Love in Flame (De La Fuente Family 5)

I kiss and nibble down his neck. “I don’t like sneaking around like teenagers, Diego.” Pulling back and holding his gaze, I caress his face and ru

b my thumb over his beautiful lips. “I miss being with you and I don’t want to hide what you make me feel.” I wrap myself around him and hold him close.

“I want that as well, but what about Andie?” he whispers the question.

I drop my feet to the floor and wrap my arms around his waist. My head rests against his chest while he throbs against my belly.

I can barely think straight.

“Rae?” his fingers brush through my hair while he holds me steady.

Tears form on my lashes again because I’m so worried about how Andie will react. “Missing you makes me want to tell her, Diego. I hate that I’ve had to pretend that I don’t want to rush to your house to see you the minute I know you’re home.”

“It’s killed me staying away,” he admits, in a voice so low I only just catch what he says. Kissing my forehead, Diego clears his throat and moves away.

The loss of his touch makes me feel cold, coldness I feel deep inside of me while fighting to control my emotions. The fact is that it isn’t only Andie who will have a problem with Diego and I. There’s his mom, and possibly the rest of his family too, not to mention anyone whoever discovers the age difference between us.

“Mom?” Andie suddenly barges into the kitchen. “Oh, I didn’t know you were here. Are you okay?” Andie asks, walking slowly to lean against the countertop.

“I’m fine.” Diego shakes his head, holding his arms out wide to demonstrate just that. “I called over to find out if your mom wanted another horse riding lesson.” He raises a brow in my direction.

Smiling, I admit, “I’d like that,” thanking God that my voice doesn’t betray my turbulent emotions.

“Good.” Diego starts sniffing the air and moves closer to the oven. “You’re cooking chicken casserole?” He looks up at me from his crouched position in front of the oven.

Andie snaps her head around to look at me, a smile on her face. “My favorite.”

I laugh. “I am indeed. It was supposed to be a surprise but your surprisingly accurate senses have blown it!” I jokingly exclaim, pulling a mock angry face at Diego.

He begins to apologize but before he can get a word out I silence him with a shake of my hand and chuckle. “Would you like to eat with us?”

Diego grins. “Whew,” he wipes away imaginary beads of sweat from his brow while stretching to his full height. “I really thought I was in trouble there,” he says winking at Andie. “I’d love too, Rae. Thank you.” He nods.

An uncomfortable silence follows before Andie gives me a strange kind of look. “I’ll, um, go and finish my report.” One last look between Diego and me and she disappears.

My eyes meet Diego’s as he moves closer and surrounds me. Nuzzling into my neck, he asks, “Does this count as a date?”

I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to answer considering all my thoughts and senses are currently focused on what Diego is doing to me, but as he nuzzles between my breasts, I suddenly remember that Andie could come back any second.

With reluctance, I cup Diego’s face and make him look at me. “As much as I want you, we can’t. Not here.” I close my eyes in frustration.

He closes his own and drops his forehead to my shoulder, his body shudders as his hands clench on my hips. “I know.”

I hate knowing that it’s my fault we can’t be together like a normal couple as yet. However, as I slide my fingers through his hair, I realize that he’s a risk worth taking—one that I want to take.

Andie looks as though she’s slept for most of the afternoon with her messed up hair and the creased yoga pants and shirt. She proves me right when she stretches and yawns. “Sorry,” she mumbles from behind a hand. “I hadn’t realized I was so tired.”

“I’ll probably be asleep after I’ve eaten.” Diego offers a wry smile. “I haven’t slept properly while I’ve been working,” he explains. “More like catnaps. It’s catching up with me.” He shakes his head.

“You should have gone home to bed.” Andie blushes, adding, “I didn’t mean that you aren’t welcome. I just meant you should have caught up with sleep before coming around,” Andie finishes lamely.

Diego grins and my eyes drop to his beautiful lips. Heat rises in my cheeks as I imagine what that mouth can do to me, but as a throat is cleared I’m pulled out of my delicious thoughts.

So not the appropriate time.

“So Andie, tell me about this TA position you have.”

Diego asked the right question because a grin lights up her face. “I’m so excited to be offered the position with Professor Sawyer Lawrence as my adviser. I didn’t even have to think about it, I just jumped at the offer. I’m going to be busy because I’ll also doing be working on my doctorate but I can do it.” She pauses for a breath and proceeds to stuff more casserole into her mouth.