Juliet wiped the tears from her eyes and touched Ramón’s face. “That was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”
“Don’t mention it. We can stay as long as you like.”
“I’d like that.”
Ramón picked up his guitarrón and held her hand as they walked through the graveyard, looking at the other altars. Juliet marveled at a massive, colorful three-tier ofrenda filled with sugar skulls, pan dulces, and flowers. Ramón preferred the simpler ones, monochromatic with black-and-white pictures, candles, and items that represented what the deceased loved in their life.
Juliet turned to him. “I’m ready to go now.”
Okay.He studied her heart-shaped face and got lost in her chocolate-colored eyes. He couldn’t read her. Did she want to go home with him after such an emotional night? Probably not, and he couldn’t blame her. Ramón wouldn’t push his luck. At this point, he wanted to get her number and ask her on a proper date.
“Would you like to go to a bar and have a drink? We can get to know each other better.”
She shook her head no.
Dammit. Where had he gone wrong? Maybe she just didn’t want to get drunk, which was fine by Ramón. He wanted to remember this night.
Think, Ramón.The night slipped through his hands.
“Or we could go get dessert. There’s this bakery that’s open late. We could sit there and talk and get to know each other.”
“I don’t want to talk.” She leaned into him, and Ramón quickly shifted the strap of his guitarrón from his side to his back. He pressed into her, feeling her tight body next to his. He smelled cumin and chiles on her—did she work in a restaurant? That was doubtful, since he’d met her only a few hours ago. No way would she have a shift that short.
He didn’t know; he didn’t care. He couldn’t wait another moment to kiss his Juliet.
She tilted her head, and Ramón cupped it with his hands.
“Romeo?” she said, breathily.
“Yes?” His lips were a whisper from hers.
“Bésame.” She leaned up and glanced her lips over his, soft and sweet.
His heart pounded. He took her softly at first, appreciating the subtle beauty and joy in that first kiss, a moment that could never be repeated with her again. Desire stirred inside him, and Ramón took no prisoners. He kissed her hungrily, and she responded with a fiery passion. She tasted like tequila and lime and lust. He wanted to get drunk on her lips. This kiss in the graveyard was hauntingly beautiful, just like her.
She pulled away first and looked deep into his eyes. “Do you live nearby?”
Yes.
“Close enough.”
“Let’s just go back to your place.”
Ramón grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter Six
Her lips still were on fire from that kiss.Oh, that kiss.
That kiss was like one of the songs he’d sung to her earlier in the night—passionate, romantic, emotional, sexy. Julieta had never been kissed like that. Most of her dating experiences had been awkward, drunken hookups with men she didn’t really know or care about. Which wasn’t really her fault at all. She was a chef. She worked seven days a week, from an hour or more before her restaurant opened until an hour after it closed. Sex to her was stress relief, with little to no time to establish any semblance of an emotional connection.
Not that she knew Romeo. Hell, she still didn’t know his real name.
He took her hand and led her to the parking lot. She was dizzy with lust and anticipation, though her nerves were on high alert just in case her instincts were wrong and he was some kind of psychopath. She clutched the Mace through her purse, thankful she had taken it from Mamá.
Why had she suggested going home with him? She never did that. She’d probably ruined her chance of having any sort of decent relationship with this man by not only agreeing to go home with him but asking to.
Dammit. He had offered to buy her drinks and dessert, not to take her to bed. He must think she was easy, or worse, desperate.
