Love in Bloom (De La Fuente Family 3)

He cleared his throat. “I asked you to come here because I figured it would be easier to work this out instead of over the phone.”

“Work what out?”

“We need to break up so that it doesn’t affect my family. I’m no longer with the club, so this,” he waved between them, “doesn’t need to carry on. You get your life back and I get mine.”

“Yes, we do. Your family will probably be happy…you as well.” She sounded sad, the smile on her face looking forced.

He cleared his throat, again, feeling uncomfortable with how different Caprice seemed, which was why he offered, “I was going to suggest we just call it a day right now, but I think we should do it after Eric and Sylvia’s wedding.”

Her surprise was evident in the way her eyes widened. “You do? I mean I’d like to be at their wedding, but, why? Why would you still want me around them?”

That was the question he’d probably be asking himself once she’d left his apartment, but right then it seemed like the right thing to do, which he couldn’t make sense of. After the way she’d treated him and his family, why was he opening himself up for more? It didn’t make sense.

“I’ve seen your enjoyment when their wedding was discussed, until you hid it. I’m not sure what’s going on, but providing you keep your mouth shut, then you can be my guest at their wedding.”

Caprice bounced up from the chair and jumped on his lap, her arms slid around his neck before she slapped a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” she said in a breathy whisper.

His cock twitched behind his zipper, shocking the life out of him. He may have kept it zipped while they’d been pretending to be engaged, but apart from the day he’d met her, he hadn’t been affected since. What was going on?

She kissed him again. The heat of her lips branding against his cheek caused his cock to twitch again. Then, she must have realized what she was doing. “Crap…Sorry.” She blushed, jumped back up, glanced at his lap, blushed even more and moved to retrieve her shoes.

If he weren’t so uncomfortable he’d laugh. While her back was to him, he discreetly adjusted his erection, which was solid, wanting more action than it had gotten from his fist.

He asked, “I take it that’s okay with you?” Anything to take his mind off his hard body part. But he laughed, which surprised him, at her excited reaction.

“Yes.” She bit her lip again and asked, “Please tell me you won’t change your mind.”

He shook his head. “I won’t. Best behavior. We’ll break up a couple of days later.”

“That’s fine. When do we leave?”

“I’m leaving later today. You’ll leave in a couple of days. I’ll get your ticket sorted and I’ll meet you at the airport on the other side.”

She continued to smile and it lit up her whole face, something that kept him looking—and wondering what she’d look like under all that makeup?

“Thank you.” She hesitated on her way to the door, turned back to look over her shoulder at him and said, “I promise to just be myself and not let you down.”

She ran out of his apartment and slammed the door behind her.

Mateo was left to wonder what the hell had just happened. He’d intended to end it all today, but he couldn’t do it. When he saw her standing at his window, she’d looked lonely. Regardless of her antics of the past, he just couldn’t bring himself to end the charade.

He was a sucker!

Every time she’d heard Sylvia and Eric’s wedding mentioned, her face had lit up with joy before she’d quickly hide her reaction.

There was a real woman under all that makeup. He’d caught glimpses now and again, and perhaps, before they went their separate ways, he’d get to see her, instead of the one that he suspected had been created by Roger and Donny.

The only question was why had she been created?

Chapter Two

They said it wouldn’t be for more than six months: it’s been eighteen.

They said the only difference to her life was that she’d have the money to finish college: the first part was a lie and the second was true.

They said she had to have attitude to prevent Mateo and his family from liking her: that worked, but she’d never understood why they couldn’t like her.

She had learned to hate the name Caprice—it was the name they’d chosen for her acting debut and it went with the background they wanted her to have. Even Mateo called her Caprice, having no clue as to her true identity. He’d never asked. Since she’d signed on the dotted line of the contract, he’d made it known to her how much he hated what he’d been forced into, which probably included her as well.