Summer Nights

by Christin Lovell

  I held my breath as I disentangled my leg from his. I waited a few seconds to ensure he didn’t stir before breathing a soft sigh of relief. With the grace of a snake, I slithered across the mattress and nearly fell over the edge before his hand plopped down off of my midriff. My right foot swung down and landed on the cold floor, steadying me as I again waited for him to wake. I blew out a silent breath as I slid off the rest of the way, my ass hitting the hard tile below. I winced, but kept moving. On my hands and knees I searched for every item of clothing I’d worn the night before.

  After several minutes, I’d located all but one shoe and my panties. I was desperate enough to leave without panties, but I loved my sandals. They were my go-to shoes during the summer since I could dress them up or down. Unable to avoid the measure, I carefully laid a pillow atop Cruz’s face, ensuring he could still breathe, before clicking on the lamp. I immediately spotted my other sandal near the bedroom door and turned off the light. My heart was racing. Fear choked me as I listened for any movement, but thankfully, he didn’t budge.

  I grabbed my purse off the bed, made a dash for my shoe and scuttled out of the bedroom. I didn’t stop in the living room, but headed straight for the front door. I fumbled over a sofa near the door before reaching my final destination. My pulse quickened as I opened the front door. My stealth actions made it feel like I was breaking out of prison. I was sure the warden would appear any moment to bust me, but I was relieved when he didn’t show up.

  I struggled to slip on my sandals as I jammed the elevator call button repeatedly. Guilt chided me as restlessness consumed me; I kept glancing back at the apartment door. Deep down, I wanted him to pursue me, but I didn’t want to give up the freedom to run away from the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

  Once I reached the outside, I pulled out my cell phone. It was nearly 4 a.m. I walked around the block, away from Cruz’s building in case he woke and came searching for me. Jeesh. Listen to me, talking as if I’m God’s gift to the man, as if I’m worth hunting down. It’s not like I’m a supermodel. I’m a plus-size Call Center manager from Atlanta. No man is going to chase me.

  Two hours later I arrived back at the hotel, my feet begging for a massage. For once I was grateful that my phone had a built in GPS. After a quick search for the hotel’s address, I was able to plug it in and be guided via satellite to my final destination.

  I swiped my key card and waited for the familiar click of the lock that accompanied the telltale green light. Quietly, I pushed open the door but came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Stella and Ramon, half-naked, entangled in her bed. I looked around; as if someone might catch me intruding on their peaceful mingle. I took a deep breath and entered.

  I ruffled around in my suitcase by the light of my cell phone until I located a decent pair of clothes. I grabbed my toiletry bag and headed straight for the bathroom to remove my contacts, which had been in far too long, and then I wanted to take a cold shower. My skin had a thick film of sweat that seemed to grasp every speck of dirt I happened past on my way back to the hotel. My hair was an untamed bush thanks to the rising humidity. Even without the sun blazing, the air retained heat and offered little relief from the scorching daytime.

  I stood under the showerhead allowing the water to lazily trace my tired curves. It did little to cool me given that my mind kept flashing back to last night. The way our breath mingled as we were enmeshed; the way we drove each other to our breaking points before diving over the edge of the cliff in unison. It seemed like Cruz knew my body better than I knew it, and certainly better than any other man before. The way he touched me, caressed me gently, yet firmly; it was as if I was a valuable treasure to be cherished, but he knew with confidence how to handle me.

  I jumped at the knock on the bathroom door, dropping the conditioner bottle. I quickly picked it up before all the liquid coated the shower floor.

  “That you in there, Summer?” Stella’s groggy voice carried through the door.

  “No, it’s room service. Of course it’s me.”

  The doorknob jiggled, but didn’t allow her entrance. “Uh oh. What happened?”

  “I’ll be out in a sec.”

  I quickly finished my shower and got dressed. Like Stella, I hadn’t brought many clothes that were suitable for this climate. I put on a pair of white jean shorts, the last pair of shorts I brought with me, and a short-sleeve, empire-waist, navy blue shirt that fell away from my body, skimming and slimming my mid-section or so I hoped. I threw on the same jewelry I’d worn last night and exited the bathroom, feeling a million times better than when I’d entered.

  Ramon sat up in bed and half-waved my way. I gave him a small smile, feeling awkward. He’d slept with my best friend, and lo and behold I’d slept with his.

  “Love the outfit,” Stella said. She adjusted her tank top and sleep shorts, but it was obvious she wasn’t wearing anything beneath them.

  “Uh, thanks.”

  “Did he drop you off?” She cut right to the chase.

  “No.”

  “Where the hell did you find a cab at this hour?” Her brows drew together as she raised her voice.

  “I didn’t. It took me a little over two hours to walk here.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “He doesn’t know you left, does he?”

  I glanced down at the floor, avoiding her assessing gaze. Stella knew me too well; she could read me a mile away.

  “He let you stay the night?” Ramon cut in.

  I looked up at him in dismay. I began to chew my lower lip again, trying to read between the lines of his statement. “Um, yeah.”

  “Damn, mami. He must really be into you ‘cause he never lets a girl stay the night.”

  That didn’t make me feel any better. I’d been fighting with my conscience the whole way back here. I walked past the two of them and carefully placed my dirty clothes in a plastic bag.

  “I’m gonna blow dry my hair and go grab some coffee,” I announced.

  “Give us a minute to get ready and we’ll join you,” Stella said, moving towards her suitcase.

  I studied the two of them to ensure it wasn’t a pity move. Ramon caught on.

  “Yo quiero café. I always need a jump in the morning.”

  “Ok,” I conceded.

  Stella rifled through her luggage. A minute later she headed to the bathroom with a fresh pair of clothes in hand.

  “Did my boy do something wrong?” Ramon asked the second Stella turned on the shower.

  I cocked my head. It wasn’t like most men to pry. My womb tightened as a flash of last night blazed its way to the forefront of my mind. The way I begged for release; the way Cruz drove me to the brink of torture before lavishing me with an intense, erotic pleasure that left me dumbfounded.

  I shook my head as I grabbed my blow dryer, plugging it into the closest outlet. “No.”

  “Then why run?”

  I stared at Ramon, earnest in his pursuit of answers. My nervous habits surfaced once again. How could I pour my heart out to Ramon when I couldn’t do so with Cruz? In truth, the connection I shared with Cruz scared the crap out of me. I’d never experienced something so deep; no man had ever driven me to my threshold and then slowly caressed me down from it. No man had ever treated me with the balance of a noble gentleman and an erotic beast. Cruz was in a league of his own, a league I would never be a part of.

  The shower turning off jolted me back to reality. I shrugged my shoulders at Ramon before turning on the blow dryer to drown out any persistence he might have concerning the topic.

  Twenty minutes later, my hair was pulled up in a messy bun, though I ensured no gaps were left exposing my scalp in my upsweep; my face was covered with minimal make-up to help conceal my soon-to-be red cheeks and my glasses were on to mask the bags beneath my eyes from my lack of sleep.

  Stella opted for another pair of white capris but threw on a bright blue tank top with a built in bra, one she usually wore for bed. We both slid on our sandals f
rom last night. I quickly transferred my items to Big Bertha and headed for the door.

  “You ready, sexy?” Stella smiled charismatically at Ramon. He’d thrown on his shirt and shoes as we got ready.

  “Lead the way, mi corazon.” His voice took on a husky quality. He leaned into Stella and planted a kiss on her lips.

  I slipped out the door, leaving them to their private moment. I knew I’d brought it upon myself by leaving when I did but a part of me was envious. I wanted a man to greet me every morning in bed; I wanted someone special to share my life with, but I’d learned the hard way that I shouldn’t expect those things as long as I was a plus-size gal.

  Stella and Ramon caught up with me in the hotel lobby.

  “There’s a Starbucks a couple blocks down,” Ramon said.

  “That sounds like heaven,” Stella sighed, her eyes slipping to a dreamy level. I knew she was envisioning her favorite Mocha Frappuccino. “But we’re taking a cab. There is no way I’m sweating this early in the morning. As it is my pores are fighting to keep the moisture at bay.”

  I chuckled. Ramon smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he took her in. “A taxi it is.”

  Ramon paid for the ride to the popular coffee house. I was surprised by the amount of people inside at this time of day.

  “What the hell happened to island time? I thought you people slept until noon?” Stella puckered her lips and tapped her foot as we stood in line.

  “We’re always late for events, but we never miss a meal or our morning coffee,” he explained.

  “Figures,” she scoffed.

  Ramon wrapped his arm around Stella’s shoulder, pulling her into his chest. “Relax, mujer. We have plenty of time.”

  My eyes traveled around the room. Everywhere I looked, people were gathered in pairs. They sat, leisurely consuming their morning caffeine. Conversation filled the air, but there was no hustle and bustle like back home. No one was rushing off to their next appointment or anxious to start their day. It was just them, just the two of them, enjoying their time together. A longing settled in my chest.

  “Summer. Hello? Summer.” Stella waived her hand in front of me.

  I shook my head. “Sorry, what?”

  “Go grab a table and I’ll get this.”

  “You know what I want?”

  She cocked her brow, her nose scrunched and her lips turned down. “Vanilla iced coffee with extra milk, two squirts of caramel and two pumps sweetener.” She delivered the order with an air of confidence and amusement.

  I flushed. “I’ll, ugh, go get a table.”

  “Uh huh. That’s what I thought.” She rolled her eyes.

  God, what was wrong with me? I needed to get my head in the game. Reminiscing about last night, about a man I never planned on seeing again, or about scenarios that would never happen, did nothing for my confidence.

  I took a seat at a corner table, tucked in the front of the store. I gazed out the window, my head bobbing in and out of reality. I heard the ice swishing around the cup before it was set in front of me. I looked up to see Ramon give Stella a kiss on the cheek.

  “I look forward to our date tonight. Tenga un buen dia.”

  She smiled up, peering up at him with bedroom eyes. “Bye.” Her tone was seductive as she wiggled her fingers in a farewell.

  I know I looked befuddled as she took a seat across from me. “Where is he going?”

  “To work.”

  “Oh.” I took a sip of my beverage, savoring the cool liquid as it assaulted my taste buds before sliding languidly down my throat.

  “Now, dish. I want every single hot and steamy detail followed by every ridiculous and obscene notion that drove you from the scene of the crime.” She stared at me, head on, expectantly.

  I took a deep breath, swallowing past the lump in my throat. Maybe I would feel better after spilling my guts…

  Twenty minutes later, every torrid detail about my tryst was out in the open. Stella fanned herself, her mouth opening and closing on and off throughout my divulgence.

  “Holy hell, girl. And I thought my night was a fling to remember.”

  “Speaking of, it’s only fair.” I gave her a pointed look.

  “Oh, girl. Let me tell you. He may have chicken legs, but he’s got the cock of a bull. Papi is packing some major heat.” She blew out a heavy breath.

  “Think anything will develop beyond this?”

  “Nah. He knows this is just a weekend fling. His life is here and mine is there. There’s no way it could work long term with that kind of distance.”

  Her words bit into me. She was right. Even if I wanted it to, there was no way me and Cruz would have lasted beyond my time here. I made the right move by walking away. I would forget all about him once I got back to the mainland.

  “Details,” I prompted, the same way she’d urged me.

  “So we stayed and danced for about another half hour after you left. He took me to get some piragua, which is like a snow cone, but a million times better. I’d sign a petition to get that in the states for sure. After that we headed back to the hotel where things got hot and steamy.

  “He went down on me, and ooh, ooh ooh can that boy suck my cherry. Girl, he left no crevice untouched. I must have come at least three times last night. If it weren’t for the distance, I would scoop him up in a heartbeat. He seriously worked my coochie from every possible angle. I’m so sore right now, but it’s a damn good sore to have after three months without.” She groaned and took a deep sip of her cold drink.

  It was my turn for my mouth to hang open. A shiver ran down my spine and my body quaked. “So, you’re doing it all again tonight?”

  “Pretty much, only he insists on dinner before dessert, which is a crime in my book.”

  “You want the room?”

  “Nah. I’ll give you time to work through your little pity party.” She flicked her wrist, swatting her hand.

  “What do you mean ‘work through my little pity party’?”

  “Honey, I know you better than anyone. You’re beating yourself up about sneaking out, and trying to justify it at the same time, probably feeding yourself some bullshit about getting hurt if you stayed.”

  “You know, sometimes I just hate you.”

  “Please,” she scoffed. “You love me. You just hate that I’m right. But I’m not gonna push you. You’re going to have to realize that on your own. I will say that Ramon works for Cruz, so I’m pretty sure he’ll be hunting you down at the hotel later.”

  “You and him planned this, didn’t you?”

  “Not really. It just worked out perfectly. Now shut your mouth, finish your coffee and let’s go shopping. I need some shorts before my knees melt.”

  I laughed. “I don’t think knees can melt.”

  She shrugged. “Damn sure feels like it. I’ve got enough moisture behind mine to fill a gallon jug.”

  I frowned. “Did you really have to share that?”

  “You’re the one who questioned my logic.”

  “Let’s go, Stella. We can take our drinks with us.”

  “Oh, now you’re embarrassed? Five minutes ago I was giving you a play-by-play of a steamy porn flick. You weren’t pushing me out the door then.” She lifted her chin defiantly.

  “Yeah, yeah. Let’s just go. I need some more shorts too. These are my last pair, and stupid me only packed pants for pajamas, too.”

  “Oh, honey. We’re not gonna be buying pajamas. We’re getting you some sexy lingerie. I have a strong feeling Mr. Cruz will be back for more tonight.”

  I was afraid of that too. I didn’t know if my body could handle more pleasure than what he gave me already, and I didn’t think my heart could wrestle around without getting attached.

  Chapter 6

  CRUZ

  “Where is she?” I pressed the second Ramon walked through the door.

  “Relax, bro. She went back to the hotel.”

  “Fuck, man. She scared the shit outta me. I freaked when sh
e was gone.”

  Ramon looked at me with pity in his eyes. “You’re sunk man.”

  “I’m not sunk. I just worried that something happened to her, that’s all.”

  “Doesn’t seem like that’s all.”

  I plopped down in my chair behind my desk, shoving the pile of papers to one side. I rubbed my temples, closing my eyes to avoid the truth. I didn’t want to believe that I could become this attached to a woman after one night.

  I heard Ramon sit in the chair across from me. I opened my eyes. He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed them at his ankles. His hands rested together on his flat stomach.

  “How bad is it?” he asked knowingly.

  “I forgot to wear a rubber.”

  He popped up quick. “Damn.” He scrubbed his jaw, his brows raised towards his hairline. “That’s serious.”

  “I know.” I shook my head, running my hands through my hair.

  Ramon was my best friend. We’d grown up together. As I climbed the ladder of success, I brought him with me. He was one of the few people I could trust, and the only one I could trust with this. In our line of work, women and family were a weakness. We were a constant target that chased targets. Attachments were liabilities, and our liabilities were always at risk.

  “Listen, me and Stella are going out again tonight. I’ll take her back to my place so you can sort things out.”

  I lifted my head. “You talked to her.”

  He didn’t answer right away, probably gauging whether I needed to know or not. Finally he nodded his head once.

  “What’d she say?”

  “That you did nothing wrong.” He leaned forward onto the desk. “You want the truth? I think both you and her are shell-shocked. I think you both felt somethin’ last night, but are too afraid to face it. What has you shittin’ bricks is that she ran before you could, and no girl has ever run away from you.”

  Sometimes the truth hurt, and Ramon hit the nail on the head. “You think I got a shot?”

  “You’ll have to ask her, but from what I can tell, she holds her cards close.”

  SUMMER

  “Damn. I didn’t think it’d be so hard to find a store with plus-size clothing on an island with women of every shape and size,” Stella huffed.