Page 7 of Holiday Plus-One
“Yeah? Have you seen something else?”
Heat wraps around her eyes as she stares up at me.
“No,” she admits. “I wasn’t exactly staring. That’s all on you.”
The laughter bubbles out of me.
“My eyes liked what they saw. Can’t blame a man for appreciating art and beauty.”
“But I can blame that same man for making everyone aware of my presence.”
“Next time, I’ll introduce you with my mouth.”
I didn’t mean for it to mean anything else but that, yet somehow, we’ve gravitated closer to each other because of our exchange. One brow arched this time.
“A double entendre, Mr. Riley Benjamin Baker?”
My full name on her lips sounds so fucking sexy.
“Could be triple, if you can handle it.”
There’s no space in between us at this moment and I’m not going to question if it’s the Holiday magic or if it’s just two people who are attracted to each other having this moment.
Could it be me that’s giving off all this sexual tension or is it, Valentina? Maybe a bit of both of us but I don’t even think I care.
“This doesn’t look like coffee, does it?”
Mimi’s voice tries to break the moment, but it does nothing to pull me away from her.
Valentina looks at Mimi and softly smiles.
“Sorry, mama, we just got caught looking up at the night sky. I miss it out here, it’s not the same.”
“Mmhmm, were you staring at the sky or into this boy’s eyes?”
“Mimi,” I scoff playfully. “These eyes are far better than the night sky. You’d get lost in them too if Senior didn’t have a hunting rifle in the house, don’t be too hard on her, it’s not her fault her future was decided the moment she looked into these babies.”
Mimi and Valentina give me the same glare but in Valentina’s there’s that heat again, like if I asked her to sneak off with me, she’d do it. I smirk at her as Mimi leads us back in the house.
Before I step over the threshold, Valentina turns to face me and takes her time gazing up at me. When she does, her flirtiness is practically glittering in her eyes.
“I’m a big girl, Riley Benjamin Baker, I can handle it. Question is can you, cinnamon-eyed boy?”
I chuckle and shake my head leaning in closer to her ear so her mother can’t hear.
“You’re going to make me eat out of the palm of your hands huh, Valentina?”
“Mmm, yes.”
I move from her ear to her face, our noses practically touching.
“Good, cause I plan to taste every single part of you. It’ll teach you to call me a boy.”
“Benjamin…” Mimi calls out to me as if she heard what I said.
My eyes don’t leave Valentina’s as I reply to Mimi.
“Coming…”
