Beauty and the Baritone (6 page)

He took her mouth the in a kiss that was far from gentle. His hunger for her was living in that kiss. She melted into his arms.

It was so good to taste his mouth again. So good to be with him.

He took her face between his hands and pulled away, looking into her eyes. “You have changed, yes?”

“I have more confidence. You gave that to me, Mateo.”

“Have you room for a broken baritone in your new world?”

“Not a broken baritone, no.” His face shuttered, the warmth in his eyes chilling. “Oh Mateo, you aren’t broken. You have injuries but nothing more. But that’s something I’ll need to teach you, yes?”

He saw the humor in her eyes and the love. Her face was tilted to him and he understood that she offered him everything she had to give.

“Only a fool would say no, Carolina. And I am no longer willing to be the fool.”

He brought his mouth to hers and they shared a kiss that was warm with promise and spiced by a passion only they knew.

“Merry Christmas Carolina,” he whispered when her mouth left his.

She tucked herself under his arm. The roses were crushed and some broken but she didn’t notice. Everything she needed she now had and together they leaned on each other as they walked into the night and their future.

The End