Page 45 of Sinful Attraction

“Damn. What happened?” I come in and hang my bag up on a hook across from the door.

“Let’s just say that I have assholes in my family, too.” He sighs when he sees my alarmed look. “My sister. She’s convinced I lost all that money through incompetence if I didn’t steal it outright. And she’s trying to convince my family of the same—and it is just fucking wearing me down.”

“That’s crazy.” I come and sit down on the couch next to him. “Have you ever asked her why in the world she’s doing all of this?”

“When I did, she went off on this rant about how I’m not smarter than her... she’s smarter than me. It was weird, really juvenile. Also, it was a serious case of the Dunning-Kruger effect in action.”

That makes me laugh a little in spite of myself. “Sorry... I’m sorry.” But really, thatwaspretty funny. “It sounds like she’s got some kind of longstanding grudge about your intelligence and accomplishments compared to hers.”

“Yeah, but the thing is, if she cares so much, how come she’s never even applied herself to anything?”

“I have no idea.” He rakes a hand back through his hair, his mouth a line. “Maybe she’s just that spoiled. Maybe there’ssomething messed up in her head. But it’s always been this way to at least some degree?”

“When she was five, she flushed my goldfish because she was jealous I could keep mine alive, and she killed hers in less than a month. At eight, she got in trouble for biting one of her tutors and tried to blame me for it. Thirteen? The weed found in her purse? She said I stashed it there. It just... goes on and on.”

“And nobody has ever thought of putting her in therapy?”

“My parents wouldn’t do it back when they could. And, of course, I never had a say.” He gives me a bleak look. “Honestly, she might just manipulate the therapist. She’s not smart, but she’s crafty.”

“Bad combination,” I comment, reaching over to put a hand on his shoulder. I can feel his muscles tense under my hand, and pet him gently through his shirt until he relaxes a little.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “Bad combination.”

There’s grilled salmon to go with our champagne and strawberries. It’s a surprise, competently done on his little galley grill, with a side of chopped salad. “You cooked!” I say with a mix of shock and pride.

“I figured out how to follow a recipe. This was pretty simple. You said you were getting a little tired of takeout, anyway.”

“Yeah, I did. Thanks for this. Dinners at home just aren’t worth the price of admission anymore.” I join him at the table, and he hands me a full plate.

“Oh, boy, do I understand that after lunch today.” He chuckles humorlessly. “Food tastes like cardboard in bad company. It was even burgers. I love burgers.”

“Family drama fucks up many a family meal,” I sigh, then smile. “But I’m flattered that you cooked for me.”

He flashes a grin in return, seeming happy that I like it. Though it’s not hard to like, any more than he is. “Maybe we can start fixing stuff together sometimes. Because I have no idea what I am doing—”

“Um, Michael? Sweetie? Me neither. I’m a programmer, too. My mother and our cook have handled everything since I was born. The only advantage I have on you is that my stack of cookbooks is probably bigger—just from unwanted gifts.” I munch on the surprisingly moist and tasty salmon.

“Huh. Okay.” He thinks about it. “We could learn together?”

“Once we’ve found your thief and found a way to pull even more money—and shut my parents up—I will absolutely learn to cook with you if you want. I just,” I snort and look down unhappily, “can’t really think about that right now.”

He looks at me, and his smile goes sad, then he reaches over and wipes a crumb off my cheek. “Having trouble letting go of everything that is happening?” he asks gently.

“I have to keep my focus,” I protest. “We have to find your perp and get my damn money. I know that the investigation’s getting close to home, but... please.”

I smile at him. “Please, what?”

“Please don’t be adorable and distracting. It’s just as important for you that we—”

“That we find our bad guy. I know, I know. Okay? I understand. I just... want to be with you for a while.”

I blink at him in surprise. There’s something shocking in the sincerity on his face. “What the hell happened at that lunch, Michael?”

“I told you the basics. There was no special new component to it. It was just the same crap, but more of it. Escalated. My sister’s driving me completely up the wall with her weird rumors and crazy accusations, my parents are going along with it, and my family loves gossip. I know nobody in my family, but my sister is that much of an asshole. I know I’m luckier than you are, but I’m still not that lucky.”

He looks down, and I move my chair over so we’re sitting on the same side of the table. I put my hand on his shoulder and say,“Hey. Hey, look... I get it, okay? It’s... not a contest. It’s never been about who has it worse between us.”

Sitting here right now, it hits me that my plan has gone completely off the rails. I only agreed to this half-baked scheme to get the information I needed and a chance to completely wreck Michael’s life as revenge. But now... all of that’s done. I know it’s done.

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