Page 75 of Close Match

“Mon petit oiseau chanteur,” comes a lightly accented voice from the other end of the line. “You are well?”

“Well enough.” And then she gives himmydimples. An unreasonable irritation starts to form. I lean against the wall, blatantly listening. “How’s New York?”

“Dimly lit without you, Linnie. Your formerla chorégraphiewas in my club last night. She was asking if I’d seen you since the incident at the Waldorf. She was quite…flustered…when I told her I don’t discuss my family.”

Linnie snorts. “Veronica was trying to get gossip about me from you? What a joke.”

“I know,chérie.” They both laugh. I want to move, to give her the privacy she deserves, but I can’t force my legs to work. The tone of this man implies a long intimacy with the woman I’m developing feelings for. And as much as I want to despise him for that alone, I applaud his protectiveness of her.

Linnie clucks in mock sympathy. “Did she screech when you escorted her out?” As if such behavior would automatically earn such retribution from the man on the other line.

“It was loud, yes. I still have ringing in my ears where I should only hear your lovely voice. When are you coming home?”

“Christmas, maybe,” she says. I blink in surprise. The last I heard she was going to ask her sister how she felt about spending the holiday here depending on what her doctor said about her due date.

“I thought—”

Linnie shakes her head with a glance in my direction. “Not now, Marco.”

“Very well. I’m sure we’ll talk later. Just let me know if I need to cancel my plans.”

“I will.À bientôt, mon ami,” Linnie concludes.

“À bientôt,” Marco blips off. Linnie holds her phone for another moment before I step back in front of her to regain her attention.

“Why don’t we go out to dinner and talk?” I say quietly. Her nostrils flare. Just as her mouth opens, I add, “We can run to Target and pick up a few things that you might want to get for Lorrie. You were right, and I’m sorry.”

Her shoulders slump, and I press my advantage. “There’s a great hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint that will feed you enough food for five days near Target,” I encourage her gently.

“Go away, Monty.” She turns her back to me to put her phone on the counter. I remain planted where I am, waiting for her decision. “If I’m going to eat my body weight in Mexican later, I need to work out for at least another two hours. No distractions.” She turns and gives me a mock glare, but the spark is again back in her eyes.

I’m not forgiven for storming in here like a braying jackass, but I’ll work on redeeming myself over dinner.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, then.” I head toward the door when she calls my name. “Yeah?”

“Marco’s my brother-in-law—Simon’s brother. We’re affectionate, and he’s very protective, but that’s all there’s ever been.” I turn and head back in her direction.

“You didn’t need to tell me that.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?”

“Because.” She bites her lower lip. “You didn’t ask. And I’d wonder if the shoe was on the other foot. Especially after our kiss.”

Lifting a hand to cup her cheek, I murmur, “I don’t know how you make a living as an actress.”

She shrugs. “I don’t play games with people I care about.”

Thank God for that. Leaning down, I nuzzle her nose. If I kiss her now, she’ll never get her workout in. “Two hours, okay?”

Her dimples pop out as does her smile.

And this time they’re all mine.

Forty-One

Evangeline