A Scandalous Matter by Margaret Locke

Author:Margaret Locke [Locke, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Locked On Love Publishing via Indie Author Project

Chapter 22

“Everything okay?” Cat hurried across the room. “I was getting wor—” She stopped, her mouth popping into an O. “Oh. No groceries?”

Amara ducked her head, avoiding Cat’s knowing gaze. Was it so obvious what she and Matthew had been doing? Matthew cleared his throat behind her, his hand straying to the small of her back, touching her as if to reassure her.

“Nope,” he said, his voice too bright. “Store was too crowded, so we decided to try later. Sundays aren’t the best days to shop, you know.”

Something suspiciously close to a snort came from Cat. “Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Well, glad you’re here now. Matt, can you stay a minute? Ben had something he needed to talk over with you. And Amara, maybe you want to come up and, uh, help me load the dishwasher?” She walked toward the stairs.

Subterfuge was clearly not Cat’s forte if her attempt to be discreet was to invite one to do dishes. Amara, however, dutifully followed, not wanting to rouse further suspicion. As she hit the first step, she couldn’t help but glance at Matthew. His face was serious as he watched her. Until he noticed her looking at him, that is, at which point he winked and cracked a wide grin.

Oh, goodness. What have I got myself into? Memories of the last hour, the earlier part of the day, streamed through her brain, and half of her wanted nothing else but to go back down, grab him, and head to bed. The other half, the more rational half, gave her a stern talking to. Amara Mattersley, you yourself said it: There is no relationship here. He does not want one. You do not want one. It is a physical connection, nothing more.

So why did a tiny part of her heart ache?

Cat barely made it through the apartment door before she spun around, her eyes dancing. “Okay, spill. Something obviously happened between the two of you.”

Spill? What did she mean? Share intimate details? Did people do that? Even if they did, Amara didn’t wish to. Intimacies were a private affair. “I don’t know what you mean. I wasn’t feeling well after last night’s overindulgences, so Matthew kindly let me sleep in his apartment. Then we ... took care of tasks and such.”

Cat tucked a piece of hair behind her ears. “Okay, you don’t have to share. But you can’t tell me there isn’t some sort of connection. It shows all over your faces.”

“Even if there were,” Amara said, following Cat into the kitchen, “I don’t want there to be.”

“Ah, but sometimes what we want and what we need are two different things. If I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s that.”

Ben walked into the kitchen and settled Wash in a chair at the table. “Matt’s finally here, huh? I’ll be back up shortly.” He dropped a brief kiss on Cat’s lips. “I hope you had a nice time,” he said to Amara, no hint of anything other than sincerity in his tone.

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