CHAPTER11
Pedro let himself quietly into the apartment. Knox had helped him push hard during the workout. The immense man was well trained in techniques to build strength. Pedro had already made the commitment to join him regularly. More long lean muscle would help Pedro in future triathlons. Knox had even offered his private cove for swimming practice.
“Daddy?” Belinda called.
“I’m here. Did you find something to watch on TV?”
“I love this movie. I missed it in the theater.”
“Awesome, baby girl. Keep watching. I’ll shower and get food ready. I bet I’ll get here in time to see the end with you and Bubbles.”
She nodded before looking back at the screen. Her rapt expression reassured him she’d be okay for a few more minutes.
Quickly, he jumped into the shower. Standing under the cold water, he lathered the sweat away and dipped his head under the spray. Her greeting repeated in his mind. Belinda didn’t realize that she called him Daddy automatically when caught off guard. He couldn’t believe how much he cared for her already. She’d intrigued him in the online seminar. In person, she was sexy, adorable, intelligent, hardworking, and yes, just as he’d expected, one hundred percent Little girl.
“My Little girl,” he corrected himself.
He quickly dressed in sweatpants and jogged to the kitchen. In a flash, Pedro had created a family-style dinner of an enormous bowl of salad, a plate filled with steaming tamales, and a tall glass of water for him. He carried the tray to the couch and pushed Tinkerbell gently off the cushion to make room for himself. Laughing at the cat’s affronted glare, Pedro sat next to Belinda who sniffed the aroma eagerly and leaned against him.
Pedro wrapped an arm around her shoulders and cut a bite of tamale. Lifting it to her lips, he smiled as she took a bite and moaned her approval, chewing as the suspenseful music of the movie’s climax wrapped around them. He took a bite and offered her another before pressing a kiss to her hair. It looked like his mother’s secret recipe had another fan.
When the movie ended, Belinda turned off the TV. Turning back to Pedro, she shook her head at the bite he offered. “No more for me. Those are incredible. You said your mom made them. Think she’d teach me?”
The minute the words escaped from her mouth, Belinda’s eyes widened as she processed how that might sound to Pedro. “I mean… Maybe, someday, if we have a chance to meet… she might show me or give me some tips?” With every carefully chosen word that emerged from her mouth, he could tell that she was kicking herself.
“You will meet mi mamá. She can’t wait to meet you and will definitely teach you anything you would like to learn,” Pedro told her with a smile. “Would you like to see a picture of my family?”
“Please.”
Placing the tray on the table, he pulled out his phone and flipped through the pictures. “Here’s one of all my immediate family.” He handed her the snapshot of him on a family vacation two years ago.
“These are your parents and brothers and sisters? A cousin or two mixed in maybe?” she suggested, looking at the large group.
“Nope. Those are all my siblings.” He pointed to each person and shared each one’s name and age.
“How old are you?”
“I’m the oldest. I’m thirty-seven.”
“You don’t look that old,” she said, waving away the bite of salad he offered her.
“Thanks, baby girl. And you’re thirty-one. Are you okay being stuck with an old man?”
“You’re not that old,” she dismissed his suggestion. “How did you know how old I am?”
“I’m the king of internet searches. I could tell you what size bra you buy online,” he joked.
“Did you look to see what my bra size is?” she asked, leaning away.
“No, Little girl. I won’t invade your privacy. I will be transparent. If you are in danger, I will search through everything in the chance there is a clue to save you.”
“You’d care that much to search for me?” she asked quietly.
“You are mi corazón, Little girl. My heart. I can’t lose you.”
A tear rolled from the corner of her eye and trailed down her cheek. When he wiped it away, she pressed her cheek into his hand. “I can’t believe I feel this strongly about you. It’s crazy. We just met.”
“It’s crazy wonderful. Time doesn’t matter, Little girl. This is what matters.” He pressed a hand to her heart. “What does your heart say?”