Page 80 of Off Season

I can’t believe I’m going to wake up on Christmas morning without my sister. Breathing is suddenly not so easy for me. Tears sting my eyes.

Cheetah notices me getting emotional and rubs my back. “Are you okay?”

“Just missing my sister. It’s weird to spend a holiday without her.”

He gently grabs the sides of my neck and softly runs his thumbs along my face. “We can leave if you need to. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

I reach up and squeeze his hand. He has a way of always knowing what I’m feeling and responding in a kind, compassionate manner. He’s a good man, and no one has ever treated me better than he has. I want to give him all I can for the next five days to make sure he has a great time with his family. He deserves it.

I get on my tippy toes, wrap my arms around his neck, and softly kiss his lips. “I’m ready to be a good fiancée. Of courseI’ll have a little fun with it, I’m not a damn Stepford wife, but I’ll try my best.”

Obviously payback for springing this on me is in order, but I’ll mostly behave.Mostly.

He smiles down at me and kisses me back. “Thank you. I see lots of orgasms in your future.”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “Ahh, now you’re talking my language.”

He winks as we separate and walk into their crowded family room. I studied his social media and some of the pictures in his condo, so I think I know who everyone is by sight. Cheetah places his arm around me and proudly announces, “Family, this is Kamryn Hart, the love of my life. Kam, this is—”

Before he can finish, I go around and acknowledge every single person by name. Every sibling, spouse, niece, and nephew. They’re all dumbfounded.

Cheetah shrugs. “My girl is smart. She’s not only a professional ballplayer, but she’s a lawyer too.” I had given him permission to share my budding legal career with his family. It’s not like they know me in my real life.

I shake my head. “I’m not a lawyer quite yet; I’m just studying, but I’m confident I can get you off.”

His oldest brother, Alejandro, smirks at me. “You two make a lot of sense together.”

Everyone is full of cheer as I take them all in. They’re an attractive family, though he was right that he’s the only one with blue eyes. His skin is a little lighter than the rest too. He explained to me that they have some paternal ancestors from Spain, which is where the lighter skin and blue eyes come from. All his siblings have brown eyes and darker skin, apparently getting that from their Mexican side.

His three sisters are all attractive, but the youngest, Camila, looks like she could be a model. She’s stunning, with long, thick hair and curves in all the right places. She’s like a younger Salma Hayek. Her smile matches Cheetah’s mischievous, larger-than-life, one. Alejandro, Santiago, and Ruben are all cute in different ways with their dark hair and big brown eyes. Cheetah is significantly more handsome than all of them, though Santiago is attractive in a more rugged way. They’re all less fit than Cheetah, but Alejandro looks more than a little out of shape.

They’re dressed casually and appear to be comfortable around one another.

Cheetah’s mother calls the grandkids into the kitchen with her. Apparently it’s their tradition that she teaches them all to cook the famous Gonzales Christmas Eve meal. Cheetah has mentioned it a few times. I’m looking forward to that.

We sit down on one of the oversized chairs together. “I like that your mom teaches both the boys and the girls to cook. That’s how it should be. I guess I expected more traditional roles in your house. Glad to see you come from a more modern family.”

His sister, Luna, nods. “Yes, she teaches everyone, girlsandboys, to cook. I think she makes sure each has their specialty though.”

“What’s yours?” I ask her.

Everyone chuckles, and Luna has a sheepish look. “I’m the worst cook in the family. Our mother no longer allows me in her kitchen. She thinks I’m cursed. My specialty is black quesadillas, as in I burn them.”

I smirk. “Mine is black-bottom pancakes. We’re a match made in heaven.”

Her husband, Armando, a wiry-built guy with a man bun, rubs his nonexistent belly. “I think you’re a great cook, cariño.”

She smiles lovingly at him, but everyone else moans in malcontent. Cheetah leans over and whispers, “They’ve been married fifteen years, and he still dotes on her. They doeverythingtogether. Work, play, everything. Oddly enough, they have a catering business, but he does the cooking and she runs the actual business. She went to business school. She’s super smart.”

That’s awesome. They’re not what I expected at all.

I ask the group, “Who’s the best cook of all the siblings?”

Luna pinches her eyebrows at me in confusion. “I can’t imagine chefs get better than Cruz. He must cook for you all the time.”

What? Maybe a few simple breakfasts, but nothing more than that. I suppose I had dinner at his place once, but I thought it was takeout.

Cheetah shrugs. “We go out a lot or order in. I don’t cook much anymore.”

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