Page 5 of Rebellious Hearts

I just wanted her okay to join us so that I could get closer to Sofia.

Not just to get in her pants—but God, that would be a treat—I really wanted to know more about her. She was so intriguing, smiling a beat after I said something so that I knew her smile was meant for just me and it wasn’t a mask. Looking me in the eye when I talked. And that smile playing around her lips that made me want to kiss her every time she said it… fuck.

What was with me? I wasneverthis attracted to a woman.

But I’dnevercome across a woman like her.

I would have remembered.

She finally turned to me, her dark hair framing that angelic face, and her eyes were the color of mercury, an exotic contrast to her olive skin.

“Yeah, sure. We can join you for a while.”

I smiled broadly.

“Let me introduce you,” I said, nodding toward my table where Luke was watching me with narrowed eyes, and Amy rolled hers.

“This is Sofia and Elena,” I said, introducing the girls. “My best friends, Luke and Amy.”

Sofia sat down next to me, and Elena took a seat next to Luke. They started chatting right away—a good sign. Maybe I’d inadvertently set him up for a good night, too.

Amy glanced at me and then at Sofia, tilting her head while she did.

She was sizing Sofia up.

I knew what she would find—someone intriguing and mysterious, just like I did. Although… maybe with less chemistry than what I was feeling.

I chuckled inwardly at my really dumb observation.

“So, what do you do?” I asked Sofia.

“I work in business development, to summarize,” she said.

“To summarize?”

She grinned and took a sip of her cocktail. “Yeah, the full explanation is boring and we can’t have that on a night out.”

“Of course not,” I said and rolled my eyes before I grinned at her.

“How about you?”

“Sales,” I said. “To summarize.”

“You catch on quick.”

I shrugged. “I’m smarter than I look.”

That smile placed around her lips again, and fuck, I really wanted to kiss her.

Sofia turned to Amy, clearly not wanting to exclude her.

“What about you?” she asked. “How do you and Ben know each other?”

“Oh, my brother and Ben met in college, and since Luke is a package deal… here I am.”

“You’re married?”

Amy burst out laughing. “To that asshole? No way. I’m his twin sister.”