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“Truth hurts, huh?”
Before I can fire back with a cutting reply, Sofia comes into the kitchen carrying something that looks like a small radio, and the debate with Milo is forgotten.
“Baby monitor,” she says when she sees me looking at it. “I got it for a gift when I had Mateo, but I’ve never needed it in my small place. Sometimes he wakes up in pain at night.”
“Ah, that’s good to have here.”
“Yes, it is. Could I please have a glass of water?”
“Of course.” I grab a glass, fill it with ice and water and hand it to her. “You want to watch a movie or something?” Anything to keep her out here with us.
“I don’t think I could concentrate.”
“How about a swim in the pool, then? It’s warm enough, and the pool is heated.”
She eyes the pool through the kitchen window, and I’m thankful for the weekend Milo and I spent installing the lighting in the gardens, which make the pool look inviting. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“I told you my house is your house. Whatever you want, whenever you want it.”
“That might be relaxing.”
I’m glad I reminded her to bring a swimsuit. “Go get changed. I’ll meet you out there.”
She looks at Milo. “Sorry to invade your house with my kid and my troubles.”
“We’re very happy to have you,” he says in the sweet, gentle way that’s so him. “Don’t worry about a thing, okay?”
She puts the glass on the counter and crosses her arms. “You’re all so kind.”
“We care about you, Sofia,” I say before Milo can beat me to it. “And Mateo. We want to be there for you both.”
“Thank you.” Her sweet smile fills me with hope and the kind of happiness that turns men into fools over women. I’ve managed to avoid that until now, but all I want is to make a complete fool of myself over her. “I’ll, ah, be out there in a minute.”
“You’re welcome to join us,” I tell Milo after she takes her water and leaves the room.
“Thanks, but you don’t need your little brother in the middle of this.” He finishes his beer, tosses the bottle in the recycling and gives me a salute as he heads for the doorway.
“I always need my little brother.”
Milo shoots a smile over his shoulder. “Likewise, bro, only change ‘little’ to ‘big.’”
The two of us have always been close, despite the years between us and the vast differences in our personalities. Maria says we’re the yin to the other’s yang, whatever that means. He drove me crazy until he was about seventeen and started making himself useful to me in more ways than I can count. Now I don’t know what I’d do without his calming influence in my life. He’s truly my best friend, along with our cousin Dom.
I need to hit up Dom to see when he’s going back to New York. I’ll do that later. Right now, I need all my wits about me to deal with Sofia in a bikini. She has a cloth thing tied around her waist, but I’m not looking at her waist. All I can see is a stunning face and gorgeous breasts. I also see uncertainty, anxiety and discomfort.
I want her to be more comfortable with me than with anyone else in the world, so I go to her, extend my hand and hope she’ll take hold and never let go. After she grasps my hand, I realize I was holding my breath waiting for her to decide.
“The water is nice. Let’s swim.”
