Calah
Mateo stands up and brushes himself off before he rakes his hand through his hair taming it back into place, everything he does is erotic.
“Calah, you are quiet.”
“Oh, I’m just watching you work,” I fib, more like watching the way your body moves.
“Come, let me show you how to make my mother’s paella,” he reaches a hand toward me and walks me back inside the house to the kitchen.
After washing our hands he sets up a cutting board and starts to bring several ingredients to the counter.
“We will prepare the food inside and cook it on the beach with the fire, it’s not the traditional way to prepare paella, but this is what we did when I was young on the weekends. We all cooked on the beach and had gatherings.”
“It sounds kind of dreamy.”
“It was, it’s how we got into our business, we started having larger and larger events, until we opened a restaurant.”
“And then the resort?”
“Yes, small at first you know, I was only a child of twelve when my grandfather purchased the first hotel building.”
He steps behind me and cages me in between the counter and his hard body, “Do you cook?”
His breath tickles my neck as he talks, and the whole situation is melting my knees but I do my best to stand my ground, “I cook a little bit, it’s just me so it’s hard to cook a large meal.”
“At home you do not share your company with anyone?”
“I work with my close friend Rhea and my parents but most evenings I spend with a book and chicken noodle soup.”
“I would spend every evening with you.”
He sets a red bell pepper onto the cutting board and starts to work at removing the seeds and ribs. The way his hands work the knife is beautiful, I can tell that he cares about what he’s doing.
“Will you peel the garlic?” he asks.
The way he’s working with me in his embrace makes me feel small and safe. I pick up the garlic and start to remove and peel a clove for him, when I’m done he puts the knife in my hand and guides me through chopping the garlic. It’s just cutting, the simple act of chopping produce but something about the way his hands feel over mine is intimate. He continues to work through preparing all of the other ingredients and when he finishes I help him carry everything back outside.
“Mateo, how will you cook over a fire, won’t you get burned?”
“It’s a learned practice I suppose but it’s not too hard.”
He checks the placement of his hand split logs before he goes about starting a fire then he sets a grill over the top and gets to work cooking.
“What can I do?” I ask.
“Sit, enjoy the sunset.”
I follow his instructions and start to sip my whiskey again. He may have said to enjoy the sunset but I’m more interested in enjoying the view of him, shirtless cooking over the fire. The air becomes fragrant with garlic and onions and I can hear the sound of oil sizzling in a pan.
“I thought you were going to teach me,” I remind him.
“You’re right, sorry carino, come here.”
I stand next to him and he takes me through the motions of cooking the dish. Not that I remember because I am way too focused on the way his silky smooth voice rolls off his tongue.
The food smells amazing so by the time Mateo plates it and sits with me my mouth is watering, “This looks delicious.”
“You should taste it.”
I take a bite and somehow it’s even better than I thought it would be, “Wow Mateo, it’s so delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites.”
“This has been amazing. Thank you so much for having me.”
“Thank you for coming with me.”
“It’s just one of the many dangerous qualities about you, I can’t say no to you.”
“Dangerous?” he asks intrigued.
“Yes, you’re in my high risk category for heart break.”
“Why is that?”
“Handsome, smart, sexy… you dance, you cook, you ride horses,” I playfully count them on my fingers.
“These are bad things?” he almost looks upset.
“No, they are good things, too many great things all rolled into one person.”
“So I am high risk?”
“Yes, I’ll fall for you and you could easily break my heart,” I explain.
“That it not my wish, I wish to fill your heart with happiness.”
“You do.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“Oh Mateo, it’s not a problem it’s the way I think of things, I’ve never done this.”
“This?” he looks genuinely confused but I don’t know how to make him understand that it’s really me that is the problem here.
“Have a fling? I don’t know, I want to let go and have fun but I feel like I could fall for you and then what?”
“Then I will make you happy Calah.”
“But I have to go back home someday, my entire life is there.”
“Then I will go with you and we can travel, you can grow your international business and so can I.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I don’t know the answer Calah but I am sure. It’s a feeling, I just know.”
“Okay Mateo, it is a day to live like a story right?”
“Yes. You are right, no more talk of business or the future, not today,” he smiles and meets my eyes, “So, you want to go swimming?”
“It sounds nice, but won’t it be dark soon?”
“We’ll be fine Calah, we won’t go far out.”
“You’re right, we should do it, I should say yes to everything,” I giggle.
“Everything, huh?”
“Why am I so tempted to say yes?”
“Eat your dinner before you get yourself in trouble,” he winks.
“Oh Mateo, you are such a flirt.”
“Is it flirting if it’s true?”
“Somehow I feel like I could get myself out of trouble with you pretty easily.”
"You might like a little bit of trouble," he locks his eyes on mine and slowly licks his lips.
My skin pebbles when I think about what he might mean. He raises his eyebrow and smirks at me so I manage a smile then go back to finishing my dinner.
