Mia Found (Starting Fires Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

met you at your car.”
    “ It isn’t heavy.”
    “ Let me take it anyway.”
    Oh, I like that . His dress shirt was pushed up to his elbow and I sighed when his muscles flexed under my bag’s weight. By the time he opened the door for me, I was swooning.
    For a townhouse, his place was large. A big living room as soon as you walked in. A dining and kitchen past it. High ceilings and a balcony above us.
    “ There are two rooms upstairs,” he said. “You can sleep in the extra one. I’ll have to go to bed early. My flight leaves at 4 a.m.”
    “ That’s awful,” I said.
    “ Yeah.”
    “ Where are you going?”
    “ Panama City.”
    “ Florida? Why?”
    “ The firm has a sister office there. I’m thinking of relocating.”
    “ Oh.” Oh. “Uh…when would you be doing that?”
    “ Not sure if I am. Right now, I’m just helping them out.”
    I would have asked further questions but a large, shaggy horse came down the stairs. “Is that...?”
    “ Ferdinand,” he said. “He’s an Irish Wolfhound. See why I said your place was too small?”
    “ Uh, yeah. He wouldn’t even be able to turn around in my living room! Hey Ferdinand,” I said, bending over to give his head a rub. He was excited, his tail wagging fiercely behind him. A soft whine came out of his mouth as he licked my hand.
    Paul smiled. “He likes you.”
    “ Well, that’s good. We’ll be spending a lot of time together over the next few days.”
    It was just after eight and Paul quickly showed me around his home. He left me a list of everything I’d need to know about caring for Ferdinand on the kitchen counter. Upstairs, Paul’s bedroom door was closed and he didn’t show me what was inside. The room I was sleeping in was across the hall.
    “ Feel free to watch TV or use the internet, but I need go to bed. It’ll be a long day tomorrow.”
    “ Yeah. Sure. Uh, I hope your flight goes well.”
    He smiled and surprised me with a full hug. My hands landed on his back and I smiled into his chest.
    “ Thank you for doing this,” he said, looking down at me.
    “ Anything you ever need,” I said and rubbed my hands down his back.
    He immediately stepped away and opened his bedroom door. “I’ll text you when I land in Florida. Good night.” The door closed before I could respond.
    He was such a conundrum. One minute he looked at me like I was a glass of ice cold water and he was a man dying of thirst. The next, he could barely stand to look at me at all.
    Feeling frustrated I went to my room and changed clothes. I left the bedroom door open, thinking maybe he’d come to me in the middle of the night. It was such an outlandish fantasy. And I knew better than to hope.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    WHEN I WOKE THE next morning, a large, hairy weight was pressing in on my side and I rolled over to see Ferdinand beside me. “Hey boy,” I said. He whined, his tail whacking my leg. “Ouch,” I laughed and pushed the covers back. I had class the first half of the day, work the next. In between, I’d have to stop by Paul’s to take Ferdinand for a walk. Downstairs, I went to the kitchen to make breakfast, letting out a girly gasp when I walked in the room.
    On the counter was a single flower. I wasn’t even sure what kind it was. The petals were a pretty purple. It sat atop a note that said, Thank you, Mia. I’ll see you Saturday.
    I smiled and gave it a whiff. He must have picked it from one of the gardens outside his townhouse.
    Ferdinand had followed me into the kitchen and I reviewed Paul’s instructions. The big dog ate his food quickly and then I took him for a walk around the neighborhood. Several of Paul’s neighbors stopped and stared, probably wondering who I was.
    Ferdinand was a recognizable breed. One wouldn’t forget seeing this mammoth strut down the street. I liked letting them wonder. Maybe some of them believed I was Paul’s new girlfriend. The thought alone made me blush.
    “ What do you think, boy?” I asked the dog.