Mismatch - By Nana Malone Page 0,79

her man. “Yes, Samson?” She expected a flinch at the deliberate use of his artistic name and nothing. He was in working mode, that was all.

“You’ve made me so happy.”

She gave him a small smile. “Glad to hear it. Hurry up.” She turned to go, then almost thought better of it. She could give her man a kiss and not look like an idiot. Not allowing her to second guess herself, she jogged right up to him, flung her arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on him.

He stiffened, and she held on. If she wished it hard enough, it would come true—she deserved it. His hands hesitated at her waist before slowly looping around. His response wasn’t the quick flash of heat, more of a confused yielding. She drew her head back and stared at him. “Eli—”

“What the fuck is going on here?”

A shiver ran through her spine as Eli immediately dropped her.

Jessica craned her neck, afraid of what she'd see. Every fiber in her body told her what she already knew. She wasn’t kissing her Eli. Her Eli was at the door, furious. She knew his voice, his tone. But that meant she was kissing someone who looked just like Eli. She shoved Samson away.

Shaking, she stared at Eli, then back at the imposter, then back at Eli. “Something you forgot to mention, asshole?”

He took a step toward her. “Sassy.”

“Shut the fuck up. There is no way to explain yourself out of this fucking mess.”

“Jessica, wait, it's not his fault, I—” The imposter reached for her, too.

“Oh, no you don’t, whoever the fuck you are, nobody touch me.” She bee-lined straight for the door and ran as fast as her Weitzman’s could carry her. Curse all those spunky-chick-ass-kicking shows for making it seem like running in heels was at all a possibility.

Her brain kept running the scenario of does not compute over and over again. The same face, voice, mannerisms. Eli had even talked about his fucking brother. She hadn’t thought to ask if they were twins, but who thinks to ask that? Her stomach rolled, oh no, no, no, no, no. She would not vomit on the sidewalk like some still drunken walk-of-shamer. Get your ass in gear, sweetheart, or you’re about to have a very public fight.

Unfortunately, stilettos and quick getaways did not mix. She eventually stopped, tugged them off, and sprinted toward her car. Great, now you really look like a walk of shame. Unfortunately for her, Eli was a lot taller and faster.

He caught up to her with ease. “Sassy—”

She whirled on him. “Don’t you dare.”

He put up his hands. “Okay. Sorry, Jessica. Shit, I'm so sorry.”

She yanked open her car door and threw her useless shoes inside. “What part are you sorry about? That you did it, or that you got caught?”

“Sassy, I'm sorry. I never should have let it go on this long. It was an innocent mistake the first time. Then Samson asked me to go in his place, and it wasn’t supposed to happen, and I thought I’d never see you again, and we obviously, we uh, the chemistry thing, so I couldn’t stay away. Then I thought you would stop helping Samson, and he needed this break, and I kept digging the hole and digging the hole, and I tried to tell you last night, and then you broke up with me. I never thought I'd find you with him.”

The last part of his sentence came out on a growl. He reached for her.

“Don’t you put your hands on me! Who the fuck was I kissing?”

Eli shoved his hands in his pockets, tipped his head back and slammed his eyes shut. “That was my brother, Samson, the artist.”

“You’d be surprised how often I have to ask this question. Who the fuck are you?”

“I'm Eli, his twin.”

She started waving her arms around. “Yeah, I gathered that.” Enlightenment dawning, she smacked her forehead. “That was you that day in the studio when I came to see his work.” Furious, she narrowed her eyes at Eli. “Have I been sleeping with both of you? Do you tag out when one of you is too tired?”

“Sassy stop. Sam tried to play match maker. I didn't realize how we'd be together. I thought I’d have better control.”

“You freaked out on me when I called you Samson.” She watched as his jaw worked.

“I couldn't stomach you kissing me and using his name.”

“So you lied. Instead of coming clean then, you lied.” She tried to