Page 15 of Under Her Skin
She felt his arms snake around her waist, and his hand slip beneath her dress to stroke her belly. “Hey.”
She leaned back into him, turning her head to kiss his mouth. “Hey.”
Arturo gazed down at her, his eyes serious. “Is it wrong that I don’t want this toend?”
Her stomach dropped. “This?”
“This trip, this city, withyou.”
She turned in his arms and locked hers around his waist. He nuzzled her nose with his own. “Hero…”
The way he whispered her name made it sound like the most bewitching sound in the world. “Arturo…I have something to tellyou.”
“Okay.”
She swallowed. “I…”Tell him. Get it over with now. Offer to give him the apartment. Beg him to forgive you.“I…used to bemarried.”
Arturo’s eyes were sympathetic. “Would you be mad if I told you Iknew?”
That stopped her. “What?” What the hell? Did he have a private detective on her? Did he alreadyknowabout theapartment?
Arturo’s arms tightened around her. “I see what you’re thinking, and I swear, just the results of a Google search. I wascurious.”
Hero breathed out. Okay, that was normal at the beginning of modern relationships, right?But you didn’t think of finding out about his story like that, did you?“Okay, that’s fine. Then youknow.”
“About your husband and daughter. I do, and I cannot tell you how sorry I am, my darling. Come sit. Let’s really talk. I’ve orderedbreakfast.”
Over breakfast she told him about Tom and Beth, and to her surprise, it was easy to talk to him, and it felt good to really reminisce honestly about her grief, her love for Tom, and her darling Beth, herlight.
“She really was the most amazing kid,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “I know every mom says that but, my God, I couldn’t believe this incredible little creature came fromme.”
“Do you have aphoto?”
She dug around in her purse and brought out two photos. One was just of Beth, yelling a banshee cry into the camera, grinning wildly. The other was all three of them: Tom encompassing his family in his arms as they smiled, not at the camera but at eachother.
Arturo studied them both. “Wow. Wow. She looks just likeyou.”
Hero felt a lump in her throat when Arturo used the present tense. “She…does.” The tears escaped then, and she began to sob. Arturo folded her in his arms and just held her until she cried herselfout.
When she finally pulled away, she felt lighter and surprisingly unembarrassed. Arturo smiled at her and stroked the back of his fingers down her face. “Sweet one, your daughter will always be with you. And your husband…” He looked back at the photo of Tom, and for a second, Hero couldn’t read his expression. “He looks like a greatguy.”
“He was. He was my best friend.” She sighed. “It was just…everything changed on a dime, you know? One second we were in the car singing pop songs and the next minute… gone. So final.” She looked away for a moment until he turned her face gently back tohis.
“I’m glad you told me. I want to know you,Hero.”
Hero squeezed his hand. “What aboutyou?”
“Me? You know me. My reputation precedesme.”
“Arturo.”
He shrugged. “There has been no one special in my life foryears.”
She looked at him curiously. “So, there was someone,once?”
The pained look on his face was so fleeting that she wondered if she’d imagined it, but then he was talking again, and she dismissedit.
“I’m a walking cliché, Hero,” he said bluntly. “I’m arrogant as hell, and I sleep around.Sleptaround. Three days ago, I met the woman that one day I hope tomarry.”
