“You should get away for the night, have some fun,” Guillermo said. “You up for After Hours?”
I leaped at the invitation. “Yes!”
His husky laugh sent butterflies to my belly. “Let’s get it then.”
We agreed to meet at his house an hour later, giving us both enough time to get ready.
I rushed around my bedroom driving myself crazy as I second-guessed what to wear. What to do with my hair and face. I wanted to have fun, but I wanted to look pretty. I wanted Guillermo to think I was pretty.
It wasn’t until I’d moved rack after rack of clothing in my closet that I found the perfect outfit: a black bandeau top with matching high-waisted pants. There would be cleavage, and my belly button would be on display. It was far from the safe and boring looks I usually wore. It was perfect.
I took a quick shower before getting dressed and sitting in front of my vanity. I wasn’t too into makeup, but I made do with some eyeliner and mascara, and I even went a little extra by applying highlight on my nose and cheekbones. Once I dusted myself off with perfume, I was good and ready to go.
I felt giddy. I was finally doing something for me, and no one could stop me.
A knock at my door caused me to jump.
Okay, scratch that. There was no way my mother or father would let me go out with Guillermo.
Hastily I stood from my vanity and tripped over myself to grab my fluffy red robe from my closet. When I was sure I was nice and bundled up, I sat at my vanity and faced my bedroom door. “Yes?”
“Hey.” My mother entered my room, her gaze immediately taking in my face and hair. “Going somewhere?”
Nervously I ran my hands over my robe, not wanting to lie, but having no choice. “No, I was just trying a look I saw online.”
“Hmm.” I expected questions, but she didn’t ask more. “I’m here if you want to talk about Troy.”
I smiled. My father would take our breakup hard, but it felt like my mother would be on my side no matter what. “Thank you. When I’m ready, I’m glad I can come to you.”
She studied me once more. “You look cute by the way.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
She was out the door, having bought my lines.
Before the guilt could sink in, I thought over my plans with Guillermo, relived that annoying moment seeing Troy in the yard earlier, and knew I needed this. A break from how hectic everything was getting.
When the coast was clear, I took off the robe, turned off my lights after stuffing enough clothes under my comforter to fake like I was there sleeping, and crept out of my room. I felt antsy sneaking out. Like I was alive for the first time, as a rush took over my body.
Echoes of the TV let me know my parents, or at least my father, were still up watching something. Whoever it was, they were oblivious as I crept through the kitchen and sneaked out the back door.
Out of sight, out of mind, I quickly raced to the front.
Guillermo was just coming out of his house when I arrived. He took one long look at me and whistled. “Big late-night drip.”
I spun around, modeling my outfit. “You like?”
His mouth made a perfect O as his brows furrowed. “You look one in a million for sure.”
I was smiling so much it hurt. “Let’s get out of here, my parents don’t know I’m gone.”
Guillermo’s dark eyes tripled in size as they went from me to my house. “Regan—”
“Shh.” I pressed my fingers to my lips, giving him a reassuring smile. “I spend so much time doing what they tell me to do, it’s about time I do something for me.”
“And that’s sneakin’ out? You feelin’ wild, huh?”
“Yes.” I took a step back. “Or should we walk over there and tell them what we’re doing so they can drag me back inside?”
For a moment, he just stared at me. I loved the way his gaze lingered on my outfit, excitement to be found in the depths of his soul. “Nah, you look way too good to see you walkin’ away. Fuck it, let’s go.”
The whole ride over to After Hours, I was a grinning fool. Guillermo was polite, opening and closing my door for me. Holding my hand as we crossed the parking lot to the club, and even standing in front of me protectively as we navigated traffic. It was the weekend; more people were here to blow off steam before work or school on Monday.
“Want something to drink?” Guillermo leaned close to ask, surrounded by the sounds of Big Sean over the stereos.
I met his eyes and bobbed my head.
He held my hand and steered me to the nonalcoholic bar, where he ordered himself a Coke and let me order a virgin daiquiri.
A couple of guys standing at the bar looked at me and admired my outfit, one even tipping his head at Guillermo as if he’d won something.
I liked that Guillermo was quick to shake his head at the gesture. I wasn’t a Trophy to him.
He came close to my ear to say, “You really do look good. I see you managed to tame your hair.” He was smiling, holding back a laugh.
I ran a hand through my bone-straight hair. “My hairstylist squeezed me in yesterday. No more rain for me.”
The bartender handed over our drinks and I accepted mine from Guillermo, who refused to let me pay for it even though we weren’t on a date, just having a night out to escape the stress life was providing at the moment. Either way, I was happy I was with him of all people.
We found an empty spot among the many lounge areas the club had to offer. Guillermo nursed his Coke as he nodded to the beat of the rap song that was playing. He’d kept it simple in a white Champion tee and dark jeans. His hair, his lovely hair, was down, free for me to admire.
“You look good,” I leaned close to let him know.
His lips curled into a smile as he blushed. He touched his chest delicately. “I feel good, too.”
“You do?”
He nodded as if it were a silly question. “Oh yeah. This girl I’ve had a thing for recently dropped some deadweight. I’m kind of hoping I got a shot now.”
I knew my dimples were on full display. “Who knows, you might even get to take her out.”
Guillermo clasped his hands together as he pouted. “I’m prayin’ on it.”
He was so cute.
“Let’s see where the night takes us,” I said.
“No pressure, I just want to see you win and have some fun. Honestly, whatever you truly want to do, I’m with it. Whether you want to be an accountant, a dog rescuer, a football wife, a person who cleans porta-potties—whatever, I support you.”
I snorted. “Porta-potties? A real friend isn’t going to let me do something so gross!”
“Shh.” Guillermo brought me into his chest, smothering my protests. “It’s about what makes you happy.”
“You make me happy.” I dared to flirt with him.
He quirked a brow, taking in my face and biting his lip in a way that made me envy his teeth.
Could this be it? A simple life with him and me being myself? No obligations to make appearances, no pressure to do or be anything I didn’t want?
That sounded heavenly.
A new song came on in the club and it happened to be an R&B title I was obsessed with.
I set my daiquiri down and tugged on Guillermo’s hand. “This is my song, we gotta dance.”
He chuckled, but he set his Coke down and came along with me to the dance floor.
“I sure hope you dance better than you play pool,” he teased in my ear.
My mouth fell open, and I spun around and faced him. “Hey, I’m ready for a rematch at any time.”
Guillermo stepped back and scratched his impressive jawline. “I don’t know, once I get in my bag, it’s over. I once made five hundred bucks in a single night playing suckers.”
I feigned confidence. “Yeah, well, I’m willi
ng to bet money I’ll win our next game.”
He appeared thoughtful. “I don’t think I want your money, Regan.”
The flirtatious tone sent my heart fluttering. “It’s on.”
“Noted.”
We found a space on the floor where people were already getting down.
Guillermo raised his hand in front of me, his eyes locked on mine. “Show me the boundary.”
Heat swept through me. He was asking me to show him where he could touch me.
Guillermo was different, more considerate. I decided to be bold in this night of freedom. “You can touch me, it’s okay.”
I knew in giving him permission he wouldn’t cross the line. We could dance all night and he wouldn’t grope me if he thought I’d let my guard down. I trusted Guillermo.
The beat took over as he held on to my waist and I danced into him. A part of me was afraid, and another was excited. I didn’t want to fall too fast for him, but he made it so hard not to.
All I knew was that I could be myself with Guillermo, and he supported my wants before anyone else in my life. He gave me butterflies when I was feeling insecure. He was way more than friend material, especially after we kissed. I couldn’t forget it, and I wanted to do it again.
He leaned forward, his warm breath sending tingles down my spine, his touch electrifying my skin. I was going to melt. He whispered, “We could be heroes.”
No, I didn’t want just one day. I wanted as long as possible.
Screw what anyone else thought.
I looked him in the eye, mentally confessing all that I felt for him.
As if he were clairvoyant, his gaze lingered on my lips, a look of hard concentration in his eyes. He came closer, tilting his head, pausing to look up, as if to ask if it were okay.
Here it was, the line, the boundary between us we weren’t supposed to cross.
Giving in, I nodded, having no care left in the world.
And then Guillermo’s mouth was seizing mine, sending a wild mixture of fireworks and confetti to my heart. I had already fallen for his caring way, had begun to crave his touch, and now I was dying a splendid death over the feel of his lips uninterrupted.
I could tell he wanted to go slow by the sweet way he kissed me, but it quickly became a wildfire as my head tipped back and he poured himself into me. Our connection was wrong in the eyes of our parents, but it felt so right. In that moment, with the music and our fellow partiers fading into the background, nothing else mattered as I got lost and wrapped up in Guillermo Lozano.
Guillermo
I could’ve danced with her all night. I could’ve kissed her all night. But like Cinderella, Regan had to get home while the coast was still clear.
She sat beside me in my car, fanning herself despite the chilly October night. She’d worked up a sweat dancing—we both had. She was beautiful, hair clinging to her neck, a glow rising from her brown skin, and an infectious smile across her full lips.
I didn’t want this moment to ever end. Being with her was worth all the shit that led me up to here.
Though, I was really hopin’ her parents hadn’t noticed she was gone. If we got caught, that would not be pretty.
The thought made me shake my head.
“What?” Regan prompted.
“I can’t believe we did that.”
She grinned. “Yeah, you’ve got me breaking all the rules for you.”
“You didn’t have to sneak out. You could’ve asked.”
She gave me a mischievous look. “Yeah, but what fun would that be?”
I took one hand off the wheel and reached out, grabbing hers and squeezing it. “Yeah, you’re feelin’ wild tonight. Must be in the air, because I’m feelin’ it, too.”
“So,” she began. “What’s your verdict on my dancing?”
I thought she’d be shy, but she was in control on the dance floor. Sexy, flirty, and a bit of a tease at times. She really let go with me, metaphorically letting her hair down. She wasn’t afraid to dance on me or let me touch her.
Regan trusted me. Something I didn’t want to fuck up like Troy had. Like Yesenia, like Avery, Regan deserved to be protected as well.
“You exceeded all expectations,” I let her know.
She did her goofy little dance as she sat next to me, making us both laugh.
The distance from After Hours to the subdivision where we lived wasn’t far enough, even if I tried to catch all the lights.
This thing with her, it was easy, no real pressure, and I wasn’t ready to let it go. She had broken up with Troy, but there were bigger obstacles in the way. Her parents would be a hassle, as well as my own. Not to mention the crowd at school.
“Thank you,” Regan said softly, sounding serious. “For taking me out.”
There was no avoiding the inevitable as I drove past the Welcome to Briar Pointe sign in front of our subdivision. We were home and the fun was over.
Even Regan’s energy lessened as I pulled into my driveway.
We got out of my car and met at the trunk. She cast a forlorn look over her shoulder as she gazed at her house. Her glow was diminishing, and I wanted to savor it for a little while longer.
“Hey,” I said, capturing her hands in my mine. “Tonight was great.”
She smiled bitterly. “No matter what happens next, it was.”
“Your parents will never approve, but that’s okay.”
Regan appeared thoughtful. “Would you? If Yesenia was linked to a boy like you, would you approve?”
Her question was thought-provoking, and I had to pause and question whether I even believed in second chances. I could plead on my knees for Regan’s parents to see something in me worth dating their daughter. But would I really want to see my own sister dating some delinquent, even a “reformed” delinquent? “I’d be a hypocrite if I said I’d rather she be with someone like Avery over me, but I’ve really changed, and if Yesi met a guy who was trying to walk a new path, then I guess I’d embrace him. I mean, she’ll be twenty-five then, so I’m sure she’ll be mature enough in her choices.”
Regan’s mouth fell open. “Twenty-five!”
“Yeah, after high school, college, grad school, a few years into her career path, so maybe thirty in the end.”
“I cannot with you,” she said. “She’s going to meet boys way before thirty.”
I grimaced. God forbid. “Can’t wait.”
She folded her arms. “To think I was going to kiss you again.”
My mood quickly switched over. “Yeah? Out here in the open. You livin’ dangerous tonight, huh?”
She played coy, shrugging her shoulders. “We could be villains.”
A grin spread across my face. I couldn’t get enough of this girl. You ask me why this girl before the tons of others at my school, and I’d be a sucker to admit that she was the textbook “good girl,” and I was a former bad boy dying to be good enough for her.
I stepped up to Regan, towering over her. Her mouth was calling for me, a fountain of refreshing pleasure waiting for me to take a sip.
She kissed me like she would miss me, and it made leaving her ache more.
As if to torture me, Regan pressed one last soft kiss on my lips before pulling away. “Think about me later?”
I tipped my head back and released a smile. “Yo, you’re going to get me in trouble.”
She giggled and ran her hand up my arm, her touch killin’ me. “I’m sorry to be a bother.”
“Dimples, for you I’m willin’ to endure a lot of problems.”
She softened up. “I’m going to set my parents straight. Whatever happens from there won’t stop how I feel about you.”
I took her hand one final time and placed a kiss on it. “Until next time.”
As much as I wanted to get back in the car with her and talk some more
and hang out until the wee hours of the morning, I let her go and turned to head inside.
I was just beginning to smile to myself about the thought of her when I looked up and noticed my father standing in the doorway. My heart went into overdrive. How long had he been there?
“We should talk,” he said, pocketing his hands.
We sat across from each other in the living room. My father watched me carefully, as if reading my entire being.
“So this thing with the neighbor girl,” he began. “I thought we had an understanding.”
He’d caught me, and there was no denying where things were now with Regan.
“Her name’s Regan,” I spoke up. “Regan London.”
My father opened his arms out. “I care about that.”
“Papá, por favor entienda,” I begged. “She’s not a game to me, and this isn’t like before. She broke up with her boyfriend.”
My father sat back, looking unconvinced. With my track record, I didn’t blame him for doubting me. He eyed me suspiciously. “What do you see in her?”
I pondered that. Sure, Regan was beautiful and I liked what I saw when I looked at her body, but it was beyond that.
It was the dimples. The kindness. The innocence. The strong backbone when needed. The way she was shy. The way she actually looked forward to Mole Day in chemistry. The way she looked when she was trying to be mad or sassy. The way she said certain things, letting me know how inexperienced she was and how she was just begging to be properly educated. The way she played pool and completely sucked in an adorable way. The way she was willing to play again to try to kick my ass. The way she danced with me at After Hours. The way she felt in my arms and trembled when I pulled her close.
It was a lot of things.
Regan London was a breath of fresh air after I was finally learning to breathe again.
The Right Side of Reckless Page 29
