NICO
As I wait for Sofia to get ready for work, I feel like the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof. I can’t stop pacing, moving, worrying. I’m not able to be at the restaurant for her full shift, and the thought of her being unsafe for even a minute is more than I can handle. However, I have my own work to see to, and we’re booked solid tonight.
With a driver out sick, I have to be there.
We’ve arranged for Mateo’s usual sitter to come to my house to watch him while Sofia and I are at work. I sent one of my guys to pick her up, and she should be here any minute. I’ll drive Sofia to the restaurant and pick her up after her shift. I’m doing everything I can to keep her safe, but it doesn’t feel like enough, and that’s what is making me crazy as the clock ticks down to four o’clock.
We had a fun, relaxing day by the pool with Mateo, followed by two amazing hours in bed while he napped. It took about ten minutes in bed with Sofia to become completely addicted to her. I love everything about her, from her soft skin to her silky hair to her sweet curves and the way she responds to my touch. I wish we had nothing else to do but spend days in bed together, but that’s not an option.
She comes out of the bathroom with her hair up in the sexy bun she wears to work, her crisp white shirt tucked into a short black skirt that puts her killer legs on full display. As she ties her apron in a bow behind her back, she glances at me. “Why are you staring at me?”
“Because you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.”
“You’ve already gotten what you wanted from me, so you don’t need to say that stuff.”
I get up and go to her, putting my hands on her hips as I look into her eyes. “I’ve only begun to get what I want from you, which is everything, and you are, without any doubt, the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. Please don’t think for one second that the only thing I want from you is sex. That’s one-tenth of it, although it’s a very nice tenth.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“You didn’t, but this isn’t just about sex. I’d hate if you thought that.”
“I don’t. I know it’s more than that, which makes it kind of scary.”
“Why?”
“I promised myself I’d never again give a man the power to hurt me.”
“I’d rather die than hurt you.”
“I believe that, and it’s why I’m here.”
“I mean it, Sofia. I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”
“Yes, you will.” She looks up at me with those big eyes. “I’ll probably hurt you, too. But it won’t be intentional, and that makes all the difference.”
“You have no idea how much I care about you.”
“I think maybe I do, and I care about you, too. Just as much. I wish I didn’t have to work tonight so we could spend more time together.”
“I wish that, too.”
“This was the best Christmas of my whole life, and I’ll never forget it.”
“Same goes.”
“Let’s go to work so we can have more time together afterward.”
I hold her close for another moment. “Do you promise you’ll be vigilant and let Vin know if you see anything concerning?”
“I will. I promise. I’m scared of bringing trouble there.”
“You aren’t bringing the trouble. They are, and we all know it.”
“My stomach hurts from worrying about it.”
“Don’t make yourself sick over it. Joaquín and his boys are still locked up for now.”
“Not all of them. He has a lot of friends and more cousins than I can count. His parents both came from big families, and he’s tight with a lot of them.”