Sarita caught up with Reynaldo in the hallway and tugged on the back of his jacket. She felt ridiculous asserting herself in an elf outfit, but she was not going to let a little polyester deter her. “What is your problem?”
He spun around, his eyes bulging. “Problem? What are you talking about?”
She wanted to strangle him. Yes, he had a lot of responsibilities. Yes, he was feeling the pressure of trying to build a successful business. But that didn’t give him an excuse for treating her as if she were his lackey. “Yes, problem. Because unless you’re absolutely clueless, you’d see that Carlos and I saved your ass today, and we deserve more than that halfhearted thank you. Also, you didn’t even tell me where you stood on my taking over Lisa’s position.”
He blanched. “Yeah, about that... I’m thinking that’s not a good idea. It wouldn’t look good. Among the employees. Reeks of nepotism.”
Absolutely not. She wasn’t going to allow him to play that card. “If you weren’t trying to grow a business based on your ancestry, one that could easily be a family business, you’d have a point. But that’s not what we’re talking about, right?”
He motioned for her to follow her into a conference room, then shut the door. “Look, this isn’t the ideal place to discuss this—”
“We’re discussing my role at the company. Where else would we have that discussion? Mars?”
“I’m just saying we can talk about it over dinner or something. Maybe next week.”
“No. We’re talking about this now. I’m not going to let you give me the runaround anymore.”
“Shit,” Naldo said, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t have time for your histrionics.”
Sarita wanted to throw him in a headlock and pummel him. She chose to issue an ultimatum instead. “Here’s the deal. Either you promote me to the position of communications director, on a trial basis if need be, or I sashay my histrionics-having ass out of this office for good. It’s up to you.”
“You’d quit?” he said, his brow knitted in confusion. “How could you?”
“Naldo,” she pleaded. “You’re one of the most important people in my life. I know how much you did for me. And I will never be able to repay you. But what I’m starting to realize is that I shouldn’t have to. If you raised me out of love, then that should be enough for you.”
“Is that how you feel? That I want you to repay me?”
“You’ve never used those words, but your actions certainly suggest that I’m indebted to you.”
“I’m not perfect, you know.”
“That’s entirely beside the point. You can be imperfect and not treat me like crap. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“That was never my intent,” he said, staring at the floor. “I thought I was protecting you. From the strain that comes along with running this company. From the stress of making Sabor Foods a success. It’s a lot, Sari. And I suppose I didn’t want you to have to deal with it too. You’ve had enough ugliness in your life.”
She walked over to him and bumped his arm. “You’ve experienced the same loss, and you’re my irmão. We do this together or not at all.”
Eventually, he raised his gaze to hers. “You’d really quit?”
She wasn’t going to mince words here. “I would.”
He remained silent for a long moment, then blew out a weary breath. “Okay, the position’s yours.” He raised an index finger. “But on a trial basis only. We’ll revisit in six months.”
“Fine,” she said. “Oh, and I’m not helping you with the caterer. I have plans for tonight. With Carlos. And I’m not canceling them.”
Naldo’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s like that?”
“It is,” she said, giving him a no-nonsense expression.
He studied her for a few beats, then threw up a hand. “Whatever.”
They left the conference room and strode in opposite directions.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” he called over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” she called back.
That felt good. Really good. She and her brother wouldn’t always see eye to eye, but she wasn’t going to let him hold her back in life anymore.
Now she needed to get her man. But first, she wanted to update her out-of-office email message to reflect her new title.
After changing into his regular clothes, Carlos turned off the kitchen lights and headed in the direction of Sarita’s office. He wanted to say goodbye before the long weekend and present her with the gift he’d been too chickenshit to give her earlier. Maybe she wouldn’t use them tonight, but he still wanted her to know he’d been thinking about her.
He took a deep breath and knocked on her closed door.
“Come in,” she said on the other side.
“Hey,” he said, peeking in. “Do you have a minute?”
She clicked on her mouse, then closed a tab on her computer. “Sure. Come in.”
He took a seat in a guest chair and set the wrapped gift on her desk. “That’s for you.”
“For me?” she said, pressing a hand to her chest. “How sweet.” She tore through the wrapping like a kid on Christmas Day.
“You mentioned that you would be doing arroz con dulce before your brother...” He shook his head. “Anyway, I know your plans changed, but I remember you complaining a couple of weeks ago about not having bowls to serve pudding, so I got you those.”
She lifted the box and inspected it. “Footed dessert cups. From Williams Sonoma. Ooh, fancy. They’re perfect.”
“It’s nothing, really,” he said, waving away her praise.
“No, it’s something, all right,” she countered. “It shows you were listening. And it shows you care. So thank you. Now accept my gratitude like a grown-up.”
He laughed. “Yeah, okay. You’re welcome.”
She reached behind her and brought her purse to her lap. Grinning, she pulled out an envelope. “And these are for you.”
He took the envelope, trying to ignore the way his hands were shaking, and opened it cautiously. “Knicks tickets? Against Minnesota, no less? Holy shit.” Carlos had told her once that he’d never attended a Knicks game at MSG. Apparently, she’d been listening too.
When he looked up, Sarita was staring at him expectantly, no doubt hoping she’d selected the perfect gift for him. Little did she know the perfect gift was her friendship. And try as he might, he couldn’t deny his feelings for this woman any longer. If she could accept his grouchy personality, he damn well could overlook that Reynaldo would always be a presence in their lives. He’d do it for her. Always for her. “You’re joining me, right? We can make a date of it.”
She blinked, then shook out her hands, her eyes bouncing around the room. “Is that what you want? To make it a date?”
“I want whatever you want.”
She exhaled slowly. “Then I want you to kiss me.”
Heat radiated through his chest, and his brain short-circuited for a moment. Now this was the best gift of all. “God, I want that too.” He stood up and pulled Sarita forward by her furry collar, nearly toppling the guest chair in the rush to get to her. “I’ve been holding on to these feeling for years, Sarita. Years. Do you understand?”
“I do. Because I’ve been holding on to them too.”
When their mouths met, they both groaned their appreciation. Just as he’d always imagined, her lips tasted like cherries and felt like silk and cream and all things soft and delicate. Her hands roamed over him, settling on his ass and drawing him flush against her. Warning bells sounded in his head. This was too much. Too soon. He should retreat now.
“Don’t,” she breathed against his lips as he began to pull away. “You can’t leave me like this. Please. I need more.”
He couldn’t deny her, not when she was begging for the very thing he’d pictured in his fantasies. “May I lock the door, then?”
Her eyes grew cloudy. “Yes.”
Once he’d closed them off from the rest of the world, he rounded her desk and swept her up in his arms to continue the kiss. And before long, he lifted her onto the surface.
“There’s only so much we can do here,” he noted.
“I know.”
“But I’d like to make you come. Would that be all right?”
She squirmed, her hands massaging her breasts. “God, yes. I was hoping you’d say that.”
He bunched up her skirt and tugged on her panties; she lifted her ass to allow him to remove them completely. Stunned by the enormity of his feelings for her, he staggered back onto her chair and drew her legs to straddle his shoulders. “I bet if I put my fingers here, you’d swallow them whole. You’re so fucking ready. It’s a shame we have to wait.”
“For a man of a few words, you sure do talk a lot during sex.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’d like you to use that mouth for other things.”
“Succinct and pragmatic. I knew there were a bunch of reasons why I fucking like you. Actually, more than like you.”
He’d get into the specifics later. Tell her he wanted to be her boyfriend, her lover, and whatever else she desired. Explain that he would be more patient with her brother for her sake. Because he didn’t want anyone but her. And he hoped she felt the same way about him.
“Baby, I’m dying here,” she said. “I never imagined you’d be all talk and no action.”
“I can’t wait for you to revel in how wrong you are about that.” Then he grazed her labia and massaged her opening. Slowly. Delicately. As far as he was concerned, he had all the time in the world to get this right.
“How’s that so far?” he asked.
“Good. Can you feel how wet I am?”
“Yeah, it’s wet and warm down here. Can’t wait to press my lips here.”
“My clit, baby,” she said, falling back on her elbows. “Touch it, please.”
He obliged her, settling two fingers against her nub and drawing tight circles there.
“Yes,” she said. “Just like that.”
He watched in awe as she undulated on the desk. She was so responsive. So uninhibited. He ached to fuck her senseless. Ached to be fucked senseless by her. Another time, he reminded himself. As it was, they were risking discovery simply by doing this. But he wouldn’t leave her hanging. He wanted to know that when he left here, she’d be glowing from the orgasm he’d given her.
“What about my mouth? You want that too?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” she said. “Please, please, please.”
He lowered his head between her legs and pressed his lips against her pussy, taking one long lick to taste her sweetness. Fuck. She was writhing now. So he licked her like a man possessed. Over and over and over. Until his tongue was sore. Until his cock grew painfully hard and strained against the fly of his jeans. But he wouldn’t stop. Not until she trembled in pleasure.
Sarita grabbed onto his hair and yanked him against her mound. “That’s it, yes.”
He fucking loved it. Her abandon pushed him to level up his game. He ate her pussy as if it were his only job in life.
“Carlos, I’m going to come soon,” she forced out through clenched teeth.
He stood up and kicked the chair away, needing space to drive her over the edge. Then he slipped a finger inside her and nibbled on her clit. Within seconds, she spasmed under his lips, her legs locking around his back as she chased his face.
Damn. If this was round one, he wasn’t sure he would survive round two.
He stroked her belly and thighs as she came down from her high. After a few beats, he helped her sit up and kissed her forehead.
“I’m speechless,” she said.
“What a refreshing change.”
She jabbed him in the stomach. “Careful.” Then she jumped up and slipped her underwear back on. “Listen, I don’t mean to get eaten and run, but I need to go.”
“Yeah, I know. Your brother’s waiting.”
“No, he isn’t,” she said as she tucked herself back into the ridiculous elf skirt. “I told him I wouldn’t be helping him this evening. I just came here to change my out-of-office email message to reflect my new position as communications director.”
“You got the promotion,” he said, his heart pounding.
“I did. After putting my foot down. So I was wondering if you’d still like to go to the Nochebuena celebration tonight.”
His smile faded. “I’m not a people person. You’re going to have to be patient with me.”
“Good thing I’m like two people persons in one.”
He chuckled. Damn, he was into this woman. A whole hell of a lot. “I’m all yours, then.”
“Excellent. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can go to the party and leave. I’m thinking we’re going to need a round two. At my place or yours.”
He held her coat open as she slipped into it. “Great minds, Sarita. Great minds.”
For the first time in a long while, he was looking forward to going to a party. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He was actually looking forward to the after-party. “Hey, let’s stop by the kitchen before we head out.”
“Why?”
“I need to grab my costume. I’m thinking about putting it on now so we can get to the true festivities faster.” He winked at her. “Can’t have a Santa’s eager little helper without a Santa, right?”
Sarita pulled him into her arms. “Great minds, Carlos. Great minds.”