Page 24 of Forget Me

She raised an eyebrow. Clearly, I’d vaulted over the protective wall she kept around herself.

“I…I mean, if you like. Or I can ask my aunt.”

She twitched her lips to the side. A maybe. I could work with that. What I wouldn’t give to see her in formfitting silk.

“And!” The thought flashed into my brain too fast to hold it in. “I’ll go with you. To the gala.”

Her eyes widened. I’d gone too far. I’d smashed through that wall like a sledgehammer. “I mean, as your date. A friend.”

She bit her lip, and I could not. Stop. Staring. I remembered how she’d nibbled my lip that night. How she’d tasted. But she didn’t remember any of that. I had to claw my way back to it somehow, and my gut told me the gala was the key.

“I don’t know…”

“I have a tux.” I didn’t, but my cousin had a whole rack of them in his closet, and we were the same size. “And I’m great with people.”

Both of her dark eyebrows shot up. It was the absolute truth although I was nothing but awkward around Mimi.

“And!” If I let her say the wordno,it’d all be over. I had to keep talking so she didn’t have a chance to say it. “I’m a fantastic dancer.”

She released her lip, and it popped back red and shiny. She narrowed her eyes at me. “Is that a euphemism?”

I fought to bring a sexy smirk to my lips, but it probably ended up looking pained. “Do you want it to be?”

“No. No.” Her cheeks went red, not blotchy like when Ben blushed, but a smooth wash of magenta across her cheeks and forehead. “But dancing? Do you think we need to dance at this thing?”

“Need to? No. Should we? Absolutely.” There was nothing I wanted more than to hold her in my arms, her face so close it was out of focus. I’d want to pull out my glasses to study her features like I’d done at the bar.

“I don’t dance.”

One corner of my mouth kicked up, and the words flowed out like water. “Hermosa, I’ll make you look good.”

Her gaze flicked to my mouth. She licked her lips. Then, surprising me, she grinned. “Am I supposed to take your word for it?”

Gracias a Dios. My flirting skills were back online. I raised my eyebrows. “Care for a demonstration?”

“Here? Now?” Her eyes darted around the tiny kitchen.

“Anytime you want. Ben can vouch for me. We danced on the island.”

Her mouth rounded into anO.“You’re gay?”

“Bisexual. But I promise, I never kissed your brother.” I’d thought about it the first time I’d met him, but I quickly found that although he and Miguelito weren’t together yet, my cousin already considered him his. And when I met Mimi, I discovered Ben was nothing more than a pale shadow of his vibrant sister. In an instant, I fell for her lush curves, her full, coral lips, the intelligent snap of her deep brown eyes.

She narrowed her eyes at me. What else could I offer her?

“I’ll bring you food. Whenever you want.” I gestured at her almost-empty plate. “And…and I’ll stop smoking.”

“Just so I’ll take you to this gala?” She tilted her head. “What’s in it for you?”

I had to use care in the minefield she’d set up inside her walls. “A chance to dress up, talk to people, and spend time with you. Besides, eating with a friend is better than eating alone.”

She was silent for a few seconds. Then a few more. Finally, she said, “Okay. It’s on Valentine’s Day. But that doesn’t mean anything. Understand? We’re just two people, dressing up for a free meal. A work-related free meal.”

“Friends,” I said, extending my hand across the table.

She nestled her small, soft hand in mine. I fought the urge to bring her fingers to my lips and, instead, pumped her hand once.

“Deal,” she said.

Reluctantly, I released her hand and blanked my face to hide the joy that wanted to stretch it into a goofy grin. “Deal.”

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