Page 15 of Dirty Secret

The silence from Felipe was too much. I broke the cookie in front of me until it was pile of tiny pieces. Why was my friend, who's never at a loss for words, not saying anything?

I rolled my eyes but kept attacking the cookie. "It's not like I talked to him about some weird porn that involved dildos shaped like Santa Claus and people wearing reindeer masks."

"My God, what things do you watch?" Frowning, Felipe shook his head.

"Nothing! I don't watch porn. The anime porn thing just fell out of my mouth," I said hoping to sound more respectable but realized too late, that it made me sound worse.

He stood pulling me with him. "Maybe we can fix this."

Felipe examined my outfit. That was good. I spent a lot of time this morning making sure I wore the sexiest clothes in my closet. Maybe this time my friend would be proud at my attempt.

"What happened to the outfit I picked out for you? It said classy but willing to get a little messy."

I glanced down at my threadbare T-shirt and shorts. "I didn't want to get it grimy. It was too nice."

He waved his hands. "I'm sure you have no problem getting this one grimy. It screams filthy."

Tugging at the hem of my shirt with sudden awareness of my exposed skin, I tried my best to explain my logic, "But men like sexy, right? I figured that—"

"Excuse me. Heidi?" Max's voice came from the entrance way. Felipe and I turned our heads at the same time.

"Hi, Max. Do you need my help?" A satisfying smirk landed on my face as I slid my eyes toward Felipe.

Maybe my outfit did work. There was frustration in Max's eyes. Was he upset he didn't have his new assistant? His sexy, dirty new assistant.

"No, it isn't that." Max's azure eyes bounced between me and Felipe.

That was when I felt a warm hand on my lower back and I went rigid. My head flipped up to find an expression on Felipe's face that I instantly recognized—his killer-lawyer face, the same look that told anyone near not to fuck with him.

As I attempted to shift away from Felipe's hand, he pulled me closer.

"Then what is it?" Felipe asked Max with his sharp lawyer tone.

Max's jaw tightened as he witnessed Felipe's hand slither from my back and curl around my hip.

"I have to go. I forgot there was another appointment I promised for today. I can pick this up, uh . . . tomorrow." His eyes remained glued to Felipe's hand.

"Okay. Thanks for everything. I'll be here tomorrow!" I said with a smile. "Completely ready to help!" I couldn't seem to stop my words when he didn't move or respond.

Max looked up and what I saw there broke my heart and made me want to strangle Felipe. His eyes held pain.

"Yup. Tomorrow." His words were abrupt and his escape from my home was even more so. Max was out the door like a gust of wind, taking my breath with him.

Felipe stumbled back after I shoved him. I didn't have a lawyer face, but I did have a I'm-going-to-kill-you expression.

"Great, now he thinks we're an item. What was that whole "this is my woman" move that you just pulled, and how was it going to get Max to go out with me?"

Felipe's shoulders trembled as he failed at holding back his laughter. "Because, Heidi, that man wants you."

"Even if he does, which he doesn't, he won't anymore."

I raised my arms, contemplating murder, but waved them around instead. Max didn't come across as the conjugal visit sort of guy.

"Trust me, Heidi, Max the plumber wants you and all your dirtiness." Felipe's smile grew out of control.

I didn't know whether to be worried or elated.

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