Mia Found (Starting Fires Book 3) by Makenzie Smith Read Free Book Online

to take you to dinner! “But, if you want…we can, I can—”
    “ Italian,” he cut me off. “You look like you’d like Italian.”
    “ I do.” My smile was eager and it took all I had not to squeal.
    “ Then let’s go.”
    “ Okay,” I said, trailing after him.
    We rode to the restaurant in his Honda Accord. The car was well kept exactly like his home. “You’re a neat freak, aren’t you?”
    “ Why? Are you a slob?”
    “ No,” I said. “Just not as neat as you.” I took a receipt out of my purse and rolled it into a ball. While we stopped at a red light, I made sure he watched as I tossed it into the back seat, giving him a challenging look. He regarded me with an arched eyebrow. “How long can you leave it back there?” I asked.
    Paul shook his head, his eyes crinkling in amusement. “I can do it,” he said. “You’ll see.”
    “ We will,” I countered. “I bet you won’t last more than a day.”
    “ Think you’ve got me all figured out?”
    Not hardly. This was the most time we’d spent together. Even though I’d met him over a year ago and thought of him constantly, in truth, we hardly knew a thing about each other. And now…I was in his car, riding with him to a restaurant.
    What did the quiet bring him? Did he daydream? Did he still have hopes? Wishes? Did he sing in the shower? Or in his car when he was all alone?
    I narrowed my eyes, studying him. His jawline was well pronounced. His facial hair was perfectly shaved. He was wearing a long sleeve dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows, the top buttons undone. It was tucked into tailored slacks. His hair was a deep brown, styled meticulously. It was thick and soft, but I knew he never wore it any other way.
    He needed a little disorder in his life.
    Feeling uncomfortable under my stare, he gave a nervous laugh, and I reached over and fluffed his hair, making sure to get my fingers really in there. Driving, he struggled to push me off.
    “ This is for your own good!” I said over his laughter.
    “ Stop!” he said, swatting me away. He wasn’t angry, but amused, shaking his head as he pulled into the restaurant. The building was old with chipped paint and dated architecture. It was new to me, a place I never even knew existed.
    “ What’s this?” I asked him.
    “ Macione’s,” he said, winking. Mah-see-oh-knee. I loved the way it sounded coming from his lips. He added the tiniest hint of Italian dialect and it made me want to swoon.
    We unbuckled and stepped out of the car. “Does your family own it?” Maybe I was about to meet them.
    “ More or less,” he said. “My Uncle and cousin.”
    I grinned as I stopped in front of him. His disheveled hair was pointing out in different directions and it made him look like a super saiyan. “Here.” I chuckled and brought my hands to it.
    Slowly, I ran my fingers through the thick locks, taking longer than I needed to. My breaths were audible and my throat felt tight. With each gentle touch to his hair, my body swayed towards him—our legs brushing, our arms connecting. Despite Paul’s calm expression, he was breathing heavy too and his body was tense. You can touch me if you want to, Paul.
    “ Good as new,” I said when the last lock was in place.
    “ Pretty Mia,” he mused, looking me in the eyes. I blushed and curled into his side. His hand settled on my hip and we walked toward the restaurant.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    PAUL KNEW THE HOSTESS. He knew the waiter. He knew the cook. Paul knew everyone.
    The restaurant was small, but instead of cramped, it felt cozy. The lighting was soft. All of the tables were adorned with red tablecloths and tiny, flickering candles. A gentle violin played in the background. The sound of clicking dishes and quiet conversations gave it an intimate ambiance. It was romantic, putting me in a dreamy reverie.
    We sat at a small table tucked away in a nook, secluding us. Paul ordered half a dozen things from the appetizer menu promising I would love