I gave Carlos a hard look. “My sister’s booked into a room at the Hampton Inn. You’re gonna take her there and stay with her. Don’t fuck me over by ordering a bunch of porn or something, got it?”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s overkill, and I don’t need porn when I —”
I put a hand up. “Enough. I don’t need to know.”
Chapter 22
Time to Get to Work
Raegan
WITH ALL THE GABBING we did before dinner, it felt like Juanita and Laura had been at the house all day, even though it had only been five hours for Juanita and three for Laura. I put the lasagna dish in the sink to soak, wondering if I had to spend the night with Clint again.
The kitchen door opened, and he sauntered to me. “Sorry, I didn’t do the dishes, Rae.”
I chuckled silently. “Not your fault. Hell, it was Mom’s idea, so definitely not on you to do the dishes. I’m just pleased as punch you brought garlic bread. No offense to your Mamá, but just getting the lasagna together with her and Mom in the kitchen was a chore. The thought of making garlic bread with them wasn’t high on my list of things to do.”
With a smile, he leaned down and kissed my neck. “I figured as much, mamita. That’s why I did it.”
I leaned back to stare into his copper eyes. “I love you, Clint. So much, it’s like an ache.”
His lips twitched. “Let’s take care of that ache.”
He leaned down again, kissing my lips long and lingering.
The kiss turned into a make-out session, until Mom’s walker interrupted us. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I’m off to bed. Not using my walker took it out of me this evening, but I’m sure my therapist will be proud when I tell her in the morning.”
I unwrapped an arm from Clint’s back to point a finger gun at Mom. “That reminds me.” My eyes caught Clint’s. “Am I authorized to take her to her PT appointment tomorrow, or what? I had texted you...”
He grinned. “Texted you back, but I suspect with Mamá around you didn’t have time to check texts. I’m taking tomorrow morning off, and I’ll take you both.”
My eyes slid to the side. “You could leave me here.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized my goof and I felt Clint’s rising temper. I put my hand up. “Stop. Don’t say anything. I forgot. So, of course I’m coming with you.”
He sighed. “Good.”
“On that note, good night, my dears.”
“Night, Mom,” I said. Then I glanced at Clint. “I take it we’re spending the night here?”
He nodded. “Get the gun out of your purse. I’ll need it on my side of the bed since I don’t have anything to sleep in besides my underwear.”
I stroked his chest. “Wish you didn’t have to sleep in those either.”
His smile held no feeling. “We went over this, baby. Not giving anybody a head start because I don’t have my boxers on.”
I shook my head. “Gee, seems I really don’t know how to deal with —”
“Stop, honey. There’s nothing normal about what’s going on right now, so don’t apologize for trying to get things back to normal.”
Relief rushed through me with his words. He definitely knew what he was doing, and I didn’t know what I would do without him. “All right, Clint.”
He kissed me quick. “Now, I have to shower, and...” he paused only to hiss, “Fuck!”
“What?”
“You can’t get your hair wet for three days or some shit, right?”
I smiled. “Forty-eight hours.”
With a sigh, he gave me a squeeze and let me go. “On that note, I’ll take my shower, and join you in bed.”
My brows pulled together. “It’s not even nine-thirty. We could watch TV.”
He gave me a stern look. “I’ll join you in bed, Raegan.”
From her bedroom, Mom hollered, “Guess I’ll take my hearing aids out, then!”
I hung my head in embarrassment, but I heard Clint wheezing with laughter as he walked away.
BEFORE I HIT THE BEDROOM, I found a book in Wynnie’s bedroom. She and I didn’t always share the same tastes in books, but I needed to unwind.
When Clint closed the door to the bedroom, I had finished reading the first chapter.
He glanced at the book in my hands. “Didn’t take you for a sci-fi girl, Rae.”
I put it on the nightstand shaking my head. “I’m not. It was what was available.” I rolled to my side facing him. “I needed to relax tonight. So many people at one time always drains me.”
He set his folded pants and shirt on a chair in the corner. Turning around, he pushed his boxers down before climbing into the bed. His arms shot out and pulled me to his body. “That’s strange. You were so charming when meeting Carlos. I wouldn’t think being around a roomful of people could possibly drain you.”
I pressed my lips together. “Sorry to disappoint you, but entertaining and making conversation always zaps my energy.”
He nodded. “I can understand that. Did that book relax you?”
I shook my head.
“This might drain you some more, but it’s been on my mind. You’re on the pill still, but we used to talk about the kind of family we wanted. Do you not want children?”
His question caught me off-guard. How much he still wanted to build a family had flitted through my mind a few days ago, but I hadn’t expected to discuss it tonight. In my quest to make something of myself in New York, thoughts of children had fallen by the wayside. That wasn’t true. Initially, I had wanted time for just Trey and I to be together, but then a deep-rooted instinct told me I didn’t want to raise children in New York. With my twenty-twenty hindsight, I realized part of me knew something was wrong with my marriage.
“Well, even though I knew you would ask
