Page 42 of The Fiance Dilemma

Everyone in Josie’s Joint froze. Silence, thick and heavy, settled around the place.

“Matthew?” I croaked.

My fiancé’s saucer-sized eyes caught on mine.

He didn’t say a word. I didn’t think he could, with how heavy he was breathing.

Concern surged, and my gaze dipped, as if searching forwhatever was wrong instead of asking. It was a reflex. Something one does when alert. First inspect, then ask. Look for any signs of bodily harm. Last time someone had burst into Josie’s like that, they’d had a garter snake hanging off their calf.

Only there was no snake.

There was… skin. So much golden, smooth-looking skin. Arms. Big, toned. And… muscles that peeked out of one of those sleeveless tees you saw men working out in, in gym vlogs. I knew those well. And Matthew was standing there, at the entrance of my café, looking like one of the men whose thirst traps I pretended not to save.

I blinked, or maybe I didn’t. I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t think I’d ever been this dazed by a shirt whose sleeves had been ripped off.

“Now I get it,” Gabriel whispered from my side. I turned my wide eyes to him. He was smirking. “I would want to keep that just for myself too.”

A gurgly-sounding scoff left me.

“Good afternoon,” Matthew said, snatching my attention away from the other man… Just in time to catch his arm drawing a wave in the air. Every barely concealed muscle moved. “I apologize for the dramatic entrance. I was in what seems like an obvious rush to see my… Josie. My fiancée, Josie. Who’s standing there, looking beautiful and definitely not in distress or in any kind of life-threatening emergency that would have me sprinting here in slightly inappropriate workout attire, based on the looks on everyone’s faces.” He met my gaze. “Can we have a word,sugar snap?”

Every head turned in my direction in one single joined motion.

I should have cared. Probably. But it was funny how my brain was very selectively picking apart Matthew’s words and focusing on very specific ones.My Josie. My fiancée, Josie.

Who’s standing there looking beautiful.

Beautiful.

Some measure of heat climbed to my face. And those rounded shoulders he was flashing half the town must have done some damage to my brain cells because all I could think of was that I couldn’t recall what I’d thrown on this morning. Or if I’d done my makeup. I only remembered braiding my hair. I glanced down to check myself. Right. My palazzo pants and silk blouse. My ass looked very nice in these. But I was standing behind the counter so he couldn’t possibly know that. I dragged my attention back to the front, somewhat aware that it was my turn to say something.

“I—”

“So love really makes you silly, huh?” María observed. “Should I tell Mr. Matthew everyone can see hisboobies,or will you do that, Miss Josie?”

My eyes widened for a second at the kid’s words. Boobies. It wasn’t very different from the man boobs I’d used to describe his pecs the morning he’d woken up on my couch. But there hadn’t been dozens of people around. Just us. And now everyone’s attention was back on Matthew. On his kinda visible chest as he threw his head back and laughed. Laughed.

I pushed aside how very good his reaction made me feel. How much it warmed my heart that he didn’t care or find offense. “All right, everyone,” I said, clapping my hands. “How about we all stop ogling my fiancé’s pectoral muscles and continue about our business? We have things we’d like to discuss. In private.”

The usual murmur of chatter picked up, but not even half the heads in the sitting area turned away as Matthew crossed the shop to where I was.

Gabriel sent María and Juniper away to rejoin the group of girls, and then leaned his elbows on the counter. His chin rested on his fists. I arched my brows in question. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Please?”

He made a show of thinking. “No. I’d rather ask for forgiveness tomorrow. Sorry. You love me enough.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Matthew reached us, coming to a stop beside Gabriel. “Hi, I’m M—”

“Matthew, Josie’s new man. Hi, hello. We missed each other at the game. I’m Gabriel. Your newest best friend.” Gabriel winked. I panicked. “Whatever you need to know about our Josie, you ask me. Any story, detail, or anecdote. No matter how crazy or intrusive. I’m your man. I know all the stuff, like that time she got so drunk she got her house confused with Otto’s and fell asleep in his tub, or when she lost her v—”

I croaked out a loud, squeaky laugh. “Let’s take this into the back room,” I rushed out, walking around the counter. “Matthew?Please.And Gabriel, I’ll see you later.”

My so-called friend sent me a dirty look. And when my eyes turned to my fiancé, he sent me an amused one. I wasn’t amused, but I was standing close enough for my gaze to hopelessly dip down to his arms. Again. Ugh. They were very nice. I whirled on my heels with a silent curse and led my fiancé away, vowing to stop objectifying him.

I stopped at the door we’d been headed for, took one deep inhale, closed my hand around the knob, twisted it open, and shoved Matthew inside.

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