Page 80 of Fierce-Matt

But people who lie about those things don’t own up to it and it was the first thing out of her mouth.

“What did you lie about?”

“First off, Calvin is their agent. He’s the imbecile that mansplains real estate to me.”

“The one that wanted you to give him your father’s listing?”

“That’s him,” she said. “He showed up ten minutes late blaming it on ghost clients like he always does. I was there earlyand his clients were too. They walked in. A lovely couple. Sally and Paula. They are artists and I could see their vision for the studio and gallery as they talked. My father had dreams like that once. He’d want the building to feel that presence again.”

“That’s a nice thought.”

“Nice thoughts don’t pay the bills, but it’s what I’ve got. That’s me being soft again.”

He ran his thumb over her knuckles. “There isn’t anything wrong with being soft. You can’t change everything about yourself and you shouldn’t.”

“I know. I won’t.” She told him about the conversation before Calvin arrived. “He lied to them I wasn’t around yesterday. He does that. Puts the blame on others. He lied right to their face about having other people interested.”

“Are you sure he didn’t and he hadn’t told you yet?”

“I’m positive. He also told them I hadn’t gotten back to him on their questions, which he’d never sent. By the time the visit was done, Sally and Paula were talking to me and ignoring him in the room.”

“He would have hated that.”

“He did. He talked down to me some more. Told me I had so much to learn from him. This is where I lied. I acted as if I completely forgot and told him I had a call tomorrow with a big retail chain. A direct sale. Someone reached out to me on the building and wanted to talk.”

“No one did?”

“No. I didn’t do it because I want him to rush Sally and Paula.”

“You did it so he didn’t dick them around,” he said. “I get it.”

“Exactly. It felt so good. I didn’t lie to the clients and never would. It was only to Calvin. I want them to have it if they can afford it. They said their funding was in place. My father will not negotiate. We listed a price and if we get a reasonable offer, we’llsell. Calvin would get them to offer higher and faster against imaginary clients he had. But he doesn’t know mine doesn’t exist, so now he’s got to play it differently.”

“That’s a little devious of you.”

“I know,” she said, smirking. “If it was anyone else, I’d feel horrible, but it’s him. I want those two women to have it and I hope he gives them the attention they deserve.”

“I hope for you too,” he said. “How about me? What kind of attention do I deserve?”

“What kind do you want?” she asked, straddling his lap.

She hiked her dress up to her hips to spread her legs around his thighs.

Her mouth moved close to his, her hands on his cheeks.

“I want everything, all of you,” he whispered.

She sat back before she kissed him, her eyes looking into his. “I’m not sure I’ve got it in me to give anyone everything, Matt. You should know that.”

Those words sliced into his skin like a machete through a tomato. He refused to let her see.

“I’m talking about sex.” He forced a laugh out. She smiled back.

“Well then, you should have said that.”

“I just did.” He stood up, her legs wrapped around him, then he walked to his room where he could shut her words out of his brain.

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