Page 37 of Always Mine

“I have no idea. One step at a time, I guess.”

“Is this a step for us?”

“I don’t know. We’re back to the basic issue: I’m not sure I can risk a relationship with you again.”

In years past, he would have gotten upset at her, but he was older now. Wiser. “Hm. What would it take to make that happen?”

She drew back now, a determined look on her face. “Well, for one thing, you need to get help with those flashbacks and nightmares. With what happened to you.”

His head dropped back onto the couch. “I hate shrinks.”

“I have an idea. Would you talk to Caleb Shepherd, Maisy’s brother. He’s a minister and has a degree in counseling.”

“A priest?Dios Mio, Annie.”

“A minister. He’s had a hard time. His church was bombed, killing most of his congregation.”

“Sounds likeheneeds counseling.”

“Maybe he’s getting some.”

Diego just stared at her.

“Do this for me, Diego. See him at least once. For us.”

“I’m not sure I can.”

“You have to if you want to heal. And if you don’t heal, we can’t have a relationship.”

“I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, since you’re here…” He reached out and tugged her over to straddle his lap. She came easily. “Now kiss me like you mean it.”

Briefly, she closed her eyes. Then she pressed her lips into his.

* * *

Well, this is way cool. The stinkin’ pig’s got a girlfriend. Denzi came to case the house again and from the bushes, saw his squeeze just as she got inside. Would theChicacome out through this door, too? Hurting her would be a good way to get at the cop. His girlfriend as payback for Marco. She spat out the bitterness in her mouth. Yeah, this’d be better than offinghim.

Chapter 6

As Diego waited for his visitor, he thought back to what happened just after he and Annie kissed last night and he wanted to make love…

“That’s blackmail.”

Annie lifted that cute little chin of hers. “I don’t care what you call it.”

“If anybody else heard you, they’d say you were a co—” he cut himself off from using the vulgarity “-an awful person for not sleeping with me until I see a shrink.”

She plopped her hands on her hips. “Do you think I’m an awful person?”

“Y—” His eyes softened. He loved the way she looked when she got mad. A little wild. A lot sexy. “No. I’m frustrated.”

“So am I!”

“Miss my body,Querida?”

“I do.”

“Then what are we waiting for? This is gonna be the last time I see you until the Cobras or the cobra chick gets caught.”

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