Page 30 of Playing Mr. Perfect

I let the door close and head over to him. “You want company?”

“Sure.” He eyes me with a serious expression, which is rare for him. “You and Pepper really hit it off, huh?”

“Your sister’s a trip when she’s not running away from me.”

“She’s good at keeping to herself, but from what I hear, she books it out of town every time you’re around. I’ve never seen her do that before.”

Interesting. “Damn, I was hoping it was just a coincidence. I guess you don’t believe her work emergency excuses?”

“If I believed it of anyone, it would be her, but they’re a little too coincidental the way all her ‘work emergencies’ coincide with your visits. Then again, what do I know? It’s nice to see her loosening up this weekend. But you should probably get in there before the girls pry the truth about last night out of her.”

I try to play it off like I have no idea what he’s talking about. “Last night?”

“Dude, don’t even try,” he says with a smile. “The girls might have bought that bullshit this morning, but I saw the way you two were looking at each other at the buffet.”

I glance through the shop window and see the girls huddled around Pepper. Shit. “You want to read me the riot act or something before I go in there? Tell me not to hurt her? Because I can tell you that I don’t intend to.”

“That’s not my business or my style, and I don’t worry about Pepper. She’s not just the smartest of all of us. In a lot of ways, she’s also the strongest.”

I’m getting that sense, although I also think she might be the most sensitive, even though she hides it well. “Yeah? How so?”

“She’s not known for making mistakes with her personal life. Whatever’s going on with you two is happening because she wants it to.”

I have no doubt about that. She is definitely not a pushover. “Thanks, man.”

When I head inside, the girls scatter away from Pepper like pretty little roaches. The guys are checking something out on the other side of the shop. I debate heading over to them now that Pepper’s not under scrutiny, but I take a moment to admire her as she looks through a display of scarves. I can feel restraint billowing off her like she’s struggling not to look my way. The same way the other girls are trying too hard to appear as though they weren’t just interrogating her.

“Look how cute this sweater is,” Brindle says animatedly, holding up a child’s sweater. “I think I’ll get it for Emma Lou.”

“She’ll look adorable in that,” Morgyn says.

“Emma Lou looks adorable in everything,” Amber says.

Pepper holds up a colorful scarf. “Do you guys like this? It’s silk. I think Mom would like it.”

“Where is she going to wear silk?” Brindle asks. “I wouldn’t waste your money, but you should get one for yourself.”

Pepper sets the scarf down, and her shoulders droop in disappointment.

Fuck the girls’ scrutiny. I am not going to let them steal her smile.

“Pep, you should get one of these magnets with the Eiffel Tower on it since you didn’t go up in it with us,” Amber says. “A reminder for the next time you come here.”

“I don’t need a frivolous magnet to remember that,” Pepper says flatly.

“I can’t believe the top floor was closed,” Brindle says.

“I told you before we came that they close it every January for maintenance,” Amber says.

I walk up behind Pepper as her sisters lament the closing of the top floor of the Eiffel Tower, and my chest brushes her back. She inhales sharply, her fingers stilling on the scarf she’d held up. “Are you afraid of heights, Reckless?”

“No.” I hear the smile in her voice. “I was on a work call. Eavesdrop much?”

“I didn’t want to miss out on the juicy gossip about your hot new hookup.”

Her fingers curl around the silk scarf.

“I must’ve missed the good stuff.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “Did you tell them you had the best sex of your life last night?”