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The dressing room door swung open. To his surprise, Brendan felt himself moving protectively closer to Sonia.
A man in his thirties with wavy dark hair and an expensive-looking gray blazer stepped through the door with a smile. Brendan recognized him immediately: Marco, the interloper.
“Sonia? Excellent show. I really— Oh.” Marco’s eyes cut to Brendan, then the lilies in his hand.
“Can I help you?” Sonia raised her eyebrows. Impatience lasered out of her, and Marco seemed to shrink inside his blazer.
“I didn’t realize you had company. Sorry to interrupt. I— I’ll see you around.” Beating a hasty retreat, Marco closed the door behind him.
Brendan folded his arms. “Hope Marco’s not the jealous type.”
Sonia rolled her eyes, tossing the lipstick on the dressing table. “So that’s how you knew to get stargazer lilies. Byspying.”
The words burst from Brendan before he could stop them. “You think I wear a ‘mask’?” He made air quotes. “What about yours?”
“What do you mean?” Sonia turned to glare. “I didn’t want to see him. There’s no point in pretending I did.I’mhonest.”
“Sometimes.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh hi, I’m Sonia.” He mimicked her bored tone. “I’m so scary. I'm so mean. I'll eat you alive if you talk to me. I have no feelings.”
Sonia pressed her lips together. He couldn’t tell if she was furious or about to laugh. “This is who I am,Brendan. There’s nothing fake about it.”
Brendan’s head jerked up, and his whole body stiffened.
His name. For the first time, she’d said his name. Sure, she’d practically spit it in his face, but she’d said it.
“No, sunshine. That’s not you.”
“What makes you think you know anything about me? What makes you think you can call mesunshine?”
“You walk around like a storm cloud ready to burst, but I know that’s not the truth.” He had nothing to lose, so he plunged on. “From one liar to another, take it from me.”
Sonia’s eyes darted. Taking a chance, Brendan stepped forward one last time, closing the space between them. She sat perfectly still.
“I saw you, Sonia.” Reaching out with the flowers, he stroked the tip of a petal very lightly over her cheek. “Just like you saw me.”
“I told you,” Sonia muttered. “You could be anyone.”
“Then go ahead. Kiss me again. Kiss me like I'm just anyone.”
“You mean nothing,” she whispered. “There’s nothing inside you. No heart, no soul.”
“Show me.”
Sonia stared at him.
Then she was on him so fast that he couldn’t breathe. Jumping up, her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs tight and firm around his waist. The flowers were crushed between them. Her mouth was hot on his, her lips full, her teeth sharp as she bit his lower lip.
Shocked, Brendan’s arms came up to enclose her. Their tongues fought as they kissed, their lips frantic. Lightning really did strike twice, and he couldn’t believe it.
“I’m using you,” she breathed between kisses.
“Of course you are,” he whispered back. “I know all about that.”
His hands slid down from her waist to support her glorious ass. When he squeezed the rounded cheeks, she moaned.
