It Matters #2
I closed my eyes and prayed to heaven this was real. That he wouldn’t back away like that night.
“Robbie. Stop overthinking. We’ll talk, but I really need to pee.”
I chuckled. “Door’s open. You go first.”
In less than a millisecond, Esteban was running to the bathroom. “Morning!” He closed the door.
I sat on the bed. “Go ahead and shower. I’m okay.” I looked out of the window-paned wall and sighed.
The sky was a light blue. No clouds in sight. I loved the view. It made me want to paint. To record each morning for eternity.
Esteban peeked out the door. “Are you sure I can shower?”
“I’m sure. Take your time.”
“Okay. I’ll be as fast as I can.” He closed the door.
My hands trembled violently beneath the covers. I tried to fix my tousled hair and prayed my morning breath wasn’t that bad.
I lay back and waited.
Ten minutes later, Esteban opened the door with a satisfied smile on his face and his towel hanging around his waist.
I’d be drooling if I were a dog because, God, he was a fine specimen. Those pecs and abs made me want to taste him all over. I couldn’t tear my eyes off him as he strode toward me.
“See something you like?” He sat on the edge of the bed, then scooted next to me.
His right thigh touched my left over the covers, and my whole body went taut. My whole body. He was a temptation and a tease, and I loved it.
I licked my lower lip, and before I was done, his lips were on mine.
The kiss was rough and dominant, and I melted into it. My body shifted toward him like gravity, and he grunted, then put a hand on my chest to stop me.
“As much as I want to see where this kiss will lead us. As much as I want to possess you whole and taste every single part of your body, we can’t.” He held my hands to his lips in a tender kiss. “You must be sore, and I’d never hurt you. We should also talk.”
I straightened. “Then let’s talk.” I didn’t know what the fuck he wanted to talk about, but if it meant moving forward with our relationship, I wanted it to happen.
His lips curled. “Okay, but it’s nine. Stephany and Eva are waiting for us.”
Kiss forgotten, I threw off the covers and dashed into the bathroom.
“I’ll get ready and make some sandwiches to go,” Esteban said from outside.
I hated being late, and we’d promised.
“Hey, guys! Thought you wouldn’t make it!” Stephany yelled while serving a table of four.
We began visiting Stephany and Eva, the owners of Entre Alas, more often after we met at the Miramar Food Truck Park. We’d become close friends.
Steph was married to Eva, who was the cook, and today we’d promised to help them with an event.
There was a book tour from a local author, and she had her release today.
Part of the event was having brunch in the food park after enjoying a nice time with her fellow authors and readers at the Book Stop in Publica Espacio Cultural here in Miramar.
We didn’t know the details, but they needed more hands to help, and we volunteered.
Esteban kissed my cheek, making me swoon like a teenager, then entered the truck and put on an apron. “So what are we doing?”
I followed, focused on his perfectly formed ass.
He smirked when he caught me staring.
Eva darted her gaze between us, then scooped some wings from the fryer and put them aside. “We’ll be preparing a new dish, waffle wings.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Steph’s idea, not mine.”
Esteban chuckled.
“I’ll make the boneless wings, then you’ll dip them in the waffle batter and cook them in the iron.” Eva moved around the truck, explaining the process, with Esteban’s rapt attention on her.
Esteban saluted. “Sí, senora.”
I grinned behind Esteban, then put my apron on. “What about me?”
Steph grabbed my hand. “You come with me, pretty boy.” Once outside, she pulled me to the side of the truck. “What was that about?” Her eyes shone with glee.
We’d become the best of friends. The connection was immediate.
My chest swelled. She’d known since we met about my crush on Esteban and was certain we’d end up together. Sometimes she drove me insane and was always trying to get us together, making comments in front of Esteban to see his reaction. Now she’d have to suffer a bit before knowing about last night.
I tied the apron behind me. “I don’t know what you mean.” I knew exactly what she meant but started walking toward a table.
“Roberto, get back here this minute!”
I glanced inside the truck.
Esteban focused on the iron. He looked handsome no matter what he was doing.
As if sensing me, he turned around and winked.
“There it is,” she said. “First, that kiss on the cheek, then he winks at you. Spill it!”
I grinned. “We kissed last night.”
“You kissed!” Steph shouted, and I knew I was beet red the moment Esteban and Eva peeked out. “I knew it!”
Eva elbowed Esteban, who smiled widely, then returned to his post.
“You owe me twenty, love,” Steph said to her wife.
Eva blew her a kiss. “That should be enough.”
Steph put her hands on her hips. “Cheater.” She dragged me away. “Tell me it was incredible!”
I let my mind wander to last night. To the passion with which he embraced me. The taste of his strong lips on mine. “It was earth-shattering.”
“And did you do it?”
I gasped. I wanted to die. “Stephany!”
She jumped in place. “Well, did you?”
I shook my head. I wished I hadn’t gone with Andres, that Esteban had been my first instead of him.
She frowned. “Oh, weren’t you on a date with Andres last night?”
I turned at the sound of people arriving. The group was entering the park. Thank God.
“No…you…” She looked at the crowd. “You and I are having a talk after we’re done.”
I wanted to turn the page and start a new one with Esteban. But knowing Steph, she wouldn’t let it go, so I had to be ready for her onslaught when this was over.
I took a notepad and followed her. This would be an interesting day indeed.
Two hours later, we were cleaning up.
“Thank you for everything!” the author said after everyone left. Her flaming-red hair blew with a gust of wind. Her natural smile was sweet, but her stance carried strength.
“Oh my God. The waffle wings were so amazing,” the man at her side said. Behind his reflective shades and groomed beard, I could tell he was confident and magnetic.
Something about them told me their souls connected on a different level. Their loyalty and unshakable trust in each other were palpable.
They asked us to sit with them after everything was over and explained how they became best friends as authors, and she had asked him to interview her for her book presentation.
It was a romance about a gay couple in Puerto Rico and the fight to accept one’s identity while being raised in a conservative home.
Anything to do with my reality was pure coincidence, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on that book.
“You’re welcome.” Eva shook her hand.
“It was a pleasure meeting you all.” The author looked at us four. “It feels like I already know you. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll read about yourselves in one of my novels.”
“Oh my God. That would be awesome,” her friend said.
We all laughed as she waved goodbye, her friend by her side.
“Well, wouldn’t that be interesting?” Esteban took off his apron.
We all chuckled and grabbed some beers. It was eleven, but the weather was hot and the sun relentless.
“So…” Steph waited in silence.
I was about to say something when Esteban grabbed my hand over the table.
“So if Robbie doesn’t oppose, I’d like to go out with him.” He gestured toward the girls. “With your blessing, of course.”
I squeezed his hand. My mind couldn’t wrap around the idea that this man wanted to go out with me. “You want to go out with me?” I couldn’t hide my smile.
Esteban sighed, then kissed my hand. “Ever since I saw you on that beach, I’ve been dying to ask you out.
And I did, but then everything went to shit with your parents, and, well, the rest is history.
I couldn’t find the courage, but I’m done hiding it.
I like you. I want us to spend time together as a couple. ”
My heart thumped wildly. “Of course I’ll go out with you. I’ve been waiting forever for you to ask me.”
Esteban cupped my cheek, and I leaned into him. Then the giggles started.
“They’re so dreamy,” Steph said as Eva watched us intently.
“Well, you can skip the dating part since you’re already living together,” Eva said, coaxing a laugh from Esteban.
He shrugged. “We’ll take it as slow as needed. I want Robbie to be happy.”
He raised his beer and held it toward me. “To new beginnings.”
I clinked mine with his. “To new beginnings.”
“So.” Esteban grabbed my hand as we walked down the beach where we met.
Happiness swelled inside me, and I dragged him closer to the water, then kicked some his way. “So.”
He laughed and did the same to me. “Are you sure you want to date this old man?” He raised an eyebrow.
I bumped him with my shoulder. “It’s only six years. You’re not that old.”
He pulled me to him, our chests touching. “So you’ll date me?”
I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips. “Yes. I’ll date you, old man.”
“Old man, huh?” He covered my neck with his hand, then moved it to my hair and pulled enough to keep me in place. He gave me a mind-blowing kiss.
I gasped when he let go, my breathing shallow. God, he was intense.
Esteban took my hand again and kissed it. “Let’s go home.”