Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
That was just so damn sweet.
And I really loved how willing he was to admit that he had such soft hopes for his future.
When Warren talked about the future, it was all about his “legacy” and business and typical, somewhat toxic masculine aspirations.
Aurelio was okay admitting that he wanted a family, that he wanted a long marriage to one woman, that he thought about things like watching their grandkids play in the yard where they’d raised their children.
“Really?” I asked, wanting to hear more, wanting to know about what other things he saw for himself.
To that, he shot me a warm smile.
“Always knew I wanted a family. My siblings teased the fuck out of me about it when we were kids. They didn’t give a single thought to a wife and kids until they were older. I was thinking about that kinda shit when I was still a kid myself.”
“That’s sweet,” I said.
“I guess it comes from having such a huge family. And maybe partially because my ma was always talking about how much of a blessing children were, and how much she was looking forward to having grandchildren.”
“That makes sense,” I agreed. Even if I had no idea what that might be like, having such a small family myself. And as I got older, the little family my mother did have just… drifted away. Until it was only ever the two of us.
“Did you always know you wanted to be a mom?” Aurelio asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” I admitted. “I think most little girls think about things like that. Their wedding. Babies. A happily ever after. But as an adult… well, I was still so young when I met Warren,” I admitted. “I wasn’t thinking of babies. And then… then the stick turned blue.
“I was so determined not to have Warren know. I fell off the face of the Earth during my pregnancy. I still have no idea how he even found me. But then there he was. At the hospital. Forcing me into his SUV, and dragging me to his house.”
Aurelio’s arm moved out, resting on my knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
It was meant to be chaste.
But at the contact, there was a sizzle that moved up my leg, then kind of culminated in my core, making me suddenly aware of urges, needs, that I hadn’t felt in so long.
“You’re a great mom,” he told me. “In case you haven’t heard that enough. Clearly, it was something you were meant to do.”
“I did need to hear that,” I admitted. Warren was full of nothing but criticism and demands for me to do and be better. “And I wouldn’t mind a dozen little Judahs running around, now that I know how awesome it is having him around.”
I took a sip of the wine, letting the rich, slightly sweet taste flood my tastebuds. I didn’t know a single thing about wine. But I could tell that this was a good one by the way I immediately wanted another taste. Then another.
Before I knew it, the glass I planned to sip and savor was empty.
I glanced over self-consciously, but found Aurelio’s glass was empty as well.
“I’m gonna go get the bottle,” he said with a mischievous little grin and glint in his eye that made that strange warm sensation flush across my chest again.
I tried to tell myself it was the wine.
But I knew better as I turned to watch him walk away.
It was just… interest.
Unexpected and inappropriate, yet undeniable.
He returned with the wine, refilling my glass, and a platter of the sugar cookies he’d made too.
“I think you missed your calling, working as some big shot in a fancy restaurant somewhere,” I told him, savoring one of the cookies whose sweetness immediately made my wine more tart.
Aurelio shot me a warm smile. “There’s a lot of restaurants in my family,” he admitted. “I’ve been in those kitchens. Only sadists and masochists want to work there,” he told me. “I prefer cooking for pleasure instead of profit.”
“I enjoy your cooking for pleasure too,” I said, almost immediately wanting to suck those words back in. Until I heard Aurelio’s deep, rich chuckle. “I’m going to have to go up a size by the end of the month,” I added. Then, quickly, “If we’re still here.”
“I hope you will be,” Aurelio said, sounding like he meant those words, but his gaze was focused forward on the backyard, and it was impossible for me to tell.
We’d done a fair amount of small talk over the past few days. Polite conversation over dinner since Judah wasn’t exactly a conversationalist yet, focusing mostly on shoveling in handfuls of the carbs and fat he was so often denied at his father’s home.
I knew about his immediate family. He was the second of five children, with only his eldest brother married and having children. Their mom, Adrian, was apparently always on the rest of their cases about giving her more grand babies.