Calah
When the food is done Mateo takes the dishes inside and I take a moment to finish the glass of wine Mateo poured me with dinner. He makes me so nervous but I really want to let go, hopefully the wine will help. When he comes back outside he scoops me up in his arms and starts to carry me down the beach.
“Mateo, I can walk,” I protest.
“And I can carry you, I’m sweeping you off your feet. Plus, you’ll say it’s cold so I’ve got to dunk you.”
“What!? No!”
“It’s not really that cold, I’ll keep you warm,” he chuckles as he starts to wade into the water and the surface is just getting closer to my body.
My toes touch the frigid water first, “Oh Mateo, it’s so cold.”
I wrap my arms around his neck in an effort to climb up his body but he just takes this opportunity to cradle me against his chest and wrap my legs around him.
He presses his lips to mine and holds me tighter, the kiss deepens as he sinks into the water. The warmth spreading through my body from Mateo’s kiss is a delicious contrast to the cold water that is starting to envelop my body. Mateo didn’t lie, he’ll keep me warm, every part of my body that he’s touching is covered in a blanket of heat.
“Mateo, this feels like a dream.”
“It’s not,” he captures my lips again, but now his kiss is demanding, almost like he’s trying to prove he is real.
“Calah…” his voice is hoarse with desire, “Do you feel this between us? This connection?”
“Yes,” I gasp.
He kisses me deeply while he pushes his hand through my hair, “The intensity, dios mio…” A sound like a growl comes from his chest before he pulls my hair enough to make me bare my throat, then he plants his lips on the sensitive skin of my neck.
His hands slide down my body and he squeezes my hips possessively.
“Oh Mateo, I want you, I need you.”
“Corazon, are you certain?”
“Please, I want you to have your way with me.”
“Calah, I do not take this lightly… I will make you mine but I want to keep you.”
“Yes Mateo, make me yours.”
He takes all of my weight and walks up the beach, by now the sun has set, and the stars are twinkling in the sky. He walks me back to where the bonfire was then over to a small shower area. When the water is warm he pulls me close and lets the clean water run over both of our bodies while a bucket fills near our feet. When he’s satisfied he picks up the bucket and dumps it over the spent fire for good measure.
As soon as we step inside I wrap my arms around myself, the harsh chill of the conditioned air makes me shiver, but Mateo is back right away with a towel that he wraps around me.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, come sit with me.”
He seems to have cooled down his mood but he’s smiling so I’m not sure what’s happening. He walks toward an electric fireplace and sits on a plush rug on the ground and extends a hand to me. Once I settle next to him, he turns the fireplace on and a nice burst of warm air blows out toward us and I instantly relax.
Mateo’s expression twists into one of apprehension, “Calah, I’m not sure if I can do this how you say fling.”
“What?” I spout, he took me completely off guard.
“When I kiss you I feel you pushing into my heart, I am sure I will only grow more attached if we continue.”
“I don’t want a fling either Mateo, now you understand - high risk of heart break.”
“I won’t let your heart break but you have to let me in.”
“I will try; I’m not very good at opening up or talking about personal things.”
“That is okay, I only ask you to stop putting up walls for me. I want to know about your business proposal and your family. I will give you all of me too.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Why are you so worried about the deal?”
“My parents are tough on me, very tough on me. I had a very sheltered childhood and I had to sort of fight my parents for the chance to come here. So far it’s the experience of a lifetime but if I don’t get the contract then…”
“You will get it,” he insists.
"And now if I do, I will always have to wonder why. Is it because of this, because of you? What if this isn’t as real as it feels?"
"You all but had the deal before you came here Calah, my parents have been in talks with yours for quite some time. You’re professional and smart, they want the shops, the way you source products could do so much good for our community," he explains.
"Really?"
"Yes, we do our homework. Clearly I didn’t do my homework well enough this time because I had no idea that a beautiful angel was coming from America to close the deal, but that surprise was fun too," he winks.
I already feel so much more at ease, at first I was annoyed that Mateo was pushing so hard for more information but talking this through with him has made me feel a lot better.
"Even if we close it I will have to remain here for a while to take in the culture and find vendors."
"And I will help you with that."
"So who knows when I have to go home? I mean I guess I have ninety days technically."
"You want to plan and I understand, but there are some things we cannot plan, we can never know if this is real unless we give it a chance."
"Let’s give it one then," I say, then bite my lip.
I don't know what it is about this man but I just feel so comfortable and understood by him. He's under my skin. Suddenly he is staring at me like a lion would a rabbit he intends to pounce on mere seconds from now.
If he were a hungry lion I would already be dead because before I know what’s happening there he is lifting me off my feet again. His chest is heaving in time with his rapid breath as he sets me on my feet in the bedroom. He grabs my arms tightly and flings me onto the bed as if I weigh nothing. His bed smells like him; his masculine scent dripping with honey. When I finally put together what’s happened I look up and my gaze darts to him standing at the foot of the bed. It seems like I might finally get what I've been asking for but now the question is, am I ready for it?
