Page 20 of Winters Heat

No. Success must happen. The holy medallion slipped back under his shirt, tangling in his chest hair. It pulled, ripped a hair loose at the root, and reminded him this sting was a mosquito bite compared to what could happen.

He prayed for strengths and triumph.Santa Maria, Madre de Dios.

***

Winters eyed Mia. She rolled the window down, slapping the button as it shorted out, twice. He needed to do the same, anything to air out the stench of leftover fast food and stale smoke. The car was disgusting. The steering wheel was sticky, and empty beer cans rolled on the floorboards. He needed to wash his hands pronto. This clunker was foul, but according to Titan, not hot.

“So who do you love, Colby?”

Her question swung him out of autopilot. He wouldn’t tell her the truth. “What’s it to you?”

“Never mind. You’re such a jackass.” She huffed, pushed further away from him against the car door. Her foot shoved a beer can aside. She sucked on her lip, and he could all but taste the resentment. Mia had mastered the art of a first-rate sulk, and it tested his resolve.

“Wow. You come off as so put together and analytical. I’m surprised you’ve resulted to name calling.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Obviously,” he said.

She turned to face him. “I have no idea who you are. I have no idea who you love. And I have no idea why…”

“Why do you care?” That was way too harsh. But he didn’t want to answer her question. He couldn’t. He needed to protect himself. He should have stuck with the brilliant plan of lies.

“I already said never mind. Just leave me alone.”

He didn’t want to leave her alone. That was part of the problem. Winters checked over his shoulder before changing lanes, stealing a glance at her pouting lip and tight eyebrows. Tears brimmed on her bottom eyelids.I’m an asshole. He looked again. Yup, tears were idling up for a free fall.Oh hell. Don’t do that. I can’t stand your tears.

But as soon as he thought it, he cringed. He didn’t need her in his life. He shouldn’t share anything personal. It was easier to fight with her than speak the truth, but the bickering wasn’t worth her hurt feelings.

Winters shook his head at what he was about to say. His secrets were bubbling free. His typical MO abandoned him miles ago. Right now, he’d do anything to get rid of those wet eyes.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Mia. I was talking to mymom.”

Could he not keep his mouth shut? Work world. Personal life. Two very separate things. The two worlds didn’t comingle. They shouldn’t. For a million reasons, they simply could not. Loose lips sink ships. Hisshipwas far too precious to make vulnerable. But here he was, unable to keep his lips sealed. All because some beautiful babe pouted? He glanced at her. Yeah, her angelic face would do it.

Days ago, that revelation was implausible. Today, no other choice existed. He’d knock out her hurt and jealousy like he took out the enemy who attacked her.

He opened his trap to again to explain. “My—”

“Your mom? Are you kidding me? Big, tough badass calls his mommy when he can’t come home from work? You’re worse than I thought. I didn’t think my asshole meter was this far off.”

Like an attacking rattler, she had drawn back and fired with spitting accuracy. Given this once in a lifetime bout of honesty, he didn’t see it coming. But now that she’d made her move, it was game on.

“My, my, Miss Mia. You’re about to get a taste of foot in mouth syndrome.”

“Try me.”

“With pleasure, babe. My mombabysitsfor me, doll. I have a daughter. A baby. Tiny tyke. Cute as she can be. And my mom watches her when I work.”

Mia’s jaw fell wide open. Ding, ding, ding. That was what he wanted to see. Mia was dumbstruck—and pretty as hell—but with nothing sassy to say. One of his prouder moments of the day.

Still, his gut churned, anxious over his revelations. He was stupid to say this much. Yet, somehow he needed her validation. He cast a glance her way, hoping for her reaction to justify his trust.

“I didn’t know.” Mia shifted on the vinyl car seat, crossing her ankles, and crunching an empty fast food wrapper.

“Why would you know?”

“You don’t seem like the fatherly type.”

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