“Can I help you?” his dad asked whoever was on the other side of the door.
“Professor Jenkins, hello, is Wyatt here?” Wyatt’s heart leaped into his throat when he heard the voice, and he was up and at the door, pushing his dad out of the way before he had a chance to reply.
“Mia.” Her lips parted with a relieved sigh when he said her name, her eyes were red and puffy with circles under them and she seemed as if she was about to burst into tears.
“I can’t eat,” she began, only to be cut short when Wyatt closed the gap between them and pulled her in for a kiss. “I can’t ....” His lips were met with a content sigh. “…sleep, you’re…” His next kiss elicited a giggle. “Let me finish, mon Bête,” Mia scolded him fondly. “You’re everywhere I look, every time I close my eyes, I see you. I need you, Wyatt.”
The moment the last word was out of her mouth, Wyatt pulled Mia close, sealing his mouth over hers with a deep kiss. Tasting her, breathing her in.
“I’m sorry I said the word,” Mia said against his lips. “We’ll figure out how to get you your job at the hub back.”
“What are you talking about?” Wyatt looked down at her with a frown.
“Giles said you were back in America.”
“For a visit.” Wyatt suddenly realized what had happened, and the cocky grin Mia loved to hate spread over his face. “You thought I left for good and came after me.”
“Yes?” Mia’s cheeks turned red. “Didn’t you?”
“This was a planned vacation for my grandma’s birthday.” Wyatt couldn’t stop the laughter from bursting out of him. “I told you about it at least four times.”
Mia’s eyes grew wide, then her head dropped to his chest with a thud. “Putain.”
“I still appreciate the grand gesture.” Wyatt tilted her head up, locking his gaze onto hers. Mia’s eyes were void of the detachment that seeped into their relationship over the past few weeks, instead the fiery heat he had missed so much was blazing in her indigo eyes. “This is for real, right? No more games?”
“No more games,” Mia said, her palms smoothing up Wyatt’s chest and weaving into his hair, pulling him to her for another smoldering kiss.
“Aw, you two are so cute.” Kylie’s saccharine voice took Wyatt straight out of the moment, and his head swerved her direction with a menacing glare. She grinned at him, winking, and Wyatt mouthedI hate youbefore acknowledging the other two girls who were walking up the pathway with Kylie.
“Mia, you remember Kylie, and those are my cousins–Audrey and Olivia.”
“Nice to meet you,” Mia greeted the girls with a smile, her hands moving to Wyatt’s shoulders.
“I’m happy you two patched things up and that you invited Mia to Momma J’s birthday,” Kylie patted his head, and it was Wyatt’s turn to grin.
“I didn’t, she thought I left Oxford for good and came to get me back.” Audrey and Olivia sighed with starry eyes, but Kylie just gaped.
“You grand-gestured him?” She asked Mia, who stared at Wyatt in confusion.
“Oh, she grand-gestured me, alright,” Wyatt said with a satisfied smirk. “She even called in some unsavory favors to find out mom and dad’s address.”
“I did no such thing.” Mia glared at him as if he were insane. “I asked Giles, you gave him the address in case of emergency.”
“Oh, right.” Wyatt’s smile turned sheepish. “That makes more sense.”
“You’re an idiot.” Kylie rolled her eyes. “Do you guys have a place to stay?”
“What do you mean?” Wyatt looked at his parents’ house, then thought of all the ways he wanted to make Mia scream. “Right, point taken.” He looked back at Mia. “We’ll just go to your hotel room.”
“I never booked one.” Mia’s cheeks turned rosy again, and she cleared her throat. “I, uh, didn’t plan that far ahead.”
“Really?” Wyatt was overjoyed. He was also smug, knowing Mia was so out of sorts she couldn’t bring herself to think of something as basic as booking a hotel, but mostly overjoyed.
“Tu es une bête,” Mia said, pushing against his chest while the girls all doubled over with laughter.
“He really is,” Kylie said, still laughing. “Word of advice, though,everyonein our house knows French.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mia glowered at Wyatt, undoubtedly thinking about how she found outhespoke French.