I chuckle, feeling my cheeks burn. “At a loss for words, superstar?”
“You could say that,” he responds, scoffing a little.
I’m not sure how long we stand there, staring at each other like we can’t bring ourselves to look away. There’s a sudden pang inside my heart because I realize that I want to touch him, even if it’s just for a hug, but I can’t. It’s not what he wants, and I have to respect that.
“Alara?” Dad calls out, before stepping out in the foyer. Right on cue, Diego and I distance ourselves from each other, but Dad grins in amusement. “You think you can head downstairs to grab a few bottles? Diego, son, what’s your preference?”
Whenever Dad calls himson,there’s a certain softness that gleams in Diego’s eyes. Now that I know how hard it’s been for him since the loss of his father, I can only imagine how appreciative he is of my dad’s affection.
“Anything is fine,” he says.
“Grab one white and two reds?”
I nod at Dad before he disappears in the other room.
“Have you ever seen the wine cellar?” I ask Diego, maybe a tad too loudly. At least everyone will know where we’re headed.
A knowing smirk pulls at his enticing mouth. “Lead the way.”
The moment we’re at the bottom of the stairs, he pulls me into an alcove, backing me against the wall with his hand cupping the back of my head. As I wrap my arms around hisneck, pulling him flush against me, his free hand finds the small of my back. He sucks in a breath at the feel of my bare skin beneath his palm.
“Hi.” He drops his forehead to mine, then proceeds to steal every breath I take, every gasp I emit, and every last bit of my heart is claimed as his. He kisses me as though he hasn’t seen me in months.
I moan in his mouth when his tongue brushes against mine, both his hands drifting down to cup my ass. This could escalate quickly, and if I don’t find a sliver of strength deep within my bones in order to pull away, we’re going to end up fucking with our families in the room just above us.
I never knew sex could be as good as it is with Diego. But maybe it’s amazing because it’s him. Because we work together, we have an undeniable chemistry and a strong connection, and a deep—
His lips brand featherlight kisses on my jaw, travelling down the column of my throat. “You smell so good,” he whispers. “You look so perfect. Fuck, Alara, I just—”
We hear a door slam, the sound of footsteps passing by the basement door before retreating, then he huffs a laugh against my collarbone.
“We should probably just grab the bottles and head back upstairs,” I murmur, using the pad of my thumb to wipe traces of smeared lipstick from his lips. I’ll have to sneak to the bathroom to fix mine.
“We definitely should.” Still, he kisses me again, slowly this time. If he can hear the way my heartbeat pounds loudly, he doesn’t show it. “When can I sleep over?”
We part ways, reluctantly, and I snatch three bottles after quickly reading the labels. “Tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” His breath fans across my shoulder bladebefore he places a quick peck there. “I already can’t wait to see you.”
When we’re back upstairs, he brings the bottles to the dining table while I make quick work of fixing my makeup. Mom is busy plating the appetizers when I step inside the kitchen. She does a double take at me when I start to help, a sly smile splitting her face.
“Not a word,” I whisper. In the living room, chatter booms. Dad, as usual, is making everyone laugh.
“Wasn’t going to say a thing.” She has the audacity to giggle, and I just shake my head in exasperation. She’s been trying to extract as many details as possible about my relationship with Diego from me, but I haven’t told her much. It had hurt to tell her it wasn’t serious, because, to me, it was never a fling. It was never casual.
Diego appears in the doorway, looking so handsome I can’t help but stare at him. He does the same with me, before clearing his throat and turning to my mom. “Can I help?”
“Nonsense,” Mom scoffs, waving a dismissive hand. “Go sit and enjoy. We’re bringing out the appetizers in a minute.”
“Just holler if you need some help.” Then, he grins. “Smells delicious, Donna.”
“Quite the charmer, this one,” she tells me, when he turns on his heel. His shoulders vibrate with a quiet chuckle, then he’s out of sight.
I go to wash my hands, noticing they’re slightly trembling.
God, this is going to be a long night.
“He’s handsome,” Mom points out quietly.
