“That’s what I’m talking about,” Eduardo says and shakes his head.
We clap hands and I tug him in by the back of his head. As we embrace, he claps me on the back. I release him and do the same with Aldo.
“It’s good to see your ugly mugs. I was getting tired of all your bullshit excuses on why you couldn’t come out,” I say as I release Al and look between the two of them with a smile on my lips.
“Fuck you. Who are you calling ugly? We all know you need us to pull in the pussy. That’s why you begged us to come out,” Ed taunts.
“Fuck outa here. You wish.”
“Emilia,” Al sings. “To what do we owe the pleasure? Don’t tell me the old man decided to let you out of your cage this summer.”
Emilia flips him the bird but allows him to pull her into a hug. I shake my head at the two. They are close since they’re the same age. Aldo treats her like his sister.
One phone call from her and he comes running, usually leaving Eduardo and me to clean up after them. Eduardo and I are a year apart.
We have always looked after the two. I think that’s why they get into shit all the time. They know we’ll have their backs no matter what.
“No, really. What’s up? Are you going to get to hang for a bit?” he prods when she doesn’t reply.
Emilia looks at me. I nod to let her know I trust them with this. She rolls her eyes as Aldo wraps an arm around her head and tugs her into him.
“Pop sent me to spy on Rico and his new little girlfriend. So I’ll be where they are for the summer,” she says.
“Girlfriend?” Ed says and looks at me with a raised brow.
“When did this happen?” Al asks.
“It’s new and it’s none of his business. She’s off-limits, so don’t go running your mouth about anything you learn about her or us.”
“Well, where is she? I want to meet her,” Al says.
“Why is Uncle Emilio so interested in her?” Ed asks.
“You’ll see,” Emilia says with a smug grin.
“Now my interest is piqued,” Al says.
“Well, here she comes,” Emilia says.
Oni comes back out of the house with a glass of ice tea in her hand. She’s in a tank top and shorts this time. Not as revealing as the bikini, but she still looks sexy.
It’s like she commands the space with her presence. I know she has all my attention. It seems like she has everyone else captivated as well.
I bite my lip and beckon her to me with the crook of my finger. She comes to me and stands right in front of me. I take the glass from her hand and take a sip of the cold-looking drink.
“Hey, go get your own,” she fusses.
I laugh and tug her into me by the front of her tank top to take her lips. She grabs my shirt and lifts onto her toes as I devour her mouth and roll the ice cube in mine against her tongue. When I break the kiss, she looks up at me as if in a daze.
I tuck her under my arm and turn her to my cousins who are watching us with their mouths hanging open. It’s my turn to have the smug grin.
“Aldo, Eduardo, I want you to meet Oni,” I say, then place my hand on Oni’s forehead to tip her head back and drop a kiss on her full lips.
“Nice,” Al croons.
Oni’s cheeks start to glow. She takes her glass back from me and downs the entire thing. I know I just put her on the spot, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to kiss her.
This shit is going to be harder than I thought. For now, we’re cool. Eduardo, Aldo, Mario, and Emilia have always been in my corner. I don’t have to look over my shoulder around them.
