Page 36 of Twisted Beauty

“Did she now?” Matt said.

Katie withered briefly under his glare before regaining her composure. “I told her it was a secret.”

“You never said that,” Liv said.

“If it was a secret, that means you don’t tell anyone either, doesn’t it?” Matt folded his arms and waited for the excuses or the attack.

Katie sighed and gave Matt a resigned look. From Katie, that was practically an admission of guilt. “Well, you guys should come back inside. Nate’s looking for you, Livvy. He says you owe him a dance. Awesome music, don’t you think?”

Matt hadn’t noticed the pounding of techno until just that second.

“People are dancing?” Liv said. “Count me in.”

He caught Liv’s eye and raised an eyebrow. Was she really going back in to dance with someone else after that kiss?

Then he decided she should. That would be for the best. Whatever this was between them, it wasn’t going to end the way she wanted. She’d just gotten out of a bad relationship with a man she was supposed to marry, that much he knew, and he didn’t want to be the next guy in line to crush her dreams.

“Tell Nate I’ll be there in just a minute.”

Katie stared at Liv for a second. “Fine.”

As soon as she was gone, Liv combed her fingers through the hair he’d just tangled, straightening it out and letting it fall down her back. “You don’t mind if I go dance, do you? I mean, this…” She ran her hand back and forth between the two of them. “This was just the beer talking, right?”

Well, that he wasn’t expecting. It felt like a punch in the gut.

But at least they were on the same page. “Of course, what else would it be? I’m not in the market for a relationship, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Liv smiled. “I wasn’t asking.”

She strolled inside and he wanted to hit something. Nate’s face, to start with.

Matt swore under his breath and polished off his beer before heading inside. He didn’t give a shit what Liv did. She could dance with every guy here if she wanted. But he didn’t need to stay and watch.

The techno blared and at least half the party was dancing in the middle of the living room. Matt headed for the exit. Before he reached the stairs, he caught a flash of auburn hair swinging on the dance floor. Liv had pulled it into a ponytail.

He paused to watch for just a second, and saw that Nate had his hands all over her. Matt balled his fists at his sides. It wasn’t even that type of a dance.

Fucking predator.

With any luck, Nate’s shoddy workmanship would collapse beneath him and he’d land somewhere in the restaurant below. Preferably on a double burner in the kitchen.

Liv looked up and locked eyes with Matt, and her smile faded. Pulling his gaze from hers, he headed down the stairs and out into the street. He needed air.

9

Liv

What Liv needed was some fresh air. Or maybe exercise. Something to take her mind off that party last night.

It was only eight a.m. and she’d already showered, finished her coffee, and polished the living room floor with her pacing. She couldn’t wait any longer for Katie to wake up.

She scribbled a quick note and stuck it to the fridge with a Frida Kahlo magnet. She grabbed her camera and caught a taxi to the Cultural Center, Centro Cultural Cuale, a huge park on the east side of downtown. The driver dropped her off at the edge of the park and she headed in.

She’d read about all the artwork here—wall-sized murals, quirky skeleton statues, local artist co-ops. It sounded like a great place to photograph. The perfect distraction.

But even that didn’t stop her mind from replaying that kiss over and over, like a scene from some epic romance. Though her version was probably closer to porn. Her body pressed against the solid planes of Matt’s chest, the scrape of his stubbled jaw beneath her hand, his fingers threaded through her hair. And the way his tongue tangled with hers. God, she could still feel his big hand on the small of her back, molding her body to his.

She’d barely slept. And now her heart bumped against her chest unevenly and her breathing felt shallow. She was walking around in public, damn it. She had to stop thinking about this.