by Lena Hart
Remembering his naked chest and the way it had repeatedly moved over her and against her last night made her body clench with desire.
Judith blew out a soft breath and tried to concentrate on what Tristan was telling her about a photo of a Gil standing beside a large man, wearing nothing but dark boxer shorts and a fierce frown. His size and long tattoo only added to his intimidating presence.
Though Tristan was polite and friendly in his “guided tour”, she secretly got the sense he was really using this moment to feel her out. She, in turn, tried to remain open and relaxed despite the sudden tension invading her muscles.
They eventually made their way back to the sitting area and caught the tail end of an argument between Carlos and Rosa.
“We can get them on our way there, tía,” Carlos said with obvious frustration.
Rosa replied to him in Spanish so Judith didn’t understand what she’d said but, from Carlos response, it was clear he was eager to leave soon.
“Okay, tía,” Carlos said with barely concealed exasperation. “But please be quick. I’d like to leave before dark.”
The older woman muttered in Spanish as she headed to the kitchen. Judith felt Carlos’ gaze on her and carefully averted her eyes.
“Judith, we’re leaving in five minutes,” he said. “You should go and get Prince ready.”
She nodded, not bothering to tell him that Prince was already prepped to leave. Her poor cat had been so unnerved by the new surroundings that he’d barely bothered to eat his own meal. He kept himself huddled in the tote bag, waiting for her to take him away.
Without another word, Carlos left her and Tristan standing there. Her eyes followed him until he disappeared to the back of the room. To her embarrassment, she found Tristan watching her.
Thankfully, he didn’t make any mention of it. Instead, he told her embarrassing stories about Carlos and she smiled and laughed where appropriate, wishing that she had come to meet his family without this strain between them, that things were like they had once been. That he was once again the fun-loving guy he’d been with her, the one his family seemed to adore.
“I wish I had some embarrassing high school pics to show you,” Tristan said with a slow grin. “But that bastard knows how to take a picture.”
Judith thought back on the photos she’d seen of him and had to agree. Even her favorite of him in the white suit, he’d been a little charmer.
With her, however, that guy was gone. She realized then she should have appreciated him when she’d had him and had been the center of his attention.
A heavy hand rested on her waist from behind, startling her. Carlos leaned close to her ear so only she could hear. “If you’re done flirting with my cousin,” he said tightly, “I’d like to go now.”
She wanted to snap, when was it a crime to be nice, but she glanced over at Tristan, who was pretending not to notice their little exchange, and she let the words fizzle from her lips. Soon they wouldn’t have to pretend anymore, so she would endure.
Judith pulled away from him and headed to the laundry room to get the one guy who didn’t care about her past, who she had been or what she had done.
She carried the tote bag with Prince inside back to the front of the room and found Carlos carrying several large bags, the muscles on his arms flexing from the weight. The only assistance Tristan offered, was holding open the front door. Before she followed after Carlos, Judith said her goodbyes to her hosts.
“It was very nice meeting you, Judith,” Rosa said, pulling her into a hug and planting a parting kiss on her cheek.
Judith echoed the same sentiments. “Thanks again for dinner,” she added.
“My pleasure, mija.”
Gil also pulled her into a warm embrace. “Don’t make us wait too long to see you again, sweetie,” he said. “Make sure Carlos brings you back for Rosa’s birthday dinner.”
With a strained smiled, Judith nodded, but her heart was in her throat. They were really so nice she felt terrible about misleading them into thinking she would come around again.
She made her way outside and found Carlos and Tristan standing by the car. The two men stopped speaking and turned to her.
She offered a friendly smile to Tristan, fully aware of Carlos and his hard glare on her. He could think what he wanted. She wasn’t going to be rude just because he thought she’d set her “lecherous” eyes on his cousin.
“It was nice meeting you, Tristan.”
He flashed her one of his dazzling smiles. “Don’t be a stranger, angel.”
With the heat of Carlos’ gaze on them, she suddenly felt awkward in her parting with him. She knew it was customary in some cultures to kiss friends and family on the cheek as part of their greetings and farewells yet she tensed when Tristan reached for her hand. Whether he intended to kiss it again as he’d done earlier or pull her in for a hug, she would never know. Carlos grabbed her hand from his grasp and pulled her to his side. His hold was tight.
Tristan tried to contain a laugh. “Well, you two drive safely,” he said then nodded in Carlos’ direction. “I’ll be in touch, man.”
Judith pulled her hand out of his hard grip. “You didn’t need to embarrass me like that. I was trying to be nice.”
He looked down at her, clearly taken aback by her sharp retort. She was usually better at keeping her feelings to herself, but today had been long and tiring and everything, including his attitude, was trying her patience.
“Funny how you were never that nice to me when I was practically tripping myself over you,” he bit out.
Judith sighed. Because it wasn’t Tristan she wanted. She wanted the old Carlos back, the one who flirted outrageously with her and made her laugh. But that guy was gone and she only had herself to blame. He was obviously still angry at what she’d done and wasn’t prepared to forgive her even though he was offering to help.
Her biggest mistake, however, had been in sleeping with him and creating a kaleidoscope of emotions that neither of them had been prepared for.
“How many times, Carlos?”
He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
She sighed again. “How many times do I have to say ‘I’m sorry’ before you stop being an asshole to me?”
His jaw clenched and he yanked the passenger door to his car open. “Get in.”
They eventually got on the road and made the hour and a half long drive to his family’s ranch home in silence. From what she’d gathered, it was a secluded house Gil had built as a desert getaway. It was past the Fire Valley and on the outskirts of Moapa, a place she had heard of but was only now realizing its magnificence.
The scenery that surrounded them during the drive was incredible. She had never ventured this far from the city, and the sight of the calm desert beauty was mesmerizing. Carlos had driven off the main roads and continued on to a narrower road, which seemed isolated from the rest of the world. High, rugged rocks loomed all around them, ranging from pale browns to burnt orange and rustic red.
The sun was quietly making its evening descent behind the far distant mountains, casting dusky silhouettes over the lovely landscape. It was like they were the only two people in this part of the world, driving on this long stretch of road. Except they weren’t alone, not really.
In the distance, she caught sight of a large truck parked up on one of the hills. She could vaguely make out a figure standing on the back bed of the black pickup truck. For a moment she envied the person’s ability to freely bask in the evening sun and desert air and enjoy the peacefulness surrounding them.
They passed a few single-family homes along the way, each with enough distance between them to make calling them neighbors a stretch.
Judith glanced over at Carlos, who had slipped on dark shades and kept his gaze on the road. She wondered what he was thinking right now. He had been silent during their drive, not that she had expected him to draw her into conversation, but it was as if he wasn’t aware of her sitting only inches away fro
m him. He was distant, miles away from her, and for the first time she wondered if that was what others sensed from her when she withdrew into her protective shell.
The slight shifting in the tote bag brought her attention to the bundle on her lap. She widened the opening of the bag and Prince inched his head out, sniffing the air. She absently petted his head and he purred then let out a low meow.
She continued her slow petting until he nudged her hand with his furry paw. When he tried to climb further out of the bag, she held him firm.
“Oh no, you don’t,” she muttered.
Her stubborn cat fixed her with his wide, golden-eyed gaze and let out another meow that started out like a low growl before it ended in a loud mewl. She recognized that sound and shook her head.
“Don’t even start,” she said to him. “You should have eaten when you had the chance.”
“Didn’t you feed him a little while ago?” Carlos asked.
Judith glanced over at him, startled, and half embarrassed that he’d caught her talking to her cat as if the animal understood her. Though there were times she believed Prince understood more than he let on.
“Yes, but he didn’t eat,” she replied. “He was too shy.”
Carlos glanced down at her lap. “That chatterbox?”
She smiled at the unexpected amusement in his voice. “Yeah, Prince pretends like he’s this cool cat, but he’s really an introvert like me.”
He briefly turned his gaze to her but said nothing, and she wondered if she had broken that lighthearted moment between them.
“How long have you had him?”
“Not long. A little under a year.” Then she proceeded to tell him about the condition in which she had found him, which only angered her to think people could be so cruel.
“He’s such a sweetie,” she finished, rubbing his furry head. “I don’t know why anyone would lock him in a cage and put him out like he was trash.”
“People are capable of doing shitty things,” Carlos said simply.
She stiffened at his words. Was he including her in that group of people? But his next words surprised her—and oddly, warmed her.
“He’s lucky you found him.”
She smiled down at her cat as he sat on her lap, his ears the only thing peeking out of the tote.
And I’m lucky you found me.
She glanced over at Carlos, knowing those words hadn’t been meant for Prince. Carlos had come into her life and disrupted it beyond anything she had ever experienced. She had always valued her quiet, simple life, but now she found that she wanted the distractions, the unpredictability. She wanted him.
The question now was did he still want her.
He glanced over at her when she continued her staring. “What?”
Ignoring the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she blurted out the first line he’d tried on her. “If sexy was a crime, you’d be guilty as charged.”
A dark brow rose behind his shades, then he shook his head and to her small delight, chuckled. Though he didn’t respond to her attempted flirtation, at least his stoic expression was now relaxed and he didn’t seem so far away anymore.
That was a start…
They finally made it to their destination and she was surprised by how isolated it really was. She was also pleasantly amazed to find that there were trees and shrubs surrounding the single-story ranch home. It was like they were in their own little oasis and for the first time she looked forward to their time here. Maybe it would give them a chance to repair things between them.
Carlos pulled into the paved driveway of the long, wood-structured home, which had an old, rustic feel to it, yet the large windows gave it a bit of a modern look. It was certainly not what she had expected, but she liked it.
Except for the darkness.
The sun had completely left the sky, leaving behind a purplish glow as night moved in to take its place. There were no city lights or noise and the surrounding dusk gave the low, beautiful home an ominous feel.
“Wait here,” Carlos said as he got out of the car. He went into the house and within a few minutes, light glowed through the windows. He came back to the car and opened her door. “It’s not as stuffy in there as I expected,” he said. “But it’ll take a little time for the air conditioner to circulate.”
Inside the house was more modernized than she’d expected. Furniture was sparse but comfortable and appeared solid. The kitchen was large and also well supplied with a variety of modern appliances. She realized she had expected something a bit more antiquated, maybe even with a lone tea kettle on the stove. But, to her relief, everything was contemporary and cozy.
She placed Prince and her luggage in one of the three spare bedrooms and went to the kitchen where Carlos was unpacking the bags he’d gotten from his aunt. She realized then it was a variety of food things and was grateful for the woman’s consideration. She hadn’t even thought about the place not being properly stocked.
Judith went over and helped Carlos unpack. He had removed his shades and when his dark gaze locked with hers, she smiled tentatively at him. His eyes took on that fierce glow that she sometimes found unnerving and she glanced away.
In silence, they unpacked the bags, moving stiffly around each other, careful not to touch.
“I really like your family,” she said, wanting to break the strained, awkward silence between them. If they were going to stay here together, she would force him to at least have a normal conversation with her.
“They like you too,” he said vaguely.
They fell into awkward silence again. It wasn’t long before they were done putting everything in their place and stood staring at each other. His dark gaze was intense but guarded. Yet with every second, the cold indifference on his face began to melt, replaced by a flicker of desire. She wanted to fan those flames, but uncertainty kept her from going to him. She couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t pull away from her as he’d done only hours ago in her apartment.
It was safer to just wait for him. And she desperately wanted him to come to her as he’d done before.
Carlos, I need you.
He must have heard her internal plea, or read the need in her eyes, because his nostrils flared and the muscles in his jaw flexed. She took an uncertain step toward him. “Carlos,” was all she could manage.
And that was enough.
With a harsh sound, he closed the gap between them and hauled to her him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips claimed hers. Her body fell against his in what felt like a reprieve. The kiss was hard and fierce, as if their lips had been starved for each other.
He gripped her bottom then lifted her high against him, without breaking contact. She felt the hard edge of the counter before he sat her down on it. Everything was moving fast, but she reveled in his fierceness, his passion. His hands slid down her waist then came up to mold over her breast. Her nipples beaded and pushed firmly against his palm and she leaned into him, seeking out his fervent caress. He growled low in his throat and brought his hands inside her shirt, pushing the cups of her bra aside and gently kneading her aching breasts. She moaned into his mouth, her body eager for his touch, his possession.
She clutched at his thick shoulders as he kissed her chin and jaw and down to the most sensitive part of her neck. His thin beard softly scraped her flushed skin and the pressure of his lips sent small shivers coursing through her.
“No puedo coger suficiente de ti, muñeca,” he murmured against her neck, flicking his warm tongue against her skin. He rubbed his thumb across her budded nipple and she released a shuddering sigh.
Wanting to give him the same electric sensations he was giving her, she trailed her lips over his chin before kissing his jaw and down his throat. His low groan was deep and it fueled her own arousal. He captured her lips once again with and she lost her herself in the pleasure of his kiss, the flames of desire licking through her body.
But it was quickly doused when he began pulling up her shirt. The
cool air lightly brushed against her heated body and she pushed away from him, yanking at the thin shirt. But he refused to release it. Instead, his grip tightened around it and for the briefest of moments, they wrestled over the delicate material.
Panicked, she tore her lips from his. “Carlos! Stop!”
He reacted as if she’d struck him and released the now twisted material as if he’d been burned. Their breathing was labored and he stared at her with a mixture of longing, anger, and regret. He carefully pushed away from her, his body rigid. Turning his back to her, he ran his hands through his hair and muttered a curse.
She slid down from the counter and quickly adjusted her clothes. Suddenly he turned to her and the haunted look on his face made her regret her sudden outburst. She started toward him and reached for his arm.
“Carlos…”
“Don’t,” he interrupted, effortlessly slipping his arm from her grasp. He took another step back. “Damn it, don’t look at me like that,” he snapped. “You don’t want me to touch you so I won’t.”
She wrapped trembling arms around herself and shook her head. “It’s not like that. It’s just…”
“What?” he barked when she couldn’t continue. “What is it with you? One minute you’re hot for me, the next you’re playing hard to get. Are you waiting for me to beg for it or do I need to pay to have you again? Which is it? ‘Cause you’re really not worth the trouble.”
A rush of pain flooded her at his harsh words and for a moment she could only shake her head at herself for believing he was different. “If you’re trying to hurt me, Carlos, you just did.”
His dark eyes became as hard as flint. “Then I guess that makes us even.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. How had she hurt him? She understood that he was angry with her, but how had she caused him pain?
He cursed again then grabbed his keys from the counter. “I need to get out of here,” he muttered.
She frowned as he started toward the door. She followed him and he had the door open before she could say anything. He paused then turned back to her.