Page 75 of Hidden By His Side

“Want to see what I bought for Summer?” he asked the little girl, not waiting for her answer before turning toward the hallway.

“What? You bought me something?” Summer’s light steps followed them, her hand reaching over his shoulder to tickle Emma’s neck again.

Diego backed out of the hallway to let them pass. “I assume you want one in the bedroom,” he muttered, lifting the camera in his hand.

Ramiro flushed at the suggestion. He remembered Hayes hacking into the apartment’s feed. He was surrounded by fucking voyeurs. “No,” he said.

Diego paused. “No?” He lifted an eyebrow.

Ramiro swallowed. “No. Not the main bedroom, but do the spares.” It’d be helpful to have a camera in there if they turned one into a nursery. Ramiro would let Summer pick which one, but he assumed it would be the one she’d been using. It was closer to theirs.

Theirs. He doubted he’d get tired of that.

Summer studied the camera in Diego’s hand. “You’re setting those up in the house?”

Diego’s lips tilted up. “I’ll let Ram explain.” He moved back into the hallway.

Ramiro bounced Emma as she squirmed. “It’s just surveillance so I can keep an eye on things when I’m not around.”

“Oh,” Summer said, her eyes moving away from his.

“Hey.” Ramiro moved closer to her, nudging her shoulder. “I want to be with you all the time, but I know that isn’t realistic. With my past, and the situation with the cartel, and hell, anything that could come up, I need to know you’re safe.”

“I don’t mind the cameras,” Summer said, smiling at him, but her smile was off. Not quite her fake one, but not happy either. “It’s a good idea.”

He hefted Emma a little higher on his hip as she wriggled to try to get down. “What’s wrong?”

“Pwesent!” Emma shouted, making his ears ring.

Summer’s smile widened as she looked at the little girl. “That’s right.” She reached out, and Emma was ready to ditch him in a second. “Want to see it with me?”

Ramiro leaned the toddler out of reach. “I got her. You’ll need both hands to move it where you want.”

Summer’s smile faded as her lips parted in surprise, and a curiosity he had always loved to see filled her eyes. One she stifled too often.

Ramiro nodded toward the stand he’d purchased. The dark wood of it gleamed a little on the top, with carved and curling vines and flowers etched into the sides.

Her finger traced the curve of the highest vine. “It’s gorgeous,Ram.”

“The blue bowl should look perfect on it wherever you choose to put it.”

Summer’s hands curled around the stand, almost as if she hugged it, and her smile bloomed into the real one he loved.

Chapter 25

Another week passed, and his app told him the baby was the size of a prune. Ramiro wasn’t sure whether that was the most fitting description, or the worst one.

Some mornings, Summer woke him with her lunge toward the bathroom. Others, he woke with her still resting in his arms. He preferred that, but he also had to be careful not to poke her with his morning wood. It went down easier when she was sick and he got to take care of her.

Ramiro wanted to have sex with her again, but he also worried he’d overwhelm her. He kept waiting for a sign that she wanted more, but it never came. While Summer was closer to him than ever, it also felt like she was slipping through his fingers.

In the office, she switched to her secretary mode, with sunny smiles, a kind voice, and a giving mindset. Between coffee,lunch, and completed administrative tasks, Summer provided it all, and her smile looked less strained each time he thanked her.

Whenever he approached her desk, she minimized the window on her computer screen. Whatever she was researching made her expression fall, but she changed the subject when he tried to ask. Ramiro considered asking Hayes to send him her search history. If she hadn’t told him in the next week, he would.

At home, they’d taken to cuddling on the couch more often. Summer melted against his body each time, but she avoided looking at him.

Ramiro left the bathroom after getting ready for bed, not surprised to find the bedroom empty. He headed down the hallway, pausing to take her in.

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