by Bethany-Kris
“Have a good day, Pink.” Haven gave Snaps one last scratch behind his ear, and told the dog, “And you be a good boy, Snaps.”
She swore the dog smiled.
If only that made her happy at the moment. She was feeling a little too heavy for that.
Haven didn’t bother to say anything else before crossing the street. She was quick to enter the restaurant, and bypass the girl at the podium who would usually direct Haven to whatever table until Andino was called out of his office to join her. She didn’t even bother to search for him on the floor—she knew where he would be.
Sure enough, she found him in his office just beyond the kitchen. Andino was just sitting down at his desk—maybe more proof that he had walked his mother out of the business—when Haven darkened the doorway.
“Did you set that up?” she asked.
Andino glanced up—green eyes nailing into her with an intensity that might have taken her breath away at any other time. “I beg your pardon?”
“Your mother was just here, wasn’t she? I saw her leave.”
His face remained passive, but Haven wasn’t stupid. It was only when Andino took great pains to hide his emotions externally that he was doing so with a purpose, and for a reason. Otherwise, he couldn’t be bothered to try.
“She was here,” he said. “So?”
“Pink—ring any bells?”
Andino leaned back in his office chair. “Haven—”
“Did you make sure I wouldn’t run into your mother when I arrived here? Just answer the fucking question.”
His gaze darted away from hers, and even if he hadn’t admitted the truth in his next statement, that would have been enough to tell her what she wanted to know. “I don’t need any more problems at the moment, so yeah, I made sure she wouldn’t have any information to run to my father or someone else in my family at the moment.”
God.
Yeah, that’s what she wanted to know.
Not what she wanted to hear.
Those were two different things.
He was purposely keeping her a secret—hiding her from people who did not approve of his involvement with a woman that they didn’t think was acceptable. That right there should have been enough for Haven to turn the hell around, and leave Andino right where he stood.
Instead, she found herself frozen to the spot.
And hurting.
“Why?” she managed to ask.
Although, really, she was sure she knew the answer.
“I told you—it might have caused a problem. Right now, I need to focus on handling one problem at a time before I go adding more onto my list.”
“That’s what I am, then. A problem.”
“Haven, that’s not what—”
“No, it’s fine,” she said, lifting a hand as if to wave him off. “You made your point—and place—clear, thanks.”
She turned to leave the office, but barely even made it a step outside the doorway and into the kitchen before Andino was right behind her. His arm snagged her around the waist, and despite her spinning around to try and push him away, he held firm. He kicked the goddamn door closed behind them, too.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked.
Andino didn’t speak—no, he just crowded her against the fucking door, put both his hands flat against the wood on either side of her head as if to keep her barricaded in, and forced her to look at him. Haven knew damn well he could see how pissed she was in that moment. How could he not?
“If you didn’t get the hint, that was me wanting to leave, Andino.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I got it. We’re not done talking, though.”
“You don’t have to be. I was done.”
“No, you don’t get to run every time something upsets you, Haven,” he countered, inching closer with every word. So close, in fact, that his firm body molded entirely against hers. Every single breath she took had her chest pressing hard against his. His mouth was just a whisper away—enough that his lips ghosted over hers when he spoke. “You’re here, aren’t you? That’s what I wanted. To have lunch with you today, and see you. My mother showed up, and in an effort to be able to have a decent lunch with you that wouldn’t be interrupted by my family who can’t mind their own goddamn business, I made sure you two didn’t run into one another.”
Haven pushed against him, but Andino stayed firm in his spot. “Because you don’t want them to know about me.”
“More like, I have other things to handle first.”
“And so, it goes back to what I said—you don’t want them to know about me, or us.”
Andino glanced upwards as though he were searching for the heavens. “Haven, don’t do that, baby.”
“Kind of hard not to when this is what you do.”
“And what did I do? Avoid a problem. That’s all.”
“Andino—”
“I wanted you to come here. I canceled a meeting just to get an extra few minutes with you while you would be here. Isn’t that enough to tell you that I want you with me?”
Yes, in some ways.
And not at all, in other ways.
The bad overshadowed the good.
Didn’t he realize that?
“Hey,” Andino murmured.
Haven’s gaze met his, and she wished she hadn’t done that simply because the rest of the world ceased to exist when she stared at Andino. It was just them, the universe became smaller, and nothing else mattered.
How could he do that for her, but also hurt her?
“What?” Haven asked.
“Don’t ever question what I want, Haven.”
She blinked. “I rarely know what that is, though.”
“You. It’s you.”
Damn him.
Damn him straight to hell.
“I’m still going to be pissed after this moment,” she told him.
Andino grinned a little. “Oh?”
“Bet on it.”
“Shame,” he said softly.
Maybe it was.
Haven just didn’t care right then. She had something else on her mind—something that always came up whenever they were this close, and alone. A need that coursed through her system, and threatened to drown her with the intensity every single time. A want that only he could fix for her.
Him, that was.
Haven closed the very short distance between them to kiss Andino. He didn’t even hesitate to kiss her back in that familiar, rough way of his. He pushed her harder against the door while his tongue warred with hers. Those warm, strong hands of his were quick to dart beneath the skirt of her dress, and between her thighs.
She couldn’t control herself.
Didn’t want to.
She just spread her legs a little wider for him while she worked at the button and zipper on his slacks. Who cared that a whole restaurant worth of employees were just beyond the door behind her working? Who cared if they might hear?
She had one thing on her mind.
He seemed to be the same.
All of the breath in Haven’s lungs came out in a harsh whoosh of air the second two of Andino’s fingers found her cunt after sweeping beneath the gusset of her panties. There was no soft touches—no testing the waters, so to speak. Just his fingers filling her up as his thumb drove into her clit at the same time she finally got her hand wrapped around his cock beneath his boxer-briefs.
“Jesus Christ,” Andino hissed.
Maybe she’d grabbed him a little too tightly.
Stroked him too firmly.
Who knew?
His hips jerked, making his dick slide through her hands just the way he liked anyway. Even as she stroked him harder, got his cock pulsing in her palm, and ready for her, he kept working those fingers between her thighs. Making her wetter—getting her body hotter.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Haven breathed.
She was right there—ready to come, and needing it bad. And then he pulled his fingers away entirely; the loss of hi
m was substantial.
Yet, Haven barely had time to think about it at all before she was lifted against the door. Her legs wrapped around his waist at the same time his mouth slammed against hers, and his hand was between her thighs once more. Only this time, it was to fit his cock where it needed to go—one hard thrust, and he filled her full again.
The sharp, fast flex of his hips, and the way his cock drove into her sent an ache shooting through Haven’s bloodstream. But oh, God, was it good. It only melted in with the bliss she felt when he yanked his dick out from her body, rubbed the head against her slit, and then thrust right back in again.
She was so wet.
Slicking down her thighs.
Soaking his length.
Haven found herself a little too enthralled by watching the sight of him fucking her, even when his hand curved around her throat, and squeezed. All she wanted to do was watch him fuck her so good.
Every thrust of his body against hers sent her into the door—her back hurt from the force, but damn, she didn’t even mind.
“Look at me and come,” she heard him say.
Haven was still watching their bodies meet.
“Look at me,” he growled, tipping her head back. There were those green eyes again, although a little deeper in color now, and swimming with the need for her. “Look at me, and come.”
She did like to give him what he wanted. Even when it hurt her inside.
At least, that was one thing about sex with Andino—a good thing. He didn’t hurt her like this; not unless she asked him to, anyway.
• • •
“Are you still pissed at me because of the other day?”
Haven tried to ignore Andino, but it was damn hard when his lips were grazing the back of her neck while she tried to make coffee in his kitchen. She could smell that woodsy cologne he liked so much surrounding her, and soaking into her lungs with every breath. All it took was the stroke of his fingertips moving her hair to the side, so he could kiss that spot behind the back of her ear, and she bet her fucking panties were ruined.
Because yes, she was still pissed at him.
She was also incredibly turned on by him.
“That was a shitty thing to do to me,” she said.
Andino sighed—the pulse of his warm breath washed over the back of her neck, and reminded her of what it felt like to have his mouth doing that very thing to her pussy. Jesus Christ, get a grip, Haven.
“I told you—I didn’t have a choice, and I have to handle one thing at a time.”
“So, I come last.”
“Haven—”
“Which means, you hide me from your family because I am your dirty little secret that no one can find out about. Totally okay for you to be fucking whenever you feel the need, but not at all good enough for you to be seen in public with me.”
“Goddammit, that is not what I said.”
Haven shrugged, still refusing to turn around. “That’s how it felt.”
“First of all, the restaurant thing was three days ago, donna,” Andino grumbled even as he moved away from her slightly. “Can’t you let it go?”
“Not yet.”
“Of course.”
Haven shook her head. “You don’t get it, Andino.”
She didn’t even realize what had happened before she was spun around fast to face him. His hand locked around her wrist, and he moved in close so that the only thing she was looking at was him. She fucking hoped to God that he could see the fire blazing back in her eyes.
If he thought he was getting laid tonight, he was wrong.
Frankly, Haven didn’t even fucking know why she had come here today. Things were still tense after his little trick at the restaurant, and she should have just taken some time to settle her feelings about it all.
That would have been best.
Instead, when he called, she went.
He asked, she gave.
He demanded, she did.
That was them in a goddamn nutshell, and Haven wasn’t even sure if she liked doing this with him now. If all it was going to leave her feeling at the end of the day was dirty and ashamed, then what was the goddamn point?
“I don’t want to be your secret,” she told him quietly.
“One thing at a time,” he returned.
“Except, the problem with that is I don’t know all the things you need to deal with before you can finally deal with us, Andino.”
He sighed heavily. “Maybe I’m trying to deal with everything else so then I won’t have to deal with us at all—it’ll already be practically done.”
“If by done, you mean chasing me entirely out of your life, then keep it up.” Haven arched a brow, adding, “You’re doing a fantastic job.”
Andino’s jaw tightened. “Come on, Haven.”
“You hid me from your mother.”
“For good reason.”
“Yes, because they don’t think I’m appropriate for you, and it seems you agree. Tell me not to have some kind of feelings about that again, Andino. Go on, I dare you.”
Because it would not end well for him.
That was a promise.
“Okay, stop,” Andino murmured.
Haven glared. “I can have feelings about this!”
“Stop.”
He said it again, but even quieter and he came close enough that his lips brushed over hers as he spoke. It was enough to set Haven’s insides off like a wild fire suddenly burning out of control. She wished she had more of that—control—around this man.
Or self-respect.
Maybe that’s what she needed instead.
“You’re not my secret,” he told her. “Nothing like that, but you have to let me handle my business first. Okay? That’s all I am asking for, and then we’ll deal with the rest.”
“So, in the meantime,” she dared to ask even though his answer might very well cut her up inside, “what am I to you?”
Andino smiled. “Important.”
“Important?”
“Mmm. Something. But it’s important.”
Haven let out a heavy breath. “I wish that made me feel better.”
Andino shrugged. “Listen, I have to handle other things—business, and my family. I will be doing that whether you like it or not. That is the one thing that isn’t about you. Okay? It’s not about you, Haven.”
“You’re making that abundantly clear, Andino.”
“I beg your pardon?”
She patted a hand against his chest. “Very little in your life is about me—I get it.”
Before he could try and respond, she turned back around, and finished making her coffee. A part of her was grateful when Andino moved away from her side, and another part of her wished he was still right there … giving her shit back to her just as much as she threw it at him.
Andino made a harsh noise in the back of his throat. “Fine, Haven. Listen, John is coming over—he’ll be here within a few minutes. Be here, or go, that’s up to you, but I’ll be upstairs in my office. He knows where to find me.”
Be here, or go.
Haven turned around just as Andino reached the entryway of the kitchen. “So, you want me here when he’s here?”
Andino glanced over his shoulder, but even his stare was cold. “I never once said I didn’t, my girl. We’ll finish this conversation later if you’re still here.”
Yes, he hadn’t said he didn’t want her there, but she was still just something. And that was one short step away from nothing.
Haven was left alone with her thoughts, which honestly, was a hell of a lonely place to be, but she wasn’t quite ready to have another verbal sparring match with Andino, either. Sometimes, one needed to recoup, and deal with their own shit first before bringing someone else’s baggage into the mix as well.
She would do well to learn that.
It was only a knock on the door that drew Haven from her thoughts. She set her—now mostly—empty cup of coffee to the counter, and headed for the front entrance of
the home. She expected Andino to come down and greet his cousin, but she didn’t hear a single noise from him upstairs.
Maybe that should have been a hint for her—he was letting her open his home, and be in front of someone from his family. Didn’t that mean something? He had all the time in the world to send her the fuck out of there before this person arrived.
Beyond the front door, Haven found a man and a woman waiting. The woman was tucked in close to the man—she was a pretty thing, but docile looking, too. Haven turned to the man, already knowing his name and a little about him from Andino.
“Johnathan, right?” she asked.
John nodded, a hint of a smile at the edges of his mouth. “It is. And you’re Haven.”
“I am.” She glanced at the woman—unsure of who she was, and why she was there. “He didn’t say you were going to bring someone with you.”
Haven put out a hand to shake, and the woman offered hers as well.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, “I’m Siena. You’re Andino’s wife?”
John stiffened.
Haven didn’t miss it, and all she could do was give a bitter laugh and a wave of her hand in response. “No, see, I’m not appropriate enough to be a wife, Siena. I’m just … something.”
“Ouch,” Siena murmured.
Haven smirked a bit. “It’s a work in progress. Come in.”
Yeah, a work in progress.
That seemed like a good way to describe this whole mess.
SEVENTEEN
Andino listened to the quiet murmurings downstairs, but couldn’t quite make out what was being said. He figured John had finally shown up—if his cousin stopped to converse with Haven for even a couple of seconds, then that was a win for Andino in more ways than one. Sure, Andino needed to keep Haven’s presence in his life quiet for now, but that only applied to a select few people. John was not one of them.
It was good for John to see Haven, too, especially after his cousin had thrown the woman in his face as a reason why Andino might have sold him out to their family. Keep the attention off himself, and on John instead, so to speak. Well, if she was here, and John could see her, then what was Andino hiding?
