Love Resisted (The Real Love Series) (18 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY

MIKE felt his stomach rumble, which was only magnified by the pressure of Allie’s head against it. She giggled and turned her attention from the television up to him. “Are you trying to tell me something, Lawson?”

“Apparently so. You hungry?” he asked.

“I could eat; you got something in mind?” she asked as she rolled to her back, giving him her full attention. They had spent the weekend together and Mike still couldn’t believe she was trying. There had been little resistance on her part, and even though he wanted to do a victory dance, he was containing himself. He wasn’t overly cautious or anything, just acting like himself, but his concern was there. She had spent last night with him at his place again, and he wondered if she would again tonight. Of course, it was easier to convince her last night because Zane wasn’t home, but tonight, he would be. He was walking a fine line between coming on too strong and scaring her away, and giving her too much space where she could flee.

Nodding, he said, “I’m in the mood for Italian. Ever been to
Sanfillipo’s?”

He watched as she thought about it, brow furrowed. “Don’t think so, any good?”

“Let’s go, and you can check it out yourself. My family has been going there for decades so I’m a little biased.”

“I’m game,” Allie said as she began to sit up from the couch. Reaching out for her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her onto his lap. She let out a squeal and instinctively wrapped her arm around his neck.

He smirked. “On second thought, I’d prefer to keep you right here instead.” Leaning in to press a kiss to her lips, she smiled at him.

“Are you trying to withhold food? You can’t dangle the promise of Italian food in front a girl and then take it back. I don’t care how cute you are, I like food.”

He laughed. “So you’re admitting you think I’m cute.”

“Oh, don’t act like you don’t know that smug smile of yours seems to have powers. Now feed me,” she replied, poking him in the side.

Sighing, he stood with her in his arms and set her gently on her feet. “Okay, I’ll feed you. But you should know that I am only letting go of you because it would be difficult to drive otherwise.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Is what I’m wearing okay?” she asked as she moved her hands down her clothing to right them after lounging on the couch with him. He took in her black Bermuda shorts and tank top, thinking how adorable she was and he nodded but then reconsidered. “You might want to get a jacket, I wouldn’t want you to get cold.”

Allie’s responding smile was electric. “I’ll be right back then.” She grabbed her keys and phone off his table. He watched her leave and fought the need to follow her, realizing how nervous he was when she was out of his sight. Now that he’d seen her relaxed and comfortable with him, he didn’t want it to go away. Moving about his place to lock up, he had just changed his shirt and come back downstairs when she returned.

She had slipped on a thin black hoodie and had obviously freshened up. The shiny texture of her lips made him want to kiss it right off of her. Walking up to her, he slipped his wallet and phone into his pocket and grabbed his keys. Grabbing her hand, he lifted it to his lips for a kiss before saying, “Now let’s feed you.”

Sanfillipo’s was a family-run restaurant that Mike had been coming to since he was in high school. Growing up, and then into his adult years, any combination of his family members could be found there more than once a week. The atmosphere was warm and inviting in typical Italian restaurant style. There were red-checkered tablecloths, the walls boasted pictures of Italy, bottles of wine could be found decorating the spaces between sections, and there was even the customary candle glowing on the tables.

The front of the restaurant had windows that ran the length of the tables, allowing diners to sit and watch people walk by. It was located in a section of La Mesa that would be considered its “downtown” and was lined with smaller non-commercial shops and restaurants. There were events that took place on that stretch of road that drew great crowds all year round, from car shows during the summer, to Oktoberfest in the fall, and even a
Christmas holiday one. The fact that the trolley ran right through the area drew bigger crowds.

Opening the door, Mike showed Allie in and was enveloped in the mouthwatering scent of food he had been enjoying for years. After warm greetings from the staff, they were promptly shown to a window table where Mike pulled a seat out for Allie. Once they were seated, Allie picked up a menu and asked, “So what’s good here? Should I be letting you order for me?”

He smiled at the thought. “Do you like pasta or do you prefer pizza?”

“Can I have pasta covered pizza?” she asked with grin.

He huffed a laugh. “That’s an interesting thought, but no, I’ve never seen a pasta covered pizza on their menu before. How ‘bout we get a pizza and full order of pasta to share?”

Allie closed her menu, and setting it on the table, she said, “So long as there’s pepperoni on the pizza and no anchovies anywhere, I’m game.”

“Deal,” he said as the waiter approached and took their order.

ALLIE and Mike had just placed their order and received their drinks when a woman appeared at the end of their table. Looking up from where she had just put her drink back down, she met a set of blue eyes, which strongly resembled Mike’s, smiling down at her. Mike must have been doing something on his phone, because it took him a
few extra moments before he noticed the woman, who was clearly related to him.

“Oh, hey Paige,” Mike said as he got up to greet her. “What are you doing here?”

Paige hugged Mike back and smiled at him. “Same as you, getting dinner.”

When Paige and Mike separated, she looked back at Allie and said, “You must be Allie. Hi, I’m Paige, Mike’s sister.”

“If you would’ve given me a second, I would’ve introduced you,” Mike grumbled as he took his seat again.

Allie extended her hand to shake Paige’s. “Yes, I’m Allie. Nice to meet you Paige.”

“Nice to meet you, too. I hate to seem rude, but I better go grab a table before my husband and daughter make it inside. As soon as she sees Mike, I won’t be able to keep her away, and your dinner will quickly go from quiet conversation to the Hannah show,” Paige said with a look of exhaustion and Allie couldn’t help but smile. She was about to tell Paige she knew exactly what that was like when a squeal and a flash of brown curls darted past them and landed directly in Mike’s arms.

“Uncle Mike! I didn’t know you were coming, too. Where is Zane? Does he still have my balloons?” Allie assumed this was Hannah as she watched the little girl unleash a multitude of questions on Mike as she proceeded to climb into the seat next to him. “I brought my crayons, but I want to play with a dough ball, too. Will you help me make
a pretend pizza? Mommy says we can’t eat it, but I like to make it anyways.”

Allie couldn’t help but smile at the ball of energy that just made herself at home squished right up next to Mike. He just smiled down at the little girl and attempted, unsuccessfully, to get a word in. Hannah stopped to take a breath and was about to launch into another stream of words when she spotted Allie. “Who are you? Do you like to color? I brought my crayons with me. Hey, you have purple hair!”

Allie didn’t have a second to respond before the little one got out of her seat and began to separate the chunk of purple hair from the rest of Allie’s hair. Paige and Mike both tried to rein Hannah in as a man joined Paige at the end of the table. Allie put up her hand to stop their forward movement toward Hannah.

Allie said, “Hi Hannah, my name’s Allie. I’m a friend of your uncle’s, I love to color, and yes, I have purple hair.”

Hannah had gone quiet as she stroked the strands of purple hair and said, “Wow … it’s so pretty. I wish I had purple hair, too.” Allie thought the sound of reverence in the little one’s voice was adorable. Looking up to Mike, she could see that they were all watching as Hannah admired Allie’s hair. He smiled and said, “Well if I would’ve know that purple hair was all that was needed to quiet down Hannah Banana, I would’ve dyed my hair years ago.”

Paige snorted and said, “Tell me about it.” Reaching down to her daughter, she pulled her away from Allie’s hair.
“Baby, it’s not nice to pet other people’s hair. Please apologize to Allie.”

Allie chimed in, “Really, it’s fine. She’s adorable.”

Hannah smiled up at Allie and then climbed into the chair next to her as she declared, “I’m sitting next to you instead of Uncle Mike.” Then she reached across the table and grabbed the purse she had left there, and proceeded to pull out her crayons, settling in for the evening.

When Allie glanced back up, she introduced herself to Paige’s husband, Brett, before turning back to color with Hannah. With a smile in his voice, Mike said, “Looks like it’s a table for five now.”

Paige placed her hand on Allie’s shoulder and asked, “Are you sure? She can be quite demanding.”

Allie just laughed and said, “Mike and I spent most of last week entertaining my nephews. I am certain that I would enjoy some kid time with a little estrogen in it.” Pausing, she shrugged and continued, “Besides, she loves my hair, so she clearly has great taste.”

Paige smiled and Mike added with a wink, “Clearly.” Then everyone went about making room around the table for five. Additional food was ordered and Allie spent the next hour coloring and doing cute girlie stuff with Hannah.

MIKE knew immediately that his sister approved of Allie. How could she not? They say that children are a great judge of character, and if Hannah’s instant taking to Allie wasn’t a good indicator, nothing was. Over the course of
the evening, Mike watched as Hannah wrapped Allie around her little finger.

He had seen her with her nephews and had marveled with how close they were to her, especially since she would do all of the boy stuff with them. She had no problem playing tackle football, she knew all the videogames, and they respected her. Now seeing her attentiveness to his niece, it further emphasized how great she was with kids, and it made him wonder why she wasn’t a mother. Of course, losing Marc was a key reason for that, but he wondered if it was by choice that they hadn’t had kids, or just that they ran out of time.

When the food arrived, he watched as she helped Hannah with her spaghetti because she wouldn’t let anyone else do it. They were able to share a look here and a wink there, but the meal wasn’t the intimate time he had planned. Not like he hadn’t had her mostly to himself all weekend, but he knew that when it came to Allie, he was going to be a selfish bastard.

They all finished and were saying goodnight to the owner, Dora, who’d stopped by their table, when Hannah finally made her way over to him and said, “Allie says she
’s going home in your truck. I want to go home in your truck too, Uncle Mike.”

Swooping her off the ground, he held her in one arm as his
free hand sought out Allie’s to lead her from the restaurant. Once outside, he said, “Well, as much as I would love to take you home in my truck, Hannah Banana, tomorrow is a work day. You have to go home and get ready for bedtime.”

Little eyebrows furrowed as she glared at him. Mike heard Allie giggl
e next to him, as he said, “Don’t be mad, kiddo, you’ll see her again soon.”

Apparently not believing him, Hannah looked to Allie for confirmation. Allie giggled again as she stepped close and gave Hannah a tickle. “Your uncle is right, silly girl. Your mommy invited me to watch fireworks with you on the Fourth of July.”

This was news to Mike—great news—but the first he’d heard of it. He must have missed that part of the conversation she had with his sister. He watched as Hannah leaned forward and hugged Allie with a smile, before her father retrieved her from Mike’s hold. Allie’s hand was still in his as they waved at his sister and her family, walking in the opposite direction. When they made it to his truck, he opened her door and then pulled her against him in the private space it offered them.

She gasped and looked up at him as her free hand went to his chest. He silently stared at the beauty in his arms and smiled. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against hers. Just a quick touch of his tongue across her lip, then he pulled away. Although the contact was minimal, his body responded quickly. When she smiled back up at him, he said, “Thank you for enduring my family.”

Her body pressed into his as she said, “As if you haven’t had to endure all of mine.”

He smirked. “True, that family of yours can be a lot to handle sometimes.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him to her. “Just you wait, you haven’t endured a holiday pool party with them yet. You might want to start preparing for the Fourth of July because everyone comes to that party.”

“Will Gillian be out of the hospital?” he asked.

“Jake says she is doing great, and that her blood pressure is under control. So she’ll be sent home tomorrow with orders to rest for two more weeks,” Allie replied, nodding.

He laughed and asked, “She’s going to be on bed rest, yet we’re going to have a party at her place?”

“Of course. That’s how we role, Lawson,” she said on a giggle and kissed him on the lips before turning to jump in the truck. His arms around her waist prevented her escape, so he pulled her back against him tightly. Her body molded to his perfectly as he bent and let his lips find the sensitive spot of her neck, just below her ear. After a little nibbling, he felt her body squirm, responding perfectly. Using the arm around her waist, he pulled her back tighter into him as she pressed her hips back into his. Her breath stuttered and she let out a soft moan, just for him to hear. “Allie?”