“I just came to say that I’m glad. You belong together. In forty years, those might be your kids dancing the night away.” She points at Livie and Teo using her lips, the way all of them do. “You’ve always been a Sanz, mija. Now I’m glad we get to keep you.” She stands, squeezing my shoulder, and walks away, leaving me alone with a smile.
The wedding is still going strong, but Mateo and I left. His family didn’t even bat an eye, and it feels good to be away from the joyful chaos and back to being with just him. We went on a beach walk in the dark and just held hands while we talked. He stopped to kiss me more than once, and I swooned every time. We’re heading back to the room, and I’m buzzing with anticipation.
I’m so deliciously sore from last nightthat maybe it’s a bad idea, but I just can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about how he took care of me and how much I loved every minute of it.
“Can I ask what you and Violeta were talking about?” Mateo asks, leading the way back to our room but keeping his tone friendly, a clear indicator if I say no, he won’t be upset. Another thing I love about him.
“She wanted to apologize for ‘being a bitch to me,’” I say, making quotation marks in the air. Mateo’s eyes open wide, and I smirk. “Those were her words, not mine. I swear.” I cross my fingers and bring them to my lips.
“I believe you,” he teases, draping his arm over my shoulder and tucking me under his arm. “I’m glad she apologized. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”
“I would be very upset if I lost you so I understand.”
“The thing is, she never had me, Daze.” I look up at him, and I really, really hope he’s saying what I think he is. “You do,” he adds.
I let out a sigh. Yup, I’m done for. How does he expect me to carry on when he says things like this? The door to the room opens with a beep as Mateo steps aside and lets me in. He shuts the door behind him and stands with his back against it.
“Hi,” I whisper as soon as he does, and he smiles, the exact way I was hoping for, relaxed and happy and completely comfortable.
Me, on the other hand? Not so much. I can’t wait to get out of this dress for number one, and number two, that man looks like a snack with his khaki pants and his chacabana, a breathable linen shirt that’s considered formal beach wear here. Most, if not all, of the men in his family wore one to the wedding, but nobody looked as good as he does now. But when is that new?
“Hi,” I say again, breaking the silence. He walks to mein long, confident strides, and I let out a small yelp, making him chuckle this time.
“You already said that.” He reaches for me, one hand on my lower back and the other on my face. I’m so damn glad he’s holding me, because I would have liquified onto the ground by now. Gone. Puddle. Melted by Mateo’s gaze. Melted by Mateo looking at me likethat.
“I must have forgotten words. You evaporated them with your stare.” I clearly lost my damn filter too. One look from this man, and I forget how to function. How did I make this far in life? Oh yeah, he didn’t fuck me senseless before. In this room. Actually, in this exact spot where we’re both standing.
“Did I now?” His fingers trail up my back, closer to the zipper, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Eager for something, Daisy girl?” he asks, amusement lacing his tone.
“To be out of this dress, yes? So eager.”
He lowers his mouth to my ear. “That’s a shame. You look fucking stunning in it.”
Shivers run up my back, and I’m sure he can feel the goosebumps under his fingertips. He drags those skilled fingers up until he reaches the top of the fabric and drags the zipper down, going lower and lower until the dress is open. I feel like I can breathe again, but I don’t. I can’t. Not when he smells this good, like a spicy and fucking hot apple cider. There’s no other way to describe his scent other than comfort and spice, like somewhere you want to be forever because you know you’ll have a good time no matter what.
“Relax for me, baby,” he whispers, licking and kissing my neck.
“I can’t. No neurons left. Don’t know how.” I clearlyalso forgot what shame is, because I have absolutely none. What is he doing to me?
His deep chuckle reverberates through every inch of my body, and I squeal when he sucks on my neck. Did he? “Did you just give me a hickey?”
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
I smack his shoulder playfully. “Mateo Sanz, are you sixteen? What the hell?”
He looks at me, mirroring my own playfulness. “This beautiful hickey on your neckisfor sixteen-year-old me.”
“Oh yeah, yeah, when you were dating whatever fake ass blonde was your girlfriend of the year.”
“First of all, I don't know why we’re talking about other women when the one I’ve always wanted is in front of me, and I would like nothing more but to devour her whole.” I gasp as his hand slides from my neck to my hair. “Second, did you ever notice all of them were the opposite of you? I tried to trick my brain into thinking that maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t utterly in love with you. I failed, obviously.”
I roll my eyes, and he narrows his. “It’s true, but Daisy, let me ask for a favor.”
“Anything,” I moan as his fingers trail to my arms. Then, he’s peeling the dress off me. I forgot. I forgot for a second my back is exposed, and shortly, my whole body will be. He drags the dress down my body, groaning when he sees what I’m wearing.
“Stop talking about the past. All I want is the right here and now with you, our future. Got it?” The dress is a pile of fabric on the floor. I’ve dared to look down, but my eyes don’t go to the dress. They go to Mateo who’s hands are wrapped around my thighs while his face is right in front of my center.
