Mitch stood outside the bedroom door, sipping his second cup of coffee.
She’d lied to her brother. Again. Just as he’d lied to his mother this morning. He hadn’t done that since he and Ray had accidentally broken a neighbor’s window while playing softball in the backyard. That day, he and his mother made an agreement. They’d always be straight with each other—no matter what. An agreement he hadn’t broken until now.
He handed Monique a mug that said I Don’t Like Morning People . Or Mornings. Or People.
“Was that your brother?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She sipped her coffee.
“You lied to him.”
“It was a little white—”
“It was a lie. Second one in less than twenty-four hours. I lied to my mother earlier. At some point I’ll be forced to lie to Ray…” He sat beside her. “That isn’t who I am, Mo. That isn’t who we are.”
“I know.” She set down her mug. “Fooling Ray is one thing. Lying to him just feels shitty.”
Mitch set his mug beside hers and placed a hand on her knee. “We need to decide if this is a one-time thing or if it’s something we want to explore.”
His heart reverberated in his chest. He adored her. Was pretty damn sure he’d been in love with her since she strolled up to him on the Pleasure Cove Beach in a teeny red bikini the summer she turned sixteen.
Now that he’d experienced the intense satisfaction of being with her, the thought of never having her again was unbearable. He’d be content to spend the rest of his nights making love to her and the rest of his days enjoying her company.
But not if it meant lying to everyone they loved.
“Our families aren’t entitled to know every detail of our lives, Mitch.”
“They do have the right to expect we’ll be honest with them.”
She raised her eyes to his, her voice a soft plea. “Can’t this stay our secret for just a little while?”
Mitch paced the floor. “It was you who insisted it doesn’t matter what your brother thinks. That this is what you wanted. Was that just talk?”
“No.” She stood. Cheeks red, her gaze avoided his. “I’m not afraid to tell Ray. We’re family. He’d be disappointed, but he’d get over it. But you…” She raised her eyes to his. “I don’t know how this will affect your friendship. I won’t risk a relationship so important to both of you when we’re not sure how we feel about each other.”
“You mean when you’re not sure how you feel about me?”
“It isn’t like that, Mitch. Being with you is everything I’ve always imagined and so much more. But we need to take a step back and think before we talk to Ray.”
Mitch swallowed hard, a bad feeling tightening his gut. “What is it you aren’t telling me?”