Match Made In Paradise by Barbara Dunlop (black female authors TXT) 📕

said and pulled on the handle. With a satisfied grin, he opened it wide.

“You saved me again,” she said, admitting her appreciation.

He gestured to the inside, and she moved past him, turning at the last second before climbing in.

“Thank you,” she said.

He’d brought his hand to rest on the corner of the open door, so she was surrounded by him. It wasn’t a hug, nowhere near that, but she liked it anyway.

“No problem.” His voice was deep, his eyes intense. Now this would be a worthy good-night kiss.

She told herself to move, to turn away, to climb in, up on the seat and out of his reach.

“Here you go,” he said.

She braced herself, tipped her chin, closed her eyes. Here they went . . .

“Mia?”

“Yes?”

“Your keys.”

She opened her eyes to see them dangling in front of her.

“Right. Thanks.” Mortified, she took them.

She turned and climbed into the truck then, realizing she was soaked to the skin. She told herself he hadn’t noticed her intention, hadn’t guessed what she was feeling, what she was expecting from him, hoping for from him.

But there was no way he’d misunderstood, and she’d just made a complete fool of herself all over again. She quickly shifted across the bench seat. She concentrated on inserting the ignition key, steadfastly refusing to look back at him. Then she put her foot on the brake and started the engine.

“All good?” he asked.

She gave a jerky nod, far too embarrassed to even look at him, and he finally shut the door.

*   *   *

Silas knew he should have kissed her. Mia had been right there, practically in his arms, looking up at him both sweet and sexy.

Sweet. He laughed at himself for that thought. Mia wasn’t sweet. Saucy, yes, but not sweet.

“You going to take the shot?” Cobra asked him from across the pool table in the Bear and Bar Lounge.

Silas pulled back on his cue and sent the nine ball straight into the right-side pocket.

“Yeah, like that,” Cobra muttered, moving to a nearby table to take a drink of his cola.

It was coming up on eleven, and Silas didn’t have a flight until three o’clock that afternoon. Cobra was taking a rare day off, nursing a gash on his arm from the jagged edge of some sheet metal. He had seven stitches and an order to wait twenty-four hours before going back to work.

Silas checked out the table for his next shot.

The café door opened and caught his attention.

It might have been her image in his peripheral vision or a whiff of her perfume, or maybe a change in the energy of the room, but he instantly knew it was Mia.

He straightened to look, and her gaze met his.

She stilled.

“Mornin’,” he said easily, wondering how she remembered their parting from last night.

She gave him a nod and a casual smile.

That little smile transported him back to last night, her eyes darkening blue, her lips ripe and luscious, her face wet from the rain, and her chin tipped at the perfect angle. Man, he was losing his mind.

“Do we need a shot clock?” Cobra interrupted his thoughts.

“Hey, Mia,” Breena’s greeting was warm and enthusiastic as she scooted out from behind the bar. “I was hoping you’d come by today.”

Mia turned Breena’s way then, breaking her gaze on Silas. “I’m mobile this morning. I’ve got Raven’s truck.”

Silas dutifully looked back to the lay of the table, but his thoughts were still on Mia. He blew his next shot on the five, rebounding the cue ball, leaving the table in great shape for Cobra.

“Dude,” Cobra said, shaking his head in mild disgust as he chalked his cue.

Silas didn’t particularly care that he’d screwed up. There was nothing more than a burger riding on the game of eight ball.

Sure enough, Cobra made his last two shots and sank the eight ball. But more significantly, Mia and Breena were coming their way.

“Doubles?” Breena asked them. “Cobra, have you met Mia?”

“Hey, Mia.” Cobra moved to offer her his hand. “I heard you were visiting Raven.”

Silas found himself watching closely, gauging Cobra’s level of interest, checking for a sparkle in her eyes that could indicate something reciprocal.

Women liked Cobra. There was something about his size, strength and rugged looks that interested them. He was quiet, mostly a loner, and he didn’t pay much attention to their obvious flirting.

“Nice to meet you, Cobra.” Mia’s tone was even. It didn’t sound flirty at all.

“You play eight ball?” Silas asked her, trying to sound inviting, hoping to keep her around for a while.

“I know the rules,” Mia said, finally looking his way. “But I’ve never played much of—”

“I’ll take Breena,” Cobra said with a laugh.

Breena had played eight ball with them since she was a kid. She was good.

“Fine by me.” Silas would rather partner up with Mia than win the game.

It was also good to know Cobra was more realistic than Xavier. He might recognize that Mia was gorgeous, but he knew he didn’t have a chance. Not that Silas had a chance. Not that Silas wanted a chance.

He had to put kissing her out of his mind. But he did take the opportunity to sidle up to her. “Let me know if you need any pointers.”

“I think I’m okay.”

“Lag for break?” Cobra asked Breena, knowing she was good at placing a ball.

“Sure.” Breena stepped up to the end of the table.

Silas moved to stand next to her at the end of the table, placing a ball for himself and crouching for the shot.

“You’re not even going to offer it to me?” Mia asked.

Silas turned to give her a baleful look. “You want to take it?”

“No.” She raked her shimmering blond hair back into a messy ponytail. “A girl just likes to be asked is all.”

He fought a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Thank you.” She seemed satisfied with his answer.

Breena won the break and made her first two shots.

Silas courteously asked Mia if she wanted to go first, and she accepted the offer.

He stood ready to help her with her