by Webster, K.
“How?”
“My daughter was different when she arrived at the wedding. Mexico changed her. Someone changed her. I figure that if he had that effect on her, my sweet, brilliant girl had that effect on him.”
“She’s not sweet,” I tell him. “She’s actually quite sour.”
David snorts. “Can I kill him?”
Randall chuckles. “I like this kid,” he tells David. “Much better for my feisty girl than your dinosaur ass.”
“She may be sour,” I continue, “but I like sour. No, I love sour. She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever known. Incredibly smart, but so innocent about life. Beautiful, but even more so when she’s frazzled and messy. Funny, though most of her barbs are slung my way.” I run my fingers through my hair. “She captured me. My little bee somehow managed to lasso me out of the sky and tied me to her heart.”
“Kid’s got game,” David groans. “I’ll give him that.”
“I can’t let her go,” I mutter. “I can’t.”
“But you did,” David reminds me. “I was an idiot and lost her. You’re an even bigger idiot for pushing her away.”
Gritting my teeth, I ignore this dude and focus on Randall. “Tell me where she’s at so I can go to her. I want to hold her and promise her the world.”
“On one condition,” Randall says, leaning forward. “I’ll tell you where she’s at under one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Don’t just promise, son, deliver. If you promise, you make good on it. If you’re going to give her the world, don’t you dare ever take it away.” He smiles wide. “Because I will find you and kill you.”
I gape at him.
David slaps me on the back. “He’s kidding. I think. Best not fuck up just in case.”
“I won’t,” I tell them both. “Now tell me.”
“Demanding little shit,” David says with a laugh.
“I like him,” Randall argues, shrugging. Then to me he nods. “Have lunch with us and then I’ll send you in the right direction.”
“Lunch? With both of you?”
“I’d like to call it an interrogation, but lunch is more polite. I’m going to get some beers in you and find out just what your true intentions are with my little girl.”
“The forever kind,” I growl.
“Good. Then your quest can wait until we have lunch and beer.”
I want to argue, but I won’t. If this is a hurdle I need to jump to get to my girl, I’ll fucking jump. No, I’ll fly. It’s what I do best.
As soon as the pilot touches down at the small airstrip, I’m already unbuckling and grabbing my bags. I can’t believe she came here of all places. Makes no sense. Randall wouldn’t budge on giving me more information, so I bailed and flew out the first chance I got.
The door opens and I drag my suitcase down the stairs. My boots hit the pavement a second before I’m nearly tackled by a smelly ass dog.
“Toro! You missed me!” I squat to scratch behind his ears.
My dog who abandoned me for Alejandro licks my face as though that’ll forgive him for his traitorous ways. I’m grinning, so it apparently works.
“Where’s your new daddy?” I ask Toro.
He barks and takes off running to the hangar. It’s under some serious construction. I walk over to the front, frowning. This has to cost a lot of money—money I know Alejandro doesn’t have.
“¡Viniste a casa!” You came home.
I hug Alejandro and he rambles about the updates he’s doing to his small airport. That soon there will even be a Starbucks. I don’t get a chance to ask him about where in the hell he got the money before he’s dragging me over to his bus that’s also taken on an update. It’s no longer the loud, hot piece of shit it once was. I don’t even think it’s the same one.
We head inside and I soon learn it’s not.
His never had air conditioning. Or a disco ball. What in the hell?
He sees me eyeing the disco ball and laughs in that robust way of his, holding his belly. Then, he dances for me, making me laugh. I settle in a seat and hold on before he takes off. The drive is short. I can’t help but go over all the ways I’m going to convince Sheridan to take me back.
She never texted me back.
When I finally arrived in California, I texted her. An embarrassing amount of times. All of which were ignored. This could all be for nothing. She might have some new boyfriend and doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.
Then why is she here?
I have to hold onto hope that she was good on her promise. That she’d be waiting for me to come find her. Well, here I am, hunting my woman down.
We arrive at the hotel and I bolt out of the bus. As soon as I take in the hotel, I stop dead in my tracks.
More construction.
The first thing I notice is a wooden walkway from the parking area to the front office. I stalk in through the doors—also new—and take in the updates. Everything has been removed and it’s a shell of how it used to be. Men are hanging new drywall and Araceli is bossing them around with Rodrigo attached to her breast.
“What is this?” I demand.
She rolls her eyes. “Long time, no see, cousin.”
“What the hell is going on around here?”
“Ask the owner.”
I growl, already annoyed at her bitchiness. “Where’s Mamá?”
“With Eduardo. But she’s not the owner anymore.”
Time slows to a halt. My cousin is smiling wickedly, clearly enjoying my horror.
“What?”
“You heard me, Camilo. She sold it. Fancy rich folks bought it out from her and are fixing it up.”
“No,” I grit out. “Impossible. Mamá would never sell.”
“Rodrigo ripped this place apart,” Araceli argues. “She didn’t have the money to fix it back up.” Her little Rodrigo pops off the nipple to stare up at her, flashing me in the process.
Gross.
I don’t want to see my cousin’s tit.
“This is ridiculous,” I snarl.
“Should have been here to stop it from happening.” She smiles unkindly at me. “Thanks for visiting Hotel Zaragoza. Come back soon.”
I flip my cousin off then haul ass on a mission to find my mother.
Sheridan
I cringe when Mateo and Nicolás start bashing at the drywall with two huge sledgehammers. I’d suggested regular hammers, but they were like two kids in a candy shop, eager to destroy the hotel room Rodrigo ruined when it passed through.
“Careful,” I warn above the noise. “If you go through that outer wall, you’re fixing it and it’s coming out of your paycheck.”
Mateo winks at me before swinging his giant tool again. Freaking brutes. As they demo the walls, I can’t help but thrum with eager energy. Soon we’ll have all the old cleared out and we can start with the new. It’s going to be so awesome.
I feel him before I see him.
Camilo.
Strong. Radiating with anger. Warm.
My entire body alights at his nearness while my heart cracks down the middle. Hope is a silly, useless emotion, though I can’t help but latch onto it anyway.
“A word,” he says over the noise, his hand gently gripping my elbow.
I chance a look his way and hate how my heart stutters in my chest. He looks furious. Hot, but angry as hell. As I knew he would be. Rosita warned me.
Jerking my arm from his grip, I march past him out of the room and onto the walkway. I cross my arms over my chest and glower at him. “Yes?”
His dark eyes drop to my lips flickering with heat before he hardens them and snaps them to my stare. “This is all your doing.”
“Is that a question or a statement? Oh, and hello to you too, stranger.”
His jaw clenches. “All you or do you have partners? Araceli indicated more than one person bought Mamá out.”
“After all this time spent apart, this is how you greet me?” I scoff, shaking my head. �
�I don’t even know why I missed your grumpy ass.” I start to walk away, but he grabs my hand. Warmth surges through my veins at his touch. I don’t shake him away. “What?”
“I want to know…” His features fall. “Why did you take away the one thing my mother loved?”
Take it away?
“I didn’t take anything away,” I snip. “You’d know that if you’d ever cared to visit.”
Confusion furrows his brow. “I don’t understand.”
“My partners and I purchased this hotel for a generous price. We’re renovating it and have a plan to make it the best it can be.”
“Who’s they? David?”
I snort. “No, but your jealousy is cute.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“You so are, bird boy. Now are you going to stop being a prick so I can show you what we’ve done and what Estefania and Damian and I are planning on doing?” I start to tug my hand from his, but he tightens his grip, keeping me near.
“Why did you do it?”
“I needed a change of pace. I wanted to do something with my friends. I felt like this location has potential, but Rosita will never have the means to make it what it could be.”
“It had nothing to do with me?”
Cocky bastard.
“The world doesn’t revolve around you, Camilo. I know that’s a difficult concept to wrap your big head around, but it’s true. We all manage just fine without you.”
He cups my cheek and presses his forehead against mine. “Sher…”
I close my eyes, hating how emotional I feel with him touching me. His lips brush against mine and I let him.
“I’m sorry for the way I behaved,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Me too.” Gently, I push away from his kiss. “Come on. Let’s go.”
There’s nothing I want more than to climb this man and kiss him until we’re both dizzy. I also want him to hold me, promising we’ll never part ways again. But before I do any of that, I have to make sure he’s okay with all of this. I need for him to see all that I’ve done and what I will do.
“We’re building new villas over there. That will start next month. Everything’s getting a facelift, including the spa, front office, hotel rooms, the pool, and Eduardo’s.”
“Eddie’s?”
“Has been renamed. I thought we needed something a little more sophisticated.”
“Eduardo is not sophisticated,” he grumbles.
“His cooking is top-notch. I’ve eaten in many countries and no one compares to his cooking. Once we give him the adequate staff and a better kitchen to cook in, I can’t even begin to imagine how awesome that will be.”
Eduardo is amazing. I’m obsessed with his cooking. So much so that I visit him multiple times a day to accept whatever treat he’s concocted. I blame him for the five pounds I’ve gained.
“Hmm,” is all Camilo says.
I guide him over to the pool where my partners are taking a break. Estefania looks like every man’s wet dream in a teeny white bikini that makes her tanned skin look golden and flawless. Beside her is Kyle, who’s already burning. Damian is on his other side decked out in a giant floppy hat and is wearing a sarong. With heels. God love him.
“Hey, kids,” I chirp as I walk over to them. “Something washed up. Pretty cool, huh?”
Damian looks up from behind his oversized sunglasses. “Sexy Mexi? Ohmigod, my boyfriend’s back!” He jumps up and practically tackles Camilo. “Ooh, baby love, tonight’s first dance is on me. I’ve been doing pilates. My ass is tighter than a quarterback’s. One dance grinding on this booty and I’m totally turning you gay!”
Camilo laughs as he attempts to untangle himself from Damian. “Can’t wait,” he deadpans. “What are you guys doing and what have you done to Mamá’s hotel?”
Damian bites on his lip and points a manicured nail my way. “It’s all her fault. We’re just unsuspecting victims.”
I roll my eyes and smack Damian’s quarterback ass. “Unsuspecting, huh? And you put up a million dollars under duress?”
Camilo about chokes. “A million…Sheridan, what in the hell have you done?”
Bristling at the use of my full name rather than many of the nicknames he’s given me, I shrug. “It’s business.”
I walk down the path toward Eduardo’s. Camilo’s shadow looms behind me. Before I reach the door that’s open and smells so good, he swoops an arm around my middle, pulling my back to his chest.
He nuzzles his nose in my hair, inhaling me. It makes my stomach clench and my heart cease to beat. Tears prickle at my eyes. I’ve missed him so much.
“We’re not done looking,” I murmur, my voice hoarse with emotion.
He kisses the shell of my ear and then the side of my neck. “We’re taking a break from looking. We’re feeling.”
I close my eyes as he sucks on my sweaty neck. His palms grope my breasts and then run down my stomach toward my pussy.
“We’re in public.” I gasp when he brushes his fingers over my pussy through my dress. “You can’t do this.”
“All I want to do is strip you out of this dress and spend the rest of the day making up to you with my mouth.”
I shiver despite the heat. “That sounds lovely, but we’re busy. We’ll consider it later.”
“Consider it?” He snorts. “I’ll have you naked and beneath me within the hour.”
My heart flutters at his words. I know they’re true. There’s no way in hell I’m denying him.
“Sounds like a bet,” I state, pulling away to challenge him with a glare. “What do I win if you lose?”
He smirks. “I don’t lose.”
“Neither do I.”
“Someone has to lose.”
“What if we both win?”
“A tie?”
“¡Mijo!”
Our banter is cut short when Rosita appears in the doorway. She’s smiling. At first, I didn’t think she could smile. And when I suggested we purchase the hotel, she didn’t smile at all. In fact, she yelled. A lot. Thankfully all in Spanish so I didn’t understand a thing. It was Eduardo who calmed her down and made her see that we were doing something good. She just had to let us. We negotiated on a fair number and wrote in that she still manages the hotel since she’s the experienced one. We also negotiated that she’ll take my advice too because I’m experienced when it comes to businesses, especially acquisitions. Estefania is excellent with social media and brings a marketing aspect we’ll eventually need while Damian is the design brain in the bunch. He sees the dirty and knows just how to make it pretty without breaking the bank. We’re a great team.
“Mamá,” Camilo says. “What did you do?”
She hugs him and then hugs me. “What was necessary.”
“But this is your home,” he murmurs. “You built this place.”
“It’s still my home. Sheridan made sure of it.” She grabs his hand and tugs. “Come inside and let us show you what we’re doing to the restaurant.”
When we enter, Linda waves. I learned that she doesn’t speak because her ex-husband punched her in the throat. It was the last straw before she left him for good. Rosita spilled that one late night. Rosita knows everything about everyone. You can guarantee I pulled out every childhood story about Camilo that I could get from her.
Rosita drags Camilo around and shows him different swatches of colors and tiles Damian brought by. I make my way into the kitchen to talk to my newest bestie.
“Dulce niña, ¿tienes hambre?”
I am working on my Spanish, but all I pick out is sweet girl since that’s what he calls me all the time.
“Got anything good for me to eat?” I ask, peeking around him.
“The best for the best.” He winks at me and then starts piling things onto a plate. “I will always have food for you.”
I grin at him as I take the plate and then sit down on a barstool. We have things on order that will make cooking a lot easier for him. I made sure to let him pick
it all out since I know nothing about industrial-sized appliances and kitchen cookware. I pick up what looks like a taquito and take a bite. It’s spicy but so good.
“Eduardo,” I groan. “This is heavenly.”
He chuckles and turns back to the stove. At one time I’d been grossed out by how sweaty he gets when he works. But he can’t help it. He’s passionate about cooking and this kitchen isn’t well ventilated. I’m definitely hooking him up with a better air conditioner during the remodel.
“¡Cuervo!” Eduardo booms when Camilo steps into the kitchen. “My boy.”
He pulls Camilo to him for a big hug before releasing him. Then, he starts piling food on a plate. Camilo smirks at me before accepting the plate and sitting beside me. Rosita comes into the kitchen to dance with Eduardo to whatever song is playing on the radio nearby.
Camilo frowns, glancing at me. He’ll soon see that Rosita has removed the stick out of her ass—which I’m pretty sure was stress related—and is a much happier woman. She’s practically giddy at all of the changes this hotel is undergoing.
“You’ve been busy,” Camilo says.
“I had to keep my mind off things.”
He frowns. “Sher…”
“About that bet, bird boy.” I take a bite of a yummy taco. “Eat fast if you want to win it. Otherwise, if I win, I’ll put you on demo duty with Mateo and Nicolás.”
I’ve never seen a man devour his food so quickly.
Guess it looks like he’ll win.
I’ll be naked and beneath him within the hour.
Sometimes losing isn’t so bad.
Camilo
We walk up to my villa and I arch a brow at her. I can’t help but feel proud of all she’s done to Mamá’s hotel. All she plans to do. I’ve never seen Mamá so happy. She smiled and not just for me or for Eduardo, but for Sheridan as well.
“You stole my house?”
She scoffs. “I bought your house. It was a packaged deal.”
I can’t even be mad at her because she’s so damn beautiful. When we walk inside, my eyes bug out of my head. All of my things remain. Pictures of my parents and me when I was a kid. Airplane décor randomly scattered through the two-room villa. Every single thing I left remains.