AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Like the dead.”
“You snored like it, too.” A sweet little snort escapes her, and I grip her hips, digging my fingers in when it turns into giggles. “Stop it.”
“Take that back.”
“Never.”
“Then I’ll never stop.”
“Is this your way of saying you want to keep me?”
Letting go of her side, I bring my right hand to the back of her neck and hold her to me. Lips against lips. Breathing each other in. “I plan to do more than keep you, Mariah. I’m going to love you until the day I die, and even death won’t stop or diminish what I feel for you.”
“Good.” She nibbles my bottom lip and then pulls back. “Because we will be revisiting these words in a few days.”
“They won’t change.”
“And I won’t leave your side.”
***
21
HE’S BEEN HOLED up in his study for the last twenty-four hours.
Alone and hurting. Needing space after lowering his mother to the ground, while the rest of the house—his family—entertains me. They don’t need to, but they do, and I stifle a laugh when his aunt Sara brings out another photo album dedicated to the Lucas men in their baby years.
“And here’s Javier running from Ida after he decided to redecorate their living room at the time with finger paints.” The little boy in the picture couldn’t be older than six and had a shitty grin on his face as his mother ran behind him with a flip-flop in her hand. “Can you believe he paused for ten seconds, hand on his hip, while I took the picture and his mom closed in? Ida wanted to kill him, while I laughed my butt off.” She pauses for a moment, an innocent expression on her face when Alejandro sits across from us on the lanai. “Everything all right, mijo?”
“How many has she subjected you to, Mariah?” I hold up three fingers in response and she smacks my shoulder, a mock-outraged gasp coming from her place beside me. Chulo’s on the floor beside my feet and looks up then, his eyes connecting with mine as if to say they are all crazy, then plops down. He’s been by my side since we met the night I arrived.
Sweetest good boy you’ll ever meet.
“And he’s the rascal of the family, Chulo.” Lourdes stops in front of a large dog bed that looks like a sofa and is fit for royalty. It’s huge and looks soft, and I’m almost jealous of how comfortable the large Doberman seems to be. After Javi went to sleep and my confession, the small slip of the tongue right after his eyes closed, I became restless. Hungry. And the knock at the door from Lourdes saved me from waking the lightly snoring man. “He’s a sweetheart, but be careful until he gets to know you. He’s protective of the family and was hurt trying to protect Mamita Ida.”
Not listening to her, I kneel in front of the sweet boy and hold my hand out. Chulo looks at it, his teeth showing for a few seconds before there’s a soft lick, and then another. His tail wags the more he’s allowed to greet me—make a new friend—before nudging my hand to give him a good old-fashioned head scratch.
“Aren’t you the cutest thing, Chulo? Such a good boy.” The dog gives me the sweetest look and I melt, as completely owned by the dog as I am the owner. And because I can’t help myself, I bend over and kiss the top of his head. “I’m so going to want to take you home with me.”
“You truly are one of us.”
At this I look up, head tilted to the side. “What do you mean?”
“We aren’t the easiest bunch.”
“My family will give yours a run for its money.” Chulo crawls closer, setting his head atop my lap for more scratches. “But then again, crazy embraces lunacy without question.”
“Don’t I know it.” Leaning down, she runs her fingers through Chulo’s back. “It’s why I think you two were meant to be. You understand him, and he gets you.”
“Shame on you, Madre. Just, shame.” Alejandro’s voice pulls me away from the memory, and I look between the mother and son duo. He’s serious, while she’s outspoken and sweet.
“Zip it, Alejandro.” Sara nudges my shoulder after turning the page, a younger version of the man across from us in black and white. He’s dressed like a cowboy, boots and all while cheesing it at the camera beside Emiliano. The older brother’s wearing a horse costume, the head in his hand, and it’s large and goofy. “How cute were they? My boys—”
“Are going to dig up the old family albums my mother kept hidden in her closet.” Everyone turns to look at Javier at the entrance to the back terrace. He’s smiling a bit but looks exhausted and as if he’s had more than a drink or two, and yet, his eyes are sharp when they settle on me and his dog’s proximity. “You ready for that kind of smoke, Aunt Sara?”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me.” I’m amused by their banter, and my shoulders shake when she slams the book shut and hides it behind her. “That’s better. Don’t embarrass me in front of my Muñeca.”
