Page 22 of Mended Hearts

The fantasy was nice.

The real thing was infinitely better.

Andwhat the fuck was wrong with me?

“What’cha in the mood for?” I asked, jerking my gaze to the mounted flatscreen and leaning forward to grab her chaotic plate of mix-and-match tacos.

“And who the hell likes fish with their Picadillo?”

“I didn’t stick ‘em in a blender,” she complained. “Variety is the spice of life, Hart.”

“Spiceis the spice of life,” I countered, carefully lining the perfect trail of hot sauce across my carne asada tacos, keeping my eyesfirmlyglued where they belonged.

She snickered.

“You look like you’re solving a calculus equation. Need help there?”

She elbowed me between the ribs.

Of course, I needed help.

It was taking every ounce of self-control not to touch her. Not to take that kiss and raise it to NC-17. Not to act on every crazy thought pounding through my head.

Clearly, I’d overcorrected when I stopped working through the model circuit, because celibacy was making me a lunatic. Thathadto explain my obsession with the one woman most definitelyoff-limits.

Hell, Greyson would kill me if I added any more complications to his life. If he didn’t get the chance, her five older brothers sure as hell would.

But that kiss…

Hottestgoddamn moment of my life.

And the crowd had been too sloshed to notice us duck out.

Well—except Jax, Greyson and Alice’s bodyguard.

Him, I’d owe an explanation to.

When her nudge didn’t get a response, she opted for jamming a finger into my ribs.

“You having a stroke, Hart?”

“Listen,” I said, wincing, “you don’t grow up this close to the border and not learn a thing or two about salsa to cilantro ratio.”

She snorted.

I, however, jammed my eyes closed as my brain caught up to my mouth.

Salsa. Tocilantro. Ratio.

Jesus Christ, I was off my game.

“Just pick a movie, Trouble.”

“I’m feeling nostalgic.”

“Half your body weight in vodka will do that.”

“Just making sure I get my veggie intake.”

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