Don't Forget

“I didn’t think you’d come.” Connor said pulling out her seat for her.

Mia sat and watched as Connor took his seat, “I almost didn't.” She felt sexy and she knew she looked sexy as well. The thin cotton blue dress she was wearing looked like it was painted on in the ways that it hugged her curves just the right way.

“You couldn't resist me?” Connor smirked. He wore a black suite with a red silk tie. That coupled with his clean shave and the haircut she’d given him. He looked like a million bucks as well. Mia had already built her resolve to not fall for his charms.

“No I thought I’d give you a fair shot since Eric is coming to New York.” Connor's smirk left temporarily. She took a sip of her water, “Consider this your chance to explain.”

“Explain what?” Connor said looking at his menu.

“Why did you leave?” Mia said, “I mean I know I was dating Eric at the time but”-

“You would have left your Wonder Boy for me?” Connor dramatically touched his chest, “I’m touched.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.” Mia said, “But if it makes you feel better to think that way go right ahead. Why did you run?”

“You've really grown up huh?” Connor said.

“You’re not answering my question.” It was Mia’s turn to smirk, “It must be seriously juicy then.”

The waiter came and they gave their orders. They were in a diner. They used to go to diner’s all the time back in the day. After spending the day in Connor's playing games they’d go out to a diner and after that take a walk. Weird butterflies and electrified touches ran a muck. This time was different though. The game had changed; they were on an even playing field this time and Mia wasn't going to lose.

“Your answer Mr. Butler?” Mia persisted.

“Are we going to spend the entire night reliving ancient history?” Connor said.

“Well what else is there for us to talk about?”

“How about you and your shop.” Connor said, “You come to New York and manage to make your mark with in your first few years. That’s pretty remarkable.”

Mia shrugged, “I like what I do.” Mia said, “It was pretty hard to get funding at first but your training has come in handy.” Mia traced her sharply manicured finger nail down her perspiring glass, “Really I owe a lot of my success to you.”

“You give me much more credit than I’m due.” Connor said. Their drinks arrived and he sipped his coffee before he continued, “You have a talent for cosmetology and you’re tenacious. I’m glad others see what I've always seen.”

“That’s a huge compliment coming from you.” Mia said smiling at Connor, “You’re the most tenacious person I know.”

“If I remember correctly it’s one of the things you love about me.”

“Or I used to love, before you ran away.”

“You really wanna know?” Connor said exasperatedly.

“Yes.” Mia said.

“Will you drop it after I tell you?”

“No promises,” Mia said, “But we’ll at least be able to move on with the rest of the evening’s festivities.”

“Do the evening’s festivities end with you in my bed?” Connor smirked.

“Excuse me?” Mia laughed a little.

“If you say yes maybe it’ll loosen my tongue a little about certain events in our shared past.”

“I’m not negotiating my vagina with you, Connor, so you can just drop that right now.”

Connor shrugged, “It was worth a shot.”

“How are you such a horn-dog after all these years.” Mia shook her head as she sipped her soda.

“I’m not a horn-dog, I’m the horn-dog.” Connor said “Maybe even your horn-dog.” His tongue brushed briefly across his bottom lip, and Mia felt herself begin to heat under his gaze as it wandered down, “And you know it, why else would you wear that dress.”

Mia fidgeted with the back of her hair, something she hadn't done since she was in high school. She looked down at the table.

“I think we’re getting off topic.” Her voice was smaller.

“I think we’re finally on topic.” Connor said. His hand closed over hers and Mia shivered.

Dammit Connor… When had he reduced her to that teen-aged girl with a crush? When has she lost control? It was time to get it back. Mia pulled her hand out of his.

“If you’re my horn-dog, why did you leave me hanging in an airport?”

“Because I didn't want to be yet another predator.” Connor said. Mia’s heart pounded, “I was the one who put you back together after all the shit Jason did to you remember? We were close friends, and that was fine. Then I saw you with Wonder Boy”-

“Eric,” Mia corrected, but Connor didn't miss a beat and continued.

“And it made me lose my mind...Things changed for me, but I couldn't be the one to do that to you again.”

“But”-

“Don’t try to reassure me it would have been different because that’s bullshit.” Connor wasn't looking at Mia, he was looking through her, “I’m not nice, sometimes I don’t think I have a heart. You didn't deserve to be yet another notch, you deserved to be the one. Eric could give that to you.”

“And now?”

“Now you've grown up,” Connor looked her in the eyes again, “You know me, you know what I want. It’s up to you.”

“Why is it up to me?”

“It’s always up to you.” Connor snorted, “Guys like to pretend they have control, but really you make the final decision. So?”

“We’ll see.” Mia smirked. She liked the idea of Connor surrendering control to her.

“That’s all you've got for me? We’ll see?”

“Yep,” Mia said, “It’s not no.”

Connor smiled, “No... it’s not no…”