Beat of the Heart (11 page)

up in your business, right?”

“Yeah, try having the world all up in your business.”

She nodded. “Since Dev and I broke up, everyone, from my father to my uncles to the freakin’ bus

boys, have been on me to date. Think of it like Dee’s behavior but on Italian steroids.”

Even though I was still pissed, my lips turned up in amusement at her description. I didn’t expect

her to reach across the table for my hand. “I just wanted to try to enjoy tonight without all the other

bullshit hassle, okay?”

“Whatever. I still don’t like it,” I replied glumly, before glancing down at the menu.

When she tugged my hand, I met her mischievous gaze. “I could promise to make it up to you later,”

she suggested coyly.

My brows rose in surprise. “Just what did you have in mind?”

Tilting her head, she tapped her finger on her chin. “Maybe some special attention…of the oral

kind?”

I opened my mouth but a waiter, who couldn’t have been more than twenty, appeared at the table.

“Hiya, Mia, sorry to interrupt.”

Pink tinged Mia’s cheeks. “Hi Pauley.”

Glancing between them, I said, “Lemme guess. He’s one of your cousins?”

Pauley bobbed his head as he sat down two glasses of water. “First cousins. My dad and Duke are

brothers.” He eyed me suspiciously for a moment. “Hey, I know you—you’re the guy in the band.

Uncle Duke calls you Drummer Boy, always tells us to give you the best cut of meat.”

I laughed. “Yep, that’s me.”

With a grin, Pauley held out his hand. “Pauley Martinelli.”

“AJ Resendiz.” I paused before adding, “Mia’s gay friend.”

Mia had just taken a sip of water, and my comment sent her hacking and sputtering. “Sorry,” she

replied in a strangled voice as she mopped up the water.

Rubbing her back, Pauley asked, “You okay, cuz?”

“Fine.”

“Good. Thanks.”

When he was sure Mia was okay, he took out his envelope. “Since you both are regulars, I’m

guessing I don’t need to go through all the house specials and stuff, huh?”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” I replied.

“So the usual for you Mia—the Sicilian Special along with a glass of Prosecco?” Pauley

questioned.

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Mia replied, “Erm, no, I’ll have the Prosecco, but give me the

Chicken Caesar Salad instead.”

As Pauley’s brows rose in surprise, I cleared my throat. “Give her what she usually has.” Mia

opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a hand to silence her. “Please do not be one of those chicks

who thinks she can’t eat around a guy. I like a girl with a hearty appetite.”

Mia glanced from me to Pauley and gave a quick bob of her head. He grinned. “All right then. And

you, AJ?”

“Sirloin, medium rare with pasta.”

“Got it. I’ll bring out your wine and bread in just a sec.”

“Thank you.”

Once Pauley was out of earshot, Mia narrowed her eyes at me. “It wouldn’t have killed me to have

a salad, you know.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want you to ever change who you are or what you like for me.” At her

skeptical expression, I added, “I like you just the way you are—physically and personality wise.”

“Really?”

“Hell yeah. But you wanna know what I like the most about you?”

“The fact I’ll let you bang me on a limo floor?”

I snickered. “That’s a good one but no. What I like the most about you is how real you are—inside

and out. The business I’m in—it’s nothing but fake people twenty-four-seven, who will say and do

anything to impress you or get you to do what they want.”

Mia tilted her head, taking in my words. “I see now why you like this place so much. If my family

is one thing, it’s completely and totally real.”

“Exactly.”

As we fell into silence, Mia stood up. “I think after our limo exertions, I better go freshen up.”

I gave her a wicked grin. “I should do the same.”

I followed her to the restrooms. I finished before she did and returned to the table. She was just

coming back when Pauley returned with our drinks and a basket of garlic knots. With my stomach

grumbling, I quickly snatched one up and scarfed it down. “So,” I began after I finished chewing.

“So?”

“Tell me about yourself.”

Swirling the wine around in her glass, Mia shrugged. “Not much to tell.”

I cocked my brows suspiciously at her. “Yeah, right. Don’t make me start in with some lame-ass

get to know you questions.”

She grinned. “And what would those be?”

Even though I knew it would probably irk a woman like Mia—one who was refined and cared

about class and style, I leaned in on the table with my elbows. “What do you like to do when you’re

not mending hearts?” I asked, my tone serious like a newscaster.

“Hmm,” she murmured, closing her eyes to think. After a few seconds, she popped them open and

replied, “I like piña coladas and walks in the rain.”

It was my turn to tsk at her. “Not getting off that easy, Miss Martinelli.”

“Fine then. What I enjoy doing is probably a huge bore to you, but you asked for it.”

“Yep, hit me with it.”

“I like the usual stuff like books, movies, and TV. I like traveling. And…” A little flush filled her

cheeks.

“And what?”

After a hearty gulp of wine, she replied, “I like to knit.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “You’re shitting me.”

She narrowed her black eyes. “No, I’m not. My late grandmother taught me how to knit
and

crotchet.”

At her still seething anger and embarrassment, I held up my hands. “I’m sorry I found it so shocking

that a smoking hot woman like yourself did something so old-school and nerdy as knit.”

She shrugged. “You asked, so I was honest.”

“You’re right, I did.” Grabbing another garlic knot out of the basket, I grinned at her. “You think

you would ever make me something?”

“Hmm, like a dick cozy for those cold nights when no woman wants to put up with your relentless

cockiness?” she asked, with fake sweetness.

Choking, I fumbled for my wine before taking a long swig. When I recovered, I couldn’t help

laughing at her fiery response. “I would be honored if you would make me a dick cozy. I would wear

it with pride and think fondly of you.”

“Oh you would, would you?” she asked, her lips curving upward.

“Yes, I would.” With a wink, I added, “But make it extra-large because I want it to fit.”

Mia snickered. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Pauley returned to the table with our dinner. “Here ya go. Watch the plates, cause they’re hot.

Lemme know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, cuz,” Mia replied, with a smile.

“No problemo.”

Once Pauley left us, I eyed Mia before I started cutting my steak and pasta. “At least we know we

have something in common. We both like to read.”

“Seriously?”

I slurped a strand of pasta into my mouth. “Yeah, I read all the time when we’re on the road.”

“I’m not sure the articles in
Playboy
count.”

I snorted. “I have more varied tastes than that, thank you very much.”

Mia chewed thoughtfully on her lasagna. Once she swallowed, she asked, “So tell me what’s your

favorite kind of book?”

“I’m going to sound like a total freak, but I love fantasy—
Game of Thrones
,
Lord of the Rings
, you

know, shit like that.”

“Interesting.”

“What? You’re not going to give me shit for that?”

She shook her head. “I think it’s wonderful you read, period, so I’m not going to knock you for

liking high fantasy books.”

“But for you, it’s all about romance novels.”

“Yes and no. I like to read non-fiction stuff too.” She finished off a bite of chicken parmesan from

her Italian sampler. “I’m kind of a royalty nerd. Love the Tudors.”

“I liked the show.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “Of course you did. The historical inaccuracies were off the charts, and it was

basically a thinly veiled excuse for porn.”

I grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

“I would figure as much from you,” she replied with a smile.

“Speaking of romance novels, I have a question for you.”

Eyeing me warily, she took a sip of wine. “Okay.”

“Why is it that during the sex scenes the guy always says, ‘Come for me, baby’, and the chick

comes?” I snapped my fingers. “Just like that. I mean, on command like she’s a dog or something.

What the hell is up with that?”

Mia laughed. “I don’t know why they do that. It’s certainly never happened to me in real life

before.”

“Like, I could just look at you right now and say ‘Come for me’, and you’d come.”

Pursing her lips in thought, Mia replied, “Maybe it’s all about the timing of the command—like it

has to be in the heat of the moment. You’d have to be pretty amazing to pull it off across the booth

from me in a restaurant.”

“So it’s all in the delivery, huh?”

“I would think so.”

“Something like this?” I leaned forward, taking her hands in mine. Using my thumbs, I rubbed

circles over the tops of her hand. I licked my lips and stared intently into her eyes. “Mmm, what you

do to me, Mia,” I whispered. “How hard you make me. What I’d like to do to your body…buried

deep inside you, pounding away while your tight-as-hell walls clench around me.” I brought her hand

to my lips and licked along her fingers. Transfixed, she stared back at me. “Come for me, baby.”

A little tremor ran through her body. “Definitely the delivery,” she murmured.

Grinning, I pulled away. “I still call bullshit but whatever. I needed to ask.”

“I think the better question is how do you even know that goes on in romance novels?”

“Research.”

“Really?”

I bobbed my head. “When you hear a bunch of chicks raving about this book or that one because the

sex is hot or what the dude says is sexy, you take notice.”

“So you can always be in tune with what women want?”

“Hell yes.” I winked. “I’ve picked up a few things along the way. Being a stud like me takes

practice and cultivation.”

Mia stared at me for a moment before throwing her head back and laughing heartily. After she

wiped her eyes, an amused look twinkled in them. “Oh my God, AJ. You crack me up. Will I be

benefiting from any more of your learned expertise tonight?”

I gave her my signature smirk. “You never know.”

Throughout dinner, conversation flowed effortlessly between AJ and me. There was none of the