Page 68 of Twisted Beauty

“Do too.” Katie dragged her into the kitchen. She poured two shots, handed one to Liv, and went to sit down in the living room. She fluffed up one of the many multicolored pillows piled on the couch, and patted it for Liv to sit down.

Liv plopped down next to her and almost spilled her drink doing it. “Too wet outside?”

“Definitely. Now, start talking. And drinking.” She clinked her glass to Liv’s and took a sip. When Liv did the same, Katie’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, what the eff are you wearing?”

Katie leaned closer and Liv followed her shocked gaze to the spot where Lita’s necklace hung against her chest. She glanced up at Liv with a look that would have been more appropriate if she’d had a dead animal rotting on her chest.

Liv lifted the pendant and twisted it in the light, making it sparkle and glow. “This?”

Katie nodded.

“Tito gave it to me. I think it’s beautiful.”

“That’s…wow…I mean…”

Okay. She’d never known Katie to stammer. “Care to elaborate?”

Katie shook her head. “I recognize it is all. Tito showed it to me once. It belonged to his wife, you know? Supposed to be like the necklace version of love potion number nine. You might want to be careful with that thing. And by careful, I mean take it off and drop it in the ocean really far offshore so it can’t come back and find you.”

“Oh please.” Obviously Katie didn’t need to be drunk for her imagination to run wild. “You make it sound like a Chucky doll. It’s not wielding a knife. And anyway, you don’t really believe in all that magic stuff, do you?”

“I’m just saying.” Katie reached out toward the pendant, and then whisked her hand away like she’d been burned. “Doesn’t hurt to be careful. Tito wants to marry off Matt, and you seem to be at the top of his list. That’s not what you want, right? I mean, it’s way too soon for that. You need to live a little. It would be a total nightmare if this thing makes you fall in love with him.”

It would, wouldn’t it? When she walked out of that editing room and away from her entire life, Liv made herself a promise. And she wasn’t about to forget it now. No way was she jumping into another relationship so soon. She needed this time to figure out what she really wanted, in pretty much every aspect of her life—starting with her career. Eventually, maybe one day, there’d be room for love.

But there was no law that said she couldn’t enjoy incredible sex with a hunk like Matt in the meantime. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. And a chunk of metal around her neck, however pretty, certainly wouldn’t make her fall in love.

“It’s only on loan. Tito tried to give it to me, but Matt went a little nuts when he found out.”

“Smart man.”

He was. Smart, sexy, gorgeous, great in bed. He even liked her photography. Crap. Maybe she really should take the pendant off. “Well, it’s not mine. So I can’t exactly throw it in the ocean.”

Katie held out her hand. “Here, give it. I’ll string it over Hector. He’ll protect you.”

“The demon thingy hanging outside my room? No thank you.”

Katie reached for the chain and pulled it over Liv’s head, scraping it over her chin and tangling it in her hair.

“Ow. Cut that out.” Liv grasped her wrist. ”You’re tearing out my hair.”

“Quit being so grabby. You’ll break it.” Katie wrenched the necklace free and disappeared down the hallway, presumably to hang it from one of Hector’s evil horns. She came back empty-handed and sat down.

Liv glared at her. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You can thank me later. So spill already. Is he big all over? Does he have a size XXL magic wand down there?”

“Seriously? You just stole my necklace and now you expect details?”

“I just did you a favor, and now you owe me.” Katie flashed her a huge smile. “I want all the details.”

Liv made a production of rolling her eyes, but Katie kept staring at her expectantly. Finally, she gave in. “Fine, yes. Big all over. Happy?”

Katie squealed. “I told you! You can’t ask for a better rebound than that.” She lifted her glass in another toast. “Doesn’t even matter that he’s a jerk then, right?”

How much should she admit here? Probably not that he’d given her his raincoat to go out in the storm, or that he’d carried her across the street like some knight in shining armor. Definitely not how sweet he was to his cousin and his elderly neighbor. And a big fat no to waking up with him, feeling all warm and protected. Because none of that sounded particularly meaningless.

She shrugged. “He’s not always a jerk.”