Page 61 of Wicked Fortune

“Yeah?” My question is so soft, it’s a wonder he can hear me.

But he can, and he nods, then grins. “Where exactly have you been the last couple of days? Because if that’s not something you picked up on, I’m going to have to rethink your role as my PA. I mean, I need an assistant who gets me.” He reaches for my hand. “I thought you got me.”

I match his grin, feeling both full up and very light all at the same time. “I think I do. But I’m certain you’ve got me. And that you get me, too. Does that count?”

His brow furrows as he sways from side to side as if pondering some internal debate. “Judges say yes.”

“Well, good. I’m glad I’m still in the game.”

“In it?” He squeezes my fingers. “Baby, you won it.”

For a moment, we just look at each other. It’s one of those moments that seems removed from both time and reality. “Is this—are we—I mean, we’re moving awfully fast.”

I regret the words the moment I say them. I don’t want him to pull back. And not because I need to be close if I’m going to find out what happened to Jenny. This moment is only about Matthew. And me.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I make up my own rules. And I think we’re moving at the speed of us.”

I tear up a bit, delighted by his words. “Yeah. I guess we are.” I hesitate. “Except …”

His eyes narrow, and he strokes the pad of his thumb lightly along my hand. “No. No exceptions.”

“It’s just that I don’t think Lila likes me. And I have a feeling that the speed of us isn’t something she’s going to understand.”

“She’s my receptionist, not my mother or my shrink or my relationship counselor.”

I notice that he doesn’t deny my assessment as to Lila’s utter lack of love for me.

“But she’s also my right hand,” he adds. “I won’t fire her. There’s too much history there.” The corner of his mouth quirks up. “She knows where all the bodies are buried.”

His tone is teasing, but I go cold nonetheless. I take a sip of coffee, then look at him over the mug. “And how many bodies are there?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “But I battled Hardline into existence. And for every person who looks at a plot of land and sees a historic battleground, there’s someone else who looks at it and sees a graveyard.”

He reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “My rise in this business was fast but legit. I may have killed my competition, but only metaphorically. Don’t worry,” he says, “Once Lila gets to know you better, she’ll like you just fine.”

He says it, but I don’t believe it. It doesn’t matter, though, because I trust Matthew. More than I ever thought I would.

Hopefully not more than I should.

I take another sip of coffee, trying to wrap my head around how I feel about this man. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I arrived for movie night, and yet it feels like we’ve lived a lifetime. Like he is—and always has been—right by my side.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he murmurs, his voice low and rich, a vibration I feel all the way to my toes.

I glance up, meeting his gaze. “I was just thinking about how you make me feel.”

“Yeah? How’s that?”

“Like I’m safe.” I hesitate, feeling a vulnerability that almost scares me. But he’s here, watching me with those fathomless eyes, and somehow I know I can be honest. “Like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

“You are,” he says simply, his words wrapping around me like a promise.

For a moment, neither of us speaks, and I let myself bask in the quiet intimacy of the moment. Then, of course, I have to dive back into deep waters. “Lila,” I say. “You really think she doesn’t want you back?”

He shakes his head. “There’s no back. I told you, we weren’t together that way except for the one time. And that was a drunken, celebratory mistake.”

“It’s just that … well, it’s obvious she doesn’t like the idea of me and you.”

“She’s protective. We go way back, and without her I never would have gotten my first films made. We made a good team, but …”