Page 23 of Heat Haze
When I finally have to pull back again to catch my breath I almost feel disappointed. We fall onto the couch like that, with Toro whimpering before practically lunging in to try and kiss some more. I have to pull back though, a weak laugh leaving me.
“Hold on, Tor. I just need a minute.” I explain, breathing a little heavier than I’d like. This feeling is scary. Being wanted in some capacity… I’m not used to it.
Toro’s eyes widen while I speak, his gaze transfixed on me. At first I don’t get it, but the nickname that slipped out begins replaying in my mind. He whines at me, squirming but trying to keep himself at bay.
He really wants to kiss me, and god, I really want to kiss him too. Toro’s fingers sink into my flesh, growing more and more antsy with each passing moment. He’s trying. I know that he’sreallytrying, despite the fact he’s looking at me like a fresh piece of meat. He’s just sitting—waiting—waiting for me to be ready.
With a shy little look I push myself back up, we’re face to face again. He’s smiling, and he looks adorable. So adorable that of course I just go for it and let our lips crash together with everything I’ve got, noting the way his breathing heavies and his grip softens.
Despite how clumsy and unsure he is, he’s doing a good job. Our foreheads are pressed together, my hands moving to gently hold on to his hair. His curls are thick and untamed, but I don’t care. I just don’t. I want him. I wantthis. He groans, head swinging back to compose himself briefly.
He doesn’t give me time to react before he’s going in again, kissing at my neck and nipping at sensitive skin. My cheeks grow extremely hot as his teeth graze my skin before each delicate kiss. I’m panting like an animal, and I don’t know where to put my hands.
“Toro…” I whine, although he doesn’t stop. His mouth latches on to my neck, the pressure that follows an entirely new sensation. It’s gone as quickly as it comes, sending a jolt of excitement through me. He leaves a few more marks on my neck, before meeting my gaze again with a new expression.
He looks drunk off of affection, drunk off ofme. The noise he utters is hard to decipher, but I think it’s good. He’s happy, as evident by the way he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in to snuggle.
We’re laying in a heap now, his leg slotting itself between my thighs. I giggle, letting our actions do the talking. Forehead to forehead and face to face, I reach to grab his hand again. I bring it up, kissing each of his knuckles tenderly.
If I could, I’d freeze time. Just to be stuck in this moment with him. Away from the murder. Away from his family. Away from all of it. Just him and me somewhere in spacetime, with nothing but these… feelings.
These tricky, tricky feelings.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
All the attention is on me again. Even if their stares aren’t as intense it’s obvious they’re trying to figure me out, trying to understand everything. Forks clatter against plates, knives sawing through tendon and flesh with ease.
It’s dinner time at the Tavera household. Of course Toro is sitting next to me at the table, but I’d be lying if I said his attention wasn’t fully focused on the plate in front of him. He’s shoveling potatoes into his mouth like there’s no tomorrow, and I’d probably think it was cute if I didn’t want to run back to his bedroom and hide in the closet right now.
My plate is just potatoes and mixed vegetables, the hefty portion of “steak” absent. Toro’s plate looks like mine, just with a lot more potatoes and considerably less vegetables.
“So, Nico,” Alma’s voice is low as she looks at me from across the table. She’s trying, more than anyone else could say. “What’dya do in L.A.? For work?”
For a second I can’t even remember the answer to that question. The last thing on my mind has beenworkof all things. “Um… I was a librarian.”
“What? So you were sortin’ books and junk for a livin’?” Lucio guffaws.
“No,” I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. People always ask that kind of thing. “It’s like… a lot of other things. I had to plan events for the community, keep track of what we had, stuff like that.”
“So… you weren’t sortin’ books?”
My expression falls. “Sometimes.”
“Knew it.” Lucio smirks, satisfied that he got the answer he wanted.
Alma on the other hand seems genuinely interested. “I ain’t realize there was so much to, uh, do…” She mumbles, pushing food around her plate. “Does sound kinda fun, maybe…”
“It was.” I nod, the realization that I’ll probably never get to do it again settling in. “It… it was.”
The table isn’t quiet for long, because sure enough Damien is ready to try and stir the pot some more. “So you had a boyfriend back in L.A.? Huh?” He asks while chewing as obnoxiously as possible.
Toro coughs out some of his food, immediately tuning himself into the conversation. He’s staring at me with pure horror on his face, it’s clear he didn’t ever think that maybe Ididhave someone back home.
“No.” I shake my head, narrowing my eyes at Damien. I’m trying not to let my irritation show, keeping it stuffed down somewhere nobody can see. I don’t get what the hell his problem is. “I don’t.”
“So Toro’s your first boyfriend, then?” He asks, making my brain absolutely stop working for a good few seconds. I want to say no, but first I have to actually sit there and think about it. Mr. Tavera seems less than enthused about the topic, quietly staring down at his empty plate.
Toro is looking at me with that same battered puppy expression, like the entire world’s fate lies in whatever I say next. But there’s more than that. Not only do we sleep in the same bed together every night, but he was my first kiss. Myfirstkiss.
