Love in Country (De La Fuente Family #4)(43)

I undulate over him and gasp, panting for breath with the want and need being so close to the surface for this man…unfortunately my brain starts working again and I pull my lips away. Breathing deeply, our foreheads rest together as our eyes stay connected, and everything Diego is feeling is clear for me to see—lust, want, need…and something more that I don’t want to think about because I can’t think about it.

“There’s a connection between us,” Diego states, and reaches up to brush my hair back from my face. “It’s there, Rae, whether you want it there or not.”

“You don’t seem bothered by it.” I make no move to climb from him. I’m not even sure that my legs will hold me up if I tried.

“I’m not bothered and I want to see where this between us goes. I’ve never had a woman on the mind as much as I’ve had you. God Rae, I want to give it a chance.” Diego tugs me to him and wraps his arms around my back. “Please, Rae. I’ve never been involved in a relationship before, but I want to try with you.”

I close my eyes from the need I hear in his voice. The thought of being with Diego makes my heart sing, but I know that his family would make it difficult for him, and us, as a couple.

My silence speaks for itself because slowly Diego lets me go and lies back against the pillow. “You need to leave.”

Tears hover on my lashes at the harsh words out of Diego’s mouth. I can see that he’s hurting as much as I am. “Dammit, Diego,” I hiss, and wiggle from the bed. “Do you think walking away from you is that easy, because it isn’t.” I pull my boots back on and glare at him. “I feel the connection, and I want you. I want to be with you.” I catch my breath as a cry escapes my lips. “This isn’t easy for me, Diego…My daughter is five years younger than you.”

Grabbing some tissue, I wipe at my tears. “Your mom and family hate me because of this.” I wave my arm back and forth between us. “You’ve no idea how much I wish that I was younger or you were older so then we might have stood a chance.”

I grab my purse and dash to the door, but find I’m unable to leave without one last look at him. I rest my palm against the door and turn to glance over my shoulder and see the distress on his face, which probably matches my own. “Please take care of yourself, Diego. It would break my heart if something happened to you.”

As my face crumples, I shove out of his room and stumble into the wall beside his closed door. I slide down and bury my face in my drawn up knees while my heart shatters.