Love in Flame (De La Fuente Family 5)

“I think that there is a soft romantic side of you.” I lay my palm against his cheek.

“No way,” he laughs, embarrassed, kissing my palm.

I poke him in the stomach. “Yes, way.”

He continues to laugh. “Food?”

“I think that is an obvious sign of you wanting to change the subject.”

He squeezes my side. “We’ll talk about how romantic I am when I have you under me in our bed.” He nuzzles against my hair. “Emphasis on our,” he whispers.

Shivering with want, I mumble, “Okay then.”

With another shiver working its way up my spine, I continue, “Italian food. I guess you could say that reading is my hobby. My favorite color is purple. My dream is to visit Mackinac Island and Florence, Italy…your turn.”

His chest rumbles beneath my ear. “Fast and the Furious, Mexican and steak, blue, and I don’t really have any hobbies. Downtime, I’ll chill and watch a game, baseball or ice hockey. I’m Yankees all the way but with hockey I’ll support whichever team Kasey is on.”

I reach up and caress his face, enjoying the closeness. My fingers hover over his lips. “That’s one of the things I love about you—your loyalty to your family. The obvious love between you all. It’s so wonderful to witness, Diego.”

Taking my hand, Diego kisses the palm and each of my tender fingertips. “You’re amazing, Rae.” He smiles softly.

Silence falls and I soak in the peace that surrounds us.

8

Diego

The night before with Rae is still fresh in my mind as I eat breakfast with my family. The silence is unusual and I figure everyone is waiting for either Mom or me to speak first. I will talk to her about Rae, but I don’t want to start anything over the breakfast table while the others are around. I just don’t understand what’s going on with her.

“Who died?” Kasey interrupts the silence without any humor inflicted in his voice for a change.

I glance at him before my eyes wander to Dad and then Mom who clenches her jaw as though she’s angry.

Sighing, I sit back and shove my half-eaten breakfast away. “This has to stop, Mom. You’re angry with me, this tension is hurting everyone,” I exclaim.

Mom slams a clenched fist down on the top of the table, coffee splashing up from her cup. “I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at her,” she hisses. The venom in her tone surprises the hell out of me and as I glance at the rest of my family, I notice it has taken them by surprise too.

“Lucia,” Dad takes her hand, “you have to stop this. It’s causing undue stress.”

“I know, but he’s our baby, and I can’t let that woman get her claws into him.”

“That woman,” I stand and hold on to my temper by a string, “happens to be the woman I’m in love with. She’s a beautiful person on the inside and out and I don’t understand why you aren’t seeing that. You raised us to treat everyone the same, no matter what, and we’ve all lived by those rules. But this,” I wave my hands around, “being so rude to Rae isn’t right. She’s Aiden’s best friend, and…the woman you’re going to have to get used to having around.”

Gasping, Mom has tears hovering on her dark lashes, and when I glance to my father, he looks worried and has a frown across his brow. I hate that they’re being like this and it hurts knowing how the two people I should be able to rely on the most isn’t there to support me.

“Are you already dating her?” Mom hisses the question.

Clenching my fists, I lie, “Not yet.” I want to shout to the world that Rae is mine, but I can’t do that until Andie knows about us, until Rae gives me the go ahead.

“She might not want to date you, you know?” Mom adds.

“And what makes you think that?” I counter, narrowing my eyes as Mom squirms where she sits.

“I told her to stay away from you. I thought we had an understanding.” Mom pushes her chair away from the table while I stare at her wondering where my Mom has gone—this isn’t her.

“You don’t get to choose who I date or spend my life with. You don’t get a say in it…so stop.” I turn to leave and have second thoughts. “If you ever see Rae out and about, I expect you to be pleasant to her. She hasn’t done anything at all to deserve your wrath and this…isn’t over.” Walking out of the room, Kasey follows me, trying to slow me down, but instead he ends up being dragged out with me.

In the hall he pulls me up short. “If I hadn’t witnessed that in there,” he points over his shoulder, “I never would have believed she could be like that?” He frowns, rubbing his jaw.