by Shaw, LK
“Well, I don’t care how you found out. Thank you for the happy birthday.”
“You’re welcome.” Victor nuzzled my nose and kissed my forehead. “I’ve been thinking. Yeah, I know, don’t hurt—”
I pressed my finger over his lips to stop the flow of words. “Think all you want. Cause I’m really starting to like the way you do it.”
Victor kissed the tip of my finger before I pulled it back. “As I was saying, I’ve been thinking about what to do for your birthday.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do anything.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but he pulled me even more flush against him.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to. Now stop interrupting me.” He softened the command with a smile. “It’s been ten days since the incident outside the school and six since the crash. No one has heard anything about Álvarez. At this point, every bit of evidence, or lack thereof, points to the two incidents being random and in no way connected.” Victor didn’t seem convinced.
“Do you really believe that?”
“I don’t know what to believe. I only know you’ve been almost a prisoner stuck inside the house. Today is your birthday, and I want to do something special for you.”
That faint sound I heard was another crack in the wall. If Victor kept this up, he’d shatter it into oblivion. I wasn’t as opposed to it as I should be. Instead, I found myself smiling. “While it’s mildly stalker-ish that you looked up my birthday, as opposed to asking me, the reason behind it is probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
His expression turned serious. “I plan on showing you how important you are, Estelle. I don’t want you to go a single day without knowing that I care about you.”
A lump grew in my throat and my eyes burned with unshed tears. I swallowed the rock and sniffed back my emotions. I didn’t want to ruin this moment by bawling like a baby. My mouth opened and closed several times, but I couldn’t get any words out. Not that I even knew what to say. Which was a good thing, because all the ones I tried got stuck. Thankfully, Victor broke the silence. “Tonight, when I pick you up, we’re going on a date to celebrate.”
I was glad for the change in topic. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. Just be prepared to have a good time.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’ve never been a big fan of those, you know.”
They were never usually good ones. At least not in my experience.
“That’s because you’ve never had me surprise you,” Victor boasted with an infectious smile.
It wasn’t actually true. He surprised me each and every day. None of them had been terrible yet, so maybe he had the right of it.
“Okay then. Bring on the surprise.” His boyish excitement was contagious.
“Let’s get you to work then so we can go out later and have some fun.”
* * *
My excitement level had grown all day until finally, I was practically dancing with anticipation by the time the school bell rang. My students had barely cleared the room before I grabbed my bag and dashed out the door.
Looking as sexy as always was Victor. I could see the power in his every move as he leaned up from his truck he’d finally gotten back. He moved with fluidity and a grace I hadn’t truly appreciated until this exact moment. My fingers burned with remembrance of touching all those muscles under that black leather jacket he was wearing. The crisp early November air was cool against my heated cheeks. I expected we should start to see a lot more colder days. We’d already had one small snowfall. But it was November in Chicago. No matter how much we wished otherwise, winter, and snow, were coming.
I threw myself into Victor’s arms, planting a giant kiss on his lips. I’d thrown all caution to the wind and planned on fully embracing this thing between us. I loved kissing him and had no plans on stopping any time soon now that I’d started. I was pretty sure, based on the returned exuberance, Victor had no problems with that.
“I take it you’re ready,” he chuckled after I’d finally let him up for air.
“Let’s get this party started.”
He helped me up into the truck, and soon it became clear we were heading downtown. I couldn’t contain my curiosity about where exactly we were going though.
“So, you gonna tell me now where you’re taking me?”
Victor glanced over at me as he pulled into the parking garage. “You’ll see,” he continued to tease me.
His hand was warm in mine as we walked down E. Illinois Street. Soon it became obvious where we were headed. I hadn’t been to the Navy Pier in several years. In fact, the last time I’d been here was with Ines. We strolled down the path, Victor clear about his destination. He opened the door, and we stepped inside, the heated building taking off the slight chill I’d gotten on our walk over. Soon we were standing at the counter of Frankie’s Pizza by the Slice.
“This was my favorite place to eat growing up. Even more than Giordano’s,” Victor told me.
I stared at him in complete disbelief. “That’s blasphemy right there. No pizza on this earth can match Giordano’s.”
“Frankie’s sauce is absolute perfection. The flavor. The amount on each piece. It’s like magic happens inside my mouth when I take a bite.”
“Magic, huh?” I chuckled.
Victor nodded matter of factly. “Complete and absolute.”
“Well, it’s obvious I’ve been eating the wrong pizza all these years then.”
“Definitely. Don’t worry, I’ll have you converted before you know it.”
I left him with the illusion that he could. After a few bites, I was forced to admit the pizza was pretty damn good. Still not Giordano’s good, but I was willing to concede that Frankie’s was a close second.
“Don’t eat too much, we’re not done yet.”
“Now you tell me.” I groaned.
Victor chuckled. “Come on.”
We strolled, hand in hand, further along the pier. I’d always enjoyed being a people watcher and here was the perfect place for it. Families with their kids wandered around, a few of them obviously tourists by the wide-eyed expression on some of the children. The way their heads swiveled back and forth as they tried to take everything in.
There were small and large groups of young women walking together in their stilettos and dresses like they planned to head to the dance club later. Guy friends probably on their way to the sports bar to watch some football.
Then there were the couples. Young and old walking hand in hand. Enjoying time with their partner. So many people in love. I stepped closer to Victor and laid my head on his shoulder as we walked. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this at peace.
We stopped midway down the Pier. I glanced at the building signage. Amazing Chicago’s Funhouse Maze.
“What is this place?” I’d seen it before, but I’d never been inside.
“You’ll see.”
Laughing, I let Victor drag me inside. Holy shit, it was psychedelic. Black lights, fluorescent lights, a mirror that distorted our bodies. It was exactly what the business name described. We walked across a wooden bridge inside a tunnel of purple glowing lights. Our balance was challenged as he and I meandered across a bouncing, moving floor only made more challenging by the crazy lightshow going on. I couldn’t remember having this much fun before on a birthday.
I got a little claustrophobic trying to squeeze through the “Big Squeeze”. The walls were so close together you had to go through sideways. I was thankful for the hold Victor had on my hand, because otherwise I may have panicked. Out of breath from laughing, we finally reached the end of the maze. I collapsed in a fit of giggles against him.
“That was a blast. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”
“You’re welcome. The night’s still not over.”
“Damn, what else do you have planned?”
Victor winked. “Just wait.”
Our next stop was no less spectacular than everywh
ere else. I didn’t care how cold it was outside, nothing stopped me from eating ice cream. It was crazy how much Victor had remembered about me.
“After you,” he gestured.
Of course, I ordered mint chocolate chip and he ordered his weird rainbow flavored concoction.
“You want to find a place to sit or you want to keep walking?” Victor asked when he handed me my cup.
“I’m okay with walking. It’s getting dark, and I love looking at all the lights across the water.”
“You got it.”
We stood there eating our ice cream watching the riverboat paddle around the lake. It was chilly, especially right next to the water, but even with all the hustle and bustle around us, it was so peaceful out here. Chicago was my hometown. The place I’d grown up. But here, tonight, with Victor it was like I was seeing the place in a different light. Everything was brighter. Bolder. Better. All because of this man beside me.
We finished our ice cream and found a trash can to toss our garbage in. He stood behind me, wrapping his arms around me tight, and holding me close as we stared out over the water.
“Thank you so much for tonight. It’s been absolutely amazing. One of my best birthdays, if not the best, ever.”
Victor kissed the crown of my head. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it.”
We didn’t exchange any more words, merely stood there comfortably. A burst of wind crashed through us, and I shivered.
“Let’s get you out of the cold.” We headed back in the direction of the parking garage, but then Victor made a sharp beeline to the right. “One last thing before we leave. You’re not afraid of heights, are you?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Good.”
After a short wait in line, he handed our ride tickets to the employee and he helped me into the temperature-controlled, Plexiglas-windowed car. The Centennial Wheel was the most popular attraction on Navy Pier. The two-hundred-foot Ferris wheel had been around only a few years.
We reached the pinnacle, and I gasped. “Oh my god, this is spectacular.”
Almost the entire city was visible, the lights glowing so brightly it almost hurt my eyes. There was Sear’s Tower, its color-flashing antennas rising up from the roof like they could touch the sky. I didn’t care that they changed the name to Willis Tower. To me, it would forever be called Sear’s Tower. There was the John Hancock building. My head swiveled back and forth, and my eyes widened taking in the whole city lit up like a million stars in the sky. This, this right here, was magical.
Not caring that the entire car rocked with the force, I threw myself into Victor’s arms.
He caught me with an explosion of air. “Whoa.”
I hugged him as tightly as I could. He returned it with equal fervor. I pulled back so our eyes met. “This has definitely been the absolute best birthday I’ve ever had. Thank you isn’t enough.”
The wall inside my chest was shaking, on the verge of crumbling down. When it happened, because I could already feel the foundation begin to crumble, it was going to be epic.
“I’m sure there are far more inventive ways you can show your appreciation.”
A laugh burst out of me.
“Maybe you need to show me. You know, in case I get it wrong.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
He yanked me fully onto his lap, my legs spread as I straddled him. I rocked my hips, grinding against his erection. In return, his lips crashed against mine. An electrical charge seared me from the heat of his mouth. His tongue didn’t beg entry, it took. Victor owned every inch of my mouth. Before the night was over, he’d own every inch of my body. Maybe even my heart.
Pleasure consumed me. The taste of his mouth was sweet and fruity. His hair was soft between my fingertips. But the heat of him. The heat soaked all the way through me culminating into a fiery storm that threatened to combust any second. My hard nipples ached, and I rubbed them against his chest creating a delicious friction that slammed into my core. Time stood still.
“You two might want to take that somewhere a little more private.”
We broke apart, gasping for air. The Ferris wheel operator stood there with the door of our car open, an amused expression on his face, exposing us to a small crowd of onlookers peering around him. Has anyone actually died of embarrassment before?
Gathering what little dignity I had left, I climbed off Victor’s lap, straightened my shirt and brushed my hair back with my fingers. I exited the car first, with him hot on my heels.
Spine straight, I stood proudly, grabbed his hand and smiled at the operator. “Thanks for the tip.”
Victor was quiet as we walked down the sidewalk toward the parking garage. I turned my head to look at him. He returned my stare, silent, his expression worrisome. The crinkle between his eyes was adorable.
“Are you waiting for me to freak out?”
“Most definitely.”
“Please,” I chuckled. “I managed to survive being caught half-naked, wrapped in nothing but a sheet, coming out of your room by your dad. At least this time I was wearing all my clothes.”
Victor gave a shaky laugh. “I should have known better.”
“Really, though, there are worse things. You could have been balls deep inside me,” I deadpanned.
He burst out laughing and tackle-hugged me, swinging me around once before setting me on my feet. My laughter joined his. We stared at each other, our chuckles slowly fading away.
“You could be, you know,” I said softly.
“I could be wha—” his eyes widened in realization.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “I’m sure.”
This moment was eleven years in the making. At sixteen, it began as a whisper. At twenty-seven, it was a roar. Every time I looked at him, the desire grew. This was a huge step for me, because this wasn’t someone who was going to leave before morning. This wasn’t going to be casual. It was going to be feelings and emotions. It was going to be Victor. That made all the difference.
“I have a confession to make.”
“What’s that?”
Under the streetlight, his face seemed to flush. “I had zero expectations for tonight when I did this. Okay, so maybe a little hope, but no actual expectations. I promise.” He paused.
“Okay,” I prompted.
“I might have booked a lakeview room at the W Chicago.”
I blinked. That was definitely not what I’d thought he was going to say. I let the news sink in for a second and examined my feelings about it. I believed him when he said he didn’t have any expectations. That wasn’t Victor’s style. He would never have assumed I was going to jump into bed with him, no matter how our relationship was progressing.
He kept staring at me expectantly. No doubt waiting for me to get upset or angry at his presumptuousness. I wasn’t though. In fact, now that I knew we had the rest of the night to ourselves, with complete privacy, the giddiness of anticipation was barreling through me. I needed to let him off the hook. With a single step, I pressed my body against him. His heart beat strong beneath my palm.
“That’s an awfully fancy hotel room to be wasting money on if we aren’t going to use it.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care if I lose the money. That isn’t what this is about.”
“I know,” I agreed. “But if you’re going to spend that kind of cash, I have no intention of leaving that room until I have to.”
I stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear. “I hope you can keep up.”
Pulling away, I walked backwards, a cheeky grin on my face. Victor stood there with a dazed expression on his face. I crooked my finger, beckoning him to me. He shook himself and barreled forward. “Oh, I can definitely keep up.”
He threw his arm around my shoulder, and we walked the mile to the hotel. Each step made the anticipation grow. On our walk up to the front desk, the marble floor shone brightly under our feet. I gazed around t
he lobby while Victor checked us in. Everything sparkled in here. I tilted my head backwards, and the mirrored ceilings sent my reflection back to me. The place reeked of expensive decadence.
I smiled to myself. I was going to have so much fun dirtying the sheets.
“Ready?”
I pivoted at Victor’s question. He held his arm out, and I looped my hand through the bend in his elbow. The elevator ride was quick. We reached our room, and Victor let me in. I flipped on the light and gasped. The room was magnificent. I hurried across the plush carpet to stare out the window. There was a perfect view of the lake and the Navy Pier. It was spectacular. I’d never appreciated how beautiful the city was at night until now.
A whisper of air dashed across my cheek as Victor swept my hair over my shoulder and kissed the spot where my shoulder met my neck. I leaned back against him with a sigh of contentment. This moment, right here, was perfection. I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“I don’t suppose you ordered champagne and chocolates?” I grinned up at him.
“I think I have something better in mind.”
“Oh yeah?”
Victor reached over my head and pulled the curtains closed, shutting the entire world out, leaving just the two of us together in this room. He lowered his head, his lips stopping a hairsbreadth from mine. My tongued darted out to lick my lips. He was so close, it flickered against his as well. That was all it took. Our mouths crushed together.
This was what a kiss was supposed to feel like. Overwhelming. Explosive. All-consuming. It completely took my breath away. I was drowning in sensation. My lungs burned with the need for air, but I didn’t want to stop kissing him. I also wanted more. Our breathing was harsh in the quiet of the room.
“You’re so beautiful,” Victor gasped against my lips. “I could spend a lifetime kissing you, and it would never be enough.”
I wanted to tell him how I felt. Instead, I went back to kissing him, hoping he could feel the words on my lips. His palm cupped my breast, and I gasped against his mouth.
“More,” I begged.
In response, he pulled my shirt up over my head before fastening his lips to mine again. Deft fingers unhooked my bra, the straps sliding down my shoulders before Victor pulled it completely off and tossed it aside. The heat of his hand burned my skin when he cupped my breast again, this time flesh against flesh. I moaned into his mouth, and he swallowed the sound.
