Chapter Seventeen #3
There’s nothing filthy about it, not really, but somehow that makes it worse. The casual affection, his hand wrapped securely around my ankle, his mouth warm against my skin while he drives like kissing every available inch of me is just something he does now.
When I look up, that little smirk is already pulling at his mouth.
“Eyes on the road, Papi,” I mutter, trying for annoyed and landing somewhere dangerously close to breathless.
His smirk deepens as he presses one last kiss just above my ankle before lowering my leg back across his lap.
“Whatever you say, princess.”
Cabrón.
I turn my attention toward the window before he can see just how embarrassingly warm and gooey that made me feel.
The highway stretches ahead of us beneath a washed-out blue sky, traffic finally light enough that neither of us has anything to bitch about. Music hums through the speakers while I pick through the snacks and occasionally hold something out for him because apparently I’m generous now.
Gross.
I’m halfway through stealing the best pieces out of a bag of candy when my phone starts ringing beside me.
Mom.
I answer and put her on speaker before I can think better of it.
“Hola, Mami.”
“Hi, baby. You driving?”
“No. Revel is.”
Beside me, his eyebrows lift at hearing his name.
“Oh, good.”
I narrow my eyes at the phone. “Why did you say it like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re relieved he’s driving.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Mami.”
Revel is already grinning.
My mom laughs softly. “I was checking where you are. I went by the house this morning and checked on Guacamole.”
I immediately sit a little straighter. “Awwh. How’s my baby?”
“Alive and very dramatic. Starving, according to him.”
“So normal.”
“Very. I cleaned his bowls, gave him fresh water and left more food. There’s food for you two in the fridge too.”
“Te amo, mami.”
“I know.”
It takes my brain a second to catch up.
“Wait. You two?”
My eyes slide toward Revel. He’s still driving with one hand on the wheel, the other wrapped loosely around my ankle, but that smug little curve is already starting at the corner of his mouth.
“Yes,” Mom says. “There’s enough for Revel too.”
“Why Revel?”
“Because I’m sure the man will be hungry after driving you all the way home.”
I blink at my phone. “And you just assumed I’m feeding him?”
“Cecilia.”
Ay, cono.
Full name.
Revel bites his bottom lip, shoulders bouncing once as he tries not to laugh.
I point at him with the bag of candy. “Not a fucking word.”
“Oh, I’m staying out of it.”
“Mhmm. Smart.”
Mom sighs through the speaker. “Mija, por favor. You’ve been in Miami together for three days and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know there was already something going on between you two before you left, whether you wanted to admit it or not. I am your mother. I have eyes.”
Revel makes a quiet choking sound beside me.
I whip my head toward him. “Do you need something?”
“Nah.” He bites back a grin, giving my ankle another squeeze. “Just nice to finally talk to the woman responsible for all this attitude.”
I narrow my eyes. “Careful, Papi.”
“What?” His grin breaks loose. “I’m complimenting her. Takes talent to raise this much fucking trouble in one tiny package.”
“Oh, I like him,” Mom says immediately.
I stare at my phone. “Mami.”
His whole face brightens. “See? I like you too, ma’am.”
“Revel,” I groan.
“What? I’m being polite.”
“No, you’re kissing ass.”
“Little bit.”
My mother laughs. “At least he’s honest.”
“Please don’t encourage him. I have to live with this ego.”
Revel glances over. “Live with it, huh?”
“Drive.”
He laughs and turns his attention back to the highway while I sink lower into my seat, already regretting putting this call on speaker.
Mom, naturally, isn’t finished.
“I’ve been wanting to meet him properly anyway. Maybe now we can finally plan something.”
Revel beats me to it.
“I’d love that.”
I turn my head so fast my braid slides over my shoulder. “Oh, would you?”
“Fuck yeah.” He catches himself. “Sorry, ma’am.”
Another laugh crackles through the speaker. “You don’t have to apologize to me for cursing. I raised Cecilia.”
My mouth falls open. “Excuse me?”
Revel fucking loses it.
“Okay, I definitely like your mom.”
“Traidor.”
He squeezes my ankle, still laughing, while Mom carries right on like the two of them haven’t just formed an alliance against me in under thirty seconds.
“What about dinner this weekend? Saturday?”
My head turns toward Revel.
His brows shoot up, but before I can even answer, he leans a little closer toward the phone.
“I’d love to.”
I blink at him.
Well, shit.
Not a second of hesitation or pretending he needs to check his schedule. The man looks fucking thrilled.
“We’ve got a race Saturday, though,” he adds, glancing at me before looking back at the road. “Would you be okay doing it after? Might be a little later.”
My mom doesn’t miss a beat. “Of course. Come whenever you’re finished.”
“Perfect.”
I stare at the side of his face. “Wow, okay so you two are just planning this without me now?”
Revel grins. “You were taking too long.”
“Pendejo.”
My mom laughs through the speaker. “Then it’s settled. Saturday after the race.”
“Sounds good to me,” Revel says. “Looking forward to it.”
He says it so genuinely that this stupid warmth spreads through my chest before I can stop it.
Great.
Now my mother likes him.
He likes her.
They’re making dinner plans over speakerphone while his hand is wrapped around my ankle and my bare feet are stretched across his lap like this is some completely normal thing we do.
Qué peligroso.
“Okay then,” I cut in before they start exchanging Christmas plans too. “Saturday after the race. We’ll text you when we know exactly when we’re leaving.”
“Perfect. Now, drive safe, carino.”
“I’m not driving, remember?.”
“I know, I was talking to Revel.”
He grins. “I got her, ma’am.”
My heart gives one stupid, traitorous squeeze.
Mom doesn’t miss a beat. “Good boy.”
Oh.
Fuck both of them.
“Okay, goodbye. This conversation is over.”
She laughs. “Te quiero, mija.”
“Te quiero también.”
“And Revel, nice talking to you.”
“You too. See you Saturday.”
I hang up and let the phone fall onto my stomach.
For maybe three seconds, the car is quiet.
Then Revel looks over at me with the happiest fucking grin I’ve seen on him all week.
I squint. “Why do you look like you just got invited to the fucking Met Gala?”
“Your mom likes me.”
“You spoke to her for four minutes. She doesn’t know you yet.”
His hand slides from my ankle up my calf, giving it a squeeze. “She invited me to dinner. Sounds serious.”
“Do not make it weird.”
“Mama, I’m meeting your mom.” His grin somehow gets even bigger. “I’m allowed to be a little fucking excited.”
And there goes that warm feeling again.
I turn toward the window before he catches the smile pulling at my mouth, but there’s no hiding the way my whole body feels softer all of a sudden.
Saturday.
After the race.
Dinner with Mom.
Revel sitting at her table.
Actual plans waiting for us back in Tampa.
For once, instead of picking apart what any of it means, I let myself enjoy the fact that I’m looking forward to it.
By the time we turn onto my street, the sun has dropped lower and everything has that warm late-afternoon glow that makes even regular neighborhoods look softer around the edges.
My house comes into view.
And there, between the blinds in the front window, is a tiny black head.
I gasp.
“My baby.”
Guacamole is sitting on the windowsill staring directly at the driveway like an angry little landlord waiting for rent.
The second the Honda pulls in, he disappears.
I already have my seat belt off.
Revel laughs. “You’re gonna break your neck.”
“I haven’t seen my child in days.”
“He’s a cat.”
I look at him.
“Never say that again.”
“Right. Sorry. Your son.”
“Thank you.”
The second the car stops, I’m out.
By the time I unlock the front door, Guac is already yelling from somewhere down the hallway.
“MY BABY!”
He comes flying around the corner, paws sliding slightly across the floor before he launches himself toward me.
I scoop him up against my chest while he screams directly into my face like I abandoned him for a decade.
“I know. Mami is terrible. You suffered so much while Grandma came over every day and fed you treats.”
He shoves his wrinkly little face beneath my chin and starts purring hard enough that I feel it through his entire body.
God, I missed him.
I’m still kissing the top of his head when Revel walks in behind me carrying my suitcase in one hand and my equipment case in the other.
Guac’s head lifts.
He sees Revel and flattens his ears, then he hisses.
I burst out laughing.
Revel stops in the doorway. “Seriously?”
“He remembers you.”
“Clearly.”
“Aw. My baby missed his enemy.”
“I thought we bonded over the catnip taco.”
Guac hisses again.
“I guess not.”
Revel mutters something about him being an ungrateful little asshole and heads back outside for the rest of the bags.
I stand there with Guac in my arms while Revel brings in the last bag, his duffel still hanging off one shoulder.
He looks at me like he’s waiting for instructions.
I jerk my chin toward the door. “Close it behind you, Papi.”
His brows lift.
Then that slow, cocky smirk spreads across his face.
“Oh, shit. I get to stay?”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t make it weird.”
“Too late.” He reaches back and shuts the door, still grinning. “You let me in.”
“Temporarily.”
“Mhm.” He drops his duffel by the wall. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Mama.”
“Cabrón.”
His laugh follows me farther into the house.
And somehow, hearing the door click shut behind both of us feels exactly right.