I shook my head and took a step back, but my hands were taken, stopping me from going too far. "Fine, you don't want me paying your bills? Then come stay with me," he said without hesitation, but I think he knew I'd back down from that challenge, too. "I have three extra bedrooms and I'm not there most of the time anyway."
"You know I can't do that," I scoffed.
"Then let me help you," he shot back.
My head was spinning and I didn't really want to do this today. His family was inside, probably discussing my life in great detail seeing as how they now knew all my business. I just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. With Marco still clutching my hands, I took a breath.
"Can we talk about this later?" I asked, wanting to move on. My tears had dried and I could get through the evening without them returning as long as no one brought up my situation.
Marco studied my face and eventually nodded. "Agreed, but we will talk about it," he asserted. I didn't have a problem with that; now just wasn't the time.
We went back inside and ate dessert with his family. No one brought my drama back up except for Izzy, or Bel as the family called her, and Marco was sweet about telling her not to keep asking questions. She complied with a smile and turned her attention elsewhere.
I don't know if they were just trying to be nice or what, but there was no judgment from the Rios family whatsoever once my business was out. They were only concerned with getting to know me and asking questions about the baby. The first meeting went so much smoother than I could've ever hoped.
"It was so," Mrs. Rios paused to plant a kiss on my cheek as we hugged, "good to finally meet you!"
"Thank you for having me over," I answered, matching her smile and enthusiasm.
Izzy came to hug me next and I squeezed her tight. Stooping to her height, I touched her cheek, letting it sink in that I missed my students like crazy. "Be good for me, okay, Izzy?"
She nodded hard and her arms went around my neck in a second bear-hug that nearly knocked me over. I laughed and so did she, both of us ignoring Marco's gentle warning for her to be careful with me.
"Will I see you again soon?" Izzy asked, her words going into my hair as she held on to me.
I nodded and assured her she would. After asking her to tell her classmates that I missed them, Marco and I were on our way. The car ride was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. There was just a lot on both our minds, but overall, it was a good night.
We turned into my driveway and I yawned, reaching for the handle to let myself out.
"I'm coming around," Marco spoke up as he climbed out first.
Like I'd done when we left earlier, I watched him round the back of the car. The door unlatched and a hand was offered to help me to my feet, but, to my surprise, he didn't let it go like I expected once I was standing. When he'd walked me to his parents' door with my hand in his, I assumed it was just his way of letting me know he had my back. But now … what was his reason for holding on?
Our steps were slow as we approached my porch. Marco watched closely as I ascended, making sure I didn't hurt myself as usual. I smiled a little, wondering if he sat at home worrying I'd shatter into a thousand pieces somewhere without him watching over me. He noticed the expression and smiled, too.
"What's that about?" he asked, bringing my eyes to his as we stood in the darkness, reminding me I'd forgotten to leave my porch light on.
I shook my head, laughing a little. "I'm just wondering how you're going to keep from giving yourself a heart attack when I go into labor if you're already this worried about me."
His smile grew and his thumb aimlessly caressed the back of my hand. "Promise I'll keep it together. I'm gonna be strong for you," he added.
The smile on my face was once fueled by amusement, but now it was contentment. He made me feel … I don't know … safe. Whenever I was with him it was like I was his number one concern. Nothing had his attention more than I did-not other people, not his phone, not work.
Me.
The feeling was addictive, so I had to be careful not to let it go to my head, keeping things in perspective. He was protective of me by default because I carried precious cargo.
His head leaned to the side as he studied my face. "Did you have a good time tonight?"
I recalled the warmth and respect his family had shown throughout the evening. "I did. Thank you so much for inviting me."
Giving a nod, he licked his lips-a subconscious action that stole all of my attention. "Thank you for coming," he said.
Clutching my keys, I opened the screen and unlocked the door. When I turned to face Marco again, there was this look I couldn't place. He was thinking long and hard about something and the intensity of the expression made my heart race. What was going through his head?
"Well … goodnight," I stated breathily.
"Night," he said back as his heavy stare cut through me.
One foot touched the wood inside my house and I was sure I'd imagined the energy shifting between us, but then my hand was taken and those doubts were slowly erased.
My gaze fell on him again when I looked back and held my breath, waiting for him to speak.
"Can I get a hug?" he asked, posing the question innocently, but it was hard to interpret anything concerning him as innocent.
My eyes widened at the request he made, but not because I was offended or put off by it, but because I was surprised he wanted that, surprised I wanted that … but I did. Things were changing rapidly. Into what, I wasn't sure. But they were.
If someone had asked me months ago how I saw this all playing out, this would not have been it. There had been so much animosity between the two of us in the beginning; resentment, distrust. But now those things had been destroyed by the understanding and mutual respect we had for one another. I no longer viewed Marco as some deadbeat who would shirk his parental responsibilities the first chance he got. Initially, yes, that was my impression of him, but lately? He'd been there every step of the way.
I finally nodded my head, but said nothing-a silent response to his question. With permission, Marco drew me back in his direction by my hand and I stood in front of him. Air rushed over my lip as I breathed hard. A hug wasn't a big deal when it was shared between most people, but for Marco and I, it was a huge step. A huge step that made me question the deeper meaning behind it.
My mind went blank again when the firmness of his chest pressed against the softness of mine. I was shamelessly aware of how sexy he was. Yes, physically, but even his touch, the way he held me, his presence. My arms instinctively went around his neck and I breathed him in deep, the traces of cologne left behind after the long day. He didn't squeeze hard because he was ever-mindful of my condition, but the feel of his arms around me … he had me swooning.
After a few seconds, I leaned away, but didn't leave his embrace. The change in temperature when the night air touched my face where Marco's skin had just warmed it made me even more aware of him, of how he affected me. My eyes naturally wandered to find his, but, as fate would have it, I turned just as he craned his neck to place a kiss on my cheek in parting. The end result was his lips catching the corner of my mouth. The unexpected contact made him ease back and we both froze, staring one another down.
I gazed up, shocked, dazed. Our arms were still around one another and I couldn't make mine loosen no matter how hard I tried. It was like I was stuck; like the accidental kiss made my limbs malfunction.
Marco's hands moved down my body, gravitating toward my lower back where he gently drew me in closer. That safety I feel when he's around shrouded my entire body and I felt untouchable. Without being able to stop what was happening, or maybe not wanting to stop what was happening, my eyes slowly drifted closed and I felt myself leaning into him. I gave in as the heat of his breath cascaded over my mouth. Soft lips hesitantly brushed mine again and my spine arched at the feel of the almost-kiss. His teasing was unintentional, but it fed this hunger inside of me that seemed to show up out of nowhere.
Short, velvety strands passed through my fingers as I ran them up the back of Marco's head. At the feel of me silently inviting him to take what he wanted, he tilted his head and kissed me again-this time on purpose. The sensation of my lips being sucked and lightly nipped at by his teeth could be felt all the way down in my toes. I parted my mouth and he gave me his tongue, gently gliding it over my own in sensual rhythm, making me ache in unmentionable places.
A suppressed memory from the night we met seeped into my subconscious when the kiss unlocked it. As if we were still sealed inside that cramped bathroom stall, I could feel the warm flesh of Marco's exposed hips grinding between my legs, pulsating rapidly as he penetrated deep.