Eric eyeballed him as he finished putting on his watch. He didn’t need Romero to point that thunderous fact out.
He called Sofia before leaving to assure her Romero wasn’t going to say anything. He only prayed Romero wouldn’t say something when he was drunk.
*
Things were going fine. Sofia and Eric had slipped into a comfortable enough routine. Angel had become so distracted with Sarah, he appreciated the fact th Kd trip witat Eric was so willing to help him out driving Sofia around. Then suddenly, and very dramatically, Angel broke things off with Sarah. She was supposed to have gone back to Arizona after the New Year anyway, but just before Christmas, Angel found out about the guy waiting for her back home and it was over.
He’d been in a completely black mood ever since. Sofia felt bad for him. Even though Sarah was no longer around, his distraction continued. Never once did he question why Eric was over so much.
Their parents were gone the week after Christmas. Every year they took off to Mexico after Christmas and didn’t come back until after the New Year. At the last minute, Alex put together a party for New Year’s Eve. Sofia didn’t even know about it until she got home that night after closing up the restaurant with Sal, who’d come home for the holidays.
Excited about a party, Sofia ran to her room to change. She’d borrowed the cutest blouse from Sarah months earlier and hadn’t had a chance to wear it. All done up, she went downstairs, excited about Eric seeing her in it. He wasn’t there yet, but Alex took one look at her and made her go change. As usual, Sofia was so mad she was close to tears. Just because it was a backless top, and he was having some of his college friends over. He was ridiculous.
After changing into one of her boring tops, because she owned nothing sexy, she went back downstairs. As it turned out, even her boring top was enough to drive Eric crazy. No sooner than she leaned against him behind the bar in the garage where the guys were playing pool, did he pull away.
“Stop,” he whispered.
She giggled. All three of her brothers were engrossed in the game. The girls Alex talked to were so silly, Sofia could barely believe they were in college. Their obvious attempts of turning her brothers on were almost funny. Angel, of course, was oblivious to them. She was surprised he hadn’t just called it a night and went upstairs, in the mood he was in.
Alex clicked the channel on the television that hung in the corner of the garage. They were getting ready for the countdown to the New Year. Romero said he wanted to watch it on the big screen inside. Sofia pulled Eric’s arm. “C’mon, lets go with him. I have to see this in there. It’s way bigger.”
None of her brothers even flinched when they heard her tell Romero to wait up for her and Eric. Once inside, they’d barely closed the kitchen door behind them and Sofia was all over Eric.
Eric didn’t disappoint, with a hunger that matched her own. But he was always being cautious. They didn’t even follow Romero into the front room. They heard the countdown, then cheering and the music started. Eric took a few steps backward, finally stopping when he had no choice and leaned against the sink.
She could feel him now through his pants, but he kept stopping to check if anyone was watching. Finally, he gave in and took her mouth in his, devouring her tongue completely. Her insides went wild.
The back door opened. “What the fuck!”
Sofia spun around, shielding Eric from a very enraged Alex. He charged at Eric, “You’re kissing my little sister?”
Sofia put her hand up in an attempt to hold him back. “It was just a New Year’s kiss.”
S>
“I don’t give a shit.” Alex’s voice got louder with every word. “You don’t kiss my sister like that. What the fuck’s wrong with you?”
Angel had walked in right after Alex, but hadn’t seen them kissing. He tried jumping in front of Alex. “Hold on, Alex. Like how?
“It was just for New Year’s, Alex. Relax,” Eric insisted.
Even more enraged by that, Alex reached over Sofia and grabbed Eric by the shirt. “I know what I saw, fucker. Sofia move!”
Sofia didn’t budge. Instead she pushed Alex back with both hands. Sal had rushed in from outside and between him, Angel and Sofia they managed to hold Alex back. Eric slipped away from behind Sofia and headed to the door.
“What the hell, Alex?” Angel asked. “Wait, Eric.”
Eric didn’t even slow down.
“No. I want him out!” Alex roared.
After Alex swore to beat Eric’s ass if he ever saw him around Sofia again, Angel turned to Sofia. “How was he kissing you?”
Sofia was so choked up she couldn’t even answer, but it didn’t matter. Alex didn’t give her a chance before shouting, “Your friend had his tongue down her throat!”
Angel looked dumbfounded.
“Maybe I had my tongue down his throat!” Sofia cried. “Ever think of that?” All three brothers stood their staring at her. Alex blinked and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. “I’m not a baby anymore, Alex. I’m tired of you treating me like one!”
She saw him gulp. “You’re sixteen, Sof.”
Even though his tone was much softer now, it enraged her. He’d just threatened to hurt Eric if he was ever around her. Cut him off from her life just like that. “I’ll see him if I want to. You can’t stop me!”
She pushed past Romero who’d been standing at the kitchen door, watching and listening to the whole show. Then Alex was yelling again. “You hear me, Sofia? Like hell you will!”
Oh, she heard him all right. Sofia ran up the stairs but she was done with her brothers running her life. She slammed her room door shut before falling onto her bed sobbing.
*
As bad as things had gone, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could’ve been. When Alex walked in the kitchen, Eric had been but seconds from squeezing Sofia’s ass with both hands. She did things to him that made him lose his mind completely. He knew it was a bad idea to be doing anything to her with her brother just yards away. For as much as he tried to fight it, fight her, it was impossible. Being with Sofia was like an addictive drug. He knew the consequences could be deadly, and yet he craved her more than anything. The more he had, the more he wanted.
After Eric called Angel on the phone the next day, he was relieved to hear he wasn’t mad. Apparently, Sofia had explained to Angel that she’d been the aggressor. She told him Eric had only hugged her a K huasnnd she initiated the kiss. Since Angel hadn’t actually seen the kiss, she made it sound as if they’d just hugged, she kissed him and Alex had walked in. With Alex’s legendary temper, it wasn’t hard to believe he overreacted.
Still, Angel had made it a point to make Eric promise he’d make sure nothing like that would happen again. Now that her brothers were on to them, things would be that much harder. Alex’s warning was enough to keep Eric away for now, but there was no way he’d stay away for good. There had to be a way to convince them they could trust him. But how was the million dollar question.
A few days later, Eric would’ve never thought he’d be annoyed about the amount of time they got off school for the holidays. He hadn’t seen Sofia in days. It was killing him. His only hope of getting a chance to hang out with her now was at school. At least until things cooled down with Alex. There was no way he was stepping foot in their house or their restaurant—not for a while.
Still in his pajama pants and t-shirt, he finished unloading the dishwasher. With his dad gone for the day, he thought about calling Romero and asking him if he wanted to go shoot some hoops at the park. He needed to get out, stop thinking about the need to see Sofia.
There was a knock at his back door. Eric peeked out his kitchen window. Incredibly, it was Sofia. She was in her running gear. He gulped, feeling the adrenaline of both excitement and dread flood through him, as he rushed to open the door. The second he opened the door, she jumped in his arms. Eric hugged her, looking around his yard to make sure no one else was out there. The runway behind his property r
an the entire length of the block and around the cul-de-sac where she lived. He often took it to get to the Moreno’s instead of going through the front.
He took a step back and closed the door behind her. Before he could even ask, she kissed him and unable to hold back, he took her in his arms. Her hands ran down his back then around to the front of his pajamas. She cupped him, making him groan. “No, Sof. Please.”
“They can’t stop us, Eric.”
“I know, but…” his breathing hitched when he felt her hand wrap around him over his pajamas. Her gaze nearly blinded him. She could be so beautiful, but at the moment she looked so damn sexy it hurt. Her long lashes blinked in slow motion.
“I love you,” she whispered.
The words overwhelmed him. He’d always loved Sofia. At first like a sister, but it occurred to him just then he was in love with her now. And here she was telling him she loved him too. “I love you, too, Sofie.”
He kissed her—a softer, gentler kiss than earlier. The tenderness he felt made his heart pound in a way that was different from when she was simply driving him crazy.
Her chest rose and fell a little harder as her breathing accelerated. She took his hand and guided it up under her blouse. Eric gulped at the feel of her soft breast in his hand. He’d only dreamed of doing this, but dreamed about it for far too long. He closed his eyes as he allowed himself to caress it gently.
She began pulling her blouse up. Eric could only stare, but he couldn’t bring himself to move his hand away. He wanted more. He wanted to kiss her there, take her in his mouth.
The doorbell rang and they froze. Eric pulled his hand away from her. “Where are your br Ke a/diothers?”
“Alex and Sal are both in school.” She pulled down her top and headed for the back door. “Angel had just got out of the shower when I left.”
The doorbell rang again and Sofia ran out the back door. Eric waited until she was completely out of sight before heading for the front door. He patted the tent in his pants down.
Even though he knew Sofia was probably halfway home by now, his heart still nearly gave out when he opened the door and saw Angel standing there. He didn’t look too happy, either. Eric held his breath.
“What’s wrong with you?” Angel asked.
Eric shook his head, still waiting for Angel’s fist to come at him.
“Get dressed. Romero’s piece of crap broke down again. We’re gonna have to push it off the road,” Angel laughed, lightening up the mood. “He’s stuck in the left lane holding up traffic.”
Eric laughed more out of relief than humor. “Give me a minute, and I’ll be ready to go.” He hurried to his room to change. His heart had been hammering away from the moment he saw Sofia, but now it hammered for an entirely different reason. After today, there was no going back. If he knew Sofia, things would progress to places he knew could only be deadly for him. As much as he told himself he wouldn’t let it go there—he’d convince her they couldn’t—he didn’t think he had it in him to stop it.
What he felt when he was with Sofia was something he’d never experienced. As levelheaded as he’d always been, no amount of willpower would keep him from going along with whatever she wanted. And he’d seen it in her eyes today, felt it in her kisses. She wanted a lot more.
CHAPTER 6
Just one time
It was only two weeks before Eric was a regular at the Moreno’s residence and restaurant again. Although Alex was cold with him at first, he eventually came around, but things had changed. Sofia knew things would never go back to the way they once had been.
Angel knew Sofia had feelings for Eric. She’d told him the morning after the New Year’s Eve outburst. She wouldn’t hide it anymore. If her brothers wanted to believe she was still a child, they could. But they couldn’t force her to hide the enormous affection she had for Eric. He was back to eating at their place regularly. Sofia fawned over him, making him special meals and deserts.
Alex and Angel watched, pretending it wasn’t any different than how she behaved before New Year’s. But she saw the look of irritation when Alex would walk in the kitchen to find her laughing with Eric. The jabs about him being in their kitchen more than they were began to take a different tone, especially from Alex.
Sofia didn’t care. After months of sneaking around, she’d mastered a few things that drove Eric insane. He’d returned the favor, and they’d been so close to going all the way several times. She loved stripping down to nothing for him at his house, but the fear of pregnancy kept them from doing what she wanted to so badly.
It was only a few months before she turned seventeen. Years Nfavoago, her father made a comment she never forgot. “You can’t have a boyfriend until you’re seventeen.”
At the time, she thought it was completely absurd. Now that it was only months away, it didn’t sound so bad. She could hardly wait. Her dad had probably forgotten, but she would be reminding him.
Though she and Eric were making the most of their stolen moments, and she was tired of lying about where she was going all the time. The sneaking was exciting, but they’d had too many close calls. She wanted to be able to just say, “I’m going to be with Eric all day.”
More than anything, she wanted the damn girls at school to know Eric was off limits. They’d already had another argument about a girl who was all over him all the time, and even asked him to the prom. Eric promised that if he couldn’t go with Sofia, he wouldn’t go at all. Sofia felt bad. She didn’t want him to miss his prom, but him taking someone else was out of the question.
Sarah and Angel were back together, and as inseparable as ever. It was a Friday night and all the guys and Sarah were over. They were out back playing pool. Angel and Sarah were cuddling in the corner, while Alex and Romero played. Sofia stood next to Eric as usual, laughing it up. Alex glanced up from where he’d bent over, ready to take a shot. Sofia caught the glare and smirked. “Who’s winning?”
“Who do you think?” Alex said, easing up his expression.
“This just isn’t my game,” Romero said, “Try me at bowling. Then you’ll lose your ass.”
Alex rolled his eyes and took a shot.
“You guys wanna go bowling tomorrow afternoon?” Romero looked around.
“I’m down,” Angel said.
“No.” Sarah raised her eyebrow. “You have a fitting tomorrow.”
Angel groaned. “That’s tomorrow already?”
“A fitting for what?” Romero asked.
“His tux, for the prom,” Sarah answered for him.
“No shit.” Romero laughed. “You’re actually wearing a monkey suit?”
“Aren’t you?” Angel stood up off his bar stool and walked over to the small fridge next to the bar.
“You have to.” Sarah added.
“I dunno. I’m not sure if I’m even going.” Romero turned to Eric. “You going?”
Sofia tensed up. Eric shrugged. “Depends.”
Romero glanced up from where he was ready to take a shot. “On what?”
Eric took a deep breath, glancing at Sofia. “If these guys will let me take Sof.”
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Sofia almost choked on her gum. Both Alex and Angel stopped what they were doing and stared at him. She had no idea he was going to just put it out there like that. Before they could answer, he added, “Otherwise, I’m not going.”
Everybody seemed to hold their breath.
“We could go together.” Sarah finally broke through the tension. “It’ll be fun.”
To Sofia’s complete disbelief, Alex lifted a shoulder. “If Angel’s gonna be with you guys all night. I’m okay with that.”
Sofia could hardly contain herself. All Angel had to say was okay and they were home free. He finally looked away from Eric and glanced back at Sarah. Sarah gave him a pleading look, and Sofia knew it was done deal.
Angel shook his head, but smiled at Sarah. “Yeah, we can do that.”
Sofia jumped off her bar stool, hugge
d Angel then Sarah. Next, she rushed over to Alex and squeezed him.
“All right, all right,” he said, sounding as annoyed as she expected him to.
Just so she’d be able to get away with hugging Eric, and she wanted to so badly, she hugged Romero. Sarah laughed. Finally, she came back around to Eric, who gave her a warning look, but she hugged him anyway. “Yay, I get to go to prom!”
She knew her parents wouldn’t have a problem with it, either. They loved Eric.
***
The Prom was Eric’s first chance to make a statement about his and Sofia’s relationship. If there was ever any doubt that Sofia was off-limits, Eric made things crystal-clear now. He’d seen enough eyebrows lift as they walked around, holding hands, to know people would be talking even after prom.
Angel and Sarah being elected prom queen and king should’ve been a good thing. Except an ex-flame of Angel’s, Dana, had had a few too many, and she and the rest of her cheerleader girlfriends decided to protest and demand a recount. It started to get ugly when all of Sarah and Sofia’s friends from the track team came to Sarah’s defense.
Dana and a few of her friends were actually escorted out during Sarah and Angels dance. Sofia was livid. More than once, Eric had to hold her back. The Moreno in her was alive and well and ready to kick some ass.
The only mistake Angel made was giving Dana a moment when she begged for it just outside the banquet hall. Eric suspected the tears streaming down her face had a lot to do with Angel giving in—big mistake. Sarah walked away, with Sofia going after her.
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