Page 2 of Fierce-Matt

“Don’t be a jerk,” Phoebe said, laughing and bumping her elbow into her brother’s. “But we know you can’t be any other way. And not everyone knows Elias’s name here.”

“You’re only fooling yourself,” Matt said. “Back to Anya.”

“I’m not sure what your deal is. You two never got along. She couldn’t stand you half the time when we were kids.”

He swallowed the vomit that threatened to climb up his throat hearing those words. What an idiot he’d been back then.

If only he could go back in time and change something.Anything.

He stayed as cool as the ice he’d once dumped on his sister’s back when she was lying by the pool. “She was your best friend. We aren’t kids. I haven’t seen her in years. I was only curious. I don’t know everyone here and Ben wouldn’t have invited her, so she must be with that guy on Ben’s side of the invites.”

“I didn’t catch the guy’s name,” Phoebe said. “He works with Ben. But Anya works at Fierce too. She’s a part-time bartender in the tasting room.”

“Oh,” he said. Guess he was out of touch on more than one level.

“Phoebe!”

His sister was called away by Eve, Ben’s new wife, and that left Matt standing by the table Elias was at. Rather than leave his sister’s boyfriend alone, he pulled out a chair and sat.

“You’re not obvious at all,” Elias said. His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

“What?” he asked.

“Your interest in Phoebe’s friend. I’m surprised she didn’t catch on, but she’s distracted today with the wedding.”

“No interest there other than curiosity,” he said, putting his drink to his lips again and looking around the reception.

“I’ve got a lot more siblings than you,” Elias said, leaning back in his chair. “And can easily see when one is skirting the truth.”

“Lawyers always skirt the truth.” He smirked. “You know that with Phoebe. What is it you call it? Redirecting.”

Elias laughed. “Guess it runs in the family.”

His sister returned so he took his beer and strode back to the head table.

He was about to talk to Ben now that the group of people thinned out around the bride and groom when the music switched to a slow song.

Since he’d been watching Anya, he immediately noticed the dude she’d been fast dancing with pull her into his arms.

He set his beer down without thought, some of the liquid sloshing out over the aggressive movement, and changed direction to the dance floor.

“Just cutting in,” he said. Matt nudged the guy out of the way and put his hand in Anya’s, then held on tight so she couldn’t walk away.

There was more shock than disdain on Anya’s face. He’d take that any day after what his sister just told him.

“I figured you’d come talk to me and should have known it’d be done in a rude manner.”

Shit. He’d done it again.

There was no way out of this other than play it up.

Matt smiled. “Why change what you were used to with me?”

“Why indeed?” she asked, laughing. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. Though they were still clear as day, they were also ice cold.

His hand holding hers loosened his grip, the other on the hip of her black dress was slightly resting there and not firm enough to keep her in place. He didn’t need to come off as an animal.

There was heat in his palms from where they were touching her body and that only reiterated the attraction was strong as ever.