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Her stomach picked the right moment to let out a growl of hunger into the silent cab. She felt heat creep onto her face when Mateo laughed.
“I guess I should have eaten on the plane, huh?” she chuckled.
Mateo glanced at her before his eyes went back to the road. “We’ll go to the bistro in town. I have a hankering for a slice of carrot cake that Barbara makes. It melts in your mouth.”
“I could eat cake.”
Silence followed her admission until they’d pulled up outside the bistro.
She was about to step out of the truck, but Mateo grabbed her arm. When she stayed put, he kept his hand on hers and rubbed back and forth over the pulse in her wrist with his thumb.
“I just want to thank you for what you said back there. I know it must have been daunting, but I appreciated it, and so did they.”
“It was nerve racking, but it helped having you close.” She flushed at her admission and met his gaze.
His eyes flared with heat, and then he seemed to pull himself together and shook his head. “I’m glad.”
/> Jumping down from his truck, he ran around and opened the door for her. He didn’t wait for her to struggle out on this occasion like he always did with Caprice but, instead, he grabbed her hips and hauled her out.
She gasped in surprise and steadied herself by holding onto his arms. The whole thing lasted seconds before he released her but it had been enough to feel the heat of his body.
Her young untrained one had sparkled to life at his touch and her nipples were hard tight buds that pressed against her thin T-shirt. She pulled her hair forward to try and hide the effect he had over her, but when his eyes dropped to her chest, she knew that the hair didn’t hide anything.
He lifted his gaze to hers before his eyes dropped back to her chest.
Embarrassed, she turned and headed up the steps toward the Bistro door that called to her. As she pulled it open, footsteps behind told her that Mateo had followed.
She’d never had anyone stare at her like he just had. Her body had tingled from his gaze. But she hadn’t known how to handle such a situation, just like the time back in his apartment. She wasn’t shy, just unsure of Mateo and how he had looked at her. She’d managed as Caprice because she’d been playing a part. But now that she was herself, it made her feel awkward.
Inside, the owner, Barbara, wasn’t exactly horrible to her but she wasn’t welcoming either. If it hadn’t been for Mateo beside her, she’d have turned around and left.
“I’m sorry.” Mateo leaned close and tried to catch her gaze.
She focused on him and softly smiled. “You have nothing to apologize for. It’s my entire fault. Everything is.” No doubt wherever she went in town, she’d get the same response. They all hated her and she had no one to blame but herself.
“Stop that. Roger held your future over your head so you did what you had to do. We all see that. I wish things had been different for both of us, but it wasn’t and we’ll deal with it. Plus, after this week, you won’t have a reason to come back here so don’t worry about it.”
Her smile slipped and she nodded. One week, that’s all she had, except she wanted a reason to come back here again. She frowned as she watched him. She couldn’t blame him for wanting her out of his life but it stung that he sounded like he couldn’t wait to put the past behind him, her included.
If that was the case then why had he rescued her from his family when he obviously sensed that she was overwhelmed?
“What are you having?”
“What?” she questioned, having been lost in thought.
Mateo smiled. “Menu.” He waved his in front of her nose.
“Oh, sorry.” She quickly opened hers while Mateo watched her, a grin on his face. She glanced up at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I like seeing you flustered.” He grinned and looked down at his own menu before he placed it back on the table. “I don’t know why I’m looking when I’m here for the cake.”
“You’re always here for the cake, Mateo.” Barbara offered Mateo a frown before she turned her attention on Erin.
Mateo cleared his throat. “Barbara, this is Erin.”
The woman frowned and although Erin sensed questions on Barbara’s tongue, she kept her pen poised over the menu booklet. “What will it be?”
“Carrot cake and a large coffee for me, please, and Erin…”
