MIA FELT GOOD. LIKE, REALLY GOOD. SHE’D HAD SUCH an amazing time today with Nathan, Wendy and Jamal. Plus, she was pretty inebriated, so that didn’t hurt.

They’d hit four wineries and she’d had plenty to drink. She laid her head back on the plump leather of the limo and closed her eyes, and before she knew it she was asleep. She slept the entire ride back to the lodge, only waking when Nathan jostled her.

Ugh. Now her mouth felt like cotton and she had a headache. She went upstairs to her room and downed two full bottles of water and popped some pain reliever. She lay on her bed and closed her eyes for about half an hour. When she woke, she felt immensely better. She texted Nathan, who passed along information about their dinner reservation, which was in an hour.

Plenty of time for her to get ready. Wendy had made a reservation at a Michelin-starred restaurant with an amazing view, so Mia took out the fancy black dress and her heels. Since she was wearing Wendy’s silver bracelet, she chose a long silver chain necklace to go with it. The dress scooped a little low in front so the necklace would bring attention to her cleavage—what little she had. Then again, she wouldn’t mind that at all considering the teasing she and Nathan had been doing today.

And what exactly was she doing with Nathan? She didn’t have an answer to that, nor did she have the time to ponder it because there was a knock on the door. She opened it and tried not to suck in a breath as Nathan stood there wearing black slacks and a white button-down shirt.

“Wow,” he said as he looked her up and down. “You know, even dressed casual like you were earlier today, you take my breath away, Mia. But in that dress? Damn.”

As compliments went, that one made her warm all over. “Thank you. You look incredible.”

“Hey, thanks. So we both look hot.” He held out his arm for her. “I’d like you to be my date tonight so all men will be jealous of me.”

“You do realize I was already going with you tonight.”

“Yeah, but we’re the third and fourth to Wendy and Jamal. And we’re friends. I want you to be my official date, the woman on my arm. The incredible beauty who only has eyes for me tonight, and I’ll only have eyes for you.”

She laughed. She couldn’t say no to that, especially with the way she felt. “I accept.”

Wendy had arranged a limo again, so they rode in style to Auberge du Soleil, a restaurant perched on top of a hill. The views of the valley were spectacular.

“I could stare at this view all day and night,” Wendy said as they walked up to the restaurant.

“It’s amazing.” The hilltop where the restaurant was located offered stunning views of Napa hills and valleys. She wondered how the restaurant got their guests to leave. If it were up to her, she’d stay for hours just to gape at the vistas.

They were fortunately seated at a table right by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which meant the expansive scenery was theirs for the duration of their meal.

“This is stunning,” Mia said to Wendy as they sat. “What a wonderful suggestion.”

Wendy nodded. “One of my clients mentioned it to me when I told her I was planning a trip up here. She said we had to eat here so I made sure to make a reservation right away.”

“Good call.”

They were given the wine list first. She and Wendy studied it and decided on a bottle of sauvignon blanc. Even the guys decided to have wine tonight, which made Mia happy, though she knew Nathan was only drinking it to please her.

“You can have beer or something else if you want,” Mia told him.

“Wine sounds good. Plus the food’s fancy. Wine will go better with it.”

He was right about that.

They were presented with the menu, and Mia’s mouth watered. The food options looked remarkable.

Wendy leaned over. “What are you having?”

“I think the duck. How about you?”

“The veal, for sure.”

Their dinner was a four-course extravaganza. It was a good thing they’d eaten light during the day because this was going to be huge.

“Tell me about your work, Wendy,” Mia asked after they’d ordered and the wine had been poured.

“I’m a financial advisor. I do retirement planning and investing as well as insurance. Not nearly as exciting as your work.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. You’re working with your clients’ futures. Plus, money. Money is always exciting.”

Wendy laughed. “True.”

“But neither of your jobs are as fun as ours,” Jamal said.

Wendy shot him a glare. “Oh, please. You run around for a few hours once a week, sweat, roll around in the grass and catch a football. And for that you make millions of dollars.”

Jamal grinned. “I know. Isn’t it great?”

“You’re like an overpaid child.”

Jamal leaned over and brushed his lips across Wendy’s. “Nuh-uh. A very hot, talented, sexy man.”

Wendy rolled her eyes, but she kissed him again. “Okay, I’ll give you that.”

“Come on, you two,” Nathan said. “Don’t make us move to another table.”

Jamal laughed. “You need a girlfriend.”

Nathan leaned back in his chair and put his arm around the back of Mia’s chair. “I have a date tonight.”

“Oh, so now you two are dating?” Wendy asked. “I thought you were just friends.”

“We are,” Mia said. “I’m his pretend date for tonight.”

Wendy frowned. “I’m confused.”

“She looked hot,” Nathan said. “So I asked her to be my date tonight so all men would be jealous of me.”

“And I said yes.”

Wendy shook her head. “I don’t understand you two.”

Mia smiled. “We’re an acquired taste, Wendy. You’ll get used to us.”

“Mia and I go back a long way.” Nathan slid his fingers across the back of Mia’s neck. “We’re friends, yeah, but there’s also some magic chemistry between us.”

Wendy took a sip of her wine and leaned forward. “Magic chemistry? Do tell.”

“Not much to tell,” Mia said, trying to ignore the shivers skidding down her spine in reaction to Nathan’s touch. The last thing she wanted was to give Jamal and Wendy the idea that Nathan and she were a couple. “We’re friends. Really good friends.”

Wendy arched a brow and Mia knew what the unasked question was.

“Unfortunately, not with benefits,” Nathan said.

Jamal laughed. “Too bad for you, buddy.”

Nathan leaned over and nuzzled Mia’s ear. “That could change anytime you want it to.”

She picked up her wineglass and took a sip. “Or not.”

He swirled his thumb over the back of her neck, giving her goose bumps. “You know I want to change your mind.”

She hadn’t been this relaxed in months. And she felt really good. Her body tingled with the need to be touched and kissed. She realized there wasn’t anyone else she wanted touching her but Nathan.

So she leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Give it your best shot.”

She was testing the waters and maybe she was opening up Pandora’s Box and she’d regret it. But she’d said the words and she wouldn’t take them back this time. She was tired of the back and forth and maybe she just wanted Nathan.

No, there was no maybe about it. She did want him.

So now that it was out there, she’d see what happened.