Island Affair (Keys to Love #1)(101)

“Our spot?”

He straightened, filling the doorway with his broad shoulders. “Yeah. One of many on the island, actually. It’s like you’ve left your mark. Everywhere I look, everywhere I go, I see you.”

“Interesting.” Exhilarating, actually, but she couldn’t let herself get excited. She’d spent the last part of her family’s vacation crying her eyes out because of his inability to be honest with her. Now wariness ruled. “My mark, huh? Kinda makes me sound like a dog peeing my way around Old Town.”

He laughed, the worried shadow blanketing his handsome face shifting a little.

She smiled at him, loving the tiny laugh lines that fanned out from his eyes. The curves that bracketed his mouth. Signs of happiness.

Softly, he tucked her hair behind her ear, caressed her jawline, then reached for her hand, holding it gently between both of his.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said, his expression filled with regret. “You were right: I was scared. It was easier to blame Enrique for everything when I didn’t get to blame the one person who deserved most of it. Mirna. And myself. I felt foolish for not recognizing her duplicity. For mistaking my desire to help her for love. And again, I made Enrique take the brunt of that. But you . . .”

He raised their joined hands to press a kiss to hers. “Your bravery showed me that I could put myself out there. Admit my mistakes to Enrique. Start making amends with him. And most important, admit my feelings for you.”

Luis peered at her intently as he kissed her knuckles again. Love . . . god, she hoped that was love . . . blazed in his dark eyes.

Sara bit her lip, afraid to move, afraid to breathe. Afraid if she blinked, she’d wake up and find this was all a dream.

“I love you, Sara Vance. My life was dull and lonely and stuck in a rut until you walked into it. All sunshine and smiles and strength and vulnerability and everything good. The other day you said you wanted to be with me, for more than a week. I hope my hardheadedness hasn’t scared you away. Because I’m here now. I’m all in. If you can forgive—”

Sara cupped his strong jaw with her palms and kissed him. For a second, Luis didn’t move; then his arms encircled her, tugging her tightly against his chest. She slid to the edge of the seat and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He groaned and deepened their kiss, his mouth insistent and sweet. Heat filled her as their tongues danced, mated. She moaned with pleasure and his mouth moved to trail little nips at her jaw, her neck, the secret spot behind her ear.

“Please tell me this means yes,” he whispered, sucking her sensitive earlobe into his warm mouth.

“You had me at ‘I love you,’” she answered, her soul singing with elation. “And in case it wasn’t clear, I love you, too.”

Luis drew back, his intense gaze meeting hers. His big hands slid from her upper arms to the side of her neck, his thumbs softly caressing her collarbone.

“Total honesty here. I don’t want a pretend seven-day island affair. I want it all, with you.” He ducked down to press a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Only you.”

Sara laid a hand over his heart. “Only you.”

Luis flashed that sexy half smirk that never failed to make her giddy with awareness. Sara grinned back as she gathered his shirt in her fist and pulled him toward her.

He covered her mouth with his, their kiss hot, intense, breathtakingly beautiful. Just like the Key West sunset that colored the skies above this magical island that had brought them together, this week and for always.





Acknowledgments

I’ve always wanted to bring readers along for a visit to Key West, my adolescent home. The idea for the Navarros—a hardworking, faithful familia devoted to each other despite disagreements, dedicated to their jobs, and the island they call home—has been flitting through my imagination, Luis and Anamaría and Enrique’s voices whispering in my ear for several years. But I couldn’t have brought them all to life without the help and support of some incredible people.

First, to the Seller boys . . . well, men now, dear friends since high school . . . Eric, Keith, Mark, and John, my sincerest thanks for sharing your stories and answering my never-ending questions about life as a firefighter in the Keys. And special thanks to the firefighters at Monroe County Stations 7 & 8 who let me hang out for a day, put on some gear and work out, and tag along on a few calls . . . you’re all heroes in my eyes. Any errors here or in the Navarro familia books to follow are all mine.

To the authors who talk me off the ledge when the words don’t feel right and the pressure is on . . . my Fiction from the Heart sisters, my 4 Chicas Chat hermanas, and the ladies of the #Thermostat crew . . . this author life we love isn’t always easy, but it’s worthwhile in large part because of your friendship.

To the small but growing number of #LatinxRom authors . . . our stories, those of our gente, deserve to be shared and cherished, so we keep writing and calling for more! ?Mil gracias por su apoyo y amistad!

To Martin, Esi, and Norma, first-class editors and key members of my Kensington familia . . . my thanks for believing in me.

To Rebecca, my ah-mazing agent, thank you for taking this wild ride with me and for giving such fabulous pep talks.

I am nothing without mi familia . . . Mami, Papi, Jackie and JD, your faith and love are true blessings. And my girls . . . Alexa, Gabby, and Belle, all I do is with the hopes of making you as proud of me as I am of you. You’re my true inspiration!