Page 74 of My Secret Bandit

My annoyance had less to do with Mateo wanting to test his body and more to do with my fear he’d get hurt again.

“Hey,” he said, his fingers slipped under my chin, lifting my sight to his. “I’ll be careful. I promise and, in a few hours, I’ll be rushing back here because I won’t make it another minute without being next to you, touching you, kissing you, hearing you laugh.” A sweetness covered his voice that matched the gleam in his eyes.

“Your smooth words won’t help you right now.”

“Had to give it a shot. I gotta go. For real this time. I love you. I’ll miss you and I will, one million percent, be as careful as I can be.” Pulling me in, he squeezed his arms around me while mine hung by my sides. “Hug me back, damn it.” He laughed, then hissed when my grip tightened around his bruised side. His head nodded to the side. “I deserved that.”

“No, you didn’t,” I admitted, lifting to kiss his cheek. This wasn’t a fight I was going to win, so I buckled down my frustration and headed for the door. “Hey!” I yelled with my grip around the metal handle, his head popping back over the car’s hood. “I love you.”

He smiled big, battling the sun for which could be brighter. “I love you too, baby. Have a good day.”

I probably sent him a dozen messages in the first couple hours I sat in my office. Reminding him not to push himself too hard. Asking for updates. He responded to each one by sending me a shirtless, sweat-glistened, bruise hidden selfie. A new piece of gym equipment displayed in each background and a sexy, up-to-no-good smile with appearances by Xander, Quincy and a handful of other players.

I sent the picture of Xander and Mateo to Sierra.

Sierra: I don’t know if I hate you or love you.

Before I could respond, she blessed me with another message.

Sierra: How do I put in a request for more?

Sierra: Fuck it. Send me his number, I’ll ask myself.

Offering the perfect distraction from my boy crazy best friend, Jeffrey came into the office. Only when I fully took him in, he looked just as crazy as she sounded. He rocked side to side, cradling an unopened bottle of scotch like a newborn baby.

“Next time you see Pretty Boy, tell him I love him.”

I gave him a short laugh. “Yeah. I’ll be sure to do that.”

Xander made good on his promise to send Jeffrey a thank you gift. The large cellophane-wrapped basket waited on the reception desk before most of us even got in this morning. After sneaking a peek and doing a bit of research, it was a “rare” triple malt scotch and only cost a cool thousand bucks a bottle. Lucky for me, most of the offices sat empty, so no one heard the“what the fuck”that slipped loudly through my lips when I saw the price tag.

*text notification*

Mateo: If you’re not still upset with me, I’m outside and ready to kiss a smile back onto those pretty lips.

The drive to Mateo’s parents’ house felt long, or at least my nerves had me thinking we were hours into a cross-country road trip.

“Where do your parents live again?” I asked, shifting in my seat for the umpteenth time, trying to find a comfortable position.

Mateo laughed. He squeezed my thigh. “Sarasota, and they will love you. So please.” His other hand left the steering wheel long enough to give me asimmer downgesture. “You’re fidgeting is makingmenervous, and they’re my parents.”

“Well, keep me busy then. How was your workout?”

“It was good. I’m not sore or anything. I think I’ll be okay tomorrow. Although… that could just be the endorphins. Ask me again in a few hours.” He looked away from the road to give me a wink that I repaid with an eye roll.

“I could’ve gone without that last part.”

“But you’re so cute when you’re worried,” he teased.

“Xander was right. You’re a shithead,” I joked. “And obviously, I mean that inthemostlovable way possible.”

He responded with a hearty laugh that filled the car.

“Hey. Can I ask you something?”

“Always,” he said, looking over to me, taking in the quick change in my voice.

I wanted to ask about his sister. I didn’t want him to think I was trying to snoop, or jinx anything, but I needed to know. It’d been weighing on me since Xander’s accidental slip, but now didn’t seem like the time to do it. Maybe later. When I wasn’t preoccupied with wanting to make a good impression on his parents.

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