Page 76 of Hidden By His Side

She stood beside the bowl on the new stand, her fingers drifting along the edge, but she wasn’t looking at it. No, she kept glancing over at the bookcase where one of the cameras had been placed. Her mouth tightened at the edges, just like it had when she’d first learned about the cameras.

He crossed to where she stood, slipping his arms around her from behind and kissing her neck right under her ear. Summer tilted her head, giving him more access, tempting him to drive her out of her mind. He resisted the urge and kept his next kiss light.

His hand was above her stomach. He wanted to slide it down to test for a bump, even if he couldn’t see any difference in her body yet. Summer rarely touched herself there.

“What are you thinking about, baby girl?” he asked.

She leaned her head back against his chest. “It’s nothing.”

His sigh pushed against her hair as he looked toward the bookcase. “Is it the camera? You said you didn’t mind them, but something is bothering you about them. Tell me what it is.”

Her fingers moved to his, playing with them. “The cameras are fine.”

He turned her in his arms, tilting her chin up to search her eyes. They glistened in the moonlight in a way that made his stomach churn. “If they’re fine, why do you look like you’re gonna cry?”

She closed her eyes.

He brushed over her cheek with his thumb. “I can’t fix it if you don’t tell me.”

“There’s nothing to fix.” She turned her head, nuzzling against his hand. “I like that you look out for me. I even like the idea of you watching me.” She flushed, but her eyes still wouldn’t meet his.

“What don’t you like about them?” he asked.

She tried to pull away, but his hand moved into her hair, holding her still. Her teeth sank into her lip, and his mouth watered as the desire to replace her teeth with his own softer nibble tried to take over.

Her silence drew out, and he let it, enjoying the way her tension sparked in the air. He enjoyed soothing her normally, but this felt different. Better. Tempting.

She finally broke the silence with a sigh. “There’s nothing not to like. I just… didn’t realize.”

Ramiro frowned, letting his fingers sift through her hair. Her eyelids lowered, her teeth pressing into that lower lip of hers again. He didn’t let the sight distract him, not yet.

“You saw Diego put them in.”

“I did, but these aren’t the first, are they? You had cameras in my apartment, didn’t you?”

Ramiro didn’t flinch from the truth. “I did. I needed to keep an eye on you.”

“I know, and I appreciate it. It’s not that I minded you watching. I’m not mad, Ramiro.”

“Not mad,” he agreed. He gently massaged her scalp, watching some of her tension leave her as she shivered. “But something about it makes you sad. I wish I understood why.”

Her eyes slid open to meet his. “It’s silly.”

“You can be silly with me.”

She pushed forward, hiding her face against his chest. His heart thudded at having her so close, but he waited for her. He’d always wait for her.

“I thought you just knew,” she mumbled.

He held her a little tighter to him, trying to decipher the words.

“I would give in and cry, and you would magically appear. Like it was meant to be.” She let out a huff that was more of a sob than a laugh. “I told you. It’s silly.”

“Meeting on that bridgewasmeant to be. I’ve always believed that.” Ramiro cupped her head, pulling her face back to look into her eyes again. “The rest of it? Me being there every timeyou cried? That was on purpose. That was me watching you every second I could because I needed to, more than anything.”

Summer blinked, but moisture gathered in her eyes faster than she could push it away. His thumb caught the first tear, rubbing the warmth of it into her skin.

“I needed to be there for you. I needed to wrap us together so tight, nothing could tear us apart.” He leaned down, kissing her tears away, his breath feathering over her skin. “It may not be magic, but it’s no less powerful, what I feel for you. I promise.”

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