Turning my head to the side, I took in the gigantic, all white, extravagant bouquet of flowers. They graced the pale blue, shabby chic side table next to my brass bed and added a sense of elegance to the room. I’ll say one thing for Mark’s house, I never imagined one of his guest rooms would look like this. The large bed had a soft teal and pink quilt that was totally girly, which complimented the ultra-feminine decor of this room—or should I say, my new temporary bedroom. While I would never decorate a room with such a heavy floral theme, it had a designer flare and looked super expensive. I had to admit I’d never pegged Mark, the guy who owned this house and my new roomie, as the kind of person to spend the time picking out the distressed wood armoire or perfect antique mirror hanging over the matching dresser.

Mark kind of reminded me of a G.I. Joe doll, with his buzzed haircut and classically chiseled face. The kind of guy that would have either a bachelor pad or a place decorated with mahogany and dark leather. Certainly not the kind of guy what would have framed, pressed floral arrangements hanging as art in his guest room.

He was something of an enigma to me. Quiet, but not unfriendly. Just one of those people that liked to listen, to take in the world around him. To my surprise, he’d been the one that took me from the Cordova’s mansion to Leo’s massive place. We’d spent the ride to his two-story mission style home chatting about ourselves, and my anxiety eased as I realized he was a genuinely nice guy beneath all his gruffness. I found that despite his intimidating persona, he reminded me of Daniel Craig in one of his action movies—all stoic and strong, he was funny and kept our conversation light. Mark was Leo’s right-hand man and one of his best friends. They both worked for the same company together and were neighbors, so he was a part of Hannah’s daily life here at Leo’s compound.

Yes, compound. Leo owned twenty acres of prime real estate in one of the most exclusive areas outside of Phoenix. His home was an amazing twelve-thousand square foot monstrosity that, according to Hannah, completely kicked ass. I know the glimpse I’d gotten of Leo’s pad had left me staring through the window of Mark’s Land Rover with my nose pressed to the glass like a tourist. Who could blame me? There was an honest to goodness red rock water sculpture out front that looked like something out of a museum. I knew Leo had money, but I didn’t realize he had money.

I’d done a little research on Leo after he started dating Hannah, and didn’t find much other than he worked for the Cordova Group in security, and had been in different news articles from time to time about this business deal or that.

Hannah had invited me to come over and visit with her while she stayed with Leo, but out of stupid jealousy, I hadn’t gone. Hannah and I had always been inseparable, and I’d really missed spending time with her. My older sister Brittney was a flat out raving bitch, and my younger sister Winter was just a baby, so growing up Hannah was my sister by another mister. I loved her like she was my twin. After constantly having her around, watching her fall in love and starting to drift out of my life had been painful.

Logically, I knew I was being stupid and clingy—something I always accused Hannah of being, so I’d sucked up my negative feelings around her and tried to be as positive as I could. It wasn’t her fault I didn’t have much luck in the relationship department. But I hadn’t been able to put aside my petty feelings and force myself to come visit her at Leo’s place, something I now deeply regretted. Life was too short for that bullshit, and when I saw Hannah again, I promised myself I’d be nothing but supportive about her and Leo’s relationship. Lord knows, he’d saved our lives last night.

My temple throbbed with my increasing heartbeat, bringing me out of my dark thoughts and back to the present and my lovely new bedroom. The bruises on my torso ached and I tried to distract myself from my physical discomfort, reaching out to grab the card hidden among the white blooms. Once again, I held it to my nose, inhaling the light scent of the jasmine flowers it had been touching, then opened it. The paper was pale cream, and the scrawled note inside done in pure black ink. Reading it at once infuriated and calmed me, a strange reaction to a man I was pretty sure I despised, but wanted to fuck with a desperate need that scared me.

Joy,

I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to give these to you myself, but there was an emergency at work I had to attend to. I’ve taken the liberty of having my personal shopper supplement your wardrobe, and had your old clothes placed in a storage locker along with your furniture. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there with you tonight, but I promise I’ll make it up to you. Sleep tight, sweetheart, and make sure you dream about me.

Ramón

I should shred the card, flush it down the toilet and toss the flowers in the garbage, but so far I couldn’t even bring myself to stop looking at them. That man drove me crazy. If I had a polar opposite, it would be Ramón. He was a sexist dick who seemed to get off on ordering me around, kissing me without permission, and being an assuming asshole. Arrogant man, with his shoulder length black as night hair, his glowing tanned skin, his dangerous hazel brown eyes, and his firm, sinful mouth. Not to mention his body. He wasn’t super ripped, but his muscles were huge. I’d loved the feeling of them moving beneath my hands while we made out like a couple of horny teenagers. My heart sped up as I relived the possessive kiss he’d given me, the way he’d cushioned my body so I didn’t get hurt when he manhandled me against the beam in the backyard.

Heat flickered from the pit of my stomach and flowed outwards, dampening my already wet panties.

The man was unfairly potent and hot.

My lips tingled, and I rubbed the card against them. There had to be something wrong with me that I found his domineering attitude arousing. Strong women didn’t allow a man to sweep them off their feet and kiss them senseless. Yeah, it was fun to read about, but that was fantasy. I’ve had more than enough experience with pushy assholes in the real world. Finding a man, who’d at one point assumed I was a whore, desirable was plain humiliating. Yet, the attraction was undeniable. I once again cursed chemistry. It was just hormones, an unconscious reaction to someone my body knew would be a good mate. I bet that man could pound me through the mattress. And, God, his lips…his taste. I’ve never been so thoroughly kissed in my life.

My pussy started to pulse softly and I groaned, gently putting the card next to the bed before pulling the pillow next to me over my face.

All my life I’ve had to work for my arousal, struggle to have an orgasm with my chosen bed partners, but with that d-bag Ramón, I’d gone up like a nuclear bomb of lust had exploded in my panties.

Maybe the attack had something to do with it. Ramón was just so…big. When he wasn’t talking, he could be really nice. I hadn’t forgotten the way he’d held me as I cried, being internally wrung apart by what had to be a panic attack. The metallic taste of adrenaline filling my mouth, the shaking, the racing heart and sweating palms…all of those symptoms were classic signs of a panic attack.

Along with the unrelenting fear.

The sound of Ramón and his brother Diego fighting had trigged some crazy fight or flight response in me, but the moment he wrapped me in his arms, I no longer felt afraid.

Me, the girl who always had to stand on her own two feet, be her own champion in a messed-up world that sexualized women who looked like me, swooned because some big, badass guy cradled me like a child.

All around me, dead silence reined and I tried in vain to get to sleep. I was exhausted, my body beyond strung out, and my mind just wouldn’t shut the fuck up. I’ve had this problem all my life, overthinking everything. I dwell, ponder, and dissect situations and people until I drive myself crazy. Right now, I had a lot of negative things to dwell and ponder on. Shifting on the bed, I flipped over for a third time, secretly loving the feeling of the real silk nightgown Ramón had bought for me.

While I would have liked to scoff at the feminine, icy blue gown with its thigh high split, it was so beautiful, and I couldn’t help but stroke the soft fabric over the curve of my belly. This gown was something a princess would wear to bed. I traced the slightly raised bumps of the intricate cherry blossoms embroidered around the scoop necked bodice with a sigh. Held in place by spaghetti straps, it should have been uncomfortable, but instead it felt like a dream. I flipped yet again, sighing as I stared at the ceiling. It would probably help if I turned off the low bedside lamp, with its frilly lemon chiffon shade, but I didn’t want to be in the dark.

The gown, along with a dozen outfits, had been left for me in boxes piled high on the bed from exclusive stores, all thanks to Ramón. I didn’t plan on keeping any of them, and had only looked through a few boxes before finding the nightgown along with its matching silk and lace panties. I knew they were from him because he’d left me another note on top of a box containing a pair of Chanel nutmeg suede boots. They were divine, and I’d felt a pang of longing as I’d looked at them, but I knew I had to reject his gifts. I couldn’t let him buy me things. My mom always taught me a smart woman bought her own gifts, and she didn’t rely on a man to supply her with anything.

Hell, she basically taught me men weren’t worth much at all for a woman to have in her life. Don’t get me wrong, she loved my father, but her mother—my beloved abuela—had been very old school Puerto Rican in her beliefs about a woman staying home and raising a family versus working. When my mother went back to work, my abuela had not approved and let my mom know it.

What my grandma didn’t understand was that my mom was happier when she was working and having a family. She needed that balance in her life. My dad had a good job as an accountant, but he made just enough for us to get by. With my mom working, we had enough to cover emergencies and put clothes on the backs of four growing teenagers. I’ll admit, I sometimes wished I had a mom who stayed home like some of my friends, but my abuela more than made up for it. Those years she’d watched over us before she passed away had been some of the best of my life. I loved listening to tales of her life as a young bride to a handsome and ambitious young man in Puerto Rico. My grandfather was the love of her life, her hero, a man’s man who’d brought her to Arizona and made her gloriously happy.

As a child I’d wanted that life, wanted to be able to do what my abuela did—love and take care of people. Nothing had seemed more right to my young self than finding a man like grandpa and marrying him. My mother had been horrified, convinced my grandma had brainwashed me into wanting to be a housewife. Just like her mother couldn’t understand my mom’s desire to work, my mom couldn’t understand that I had no desire to have a career. My oldest sister had teased me mercilessly about being a loser, and I’d stopped talking about wanting to be a mom when I grew up. Instead, I talked about college, having a profession, and being the best at whatever it was I was going to be.

Rolling onto my back, I stretched out, my body exhausted but my mind hyper clear. I was having one of those moments when I just seemed…aware of everything in an almost omnipotent way, and I had a moment of lucidity as I examined my life. Was I going to school, busting my ass, and doing it all on my own because it was something I wanted, or was I chasing my mother’s dream?

Did I push men away because of her influence?

My mom encouraged me to play the field, not marry young like she had. She’d given birth to my sister when she was only nineteen and newly married, so she’d never really had a chance to party and be wild. When I’d go home to visit, she wanted to hear all about my love life, like I was some episode of Sex and the City for her. I think it made her feel young to gossip with me and Hannah about life at college, and I’m sad to admit I often embellished my dates so she wouldn’t be disappointed I wasn’t out living it up. Between work and school, I really had no time for a relationship and I wanted more than just sex.

I wanted love.

My heart sped up as I realized the truth I’d hidden from myself, buried deep long ago. My childhood dreams resurfaced, ones that used to make me fall asleep with a smile on my face as a kid when I thought about my future. I need someone to love, someone to have a family with, someone who would protect me and keep me safe. I wanted someone like my grandfather, a strong and honorable man who fought to bring his family to America, to start his own furniture store and give my grandmother everything she ever wanted. From her stories, it was obvious he’d loved her with everything he had. I used to daydream about what it would be like to have that kind of devotion.

All my life, I’d avoided men who put off an arrogant alpha male vibe, but after being at the mercy of a monster, I craved the safety of being in a powerful man’s arms. I wanted the kind of man who would keep me safe, no matter what, because I was his. The bitter truth was, I wasn’t strong enough to take care of myself.

I was weak, small, and alone.

Before I could drive myself out of my mind with useless worry, there came a soft knock from my door.

Thinking it was Mark, I pulled up the covers to my chin to hide my scantily clad body and said, “Come in.”

Only it wasn’t my new roomie who entered my new bedroom, but a very tired looking Ramón.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I hissed even as my greedy eyes drank him in.

Dressed in a very nice dark brown suit that must have been tailored to his large frame, he gave off an elegant air, despite the way he’d loosened his tie and opened a button on his collar. He’d also taken his hair down, and it momentarily swayed forward to cover one side of his face as he bent to remove his gleaming black leather shoes. The breadth of his shoulders made me internally swoon, and I admired how big his hands were as he pulled off his black dress socks.

Looking up at me through the fringe of his hair he grinned. “I told you I’d be here for breakfast.”

I blinked at him, stunned by his presumption. “People normally eat breakfast in the kitchen, after sunrise.”

He winked roguishly at me, like some dirty pirate out of the bodice rippers I read as a teenager. “Most people do, but if you’d like, I can make an exception and eat you for breakfast in bed.”

Oh shit, my pussy clenched so hard I had to bite back a moan at the thought of that big, hulking man kneeling between my thighs.

“Get the hell out of my room!”

“Nope.”

I threw a pillow at his head, and he merely laughed as he batted it away. “Calm down, mami. I know you’re not ready for that…yet.”

Shrugging off his jacket, he reached for his belt and I yelled, “You keep those pants on!”

“I am.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, his expression suddenly playful. “I was just taking my belt off because it’s uncomfortable as fuck to sleep with one on.”

“Sleep? What in the ever-loving fuck are you talking about? You put your clothes back on right now, mister.”

“Why do I like it when you yell at me? Normally, I wouldn’t take that kind of disrespect from anyone, but with you? It turns me on.”

“You’re insane.”

“Only for you.”

His eyes never left me as he unbuttoned his shirt before shrugging it off and revealing the tight, white tank he wore beneath. I’d felt his body intimately, but seeing all that muscle and power up close wasn’t helping me keep my wits about me. He was so built, but not lean enough to make the veins on his arms stand out. He had a huge barrel chest with a deep dip between his solid pectorals that I wanted to lick. A smattering of dark hair covered his chest, dusting over a large chest tattoo. It was a skull surrounded by roses and tribal art, with the name Cordova beneath it. Sexy. I wondered how silky his chest hair would feel beneath my fingers. Against the ultra-floral backdrop of the room, he seemed out of place, a dangerous shadow on a sunny day.

Tossing his phone on the little blue table next to the bed, his nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m not leaving. I need to sleep with you tonight.”

Whatever tongue lashing I was about to give him was ripped from my lips as he clambered into bed with me then pulled me close, his body curving around mine as he spooned me.

“Listen,” he whispered in my ear as I tried to squirm away. “When I saw you at my mom’s house, hurt and unconscious, it fucked with me.”

I shoved at him. “What the hell does that have to do with the fact that you think it’s okay to be in my bed right now?”

“I need to protect you, can’t sleep without you at my side.”

“You’re insane.”

“I know you don’t know me, but I swear to you, I have nothing but the best intentions for you in mind.”

I no longer struggled to get away from him, but my voice was dry as I said, “You being half-naked in my bed is hardly in my best intentions.”

“It absolutely is.” Damn, his grin was even better up close. “You’ll see. You deserve nothing but the best, and I’m gonna make sure that you get whatever you need to make you happy from now on.”

I was so, so tired, and his body warmed mine as he continued to cuddle me like a champ. “I don’t understand why you’re saying that. You barely know me.”

“That’s not true. Hannah talks about you all the time. From what she says, you’re an amazing woman. Kind, smart, and funny. Fuck, you’re so smart. You have no idea how sexy that is. I’ve been wanting to meet you for a while.”

I made another halfhearted effort to put some distance between us, but it was more like rubbing myself against him and purring than an actual effort to leave the drugging warmth of his body. “Just because you hang out with Leo and Hannah doesn’t give you the right to invite yourself into my bed.”

Rubbing his nose along my neck, he took a deep inhalation and let it out with an extremely pleased sigh that burned my sensitive skin. “I’m not going to violate you, but I am going to sleep with you. I have to make sure you’re safe, and the best way to do that is to have you with me.”

“If you’re sleeping, how are you going to keep me safe?”

“Trust me, Joy. They’ll have to shoot through me to get to you.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re for real crazy?”

“All the time.” He chuckled, the vibration traveling from his body pressed tight and into mine. “Anyone ever tell you that you can argue about just about anything?”

“All the time.” My nipples pebbled, and I tried to ignore the fact that he was getting erect behind me. “For someone who said he wasn’t going to touch me, you’re touching me an awful lot.”

“Nah, this is just cuddles. Relax. You mind if I put on some background noise? This place is so fuckin’ quiet.”

“Uh-no, because you aren’t staying here.”

“Give it up, beautiful. I’m staying, and I’m too tired to argue anymore.”

I didn’t fight him as he leaned over to grab his phone, because deep down I was glad he was here, and happy that I was no longer alone in a strange place after what I’d been through. Even though he could be a class A asshole, Ramón Cordova was also disarmingly sweet when he wanted to be.

A second later, the soft sound of the sea with its crashing waves mixed with soft piano music filled the air. I turned my head to look at him as he reached over and turned off the light, the muscles of his thick biceps flexing in a most interesting manner. I didn’t want to admit it, but the soft roar did help my racing mind slow down. There was something about the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves that settled me. It was one of my favorite settings on my white noise machine at home.

After listening to the sea for a minute I halfheartedly whispered, “I can’t sleep with you here.”

“Yes, you can.”

Jesus, how do you argue with an irrational person?

Wiggling into an even more comfortable position, my whole body relaxed after a big sigh. “Are you on medication?”

“Give me your hand.”

“What?”

Tucked up against my back once again, he took one of my hands in his massive paw and began to massage my palm with his thumb. I instantly slumped against him, the response automatic. I lo-o-o-oved being massaged. Anywhere, any time. I’d often beg, whine, and plead with Hannah to give me a hand massage after typing up long papers for work, or doing a ton of homework for school. But Hannah’s slender hands had never felt like this.

“Oh, my God,” I sighed in delight as his big thumb pressed into my muscles.

“Like that,” Ramón growled against my ear, sending hot and cold shivers through me.

Trying to rally my wits, my voice came out extra husky as I said, “No, not at all.”

“Liar,” I could hear the smile in his voice as the heat of his breath warmed my neck, and his large body curled around mine. “I told you, you’re safe with me, Joy. Just relax, let me take care of you.”

“Can take care of myself,” I grumbled in a totally petulant way, my muscles going limp as the tension slowly left my body. “You smell good.”

I couldn’t stop the sleepy smile from curving my lips as he laughed behind me. “Glad you approve.”

“Makes me want to lick you.”

His hips pressed against my ass, and his thick erection nestled between my silk covered butt cheeks. “Let’s save that for later. Just relax.”

He rolled us over so we lay chest to chest with him on the bottom. Startled out of my sleepy contentment, I started to wiggle away, but he kept me pinned to him. His chest was so wide that when he began to massage my back, I simply collapsed on him and used his broad form like a muscled and warm mattress. I was tired, so tired, and he was so cozy and comfortable. His touch was magic. I’d feel bad about it in the morning, I decided, as he expertly rubbed out some of the tension from the muscles around my spine, his hands sliding over the silk of my nightgown.

In this position, his large erection was even more obvious, but he didn’t grind it into me or anything like that. I momentarily debated yelling at him for being aroused, then decided that was just hypocritical considering my clit was pulsing with the slow beat of my heart. The smell of his cool and woodsy cologne came from the skin of his chest, and I gave up the fight, sinking into him.

His voice blended into the crash of the waves from his phone as he whispered, “I know you can take care of yourself, but I like taking care of you. It makes me feel good—proud that I can make you happy. I’ve never wanted to do this for anyone before. Let me do this for you, Joy, please.”

That was usually my line, my security blanket. If I was busy taking care of other people it fulfilled me in a way nothing else did. I liked making people happy, liked being the one they turned to for comfort and love. It fed my soul to look after other people, especially those that really needed it.

Oddly enough, I often felt guilty if someone showed me that same kind of care, like I was wasting his or her time. I don’t know why I’m this way. God knows, I’ve tried to analyze myself enough over the years to figure it out, I just know it’s one of my personality quirks. This eccentricity of mine had me trying to return the favor to Ramón, stroking his shoulder softly as he continued to give me a world-class massage while sprawled out over his big frame.

“Kay,” I mumbled, my lips not wanting to move enough to form the word.

He let out a happy, rumbling sigh. The way he kind of growled the sound out reminded me of the sound my parent’s Irish Wolfhound would make when we rubbed his belly. That thought had a soft giggle bubbling out of me, my mind already drifting toward sleep. I cuddled deeper into him, scooting up so I could rub my nose against his neck as my hand went limp.

“Night, Ramón.”

My words slurred slightly, and he laughed before rolling my now limp body to the side and arranging me so I was comfy with my head resting where his shoulder and chest met, my leg slung over one of his thick, firm thighs. It was a very intimate position, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The ever-present babble of my mind was absent and I sank into a grateful sleep, safe in his arms.

 

Seven hours later, my stomach growled, reminding me I’d skipped breakfast and it was time for lunch. Too bad I was dressed in an oversized men’s robe that belonged to Mark, arguing with Ramón as he pointed to three outfits on the bed that he’d put together for me to choose from. Seriously. This motherfucker seemed to think I was some brainless doll he could dress and order around.

“I gave you a choice,” Ramón growled with an aggrieved look. “Three of them.”

“You can’t tell me what to wear!”

Sighing, he ran a hand through his damp hair. While I used my shower, which had come pre-stocked with all my favorite stuff in brand new bottles, he’d washed up elsewhere and reappeared wearing a pair of black shorts that showed off his muscular, hairy calves and a faded maroon t-shirt with the name of a local boutique Tequila distillery. To my dismay, he looked sexy as fuck this morning. The soft cotton hugged his big frame and showed off that delicious V of his body, the way his wide shoulders tapered to his trim waist. Last night, he’d been all business and totally fuckable, but today he was totally casual, and still completely fuckable. He wore his usual small, thick, gold gauge earrings and had just shaved, making me wonder what his smooth, sensitive skin would feel like against my own when we kissed.

I looked into his oh-so-soft, beautiful, light brown and green eyes then tingled from head to toe.

Gripping the edges of my robe harder, pissed at myself for being attracted to him, I snarled, “I’m not some trophy for you to dress up and parade around.”

“Jesus, woman, can I pay you any compliment that you don’t find offensive? You’re not a trophy, you’re a beautiful woman. I thought these outfits would look good on you.” Frustration rolled off him in waves before he took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. “I thought you would like them. I’m sorry I was wrong.”

My gaze was drawn once again to the gorgeous, designer dresses and outfits that were absolutely stunning and exactly to my taste. It was almost eerie how well Ramón’s personal shopper had bought for me, how perfectly they’d guessed my style. Shit, I don’t even know if I have a style. Most of my clothing was chosen to conceal, to hide my curves, to ‘support.’ These lovely creations spread out on the bed were made to flatter, to highlight, to gracefully define. None of them were slutty, but they certainly weren’t conservative either.

Knowing I was being an ungrateful, and irrational bitch—one of the outfits was head to toe Coco Chanel, for God’s sake—I tried to calm myself. “I appreciate you going to all this effort for me, really I do, but I have my own clothes. I just need to go…crap, I’ll have to take a taxi to get my car then I can go to whatever storage unit has my things. Is Mark still here? Maybe he’ll give me a ride.”

To my surprise, Ramón pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut before murmuring out a prayer in Spanish for the Blessed Mother to give him strength. “First off, I will take you anywhere you want to go. Second…I’m guessing no one has informed you of the damage your apartment sustained?”

Blinking at him, I cocked my head to the side, my wet curls momentarily blinding me before I flipped them back. “Yeah, there was some damage, but it’s not like my clothes got destroyed, right?”

“Yeah, they kind of did. The walls at your apartment were as thin as fuckin’ paper. I’m shocked none of your neighbors got hurt. Your bedroom was right behind where Manny and his fucktards were standing when Mark opened fire on them. Your stuff didn’t fare too well.”

“They shot up my bedroom?” My knees went a little weak as I thought about his words. “Holy shit, if I hadn’t been unconscious on the floor—I’d be dead.”

He closed the distance between us, sweeping me up into his arms before relaxing on the low divan that sat at the end of the massive bed. “Easy, mami.”

I wrapped my arms around him, resting my head on his chest, the steady thrum of his heart giving me something to focus on other than my growing panic, a distraction I desperately needed. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually clingy like this.”

“I know.”

“What?”

“Hannah’s talked a lot about you. Especially how strong you are, how you basically rescued her from the abusive fucks she calls parents. You were a little girl, and still you recognized she needed help and you made sure she got it.”

Blushing, I fingered the soft material of his t-shirt. “Anyone would have done that.”

“No, sweetheart. I wish that was true, ‘cause the world could use more people like you, but it’s not. Reality is, most of us are selfish fucks and assholes.”

“Which one are you?”

He grinned. “Both. You know it’s true. Think about how I was when we first met. So wrapped up in my own bullshit, I was just lashing out at anyone that came near me. Don’t tell me you weren’t pissed at me over my shit attitude.”

Leaning back in his arms, I didn’t fight him when he took the lapel of my robe and dried my tears with a gentle touch that melted me. “You were such an asshole.”

“I was, and I’m sorry. Like I said before, I was going through some shit at the time and feeling angry at the world.”

A tiny ball of hurt that I’d still carried around somewhere buried deep inside of me dissolved and I reached up, cupping his cheek and enjoying his smooth, warm skin. He’d shaved for me, and his dark skin was like rough velvet beneath my fingertips. For a moment, I simply enjoyed touching him, and Ramón seemed to revel in the attention. His full lips parted and a look of peace came over his face that nearly broke my heart.

Clearing my throat, I said, “I forgive you. But if you ever pull shit like that with me again, I’ll kidney punch you. Normally, I’d say I’d knock you out, but you’re so big I’ll have to stick with your kidney.”

“I appreciate that,” he said with a wry smile, the pine green flecks in his eyes fascinating me as he leaned closer.

Shifting on his lap so I straddled him, I tried to keep from wincing when he grabbed my hip to help steady me. He was a big man and I was stretched wide over his pelvis. It made my sore muscles ache. I had a rather spectacular deep purple and green bruise going from my hip to my ribs from where I’d been kicked repeatedly, and the area was super tender. Ramón’s grin faded and he ran his fingers down my cheek until they rested lightly on my pulse. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a little uncomfortable there.”

To my shock, he yanked my robe up to reveal my naked, bruised side.

He sucked in a hiss of air and started to speak, but before he could, I smacked him across the face, hard, then yanked my robe closed. “How dare you!”

Instead of getting pissed, Ramón grinned as he rubbed his jaw, and I wondered if he was seeing a therapist regularly. “Sorry, got carried away.”

I tried to get out of his arms, but he merely tightened his grip. “Get your hands off me you—you super douche.”

Our struggles made the shoulder of the overly large robe slip down, almost revealing my entire breast.

Ramón froze and let out a low, feral groan. “Fuck, you’re so pretty. You have no idea how much I want to suck on those big, chocolate nipples of yours, Joy. Will you let me do that? Let me draw as much of your luscious tit into my mouth as I can? Let me bite you, suck you, tease you?”

My mouth hung open, words failing me as he easily held both my wrists with one hand, then gently—almost reverently—lowered the robe until my breast was fully revealed. We both looked down at my exposed flesh, my already tight nipple growing even stiffer beneath our combined gaze. Another one of those sexy as hell, animalistic growls escaped Ramón, and I quivered in response.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his mouth to my breast, then paused with his lips almost brushing the tip. “Give me permission, Joy.”

My pussy pulsed to the beat of my heart, and my inner thighs were wet with my desire. If he didn’t touch me soon, I was going to go up in flames. The moist, hot air from his mouth felt better than anything I’ve ever experienced, and I wanted more of this amazing sensation. “Please.”

His tongue burned me as it brushed over the aching tip of my breast, the thundering of my heart surely audible to him. My whole body was flushed with desire, and I felt so very alive as he drew my breast into his mouth, sucking much harder than most guys usually do at first. The almost painful pressure was bliss for me, enough stimulation to actually get me off. His rhythmic sucking had my hips rocking against his shorts-covered erection. Shivers of pleasure ran through me as my clit ground down on the fly of his shorts. The thickness of his cock had me so hungry for him that I was close to orgasm just from grinding on him.

Releasing my nipple with an audible pop, he groaned. “Are you wet for me? Gonna come for me?”

I could only nod as my eyes closed fully, my body preparing for my release.

Before I could get there, Ramón flipped me onto the bed on my back, once again treating me like his little sex doll to throw around. “First time I make you cum, it’s gonna be on my face.”

I couldn’t even take a moment to become self-conscious before he spread my robe open and shoved his broad shoulders between my thighs. It was during moments like this that I was reminded of how much bigger he was than me, how I must look like a curvy version of Tinkerbell in his presence. My legs had to stretch wide to accommodate him, and the muscles along his neck flexed as he snarled at me.

Seriously, he fucking snarled, and it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.

Grasping healthy handfuls of my generous ass with a firm grip, he lifted my pussy to his mouth and gave my slit a nice, long lick. Then another. Tingles raced up and down my spine, sending sparkles of pleasure through me. Gasping, I gave into temptation and plunged my hands into his long hair, loving the way it felt between my fingers as I fisted it.

Tugging slightly against my grip, he leaned up enough to meet my gaze over the generous curves of my body.

More tingles this time, bigger sparkles that threatened to turn into all out flames.

After giving the well-trimmed dark blonde hair on my mound a kiss, he said, “Love how big your clit is, how it’s sticking out and begging for me to give it a nice suck.”

I couldn’t respond, struck dumb by the sound of his deep, accented voice telling me such deliciously dirty things. His breath warmed my already hot flesh and the very tip of his tongue brushed lightly over my nub. Normally, oral sex wasn’t all that exciting for me. It was rare that I was able to get off from having my pussy eaten, something I’d always felt weird about. I mean, what woman said ‘meh’ to being kissed between her legs? My friends would talk about how many times their guys had made them come, and I’d just smile and pretend I knew exactly what they were talking about. I often found myself too worried about how I looked, smelled, and tasted to get into a guy slobbering around down there.

With Ramón’s gifted mouth between my legs, I got it.

As he suckled my clit, stars burst behind my eyes, and I let out a choked sound of pleasure.

He was amazing. A master at working me up quicker than anyone ever had before. But he wasn’t rushing me. Oh no, he was being exquisitely gentle, making me focus on every nuance of his touch, making me ache for him. He licked around the entrance of my body, penetrating it just enough with his tongue to tease me. Evidently, I loved being teased. It wasn’t something any other lover of mine had done before. At least not successfully. Teasing took time, it took paying attention to your partner, and it took skill. Ramón had all three in spades, and I think I might have told him I loved his tongue as he began to slowly fuck me with it.

Never had I been with a man who was so focused on me, and I found the attention utterly blissful.

His nose brushed my clit with each thrust. I began to make grunting noises that I would have found embarrassing in normal circumstances. With Ramón’s massive shoulders stretching me wide, his big hands massaging my ass as he fucked my body on his face, I couldn’t find a single fuck to give about how crazy I sounded.

My gasps and the wet sound of Ramón licking between the folds of my labia filled my world as my eyes closed and my head rolled on my neck like I was drunk. He took the swollen bud of my clitoris into his mouth before ever so gently flicking his tongue over the tip.

I cried out then sat up enough to bury my hands deeper in his hair, holding him to me as my body flushed with heat and the tension built inside of me. Thankfully, Ramón didn’t pull away, instead increasing his suction until my whole body tensed, harder, harder still, then everything inside of me shattered. Waves of euphoric bliss washed through me and I knew I was babbling something that sounded like thank you to Ramón’s spectacular lips, but I didn’t care what the hell I was saying. This orgasm was better than anything I’d ever experienced, his erotic teasing making the release exceptionally strong, and I rode his face hard as he held me tight.

Hypersensitive now, I tried to push his head away but he kept licking me, toying with me as I begged him to stop, that it was too much. Oversensitive pain mixed with pleasure confused my mind, and I gave up tugging at his head, instead falling back on the bed fully and grasping handfuls of the bunched up comforter. Ramón made a pleased sound and threw my shaking legs over his shoulders as he opened me further to his mouth. He was a man on a mission. As he began to fuck me with his tongue again, that wonderful heat coiled tighter in my pelvis, letting me know I might get my first chance at having multiple orgasms with a man. My body twisted in his hard grasp, driven higher by the sounds of him licking and sucking at my sopping wet pussy. I’m naturally a well-lubed girl, and men in the past had been put off by it, but Ramón seemed to love literally licking me clean.

He licked up every drop of pleasure my body had to offer with an enthusiasm that bordered on animalistic. Stretching my legs wider, I relaxed and sighed as his soft, fluttering tongue strummed my clit. It was so nice to have full confidence that he was enjoying himself, that he wasn’t just doing this to make me happy. The way he rubbed his pelvis against the bed, as if fucking it, sent tingles of pleasure down my spine.

“Show me your clit,” he whispered against my wet labia, “Pull those pretty butterfly lips of yours apart.”

While some women had a nice, neat pussy with everything tucked up inside, my inner lips extended past my outer labia, and I had some body issues in the past with the way my inner labia was longer than what seemed to be normal. Some of the guys in my school in Junior High, during sex ed, had made fun of the drawing of a vagina in our sex ed text book, talking to each other in hushed whispers about meaty flaps and other offensive shit like that. Intellectually, I know all women’s bodies are beautiful, but part of me will be forever scared by those guy’s careless words.

Except with Ramón. I wanted to show myself to him. To watch him enjoy my body.

Slipping my fingers between his mouth and my sex, I held both my outer and inner labia open, showing him how my pussy went from soft brown on the outside, to bright pink within. He smiled down at me, then began to lap at my exposed clit before grasping it between his teeth by the base, hard. I gasped, the pain strong enough that I let my pussy go and grabbed his hair instead.

“Ow!”

He began to gently nibble on my clit and I cried out his name as my hips bucked, feeling incredibly empty.

“Please, Ramón, more.”

“Beg me.”

“What?”

“You want more, you tell me what you want and beg me for it.” He returned to tormenting me, holding me still and forcing me to endure his sharp bites and blissfully gentle kisses. “Tell me what you need, Joy, and I’ll give it to you—always. But in my own time. You won’t rush my enjoyment of you. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but I need to do this for you. I need to know I’m makin’ you happy. Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.”

“I need your fingers inside of me.”

“Ask nicely.”

“What?” I groaned out as he rimmed the entrance to my body with one thick finger.

“Ask me nicely.”

I wanted to strangle him, but I was so horny I wasn’t above pleading for release. The idea actually turned me on—asking him for pleasure knowing he’d give it to me. Plus, I think he liked it when I gave in to his sensual demands.

“Please, Ramón, will you put two of your fingers inside my pussy and fuck me with them?”

My request lit a fire in his eyes that made my pussy clench. Oh yeah, he liked it when I did what he wanted. I wanted him to be as crazy with lust as I was, to know I wasn’t alone in this bizarre, overwhelming attraction. He consumed me and the strength of my attraction to him was like nothing I’d ever experienced. Electric, amazing, and totally addictive.

Being shy in bed has never been one of my issues. I admit, it’s hard to make me orgasm on the first, second, or even third date. If I didn’t tell men right out the gate what I liked, we’d play a guessing game that usually ended with me sexually frustrated and them sweating like they’d just run a marathon. That also meant I appreciated it when a man was upfront with me with what he liked. I got off on making whoever I was with feel good. I loved my partner having an orgasm almost as much as I liked them myself. I wanted to blow their mind. To be the best they’d ever had.

Things didn’t always work out that way, but I needed Ramón to want me as much as I wanted him. This pull between us was far too strong to resist, and I shuddered as he kissed my inner thigh while whispering something appreciative against my skin. He was saying something about the kind of softness that made him hard. I think he was talking about my more than ample, dimpled thighs, but the man was totally enthralled by my body. That in itself wasn’t unusual. See, a lot of guys have a secret—or not so secret—desire for very curvy girls. If the way he was worshiping my body was any indication, Ramón was one of those men, for sure. He squeezed my thigh with his hard grip, and the heat, the lust coming off him overwhelmed me.

I waited until he looked up at me, his skin so dark against my golden tan, and my hips lifted to his mouth involuntarily as I took in the pure need in his gaze. We were on fire together, and I loved the fact that I could make him burn. I wanted more, wanted to see him lose control, but I had a feeling he never allowed that to happen. Knowing this only made me want to tease him more.

“Ramón…” I made sure to roll the r in his name, turning it into a purr. “I need two of your big fingers inside my pussy, please. I feel so empty, so tight. I need you to stretch me open while you lick my clit and make up to it for being so rough.”

His dark eyebrows rose, and I had about a second to read the pleased shock in his expression before it turned to fierce pleasure. “Anything for my woman.”

Once again, Ramón was perfect.

The slow, scissoring thrust of his fingers, the feeling of his thumb rubbing against my clit with unhurried strokes, tore a moan from me that was shockingly loud.

Ramón laughed, the jerk, but his voice was strained as he said, “You make being good so very, very difficult.”

“I…never understand you.”

My words came out in breathy pants, and I could feel the flush of heat moving from my chest and up my neck. The need to cum quickly became a physical ache, and I sobbed his name as he replaced his thumb with his lips on my distended clit. I had no shame as I rode his face and fingers, screaming when he began to rub my g-spot. I’ve had super wet orgasms because of g-spot play before, and I knew some guys were freaked out by it, so I tried to warn him.

“Wait, Ramón, I’m going—”

“To squirt in my mouth? I know.”

I could only moan in reply.

Dirty, he is so wonderfully dirty.

Shivers ran from the pit of my belly all the way to my scalp as I felt both frozen and burning alive. I was so sensitive, so aware and in the moment, wrapped up in his open adoration of my body. Remembering he was a sexist asshole was impossible when he began to curl his fingers inside my pussy while he flicked his tongue over my clit.

“You sure?”

His gaze lifted to mine and my breath caught in my throat at the pure dominance shining deep within his hazel eyes. This was the man that lay beneath the civilized surface he projected to the world. This was the animal that really ruled his spirit. It was a crazy thought, but didn’t seem any less true as I felt my body submit to him. The strength left my limbs, and I felt strangely relaxed, yet so incredibly turned on. He smiled at me with genuine happiness as I let my hands fall back to the soft, cool sheets.

“I’m a man of my word, Joy. When I say something, I mean it. This is all new to you, I get it, but you’ll learn that when I give you my word, I keep it. Now, I promise you, I’d fucking love to have you soak my face in your cum. Give it to me.”

“Okay.”

“No, say ‘Yes, Ramón.’”

That tingle like glitter in my blood raced through me again. “Yes, Ramón.”

“Fuck, sweetheart, you have no idea the terrible, nasty things I want to do to you.” He gave my pussy a soft kiss then whispered, “I’m thirsty, give me your sweet cum to drink down.”

He didn’t give me a chance to catch my breath before he was devouring my pussy like a starving man, one of his hands tugging at my nipple while that wonderful tongue of his swirled through my folds. Two of his fingers stretched me, then a third, and I gasped at the feeling of being filled. When he curled his fingers, I sank my hands back into his hair, needing to hold onto him, needing him to anchor me before I blew apart into little pieces. I’d never felt anything near as good as Ramón’s tongue and the way he suckled on my clit had me grinding into his face.

With a low growl, he pulled his mouth back, his eyes locked on my pussy as he began to finger fuck me. I spread my legs wide as my orgasm hovered just out of reach, the power of his thrusts shaking my body. Heat pooled in my pelvis and his fingers pressed and rubbed my g-spot, sending stars and bursts of pleasure through me. I sucked in a deep breath, then pushed out slightly when I could feel the beginnings of my deep, internal orgasm. I loved to squirt, it just felt so good, even if it was messy.

More burning tingles filled me and I closed my eyes, bright lights bursting behind my lids as Ramón sucked my clit hard and removed his fingers from my sheath. The instant release of the first burst of clear fluid leaving my body had my neck arching as my I turned my head back and forth in the pillows, my gasps and groans coming from somewhere deep in my throat.

Ramón, true to his word, began to lap at my pussy as he coaxed more cum out of me, my breasts shaking with the strength of his thrusts as he slid his fingers back inside me. When he latched onto my clit, flicking it as he continued to play with my oversensitive body, I screamed loud and long. The second orgasm ripped through me on the heels of the first. My legs shook hard enough that I felt like my fucking pussy was quivering. I begged Ramón to stop, that it was too much. Making a soothing hum, he lapped gently at me, easing my shaking body until only an occasional tremor flitted through my limbs.

I was sweaty, totally wrung out, and so high on endorphins my brain was in the clouds.

Ramón crawled up next to me, his face and shirt wet from my release. “You okay?”

The smile on my face must have been as dreamy as I felt, because I nodded, then stretched as he began to stroke my belly in a soothing motion that had me all but purring. “Mmmm-hmmm.”

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.”

“And you’re amazing at eating pussy.”

“Thank you. It’s not something I do often. In fact, it’s been years since I did that with a woman.”

“Uh—what? You haven’t gone down on a girl in years?”

“Nope. I told you I was an asshole, and I wasn’t kidding.”

I sputtered as I glared at him. “Why not? You seemed—well, you seemed to enjoy it.”

“No, with you I fucking loved having you in my mouth, drowning in your juice.” His gaze went heavy. He stroked my cheek gently with his rough fingertips, his touch as delicate as a butterfly’s wings against my heated skin. “You taste delicious, better than any other pussy I’ve ever had. Perfect.”

I tried to look away from him, but he held me chin and forced me to look at him when I spoke. “So, you’re trying to tell me that I’m the first girl you’ve given oral sex to in years?”

Giving me an uneasy look, he nodded. “Yeah.”

Taking a deep breath, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, to hear him out. “Why?”

“To me, that act is something special, something that I’ll only give my woman.”

“Your woman?”

“Yeah, baby. You’re my woman.” He kissed my nose, and I tried not to melt inside like a candle in warm sunlight.

“When did this happen?”

“Oh, we were always meant to happen. Should'a happened sooner, but I kinda fucked it up with my big mouth.” He placed gentle kisses on my face, cuddling me close and making me feel amazingly safe and happy. “I want to kick myself in the ass for waiting so long to come claim you, but I had some shit to work out in my head.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll talk about it later, I promise. Right now, I want to just soak in the fact that you’re in my arms, making my chest hurt with your beauty. And my dick feels like it’s about to explode.”

The soft brush of his lips felt wonderful against my neck as he kissed me while making these husky, deep noises in his chest that sent chills through me.

“What about you?”

I went to reach for his dick, more than eager to show him the pleasure that I could give him, but he grabbed my hand with a frown. “No.”

“No?” The clouds began to lift from my thoughts, and I suddenly became aware that the bed beneath me was damp from my orgasms. “Why?”

Ramón sat up and took his shirt off, revealing all that delicious bronze skin of his that I wanted to lick. “I’m not going to be one of your quick fucks.”

“One of my quick fucks?”

“Yep.”

“How dare you!” I was tempted to smack him, but he seemed immune to my slaps.  “Get the hell out of my room.”

The left side of his lips quirked up into a smirking smile, and I had to restrain myself from scratching that smile off his face. “I will, because I need to change clothes before we eat. Mark is my friend, but he doesn’t need to know that you soaked me, and your bed, with your cum.”

Embarrassment cleared my head further as I wondered if I’d just ruined Mark’s beautiful comforter, and how I could smuggle it out and get it dry cleaned without him noticing. My debauched state began to register as well and I snatched at my clothes while glaring at Ramón. He merely watched me, that smirk of his still in place.

“I’m not eating lunch with you.”

“After lunch,” he continued as if I hadn’t said anything. “You need to Facetime with your mom. I talked to her earlier and let her know what was going on.”

I struggled to regain control of my temper long enough to say, “You talked to my mother?”

“Yes, I talked to Paula. I didn’t want her worrying about you when she wasn’t able to get ahold of you.” Guilt that I hadn’t called my mom assailed me even as I tried to ignore Ramón when he caged me in his arms. “I didn’t tell her everything about the attack. There are some things she’s better off not knowing. It keeps her safe. She knows you’re staying with Mark. I made sure she talked to him as well, then I did a walkthrough of Mark’s place with my phone so she could see it. Oh, and she’s talked with my Mom. I told her that the men Kayla brought home were drug addicts, and that they slapped you around a little, but then Mark arrived and saved the day. Thought that was better than telling her that you almost ended up as the star of a snuff film.”

My stomach cramped up, and I allowed myself to lean back into Ramón. “Yeah, wouldn’t want that.”

“I told her who I am—”

Letting out a somewhat hysterical laugh I said, “It just occurred to me that I have no idea who you are.”

Shuffling us over to the mirror above the dresser, he looked at me while he stood behind me, dwarfing me with his presence. Not only was he physically intimidating, he was older, probably late twenties maybe early thirties. A grown man for sure. I looked like a little doll next to his dark menace. He was all tattoos, dark tanned skin, and scars—someone that I should be scared of, but wasn’t. It was hard to be frightened of a man whose entire being melted into something softer, warmer, when he looked at you. I’ve never had a man so focused on me like this before. It was disconcerting and somehow sweet.

“My name is Ramón Cordova. I’m twenty-nine years old, never been married, no kids, and I’m CEO of the Investment arm of the Cordova Group.”

I frowned up at him. “You’re a CEO?”

A small smile cracked his face as he fingered his heavy gold ear gauge. “You find that hard to believe. What? You look at me and only see a criminal because I have a few prison tattoos? Kinda judgmental if you ask me, considering how offended you get when someone looks at you and only sees your body, not the beautiful soul within.”

Okay, this guy totally threw me for a loop. On one hand, he was super sweet. On the other, he was a jerk. Also, unfortunately, he was right. I was judging him. “I guess you just don’t seem like a nine to five kind of guy.”

“I’m not. My mom was smart enough to recognize that when she put me in charge of Investments. Instead of spending all my time behind a desk, I get to travel the world, looking for the best people to support, finding the next must-have product. Since I took over four years ago, I’ve been all over, meeting some of the most brilliant, and flat-out crazy, people in the world.”

“Wow,” I whispered, slightly stunned as my idea of who this man was shifted. “That sounds amazing. I would love a job like that.”

“Hannah said you’re going to school to be a teacher, right?”

A feeling of melancholy hit me as I thought about my old life. Funny how that works, how your life becomes divided between terrible events. For me, it would forever be the day I discovered monsters were real and they roamed the earth. All my old dreams, my old life, seemed like a bunch of superficial bullshit. Suddenly depressed at how anchorless I felt, I sighed.

“Yeah.”

He squeezed me a little tighter, making me look back into the mirror. “That wasn’t a very enthusiastic yeah. Teaching not your thing?”

I chewed on my thumb for a second, wondering how honest I could be with this man, this intimate stranger—whether he’d understand. “It’s not what I thought it would be.”

He made a motion with his hands for me to go on.

“It’s depressing.” I blurted out. “These kids that I see? They’re so bright, they have so much potential, and they’re forced to fight and scrape just to get enough to survive, let alone thrive. Broken families, poverty, drug addiction—you name something awful, and these kids have had to live with it. It hurts my heart.” Tears burned in my eyes, and I rubbed the back of my hand over my cheeks, not really seeing Ramón anymore. I stared at the far wall of my room, at the lovely floral watercolor framed between the two windows. “I mean, we struggled when I was growing up. Four kids were a lot for two working, middle-class parents to raise, but I’ve never had to deal with the reality of my mother being a prostitute, or my father being in prison for dealing drugs. Yeah, most of the kids I tutor are on the road to a bleak future, full speed ahead, but there are some really, really good kids out there that are fighting with everything they have to get out of the life they were born into. It’s not fair.”

I waited for him to tell me life wasn’t fair or some other well-meaning nonsense. Instead, he took my hand in his. I gratefully linked my fingers with his, needing his warmth to steady me. “You’re right, the world isn’t fair. I know I come from money, but I’ve spent a lot of time in South America in some savagely poor countries. Places I wouldn’t send my worst enemy. I’ve seen how bad poverty can get, and I know exactly what you’re talking about. Those kids, none of ‘em asked to be born into that filth. Shitty hand that life dealt them. All that potential, wasted. It’s a fucking shame, which is why my parents, through the Cordova Group’s philanthropic foundation, donate hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships every year to low income students. It’s called the Maria’s Hope Scholarship, named after my paternal grandmother. Have you heard of it?”

I gave him a watery smile, that feeling of living in a surreal bubble surfacing again. “I have heard of it. In fact, I’ve helped a couple of the students I tutor in AP classes fill out applications.”

“Who are they? I’ll make sure they get extra consideration.”

I hesitated and tried to weigh my words carefully. “I don’t know if I should tell you, if it would be fair.”

“Are they good students?”

I thought of Javier, the son of an ex-prostitute dying of AIDS who worked two jobs part-time to help feed his family. And the sweet junior, Marci, with her sunny smile and kind heart, who lost her brother last year to a gang dispute. Each of them worked so hard to get where they were and stay out of trouble, sacrificed so much for a chance at something a lot of my friends take for granted, the opportunity to go to college. The Maria’s Hope scholarship was highly coveted, because not only did it cover school, it also covered living expenses both for the student and their family. They wouldn’t be living a baller lifestyle, but to a kid like Javier, not having to worry about paying rent would be a huge burden off his shoulders. And Marci could escape from the endless cycle of crime and violence that had swallowed her family whole.

Looking up at Ramón, I said without any hesitation, “They’re amazing students.”

“Then give me their names and let me help them.” His dark brown eyes warmed to liquid toffee flecked with green as he smiled, making me melt into a puddle of happy hormones. “Think of how happy they’ll be next time you see them, how much of a burden you’ll be taking off their shoulders. You’ll change their lives and help me get the money to where it will do the most good.”

After I gave him the info, a little sparkle of happiness filled me and I impulsively hugged him tight. “Thank you.”

“No, mami, thank you.” He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. “Thank you. It’s people like you who make a difference. You’re a very special woman.”

Flushing, I ducked my head, but continued to hold his hand. “No, I’m not.

“Yes, you are. You’re making the world a better place by sharing your time with those kids. Hannah said you do tutoring in Phoenix, right? In some of the worst school districts, you go and bring hope to those kids who have no one looking out for them at home. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find hope in places like that? How much a good you do just by giving a shit?”

I swear my heart skipped a beat, and I blinked back tears. “It’s nothing. People—”

“No, it’s not nothing. It’s everything.” His thumb brushed over my lips as he cupped my jaw and looked me right in the eyes. “It fucking kills me that you can’t see your own worth, but I see you, mi corazón, and I’ll make sure you know every day how special you are.”

Trying to rally some resistance, I protested, “We’re strangers, Ramón. Strangers. You may know about me from Hannah, but I don’t know anything about you other than the fact that you were a massive asshole when we first met.”

“I wasn’t at my best that day.” He leaned down to rub his chin against the side of my messy hair. “That’s why we’re going to spend some time together. So we can get to know each other. Please, Joy? Spend the day with me. I promise we’ll take care of everything that needs to be done, and I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

I snorted, but didn’t step out of his arms. They felt so good, so strong and safe. Touching him soothed me, and my sex clenched as I allowed myself to grope his various hard, thick muscles. Despite his bulk, he moved with an almost feline grace. I had to resist the urge to rub my cheek against him like a kitten claiming a lion as her property.

“A perfect gentleman?” I rolled my eyes then yelped when he smacked my ass. “Hey, now!”

“I admit, I’ve been a little…intense with you.” He ignored my snort and gently caressed the upper swell of my well-rounded butt. “But in my defense, I’ve been interested in meeting you for a while. The moment you walked away with my aunt, I realized what a dick I’d been. I wanted to run after you, but I was pretty sure my aunt would have shot me in the ass with buckshot.”

I giggled, remembering his cool and poised Aunt Doris. She’d been intimidating. She had the same powerful aura that her sister Judith possessed, but her strength was different. Quieter, if that made any sense. She didn’t freak out when I told her about Jacob’s screwing up, but I had no doubt by the time we were done talking that Jacob would be taken care of. Whatever she said to him must have worked, because he was doing great academically—even if he seemed to avoid me after our tutoring was done.

“Would have served you right, but your aunt didn’t strike me as the kind of woman who carried around a shotgun.”

An odd look came over his face before he smiled. “You’d be surprised.”

I rolled my eyes. “But why do you want to spend time with me? Don’t you have better things to do? Like your job? Certainly there’s some great gadget awaiting your approval.”

Running his hand through his shoulder length black hair, he smirked. “I’m sure there is, but you’re more important.”

“You confuse me.” I released a soft sigh, unable to resist the urge to stroke his heavily muscled forearm, my fingers trailing over the light dusting of soft black hair. “I don’t understand you, and I feel like I’m never on firm ground when I’m around you.”

“Good, ‘cause I can’t sweep you off your feet if they’re still on the ground.” He gave me a wink as I groaned, then one more squeeze before releasing me. “Get cleaned up, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

He walked across the room, all that delicious muscle flexing with each stride. That ass of his…it was perfect, and I regretted not giving it a good squeeze while I could. He grabbed his damp shirt, then grinned at me as my face heated. My sex still pulsed with the aftereffects of all those amazing orgasms, and I crossed the room, meeting him at the door.

“Wait.” I leaned up on my tippy toes, placing a kiss on his firm lips before pulling back with a small smile. “Thank you for the orgasms.”

His eyes sparkled, and he threw back his head as he laughed. “Anytime, mami. I mean that. If we’re out in public, and you tell me you need to cum, I’ll find a way to make it happen.”

I blinked up at him, taken aback by Ramón openly talking about one of my favorite fantasies. I have no idea why, but I find the idea of secretly having sex in public to be exciting. I’ve never done anything like that—making out in the back of a car doesn’t count—but, oh, how I love the idea of doing something so naughty where I could get caught. And punished.

“What are you thinking about?” Ramón asked with a soft growl. “It has your nipples hard as bullets.”

I crossed my arms with a nervous laugh. “Uh, nothing. I have to get cleaned up, again, so I’ll see you downstairs!”

His laughter receded behind me as I practically ran to the bathroom. “Someday, I’ll find out what you were thinking about, and I’ll make it happen.”