Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Turned out Cole liked sweet potatoes topped with sour cream. The chicken and veggie stir-fry he’d helped Mila fix was delicious and the chocolate cupcakes they’d bought at the market’s bakery tasted amazing.
Rufus, Buster and Shorty, looking cute as hell in their Santa hats, had provided lively entertainment the whole time they ate. While Mila had finished the last hat, Cole had put together a playlist for the little guys, one that he’d designed to last through dinner.
At the end, he’d included the jug band’s rendition of Jason Aldean’s You Make It Easy. He wasn’t above tugging on her heartstrings with a tender love song.
Every time he thought about her leaving in the morning, his insides hollowed out. When she was here, anything was possible, but when she was gone….
They’d almost polished off the cupcakes when the tune started. She put hers down and glanced at him. “How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That I love this one.”
“Lucky guess.” Really lucky. He’d take it as a sign. The jug band hadn’t recorded many love songs. Tunes like The Devil Went Down to Georgia were more their speed. He’d had to talk them into You Make It Easy.
She reached for his hand. “How come you didn’t play this before?”
He wove his fingers through hers, enjoying the image of their clasped hands. Then he looked up. “Didn’t want to be pushy.”
“But now you want to be?”
“Lady, I intend to be the pushiest cowboy you’ve ever come across.” That made her laugh. “I mean it.”
“Alrighty, then. Is this song the beginning of that effort?”
“Guess you could say that.” He couldn’t stop looking at her. Her expressive eyes almost made it possible to read her mind, and the message he was getting filled him with hope. “I’m nuts about you, Mila.”
She leaned closer and lowered her voice to a sultry murmur. “Yo tambien estoy loco por ti, mi amor.”
“I have no idea what you said except for three words but it sounded promising.”
“I said those beavers love their Santa hats.”
“No, you didn’t.” Laughing, he slid off his stool. Whatever she’d said indicated the meal was over and the loving would begin. “I heard loco. I know that one.”
“I said let’s leave the dishes.”
“Nope, not that either.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her over to the couch. “But it fits the tone of whatever you said.”
She wound her arms around his neck. “I suppose you think you can haul me anywhere you want.”
“Sure do, especially when you lean in and murmur indecent suggestions.” He deposited her on the couch and followed her down, nestling between her thighs.
“There was nothing indecent about what I said.”
“I don’t know that, now do I?” Bracing on one arm, he lifted up, slid his hand under the soft material of her top and cupped her breast.
Her breath caught. “Are you planning to do something indecent?”
“Not on purpose.” He brushed his thumb over her tight nipple and watched her eyes darken. “I’m not sure what that means anymore, but I plan to do a decent job of driving you crazy.”
“You think that’s what I said?”
“Maybe.” He nudged her gently with his hips. “Am I right?”
“Almost.” She wrapped her legs around his. “I said that I’m crazy about you, too.” She tightened her hold.
And he wasn’t in charge anymore. So not in charge. “Careful.”
Her eyes sparkled as she loosened her grip. “Just evening the score.”
“Fair enough.” He took a long, slow breath. “How do I say I’m crazy about you?”
“Estoy loco por ti.”
“Estoy loco por ti.”
“That’s good.”
“And I am. Muy loco. How about let’s get naked?”
“Yes, let’s.” She reached for the hem of her top.
“I meant, how do you say it?”
She paused with her top pulled halfway up. “You want a Spanish lesson now?”
“I want to love you in Spanish and this is a teachable moment.”
She smiled. “That’s…muy adorable.”
“So? How do you say it?”
“Short or long version?”
“Short.”
“A desnudarse!”
“A desnudarse!”
“Muevete para que pueda hacerio.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Move so I can do it.”
“Oh.” He rolled away and stood so he could shuck his sweats while muttering a desnudarse under his breath.
“Tienes un condon?”
“Si, seniorita.”
“Listen to you, getting comfy with the language!”
“Didn’t need a translation for that one.” Coward that he was, he made sure he was facing her as he took off his sweatshirt.
Not that he’d eliminated the issue. She’d said that she’d felt the scars when stroking his naked back. An ancient rage, one he’d buried deep, stretched and flexed its claws. Closing his eyes, he dipped his head and took a deep breath.
“Mi amor.” Her soft voice tickled his ear as she slid her arms around him from behind and pressed her warm body against his back, his glutes, his thighs. “Te amo. Te amo mucho.”
With a groan, he turned in her arms and gathered her close. He didn’t have to ask what she’d said or why she’d left the couch and embraced him that way. He knew.
Gazing into the velvet brown of her eyes, he fought against breaking down. “Te amo, mi amor.” He forced the words through his tight throat. He sounded like he had a bad cold. “Te amo mucho.”
She wiggled against him. “Amame.”
He read the meaning in the flush on her cheeks, the intensity in her eyes and the rapid beat of her heart that thumped so hard he could feel it against his chest. No language barrier, there.
But to be sure he understood, she dangled a condom in front of his face. She must’ve fished it out of his sweats pocket.
He snorted, and suddenly he was laughing so hard she had to help him open the foil package. This woman. She made him feel all the things, whether he wanted to or not.
Still laughing, he lowered her to the couch. Or maybe she got there herself and dragged him down. He lost track, but somehow he ended up in her arms and his delighted cock proceeded to have the time of its life.
He paid no attention to the fireplace. He was too busy watching pleasure light her up, too busy controlling his climax so he could give her two of them. Amame. What a beautiful word.
So many beautiful words. He would learn them all. Maybe this week.
Then she tightened around his cock for the second time. He let out a cry of pure joy as he jumped into the swirl of bliss with her, holding on as he called out her name over and over and over. Mila, Mila, Mila. Incredible Mila. The woman who loved him, scars and all.