“And now, what is it that you want, Ginnie?” he asks, sounding impatient.
“It must be your lucky day because it’s something only you can give me.”
“My wishing ears are wide open.” He splays his hands out in front of him.
“I want to know why you’re giving away all your money. I want to know why you’re using a fake name. I want to know what the deal is with your family and why your sister called, sounding like she’d tear me a new one if I didn’t stop looking for you.”
“You were looking for me?” His tone indicates he’s surprised by that.
“Out of everything I said, that’s the part you pick up on?”
“Yes or no.”
“Yes! Okay, yes.”
“Why?” he asks, his voice even.
“I told you. I wanted to give the money back.”
“Is that all?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Maybe because that kiss was the best thing I’ve ever felt, and I want to know why. Why can’t I just take the money and never see you again? And then there’s the biggest question of all: Why me?”
He inhales slowly, like he’s mulling. “Because you’re the first woman to reject the wish. You don’t care about living in a fantasy. You want something real that money can’t buy.” He shakes his head, like he can’t believe he’s saying this. “You want what I want: to find happiness. Also, I happen to find you very attractive.”
I full on swoon inside—heart, head, and stomach all standing up to do the wave. “Well, I wish you would have told me that from the beginning.”
He stares for a moment and then slides his hand to my cheek. It’s rougher than I thought.
We lock eyes, and I hold my breath like I want to hold onto this moment. Then he kisses me. Soft. Sensual. Lingering. I get light-headed and my body suddenly feels so hungry that I forget all about the fact I’m kissing a guy who’s supposed to be dead.
He abruptly pulls away. “That was a good wish, Ginnie.” He stands.
“Where are you going?”
“Plane’s landing. I’ll be in touch.” He heads off toward first class, leaving me with heart palpitations.
I feel like I just ran through a bonfire. A sexy, hot, manly bonfire that’s lit me up from the inside out. I should run away screaming in search of a fire extinguisher, but maybe my mom was right. I am a sucker for broken things. Maybe that’s why I fell for him from the start.
“I look forward to it!” I call out.
Chapter Nineteen
Since Marus was in first class, he exited the plane long before me, so I didn’t see him again. Oh, but I felt the lingering effects of that sensual kiss. The entire drive home from the airport, I kept touching my lips, wondering what Mr. Wish was up to and when I’d see him again.
I hope it’s not too long. I still have so many questions. Okay, and I wouldn’t mind more of those kisses.
I enter my house through the front door, noticing the lights on in the kitchen.
“Marus?” I call out, hoping that maybe he couldn’t wait to see me again either.
I enter the kitchen and halt.
“Nope,” says a woman standing next to the sink, wearing a blue dress and matching heels. She appears to be about my height—five five—but with a really thin frame. She also has red hair and bright blue eyes.
“Let me guess. You must be Rebecca.”
“You really should lock your back door,” she says.
Dammit. Seriously?
“What do you want?” I keep my distance on the other side of the butcher-block island. I didn’t like her threatening tone over the phone.
“I want you to leave my brother alone,” she says flatly.
She’s been following me! There’s no other way she’d know I just spoke to him.
I cross my arms. “You mean the brother who says he has no idea who you are, which likely means he wants nothing to do with you?”
“I’m under no obligation to explain anything,” she snaps. “And if you think you’re going to get more money, then you’re wrong. Mason McMillan is dead. No one will believe otherwise.”
“Whoa. Hold on,” I push back. “I’m not angling to blackmail you.”
She huffs and shakes her head toward her expensive-looking heels. “You seem like the type who cares deeply about family and friends. I’m sure you’d hate to see Olivia disbarred or her boyfriend, Jay, unable to open that restaurant because he can’t pass the health inspections.”
She’s threatening to go after my friends? I feel my claws extend. “Then I guess I’d say that I’d go public for sure, and you know what? So would Olivia. I hear Netflix is always looking for good tell-alls. Just imagine the public’s interest in a rich, handsome guy like your brother, who faked his own death, and the sister who helped.”
I would never do that to him, but she doesn’t know that.