Page 82 of Fashionista's Playbook

Also, I wasn’t flirting with her, I swear.My pride stopped a few seconds before I said that out loud.Her sister hurt her deeply. I could see that pain in her eyes each time Elise spoke.

Moriah pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply. When she dropped her hand and opened her eyes, there were shadows there. “It’s not your fault—she’s just, a lot to deal with.”

“She was wrong.” I shrugged. “And it’s okay if you don’t forgive her.”

“She won’t even admit it’s a big deal.”

Then her cheeks flushed like they did when she worked up a good head of steam—or right before she came for me. I kicked that mental image away.

“This…this…bitchthought I was angry at her because I had a thing for Steven. And she married him anyway.” Moriah stalked to the window, then back to me. “I didn’t want him then and definitely not now.” She threw her hands up, scrunched up her nose, and made a gagging noise. “Not ever.”

“I’m glad.” I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from turning up. She was fucking cute when she was all pissed off.

She smacked me on the arm and went back to her angry pacing. “Everything always has to be about her. She’s too selfish to see past that, to acknowledge that her actions hurt other people.” She spun, her hair swinging behind her. “Even once I told her why I hadn’t spoken to her, she had the nervenotto believe me.” The last four words were punctuated almost violently.

“I’m sorry, Moriah.” To keep from feeling like a useless oaf, I moved to the window and leaned on a shoulder against the frame. “She was wrong then and she’s wrong now.” I thought of what they did to her, the pain she endured, and I wanted to hit something. Mostly, the brother-in-law.

There weren’t many people who disgusted me. Moriah’s sister had made that short list. Each time she spoke to me, I fought the urge not to boot her from my house.

But families were complicated, and I’d only make it worse. And that wasn’t what I wanted. Not for Moriah—for her I’d do anything to make life easier, to make her smile.

My head spun, making it hard to keep myself upright. That strong of an emotion was the thing that made a man go out of his way for a woman. Like Mom and Dad.

“Do you know how good it feels, to have someone say that to me?” Her large baby blues were shining with tears she hadn’t shed, and her face was hopeful. Like she waited a long ass time to feel validated. She shrugged. “And it’s not all bad. Your GM, Lincoln? He was really nice and helpful.”

“How helpful?” Competitive nature ran strong inside me. I wasn’t unused to jealousy. I knew exactly what the tightening in my middle was.

“Are you jealous, Madera?” She teased, the sadness already gone.

“Maybe. Come here.” I opened my arms and she stepped into them, snuggled against my chest as I wrapped around her. Holding her like this was something I could get used to.

“I want to slap her.” She mumbled against my chest.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You know, that idea turns me on a little bit.”

She hiccupped a laugh, then peered up at me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

When I slid my hands down her sides and over those delectable curves, she looked up at me—no longer about to cry. “As a heart attack.”

Moriah’s gentle laugh soothed the rough patches on my soul. “She’s your sister. That makes what she did harder to forgive and impossible to forget.”

“Is it like that with Vincent?” Calmer now, the redness was leaving her cheeks. She traced her thumb over my bottom lip.

The touch was made more intimate by the fact she did it unconsciously.

“Yeah.” Sometimes. “But if you keep looking at me like that, Mariposa, I’m going to have to kiss you.”

She bit her lip. “I mean, if you—”

I ducked my head and kissed her, as if a dozen people weren’t in the other room waiting on us. They didn’t matter, only Moriah did. She tasted of everything I could ever want. My hands slid up her shirt, craving contact with her bare skin.

The door creaked as it opened, and I whipped my head up as Elise stuck her head in. If I disliked her before, I hated her after the interruption.

“Sorry…. Everyone is waiting.” She glanced from me to Moriah, honest surprise lighting her face. “This is a thing between you two?”

“What gave you that idea?” I couldn’t resist the sarcasm.

“Don’t look so surprised, Elise. Balding used car salesman has never been my thing.”Moriah slipped from my arms and breezed past her sister. Leaving us both staring after her.

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