Page 56 of Kiss Me

I sit up, a little surprised by his boldness. Keith takes Liza’s hand in his. She attempts to pull it back, but he’s not letting go.

“No, we didn’t do anything in your bedroom,” he continues. “Liza would never. But …” He looks at Liza. “Yes, we’re together.”

“We’re …” Liza hesitates. “Um.”

Keith frowns as he looks over at her.

Tania holds up her hands in the midst of Liza stuttering. “I believe you,” she says. “I know you wouldn’t do anything crazy like have sex in my bed or something. And there’s nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. I’m glad you’re enjoying the time off.”

She smiles at her assistant, patting her hands. “It’s your holiday season as well.”

Liza shakes her head adamantly, though, pulling her hands away from both Keith and Tania’s. She rises to her feet.

“No, that’s not what I’m here for, though. I’m your assistant and it’s my duty to make sure you’re taken care of,” she says as she starts pacing. “That’s the only reason I’m here.”

Keith rises to his feet. “What are you saying?” He goes to her, trying to take her hands again, but she pushes him away.

“I’m here to work,” Liza insists, looking between Keith and Tania. “Taking care of you and your ankle—” She gasps.

“Oh my gosh.” She runs to Tania, taking a seat in front of her from Tania’s seat on the coffee table across from the couch.

“Your ankle. How is it? You must need to elevate it or something to keep it from swelling.”

Tania peers over at me. The guilt in her eyes is apparent. Everything inside of me wants to protect her from any type of negative emotion. Especially guilt and shame when I know theonly reason she’s keeping up this ruse is to not let those around her and those who count on her down.

Still, I want to go back to that moment at the private slopes when it was just the two of us. When the smile on her face rivaled the wattage of the star at the top of the Christmas tree that we decorated together.

“The ankle’s fine,” Tania says as she clears her throat. “It’s on the mend. Don’t worry about me.”

“I have to worry about you. That’s my job.”

“That’s not your job,” I say, rising to my feet.

Three pairs of eyes come to stare at me.

I don’t give a damn if it wasn’t my place to speak up or interrupt Liza and Tania while they were talking. But hearing someone else say it was their job to take care of Tania doesn’t sit right with me. It hasn’t even been a damn week, but I know that I want to be the one to take care of her.

No, not in the way her assistant does, but in every other aspect of her life. Yes, it’s strange and makes no damn sense. But hell, it’s not like I ever understood shit about love before. I’ll be damned if I try to understand it now. I do plan to follow my instincts, though.

And my instincts tell me that Tania is mine.

“What?” Liza asks, looking between me and Tania.

“Right now, it’s my job to take care of Tania,” I tell her, doing my best to soften my voice to not frighten Liza. I know Tania cares for her assistant and wouldn’t like me scaring the hell out of her.

“Your job now is to enjoy your holiday. Just like Tania said.”

Liza begins shaking her head at the same time Tania stands from her seat on the table.

“Speaking of that.” She looks between me and Keith. “How do you two know each other?”

Keith’s eyes balloon.

“I paid him off,” I say, unthinking.

“What?” Liza shifts her gaze over to Keith.

“No, not like that,” he assures Liza, going to her.

---