Chapter Seventy One
“Really? What reason would there be for you having a bullet hole in your shoulder, or Michael having nightmares every single night, or Izzy stiffening at the sound of loud noises or me adding a bummed shoulder and a few more ribs to my file of broken body parts. What exactly is the universe trying to tell us Dave?”
Dave sighed. He was giving up on that venture. Maria was determined to carry another load on her shoulders.
“Is Michael talking about his nightmares? The doctor said it would do him some good if he does.” he lifted the tray with his good hand and placed it on the bedside table.
Maria chuckled, “I still can’t believe Michael is seeing a shrink. It just seems like a rich kids’ thing. I bet now he’ll fit into his rich kids’ school much better.”
Dave pinched her and she whined, “Will you stop hitting on the snooty kids, they were once my people.”
She laughed, “I’m sorry I’ll only hit on them once a month from now on. Yes he talks about it, it’s the same thing, like someone taped what happened and is forcing him to watch it every night. But they’ve been less these past few days and he’s sleeping a lot more.”
“You aren’t sleeping too well. How are your nightmares?” he twisted her hair with his fingers and pulled the locks over her shoulder.
“I keep expecting Ricky to jump out of the bushes and yell surprise or wake me up in bed with a butcher knife on my throat.” she cradled his arm around her tighter.
“He’s dead, you identified his body in the mortuary yourself.” he kissed the top of her head. He understood her fear, the man had already been dead twice, and he came back, “He’s dead and he’s never coming back.”
“Maybe his ghost will this time.” she exhaled, changing the subject, “Anyway, I can handle the nightmares, I’m used to it, I don’t need a shrink to…” she stopped when he pinched her, “Ow, what was that for, I didn’t say anything!”
“You were about to. And anyway, you are rich now so having a shrink will make you fit better in my snotty society.”
“Oh well, after everything that’s happened I think I can handle your snotty friends, and of course your dad, without.” she turned to face him, “having to marry you.”
Dave smiled, amused by her insistence, “We’ll see. Speaking of marriage, how are your parents doing in Mexico or is it Cuba?”
Maria settled back against him, “Mexico. I don’t want to know what papa is up to, plausible deniability, and I worry about mama, I’m scared she might get into the crossfire or something because of his business.”
“She isn’t going to leave him, you know that.”
“I do, she’s been waiting for him for over twenty- three years, how could I possibly ask her to leave him just because she might get shot, because of him.”
“She’s in love Maria.”
“I thought I was in love, and it got me beat up, two kids kidnapped and a boyfriend shot.” she shook her head, trying to clear it of constant memories that insisted on haunting her, “Forgive me if that word doesn’t hold a lot of weight for me.”
Dave raised her chin so that he could look into her green eyes, “So you don’t love me?”
She fully turned to face him, “I do.” she smiled then planted a kiss on his lips, “I got you shot so the least I can do is love you.” she kissed him again, longer this time, “Not fall in love with you, but grow in love with you.”
Dave drug his hand in her hair, he loved her jet black hair, “Grow in love, is that the new thing young people do these days?” he gently pushed her head closer and locked her lips in a deeper kiss.
He hated that they were both hurt, he hated it more that the recent incident had taken him back to zero with her. There was no way she would be willing for anything more than kissing and the fire for her was scorching his insides.
She pulled away and looked at him, a fire simmering slowly inside her, “You aren’t old.” she looked at his lips and she felt the urge to kiss him, to do a lot more than just kiss him, “If you slide down I’ll show what else girls my age like to do.” she said so seductively that she surprised herself.
Dave looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He wasn’t sure if he heard right or if he understood what she meant, and if he did he was surprised she was initiating it, “Are you sure?”
She nodded, biting delicately down on her lower lip in half a smile, “Unless you are in too much pain… because I know you want to, you’ve been wanting to for a very long time.”
“How do you know that?” he smiled sliding down under her.
She shrugged her shirt off and left the tank top on, “I was screwed up, but I’m not blind.” she laid on him as she kissed him, careful not to hurt his shoulder, “Does it hurt?” she asked, tracing the huge bandage under his vest. “Not as much, but I’m sure if you keep kissing me I’ll go numb.” he spoke, as he traced her neck with his lips.
Maria giggled, his lips on her neck tickled her, “I hope only your shoulder goes numb.” she felt her throat tighten when he nibbled on her chin and traced his fingers lightly along her back. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt like she was going to explode, usually she felt like she wasn’t wearing enough clothes, but at that moment the little she had on felt too much like a barrier.
Dave rolled over until he was on top of her, “How about we talk after, before…”
Dave was cut off when the kids came in running and jumped on the bed laughing. He rolled off Maria and watched them, wishing he had locked the door or called for a babysitter to take them out for a few hours or for the whole day.
Maria sat up laughing, “Before they come in.” she finished his sentence pulling Izzy on to her lap.
Michael settled down between them, “So what were you guys doing?”
“Yeah, what were you doing?” Izzy echoed.
Maria was grateful her son wasn’t so clever in some areas. Explaining the birds and the bees to a six year old wasn’t anything she was looking forward to, she was so much more relieved that Dave was in their life now, when Michael was older he would have a man to have that uncomfortable embarrassing conversation with.
“They were wrestling.” Carol said as she walked in.
“Wrestling? Who was winning?” Michael asked, looking up at Dave.
“Oh, they both were, but I think Dave was enjoying it more.” Todd said as he walked in with a file in his hand.
“Why?”
Dave tossed Michael up then brought him down on his lap. He laughed when Maria got a pained look on her face then gently touched his wounded shoulder. He smiled, loving the fact her concern was very visible on her face. She really cared about him, there was no doubt about that, “Michael don’t pay any attention to Todd.”
“Call me in another five years kiddo and we’ll talk about it.” Todd winked at him with a sheepish smile on his face.
“Carol I don’t mind having you here, but Todd what exactly are you doing in our bedroom?” Maria asked bluntly.
“Wow, Maria you are mean when you are horny.” Todd spoke, passing the file to Dave. Maria’s eyes popped out before she covered her face with her hands.
“What’s horny?” Michael asked. Maria looked at him before she put her face back in her hands and groaned.
Dave laughed, signing the papers, “We’ll talk about that later.” he handed Maria the papers, “Sign this before I throw Todd out.”
“How much later?” Michael’s question made Maria laugh. She was so glad Dave was around to take that bullet.
“When are you guys getting married?” Carol cut in trying to change the subject, but it only stole the laugh out of Maria’s lips as she raised the topic Maria was trying hard to avoid.
“Yeah mama when?” Michael beamed up a hopeful smile at her.
“Yeah mama when?” Izzy echoed, busy tangling Maria’s long hair in her fingers.
“Thanks Carol, now Dave has two more supporters to nag me about it.” she took the pen from Dave’s hand, “I’m not ready for marriage.”