Page 16 of Mateo & Nicole

Mateo’s hand dropped to his side. That easy smile returned as if their conversation had never happened. “What about me?”

“What have you been up to?” She’d noted that he didn’t wear a ring, but in his line of work, she wouldn’t be surprised if he chose not to for safety reasons. She figured he wasn’t married, but he could be dating someone. If he was, she couldn’t imagine anyone approving of him shamelessly flirting with her.

It would be best to get to the bottom of it now so she could kick her desire for him once and for all.

“Are you wanting to know about my exes? Because I don’t have a kid.”

She scoffed. “You’re the one who chose that line of questioning. It’s only fair you continue it.”

His grin was almost a wicked one. “Okay. No kids. No marriages failed or otherwise. I only came close that one time, and up until recently, I had no intention of going down that path again. Is that enough information for you?”

“Until recently? What changed?” She only realized she’d spoken the question aloud when he ended up answering it.

“Because up until now, I haven’t noticed anyone who is worth risking my heart for.”

Something weird was taking place in her stomach, consuming the sour and bitter mixture there and replacing it with a jittery, floaty feeling. He wasn’t talking about her, was he?

There was no way she was going to ask him. Talk about embarrassing.

She lifted her chin as if in defiance. “Good luck with that.”

He inched closer still, his voice lowering until it held a husky quality to it. “What about you? Any prospects?”

Nikki barked out a laugh. “Prospects? You mean, have I met anyone I’d jump into the fire for after dealing with my husband falling for someone else and telling me I no longer interested him?” She knew she shouldn’t be directing her anger at Mateo. None of this was his fault. He was just her boss. She should be falling at his feet and thanking him for helping her. And yet, she couldn’t keep the venom from her voice.

Unexpectedly, his alluring grin faltered, and he frowned at her.

“To answer your question. No. And I have zero intention of seeking anything out.” She turned to leave him, but his hand wrapped around her wrist, immobilizing her with his touch. Nikki stared down at where he touched her, and she froze as the warmth from his touch seeped deep into her bones.

“Nikki—” he whispered.

“Mateo, you have anything else to add?” Daniel’s voice called, and Mateo released her as if he’d been burned. He glanced over to the men, and she chose that moment to escape him.

The whole situation was weird, and she needed to clear her head before she let any wayward thoughts take over—more specifically, thoughts of Mateo being anything more than an old friend.

8

Mateo

Mateo couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation he’d had with Nikki on that first night. He’d made a couple attempts to speak to her again over the next week so they could clear the air, but every chance he got was thwarted.

Sometimes, she slipped away like she had that night. Other times, they were interrupted by Mark or Jason. And occasionally, Daniel—who couldn’t read the room.

Nikki’s ex was an idiot. How could any man not see the treasure they had in a woman like her? These days, most of the women Mateo had come across were vapid more often than not. People were judgmental and conceited. They married for two reasons—money or a trophy.

Caroline had proved that to him from the beginning; he just hadn’t realized it until it was too late. She had actually done him the best favor by failing to show up for their wedding ceremony. Good people were hard to find and even harder to keep. Whoever this Dennis guy was, he didn’t deserve Nikki.

And you do?the voice in his head seemed to ask.

Mateo pushed that thought away as quickly as it had come. As far as Nikki was concerned, she could be his friend—she was his friend. And he didn’t want her thinking that she was worth less just because some guy didn’t want to stay with her.

Two guys, he reminded himself. Idiots. The both of them.

He stood in the back of the cafeteria at breakfast, watching the men that Daniel oversaw eat their first meal of the day. He was determined to speak to her, and the only way he saw that happening was if he started eating some of his meals here with the other men in his employ. Sophia seemed to be the only one who noticed that he had been missing from the occasional meal with the family, but she’d been smart enough not to mention it outright.

Daniel was the last to arrive, and he stopped short as he entered the building. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be taking a drive to the city first thing this morning.”

That had been something on his list, but he’d opted to postpone it. The supplies he needed in the city weren’t going anywhere.

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