He peered at her for a moment then nodded. “Okay”—he kissed her—“but just remember you’re the one who asked for me to do it that way.”
“As long as you respond the way you did to Chels, there shouldn’t be a problem.” He smirked as she pushed him away gently. “It’ll save us a lot of grief and irritation.” She started through the dining room toward his bedroom. “Why do you think I didn’t bother bringing my phone in the kitchen?”
She glanced at him doing her best not to smirk because his playful demeanor was instantly gone. His brows shot up though she was sure he was just going along with her obvious teasing.
“Is that right?” he asked, stalking toward her as she picked up her step. “You’re hiding your texts from me, Z?”
“No,” she said, unable to hide the grin as she hurried away from him now. “I just don’t want them killing the mood.” She turned to see him walking faster then added, “Every five minutes.”
She screeched when she saw him start running and ran into his room, laughing. They fell onto his bed where he tickled her until she told him where her phone was. It was right on the nightstand, and he reached for it.
“Unlock it,” he said, holding one of her hands down and freeing the other.
Valerie could barely catch her breath; she was still laughing so much. She unlocked it, fairly certain there’d be nothing incriminating, and as expected, there wasn’t. She showed him the two texts she had, one from Isabel and one from Sarah, and she had one missed call from her dad.
“Bad girl,” he said as he placed the phone back on the nightstand. “You have to stop doing that, you know,” he said, kissing her hard then biting her lower lip.
“Why?” she laughed. “When my punishment”—she reached down and wrapped her hand around her massive and ready to go punishment—“is always so good.”
That made him groan, and he was up on his knees instantly, pulling off his shirt. Jesus. Watching him do that would never get old. He was absolute perfection. Her heart beat wildly as if this were their first time doing this, and she had to wonder if that would ever change. He brought his muscular body over hers and kissed her so deeply it made her toes curl.
Nope. This would never get old.
Chapter 6
Alex
It felt different, but a good different. Getting ready to go out with Valerie at his place felt right as if it had always been like this and should always be this way. Alex couldn’t think of a single reason why he shouldn’t suggest she stay here more often.
He walked out of the room to turn on the television in his front room. The game had already started, and he figured he’d watch it while Valerie finished getting ready.
“Is that the game?” she called out when he turned up the volume.
“Yeah,” he said, tossing the remote on the sofa. “It just started.”
“I won’t be much longer,” she began to say. Then her phone rang.
He walked over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge and turned back when he heard the crowd going wild on the television.
“Whaaat?” He shook his head. “Come on! What was that the first pitch?”
The runner on the Yankee’s team was already trotting around the bases after having hit one out of the park. Alex was just taking a swig of his water when he heard Valerie answer her phone, which meant it had to be one of the girls or her dad. She’d since reiterated she wouldn’t be responding or answering any calls around Alex that might “kill the mood.”
He started toward the sofa, still frowning about the Yankee’s early lead, when he heard . . . squealing? For a moment, he wasn’t sure because it stopped, but then it started up again, and sure enough, Valerie was squealing. Then she spoke in an excited rush.
Alex stood still, trying to make out what she was saying, and then he made out a few of her words. “That was fast! I seriously didn’t expect to hear anything until at least next week! I can’t believe I missed it.” She was quiet for a little bit then went on. “No, no, I do check it. It’s just that, well, yesterday was kind of crazy. I had a lot going on.”
Her voice went low, and he wasn’t able to hear the rest. Curiously, he started toward the bedroom. When he reached the doorway, he stopped there, and she glanced back at him with a big smile. “I passed the state exam!”
It took a moment, but when he realized what that meant, he was smiling just as big as she was. She finished with whoever it was she was talking to then began scrolling through her phone as she shook her sexy little hips. Alex was immediately distracted and smiled for a different reason now.
“Here it is,” she said, reading something on her phone as she chewed on her thumbnail nervously—or excitedly. It was sort of both.
Alex was close enough now that she did a little dance then squealed again before jumping into his arms. Like last night when she’d jumped in his arms to keep him from killing Isabel’s brother, he easily caught her. Only this time there was a big difference. He laughed with her and squeezed her. “I did it!” she said. “I’m a licensed agent. I can actually make money off my sales now.”
She kissed him, and he kissed her back sweetly. “I’m proud of you, baby. I never doubted you could do it.”
Images of the times he’d woken to an empty bed in the last year when she’d been over only to find her looking so adorable in one of his T-shirts and a sloppy ponytails, studying with such dedication, flitted through his mind. She sure as hell deserved to be as happy as she was now.
Meanwhile, his ass didn’t even attempt to concentrate on his schoolwork when she was around. It was impossible. There were times Valerie suggested they study together.
They never panned out.
He’d begin with the best intentions. They’d sit at his dining room table and be real serious about it. He’d get his notebooks and laptop out and start to go through his notes and index cards, but it never failed. Before long, he was playing with her fingers, kissing her hand, running his hands up her thighs, and staring at her lips. He loved the way she’d pucker them up when she was doing some serious concentrating.
Inevitably, she’d catch him not studying. Then she’d tease him about something, usually something that had them ending up laughing on the sofa or the floor even. Eventually, they’d be doing something much more entertaining. It wasn’t always sex either, though he wasn’t going to lie. That was at the top of his list of the entertaining things he could do with Valerie. But even curling up on the sofa to watch one of their favorite reality shows or putting a meal together while they talked and laughed basically took forever to finish because there were so many passionate interruptions.
One thing he was real happy about now that she had her license was that she’d finally get full credit and compensation for her sales at the office she’d been working at for months. It was more like interning. They paid her a measly amount, considering all the work she did. She assured him it was enough to pay her half of the rent and bills and only temporary before she started making the big bucks. From what she told him, she was better at sales as an intern than some of the seasoned agents in that office. He knew it was likely her charm that probably closed a lot of deals—deals the other agents got compensated for because technically she wasn’t licensed, so she couldn’t. It was a pisser, and though Valerie didn’t seem to mind—she enjoyed the rush of closing a sale—it was still galling.
Grudgingly, he let her down when she said she had to call her dad. “Yesterday was so crazy I didn’t even check my email the whole day. I missed the notification they sent me.”
“So who called to tell you?” he asked, confused.
“The office manager where I work. I listed my corporate email when I tested, and they have access to it over there, so he saw the email and called me.”
Alex had to think about that for a moment. “He has access to your private email at the office?”
“It’s not really private,” she began to say then lifted her finger to tell him to wait.
“Daddy, guess what? I passed the state exam!”
Valerie’s animated hand gestures and pacing distracted him from thoughts of her manager snooping through her email. He’d get back to that later. For now, he enjoyed the view of Valerie pacing excitedly, in her sexy little sundress and huge wedges, as she filled her dad in on everything.
“I need to get business cards and banners. Oh”—she stopped midstride—“I have to book a photo shoot. I don’t like any of the head shots I have now.”
The crowd on the television in the front room was going wild again, and Alex stepped out to investigate. He’d only been out there for a few minutes when Valerie walked out of his bedroom. “I’m ready,” she announced but didn’t look up from her phone where she was texting or typing something.
“You look beautiful,” he said, getting up from the sofa.
Now she looked up. “Thank you.” She smiled.
“You telling everyone?” He motioned to her phone.
“I did text Isabel already,” she said, “but I figured I’ll see everyone else tonight.” She looked back down at her phone. “I was just texting my manager at the office to thank him for looking out. I was so excited when he gave me the news just now I didn’t even thank him.”
Alex decided to let it go about her manager snooping in her private email. Today was a day to celebrate not debate insignificant details about the way they did things at her office. The way she’d said it, it sounded as if it were the norm.
~~~
“He’s been everywhere but in the gym training where his Hollywood ass should’ve been,” Manny said.
Romero and his uncle were arguing about the fight tonight. “There’s no fucking way he’s going down.” Romero shook his head. “Not Sanchez.”
“I didn’t say he was going down,” Manny countered. “I’m just saying I’m worried. He hasn’t been training like he normally does.”
“Yeah,” his other uncle Max agreed. “Haven’t you heard all the commentary? This whole week it’s all they’ve been talking about. If anything, this may be his first real close fight ever. Like maybe even go to a decision.”
“No way.” Romero shook his head stubbornly. “Sanchez is undefeated for a reason. He’s got this. Grecco ain’t got shit on him.”
Alex walked away toward the ice chest. The fight wouldn’t even be starting for a few more hours, and these guys could be here that long arguing about it. Romero had even more reason to argue his point about Sanchez. He’d already told Alex he had big money riding on the guy winning.
As he made his way to the ice chest by the back door, Alex smiled, pleasantly surprised to see Sal walking up the driveway into the backyard.
Sal must’ve recognized the surprise in Alex eyes because it was the first thing he explained. “Tio Beto and Tia Lucia showed up at the restaurant, taking over as usual,” he said. “With the entire restaurant reserved tonight for that one party and the party crew all there, Dad said they had it. Angel and Sarah should be here soon too.”
Alex nodded, bending down to open the ice chest. “And Sofie?”
“They have that wedding for Eric’s cousin to go to, but she said they’d be here later.”
The ice chest was filled to the top with beer. “Damn,” Alex said, laughing and pulling a bottle out. “How many people are they expecting tonight?”
Sal laughed, grabbing a beer for himself as well. “Listen. I’ve been talking to Dad about that expanding-the-restaurant idea you and I talked about, and you know pop.”
“He said no?” Alex asked, surprised.
Sal made a face, taking a swig of his beer. “Are you kidding me? He’s already talking about adding a second floor to the place.”
“What?” Alex laughed. “That’s crazy. We don’t need that much more room.”
“He says we do.” Sal shrugged. “You should’ve heard him tonight. He was pissed that the whole restaurant had been reserved. He said we need some kind of banquet room for parties so we can keep the restaurant open even while servicing a larger party.”
“But those people paid a grip to reserve the place for the night.”
“That’s what I told him,” Sal said. “But you know what he always says. He didn’t get where he’s at by thinking conservatively. He says we could be making that much and have the restaurant going at the same time.”
“Well, he’s gonna have to hire more people to run the place then”—Alex frowned—“cause the crew we have can barely handle the business we get now.”
“Did you tell him?” Valerie sauntered up to them, smiling big.
Sal reached over and hugged her hello. “Tell me what?” he asked as he pulled away.
“I got my real estate license.” She beamed and Alex couldn’t help but smile just seeing how happy that made her. “I’m officially a licensed real estate agent.”
“You did?” Sal asked.
Alex peered at Sal, willing him to not mention that he was considering getting his real estate license “just for fun.” Alex had always gotten the distinct feeling Valerie got a little nervous around his brainy brother, as if maybe she was afraid to say something dumb around hm. He didn’t want her thinking for a second her getting her license wasn’t impressive. Maybe for his brother who actually loved to study it wouldn’t be such a feat, but Alex knew how hard Valerie had worked for this.
“Congratulations,” Sal said genuinely, reaching out to hug her yet again. “That’s fantastic. And from what Alex tells me,” he said as he pulled away, “I already know you’re gonna be insanely successful.”
Once again, Valerie beamed beautifully then glanced back at Alex. “Well, my dad has always said the most successful people in the world are those doing what they love for a living.” She brought her hands over her giddy smile. “I can hardly wait to get started.”
Sal chuckled as Alex continued to stare at Valerie proudly, unable to tone down the smile on his own face. “Your dad’s right on the money with that,” Sal said. “Few people are ever fortunate enough to be this excited about a job.”
They stood chatting with Sal for a few more minutes until they made their way back to barbeque area. As they sat and ate doing the usual kissing and laughing in between bites, Angel and Sarah arrived. Valerie quickly let Sarah in on her news, and Sarah seemed just as excited about it as Valerie was.
As usual, when Alex was around this bunch, time flew. Hearing Romero and his uncles go at it never got old. Max had gotten a haircut earlier that day. He’d gone with a new do, something he said would be more hip. It didn’t go quite as he hoped, and Romero wouldn’t stop busting his balls about it either.
“I’d wear a hat until it grows back,” he said, sipping his beer, “but that’s just me.”
“It’s not that bad,” Sal said, as usual trying to come to the aid of one of Romero’s uncles.
“Nah, nah, nah.” Romero shook his head adamantly. “Don’t lie to him just ’cause you feel bad. He’s a big boy. He can take it.” Romero turned back to Max. “Look at that shit. It looks like halfway through the haircut the guy just dropped the scissors and said, ‘Fuck it!’”
Manny started wheezing with laughter, and that just got everyone else going. Everyone that is except Sal. Being the oldest of the three brothers, Sal had spent the least amount of time around Romero and his uncles. Alex and Angel had assured Sal many times this was the norm for Romero and his uncles. Still, unless you were around it a lot, it could make you uncomfortable or at least make you feel like you didn’t know his uncles well enough to be laughing at them. Especially if you thought Romero’s uncles would be as offended by his insults as most people would be. Though it went both ways in Romero’s family. Alex was already grinning inwardly just thinking about Romero’s great Uncle Janks, who was inside watching the game. The guy was worse than Romero and his uncles, but to look at him, you’d think he was just a sweet elderly man with a cane.
Alex had asked Janks earlier when he’d gone inside to say hello why he didn’t come outside
and watch the game on the patio television with everyone else. His cantankerous response had been “Because it’s too loud. I can’t hear shit out there.” Then he’d pointed at Romero. “Especially with his fucking mouth running the whole time.”
Romero, of course, had just laughed, waving his great uncle off, motioning for Valerie and Alex to follow him out back. Even being prepared because they’d both been around Janks before, Alex and Valerie had still exchanged a stunned but humorous glance.
Not surprisingly, Sal changed the subject from Max’s haircut or Romero might’ve gone on for a while. But Romero didn’t balk at the subject change, since Sal brought up the fight. Instantly, they were debating how it was going to go down.
Alex turned to Valerie suddenly, wishing they could just skip out. They should be celebrating tonight, especially since this was their first weekend trying to change the way things were between them.
He leaned against the side of her face and whispered, “You wanna get outta here?”
Valerie turned to him, her eyes a bit wide. “What about the fight?”
Lifting and dropping a shoulder, he smiled, nuzzling her ear. “I thought maybe you’d rather go celebrate some other way.”
Once again, she smiled brightly as if Romero and his uncle’s antics had made her forget momentarily about celebrating. “Yes!” she said, nodding. “But after the fight. It’s all they’ve been talking about down at the office, and I know they’ll be talking about it on Monday.”
If he didn’t already know it, this only confirmed it. He had it bad for her. Hearing Valerie say she wanted to wait until after the fight was actually a bit disappointing. Normally, he wouldn’t pass up a fight for anything, especially one with this much hype. But Max and Manny were right. Alex wouldn’t argue with Romero because there just wasn’t any arguing with the guy. Everyone was saying that, unlike all his other fights, Sanchez wasn’t heavily favored this time. The story was he hadn’t prepared as he normally would, so it was likely that, unlike his other fights that usually ended with him knocking out someone in the early rounds, this one was expected to go all the way.