Page 46 of My Secret Bandit

Blonde number two giggled, turning to give her a dainty little slap on the arm. “Jess.”

“What?” Ginger Spice continued, “You know the article for Tampa’s most eligible bachelors came out this morning? He’s in the top five. I’m pretty sure he’s the only one under thirty-five in the whole damn thing. Honestly, I’d probably give both tits to spend the night with him. That body! You just know he’sgotto be killer in bed. I’ve been wanting to swap these out anyway.“ Her hands curved under her breasts and gave them a good bounce.

“Something tells me, he’s one of those men who prefer things a little more natural,” Sierra said with the fakest smile that’s ever lived on someone’s face before.

“What they don’t know, don’t hurt ’em, honey.”

Just a moment too late, the instructor walked in, eyeing us until she reached the front of the room.

We went through forty painful minutes of Pilates listening to the women talk about Mateo and the other men on the list. Multiple times I forced Sierra’s fists open as the ladies laughed about the more intimate situations they’d like to play out with the men.

As happy as I was with Mateo, as proud of the relationship we were building, I was nowhere near ready for the world to know. So, I endured the gossip and sexual fantasies of the women, burying my emotions until the class ended.

The redhead caught me at the door, handing me a business card. “Next time you see Mateo, mind slipping him this?”

I took the card without fully comprehending the suggestion until she already sashayed her perfect ass away.

“No fucking way,” I mumbled while tossing it into the trash can on my way out.

“Why didn’t you say anything? That’s your man they were mentally groping in there!” Sierra yelled as we walked back to our cars.

“Would you—for the love of God—keep your voice down?”

“So what? He’s like your super-secret Bandit?”

“For now, yeah! I’m not ready to tell everyone I come across who I’m dating, okay? I’d like to enjoy it a little longer before the world starts chiming in with opinions.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I just don’t want anyone ruining this for either of you.”

“I appreciate that. Thank you for having my back.” I pulled Sierra in for a hug.

“You can pay me back by buying me the biggest waffle ever.”

I laughed. Agreeing to her terms, I followed her to a diner a few miles up the street.

We waited to be seated when my phone chimed.

A picture of Mateo squatting beside a little boy in a Bandit’s beanie filled the screen. Both wore gigantic smiles that showed both rows of teeth, their eyes squinted closed. Mateo held a sign that readMateo’s #1 fanwhile the boy held a jersey with what I’m assuming was his name on it along with Mateo’s signature.

I turned the screen around for Sierra to see.

“I’m not even the one dating him, and yet I’m comparing every guy I’m interested in to him. Hence why there is no more Chaz by the way.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why? I see how happy Mateo makes you, how disgustingly cute my parents are, and I didn’t get that with Chaz. He was really only good for a quick screw anyway, like seriously lacking in conversational skills.”

“Ew.”

“Ex-actly.“ She sighed.

I pouted my lips and gave her shoulder a sympathetic rub. “It’ll be okay, my love. A waffle will make it better.” I nudged her into the booth. “And maybe we can find you your own Mateo because mine is officially off the market.”

Her jaw dropped. “Like y’all are a legit couple now? Titles and everything?”

I nodded, and she squealed, clapping her hands in excitement. The server joined us, and she immediately toned down her excitement. She ordered her waffle, and I asked for a glass of ice water to recover from all the sweat I left at the Pilates studio.

“You’re not eating?”

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