“And don’t worry about me now, because I really don’t want to go back to him. No chance in hell.”
She observed me quietly, concern carved into her features. “How are you feeling after his call?”
I exhaled a long sigh. “Frankly? Tired. Tired of the emotional ups and downs. It’s not fair. I thought I would be able to be free of him, but then he does something like this. And it hurts because it reminds me of everything bad he did.”
“I think you should change your number. You never know if that loser is going to call you again.”
“Now, that’s a good idea. Yeah. I should probably do that. I mean, he wouldn’t be that desperate to actually call again, right?”
She wiggled her lips left and right, tapping her fingers on the table. “I don’t know. Then again, you said he was drunk. Maybe it was just a temporary lack of judgment. A one-time episode. So it’s best to ignore it. You know how drunks are after a breakup. They text stupid ‘I love you, come back to me” messages or call you at 3 in the morning and cry over the phone.”
I wasn’t so sure. Anything was possible with Glen because there were a few incidents when Glen overacted and behaved completely irrationally. Once, a guy just looked at me a bit too long, and Glen punched him in the face. He apologized many times later, claiming he was so blinded with anger that he couldn’t think, and I let it slide.
He could be extremely possessive, so this call could be a sign of more things to come. Unless I was being extremely negative and looking too much into things. I should probably look into changing my number. Just in case.
“So let’s say he just got a bit too emotional because he was shit-faced.” She grinned, her eyes now flashing with excitement. “But let’s forget about that asshole. He can rot for all I care. Tell me about Carlos.”
My smile dropped, and I glanced away. That kiss was one of the best things that had happened in a long while, but I was so afraid to think about him, scared that the illusion would drown me and I would come back more broken than ever. And even if it wasn’t an illusion, I was sure I blew everything up when I pushed him away and left.
“What’s with that face? Did something bad happen?”
“No, not really.” I took a sip of my coffee, reminiscing about our dance and the kiss.
“Then what?”
“Well, I went to his studio, and we danced. It was really sensual.”
She tipped her chin down. “Sensual, huh? Details, woman. I need the details.”
I giggled. “There’s not much to say. The atmosphere was sexually charged.”
“Oooh. Poetic.”
“Yeah. And I thought I would go crazy if he didn’t kiss me.”
“Did he? Kiss you, I mean?”
“Not during the dance. Like each time his lips got super close to each other, I thought he was going to, but it didn’t happen, although it was obvious that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. We finished the dance and then…”
She nodded, overly excited. “And then?”
“And then we kissed. And it was sooo good.” My mound throbbed when I thought about the moment he slammed his lips on mine. No one had ever kissed me like that. He was all about raw passion, and it was wild. That was exactly what I needed.
“You see? I told you! I told you he likes you. So?”
“So?”
“You know.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Did you do the deed?”
My eyes widened and I shook my head at her. “At least ten times,” I replied, deadpan.
She rolled her eyes. “Impressive.”
“No, there was no sex at all.”
“But at least, he’s a good kisser. Right?”
“Absolutely. Much more than good.”
“Then why do you have a sour face?”
“Because he told me I was as beautiful as a rose.”
She grinned. “Aww, but that’s so romantic! If a guy told me I was as beautiful as a rose, I’d be smiling like an idiot the whole day.”
“I would too, but the thing is, it’s the same exact thing Glen told me when we started dating, and it just triggered something in me. It was like a black cloud descended, and before I knew it, I doubted everyone and everything again. At that moment, Carlos was too much for me, so I ran away from his studio like an nut.”
She grimaced. “You ran away?”
“Yep.”
“But why? Why are you letting Glen have such power over you?”
I flinched, feeling as if she’d slapped me. “Letting him?”
“Yes. Because he should stay in the past. He shouldn’t influence your future relationships.”
I pursed my lips together. “It’s easy for you to say. He hurt me a lot, so it’s not easy for me to just turn a new leaf and pretend the last three years didn’t happen.”
“I know, but it was just a compliment, for Christ’s sake. So what if it’s exactly the same? Carlos isn’t Glen.” She leaned closer to me, her gaze worried. “Listen, if you let Glen affect you so strongly, he wins. You won’t ever be free of him if you let him ruin your happiness. Sure, Carlos could turn out to be a douchebag, but give him the benefit of the doubt. Just because you had a bad experience with Glen, it doesn’t mean that all men are like him.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, getting tired of going around in circles. Nat was right. I knew that, yet I let doubt rule over me. I was too scared to get attached to someone again, but what was the alternative? I had to take risks and hope for the best if I didn’t want to die single.
“I think you should enjoy it while it lasts. And if nothing else, you’ll get to sleep with a hot latino guy.”
“But I think I ruined everything after last night. He probably thinks I’m weird or something.”
“You and your conclusions. I really don’t think it’s a big deal. Talk to him. I’m sure he’ll be cool with it.”
“So you think I still have a chance?”
“Yep. But this time, don’t ruin it, please.” She winked at me.
I sighed and looked at my cup of coffee. “I’ll try.”
I kept her advice in mind, heading to my next salsa class earlier so I could catch Carlos alone and apologize to him for my abrupt departure.
Just as I had hoped, he was alone in the gym when I arrived. The moment my eyes landed on him, I felt a powerful attraction that pulled me closer to him. He was like a magnet, and now that I knew how good his kiss felt, it was even harder to resist. Not that I wanted to.
Nat’s words were an eye-opener. I’d let Glen rule my life way after I broke up with him, shielding myself behind a thick wall of mistrust and negativity. I had to move on and let myself be happy.
“Hey,” I told him when I reached the counter, and he raised his gaze from his laptop screen to meet mine. My cheeks warmed under his piercing stare, and I cleared my throat. “Umm. I know I acted strange last time but… I want you to know I’m sorry.”
He stood up and went around the counter. “Lindsey, are you okay? With the way you left, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to see you again. I’m so sorry.”
For a second, I could only gape at him because he wasn’t angry or accusatory. He was apologizing to me.
This only made me feel guiltier. “What are you sorry about?”
He reached for my hand, and I glanced at our connected hands, his unexpected touch igniting the desire in me, but then he dropped it like he’d realized just now what he’d done. “Sorry… It’s just that when I’m next to you…”
I stopped breathing. “Yes?”
“I can’t seem to control myself. But I don’t want to push you if you feel like everything is happening too fast. I never felt this way before, so everything is new to me.”
I felt warm. So warm. It was so hard for me to believe he would feel this way about me, but at the same time, I felt good. Me. Carlos felt this way about me.
“So if I make you feel uncomfortable, or if you think I crossed a boundary with the kiss—”
“N
o, not at all,” I rushed to clarify. “It’s not about the kiss. I… I liked the kiss very much.”
He broke into a dazzling smile. “You did?”
“Yes. Very much, actually.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but the first two girls arrived, and Carlos took a few steps away from me so we wouldn’t look suspicious.
“Hi, girls,” he told them.
“Hey, Carlos,” they greeted him, quickly checking him out, but he didn’t even pay attention to them, his eyes already back on me.
“Look,” he told me quietly. “There’s something I want to tell you, so I’d like you to stay after the class. Please, stay.”
I had to try hard to prevent my lips from curling into an enormous smile. I was going to have time alone with Carlos at his studio again. There was no way I would refuse that.
“Okay. I’ll stay.”
7
It was almost impossible for me to focus on the lesson because my mind was in overdrive the entire time. I knew what was going to happen once we were alone, and it was all I could think about.
Our gazes locked a few times across the gym, and it was clear that he felt the same way. He wanted the class to be over as much as I did, and I had a hard time pretending in front of others. Each time he approached me, my whole body tensed with an awareness only he could create in me.
Amanda noticed it. She threw me an occasional smile and once she raised her thumbs up in encouragement. I nearly wanted to die of shame, willing myself to be less transparent.
As soon as the last girl left, he dimmed the lights and played a slow song. He took me to a sofa in the corner of the room, his fingers securely wrapped around my hand.
The smell of his sweat and his scent mixed, creating a potent combination. A fine layer of sweat covered his golden-brown skin, adding to his appeal, but that wasn’t surprising—he was the sexiest man I’d ever seen. I just wanted those muscular arms to encircle me and pull me against his strong body.
“Did you enjoy the class?” he asked me, pushing a damp strand of my hair away from my face and behind my ear. I was sure he could hear the maddening thumps of my heart.
“Yes, but more than the class, I enjoyed the view.” I smiled and motioned with my hand at him.
He chuckled. “Same.”
“Same?”
He grew serious, his dark eyes keeping me captivated. His fingers traced my upper arm languidly, his other hand resting on my knee.
“I have to be honest, Lindsey. I’m very attracted to you, and I can’t stop thinking about you.”
I licked my lips, suddenly breathless. It was always too easy for him to leave me out of breath. “I feel the same way.”
“Yeah?” He tucked another strand of my hair behind my ear and leaned in so that his lips skimmed over my forehead. I almost moaned, his proximity setting my every nerve on fire.
“This is the first time I’ve felt this strongly about someone I hardly know, and in the beginning, I wanted to deny it because I never mix business and pleasure. But I know I can’t resist you.”
He kissed my cheek, his hand on my leg inching up and closer to my core. I couldn’t resist him either. Not anymore.
“Then don’t resist me,” I answered with a boldness I hadn’t felt in such a long time, and it felt right.
He groaned and squeezed my thigh. “I want you, baby. So, so much.”
“Then do something about it,” I dared him.
This was all he needed to cup my face and kiss me, erasing every trace of my reason. His tongue delved into my mouth and slid greedily over mine, his hand sliding up to the waistband of my tights. His other hand was resting on the small of my back, pulling me closer to him, and I found myself opening my legs for him.
“What do you want, hermosa? Tell me.”
“I want your hand on my pussy.”
“You don’t need to say it twice.” He reached inside my tights.
“Carlos,” I moaned into his mouth when his fingers pushed into my panties and brushed my clit.
“Tu eres muy preciosa. You’re so precious. Look at you. So deliciously wet for me.”
I leaned against the back of the couch, pushing my hips toward him shamelessly. “Carlos.” My voice wasn’t mine. It was pleading and raspy, and it contained all my need in that one word. “Oh yes.”
“Let’s make your wet pussy come, baby. Let’s give you what you want.”
He stripped me of my tights and panties in two quick moves, and my mound lay bare in front of him, cleanly shaved.
He sucked in his breath, looking at my pussy with pure lust. “Madre de Dios. So beautiful. Small and pink.” He licked his lips. “Come here.”
He made me lean against his shoulder, snaking his arm around my waist while he brought his other hand to my burning core. His long fingers slid through my puffy folds, and I jerked my hips up, his touch sending a bolt of electricity through me.
“Look in the mirror,” he told me, and I looked at our reflection. “Look what I’m doing to you.” Oh sweet Jesus. Everything felt even stronger when I could see it directly, and the erotic image became engraved into my mind.
I didn’t take my eyes off of our reflection, unable to believe how good it felt to experience this. I was panting as he moved his fingers around my clit, then across my vulva, and over my entrance. My juices were flowing out of me, his touch creating a pressure deep in me that promised to explode pretty soon.
“That’s so good. Yes…” I threw my head back, pushing my pussy against his hand.
His chuckle was husky. “So impatient. You want more, huh? Do you?”
“Yes.”
“With pleasure.”
He inserted two fingers into me and started thrusting them into me without mercy, making me even wetter.
“Oh god! Carlos! Yes…” Our eyes met in the mirror, and I convulsed with pleasure.
“So beautiful,” he said, his eyes devouring me, and I rolled my hips, my hands fisting on my sides as I approached my orgasm rapidly.
I was beside myself with pleasure, calling his name in ecstasy. He moved his fingers faster and faster, and when I exploded, I saw white.
“Carlos!” I grabbed his wrist, my whole body rocking under the intensity of my release, and he held me until the last tremor passed.
“So, so beautiful,” he repeated and pulled me in for another kiss.
I could cry from happiness. Engulfed with bliss, I opened my mouth to give his tongue access. I’d never felt this way. So sated. So happy. So safe.
“Thank you,” I muttered into his lips. I didn’t think he could ever realize what this meant to me. It was like an awakening, a sign of light I needed after a long period of darkness.
He grinned and palmed my cheeks, his eyes incredibly warm. “You don’t have to thank me for that, princesa. It was something I’ve wanted ever since I saw you for the first time.”
I leaned away to look at him. “Really?”
He flashed me another of his super sexy smiles. “Really. And I tried to ignore it because you’re my student, but every time I saw you I couldn’t stop imagining myself doing many things to you.” His fingers stroked my cheek. “I can’t stop thinking about you. During classes, when I go to sleep… You’re always on my mind. What have you done to me?”
“I used magic spells,” I joked.
He chuckled. “Your allure is way stronger than any magic spell. You’re so beautiful, Lindsey. And I want more. Much more. In fact, I’d like to take you to dinner tomorrow, if that’s okay with you.”
I didn’t respond immediately, afraid of where this would lead us. I was afraid of telling him I wanted him only to lose him. But Nat would knock me with a frying pan if I messed this up.
Okay. I was making a leap of faith here.
“I’d love that.”
He responded with another kiss, and I literally melted in his arms. We made out for a few minutes, both of us out of breath when we finally separated.
“I shoul
d go home. I’m getting up early tomorrow for a meeting.”
“It’s late so let me drive you home,” he offered in a gravelly voice, his eyes tracing my puffy lips. “That way I can also get to kiss you some more.”
I didn’t need any convincing. He locked the studio and took me to a black Tesla that waited for him in the parking lot.
His scent was everywhere in the car. I’d orgasmed just earlier, but I was still aroused. His hand was on my thigh during the whole ride, taunting me, and I was close to begging him to make me come again.
He groaned. “You’re making this hard for me,” he said, taking a quick glance at me.
“Making what hard?”
“You know very well. That face you’re having now… It’s clear that you want more, and I want to give it to you. So badly. And I can’t focus on anything else but you. I want you so much, baby.”
Fully turned on, I opened my mouth to invite him to my place, but then I stopped, reminded by that annoying voice that things were going a bit too fast. I didn’t want him to see me as someone who he could conquer in one night only. What if we slept together and he lost interest?
Nat told me to go with the flow, but as much as I wanted him, I wasn’t ready. Ugh. Everything seemed so complicated.
I didn’t need to say anything, because he saw right through me, my expression telling him everything he needed to know. He removed his hand from my thigh.
“Look, I don’t want you to feel like I’m pressuring you. If you think this is going too fast, tell me.”
Relief washed over me because of his understanding. “Thank you. Maybe it’s a bit too fast, which sounds absurd now after that orgasm you gave me.”
He returned my smile and cupped my cheek. “It’s not absurd at all. I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”
I leaned into his touch, my heart swelling with a new emotion, but I was scared to analyze it. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re amazing?”
“No. You’re the first.”
“Well, you are.”
He didn’t say anything, coming closer to me to kiss me instead. Our mouths fused together, and the rest of the world stopped to exist again. His hands explored my back and waist as his tongue danced with mine, and for a moment there, I wanted to throw caution to the wind and drag him to my bedroom.
Carlos Page 4
