Page 46 of Under His Sheets
I shook my head and reached for his hand. I loved to trace the fine lines and veins, and it usually got him torelax. Sure enough, he sank back into the arm of the couch and pulled me closer, snuggled against his chest.
“I haven’t been back to Barcelona proper since I moved out here. It’s not on my list of necessities. The students who are studying guitar with me have their own, and there was a beat-up guitar in a closet that I can at least use to demonstrate how to fret but…there are more important things to worry about right now.”
Alonso lifted my chin into look in my eyes.“When my assignment is over, I would love to take you guitar shopping. Would you let me?”
I would let him take me anywhere. He made me feel incredibly safe. It was hard to think about the fact that we were in the middle of civil unrest all around us when we were wrapped in each other’s arms.
“Well, you know. If you have time. I don’t even know…what do you do when you aren’t being the Spanish Jason Bourne?”
He barked out a laugh and glanced at the screen. Bourne was fighting some guy in a tiny bathroom to the soothing sounds of Hozier in the background.
“When I am not on duty or deployed somewhere, I work at the winery. In fact, the place is due for a complete refresh of cameras and computers, so when I’m done with this situation, I’ll be back working for my father and brother.” He shrugged. “It should be less stressful. Perhaps. I am not sure how it will be working under my baby brother. I will have to rein in my need to mess with him.”
I rolled onto my stomach so I could see him clearly, perhaps get a read on his thoughts. “Do you see a possibility that we might…date each other?” My stomach dropped thinking I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer.
Alonso grinned and curled a lock of my hair around his finger. “Is that what we are doing?”
I blinked at him. “Is that…what you want?”
He narrowed his eyes and exhaled. “No.”
I pushed up, ready to scramble away, when he tangled his legs with mine, forcing me down on top of him with some move he probably learned to fight off bad guys.
“No, amor. I don’t want todateyou. I want toloveyou.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in.
“Oh.”
“Sí,” he said as he brushed my hair back with one hand and ran his other over my ass. “Dating is too casual an arrangement for how I feel for you.”
My cheeks roared with heat and I dipped my gaze, tracing a finger in his chest hair. He was so touchable with all that soft, curly hair. I couldn’t get enough of touching him.
“For me too, but I didn’t want to assume.”
“Si us plau, amor. Please assume.”
I smiled as he lifted his head to kiss me lazily, licking at my lips and tongue in teasing strokes until my whole body thrummed with need.
“And…your family? They will not object?”
He shrugged. “Papa, he will be confused. Mama will first be disappointed about perhaps no grandbabies and then happy be for me. Felip will tease me for robbing the cradle. Tomás will have his suspicions confirmed. And Mateu? I don’t know. I assume he will be happy, but he is tough to predict, that one.” He nibbled at my chin. “And your family?”
I laughed. “Not surprised at all. I’ve been out to my family since I was seventeen and finally had an interest in something other than music. I was a late bloomer. My family didn’t think it was a big deal. My father’s brother is gay and everyone accepted him from day one.” I deflated a little. “Of course, they won’t know unless I call them. At some point, I guess, I’m going to have to be the one to suck it up and reach out.”
Alonso understood, I knew he would somehow.
“You have to decide, is it worth it to be right or to be loved, eh?”
“Exactly. You get me.”
“Iwantyou, amor. Let me have you.”
And I did. I let him have his way with me, and I didn’t even care that I was naked in the middle of my living room with the lights still on.
But my take-on-the-world attitude faded Monday when I received an email from Mr. Ferrer.
Bon dia, senyor Sutter. Delighted you will be joining us for our gala this weekend. I would very much like for you to accompany Pere on this surprise he has for me. I think it willgive him a little reassurance to know you are there beside him. Then I would love for you to play a song with me. Since you do not play in my style, and I am unfamiliar with your music, how about we play a song that we can both connect with? Here are some suggestions for you to learn. We can decide on Friday when I pick up Pere from school? Does that work for you? My guests are thrilled you will be joining us for this important event. Gràcies, professor.
