Beat of the Heart

I sucked in a breath before replying, “Capezzolos.”

“En Español son pezónes.”

“I see.” He leaned over to suck one of my nipples into his mouth. His tongue flicked at the pebbled bud, and my hands went to rake through his hair. “Mmm, la bocca mi fa bagnato.”

“En Ingles por favor,” he replied, before he blew air across my puckering nipple.

“Your mouth makes me wet.” `

“I’m glad to hear that. Cause you’re making me hard as a fucking rock.

“So what is this called then?” I asked, as I cupped the bulge in his boxers.

“Maestro de tu universo,” he murmured against my breast.

Gripping his hair with one hand, I jerked his head up to meet my gaze. “I don’t think so, egomaniac.”

AJ grinned. “Fine. It’s a pene or verga.”

“Same in Italiano…it can also be cazzo in Sicilian.”

“I know it wants to be in this,” he said, cupping me between my thighs over my panties.

I giggled. “That would be a vagina…or for you since you’re crude, it would be pussy, and that’s figa.”

“Cueva en español.” As his fingers slipped inside to rub over the wetness he’d caused, he murmured, “Tu coño me vuelve loco.”

“I have a crazy pussy?” I teased breathlessly.

Amusement danced in his eyes. “No smartass, your pussy drives me crazy.”

I laughed. “Right back at ya,” I said, before working him harder over his boxers.

AJ’s mouth met mine in a frenzied kiss. Our tongues swirled against each other as our fingers worked to free one another of each other’s underwear. After I tugged AJ’s boxers over his hips, he pushed me up on my knees to pull my panties down my thighs. Easing me onto my back, he then slid them down my legs and tossed them over his shoulder. He kicked out of his boxers before his body hovered over mine.

Even though this was about making love, I’d already had enough foreplay. “I want you inside me, AJ,” I pleaded.

Turning me onto my side, AJ spooned up beside me. Gripping under my knee, he lifted my leg up and then guided himself inside me. With one thrust, he filled me, and I cried out. His warm lips nuzzled my neck while his hand slid around my ribcage to cup my breast. “Oh baby, you and that sound. Do it again.”

He pulled out of me all the way before easing slowly and deliciously back inside again. This time, I whimpered. The next time he pulled out, he slammed back into me, and I did cry out. “Fuck,” AJ murmured.

His movements inside me became almost like a piece of music he might play. They varied between fast and hard and then soft and slow. I felt so in tune with him and so reconnected. He must have felt the same way because we came together. Even though it was early in the evening, he snuggled closer to me. His hand slipped around my waist to rub my belly. Even after he stopped, he kept his hand pressed against my stomach. It wasn’t long before he was snoring softly against my neck. As I began to drift off, I tried once and for all to put the ghosts of my past to rest, hoping, more than knowing, that everything was finally right for me when it came to AJ.

23

Peering out the window of AJ’s uncle’s car, I took in the surroundings of Guadalajara. While AJ sat up front rattling along in Spanish to his Tio Diego, Abby was smooshed between me and Jake in the backseat. Rather than a hotel, we were staying with AJ’s abuela who had a house in the heart of the city. From what I gathered, she had a soft spot for AJ like Mama Sofia had had for me. While I was thrilled to be staying with her and meeting all of AJ’s family, I was a little intimidated by the fact that Abuela didn’t speak English.

Turning to Abby, I asked, “So what do I do to not look like the out-of-place gringa?”

She giggled. “Just kiss both their cheeks and say ‘mucho gusto’.”

I nodded. “Okay, I think I can do that.”

“And I promise to let you know if anyone is talking smack about you. Okay?”

I laughed. “Yes. Please do.”

We turned onto a street with houses in rows pressed so tight together they even shared a retaining wall, rather than the townhouse approach I was used to back in the states. Since the house was practically on the street, we pulled into small garage. The moment I stepped out of the car, I was ambushed by AJ’s relatives.

“This is my mom, Mari,” AJ introduced, patting a woman with a shoulder-length bob haircut. With a curvy frame, she was a lot shorter than AJ, and I assumed he’d gotten his height from his father.

Mari’s arms were immediately around me, squeezing me tight. “Oh Mia, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure meeting you, too. AJ has told me so much about you.” With a smile, I added, “Especially about how you like to spoil him.”

She laughed as she pulled away. “Yes, I’ve probably set him up to be utterly taken care of by you.” She wagged a finger. “But don’t you dare let him get away with that,” she instructed.

AJ snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think that will be a problem.”

Mari and I laughed. “No, I don’t think so either.”

A tall man, who could have been an older version of AJ, stepped forward. He gave me a warm smile as he offered me his hand. “I’m Joaquin.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Before I could say anything else, a handsome, muscular guy stepped in front of me. “Mucho gusto,” I began. But when I leaned in to kiss his cheeks, he jerked me to him and then proceeded to lay one on me. I squeaked against his lips before pushing my hands against his chest. When I stumbled back, the guy grinned at me and winked.

AJ huffed a frustrated breath beside me. “And that would be my dickhead brother, Antonio.”

Relief momentarily flooded me that this was AJ’s gay brother and not some overly amorous relative who had ideas of girlfriend swapping. “Uh, nice to meet you.”

“Admit it, Mia. I’m a better kisser than this douchebag.” When I widened my eyes, he laughed. “Just teasing you.” He then leaned in to bestow a chaste kiss on my cheek. “It’s a pleasure meeting the mother of my future niece.”

I gave him a sincere smile. “Thank you.”

He then grabbed AJ in a bear hug. “Glad to see you, big brother.”

AJ grunted. “I just saw you yesterday when I came by the house, twatcake,” he huffed. But I noticed he did squeeze Antonio tight.