Page 3 of Indulging Temptation (Tempting the Heart #1)
Since our mom was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, she’s been in and out of the hospital more times than we can keep track of. I realize being back home won’t make that magically stop, but I’ll be closer and be able to be here for her, and that’s all that matters.
Tomás walks around the island, pulling out a barstool next to me.
As soon as he sits, he places his hand on my shoulder, bringing me in for a side hug.
Neither of us has to say anything because we both feel it.
The weight of the loss we experienced when our father passed away unexpectedly.
The fear we felt when our mom had a health scare a couple years ago, before she received her diagnosis.
All of it still very much present in our hearts and minds, lingering within us no matter how much time has passed.
Releasing a loud, loaded sigh, Tomás breaks the silence. “She’s been doing good, I promise. I go out there most Sundays to spend time with her. Plus, she has Tino’s aunt and uncle that don’t live too far away. They check in with her often.”
My stomach twists even at the briefest mention of Tino, and I hate it.
“Oh, yeah, in Sleepy Hollow, which isn’t far. Under an hour, like Scarsdale from the city,” I say, trying to argue my whole city vs. Westchester point…and to get off the topic of Tino.
Tomás clicks his tongue, wagging his finger. “Nice try, but anywhere outside of the city is too far. Need I remind you about traffic? It’s New York. There’s…”
“Always traffic.” I finish his sentence for him. “You sound like Sarina.”
“I don’t know who she is, since you never introduce me to your friends, but whoever she is, I like her already because she’s right to give you a hard time on this.
The city is where all the work is. It’s what we’re used to.
You can come with me on Sundays to visit her.
Besides, I already prepared the guest bedroom for you,” he says, flattening both palms onto the countertop as he puffs up his chest, as if that’s final.
That or he’s bracing himself for me to argue with him.
“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?”
“Nope.” Tomás has a grin on his face in the hopes that it’ll wear me down…and sadly, it’s working. And as I look around his swanky penthouse, there could be worse ways to spend my temporary unemployment.
I roll my eyes. “I’m so glad I have a say in this.”
Tomás shrugs. “Hey, I mean, what’s family for if not to be overbearing with their love for you?”
I want to be mad at him. I really do. But he’s right, I’m much closer to our mom now than when I was living in Miami.
And I have missed the city. The busyness of it, the lights, the constant noise to distract me from the internal noises I try to block out daily.
Plus, I’ll be close to Sarina. Her apartment is only a few blocks from Tomás’.
“Fine.”
Tomás pumps his arm in victory. “I’d prefer some enthusiasm, but I’ll take what I can get.”
“Yes, you will. But” — I lift my finger — “this is a temporary yes.”
“A yes is still a yes. I’m happy to have you back home.”
“Me too.”
“And lucky you, I’m all caught up with work, so we can go out and celebrate with drinks at Dante’s place.”
“Dante’s?”
Dante is Tino’s younger brother, who is the same age as I am. Almost twenty-nine, not thirty, like Tomás tried prematurely aging me to. He and Tino are in the thirties club, though Tino has him beat by two years at thirty-two.
“Yep. He’s back home, too. Officially retired from the military and decided to follow his dream of opening a Latin fusion bar in SoHo. Hummingbirds. You’ll love it.”
“Sounds good, I could use a drink.” Or five . “Let me get changed first, though. I smell like I’ve been traveling all day.”
Tomás laughs. “Fine. Just be ready in a few, I already called an Uber.”
Getting up from the island, I head to the opposite side of the penthouse, from the staircase off the kitchen that leads to Tomás’ bedroom suite.
Just past the open living room area, that has floor-to-ceiling windows that stretch the full two stories, is a short hallway with the guest bathroom first on the right, and just past that are two bedrooms on either side of the hallway, directly across from each other.
My hand barely lifts to twist the doorknob on the right when Tomás stops me, shouting from the second floor overlooking the entire penthouse.
“The door on the left is your room.”
I turn to look at him, confused, since I know for a fact the guest bedroom is on the right. “But that’s your office, is it not?”
“ Was ,” he corrects me.
“Okay,” I drag, not quite sure I’m understanding. “So, if your office isn’t in this room, what is then?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. You know how messy Tino can be.”
My stomach drops to my fucking ass as my heart stalls. This can’t be happening.
“Why would Tino’s mess be here…in your place?” I sound angry, and I am, but on the inside, I feel like my stomach is flipping and getting itself tied into a knot.
“I didn’t tell you?”
“No.” I cut him off with a scowl. “No, you did not tell me that Tino is living here.”
“Yeah, for now, until his place in Sleepy Hollow is done being renovated. What’s the big deal? It’s not like you’re sharing a room.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he’d fucking love if that were the case,” I mutter under my breath, sarcastically. The rejection from Miami now at the forefront of my mind yet once again.
I can only imagine what my face looks like right now. Suddenly, the thought of living in the city feels like an awful idea. Let alone in the same penthouse, across the damn hall from Tino.
“He’ll be happy to see you,” Tomás says with such sincere and unknowing optimism that it’s as adorable as it is sad, because he truly believes that. “Now, hurry up and get ready, the Uber will be here in five minutes. I told Tino to meet us there.”
Great.
I have five minutes before I hop into an Uber, head to the bar, and have to see him.
Which means I only have five minutes to slip on the sexiest outfit I can find in my suitcase.
Fair is fair.
He tortured me — unknowingly — with those sweatpants when I had to see him on TV. Now it’s my turn to torture him by reminding him I’m the best thing he almost had, but no thanks to him, never will.