Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
I gave him a watery smile, that feeling of living in a surreal bubble surfacing again. “I have heard of it. In fact, I’ve helped a couple of the students I tutor in AP classes fill out applications.”
“Who are they? I’ll make sure they get extra consideration.”
I hesitated and tried to weigh my words carefully. “I don’t know if I should tell you, if it would be fair.”
“Are they good students?”
I thought of Javier, the son of an ex-prostitute dying of AIDS who worked two jobs part-time to help feed his family. And the sweet junior, Marci, with her sunny smile and kind heart, who lost her brother last year to a gang dispute. Each of them worked so hard to get where they were and stay out of trouble, sacrificed so much for a chance at something a lot of my friends take for granted, the opportunity to go to college. The Maria’s Hope scholarship was highly coveted, because not only did it cover school, it also covered living expenses both for the student and their family. They wouldn’t be living a baller lifestyle, but to a kid like Javier, not having to worry about paying rent would be a huge burden off his shoulders. And Marci could escape from the endless cycle of crime and violence that had swallowed her family whole.
Looking up at Ramón, I said without any hesitation, “They’re amazing students.”
“Then give me their names and let me help them.” His dark brown eyes warmed to liquid toffee flecked with green as he smiled, making me melt into a puddle of happy hormones. “Think of how happy they’ll be next time you see them, how much of a burden you’ll be taking off their shoulders. You’ll change their lives and help me get the money to where it will do the most good.”
After I gave him the info, a little sparkle of happiness filled me and I impulsively hugged him tight. “Thank you.”
“No, mami, thank you.” He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. “Thank you. It’s people like you who make a difference. You’re a very special woman.”
Flushing, I ducked my head, but continued to hold his hand. “No, I’m not.
“Yes, you are. You’re making the world a better place by sharing your time with those kids. Hannah said you do tutoring in Phoenix, right? In some of the worst school districts, you go and bring hope to those kids who have no one looking out for them at home. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find hope in places like that? How much a good you do just by giving a shit?”
I swear my heart skipped a beat, and I blinked back tears. “It’s nothing. People—”
“No, it’s not nothing. It’s everything.” His thumb brushed over my lips as he cupped my jaw and looked me right in the eyes. “It fucking kills me that you can’t see your own worth, but I see you, mi corazón, and I’ll make sure you know every day how special you are.”
Trying to rally some resistance, I protested, “We’re strangers, Ramón. Strangers. You may know about me from Hannah, but I don’t know anything about you other than the fact that you were a massive asshole when we first met.”
“I wasn’t at my best that day.” He leaned down to rub his chin against the side of my messy hair. “That’s why we’re going to spend some time together. So we can get to know each other. Please, Joy? Spend the day with me. I promise we’ll take care of everything that needs to be done, and I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
I snorted, but didn’t step out of his arms. They felt so good, so strong and safe. Touching him soothed me, and my sex clenched as I allowed myself to grope his various hard, thick muscles. Despite his bulk, he moved with an almost feline grace. I had to resist the urge to rub my cheek against him like a kitten claiming a lion as her property.
“A perfect gentleman?” I rolled my eyes then yelped when he smacked my ass. “Hey, now!”
“I admit, I’ve been a little…intense with you.” He ignored my snort and gently caressed the upper swell of my well-rounded butt. “But in my defense, I’ve been interested in meeting you for a while. The moment you walked away with my aunt, I realized what a dick I’d been. I wanted to run after you, but I was pretty sure my aunt would have shot me in the ass with buckshot.”
I giggled, remembering his cool and poised Aunt Doris. She’d been intimidating. She had the same powerful aura that her sister Judith possessed, but her strength was different. Quieter, if that made any sense. She didn’t freak out when I told her about Jacob’s screwing up, but I had no doubt by the time we were done talking that Jacob would be taken care of. Whatever she said to him must have worked, because he was doing great academically—even if he seemed to avoid me after our tutoring was done.