The dogs lead us through the city stopping to sniff every fire hydrant along the way. Cruz tells me about a prank Lincoln played on one of the rookies during their last road trip while we wait at the corner to cross. The smile that tilts up his lips is blinding. It’s a welcome change from the grief stricken look he wore this morning in the car. He nods over toward the park and we follow the trail into the greenspace.
“This is seriously the best birthday ever. Thank you so much for everything—being there last night, the bracelet, and now this. I’m thankful everyday to be your friend.” We’re seated on a bench, giving ear scratches to Emmett and Rose before we have to start the walk back to the shelter.
“Best friend,” Cruz amends, giving me a chasting look. “Your trap worked. One well-placed coffee scent and you earned yourself a bestie for life. You didn’t even need to lock me in the dungeon,” he says, pulling me to his side and placing a sweet kiss on the crown of my head.
“You know you’re not the only one with something to be grateful for. After Jarrett . . . I didn’t know how much I needed someone until I met you. I was drifting in my grief, letting it pull me through life without much thought or care about the future. You helped me find my way out of the fog. You know I promised him I would try to live my life fully when he was gone, and it’s been tough. I’m not there yet, but I get a little closer every day.”
My hand comes to Cruz’s cheek, turning his face, so he looks at me instead of Rose. “Cruz, you know I will always be here. On the good days and the days that the grief drags you back down.”
He nods, but his eyes shift to the side and his lips flatten into a line. “Delilah, you are about to start your own life with Brad. I know things are going to—”
“No. I’m fully capable of prioritizing my marriage and still being a good friend to you. Nothing will change that.” My words are firm. Brad knows that my friendship with Cruz is non-negotiable. He may not fully understand it, but he knows not to push it. “We need to get these two back so that you can get to practice,” I tell him to end the conversation before he can argue with me.
CHAPTER 7
I must be dreaming
Present
His fingers trail gently over my collarbone, mapping out the curve of it as he smiles down at me, making his dimples pop. Cruz steps further into my space, crowding me against the wall with his big body. He’s so close I can feel the heat coming off his bare chest. And when his lips graze my temple I can’t stop the shiver that races down my spine.
“I’ve thought about doing this since that first night at Sabor. Did you know how badly I wanted you back then? Seeing you with Brad killed me. He was never enough for you, but I promise you, I’m more than enough.” The dangerous grin he gives me should be a warning, but I don’t heed it.
He hooks his finger under my chin and tilts my face up so I can’t look away—his hips pin me in place. He’s clad in only basketball shorts and the thin fabric is doing nothing to hide his rock hard cock as he presses into me—searching my eyes, waiting for my answer.
“I didn’t know. I thought maybe that first night, and again when you came intoBuns & Roses,but you never—” The words die on my tongue as he lowers his mouth to my neck and pushes the strap of my pajamas off my shoulder.
“I tried to push it away, ignore it, when you were with him and then when you were healing. I’ve waited so long to make you mine. Tell me you want to be mine, Delilah.”
His hand comes up to massage my breast, teasing my nipple into a peak as he grinds into me.
After all this time, he wants me.
I’ve wanted him for years, but I’ve been so scared. He’s my best friend, and can’t lose him. But all the reasons this is a terrible idea fly out the window the minute his tongue licks up the side of my neck, branding me as his.
This might be the worst decision of my life, but I want him too.
“Yes, Cruz. Make me yours,” I say, reaching down to the hem of my tank top and pulling it over my head.
“Fuck, Mi Cielo. You are so beautiful.” Cruz drops to his knees in front of me. His eyes are full of dirty promises as his large hands ghost over my hips. He toys with the waistband of my shorts, waiting for permission.
The moment I nod, he pushes my shorts down, letting them fall around my ankles. Strong hands grip my ass, tilting my pelvis towards him. His tongue darts out, flattening against my center. He hums in satisfaction as he licks me from my entrance to my clit, making me feral to hear the sound again. He circles the hard nub before sucking it into his mouth.
“Oh god,” I choke out at the way he devours me.
“You taste so sweet, Hermosa, I knew you would. Even better than I imagined. Forget your sticky buns, this pussy is my new favorite dessert. I can’t wait to see what you look like falling apart with my name on your lips.”
My knees shake under the pressure of the orgasm that’s building in my spine. I’m not sure how much more I can take. He pushes two fingers into me, pulsing them in and out as he continues to work me over with his tongue.
“Cruz. I ca—fuck.” I comb his thick curls back with my hands so I can see his face between my legs as I tremble and I tighten around him.
“God damn, Delilah. You’re squeezing my fingers so tight. I can’t wait to get inside you.” His tongue presses flat against my clit, bringing me higher until I can’t take it anymore and shatter.
He continues working his fingers in and out of me, making me shudder with little zings of pleasure in the aftermath of my orgasm. I’m a panting mess when he finally pulls them out. “Are you ready for my cock?” He licks the evidence of my release off his lips with a wicked smile on his face.
I nod eagerly, unable to find my voice.
Rising in front of me, his hands fall to my hips and he spins me around, walking us over to the couch. He covers my back with his front and I can feel him everywhere. The beat of his heart hammering in his chest, the hard length of him pressing against my ass through his shorts, the press of his fingers biting into pelvis.
