Page 39 of A Lot Like Adiós
Fuuuck.
Michelle’s cousin Ava stared at him in horror. Before Gabe could say anything, Ava’s brows drew together, and she shrieked in an accusatory tone, “Michelle! Is thatGabriel Aguilar? And, Gabriel,where is your shirt?”
Chapter 10
Despite the riot of sensations in her body caused by Gabe’s rather efficient orgasm delivery, Michelle tried for a nonchalant tone. “Oh, hi, Ava. What are you doing here?”
Ava’s brows creased in annoyance. “You didn’t answer my calls last night or this morning. I was worried you were dead.”
Michelle pressed her fingers to her forehead. She was really in for it now. “Gabe, why don’t you go upstairs?”
He moved toward the doorway while Ava gave him that menacing Latina Mom stare that asked “¿Tú quieres la chancleta?” It was the look you got when you’d been bad and you knew it, right before Mami took off her slipper and hurled it at you like a missile. Then Ava turned the look on Michelle, who hunched her shoulders and made a beeline for the electric kettle.
“I’ll make you some tea,” Michelle said, retrieving a mug from the cabinet.
“Why is it so dark in here?” Ava moved to open the shades, but Gabe leaped toward her.
“No, don’t!” He slapped a hand over the shade to keep it down while Ava stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
“He’s worried his mom will see him in here,” Michelle explained.
“Oh, she absolutely will,” Ava affirmed, letting go of the cord that controlled the shade. “I’ve seen her peeking in while I was watching Monica’s kids.”
“See?” Gabe hissed, giving Michelle anI told you solook.
“Okay, okay.” Michelle waved him off. “Ve y ponte tu ropa.”
He raised an eyebrow at her command that he go put some clothes on. And then he was gone and Michelle was alone with her cousin.
The second they heard his bounding footstep on the stair that creaked, Ava whirled on Michelle, eyes wide and mouth agape.
“What is he doing here?” she whispered. “Ay dios mío, is this some kind of sex pact?”
“Sex pact? What are you talking about?” Michelle busied herself making tea the way Ava liked it—strong, milky, no sweetener.
“Like if you’re not married by thirty, you’ll marry each other. Or you meet every few years to get it on. Come on, I know you’ve seen those movies.”
In hindsight, Michellewishedshe and Gabe had made such a pact. At least then there’d be clear parameters for whatever was happening between them. “I’m helping him with a project for his business.”
“Oh really? You’re ‘helping’ him with a ‘project’?” Ava’s voice dripped with skepticism, and she made air quotes around the words.
Michelle cut her a glare. “It amazes me that everyone thinksyou’rethe nice one.”
“Compared to you, I am.” Ava shot her a wink and leaned her elbows on the kitchen counter. She was the tallest of the Rodriguez girl cousins, towering over Michelle’s five-three by a good six inches. “But come on. You came upstairs wearingthatand he’s got no shirt on.”
“We were exercising,” Michelle said defensively, glancing down at the sports bra she’d bought on their cousin Jasmine’s recommendation.
Ava snorted. “Yeah. Okay.”
“And... other stuff.” Michelle sent Ava a severe look. “Don’t tell Jasmine.”
Ava accepted the mug Michelle handed her. “Fine. I won’t. But you’re not going to be able to keep this quiet. And even if you are, at what cost? Remember last time?”
“Of course I do.”
“I just want you to be happy,” Ava said softly.
“Don’t worry,” Michelle said, not sounding anywhere near as confident as she wanted to.
