All of You (21 page)

“No, I can’t. Because until that moment, until I saw you, I didn’t have a clue that my only real purpose was to make you happy. To make us both happy, however we can manage it. I didn’t have a purpose at all. And now it’s the only thing that keeps me going, The only reason I’m alive right now. So, yes, Jessica, I know nothing is going to change the way I feel about you. Yes, I can take you exactly the way you are. Because I don’t want you any other way.”

She came this close to blubbering. “You’re not leaving.” Something she didn’t have to say to know deep in her heart. Kyle would never leave, not on purpose. She could see it in his eyes, more than the love, the absolute surety gleamed through. She could trust in that. “What about getting married and all those kids you want?”

The laugh lines at the corners of his eyes deepened. “Maybe later?”

“Um.”

“I’m not talking about next week or anything. Just…maybe later.” He reminded her of a four-year-old she’d once told about Santa Claus. She’d been ten and way past such things, but the little boy was still clinging to hope and she’d wanted him to keep it as long as he could. She’d been happy for him when he was adopted a few months later. For him, Santa really had come.

Maybe he’d finally arrived for her too.

She twined her fingers into his, unknotting them from the blanket. “I don’t know. You’re a pretty fast mover. I get the feeling your version of later is a little sooner than most people’s.”

“Only if you want it to be,” he assured her. “Remember when we first met, I told you there was a right answer to running away with me?”

Jessica nodded. At the time, she’d thought him insane. Now, though…well, he was still out of his mind, but she was at least willing to hear him out.

“The right answer is, always, only if you want to. It’s right to run off on a wild vacation with me, but only if you want to. The same way it’s right to be with me right now—for as long as you’re willing—but not because I’m guilting you or making you think you have to be. Be with me only if you want to be.

“Now, I’m not going to lie and say I don’t want a family. We both know I do. What we don’t know is if it’ll ever be what you want. But if that’s not in the cards for us, I know I’ll be happy if it’s just the two of us and maybe a pet or two. But if we get to that, if we do ever have a family, maybe we could look into adoption. Find ourselves another little girl or boy who’s never had a home of their own either.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “That way, when we screw up, they won’t know the difference.”

If she didn’t love him already, that last bit would have pushed her over the edge. Just that easily, she gave in to the inevitable. Oh, she wasn’t going to rush—no way, no how—but she could see the future ahead of them and it was a good one. Filled with all the things she’d thought could never be hers. A home, a husband…and yes, God help the poor kids they brought up, a family.

“Someday,” she agreed, feeling not all that different than she had when claiming Santa was real. The little boy been right to believe that something wonderful was out there, searching for him to bring him the ultimate gift. She’d thought herself beyond believing. But she’d been wrong. It just took someone like Kyle to get her to see that. “But we should start with something small.”

“Like a puppy?”

“I was thinking more like a second date.”

“Oh,” he replied with a tired laugh, laying the side of his head against the cushion. His eyes closed, as if he were already falling asleep, not that she could blame him. “Then the puppy?”

She sighed, laying her head next to his. He was drifting off. Sated, content in a way she’d never known, she decided that sleeping on the couch wasn’t the worst way this night could have ended. Not by a long shot. She tugged off the blanket, spreading one end over him and cuddling closer so they could share. “Why do I have the feeling this puppy thing is going to keep showing up in our conversations?”

He shrugged his good shoulder.

“You’re not answering.”

“Hmm? Oh, I’m trying to think of how to fit the word puppy into another suggestion.”

“How about you fit I love you in instead?”

“I love you, Jess.” Just like that. So simple. So right.

She kissed him, gently, carefully, blessedly, giving him absolutely everything there was in her heart. “I love you back.”

“Happily ever after, however long it might take?” he asked,

“Well, there is one other concession you’ll have to make.”

“Yeah, like what? Which restaurants we’re going to have to give up to keep the other person happy? Because Wong’s is a deal-breaker for me, I’ll put that on the table right now.”

“Not Wong’s.” She pretended to think about it, toying with the hair at his nape. “I was thinking about your list.”

“My what?” Only one eye opened, but she could tell he was wide awake at that. “Was that someone at the door?”

“Nope, didn’t hear a thing. Your list. I have a question.”

He stared at her, his mouth falling open just a little bit.

She used a forefinger to lift his jaw for him. “Smart, Educated, Sense of Humor.”

His eyes narrowed. “Yes?”

“Is there a particular reason why pretty is at the bottom? Did you pick me because I was any of those other things first?” She blinked innocently at him, as if she wasn’t about to make some sort of point. But she could tell he scented danger.

“Of course not.”

“So, you don’t think I’m pretty?”

“I think you’re gorgeous.”

“Which doesn’t apply to the list.”

He closed his eyes with a groan, no doubt wishing he’d pretended total unconsciousness. “I’m going to beat my brother senseless.”

“You can’t go blaming Lucas just because you don’t want to be in trouble.”

“Jess, honey, being with you means I’m going to be in trouble every day for the rest of my life. I can blame him for a little bit of it from time to time, can’t I?” He leaned close to her, his smile warming all the parts of her heart that were still afraid, filling them with hope. Filling her with delicious, wonderful heat. And love. A whole new world of love.

She pressed her index finger to his lips. “But you wouldn’t have it any other way, right?”

His smile grew broader, sparkling with mischief beneath her touch. The smile she knew she’d be seeing for the rest of her life, good or bad, rain or shine.

Merry Christmas to me…

“Maybe with a puppy…”

About the Author

Dee Tenorio is a sick woman. Really sick. She enjoys tormenting herself by writing romantic comedies (often with sexy, grumpy heroes and smart-mouthed heroines) and sizzling, steamy romances of various genres spanning dramas with the occasional drop of suspense all the way to erotic romance. But why does that make her sick?

Because she truly seems to enjoy it.

And she has every intention of keeping at it!

If you would like to learn more about Dee and her work, please visit her website at www.deetenorio.com or her blog at www.deetenorio.com/Blog.

Look for these titles by Dee Tenorio

Now Available:

Love Me Knots

Kiss Me Again

Test Me!

Rancho Del Cielo Romance

Betting Hearts

Love Me Tomorrow

Burn for Me

Midnight Trilogy

Midnight Legacy

Midnight Temptation

Midnight Sonata

Coming Soon:

All or Nothing

Once burned is all it takes…

Burn for Me

© 2009 Dee Tenorio

A Rancho Del Cielo Romance

Twelve years ago, Raul Montenga left home to live life on his own terms. Yet for just as long, his nights have sizzled with erotic dreams of Penelope, the girl he left behind. Enough is enough. It’s time to find out if the sparks are real, or all in his head.

Not that he expected a warm welcome, but her cold shoulder and icy rejection sting more than he cares to admit. So he’s more than a little surprised to find her tomboy daughter standing nervously on his porch…claiming to be his child.

Dr. Penelope Gibson’s worst nightmare isn’t that her daughter wants to know her daddy. It’s facing—and keeping at arm’s length—her biggest youthful mistake. Now he’s back and the feelings she’d thought frozen solid are melting fast. Along with her inhibitions, her clothes and her better judgment.

Problem is, Raul’s not content to stop at getting acquainted with her daughter. He wants it all—Penelope’s love, her body and her soul. After twelve years building a life without him, though, she’s not sure she trusts him—or herself—enough to try.

Warning
This book features a wildly hot Latino firefighter dead-set on a mission to seduce. Contains bad words, fiery tempers and scorching sex. Oven mitts required.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Burn for Me:

He stared down at his daughter—his daughter, a thought that in and of itself was growing less incredulous and more exactly what he wanted—and knew in that moment that his life was about to change irrevocably. If he wanted, he could still back away. Keep Chloe at enough of a distance that he could be her friend, give her access to his family but not really change much. He’d work at the firehouse, finding all the meaning in his life in the work there, and keep longing for something more in his heart.

Or, he’d become her father. Be someone to guide her and protect her. Be more to her than he’d ever managed to be to anyone else.

The ease with which he made the decision should have startled him, but it didn’t. Like snapping that chain around her neck, the pieces fell together inside him and the lock was set. They still had a long way to go, of course—no kid of his should be expected to live in a room this perfect—but at least he knew he wanted the experience. Wanted to be part of this. Wanted.

He tapped the lamp a couple of times to turn it off and reached for the door handle. Penelope stood there, raising her chin when he waited for her to walk out first. She was stubborn, something he should have realized years ago, but some things didn’t change no matter how deep in denial a person wanted to go. Faced with waking up her daughter or standing there staring at him for eternity, Pen finally let go of the door and walked ahead of him into the hall.

Satisfied, Raul pulled the door shut, silencing the chimes by pressing them to the door. The door directly across from Chloe’s could only belong to Penelope. She caught him looking, he could tell because she bit her lip. Tempting, very tempting, to stroll over there and discover what secrets the elusive Miss Gibson had in there, but they had talking to do first.

Raul shook his head and pointed to the stairs. Was that relief or disappointment on her face? It wasn’t a question he could let himself think about. Much. He forced himself down the stairs, listening for her footsteps in his wake.

It took a while, but Penelope finally came. She walked into the living room where he was putting the poker back on the hearth stand. Vents closed, door closed upstairs. Now, finally, he could lay into her.

Except when he turned, he didn’t see the hard-shelled woman who had stood on his parents’ deck and told him to back off. This Penelope was worried. Afraid. Of him.

His anger curdled in his belly. “I’m not going to do anything to you, Pen,” he growled.

“I know.” And then she backed up a step and crossed her arms.

“Now that’s just fuckin’ unfair.” So what if he sounded like a ten-year-old. “You were ready to rip my balls off and serve ’em for dinner earlier. But now that we’re alone, you act like I’m going to hit you or something. I thought you were better than that.”

“I’ve had almost five hours to think about what you were going to say. You’ve always been somewhat…demonstrative when you’re upset. I’ve never seen any value to yelling myself hoarse. So no, I’m not looking forward to this.” He could practically see frost coming out of her mouth as she spoke.

“You didn’t care about my demonstrations at the house.”

“At the house, I was angry.”

“But you’re not anymore.” Of course she wasn’t, she’d had her say. And her say had been six kinds of insulting, each and every one of them telling him to keep his distance. Just thinking about it pissed him off all over again. “How convenient for you.”

Her mouth twitched and some life snapped in her eyes. “I had every right to be angry. You were giving your family the wrong impression. On purpose.”

Damn right he’d done it on purpose. “I was being attentive and you were giving everyone the cold shoulder because things weren’t going your way. I hate to break it to you, querida, but you don’t have all the answers and you’re not the only one with something to lose in this situation. Those people are all going to play an important role in her life now. That means they’ll be part of your life, the same as me. Treating us like shit will kind of get in the way of that.”

She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t treating anyone like anything. I was staying out of the way because the whole point was for them to accept Chloe. Chloe. Why weren’t you giving her the grand tour, introducing her to the relatives, instead of finding new and inventive ways to excuse putting your hands all over me?”

He focused on the first accusation…for now. “I did. For as long as she stayed still for it. Unlike you, she likes people and dove right in.”

Color flooded her cheeks in a rush. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” he said, taking that step forward she’d put between them and another two besides, “you’re getting more and more like your mother with every damn day and it’s getting on my fucking nerves.”

She froze, her eyes widening while her mouth fell slightly open. He could just see the tops of her teeth, perfectly white and even.

“What the hell happened to you, Pen? Do you even see the way you’re becoming like her? You freeze people out, shut off your emotions and act like you’re too good to be bothered. You’re thirty-two fuckin’ years old, but you’re locked up in clothes and restraints like some goddamned retirement-home lady. You used to talk about the way you’d be when you grew up. That you’d go away and do things, make a difference with your life. Everyone knew you were just waiting to grow up and get out from your mother’s control, but you haven’t. And it’s wrong for you.”