Chapter 35

“Harvey, what are to you saying?” more insistent this time, louder and firmer. He’d ignored Mia’s last two requests at clarification, choosing to become silent. It was as if he’d turned into stone after his last words, or rather his tongue had hardened without mobility.

“Let’s continue this particular conversation in the restaurant,” He finally broke his silence, Mia was burning holes into his face and neck. Her body rigid in the seat beside him, the effect acute, he’d sworn their speed with his car began lagging. “I’m starving.” He eluded. He wasn’t ready for the can of worms he so ineptly opened. Like always, his ego got ahead of him. Mia talking about him as nothing more than a bed warmer, a person she was having ‘fun’ with scraped away at him leading him down a rabbit hole of admitting emotions he hadn’t fully comprehended yet.
He was silent because his brain was still processing that his lips and vocal cords had behaved waywardly. The words were out in the open and she’d heard them. There was nothing more he could do, apart from use the time he had until they arrived at the restaurant to gather his thoughts.
He did want more from her, but after hearing her speak on the topic the probability of him being rejected was high. Was he ready to let go of her?

“Okay.” Mia dragged the one syllable word outwards. It wasn’t okay. She was brimming with queries, anxieties and hesitations. She bit down on her lower lip to prevent herself from talking any further. The urge to disregard his suggestion was on the tip of her tongue, boxing at her lips to part just a teeny tiny bit.
Mia extracted her makeup compact from her purse and stared at her reflection. Her lipstick had swayed clean off, leaving a teeth sized indenture. She reapplied the colour to her lips, thankful that it was only a tiny piece that needed fixing, she was barely able to see in the dark. She was relying on the lights from passing cars as it was.
Harvey glanced at her, she seemed so calm and unbothered fixing her lips with ease as the car swerved around a pothole. She didn’t complain, she didn’t tense nor did she shoot him any glares. She carefully, twisted the lipstick back into its cocoon and dropped it, along with her compact, into her bag.

“We can still talk about other things, Mia.” He broke the uncomfortable silence. He shot a quick look at her, he was beginning to think that the state of discomfort was felt by himself. She seemed so at ease.

“My mind’s blank.” She responded, a couple in the car beside them arguing. The man’s jaw clenched, his hands turning white on the wheels as the female screamed at him. “Do you mind?” Mia gestured to the radio, there had been a soft glow of sound emanating from it, soft enough for it to disappear into the background and be over taken by other sounds generating from the car such as the air-conditioning unit.

“Very well.” He gave her the okay and she cranked the music up. It was better to enjoy music than force him to talk about something he wasn’t ready too.

*He was the one to bring it up, foolish girl!* Her subconscious rolled her perfectly sculpted eyes. Perhaps *I’m* not ready, Mia shot back. His words had caught her off guard earlier and as much as she wanted to deconstruct the implications of it she couldn’t find the concentration. She opted to deal with it if he brought it up again. She wanted to enjoy his company and she couldn’t accomplish that with wild thoughts. For all she knew, he said those words without thinking and didn’t even mean them.
Time slowed, every second passing by what felt like ages. Harvey finally pulled up in front of the restaurant. He exited the car and came around to open the door for Mia. He held out his hand for her to take it. She gazed at his outstretched hand and swallowed hard. The butterflies in her stomach fluttering about in their cage, fighting to be released at the sight of him towering over her like an idol.
He handed the keys over to the valet as he gripped Mia’s hand in his. He felt a slight tug from her but he strengthened his grip. He needed every man whose eyes were following her and whose heads turned as they saw her to know she was his.

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Regal.” The sturdy boy could easily pass for a man in his early thirties. His shoulders were huge, his body strapping, threatening to pop the buttons running down his chest. His face, voice and mannerisms gave him away. He couldn’t be over twenty-five, Mia concluded.

“Good to see you again, Mason. Keeping your nose clean I hope.” Harvey slipped the boy a tip and he smiled.

“Been focusing on nothing but work and studying.” He said proudly. Mia smiled when Mason turned his attention to her, his eyes fluttering away faster than she attracted it, a tiny blush creeping up his neck and cheek.
Harvey patted him on the back. “Good to hear.” He said, leading Mia into the restaurant. She’d never been here before, to be very honest, fancy restaurants with valets and reservations were not her usual places of visitation. Not even with Gabriel. Their dates were pretty simple, not that she minded she’d been content to spend time with him. At that point, he wasn’t a rich billionaire with money to waste. He was the average human being trying his hardest to work his way up, until he’d eventually headed his own company. That was when they married and decided to have a family. He’d changed so much from the man she thought she loved. He was unrecognisable.

“How many women have you frequented this restaurant with?” She whispered with a laugh lingering on her voice. The mood around them had been clouded with darkness and uncertainty, not to mention she’d drifted off to unwanted thoughts left to her own devices.

*How was she beautiful from every angle?* he looked at her from the sides of his eyes as their server carried them towards their table.

“Jealous?” he noted the amusement in her tone and followed along.
Mia scoffed and rolled her eyes playfully. “Ohhh, that’s want you want, huh?” she teased. “Why on earth should I be jealous?”

“Not even a bit bitter?” he pulled the chair out for her and whispered the words against her hair. The heat radiating from him caused her blood to stir.

“No, but mostly because I don’t want to give you want you want.” Her eyes followed his lean body as he seated himself opposite her.

“And if I want you, will you deny me?” he trapped her gaze with his. The waves in them almost dragging her under their spell.

“When have I ever denied you?” she hugged her shoulders and ran her palms along them to soothe her raising pores. He had access to every part of her body.

“I want more than what you have been allowing me.” He said that word again. *More.*

“More?” Mia repeated like a simpleton, but the word had no meaning to her.

“I don’t want to just have fun with you.” He said, his words dropping as their server returned with bread and water for the table. Mia and Harvey ordered and the server left again.

“Then what do you want?” the ‘R’ word was on the cusp of her lips but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“I want to date you. It was never just sex for me.” He said, eyeing her intently.

“I d-don’t,” she rubbed her neck, her body heating in panic. “You don’t know me.” She countered.

“I want to get to know you better.” He responded, taking her hands in his.

****
“So let me get this straight, you thought you were just having a fling and now you find out he’s been trying to woo you?” Amber had climbed into bed with Mia. It was 5:00 am, she’d looked through Mia’s room and found her there in bed. She’d told Amber that she’d returned home last night and why.

“The signs were there I was just so stupid to think that maybe that was how flings were.” Mia snuggled closer to her sister and hooked her hands around Amber’s arms, enjoying her warmth.

“I guess it’s strong, huh?” Amber’s lips quirked upwards in a sly smile.

“What?” Mia’s voice was throaty, she sniffled. The night had been sleepless.

“That pussy power.” Amber whispered, followed by an echoing laughter. Mia’s eyes widened and she pulled away from Amber’s touch. Her mind in complete shock that those words escaped her sister’s mouth.

“You are not too old to get an ass whopping.” Mia threatened, her cheeks flushed.
Amber laughed. “Well, the man is already willing to lock you down and all because of a little action” Mia pulled a pillow from behind her and threw it at Amber’s face, her embarrassment levels increasing the longer she stayed in her sister’s presence.

“What did you decide?” Amber asked between gulps of laughter.