Page 30 of Peyton's Price

Matthias fished out his cell phone, then pressed a few buttons. “Bluetooth.”

The volume of the music lowered, and she laughed. “I should have guessed that.”

Peyton walked back into his arms, letting him twirl her into a fast waltz. “That’s a hell of a sound system.”

“It’s the best money can buy, or so I’ve been told.” As they spun in a circle, she fell against him. He grinned. “You’re incredibly good at this. I wouldn’t have thought someone in IT would be so good at ballroom dancing.”

Peyton laughed. “You forget Maggie Tyler is my best friend. She’s been in charge of events at the Caislean since before they were a chain. That’s hundreds, or even thousands, of weddings, quinceañeras, sweet sixteens, and charity balls. For years, she was stuck attending them as a party planner, which meant I was, too.”

Matthias steered them into a tight turn. “The last time I checked, party planners didn’t waltz.”

“Yours might not have, but you’d be surprised at how often a bridesmaid or attendant would drop out at the last minute. Rather than ruin the elaborate choreography those parties had planned, either Maggie or I had to squeeze into dozens of horrible bridesmaid’s gowns so we could fill in. Well, it was sometimes a squeeze. There were a few occasions when the dresses were so big we had to use safety pins to make them fit. I still have a scar on my back when one opened mid-promenade.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Ouch.”

He drifted his hand up her back, then stopped. When he looked into her eyes for a long moment, Peyton held her breath, half-hoping, but half-dreading, that he would kiss her.

As soon as she realized what she was thinking, she pulled away. And then she wanted to throw herself off the boat for being so stupid.

Every time she began to enjoy a man’s company, she’d be overcome by guilt. Which was crazy. The man she loved had never looked at her twice, not in the way she’d wanted him to.

Matthias put his hands on her shoulders. “It’s all right, Peyton. I haven’t been thinking too clearly since you got here. I know you can’t…”

She spun around, her eyes filled with unbidden tears. “Of course Ican. I’m being such an ass. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

His smile was tinged with sadness. “There’s nothing wrong with you. I haven’t been playing fair. My only excuse is I didn’t do it on purpose. I know you have to go back to him.”

Peyton frowned. There it was again, the suggestion she was going back to Liam.

“I don’t know where you got this idea I’m going back to anyone. I’m single. Depressingly so.”

Matthias gave her an indulgent glance. “After all that has happened, you won’t be staying that way, not with the way Liam was carrying on. He may be hardheaded and obstinate, but he’s no fool.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “He’s marrying Caroline Wentworth.”

Staring at her in disbelief, Matthias stared gave himself a little shake. “All right, I take it back. He’s an idiot.”

Chapter 16

Peyton didn’t expect Matthias’ reaction to the news. For a moment, his lips twisted as if he tasted something sour. Then his face cleared and he laughed, grabbing the bottle of wine at the table.

“I think this calls for a celebration,” he said. “Let’s toast to the happy couple!”

Pursing her lips, she blinked. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

Matthias winced. “Sorry. I doubt the wedding will happen. I know those two well, much better than they realize. Neither will be satisfied with half a life. Granted, Liam does love self-flagellation so he might go through with it, but I doubt it. Not once you go home.”

Peyton passed a hand over her face. “I don’t know what makes you so confident he cares about me.”

He raised one blond brow. Peyton waved dismissively. “Well, he obviously cares enough to save me from sex traffickers. He’s not a monster. But his feelings aren’t romantic. He sees me as a sister.”

Matthias put the bottle down, then spun her into his arms. “I’m willing to bet you’re wrong. You see, once upon a time, I spent quite a bit of time with Liam. Long enough to see how he interacts with people in his sphere—his siblings, his staff, and, yes, even how he acts with the women in his life. Granted, it was mostly when he was on the phone, but that’s one of the few times he lets his guard down.”

He paused to stare down into her eyes. “With you, he was always different. It was subtle, but whenever he talked to you or about you, there was something…distinctive. As if he were frustrated.”

She snorted. “No doubt he was. For an underling, I gave him a pretty hard time.”

They had often butted heads at work, sometimes for no reason at all. Maggie and Trick had given up trying to intervene long ago. Whenever she and Liam got into an argument, they would just sigh and find something else to do for half an hour.

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