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I nod. “It doesn’t have to be. I can work anywhere. And I spoke to my brother. Either Jay joins them or stays with me, wherever I go.”
Oh, God, what if I misread this? But I know I didn’t, just as surely as I know being right might be a hollow victory because it might not be enough.
“There are jobs in Dallas,” I say.
His brow rises as a small smile tugs the corner of his mouth. “And if I don’t want you?”
“Maybe I’ll go for that job in Dallas, anyway. Jay likes it there.”
“Yeah, he does.”
My heart swells and all I want is to pull him to me. But I can’t. I don’t. I need him to say it. Not just dance around it all but say it. Tell me he needs me as much as I need him.
“I think he needs a strong male role model.”
Diego comes close again, mouth at my ear, the heat of his breath makes my stomach clench with need and my toes curl. “I didn’t volunteer.”
“I didn’t ask you.” I turn and speak against his ear, lips really close, and the leather and spiced honey of him plays havoc with my senses. “Tizio and Nicolo seem keen, and—”
“Nadia.” He pulls back and gives me a stern look.
I return it. “Diego.”
“You haven’t thought it through.”
I give him a shove and he doesn’t move. “You don’t get to tell me what I think and don’t. I lost you once, Diego. I won’t lose you again. I’m older now. Stronger. Wiser. And I’m not letting you go. Besides, who the hell are you to give me advice? In matters of the heart, you’re more into shooting yourself and everyone in the foot.”
“What the fuck, Nadie. Anything I do is for you, to protect you.”
I take hold of his face. “I don’t need protecting from you. I mean, you were going to sacrifice your heart for stupid reasons. Like you thought I’d be better off without you. Well, I’ve got news for you. I won’t.”
“Fuck, Nadie, what I do isn’t a world for you.”
“I think that’s my decision.”
He closes his eyes. “I’ve made mistakes—”
“Who hasn’t? When I spoke to Jay and then Tizio, Tizio told me about this young, angry guy who came to Dallas started an ill-advised fight with two guys his size. Ended up making lifelong friends, finding a family. My decision is to spend my life with that guy. If he’ll have me.”
Diego shakes his head and laughs, brushing his mouth over my temple. “I was fuckin’ angry. Lost the girl of my dreams to save her.”
“All this and you still won’t tell me Dad set you up and you saved him. I’m assuming that’s what happened. And you thought you could save me, by letting me think badly of you and well of him.”
He shudders and takes my face in his hands. “He was meant to tell you . . .”
“He didn’t, but you could have. Now.”
“Not my fuckin’ place, Nadie.”
I slide my arms around his neck. “You should have made it your place when you came back to town. You should have come back and . . .”
“Hey, Longstocking? You know I regret shit, but I couldn’t.”
He doesn’t need to say it. Jay. He also doesn’t need to say maybe my brother would have turned his selfish life around if I’d gone. But I’d never take that risk, not with Jay.
“I wasted years. And through it all, it was always you, Nadia. You, no one ever came close, not ever.” He takes my mouth in a devastating kiss. One that turns everything into liquid, and all I can do is kiss him back.
It’s deep, it’s long. It’s goodbye to bullshit, hello to the freshest page. It’s sex and love and happiness.
