Page 47 of Here to Stay
“Okay.” He still sounded dazed, but at least he was responsive.
I pointed at the bundle. “Your sweatshirt will need a wash before you can wear it.” I’d be lucky if my whole apartment wasn’t flea ridden after this. I didn’t say it out loud since I’m sure my father would hear me and come give me another disapproving look.
I angled my head in the direction of the hallway leading to my room. “I have an oversized sweatshirt I wear around the house. I’ll get it for you,” I said, holding up a finger while Paula ran to my little laundry closet. “I’ll be right back.”
I walked off, trying to ignore the soothing baby sounds Rocco was making for the cat’s benefit so I didn’t melt into a puddle in my own damn living room. When I got to my bedroom, I peeked to find the Ortiz-Rodriguez clan whispering furiously, undoubtedly about this new development.
As soon as I stepped into the room, they all stopped talking at once. “Abue, I thought you gave up chisme this year.” The woman was born without the part of the brain where embarrassment happened, and just grinned when I called her on the gossiping.
“Niña, your papi was saying that was the boy you know from your computer group.”
I nodded slowly, expecting to hear something scandalous at any second. “Ay, Lita, pero que machote.”
I covered my ears with my hands and wailed, “Abuela! Please stop calling my friends studs.” I pointed a finger in my mother’s direction. “Yolanda, do something about your mother.”
She rolled her eyes like I knew better. “What am I supposed to do?” She lifted both hands in a gesture of supplication, a smile tugging at her lips. “You know how she is.”
My grandmother shrugged as she angled her head in the direction of the hallway. “Invite him for dinner, Mami. He looks lonely and he likes you.”
Without answering, I walked over to the closet where I kept my gym clothes. I pulled out the 2X Hunter College sweatshirt I wore around the house and hurried back.
I found Rocco standing in the same spot I left him, his hands by his sides and his eyes fixed on Paula—who was sitting on the couch and trying to feed the kitten. The tiny convalescent was now in a laundry basket lined with towels and licking milk out of one of my ramekins.
I handed him the sweatshirt, trying not to smile too much, because the scene was pretty cute and I wasn’t encouraging any repeats.
“Here, you must be cold. I’m going to get dressed and we can go to the vet in the Pet Mart at Highland Park. They’re open 24/7.” I gestured to my door. “My neighbor’s dog had an emergency over Labor Day and she mentioned they only closed Christmas Day.” Suddenly, it was like his eyes didn’t know where to go. He looked in the direction of my sleep shorts and then quickly moved up to the cropped sweatshirt I was wearing over my tank top.
I should’ve moved when Paula got up and went to the kitchen for more milk, but all I could do was stand there and stare him down with the same intensity he was looking at me.
He’d thrown on my sweatshirt, which fit him weird but at least covered his arms and chest. He still looked hot.
Really, really hot.
I’d never had a thing for the tall ones. I liked being able to look a person in the eye. Rocco had a few inches on me and this close to him I was at eye level with the dip at the base of this throat.
I wanted to lick it. Snake my foot around his calf and run my hands over his chest. Feel his cold skin and what I knew was probably a fast-beating heart.
He cleared his throat and the spell broke. I pointed a finger in the direction of the bedrooms.
“I’m going.” I turned around without looking back, but I didn’t miss his breathless, “I’ll be here waiting,” as I walked away.
Rocco
My entire existence had boiled down to one goal: to not stare at Julia’s ass while her family was one room away.
It was hard because her backside was truly magnificent. Like a beacon, really, and I had to cover my eyes not to suck my teeth or swat at that bounce as she walked off to change.
How was I even here?
I’d gone to the gym and overdone it as I usually did when I was in a mood. Other than a few more guys and the trainers, I’d been the only one there at 6:00 a.m., so I’d gotten all my shit done in record time. When I got back to my car, I heard a mewling coming from under a car right by mine and found the cat. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was knocking on Julia’s door on Thanksgiving morning like I had no manners.
I tried to not look mortified, now that it was sinking in just how fucking rude I’d been. She had her whole family here, for fuck’s sake, and I barged into her house at 7:00 a.m. like an oversized scrub holding a dirty cat.
I looked down at the kitten, who was now licking her privates and had one of her paws dipped in the ramekin Julia’s sister had gotten for her.
She was cute, but already looking like she was going to be a real handful, and I cringed again at how fucking imposing I was being right now. She hadn’t mentioned about them coming. I wondered if it had been a last-minute thing and that was why she hadn’t offered to hang out again.
I should’ve taken my filthy cat and gone to find a veterinarian on my phone, but instead I stayed put in her living room like a fucking leech. Blessedly, she walked back out, wearing significantly more clothes, but still looking so good I was legitimately concerned I’d embarrass myself in my basketball shorts.
