Once Burned (Morelli Family 3)

“I’m so excited!”

I force myself to emerge from the rage fog and look at Elise, beaming, happy. This is what I wanted, right? Sure, I wanted to be the one to make it happen, but she thinks I was. In all likelihood, she’ll never know I didn’t as long as I fall in line.

I feel like Vince right now, and I fucking hate it. Only I’m not, because he doesn’t actually want to steal my girl—he just wants to show me how incredibly easy it would be if he decided to.

Elise might as well have a lit sign above her head with an arrow pointing at her, announcing, “So easy!”

Placing a hand on mine, she says, “Now that you’re here, I’m going to get dressed. If we want to make dinner before the show, we have to get going.”

She disappears into the bedroom and I lean against the counter, trying to get my bearings. The roses seem so guilty, like they’re complicit in this scheme. I want to dump them down the garbage disposal and watch the blades rip them apart.

I want to tell Meg what he did to Mia.

I’ve covered his ass so many times, and this is how much loyalty he has to me.

Elise emerges, and I forget all my feelings of vengeance. She looks incredible in the long dress he had sent over for her. It’s so sexy, with a split clear up the left side. Her entire smooth, perfect leg is visible every time she moves, and then she strikes a playful pose at the end of the hall, and it’s not just for a second. I have to shift, hoping there’s no visible evidence of the arousal that’s just hit me like a truck.

He must like her in blue. He bought her blue again. To match her eyes. I’m never buying her anything blue again.

“Wow.” I don’t even mean to say it, it’s hardly more than a breath, but Elise shines even brighter, basking in the compliment.

She flexes her ankle, showing off the nude pumps on her feet. “These aren’t even as uncomfortable as I thought they’d be,” she tells me, looking down to admire them.

I recognize the red soles. He always bought Mia that brand.

I’ve never felt sorrier for Vince than I do right now.

She comes over and drapes herself on me again, hugging me, lingering close. I think she’s gonna kiss me again, but she doesn’t. Maybe she’s giving me a chance to. I don’t.

“This is gonna be fun,” she tells me.

I nod my agreement, forcing a smile.

—

When we get to the restaurant, I’m relieved to find the reservation’s in my name, not his.

I’m not psyched this is where he sent us, since the bill’s going to be astronomical, but Elise is enchanted. The setting is romantic—we’re seated near the bar at a small table for two, but there’s candlelight and soft music that she keeps absently swaying to in her seat. Whatever fruity drink she ordered seems to be doing good things for her. She looks so happy. So vibrant. I want to be able to do stuff like this with her all the time.

Goddamn Mateo.

I hold my breath when the waiter brings over our bill, but when I open it up, it’s already been paid.

Hell, if I would’ve known he was paying, I would’ve ordered a bunch of shit I didn’t even want, just to be petty.

Elise had two drinks, so she’s loose and having fun as we leave the restaurant. On the way to the car, she reaches down and grabs my hand. It’s only for a minute, since she has to release it for me to open the door for her, but the way her blue eyes twinkle as she slides in almost stops my heart.

God, this girl.

Next is the show. Since dinner and the tickets were paid for by Mateo, I go ahead and buy us drinks for while we watch. I probably shouldn’t let Elise have another, since she’s still pretty happy from her drinks at the restaurant, but I do anyway, because she’s having so much fun. Every new scene change, she grabs my arm, touches my thigh, pats my hand with excitement. She’s never so touchy. Her face is lit with pleasure from the time the lights dim until the last curtain falls, and then she’s standing and clapping her hands, throwing her long blonde hair back over her bare shoulder and clapping some more. A little reluctantly, I stand beside her, and she rewards me with another beaming smile.

As we all file out of the theater, she grabs my hand again. It’s a nice summer night, not too hot, no wind. Instead of following everyone to the parking area, Elise dawdles, sighing and swinging my hand.

“Let’s just go for a walk. It’s so beautiful out tonight.”