Page 13 of Hidden By His Side

She watched the screen of her phone light up with his name and squirmed inside. If she answered, he’d hear the sniffling in her voice, but not picking up was just another way to gain his attention.

Summer lunged for the phone, accepting the call as she fumbled it to her ear. “I’m home. I’m fine.”

“Open the door, Summer,” Ramiro said.

She stared at the front door in surprise. “There wasn’t a knock,” she mumbled.

“Should I have used my key?” he asked, his voice soft. He was using the tone that made it harder to suck back the tears, and her lip trembled.

“Do what you want,” she said, hanging up and burying her face in the pillow.

A shift in air pressure followed the metallic click of the door unlocking. He must have closed the door softly, or maybe her heart was beating too loud to hear anything over it, because she was already in his arms, not feeling trapped at all, even though he took up all the space in the room.

Summer shoved the pillow away so she could feel his silky shirt under her cheek instead. Ramiro had started wearing really nice suits. He looked great in them, and he smelled even better. She snuggled her nose into the material, inhaling his scent that was citrus and spice and vanilla all combined.

His large hand pressed into the small of her back, and what had felt controlling and uncomfortable with another man now unraveled the tightness along her spine. She melted into the heat of his touch.

It was Ramiro doing the touching, after all, and she was head over heels in love with him. She had been ever since he’d told her she was his on a bridge on the darkest night of her life.

His chest moved beneath her as he took a deep breath, and she listened to the steady beat of his heart, wishing she could stay like that, there with him forever.

But even though she was his, he wasn’t hers.

“Gonna let me kill this one?” Ramiro asked, his voice rumbling through her.

“He didn’t do anything.”

“You always say that, yet here you are, crying again.” He rubbed along her back, making her chest ache even as he relaxed her further. “Tell me how to change that.”

Summer’s hand moved to rest over his chest next to her head, her fingers unable to resist stroking, just a little. She swallowed, trying to make her lips move.

“Have sex with me.”

His body stiffened, his heartbeat stuttering in shock.

His hands found her shoulders and pushed her away enough to study her face. “Why would you say that, baby girl?”

Her skin tingled from the nickname. He’d used it so much less frequently lately. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it.

His eyes were gentle. They didn’t have that needy begging that her dates usually had. The idea of sex with her made him worry. It didn’t turn him on.

Summer had known that would be the case, but that didn’t make the reality any easier.

His hand left her shoulder, brushing the hair off her forehead and tucking it behind her ear. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Guys want sex,” she said, letting her head dip to stare at her hands and not into those caring but not heated eyes.

“Did your date pressure you?” Ramiro’s hand on her shoulder tightened before releasing her. “I’ll kill him.”

His body shifted as if to rise, and she grabbed for him, knowing he was serious. “No! Well, not really.”

“Which is it, Summer? Because if he dumped you for not putting out, I’m gonna—”

Her hand moved over his mouth, causing his lips to graze her palm. The sensation sent a flush through her body, one she’d felt around him before, but one that was also still foreign.

“This is my hang-up, Ram. I’m scared of it, but I’m so sick of being scared.”

Ramiro’s eyes softened. His hand slid over hers, big enough to hide all of it as he pressed a kiss into her palm, deliberately this time, before pulling it to his cheek. Her fingers rasped over his beard, filling her with more tingles.

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