by Lena Hart
It wasn’t long before their dinner was ready and she pulled out the hot dish, covered with melted cheese. He stared down at the steaming casserole, impressed. He suddenly found himself starving.
“Wow. That looks great.”
Her face lit up. “Doesn’t it?”
He took down two plates and grabbed some silverware before following her to the small dining table. He picked up the wooden spoon and began cutting into the gooey casserole. He could practically smell the spices, which didn’t bother him one bit. He loved his food spicy.
But it took one big bite, and a millisecond for it to settle on his tongue, for him to realize even he had his limits.
The stinging moved from his tongue to the walls of his mouth and down his throat. His eyes began to water and he cleared his throat to cover it.
Shit. He liked spice, but this was the kind of heat that burnt hairs off a man’s chest.
She looked at him expectantly. “Well, how is it?”
He cleared his throat again. “It’s got a little spice.” He winced at the rasp in his voice and he fought not to dab at the corner of his eyes. Damn it. Now his least favorite food was calling into question his manhood. But he would gouge his eyes out before he let a tear slip.
She frowned and picked up her fork. His tongue was fast becoming numb and he was slow to react when she took a bite. Then promptly spit it back on her plate.
“Oh my God,” she cried then started coughing into her napkin then fanning her mouth.
He wanted to laugh at the way she scrunched her face, but he couldn’t make his mouth move. When she reached for the glass of water, he pulled it from her hand.
“No water,” he slurred. “You’ll make it worse.”
He quickly grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge, took a long swallow then handed it to her. She also drank directly from the carton.
“Oh wow, I really messed that up, didn’t I?” she said, wiping the corners of her mouth.
“Are you sure you used jalapenos and not Habanero peppers?” The residual stinging in his mouth told him it had to be the latter.
She lifted her shoulders and shook her head, looking so miserable he wavered between laughing and pulling her into his arms. He should have used this opportunity to come clean—to tell her that he hated chicken tamale casserole and that regardless of the heat, he was certain he would have hated hers too.
Turned out he wasn’t an opportunist after all.
And he was undeniably in love with this woman.
“It’s okay, muñeca,” he said, placing a quick kiss on her cheek. “You’ll get it right the next time. Now come on. Let me make us a sandwich.”
****
Judith was going to miss their little hideaway.
The past week had been perfect with just the two of them. Even Prince had given them room to just explore each other. To not have to think about anything—or anyone—and just laze about, making love or working on the three hundred piece puzzle he had bought her.
They hadn’t talked about Ken or her accident again and she was grateful for that. Instead, Carlos told her more outrageous stories about Wenzel the Wolf, about his short time in the marines, and the time Gil had convinced him to temporarily work as a jiu-jitsu trainer at his gym.
She in turn told him about growing up in San Francisco and how her passion for dance started when she’d been five only because she had wanted to wear the pretty pink tutu everywhere. She was slowly opening up to him and Carlos was allowing her the time and space she needed to do that. She chose to trust that she was safe with him, and the more time she spent with him, the more she believed that both her body and her heart were safe with him.
Carlos came into the bathroom where she was tying her hair up for her nightly shower. Despite the thick, white towel wrapped around her, he stared at her as if she were already naked.
Wearing only his dark boxers, he leaned against the door frame and silently watched her. She caught his eye in the mirror and she found herself drawn to his warm gaze. He had a way of making her smile more than she ever had in a long time.
“What?”
“You’re beautiful,” he said simply.
She glanced down, annoyed by her sudden bashfulness but flattered by the unexpected compliment. She had on her glasses and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She didn’t particularly feel beautiful, but he had a way of making her believe she was.
She tried to think of a clever response but the way he looked at her made her forget her thoughts. All she could muster was a quiet, “Thanks.”
“It’s our last night here,” he added, “and we haven’t put that bathtub in the back to any use.”
He had been alluding to bathing together for some time now and though the idea intrigued her, she didn’t think she could be comfortable enough to expose herself to him in bright light with nothing between them but water. She knew the scars didn’t bother him, but they were still painfully noticeable to her.
“I can’t get my hair wet,” she protested, finding any excuse to forget the idea. “And I don’t have my flat iron or anything.”
“That’s okay,” he said, his eyes gleaming. “I like my women rough around the edges.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in but when they did, she burst out laughing. “What do you know about rough edges?”
His grin widened. “I’ve dated a few black girls.”
She glanced away. Of course he had, she thought, trying to ignore the stab of jealousy. He was a good-looking guy with the right amount of charm and rugged assertiveness.
“Don’t be jealous, muñeca,” he said with faint amusement, coming up behind her and pulling her into his arms. “You’re the only woman this big, bad wolf wants.” He playfully nibbled on her neck.
She rolled her eyes to mask her shiver of pleasure, but she couldn’t quite contain the joy and desire that spread through her. In a way it was unnerving to have him know her every thought and feeling, but then again, she loved how in-tune he was with her. He tended to know when things were good or bad before she’d even say a word.
“So what do you say?” he murmured against her ear. “Will you conserve our planet’s natural resources and take a bath with me?” He must have read the hesitation on her face because he grabbed her hand and led her out of the small bathroom. “Come on. You’ll like it. I promise.”
He led her to the large, master bath with the whirlpool tub at the back of the house and she gasped at the sight that greeted her.
One large candle glowed at each corner of the wide tub, giving the dimly lit bathroom a soft, romantic ambiance. It was perfect. Water filled the tub halfway with soap suds floating at the top. The soft glow of the candlelight and the water would help conceal her lingering insecurities.
She turned to him, still in awe. No one had ever done anything so touching or romantic for her. “This is beautiful, Carlos.”
He shrugged sheepishly. “I wanted to add flowers and champagne, which looked nice in this magazine ad I saw once, but I didn’t plan ahead. I couldn’t find any more candles either.”
She shook her head slowly. “This is perfect,” she breathed.
Carlos removed his boxers and came up to her. Her hands tightened on her towel, but instead of pulling them away, he placed his hands on her arms and slowly rubbed them.
“You don’t have to be shy with me, muñeca,” he said. “And you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about either.”
He pulled off her glasses. If they hadn’t been standing so close, he would have been a slightly blurred figure. But in the low light, she still saw all of him clearly.
Next, he tugged on the towel and she let it fall—along with all of her apprehension and insecurities. She kept her gaze locked with his as he brushed his thumb across her cheek.
“Of all the gorgeous curves on your beautiful body,” he began slowly, his eyes filled with warmth, “your smile is my favorite.”
The breath she hadn’t realized she’d held suddenly es
caped her and she felt herself melt for him just a bit more. “Okay, that was a good one.”
“But it’s true.” He gave her a quick kiss then took her hand. “Ready?”
She nodded and they eased into the warm water. The tub wasn’t as big as it looked and she ended up between his legs, her back pressed against his chest with the water coming up just above her breasts. She leaned fully against him as he ran his wet palm along her legs, over her thighs, and up her abdomen.
“I’ve thought about us doing this for a long time,” he murmured, placing a kiss on her damp shoulder.
With a soft sigh, Judith closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hard frame cradling her. “This is nice.”
He kissed her shoulder again. “I told you, you would like it. Next time, I’ll remember to pick up some champagne.”
“And chocolate.”
He chuckled.
They sat in the water, lazily stroking each other, her foot leisurely rubbing along his leg. His lips trailed along the back of her neck and she couldn’t help the shiver that raked through her body. She wished they could stay like this, in their little oasis, forever. Instead, tomorrow, they would be joining the rest of the world and she would have to once again face her actions and an uncertain future.
“Carlos?”
“Hmm,” he murmured, his fingers trailing along the outside of her thigh.
“What happens after tomorrow?”
His movements stilled. “Do you mean about us or the investigation.”
“Both, I guess.” Her initial concern had been regarding the investigation and what would happen once they got back into the city, but then whatever ended up happening with that, didn’t necessarily give her any insights into what would happen to her—or them. He would have to eventually return to Royal Courts and tell David Carrone everything he knew.
“Once I have more information on Laurie Fiori, you’ll come back with me to Royal Courts and we’ll explain exactly what happened.”
Her stomach clenched at the thought of facing David Carrone after what she’d done, and her attempt to flee from it, but she couldn’t continue running from the consequences of her actions.
“I’m sorry about all this,” she said, the guilt of what she’d done weighing heavily on her. She took his hands in hers and squeezed it. “I know you could probably lose your job for helping me and I appreciate the risks you're taking. And I’ll try to help however I can.”
“You let me worry about my job,” he said close to her ear. “Everything will work itself out, I promise. And when we’re old and gray and trying to figure out how to send text messages through our brain chips, this will all be a distant memory.”
She smiled at the thought of growing old with him. She may not know what tomorrow would bring but for now, she would relish the fantasy. Stroking his arm, she turned her head to face him and he gave her exactly what she wanted.
He kissed her long and deep, his fingers travelling between her thighs and into her slick folds. A soft gasp escaped her when he twirled his finger around her most sensitive area before slipping it inside her. She lifted her hips slightly to give him better access and she covered his slowly moving hand with hers as the familiar tightness in her belly began to spread to her core.
His free hand held her face turned to his as he continued moving his lips over hers. “Eres mía, muñeca,” he said against her mouth. “Toda mía.”
The slickness of herself and the lukewarm water made his movements easy, bringing her to heights only he could. His lazy strokes between her thighs grew stronger and everything around them ceased to exist. Her body clenched fiercely around his pumping finger, but he never released her lips as he continued his gentle assault.
The tension grew unbearably tight and with a series of soft gasps and moans, she clutched his thigh and convulsed around his finger. Her head fell back against his shoulder, the water lapping smoothly around them as her thighs trembled from the aftermath and his erection pressed urgently behind her.
“Let’s go to bed,” he murmured thickly, his breathing heavy and fast against her ear.
There, he made love to her tenderly and slowly, whispering sexy words to her in Spanish, encouraging her and guiding her in what he liked. As always, it was fiery and intense yet filled with a sweet tenderness.
“Open your eyes, muñeca. Look at me.”
She opened them and stared up at his intense, dark gaze. With every slow push, her breath caught.
“Every time you close your eyes, I want you to feel this, remember this.” He braced himself on his arms as he leaned down and kissed her deeply. “I want you to dream of me, of us, each night,” he said, trailing his warm lips down her neck. “I can’t take away your nightmares, but I can try to erase them, try to replace them with happy memories of us.”
And they did.
He loved her so gently, so tenderly, that there was no room for anything else. No room for darkness or pain. It was just them in that moment, still learning each other, loving each other—and making lasting memories.
After, she lay against him, running her palm over his rising and falling chest. He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips.
“Eres el amor de mi vida, muñeca.”
“What does that mean?”
He was silent for a moment. “That you are the love of my life,” he whispered. He hugged her close. “I love you, Judith.” He placed a soft kiss on her lips. “You don’t have to say anything. Just know that I do.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Until he had said those words, she didn’t realize how much she needed to hear them. She knew that he cared about her, but his love fed something inside her that made her feel indestructible. Where she had once felt weak and broken, she now felt whole again.
She rested her head back on his shoulder, trying to make sense of the different emotions ricocheting inside her. He’d seen the worst of her—what she was willing to do when she let fear take a hold of her, the scars that marked her body—yet he loved her despite it all. Years of guarding her emotions made it harder for her to express herself in the same way without feeling the uncomfortable tightness in her throat. And neither was he pressuring her to. He was simply telling her how he felt—something she was still relearning to do. One thing was certain, though—she was completely enthralled by him.
Suddenly he jerked his leg and looked down at their feet. “What the hell!”
“What?” She rose on her elbow and followed his gaze to find Prince perched at the foot of the bed. His mouth gaped open in a wide yawn.
“I think he just licked my toe,” Carlos said wryly.
She giggled. “Aww, he’s showing you affection.”
Carlos rolled out of the bed and carried Prince out of the bedroom. Her spoiled cat released an indignant meow just as Carlos shut the door behind him and got back into bed.
Judith rolled into his arms, seeking out his warmth. “Why’d you put him out? He really likes you.”
“I like him just fine, too,” Carlos said with a wide yawn of his own. “But I’m not about to make this a threesome.”
He hauled her back into his arms as she dissolved into laughter.
Chapter Fifteen
“What do you think of this?”
Carlos stared at the large, glowing plant-like ornament. They had made it back to the city late that morning and he’d dropped both her and Prince off at her place while he’d gone to his apartment to shower and change for his aunt’s party tonight. It had been while he was dressing that he thought about how good she would look standing in his bedroom, in only her underwear getting dressed alongside with him. He smiled at the image his mind conjured. In her underwear, she would look good standing anywhere.
“What is it?” he asked, pushing away his provocative thoughts.
Judith shrugged. “I don’t know. A tree sculpture? But it’s pretty, isn’t it? I think your aunt would like it.”
Carlos couldn’t be sure about that. His aunt had a fondness for pott
ed plants, but he couldn’t quite make out what the thing was supposed to be. Though he had assured Judith a gift wasn’t necessary, she had insisted they stop so she could buy his aunt something. Now they stood in the novelty shop, staring at the unique plant-like thing oddly pulsing colorful lights through its stems. One thing was certain, it was an attention grabber.
They finished their purchase and made the short drive to the banquet hall.
Inside the decorated space, staff in plain black uniforms bustled around, the name and logo of the catering company on their breast pocket the only indicator that they were affiliated with the venue. The buffet tables were currently being set up and a makeshift dance floor had been formed in the back, near a set of large stereos and a sound system. Several round tables were covered with white tablecloths with small colorful flowers in glass vases at the center of each.
Carlos found his uncle and Tristan standing near one of the larger tables at the center of the room.
“Good. You two made it,” his uncle greeted as they approach. He grabbed the bags from Judith’s hand then pulled her into a hug.
“Looks like you have everything under control,” Carlos said, placing the wide box on the table. He glanced again around the room, which had been nicely decked with strings of white lights hanging from the ceiling and spirals of silver and black balloons decorating every corner of the large room. Everything was simple yet elegant.
“I know,” Gil said. “I just wanted to make sure you got here in time. It’s important that the family show up tonight. Rosa would like that.”
“What’s this?” Tristan asked, looking curiously at Judith’s gift.
“It’s Rosa’s birthday present,” Judith said. “It’s a lamp sculpture. I wasn’t sure if we should wrap it or not.”
“No need,” his uncle assured her. “Let’s take it out of the box and put it on the front table.”
“I still have the rest of the party favors in my car,” Tristan said. “Mind giving me a hand, Carlos?”
“Any news?” Carlos asked the minute they made it outside.
“Yeah,” Tristan said. “But you’re not gonna like it.”
