Page 67 of Queens and Monsters

Iwoke, momentarily unsure of my surroundings. Even before opening my eyes, Rei’s sandalwood-and-leather scent permeated my senses. Blinking, I found I’d fallen asleep with my head on his hard shoulder. A quick glance at my watch told me we were approximately three hours into our three-and-a-half-hour flight.

With the time change, it would only be two thirty in the morning when we landed. As I lifted my head, Rei stirred. He must have fallen asleep with his arm protectively around me. Bravely, I brought my finger to his handsome face and ran it over his cheekbones. He was my husband. In near slumber, he wasn’t as intense.

Rei blinked.

“You’re real.” I lifted my hand with the wedding ringsand splayed my fingers. “When I first woke, I was afraid yesterday was a dream, and maybe I’d be back in my bedroom alone.”

His voice rumbled with sleepiness. “No,preciosa. Your nights of sleeping alone are over.”

Sleeping was acceptable. It was what came before it that had me worried.

The arm that had been around me pulled me closer, flattening my breasts against his muscular chest. “Mine,” he growled seconds before his lips came to mine.

A bolt of electricity sizzled through my nervous system, synapse after synapse sparking to life. I wasn’t sure how he could do it, but with simply a kiss and being pressed against his hardness, untouched parts of my body began to warm and tingle. Unapologetically, his tongue sought entrance, dancing and tangoing with mine. When I pulled back, my lips felt bruised and swollen in the best of ways. My tongue darted out to ease the tenderness.

Rei’s eyes hooded as he cupped my chin and ran his thumb over my lips. “I need to be easier on you. Your lips aren’t used to being kissed.”

“I’m not breakable. And I like the way you kiss me.”

“Good, because I plan to do a lot more of it.”

As I attempted to push away and stand, Rei reached for my hand. “Are you trying to leave me already? You might want to wait until we land.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to leave you. I need to use the bathroom.”

His lips twitched. “We could become members of the mile-high club. I could bend you over the sink and?—”

The sound of throat clearing stopped his sentence.

One of the women who greeted us earlier entered the cabin. “Señor and Señora Roríguez, please secure your seat belts, we’re preparing to land.”

I almost giggled at Rei’s exaggerated expression of disappointment. “Do I have time…?” I gestured toward the bathroom.

“Yes, ma’am. Please hurry.”

As I turned, I saw Diego and Felipe, Rei’s soldiers he’d brought to Kansas City, sitting near the front of the plane, separated from us by a curtain. Warmth filled my cheeks, wondering what they heard.

I quickly did my business and returned to the cabin. The seat beside my husband’s was where I belonged. After I secured my seat belt, Rei again reached for my hand. “I can’t wait for you to meetmí madre.” He sounded the happiest I’d heard him. “She will love you from the moment she sees you.”

“We met briefly at Christmas.”

“Sí, but then you were not my wife.”

“You haven’t told me about Bella.” There were so many things we didn’t know about one another. “What and where is it?”

“She’s right now off the coast of California near San Diego. Mama wants to be near when Jano’s baby is born.”

“So, Bella is a boat?”

Rei grinned. “Sí, a big boat. I told you to bring a bathing suit.” His smile faded as he leaned his head back on the leather seat. “I’d not thought about it until now, but it seems that Bella is now my parents’ home.”

“I thought they lived in Mexico.”

His jaw clenched, the muscles in his cheeks pulling tight. “A few days ago, their home, where Jano and I were raised, was attacked. Many of the house staff were killed. I don’t know how much damage was done to the structure. Jano said there were explosions.”

This was real life—now mine.

No wonder Rei was so intense.

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