by Randi Ocean
While we ate, Sergio told me about some of his childhood memories at the compound. He said he and Cy spent many hours flying kites and building sand castles that seemed like fortresses, only to find them swept away by the evening tides. He said it felt so unfair to work that hard building something and have it wash away overnight.
We cleaned up the dinner dishes, and Sergio pulled out a bottle of champagne.
“I know it’s not quite New Year’s Eve yet, but finding you here is reason enough to celebrate.”
“I’ll buy that!” I said, laughing with him.
“How do you feel about some bubbles to accompany the bubbly? I have some bath oils that will soothe your soul, and there’s room for two,” he said with a gleam in his eye.
“A hot bath sounds divine.”
Sergio disappeared toward the master suite. I was standing by the fire, enjoying its warmth, when I noticed a table full of family photos all taken in and around the compound. Among them were pictures of Sergio and Cy as boys, some with their parents and some by themselves. There were pictures of Sergio with a woman I presumed was his wife, and there were pictures of Cy with Nicole that appeared to be fairly recent. I wanted to ask Sergio about them, but I decided to wait. He’d already had an emotionally charged day, and I wasn’t sure how he might react talking about these memories.
Sergio returned to escort me to the steamy tub. The light from several dozen candles danced around the room. Bubbles blossomed with the scent of lavender on the rising surface of the water in the enormous tub. We slowly undressed each other, taking moments to kiss newly bared skin as our layers of clothes dropped to the floor. Sergio held my hand to steady me as I stepped into the steamy water. As we sat down side by side, the lavender bubbles melted away the last of the stress of the day. Sergio visibly relaxed as he let out a very long sigh and reclined.
We sipped the cool champagne, and then Sergio lifted the glass from my hand and set it on the edge of the tub. He wrapped one arm around me and caressed my breast as his other hand parted my folds under the water. His fingers began a seductive dance to unearth my clit. His erect crown was peeking through the bubbles on the surface, enticing me to caress it with the soothing foam, arousing him even more. I was getting lost in the waves of titillation that rolled through me as he delicately worked to bring me to the peak of pleasure. When he finally took me over the top, the orgasm shattered to my core. He smiled a knowing smile and kissed me passionately. Breathless, I fell back against the side of the tub. He pulled himself up on the edge for a moment, tore open a condom and sheathed himself. As he slipped back into the water, I got onto my knees and straddled him. I lowered myself on top of him, slowly taking him deep inside me. He gripped my thighs tightly attempting restraint to savor the moment as long as possible as I moved up and down, but he couldn’t resist any longer. His expression twisted with ecstasy as he came hard.
Sergio let out a deep moan, “Oh, Bridget…. You’re so beautiful.”
“You make me feel that way, Sergio. You’re amazing, and I love being with you.”
“You just bring so much joy to my life. Things have been very hard for a long time, and you’re a bright light bringing me out of a very dark place.”
“That makes me very happy.”
We languished in the tub for a little while longer. When the water started cooling off, we climbed out, and Sergio handed me a fluffy terry cloth robe.
“We keep these here for our guests,” he said as he held the robe for me to slide into and kissed the back of my neck. He donned one, too, and picked up the ice bucket. “Shall we finish the champagne in front of the fire?”
“That would be an awesome end to an amazing evening.”
The chaise by the fire was big enough for the two of us to snuggle together and sip champagne.
“I can’t remember the last time I was this happy,” Sergio said. His smile was warm and genuine as he held me and kissed me tenderly. It was a magical night. I didn’t want it to end.
We crawled into bed as exhaustion finally crept in, and fell asleep in each other’s arms. I had crazy dreams -- I was running in limbo. Objects kept flying at me, but I couldn’t see what they were. I woke up in the middle of the night and, for a moment, was unsure of where I was. My heart was pounding, and I’d broken out in a cold sweat. I had unconsciously woken Sergio in my panic as I came out of the nightmare.
“Calm down, my sweet. What’s wrong?” Sergio said, putting his arms around me, holding me tight.
“Oh, my God, Sergio,” I said, coming back to reality. “I just had a crazy dream.”
“You’re okay,” he said, softly, and didn’t relax his hold on me. He was quiet for a few moments and finally whispered, “Who’s Adam?”
Instantly, I tensed up and pushed away from him. “Why did you ask me that?”
“You were calling for Adam in your sleep. I realized we haven’t talked about the men in your life other than the fact that you don’t have a boyfriend. Do you want to talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Okay, if you say so, but I hope you feel you can tell me about things from your past if you want to. I care deeply for you, Bridget,” he said, calmly, and kissed me on the forehead.
“As I said, there’s really nothing to talk about. Adam’s a man I knew for a very short time before I came here. There was no history or relationship between us.” This was the truth. We hadn’t known each other long enough to say we had a relationship, even though I felt as though I’d known him all my life.
“Fair enough,” Sergio said with a comforting smile. “I just want to know what makes you happy and unhappy so I’ll only do things that make you happy.” He looked into my eyes and pushed my hair off my shoulder, kissing the bare skin.
“You make me very happy, Sergio, and if you ever do anything that doesn’t, I’ll tell you. There’s no comparison between you and anyone else who has ever been in my life,” I proclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him close.
He slid his hands up my sides and tantalized my nipples, rolling them with his fingers. He slid one arm behind my back and pulled me into him. His desire was unmistakably growing again. He took control of my mouth with his, and we kissed deep passionate kisses. We made tender love into the wee hours of the morning and finally fell asleep in each other’s arms again.
**
When I woke, Sergio was sleeping hard. I slipped out of bed, wrapped myself in the terry robe, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. Once it was brewing, the family photos caught my attention; I went over to survey them a little more closely. After a few moments, I sensed something behind me. Sergio was leaning against the door frame, looking very sleepy and very sexy.
“Good morning,” I said.
“What time is it?” he asked with one eye still shut.
“It’s around nine. Can I pour you some coffee?” I asked.
“Yes, a double, please,” Sergio said, joking. He shuffled over to the breakfast bar and fell into a seat, rubbing his eyes trying to wake up. I put the coffee down in front of him and joined him at the bar.
“Pretty motley-looking group, wouldn’t you say?” Sergio said, gesturing toward the family photos.
“You were pretty cute as a youngster. You and Cy looked even more alike when you were boys.”
“Yeah, people used to think we were twins. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
I looked away, not wanting to get into that conversation, but I answered, “I have a sister, but we don’t stay in touch.”
“Cy can be difficult, too. Sometimes I wish we weren’t business partners.”
“You seemed to be having fun with him in those pictures,” I said, implying the next question, What happened?
“We got along fine for most of our lives until about two and a half years ago. Cy was trying to open Buena Comida on his own. It was his concept, his baby, and he was looking for investors when he met Nicole. Their love
affair totally consumed him. They actually spent a lot of time out here at the beach. The affair got very serious very quickly, so serious that he left his wife. Then his divorce got really ugly, and he was completely distracted by his personal life. I was in the throes of Top Chef so I couldn’t even think about helping with Buena Comida. Then my wife died….” Sergio paused, his eyes tearing up.
“It’s okay -- you don’t have to talk about it,” I said, rubbing his back.
“It’s all right. I want you to know about it,” he said, and took a deep breath to compose himself. “Things were very crazy after Marissa died. Buena Comida was doing very poorly. The investors were all over Cy looking for payback, not just from him, but from Ramirez Restaurant Group. I had to step in to try to save it.”
“I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for you to focus on the restaurant and deal with your wife’s death. Did Cy help at all?”
“He has always been resentful of me and all the attention I got, so I asked him to stay out of it, handle his divorce, and get his life back together. He feels like I stepped in to try to take credit for the concept, rather than save it. I think deep down he knows that if I hadn’t taken over, we’d all have been ruined financially.”
“Have you ever tried to talk to him about it?”
“A few times, but he won’t discuss it. He says we have too much that needs attention in the present to focus on the past. He still seems so angry, and I’m not sure he’ll ever get over it. He’s alluded to the fact that if he had been at the helm when Buena Comida took off, he would have gotten the recognition he deserved for it. And if he had managed the restaurant and his personal life properly, he might have.”
“Was Adele working with you when you were trying to turn things around?”
“Not at first. My assistant at the time wasn’t strong enough to handle it. She left, and I had a very big mess on my hands. Nicole was the one who recommended Adele to me. They’d worked closely together with another chef, and it seemed like Adele could help me dig out.”
“Does she understand the situation with Cy?”
“We never really talked about it, but we both saw Buena Comida losing traction with Cy’s distractions and his personal popularity declining from his highly visible, heated divorce. Thankfully, that part of it died down for a while. After Marissa died, Cy’s wife left Portland and stopped talking to the press about the affair. The media wouldn’t let go of it, though. When the divorce became final and the judge sided with Cy’s wife on all counts, we saw a slight decline in business again while it was in the news. Adele has a great business mind, and knew how to spin the PR to get us through it. After that, we were busier than ever and getting rave reviews.”
“Wow, that’s a pretty big coup.”
“No kidding. It wasn’t long after that when Adele began pushing for the book. I was still trying to keep Buena Comida and the other restaurants afloat, so she began culling the recipes and formulating the book. That’s part of the reason I felt I had to give in when she requested Nicole. She’s Adele’s comfort factor, as much as I feel Dane is mine. She knows it’s the right decision to work with Dane, but she wanted Nicole there to be sure she gets what she wants out of this book. I just hope we can get past this other disagreement.” Sergio was obviously still upset about the situation.
I put my arms around his neck. “You’ll find a balance and get through it. You’ve been through so much already and have persevered. I know this’ll be the same.”
I kissed him on the cheek and untied my robe, inviting his warm hands to roam freely over my curves. His caress tantalized every inch of bare skin he touched. A tender smile came over his face, and he pulled me close for a passionate kiss. He parted my thighs and ran his fingers through my folds, once again discovering his effect on me. His eyes filled with desire. He took my hand and led me back to the bedroom. We slid under the covers, skin to skin, and became one, making love more tenderly, with more intimacy between us than ever before. It felt incredible.
**
It was after noon on New Year’s Eve. We popped a bottle of champagne, and Sergio proceeded to fix brunch. The provisions at the Ramirez compound were plentiful. There was a substantial inventory in a deep freezer, as well as the fresh items Sergio had grabbed from his kitchen before leaving town. He had all the makings of a beautiful smoked salmon Benedict with dill hollandaise. His culinary diversity astounded me.
We sipped champagne and relished the meal. After brunch, we left the dishes and took a long walk on the beach in the warm afternoon sun. As we walked, I could tell Sergio was deep in thought again. “This situation with Adele is really getting to you, isn’t it? I want to help you find a resolution.”
“I’m not sure how to approach it myself. I know she wants to be known for creating the preeminent tome on fine Latin cuisine, but I think it would have much more impact if we do it in multiple parts, even a trilogy, and let Dane work his magic. People are much more visual these days, and I think it would make a much stronger statement to publish it as multiple volumes with gorgeous photos rather than one thick book of text.”
“I know Dane would be all over that.”
“It was his suggestion, even though I think he was joking. I hadn’t really thought about it until he brought it up, but as soon as he said it, I knew it was the right way to go.”
“Maybe you should appeal to Adele’s affinity for Nicole and make her realize how much it would help her, too. Not to mention, Adele would be the culinary contributor on three Sergio Ramirez Buena Comida books, not just one. I don’t know, maybe I’m reaching….”
“No, I think that is the perfect approach. I think if I can get Cy and Nicole on my side, Adele may be persuaded. My sweet Bridget, you’re brilliant!” he said, stopping in his tracks to hug me.
We went back to the house, and Sergio got Cy on the phone. I kept my distance to give him some privacy for the conversation. The buildings surrounding the courtyard blocked the winter wind and allowed the afternoon sun to heat the space nicely. I stretched out on a lounge chair and read while Sergio talked to Cy. Although his words were muffled, the tone of his voice implied Cy was on board. When he finished the call, Sergio joined me outside with the last of the champagne.
“A toast to my ingenious companion,” he said. “Cy loves the idea, particularly since it ensures ongoing work and more recognition for Nicole.”
My stomach did a little flip, since I knew that it also meant Valerie would have to take second seat to Nicole throughout the process, but hopefully she would still benefit by being associated with the books. And with Dane as the photographer, that would mean good work for everyone for a while.
“That’s fantastic. I really hope Adele will come around now that you have Cy’s support.”
“She has a soft spot for Cy because of Nicole. He’ll most certainly sway her. Now, with that under control, I can completely relax and focus on you.”
It was late afternoon on New Year’s Eve. Fireworks were popping all around us. We took chairs, blankets, and champagne to the beach to watch the sunset and fireworks. The sky changed from orange to pink to lavender and deep purple as the stars populated the night sky, and were more of a show than the bottle rockets and small bursts of sparkling embers popping in the distance. We held hands and sipped champagne.
“Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?” I asked.
He thought for a moment, and then kissed my hand. “Only one - to make you happy.”
I leaned over and kissed him. “You make me very happy, but you realize our meeting out here was pure chance.”
“I know, my sweet Bridget, and it’s only confirmed for me how good we are together. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes, we’re very good together, but we can’t be together when we get back to Portland,” I said letting go of his hand. “Remember, we were going to keep our distance while we work on the book, and now with the likelihood of three, that could be a long time.”
“Oh, Bridget,
why does it have to be that way? We’re professionals. We can manage working together and having a relationship, I know it. Please don’t push me away.”
“It can’t start out that way, Sergio. Maybe things can change down the road, but when we get back, you’ll be my client, not my lover. No one can know we spent this time together. There’s too much at stake for both of us.”
Sergio knew I was right, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. He slowly nodded in agreement. “All right, I’ll honor that when we’re back, but for tonight we’re worlds away. I want to enjoy you all night.”
I smiled and said, “That my kind of resolution.”
We packed up and started walking back to the house. When we got into the courtyard, the heat from the afternoon sun had not dissipated, and it was surprisingly warm. Sergio put down the things he was carrying and pulled two lounge chairs together. The moon was just coming up; it was magical under the stars.
“You get comfortable here. I’ll be right back,” he said. A few minutes later, he came back with the pillows from the couch. “These chairs aren’t very comfortable, but these should help.” He propped a couple of pillows under my head and at my side, then joined me. He rolled on his side and methodically began unbuttoning my blouse. His warm hand slid under the fabric and unhooked my bra. Then he helped me slide out of the layers. “Are you warm enough?” he asked quietly as he wrapped his lips around a taut nipple while fondling the other.
“You’re turning up the heat quite nicely,” I teased him as my heartbeat quickened. His smile was more relaxed and playful than I’d seen since we’d been there. I pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his tight chest gleaming in the moonlight.
“Well, then, let’s show the universe your exquisite beauty.” He slid my pants off and leaned back so the moonlight could wash over my entire body. “You are as magnificent in the moonlight as you are in the firelight, my sweet.”
As he shed the rest of his clothes, the fireworks continued with more vigor in the distance. He leaned over me, bracing himself on one arm, and ran his tantalizing fingers up my thigh to my sweet spot and began his playful dance through the velvety folds. The tip of his warm, thick shaft glistened in the moonlight. I reached up to pull him toward me.
