Chapter 45 Octavia
Forty-Five
Octavia
Of course, the place Javier was referring to was Disney World.
But you know what, I’d never been before, and I was a huge Disney girl. The Princess and the Frog would always be my favorite, with The Lion King as a close second.
We caught so many rides and ate so much food. Between the ice cream, the candy, and even the churros, Aleesa was in heaven.
We spent two days at the amusement park, having the time of our lives, wearing Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears and eating way too many carbs.
Seeing Javier carry Aleesa on his shoulders, witnessing the fireworks in her eyes as they burst at night, I saw the proof of how much he loved her. He was the perfect father. I hoped the judge would realize that not a single thing was missing from Aleesa’s life and that she was fine where she was.
It hurt my heart to think he would miss out on more time with her. It was enough losing time to travel for his games. He complained about that a lot and wished things were different or that Aleesa could simply travel with him, but it wasn’t realistic.
Regardless, Javier did seem to forget about the custody battle for a while.
After those days at Disney, he booked a rental and drove us to the Florida Keys, where he’d reserved a high-end hotel. We spent that day teaching Aleesa how to play Putt-Putt, walking the beach, and then eating deliciously greasy pizza for dinner.
Aleesa was beyond exhausted by the time we returned to the hotel. I gave her a bath, put her little bonnet on, and let her rest in a room with bunk beds.
When she was asleep, I blew a sigh of relief and left the room.
I had expected Javier to be in the living room, but he wasn’t. Instead, he was standing on the balcony, with his arms folded, peering out at the dark ocean ahead.
I slid the door open and shut it behind me before standing next to him. “She passed right out.”
He smiled. “Good. She seemed to have a really great time.”
“She definitely did.”
Javier draped an arm over my shoulder, bringing me closer to his body. A balmy breeze caressed my skin, and I laid my head on him, so content with this moment.
This feeling.
This safeness.
When I was in his arms, I wanted to be nowhere else.
“So, I do not want to scare you, but you realize you are no longer my nanny anymore, right?”
I tipped my chin to look at him. “Oh really? Are you firing me?”
“Yes. You are one hundred percent fired as my nanny,” he answered with a playful tone. “I do have another position you can fill, though, if you are interested.”
“Oh yeah?” I looped my arms around his waist. “What’s that?”
His warm brown eyes connected with mine. “I want you to be the one I wake up to in the mornings. The one I hold when I need comfort, and the one you look to for the same thing. I want you to be the one I continue feeling this happy with.”
“So, you’re offering me a position as your girlfriend?” I asked, mildly teasing.
He smirked. “Well . . . I do not want to put a title on it, since you seem to hate those so much, but . . .”
“Ask me.”
He removed his arm from around me so he could hold my hands. “Octavia Klein, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Your life’s a little complicated. I’ll have to give that question some thought.”
His face twisted with confusion. “Wait . . . are you being serious?”
Oh goodness. I forgot that he took things literally sometimes. Language barriers and all.
“No, I’m not serious. I’m kidding!” I laughed. “Yes, Javier Valdez. I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Chuckling, he leaned down to place a deep kiss on my lips. “Will it scare you to hear that I am in love with you?” His voice was warm and deep.
My heart picked up in speed, and my smile slipped.
“Okay, I see that it does scare you,” he added quickly.
“No—I’m . . . I’m not scared, that’s the thing.
” I held on to his hands tighter. “I thought if I heard a man say those words to me again, I would be terrified. I figured I would get cold feet and run . . . but I don’t want to run away from you.
” I released his hands to run my fingers along his jawline.
“I don’t want to run, because I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too. ”
“Pretty sure?” he teased.
“Okay. Really sure.”
He laughed. “I am happy to hear it. But just because I want this does not mean I want to place all of my burdens on your shoulders.”
I gave him a look that said, Really?
“If you mean taking care of Aleesa, she is not a burden. She is a blessing. As for everything else you have to deal with, those are just distractions. No matter what, I’ll be here, because I want you.” I kissed him. “I want this. I’ve wanted something like what we have my whole life.”
He put on a boyish smile. “That means a lot to me to hear you say that. I promise that I will not disappoint you or ever hurt you like your ex did.”
“You could never hurt me like he did. You’re ten times the man he was, baby.”
His hands dug into my hips as our lips met again. “Call me that again,” he rasped.
“What? Baby?”
“Sí.”
I couldn’t contain my grin. “Okay . . . baby.”
He grinned, nuzzling his nose into the crook of my neck. “Even your voice turns me on.”
“So, I’m really fired, huh? No more pay?”
He threw his head back to laugh, and it was so nice seeing him this joyous and at ease.
“Fired as the nanny,” he said, entwining his fingers with mine. “Hired as mi novia. In this position, you can have whatever you want.”
“Ohh, novia. You make it sound so sexy.”
He lowered his hands to my waist. “I will show you sexy. Come here.”
I yelped as he picked me up, then laughed as I circled my legs around his waist.
He carried me back into the hotel suite and went straight for his bedroom, placing me on my back and sinking between my legs.
We got rid of our clothes piece by piece between deep, passionate kisses, and before I knew it, he was angling himself just right so he could sink into me.
A moan left my lips as he cupped the back of my neck, thrusting carefully with deep grunts. His face hovered above mine as he took control, and that night, he truly made me his.
There was no doubt about it anymore. No more questions, comparisons, or wonders.
I was his, and he was mine.
That night something burned between us that was impossible to explain. But if I had to, I would say that my chest was on fire—no, that my whole body was on fire for him. We were combusting in the best way, and the only thing that kept the flames contained were three simple words . . .
“I love you,” Javier rasped on my lips. “Te amo mucho, Octavia.”
Tears slid down the sides of my face. I cupped his cheek while the nails of my other hand dragged down the length of his back.
“I love you too,” I whispered.
I realized in that moment that this wasn’t like all the other times we’d had sex before. Yes, all the other times had been incredible, but this was special. This was deep and blissful and powerful.
This was . . . making love. I had never experienced such a thing before. I never realized how amazing it could feel, combined with joy.
Now I understood why so many people were desperate to make love.
Because this was personal. It was emotional. It was deep.
I never wanted it to end.
Safe, I thought. You’re finally safe, girl.
Javier pulled out when he came, groaning in my ear and making me clench. His come dripped on my pelvis, and after stealing another kiss, he got up to get a towel and wipe it all away.
Next, he climbed back onto the bed and centered his face between my thighs, clutching my hips in both of his large hands.
“Be still, novia,” he murmured.
Before I could nod, react, or do anything, his tongue skimmed through the lips of my pussy.
And I kid you not, it was the best head he’d ever given me.