both my parents around. Sawyer not so much, but what can you do?” He teases.
My engagement ring catches my eye as it shines in the moonlight. “This ring is really beautiful, Ian. You did a good job.”
He takes my hand with the ring on it and kisses it. “A beautiful ring for a beautiful woman.”
I look up at him and that damn electricity is zooming through my hand and up my arm. And now I think I’m ready to admit to myself that I’m really wishing this was all for real. To have someone that chooses me over all others. Family that would love me no matter what. A partner in life. I could do without the paparazzi and the money, but to have something that is all mine. That would be perfect.
Ian reaches up with his other hand and tangles his fingers through my hair. “Can I kiss you, Mia?” he asks.
I’m pulled to him by some invisible force, and I want him to kiss me. More than I want my next breath. “Yes.”
He leans in and gently kisses my lips. Not like last night, where there were hormones and alcohol involved, but like a real kiss. Soft. Gentle. Loving.
I pull back from the kiss, and we stare into each other’s eyes. “Mia, I’m feeling things for you I’ve never felt before with anyone and I know I shouldn’t say that on a first date,” he smirks, “but I also know that I want to be completely open and honest with you. If you don’t feel the same, please tell me now so I can protect my heart because you could break it into a million pieces right now.”
It's now or never, girl. What are you going to tell him? Are you going to break his heart and yours? I take a few moments to collect my thoughts, but not breaking eye contact with him. I want to make sure he’s in it for the long haul. If he thinks I could break his heart, he has no idea how easily he could just end me with one word.
My eyes bounce back and forth with his as he waits for my answer, and I can’t hold it back anymore. “Ian, this isn’t our first date.”
He looks confused. “What?”
“We had that parking lot dinner last week. It was sweet what you did for me, getting dinner and then having your friend fix my car. I’d like to think of that as our first date if it’s okay with you.” I say, questioningly.
“Works for me. Then what would this date number be?”
I look up at the sky as if I’m looking for an answer. “I think we’ll be safe calling this date number two.”
He nods. “Number two it is. Why does that matter?”
I pull his hand from my cheek and hold it in my lap, “Because I’ve never been on a second date.” I take a deep breath and jump in headfirst. “I’m falling for you, too, Ian. I’m falling for you.”
Ian grabs me and pulls me onto his lap and starts kissing me feverishly, and I let him. It feels good to know that we’re both feeling the same thing. Maybe he’s got electricity flowing up his arm every time we touched, too.
“I was so scared you’d tell me you didn’t feel the same way.” He says in between kisses.
“Me too.”
He wraps both of his hands around my cheeks, with his fingers tangled in my hair, directing my head as he kisses me. “What are you doing to me, Mia?” He whispers.
I can feel what I’m doing to him, and that’s my cue to move off his lap so we can get even closer. Just as I sit down on the blanket, something is biting my ass. “Ouch!”
“What?” Ian lifts me up off the beach and into his arms and that’s when we see a land crab walking around.
“He bit me!” I point at the little bastard as I yell out. Ian is laughing at me.
“I’ll save you.”
“Do those things have rabies or anything?” I rub the spot on my ass where the bastard bit me as Ian laughs even harder.
“No. Crabs don’t get rabies.” He carries me towards the stairs to his back patio. “Come on. I’ll protect you from those pesky crabs.” He teases me.
“It’s not funny. They don’t have crabs in Knoxville. Well, at least not those kinds of crabs.” I smile at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Ian puts me down just inside the French doors in the great room and the air conditioning feels cool on my hot skin. “I’m sure they have different crabs in Tennessee.”
We stare at each other for a few moments, and he caresses my cheek and then pushes my hair behind my ear. “This is really happening, right?” The laughter about the crab is gone and we’re back to staring at each other, getting lost in each other.
I nod. “I think so. I hope so. If it’s not, I don’t want to know.”
He breathes in my hair and then pulls me into his arms. “I’m never going to let you go. You know that, right?”
“I hope not.”