Page 33 of Twisted Beauty

Liv continued without waiting for a response. “Maybe I’m not supposed to know this, but Katie told me about your ex-wife and how much she hated it here. Did she say something directly to Tito? Did she upset him?”

Apparently Zach had a big fucking mouth. And he knew from experience that Katie’s was even bigger. Well, he’d deal with the two of them later. Matt shrugged it off. “There are plenty of people who aren’t fond of Mexico, for one reason or another.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Well, just so you know, I love it here. But even if I didn’t, I’d never criticize someone’s home. Or shop. Poor Tito. What did she say to him?”

“We’re not talking about my ex.” He should have stayed home tonight. By himself. No conversation. “Whatever she said or did is old news and I don’t think about it anymore. Tito has moved past it and so have I.”

Liv narrowed her eyes and studied him for a moment. “So throwing potential customers out of a shop you’re trying to save is your version of moving on? I guess that explains a few things.”

“That’s enough, Liv. I said—”

“You know, if you want to keep Americans like me out, you could just put out one of those doormats that says Go Away. Or, better yet, get one custom made that says Go Away, Gringo.”

A hint of a smile formed on her lips and Matt stared at them for a second, thinking how soft they looked even when she was being a pain in his ass. Then she broke out into a full grin, dimple and all.

He couldn’t help but smile too. “You might be on to something.”

“Cheers to that.” Liv lifted her cup of wine off the counter like she was planning to take a sip, but then set it back down.

“That bad?” He gestured toward the wine.

She glanced up at the stairs where Nate had disappeared and then returned her green gaze to Matt’s. “It tastes like apple juice,” she said under her breath, “mixed with soap.”

Matt laughed. He took her cup, dumped it into the sink, and set it back on the counter where she’d left it. “He’ll never know. How about a beer?”

She was standing so close, he could see the tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose and flecks of gold in her eyes. He glanced down at her full lips again and it took every ounce of willpower he had not to reach out and pull her mouth to his for a taste.

For fuck’s sake. Whatever she said, she was still the typical American and he’d already been down that road. He needed to get a grip.

“Beer sounds perfect.” Liv headed for the living room.

Matt stepped back and drew in a breath. He followed a safe distance behind her, trying not to watch her hips sway as she walked. He knew better than to get anywhere near someone like Liv, and yet he seemed to keep coming back for more.

So much for self-control.

She knelt down beside the ice chest, and he crouched beside her as she reached in and pulled out a Bohemia.

“You like dark beer?” In his experience, women rarely liked dark beer. Especially women who picked at salads and hated beef, but Liv wasn’t one of those either. He was starting to realize she wasn’t at all what he’d expected.

“I love it.” She looked at him and paused, studying his face. “Please tell me your ex-wife wasn’t a fan of dark beer.”

“Beer was beneath her.”

“Then you won’t go throwing it off the balcony. That’s such good news.”

He’d never live this down, would he?

Liv set the beer on the floor and leaned toward the cooler again. Her hair tumbled forward as she shuffled through a few different types of beers, studying the label of each. She was so close, her scent almost floored him. She smelled like strawberries. And sunshine.

She turned to look at him, and he wondered if she’d felt his eyes on her.

Finally, she picked the bottle of Bohemia back up. “This is definitely the winner. Is there an opener around here?”

“As a matter of fact, there is.” Matt pulled his keys out of his shorts pocket, took the beer from her, and popped the top off with the side of a key. He handed it back.

“Impressive, chef.” She flashed him a smile, sweet and genuine.

Heat spread across his body, and he decided he liked it better when she was pissed. He was safer that way, and so was she.