Read How to Love for Free Online Page B

about?”
    Bella sighed again and swayed a little. “She thinks I’m jealous because she went out with Josh. And yeah, maybe I was. But I actually like Jules. We worry about her.”
    Carlos frowned. “Worry about her?”
    “Never mind.” She moved closer and her smile changed to a more sultry one. Now Carlos repressed a sigh. She was a neighbor and had been nice enough to throw this party to welcome him and Mike to San Amaro. She was apparently attracted to him, and sadly he was going to have to put an end to that before it got out of hand. He rose too.
    “Let’s go back to the house.”
    “No! Carlos…let’s stay here for a while. We can talk…” She lost her balance a little and he caught her arm. “Get to know each other better.”
    “You have guests here you should look after.” He led her back toward the house, helping her as she stumbled through the sand. “Do you have any coffee? Maybe you should have some.”
    “Coffee? I don’t need coffee!”
    “Okay. Maybe a soda or something then. Something to eat.”
    Up on the deck with lots of people around, he managed to get her talking to someone else. He looked around for Mike or Jules. Or both. Jules seemed to have disappeared. He didn’t see her friend Neve either, but there was Mike, sitting on a deck chair talking to a few people. He joined in the group conversation with them. When he had a chance, he leaned in to Mike and said in a low voice, “I think Jules may have left.”
    Mike frowned a little. “Yeah?”
    “Little drama. Tell you later.”
    “Okay.”
    Carlos didn’t really feel like staying much longer at the party, but since it was for him and Mike he felt obligated to stick around. So they did, meeting people, talking, laughing. He managed to avoid Bella for the rest of the evening, and it actually was good to meet people in town since they were going to be living there now.
    It was three in the morning before things began to wind down, and as they walked home, Carlos told Mike about Bella and how she’d approached Jules and claimed to be concerned about her. But neither of them could figure out why. They both paused in front of their house and eyed Jules’s little cottage. “Guess it’s too late to check on her, huh?” Mike said.
    “Yeah, I think so. Although I get the feeling she can look after herself.”
    “Yeah,” Mike said thoughtfully. “Me too. But then, for some reason, I also get the feeling it might be time someone took care of her.”
    Weird. He’d had the same thought.
    They walked around back and entered their house through the sliding doors from the patio. Carlos slanted a glance at Mike as they stood in the dark kitchen. “So. You like her.”
    Mike dipped his head a little. “Yeah.”
    “Hey. It’s okay.” He reached out and nudged Mike’s chin up. “I like her too. What do we do about that?”
    Mike regarded him thoughtfully, head tipped to one side, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He stepped closer and slid one hand around the back of Carlos’s neck, and Carlos felt the heat of his body through his T-shirt as Mike pulled him closer. Their eyes met and held in the dimness, the only light coming from the hall light they’d left on. Carlos edged closer so their hips bumped, and his groin tightened.
    “Flip a coin?” Mike murmured, lowering his head.
    “I know you’re joking,” Carlos said, tilting his head so Mike’s face rubbed against his cheek. “I’m serious, babe.”
    “I know.” Mike rubbed his nose alongside Carlos’s, his eyes closed, and inhaled deeply. “I know. I am too. She’s skittish.”
    “Yeah. All tough and sexy on the outside…”
    “I’m not really sure what’s inside.”
    “But you want to find out.”
    Mike turned his face and found Carlos’s mouth with his. They kissed, long and deep, their mouths opening for each other. Carlos pressed closer so their whole bodies aligned and slid his hand into Mike’s hair.
    “I do,” Mike admitted a long moment