The Girl's Got Secrets (Forbidden Men 7)

“So...” And here it came. “I know someone you can set me up with.”

“Hmm?” My throat went immediately dry. I played dumb. “What?”

“That girl at Castañeda’s, your family’s Mexican restaurant. Elisa, right?”

Oh...hell. He really thought my name was Elisa. “Elisa?” I said slowly.

But seriously. Me? He wanted me to set him up with me? For a split second, I envisioned it. I could use my slutty señorita voice, pretend I was someone named Elisa, and I could finally get my hands on Asher Hart, the way I’d been craving.

But then reality set in.

No, I couldn’t do that to him. I absolutely could not. I just...I wouldn’t.

“You’ll never believe this. But she’s shower girl. From Chicago.”

Words failed me. What the hell did I say now? Finally, I stuttered, “No shit?”

“Yeah, and she’s related to you, right? You said everyone who worked there was related. What is she, a cousin or something?”

“Sure,” I said, not knowing how else to answer.

He gave a laugh. “You don’t sound too certain of that.”

I shrugged and flailed out my hand. “Well, you know...complicated Mexican family trees and all that.”

“Ahh,” he murmured as if he understood but was honestly more confused than ever. “So, you really don’t know what she was doing in Chicago? In our hotel room?”

“Well, uh, I... I guess I did know she’d be there that weekend, and I told her where I was staying, but I hadn’t thought she’d stopped by to see me. Maybe, uh, maybe when I went to meet you for breakfast, I left the door unlocked or something, and she stopped by then and just...needed to borrow the shower. I...I’ll have to ask her about that.”

“Yeah...definitely do that. And...why didn’t you realize who I was talking about when I mentioned the purple streaks, since you were obviously expecting her?”

Damn it, Asher, I almost growled. Stop making me think up more lies.

“Are they purple?” I asked, then laughed. “I thought they were a grayish color.”

Big T always teased me that they looked gray instead of purple.

“No,” Asher’s voice echoed through my ear. “They’re clearly a light purple.”

Thank you, I almost told him. I was glad some people didn’t see gray.

“So you think you can do it?” he pressed.

I blinked and shook my head. “Do what?”

He sighed. “Set me up with her?”

He seemed so eager...to meet me. Me! This powerful zap of energy bolted through me and I suddenly felt more alive than I ever had before. Asher wanted me. Female me. I kind of wanted to scream and dance and hug the entire world.

But yeah...reality and all that.

My own disappointment crashed through me as I slowly said, “No....I can’t do that, sorry.”

Silence.

He wasn’t expecting that answer. He honestly thought I’d help him out. Then he slowly asked, “Because of your own feelings for me? Or because she’s your cousin?”

Since hurt laced his voice, I quickly assured him, “No, no. It has nothing to do with...either of those things.”