Page 68 of The Liar

She inclined her head. “I take your point. What did Thackery do or say to earn your distrust?”

“According to Beth, he frequented Neal’s poker evenings.”

“Ah.” She ate another piece of bread. “We have no evidence linking the poker games to Ortez’s illegal activity, but I can understand your hesitation.”

I continued my meal, trying not to let on how much I appreciated the fact that she’d listened to me rather than immediately jumping to Thackery’s defense.

She sighed, her palms flat on the table. “So, we don’t tell either Hanson or Thackery. We continue to trust only each other.”

My heart stuttered. She trusted me?

Her expression grew wary, as if she realized what she’d said, but she didn’t take it back. Perhaps she trusted me in a professional capacity but not a personal one. Even if that was the case, I’d accept it. When it came to Joanna, I’d gladly take whatever I could get.

I stood, rounded the table, and held my hands out to her. Hesitantly, she took them. I pulled her to her feet.

“Thank you.” My voice was thick with emotion. “It means more than you know that you’re allowing me even the slightest bit of trust. I won’t let you down.”

To my surprise, she didn’t snatch her hands back or glower. If anything, her lips curved slightly upward.

“You’d better not.”

My smile grew. “I spoke to Mamma earlier tonight. I’m under orders to make things right with you and take you to meet her.”

Her lips parted, and she didn’t seem to know what to say.

My heart pounded out her name. God, she was so beautiful.

I cupped her cheek. “May I kiss you? I understand if the answer is no, but—”

Her lips pressed to mine, stealing the last of my words.

19

JOANNA

I moaned against West’s mouth, breathing in his familiar minty scent.

The way he’d been looking at me…

Holy crap, the way he’d been gazing at me as if I’d handed him the world made me believe—finally—that not everything between us was a lie. He really did have feelings for me. He cared. And while I was absolutely the wronged party in this scenario, he’d been hurting too.

I relaxed into his embrace, and when his tongue traced the seam of my lips, I parted them and shivered as he deepened the kiss.

West consumed me. His kiss, his scent, his possessive grip on my hips. He surrounded me. I couldn’t breathe without sharing his air. I couldn’t move without savoring the delicious friction between our bodies.

However hard I may have tried to keep a distance between us, it was time to admit the truth. My stupid heart belonged to West. Whether his name was Gallo, Conti, or something else.

I was his.

But then, just as I was sinking into the moment, he pulled back.

“Don’t,” I murmured, tugging him closer. If he gave me time to think, I might decide that this was all too much, too soon after his betrayal. Better not to take the chance. “I want you.”

He kept his lips off mine. The inches separating us felt like miles. “Are you sure? There’s no hurry. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

“I’m sure.” I pressed myself against him, urging him to continue.

Please don’t make me stop and think this through. For once, I don’t want to be sensible.

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