Page 64 of Seductive Desires

I shook my head slowly, pursing my lips against my smile. He had two days to figure out where we were going before we boarded the plane. And since he demanded we fly on a private plane, I could keep it a secret until we landed. Amari already told me the pilot agreed to stay silent on my request.

Mateo dropped onto the edge of the bed, throwing out different options while I got ready for bed. None of his guesses were us going to see his family. I managed to distract him when I hopped into the shower but I knew the next few days were going to be hard. Especially when he tried to convince me to tell him by burying his face between my thighs.

* * *

I would forever begrateful for my friends and Mama Carmen. They kept us plenty busy before our vacation so I didn’t have to contend with Mateo’s constant guessing and his erotic attempts to make me tell him where we were going. At one point, I was seriously considering giving in because he was so incredibly talented at driving me insane.

“Now we are on the plane, you have to tell me.” He nudged me, trying to get my attention. I had a book in my hands and I was purposely pretending to be engrossed in it so he would stop asking.

“Nope. You’ll find out when we get there.”

He growled, shooting a look at Amari. Her face remained impassive.

“I would have told you if you hadn’t snuck off twice in the last week. Why would I help you when you make my job so difficult?”

Mateo scowled. “I went to the store, not into a firefight. You two are so cruel to me.” He was pouting and I rolled my lips between my teeth, hiding my smile. I had trouble resisting him when he pouted so I raised the book farther, trying to block my view of him.

When neither of us replied to him, he finally gave up. He tried bribing the pilot when we got on the plane but the man just smiled at him and told him to enjoy his flight.

We were getting ready to land when Mateo grew suspicious, leaning over me to look out the window.

“Why does it look like–” He lurched back, gaping at me. “Tell me we are not where I think we are.”

I raised my eyebrows. I wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction from him. “What do you mean?”

He jerked to face Amari, who had a devilish grin on her face. He actually looked a little pale. I glanced between them, confused.

“Okay, what am I missing?”

“Mateo has yet to tell his mother about most of what has happened in Chicago. Including your engagement. I look forward to how she will deal with him.”

My jaw dropped. “You didn’t tell her about me?” That stung and I shifted away from him when he swung around to face me.

“Of course I did. I have told her many times about you. I just haven’t called since before I left for Mexico, so she hasn’t been updated in a while…” He took my hands, kissing my knuckles lightly. “She has been demanding I bring you to visit since I first mentioned the woman I was falling in love with. She will be very happy to meet you.”

His smile was reassuring but he still looked a little pale. The wheels hit the tarmac and he grimaced. “I just wish you would have told me beforehand. I would have called her first… or convinced you to pick somewhere new.” He mumbled the last part but I heard it anyway and tugged my hands free, crossing my arms.

“You haven’t been home in months and you haven’t called her in weeks. That’s not okay, Mateo, she’s your mother.” Amari snickered. I narrowed my eyes at her. “And why didn’t you mention this might be his reaction when I discussed this with you?”

We had become a good team since Mexico, corralling Mateo into taking his security team with him more often and I updated her whenever he managed to sneak off.

“He deserves what he has coming to him. I am going to tell your mother that you have been ditching your security detail. She will be furious.”

Mateo actually whimpered and my eyes went wide. Normally, Mateo was fearless and always smiling. But apparently in the face of his mother, he was knocked back into a little boy who feared her wrath. I was curious to meet her but I was starting to get a little nervous. What kind of person could knock the smile off of my fiancé’s face?

We pulled to a stop and the pilot turned off the engine. Amari didn’t even wait, popping open the door and hopping down the stairs. There was a cluster of cars off the side of the tarmac and I watched as Amari loped up to a short hispanic woman who stood watching with her arms crossed.

Mateo had yet to even unbuckle his seatbelt. He shot me a worried look and I dropped my chin. “I’m sorry, I thought I would surprise you.” I frowned, staring at my hands. Amari tricked me into thinking this was a good idea and now I felt awful.

Mateo’s warm hands cupped my cheeks, pulling me up to face him. He kissed me lightly, pressing his forehead against mine.

“I am surprised, mi amor. And I am glad that you want to meet my family. Please don’t be upset. I am a little worried about my mother’s reaction but I look forward to showing you my home. You will love it.” He kissed me again, slower this time until I relaxed against him. “Let’s go. She will only grow more angry if we make her wait.”

I stepped out of the plane, blinking against the harsh sunlight. Mateo took my hand, keeping me close. His hands were shaking and he seemed to grow more hesitant the closer he got to his mother, so I tugged him until he stood partway behind me, protecting him as we approached.

Amari was still talking in a low voice when we stepped up to them. Mateo’s mother shot him a scathing look before focusing on me, her smile kind.

“Mariana, it’s wonderful to meet you. My son has told me a lot about you.” She pulled me into a hug and patted my cheek as I stepped back. I raised an eyebrow at Mateo. What exactly was he afraid of?

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