Page 115 of Forget Me

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MATEO

I should have known betterthan to hope to get my hands on Mimi in the green room. We were stopped as soon as we stepped off the dance floor.

“Mimi! Mateo!” Marlee, Jackson’s assistant, whisper-shouted under Jackson’s speech. “That was unbelievably romantic. You two are together now?” She clasped her hands under her chin, grinning widely.

I tugged Mimi’s hand and reeled her into my side. “We are.”

Mimi gazed up at me, her beautiful brown eyes snapping with her impatience to get me alone. But I could hardly believe that private, army-of-one Mimi had announced her love for me up on the stage. I needed to hear it a dozen more times before I truly believed it.

Marlee squealed. “I’m so happy for you guys!”

“Sweetheart.” A tall, rangy guy in glasses slid an arm around her waist. “I, ah, think they might need some alone time.”

“Oh.” She blinked. “Of course you’re right, Tyler. I’ll find you later, Mimi. I want to hear all about it!”

As Mimi tugged me away, she muttered, “Marlee loves love. I’ll never hear the end of this.”

We’d almost made it out of the ballroom when Ben stepped into Mimi’s path, Miguelito by his side. Ben held his arms out wide, and we had no choice but to step into his embrace. He crushed us together.

I heard him whisper in Mimi’s ear, “I’m so happy for you.”

He released her but held onto me. “I adore you, Mateo, but if you ever hurt her, I’ll ask Cooper to disappear you.”

I yanked out of his grip. His eyes twinkled, but was it with humor or malice?

“I love your sister,” I said.

“I know. I love her, too.”

Mimi stepped in front of me, bristling. “Stop it, Benny. I’m a big girl, and I know what I want. And it’s Mateo.”

She wrapped her arm around my waist, and it was only natural for me to sling my arm around hers. For support. Because she’d just cut my knees out from under me.

“Say it again, Mimi,” I murmured.

“I love you, Mateo. I want to be with you.” She squeezed me tighter.

Her words braced me enough to shoot Ben a triumphant look. He folded his arms and leaned back into Miguelito.

I hardly dared to look at my cousin, but I couldn’t help it. I needed his approval. And to check that he wouldn’t “disappear” me, whatever Ben meant by that.

Miguelito nodded at the pair of us. “You fit well together. Take care of each other.”

It didn’t feel like he was giving us an instruction so much as he was stating a fact. I landed a light kiss on Mimi’s upturned lips. “We do. We will.”

Jackson’s speech must have ended because the band started to play. And as much as I wanted a few minutes alone with Mimi, this was the best chance for me to get away from the well-wishers while I got my hands on her.

“Come on, Mimi. Let’s show them our dance moves.” I grasped her hand and towed her to the center of the dance floor, where I laid my hands lightly under hers.

“You remember?” I asked.

She smiled up at me, and everything about her glittered, from that amazing dress to her smoky-quartz eyes. “I remember it all.”

“Good.” I counted us off, and we began to move.

We started with our feet, the simple steps bringing back the muscle memories we’d formed at the club and then again at my place. Then I dipped my hips. When Mimi did, too, I almost swallowed my tongue. The slit rose high on her leg, and all I wanted to do was touch the smooth skin of her thigh and watch her shiver.

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