Manny obviously saw the sudden blaze in Romero’s eyes because he lifted his hands and started backpedaling. “All I’m saying,” Manny said, his voice still just as loud, so Romero raised a finger at him and lifted the crumpled bag of popcorn, threatening to throw it at him. Manny lifted his hand in front of his face in defense. “I didn’t think,” he repeated in a very loud whisper, “it might be this kind of trouble. And it probably isn’t,” he added quickly. “It’s just that I hear about this shit all the time at the bar. Guys come in there to drown their sorrows in booze about their wives doing them wrong. I’m not saying she would, but I’m just worried because I know how bat-shit crazy you’d get if she so much as got a little too friendly with the guy. Even that would make you . . . you know . . . go nuts. You got them kids to think about now. So I just thought as your uncle I should warn you to be aware.” He pointed at his ear. “Listen for the warning sirens. It probably really is nothing, and the only reason I’m even bringing it up is because shit happens to most people. Not Izzy. You know this. You say it all the time. She’s perfect, remember?”
Romero gulped hard, knowing his whole night could easily be ruined if he gave this too much thought. Manny would never come at him like this about anything he knew might set him off, unless he really thought he was onto something. Max had been quiet the whole time. Either Manny hadn’t discussed this with him before tonight, or this could be one of the many times Max disagreed with Manny.
“He’s right,” Max said, glancing out the kitchen door, making the knot in Romero’s gut go even tighter. “I don’t think she’d do anything either, Moe. But innocent flirting between two colleagues is more common than you think. I hear it down at the bar all the time too—married guys talking about flirting with their co-workers—but sometimes it goes a little further than just flirting. Sometimes some of these guys talk about developing feelings and shit. Before you know it, they’re feeling confused and tempted to take things further.” He lifted his hand up when clearly he too picked up on Romero’s instant irritation about the mere implication that this might be the case with Izzy and the professor. “I’m not saying she’s even flirting, and if this were anyone else, we wouldn’t have even brought it up. But this is you.” He shrugged. “And let’s face it. Even innocent flirting would make you fucking nuts. So in case it is, maybe, you know, you talk to her about this professor guy before it does go any further. You don’t wanna accuse her of anything because like we said it’s probably nothing, but I agree with Manny. Be aware. Knowledge is power. Find out more about this guy. Ask her what it’s like working with him. Is he married too? Stuff like that.”
Romero already knew the answer to that last one, and the more he thought about it, the more he hated the idea of her working so closely with Elliot. But he had to be reasonable. Just like him, Izzy lived for her family—for him. She told him this often. She’d never given him reason to doubt her. It wouldn’t be fair to not give her the benefit of the doubt. She hadn’t worked outside the house a day since the kids were born until now. This was new to her. This was likely to going to happen more than once. It was normal. She’d already admitted that the first few days after she’d gone back to work she’d nearly been late to pick them up. She was just getting used this huge change in her life.
There was no way Romero could be mad about her slipping one time. He’d slipped more times than he could count when it came to so many things. Izzy had always been so patient and forgiving with him all the times when he’d brought home the wrong kind of diapers or wrong stuff from the market and forgot about certain awards ceremonies for the kids. It’s not like Manny and Max hadn’t been there and videotaped the whole damn thing every time, even when Mandy got an award for holding her pencil correctly in kindergarten. Still he’d felt like shit the times he’d been so caught up with work he had to miss out. It was why he hadn’t even questioned it or even dreamed of being mad at his perfect wife yesterday when he found out about her running late.
To Romero’s surprise, he’d been able to get into the movie they watched, despite everything on his mind. Even more surprising, his son, who normally fell asleep during movies, not only had stayed up for the whole thing he immediately asked if they could see it again when it was over.
“Not tonight, baby,” Izzy said, opening up her arms, and his son jumped in them. “It’s time for bed now. But tomorrow for sure.”
Romero walked his uncles out with Romeo in his arms before Izzy tried to walk upstairs, holding him. He’d told her to leave Mandy, who had fallen asleep during the movie, downstairs too and he’d bring her up. He knew if he didn’t she’d try to carry her up.
Once he got upstairs with Romeo, he came back down for Mandy. He had to laugh at how limply his sweet daughter’s body fell over his shoulder. It almost made him forget about all the shit Manny and Max had put in his head.
Until he got into his bedroom.
Izzy stood in the middle of the room, wearing a baby-doll lingerie outfit and fuck-me heels. “Are the kids asleep?”
Romero nodded as his eyes ate up his wife from top to bottom. Goddamn, he was a lucky man. She was perfect. She shook her ass a little before lying down on the bed, and he made sure he locked the door.
“I’m as bad as your uncles,” she murmured, smiling at him sinfully. “I wanted to wait until Christmas before unveiling my newest naughty outfit. But I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t wait until Christmas to see what you thought.”
Romero unzipped his pants, staring at his perfect wife lying in his bed. Jesus-fucking-Christ. How could he be mad at her? One more glance at her perfect body lying on his bed in the most fuckable outfit imaginable and he felt his blood begin to bubble despite how hard he was already.
He ripped his shirt and pants off until he was down to just his boxer briefs and climbed on his bed, lying over her. “How the hell did I get so lucky?” he asked without giving her a chance to respond before devouring her mouth.
He ran his hands up and down her long legs and back up in between. Kissing Izzy had always been his favorite thing to do. He didn’t want to ruin the moment. Obviously, she’d gone all out for him tonight. He should forget what Manny said and just enjoy his beautiful wife.
But the very thought that this professor might in any way be distracting his otherwise meticulously organized Izzy grated him in a way that he couldn’t let go. He had to get to the bottom of this, and it couldn’t wait until they were done. “Baby?” he said breathlessly as he kissed her hard again then nipped his way down her jaw line to her neck.
“Yes,” she said, equally as excited and aroused as he felt.
“Yesterday, when you lost track of time,” he said, kissing her again, and immediately felt her go stiff. “What?” he asked, pulling his face away and searching her eyes. He couldn’t make out exactly what he was seeing in them, but whatever it was literally spiked his heart rate. “What happened?” he asked, still searching for a clue. “What made you forget the time?”
She shook her head, and while she attempted to hide it, he saw it now. There was panic in her eyes. It was fleeting, but he hadn’t missed it. “I was just working and didn’t realize what time it was.”
In an effort to hide his own panic now, he leaned in and kissed her neck again softly then licked it. “Working?” he whispered. “On what?”
Her body had yet to return to the relaxed state it’d been when he first lay over her. Though, she did run her hands along his back. Romero knew this was an odd topic to be talking about at a moment like this and that he was risking ruining the moment if he didn’t let this shit go, but he couldn’t help himself. He sucked her neck, rubbing himself against her thigh.
“Just discussing the day’s lecture,” she said, her words just a little too nervous for his liking.
But there you had it, just as he’d told Manny. Discussing thing like lectures and curriculum with this guy made perfect sense. He should just drop it now. But the fact that she’d been so caught up talking to Elliot s
he did something so unlike her had him fisting the sheet in his hand, and his dumb ass went on. “And you just forgot about the kids?”
She went completely stiff now and dropped her hands from his back. “No, I didn’t just forget about the kids,” she said in that tone she didn’t use often but he knew what it meant. She was pissed. “I’d never forget about them and you know that.” She tried to push him away now. “I just didn’t realize how late it was.”
“Hey,” he said, pulling away to look into her angry eyes. “I just meant you forgot it was time to pick them up. Don’t get upset.”
“Don’t get upset?” she asked, trying to sit up, just a little too defensive. “You’re saying I forgot my kids, Romero. When have I ever done that?”
This time she did sit up and he let her. “Baby, I was just asking because Manny brought it up tonight and I remembered I hadn’t even asked much about it. I was curious.”
“What did he bring up?” she asked, pulling her legs off the side of the bed. “Did he say I forgot the kids too?”
“No!” Romero pulled his legs off the bed, too, when she got up. “Look. I’m sorry I worded it that way,” he said, going after her because she was already headed to the bathroom.
He caught up to her in the bathroom and reached out for her hand, turning her around to face him. His heart nearly skipped when he saw her flooded eyes. Fuck! He knew he should’ve just let this go.
“You’re crying about this?” he asked, cradling her face in his hands, even as she tried to fight him, and then kissed her softly. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Izzy. It was just a question.” He pulled back and searched her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”
If it weren’t for her dressing up for him, he might think it was that time of the month because this was way too much of an overreaction. Even on her moody days, she was never this bad.
“I just felt really bad about yesterday,” she whispered, looking down. “You know that kind of stuff never happens to me. I was so relieved when you weren’t mad about it.”
Damn it. He should’ve known Izzy would be hard on herself over something like this, and then his dumb ass goes and accuses her of forgetting the kids.
“I’m an asshole,” he said, kissing her again. “I wasn’t mad at you then and I’m not now. I know you’d never forget them, babe. It was a stupid choice of words.” He kissed her again and again because the more he thought about it the more he realized how upset with herself she must’ve been. He’d completely misinterpreted the panic he’d seen in her eyes. “Seriously,” he said, bringing his arms around her tightly and wanting nothing more than to assure her he was fine with her not being so perfect all the time. “I was just curious. But don’t beat yourself up about this, Izzy. Manny got them and there was no harm done. If it ever happens again, one of those two will always be around.” He shrugged with a smile, remembering how puffed up his uncles’ chests had gotten when Izzy had informed them she’d added their names to the kids’ emergency contact info. “Those two love feeling needed.”
He pulled back to look at her, and to his relief, she didn’t seem so upset anymore. She even smiled weakly. “Yeah, well, don’t expect it to happen ever again.”
He smiled even bigger now. “Izzy, never say never. I know you’re perfect, but there are things even you have no control over. Shit happens. So if this ever happens again, don’t sweat it. No one’s gonna be mad at you, least of all me, okay?” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry I upset you. You forgive me?”
Smiling a little bigger this time, she raised an eyebrow then surprised him by placing her hand over the front of his briefs, instantly getting a rise out of him. “Depends on how you plan on making it up to me.”
Groaning, he lifted her in his arms, overwhelmed with relief that their night hadn’t been ruined after all. “Oh, I’ll make it up to you in more ways than one.”
She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he rushed her back to the bed. The moment he realized the naughty lingerie she’d bought was crotch-less he knew the first time was going to be fast. After that, he’d take it slowly. Now that he’d managed to fix what could’ve easily taken a more disastrous turn, he had every intention of making it up to her all night.
Five
Late
T
hat marathon lovemaking night almost a month ago had come back to haunt Isabel. As satisfying as it was, she was fairly certain that night was the culprit. Now here she was at Valerie’s house, waiting on the results of her home-pregnancy test.
This was more of a formality just so she could confirm it. She already knew she was. She was two full weeks late. Her breasts were tender, and even morning sickness had already started. It was still mild enough that Romero hadn’t noticed, but it was enough that she was certain she was pregnant.
At first, when she’d been late, she’d been sort of pissed at herself. Why hadn’t she been more responsible? But as the weeks passed while she waited for more time to go by before she took the test, she’d begun to get excited.
Another baby.
The thought alone made her smile. This was why she’d initially said she’d wait until next year to decide. Unlike Romero what had accused her of, her mind hadn’t been made up. She really was on the fence about another baby. Now she couldn’t be happier. But this close to Christmas she decided, along with Valerie’s eager encouragement, she’d surprise Romero.
Isabel knew how badly he wanted another baby. This would be hands down the best gift she could give him. This worked out in more ways than one. He’d warned her more than once subtly and not so subtly that working even part-time and dealing with the house and kids would be too much. And she’d be damned if she was going to bring in some young nanny to raise her kids and prance around her husband. But now she may not have to admit how right Romero had been.
There was no doubt about it anymore. Commuting back and forth from the kids’ school every morning to the university and back again while still maintaining a house was hell. Especially because Isabel hated a messy and disorganized home.
She was still very grateful for the opportunity Elliot had given her, but as soon as she got the confirmation she needed, she’d be letting him know she wouldn’t be back after Christmas break. With another child on the way, Romero would be happy to know she likely wouldn’t be going back to work now for at least another five years. There was no way she was going to keep up with everything she was doing now and deal with another baby. That would only sweeten his Christmas gift, and even as she and Valerie sat there waiting anxiously, they excitedly discussed the options on how to surprise Romero with the news.
“Oh my God, Isabel, he’s going to die.” Valerie touched Isabel’s arm. “Don’t tell him I told you, but he really hates you working with that professor. Alex said he’s a complete grump ass when the subject ever comes up, so, of course, Alex makes sure to bring it up often.”
Isabel rolled her eyes but laughed with Valerie. As if she didn’t already know this. Romero had come a long way since she first met him when it came to his explosive temper about a lot of things, but when it came to anything like this, he still had a hell of a time trying to control it. Though she wondered how hard he actually tried when it came to things of this nature, because he was still very blatant about it.
“You really think I hadn’t noticed?” She laughed. “I knew before I even started working, so from the very beginning I’ve done my best not to say anything I know will only irritate him more. But you know Romero. You can’t win with him when it comes to this stuff. Right from the start I tried to keep anything I did or discussed with Elliot to a minimum. I’d only been working for about a week, and one night while we were having dinner, I was telling him about my day at work. I noticed him getting tense, so I made the mistake of saying, ‘But you don’t wanna hear about everything we talk about.’ Then I asked him how his day was. Instantly,” Isabel said, snapping her finger, “that brow was up and he asked why.” Isabel raise
d her own brow to imitate her sexy husband’s glare and then his hardened tone. “Is it gonna piss me off?”
Valerie laughed. “God, he sounds just like Alex. I don’t know where Alex gets off making fun of Romero. He’s hated every single guy I’ve ever worked with.”
Isabel laughed then stood up to walk over to the counter where the pregnancy test was. She still hadn’t told anyone about that conversation she’d had with Elliot the day Manny had to pick them up. He hadn’t said anything remotely inappropriate again, and she’d since decided she’d overreacted. She turned to grin at Valerie as soon as she saw the result.
“Positive?” Valerie practically squealed.
Isabel nodded, feeling giddy herself. Within seconds, she and Valerie were hugging and squealing like two crazy people.
“Congrats, momma,” Valerie said, squeezing her tightly, then pulled away. “Welcome to the insanity of my world of lots of crazy kids running around.”
Isabel felt choked up suddenly. She felt bad now that she was this thrilled about something she should’ve just agreed to long ago. Romero had been saying they should have another baby for years now, and she’d stubbornly refused. How in the world was she going to keep this from him for a few more weeks?
Alex walked in the front door. “The girls left their bikes in the driveway again.” He stopped when he saw Valerie holding her hand to her mouth, looking ready to burst. “What?”
Valerie and Isabel exchanged glances. Her best friend’s eyes pleaded, and Isabel knew that, like her, Valerie would be dying to tell her husband. “He can’t say anything—”
“Okay, you can’t say anything,” Valerie said quickly before Isabel could even finish. “Isabel is pregnant!”
Alex’s eyes went wide, but then he looked confused. “Why can’t I say anything?”
Tangled: A Moreno Brothers novella Page 4
