He tilts his head, lazy, amused. “You know, you get this look of contentment after spending time with your family.”
“Oh yeah?” I cross my arms over my tank top, grinning.
“Yeah.” He moves closer, closing the space between us in slow, deliberate steps. “You're all soft around the edges. Like you might let someone kiss you if they’re lucky enough.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t get used to it.”
“Oh, I’m already addicted.” He’s in front of me now, warm and close. When his hands find my hips, I don’t stop him. I don’t want to.
“They love you,” I murmur. “Even Rosa. Which honestly makes me suspicious.”
He nuzzles my neck. “She told me if I ever hurt you, she’d bury me in a paella pan.”
“That tracks…” I bite my lip. “Because it doesn't make a lick of sense.”
His mouth curves into something sly and knowing. “Right? Then she gave me a second helping ofarroz negroand called memijo, so I think I passed whatever convoluted test it was.”
“She’s ruthless,” I whisper, curling a finger into the collar of his T-shirt. “And very, very invested in my love life.”
“I noticed.” He kisses the edge of my jaw, soft and slow. “I think they’re all trying to will a wedding into existence with every course.”
“At my age, I’m trying not to take it personally.” My voice comes out breathier than I intend.
He pulls back just enough to look at me. “Marriage doesn’t scare me.”
“Oh?” I lift a brow. “Even though I'm ancient? Or, I could crush you with a well-placed motion in limine?”
He leans back in, lips brushing mine as he murmurs, “I want things with you I never thought about before.”
I go still, his words winding around something fragile and unspoken inside me.
“Don’t act like you’re not into it.” He doesn’t give me time to overthink it before he kisses me again, deeper this time. Familiar. A promise and a question all in one.
I slide my hands under his shirt, fingers skating over the smooth lines of his back. “I plead the Fifth.”
“So…” He tugs me against him. “You think I’m worth keeping around forever?”
I look up at him. His face is too close. Too beautiful. I nod.
“Yeah.”
“Good.” He kisses my forehead and leads me to the couch. “Before I fuck you until dawn, do you want to talk about it?”
I tuck myself into his side. “About what?”
“You got real quiet after dessert.” He gives me a look. “Your mom kept glancing between us like she knew something I don't.”
I wince. “She means well.”
“I know she does. Something’s on your mind. I can feel it.” He pulls me against him, my back to his front. I tuck my legs under me and stare out the window at the lights of the city.
“It’s not one thing,” I admit after a long moment. “It’s a lot of things.”
His arm bands around my shoulder. “Start somewhere.”
“Your meeting with Caldwell changed something for me.” I lean against him.
He goes still.
