Page 21 of Dirty Secret

"As for overcharging you, that was a desperate move. I'm ashamed of what I did. I wanted to keep you away from me. I got a call that day your pipe burst about my daughter. She requires a lot of help, and the way insurance is nowadays, I'm trying to find cash where I can. Not that I ever lied to a client before about the cost." Max waved his hands in the air.

"Until me."

Max frowned. It's not a look I enjoyed seeing on him. Not that he still wasn't sexy, but my heart hurt a little to watch the pain etched on his features.

"Yeah, until you. You have to understand I thought you would ask around. Get a second opinion and realize how badly I was overcharging you. So you would stay away."

"If you needed the money, why didn't you want me to hire you?"

He started to open his mouth to answer, but his words from before hit me.

"You said you fantasized about kissing me for months. You haven't known me that long."

I was confused and so very turned on. Max began to rub the back of his neck. The way his muscles bulged in that fitted T-shirt gave me the strong desire to cancel our discussion and move back to making out.

"I've seen you around the neighborhood." With a pause, his eyes travel to my lips. "You're hard to miss, Heidi."

That's it. We're going to kiss right now. I stepped forward, lifting my mouth to his. Max, sensing my lustful desires like a Bloodhound with sexy arms, stepped forward and took charge. Slipping his fingers through my hair, he cradled my head and guided me toward his lips.

But before I got the slightest taste of Max's sinful mouth, there was a knock at the door, quickly followed by Felipe yelling for me to open up.

The vag-blocker has arrived.

Our eyes widened with just inches between us. As if we could read each other's mind, both Max and I erupted in laughter. My laughter subsided within moments because it was obvious there would be no kissing, and I walked around Max to open the door.

With the most prominent and fakest smile I could muster, I said to the two males on the opposite side of the door, "Perfect timing." Felipe's eyes were bloodshot, and his usual seamless style appeared shabby.

A slightly chubbier, smaller version of Felipe ran to me, throwing his arms around my waist. "Heidi. I'm so happy to see you."

Warmth erupted from my heart. "It's great to see you too, Marco." I playfully rubbed his head.

He looked up with a broad smile, but something was missing. "Did the Tooth Fairy visit you?"

Marco nodded and pointed to the space where his top front tooth should be. "I got a gold coin for this one."

"A gold coin?" I glanced up at Felipe who was rolling his eyes.

"A Sacagawea coin," Felipe leaned over cupping his mouth to my ear, "not gold."

"Ah, well, that's pretty special," I said, but Marco had already run into the house.

"Who are you?" Marco said behind me.

I turned to find Marco and Max having a staring contest.

"I'm Max. I'm a neighbor of Heidi's." Max extended his hand toward Marco.

Marco pulled his arm back and swung it forward to give the biggest slap on Max's hand. Max winced, and I assumed it stung as he began to rub his palm.

Felipe moved to Marco and crouched down to his level. "Marco! You shake a person's hand, not slap it." Marco lifted his nose in the air. "But I always give high fives. It's my signature."

"That was quite a high five. My daughter and I have a secret handshake. Maybe I can show it to you sometime," Max said as Marco's eyes widened.

Felipe's right eyebrow raised as he turned a devilish grin toward me before mouthing the word, "daughter?"

I waved him off.

"We're going to the zoo. I want to see the pandas," Marco said to Max.

"I am taking my daughter, Kat, to the zoo today, too. Maybe we could all go together?" Max turned to me with a little hope and a lot of uncertainty in his eyes.

I was about to answer when Felipe piped up, "Yes. Heidi would love that."

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