Worth the Wait (McKinney_Walker #1)(28)

He grinned. “If you’d been fifteen in college, I wouldn’t have made my moves on you.”

“There is that.” She smiled briefly. “But I could be married, maybe starting a family.”

“Is that what you want?”

Her eyes met his. “You know I do.”

“Well, you’re not thirty yet.” He brought her hand to his lips. “We’ll get there.”

She nodded then stunned him when her eyes filled with tears. Mia never cried. “I miss you,” she said, her voice breaking.

“Hey.” With his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her face to his chest. “You’re almost done.”

“I know, but…”

“Shh. I’ll come see you more.”

“No.” She wiped her cheeks, gave him a sad, forced smile. “I’m not asking you to do that. I’m sorry. We said no crying.”

“That was your visiting rule. I can cry if I want to.”

That got a real smile. “I love you,” she said.

“I know.”

She took a deep breath and let it out, brushing aside her sad mood. He hated it, one rare tear tore him up inside, but if he let her quit now, if he encouraged it…No. They’d made it this far.

“So, back to Hannah. It seems like something to think about. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. She wants to do it.”

“I guess you could try it for a little while. A semester? See how it goes.”

“Maybe.” It made his head hurt. He wanted Mia’s opinion, but he didn’t want to think about this right now. Right now was all about the two of them together for what was… he glanced at his watch. Twenty-eight hours.

They left the restaurant with her hand snug in his. The New York winter blew lightly against them.

“You need gloves,” he said after a few minutes. “I’m sure we can find some.”

“No.” She looked up at him, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the back of his hand. She didn’t want anything between them. He didn’t, either.

They stopped on the Plaza and watched the ice skaters below. Her face was flushed with cold, her cheeks rosy. And though her eyes were still tired, they were brighter. He pulled her in front of him at the rail, her back to his chest, and wrapped her up tight in his arms. “You looked cold,” he whispered at her ear.

“Really?” she teased, giving him a glance over his shoulder.

“Mmm.” He pressed his lips to her temple, and she sighed. He’d have to unwind the scarf to nibble on her throat. Later.

They walked a little farther then grabbed a cab to Central Park.

“Hey! Hey!” a vender called out. “Come see! Something for de lovebirds.” His long black braids hung over the red and green scarf wrapped around his neck. He held out the wares he was hocking. “Five dollars.”

Mia took the plastic globe he held out and turned it in her hands. Tiny white bits flew around the cheap depiction of Central Park. She turned it again, shook it. “I was sure it would snow tonight.”

“There’s your snow.” Nick handed the man a five and linked his fingers with Mia’s again. “Come on.”

They walked until they were alone, away from lights and people, and crossed a short bridge. “I wish it was snowing,” she said as they stopped midway.

“Not cold enough for you?”

“It is, but it’s so beautiful when it snows. I don’t like the cold, but I do like it when it’s coming down. Not the blustering flurry kind, but the big flakes. They fall so slowly, it’s like you can watch something coming straight down from heaven and landing at your feet.”

“I’d say it’s exactly like that.” He dipped his head and took her mouth in a long, drawn-out kiss. Then he pulled back and brushed a hand over her cheek. “You shouldn’t get cold. You’ll get sick.”

She pulled his head down for more. “I’m not cold.”

They kissed again, absorbing everything the moment could give them. It was always there, the heat, the want. The time apart had no effect.

He laid his palms over her cold ears. “You live in Boston. You should have a hat, for God’s sake.”

“I forgot it. I think I was distracted when I was packing.”

He remembered. He’d been doing some very creative distracting.

“Just another minute.” With her eyes squeezed tightly shut like a child making a wish, she shook the globe again, and he laughed. She grinned up at him, and he took the globe from her, held it above her head. “Just pretend.”

Before his lips touched hers, a heavy white flake fell right between them. Another landed on her shoulder, and another settled softly on her head.