Lowering my chin, I whisper, “Too fucking far, Alex, you hear me. Stop. Now.”
Steel gray eyes narrow into the thin slits. “Just because you think ignoring it solves everything, I’m telling you, you walk a slippery slope.”
Knuckles popping, the air between us grows thick as water.
I spot Lili from the corner of my eye. Tamping it all down, refusing to let Alex do this to me, I turn and smile.
She’s studying me and the fine hairs on the back of my neck rise.
“Everything okay?” she asks.
“Fine.” Grabbing a red pair of mitts, I heft the pot, and not sparing a glance for Alex, kiss her cheek. “Just fine.”
I don’t stop to look back and see if she’s looking at me, or even if she’s talking to Alex. Because I can’t. I won’t allow my drama to spoil a moment she’s worked so hard for. Today is about her and her mother, not me, not right now.
A few minutes later the table is set, no thanks to Alex’s lazy ass. The only thing he’d set was a small toothpick holder.
Ade wheels Mama to the table; her lashes flutter a wordless thank you. “Tanto?”
Lili sits next to her and pats her arm. “I know it’s a lot, but it’s all your favorites, Mama. Rice, and beans, and… and,” her voice cracks.
This is clearly harder on her than she’d thought it’d be. Hoping to lighten the mood I butt in.
“Old clothes,” I supply.
Mama smile is brief, but there. “You know, now you mention it, that is a terrible name for food.”
Tossing me a grateful nod, Lili grips my thigh and squeezes. I play with her fingers underneath the table, holding on until she stops shaking.
“Mmm,” Alex sniffs appreciatively, he’s sitting across from me and next to Javi who’s staring down at his empty yellow plate with his face resting on his fists, “it all looks good, Mommy.”
“It’s Mama, you nerd,” Lili giggles, and it’s like everyone in the room takes a deep breath and settles down.
Alex just grins, and I’m a little less irritated by him.
Ade gestures for my plate. “Since you helped make the masa, you get the first tamale.”
Flexing my fingers, I pass her my plate. “You didn’t tell me it was going to be such back breaking work. I thought I was never going to get to stop grinding corn.”
Eye’s twinkling, Ade shrugs a plump shoulder.
Even Adelida’s in a festive mood today. She’s worn a silky green dress, and her customary flyaway curls are tucked and gathered back into a neat bun.
“Come now, you’re a big strong boy.” She eyes my arms, forcing me to flex them in response. Tittering like a young girl, she presses her fingers to her lips. “Oh, you terrible flirt.” Her dusky cheeks burn red.
Mama laughs.
Unwrapping the steaming tamale, I tap the yellowish orange congealed masa with the tip of my fork. Lili’s flowery perfume tickles my nose as she leans in to whisper.
“It’s good, try it.”
“Looks different.”
Lifting a perfectly sculpted brow, she drags her fork through the tip of it and brings it to my lips. “Try it.”
The fork traces the seam of my lips and my pulse thrums.
“Try it,” she singsongs.
I lick my lips, thinking what we’re doing in front of the others might be more than PG rated. But the thought doesn’t last long.
She looks so beautiful today, I don’t want this food. I want Lili, want to drag her back to the room like a caveman and feast on her all day.
A loudly clearing throat reminds me where I am.
“Holy he--”
Ade sniffs in Alex’s direction, quelling his swearing.
He coughs and bangs a fist on his chest. “Heck,” he finishes, “Can you just take the bite please, there’s a child present.”
Mama laughs and Lili’s dark green eyes twinkle.
Opening my mouth, I let her feed me.
The first thing I taste is the slightly bitter hint of oil she’d called achoite, followed by the creamy texture of finely ground corn. “Not bad.”
She shoulder bumps me. “Told you.”
After that, there’s no more sharing of food. Not that I’d have minded, though it’s probably safer we don’t, too much longer and I’ll forget things like manners and just take her.
Javi’s tearing into his tamale and soon we all are.
We laugh, and drink lots of fizzy, creamy punch from plastic paper cups.
Halfway through the meal Adelida says, “Tina, are you still wanting to go after Thanksgiving Day shopping? Juan, has agreed to come and watch Javi again.”
Lily leans in and whispers, “Juan’s Ade’s boy, he works in a nursing home. Stops by every year so Mama and Ade can go shopping.”
I nod, thanking her for the information.
“Ah, Ade,” Mama pushes the food around her plate, she’d only been picking at it to begin with, “not this year.”
“Did you still want that new stereo?”
Mama shrugs. “It would be nice. My other one is full of static. I can hardly hear my news anymore.”
“I’ll go with you, Ade, so long as someone’s here to watch Mama and Javi, I’d love to come,” Lili chimes in, then turns to me, “You want to come with us? You too, Alex, if you want?”
I look at him. After Thanksgiving Day shopping isn’t something that appeals to me in the slightest and by the turn of his lips, I know Alex is thinking the same thing.
All the hassle of waiting in line for shit that won’t be worth the deal two months later. But…
Scratching the back of my head, I nod. “Yeah, we’re coming.”
“Hey, I didn’t agree…” Alex’s lips pinch.
“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun.” Lili smiles, the one that shows all her teeth and completely takes over her face. I’m putty in her hands when she turns that on me, I know Alex will be no different.
Exhaling loudly, rolling his lips as he does so, he growls, “Fine. Not like I got a chick waiting for me tonight.”
Ade looks ready to faint as she makes a pointed effort to not look at him. Mama’s lips twitch. I think she’s secretly just as naughty as her Liliana. Javier’s already looking back at the television screen, completely clueless what Alex implied.
I just roll my eyes.
And he has the nerve to complain about my table manners.
“Oh my gosh,” Lili covers her mouth, “the things that come out of your mouth, Alexander.”
Chapter 23
Liliana
The day rolls by in a blur and it couldn’t have been better even if I’d scripted it. Mama had had energy, she hadn’t gone back to her room as I’d expected, she’d even eaten a little, which was more than I’d seen her eat in weeks.
Javi settles himself onto the sofa, sitting beside Ryan almost the entire night, watching both football games.
The guys had laughed, and teased us all and I can’t remember when was the last time we’d had a day like that.
Ade had taken Mama to bed at nine. Almost thirty minutes ago, and Javier’s looking like he’s losing the battle with sleep too. He keeps rubbing his eyes, determined to stick to Ryan as long as he possibly can, but eventually sleep claims him too.
“Should I take him?” Ryan looks to me.
“Hey guys, think I’m gonna bail.” Alex checks his watch, then stands and gives a lion’s stretch and yawn. “What time is this stupid thing tomorrow?”
Bopping my leg over Ryan’s knee, I nod for him to lift up Javi. “You don’t have to come, you know, Alex. If it’s that awful.”
Ryan scoots off the couch, hefts Javi easily in his arms, then turns and glares at his cousin. “Like hell he’s not. He’s going. I’ll pick you up at three.”
“Hell. Three?” Alex curls his nose. “You owe me big, Lili. I mean, big.”
Getting up, I stretch my back before walking to him, giving him a hug. “There, consider that payment in full. And thanks for coming today, Alex.”
He wraps his arms around me, lifting me off the ground and squeezes tight. Tugging on his shirt until he bends over-- because he’s a giant and I’m too short otherwise-- I kiss his cheek.
Rubbing at the spot, he looks at Ryan, jerking his thumb at me. “You saw her do it first, man. No punching.”
Snorting, Ryan turns down the hall. “Get the hell out of here, man.”
Patting his chest, I follow him to the door.
Grabbing his coat and keys, he claps his hand against its frame. “Lili Bean, I uh…” He frowns and I cock my head.
“What?”
I see so many emotions scrawl across his face, concern and worry the most prominent.
“Alex? What?” I take a step toward him.
But he must have thought better about whatever he’d been about to say, because he shakes his head and gives me one of his classic cocky grins. “Nothing. Had a great time. You take care of him, okay?”
Quickly glancing over my shoulder at the empty hallway, I say, “I do love him, Alex. If that’s what you’re worried about. I’ve already told him.”
His mouth curls as he rubs the back of his neck. “That’s not what I’m worried about, it’s…”
Just then the sound of shuffling feet and the closing of a bedroom door breaks us apart with a guilty start.
Alex smiles, eyes flicking up. “Anyway, I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
With a wave, he’s down the steps and swallowed up by the darkness.
Ryan’s fingers are warm as he slips them beneath the collar of my dress, softly caressing the nude skin beneath, leaving a wake of heat and want in its path.
Turning, I kick the door shut with my foot and fumble behind my back to lock it.
“Did I happen to tell you this morning how sexy you look?” His dimpled smile fills my belly with fierce longing.
Moving into him, molding my body with his, I wrap my hand around the back of his neck. “Oh, I’m not sure. Why don’t you tell me again?”
His hands are hard as they clamp onto my butt and he lifts like I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist as he guides us back to my room.
I barely have enough time to flick the door shut before his hungry lips descend on mine.
Moans spill between us as we land in a sloppy heap of tangled limbs on my bed. It’s so dark, which only heightens the sense of touch. I can’t see much more than a shadow, but I gasp when his calloused palms slide beneath my dress, fumble with the tie at my waist and finally slide the fabric off my body.
The cold buckle of his belt presses against my stomach as he moves between my legs, in no rush to take his own clothes off.
Grabbing his arms, I trace the seam of rippled muscle as he moves. His soft, soft lips work along my throat, bristly jaw scraping the sensitive skin and driving me crazy.
Digging my nails into his back, I wrap my legs tighter around his hips, trying to remember to keep quiet and not groan too loud.
“Take your clothes off,” I order with an impatient tug on his pants. “You’re making me…”
Growling deep in his throat, he plunges his tongue into my mouth, making me swallow the rest of my words.
Taste and touch and smell, it’s what I live in. It’s all I know right now.
His scent of woodsy cologne, the way his body shivers and dances across mine, the sway and pull of muscle as he yanks his shirt off, the slightly salty taste of his chest as I nip and lick my way across.
He worships my body and I worship his. At some point he grabs a condom and slips it on.
My window curtains ruffle as the heater kicks on and moonlight slivers across the expanse of our nude flesh, kissing our skin with hints of lavender and silver. I roll over on top of him.