Page 31 of Just One Silver Fox

“Yes and no. People grow and change. We stay in touch, though. Calls at Christmas, celebrations, stuff like that.” He flicked her a look. “Don’t you keep in touch with people from high school?”

“No,” Sonia admitted, dropping her gaze to keep him from guessing too much. Nate was perceptive. “But I didn’t have a lot of friends in high school.”

“Get out. I thought you would have been prom queen.”

“No.” The suggestion almost made Sonia laugh, but Nate was waiting for a reply. “We moved a couple of times and by the time we started at our last high school, everyone already had their groups of friends established.”

Nate waited and she felt she should say more. “Katia met Tommy in high school and they’re still friends. She goes to book fairs and trade shows with him and kind of works for him. She also lives in his massive apartment on the Upper West Side.”

“Was that the party you went to on Valentine’s Day when you switched places with Katia?” His tone was neutral. He stole a cherry tomato from the salads she was making, and tossed it in the air, catching in in his mouth.

“Yes. That was the one.”

“You sound like it wasn’t a good time, Cleopatra. No one to beguile?”

Sonia decided to share a bit. “Not exactly. This guy came on to me and I was flattered, until I realized he thought I was Katia.” She left out the bit about the guy in question being Nick, her high school crush.

Nate winced, then shook his head as if saddened. “Where do you find all these dumb losers who can’t tell the two of you apart?”

“You were fooled by Katia at the F5F party.”

“Not really. I knew there was something wrong. I thought you were drunk because I couldn’t think of any other reason for the change. If I’d known you had a twin sister, I would have understood what was going on right away.”

Sonia studied him. “You really think you can tell us apart?”

“I know I can. You’re beautiful and she’s not, at least not to me. Easy peasy.” Nate shrugged as if his words were less important to Sonia than they were.

“But we look the same now, except for my tattoo.” There were her scars, too, but Sonia didn’t want to talk about them.

Nate shook his head with surprising vigor. “No, you don’t look the same. It’s your character. Yours shines through. No matter what physical traits you had, you’d be beautiful, Sonia. Don’t imagine otherwise.” He said this with such conviction that Sonia believed him and it made her feel a glow inside. “I don’t think it’s even possible that I could ever find Katia beautiful, no matter what she wears.”

Sonia was amazed. Most people had only been able to tell her and Katia apart because of their weight difference. “Did you get x-ray vision somewhere along the line?” she asked, teasing him.

Nate laughed. “Not hardly. Come on. What’s the next job, boss lady?”

“This,” Sonia said and took the step between them. She reached up to touch Nate’s face and watched the heat fill his gaze as he realized what she was going to do.

“Twenty-two minutes to go,” he murmured, eyes glowing. “How will we fill the time?”

“I have an idea.”

“I see that you do.” Nate smiled, just a little, then bent down to meet her halfway. The kiss was exciting and yet inevitable in a way that warmed Sonia to her toes.

It was exactly what she’d been waiting for.

* * *

The assholewho had treated Sonia badly had been the guy she’d met at the Valentine’s Day party. That had probably been her last night out since the lockdown had started after that, and the loser had confused her with Katia. Nate couldn’t believe anyone could be so stupid.

And if Sonia needed reassurance that she was gorgeous and sexy, Nate was more than ready to give it to her.

Even if it meant they failed Meal Kit 101.

He had zero issues with calling for pizza.

But Sonia was clearly watching the clock. She had his belt unbuckled in nothing flat. She cast him a smile as her hand closed around him and caressed him so sweetly that he felt dizzy.

Nate closed his eyes. “I’m starting to see the merit of fast,” he managed to say. Her touch turned purposeful, as if she was driving toward a goal. Nate knew she was, but it felt different than the last time. He couldn’t think straight enough to name why. Instead, his blood was simmering and he found himself gripping the counter when he felt her hair across his skin. He pulled away to keep from coming too soon.

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