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Chapter Fourteen
Carlos
I rangthe bell and waited impatiently.
Showing up without invitation or announcement might not have been my best move, but the answer would have been a definite no if I’d asked. The events of last night were still too fresh. Too real. I needed a distraction.
Gabriel threw open the door, and Holly was right behind him.
“Hey, Gabriel,” I said. But when I saw Holly in painted-on jeans and an emerald, slinky top that dipped modestly, I was mesmerized.
“Hey, Mr. Carlos.” I blinked and realized he’d been watching me look at his mom.
“Your mother looks beautiful,” I said when she was close enough for me to bend and kiss her cheek. It warmed, the flush I was growing to crave tinting her delicate skin.
“Thank you.”
“Whatcha got?” Gabriel asked.
My arms were loaded with bags, and I waggled my eyebrows at him, eliciting a giggle. “These are for your mom.” I presented a bouquet of red Peruvian lilies to Holly. They’d reminded me of her blush, and it made another appearance now.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting them as if they were precious. “Aren't they pretty, Gabriel?”
He nodded. “Red is my favorite color.”
“Mine too,” I said, reaching into another bag. “And this is for you.” I pulled out a stuffed cowboy toy that was a pretty close twin to the Lego one he'd given me. I'd seen it in a store window and couldn't resist, especially since it was holding a puppy in its arms. A chocolate lab.
“He's got a dog!”
Holly shot me a cautionary look, but it wasn't nearly as lethal as some of the others she'd given me. Her face softened when Gabriel clutched the toy.
“I'm not handing over dinner until you invite me in.”
“We've gotten everything we want from you. Good night.” The door slammed in my face, only to reopen to the two of them in a fit of giggles.
“Think you're funny, do you?” They moved aside, and I stepped across the threshold, making myself at home by heading straight for the kitchen. The floor plan of the apartment was open with one massive living, dining, and kitchen area. While it wasn’t as large as my sister’s, I liked the arrangement.
“What's in those bags?” Once the food was on the counter, I picked him up and set him next to it.
“Why don't you see for yourself?” My sister had been thrilled to find me out of bed and acting like a halfway normal human being, so she was more than willing to give up that Gabriel’s favorite food was Mexican—cheese quesadillas to be exact.I can’t lose it again. I need to be more in control.I hadn’t seen Stone since the incident, thank Christ, as I had no idea what he’d have to say. Probably kick me out of their home in fear I’d endanger his wife. It had felt so real, though. The sight ofhim. The sound ofhisvoice. I had no idea what I was going to do, but if it happened again . . .no. It can’t happen again. He was dead. The motherfucker was dead and wouldn’t ever be a threat again. I had to believe that orI’dbe a danger to everyone.
“Chips!” he exclaimed, pulling out a clear plastic bag. He fumbled with the next container he retrieved, and I caught it before the contents went everywhere.
“Where would you like to eat?” I asked Holly, who was resting her hip against the counter and taking in Gabriel and me as we unpacked our dinner.
“The table,” she answered with a hint of sass. She straightened, her nipples tightening until they were visible against the fabric of her shirt. I let my eyes drop for only a second, so she'd know I saw her physical reaction to me. She busied herself, getting plates out of the cabinet without another word. She seemed more open to the idea of me spending time with them, infinitely more so than before. What had changed her mind?
I peeked inside the bag Gabriel had been unloading. “Clear.”
He cocked his head. “What's that mean?” I tilted the sack toward him, and he peered inside. “It's empty.”
“So it's clear,” I said, and his eyes lit with understanding. “Usually it refers to a room. Like if your mom thought there was somebody in her bedroom, I checked it out and didn't find anyone, I'd say 'clear.'”
Tossing the empty bag aside, I moved the other one within his reach, and Gabriel immediately dug inside. Four Styrofoam containers later, and he shouted, “Clear.” I grinned and we high-fived.
“Let's see what we have,” Holly said, taking over.
“Are we moving too slow for you?” I asked, my hands automatically going to her hips and tugging her against me.
