Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
VERA
“Yes, Eloise. I already told Stacy to make those changes before it goes to the editor. No, I can’t call them for an extension. It needs to be done. We all have deadlines for a reason… Okay, bye.”
Cara hung up the phone and sighed. “Sorry, babe. Work today is just— This is Cara.”
Cara had been answering phone call after phone call for the past hour with no signs of slowing down. She gave me a sympathetic look, but I waved her off, going to make her a cup of tea. She looked like she could use something stronger, but it was only just after noon.
“Yes, Jen. I’ll send that over right now.” She hung up the phone and practically sank into the couch, immediately picking her phone back up.
I’d had enough. Cara had been working nonstop since she woke up this morning. If she didn’t take a break, she’d burn out, and I couldn’t allow that.
I walked over to where she sat on the couch and took her phone from her, praying that she didn’t bite my arm off in the process. I was really testing the waters with this, but I felt like I had to do something. She worked too damn hard.
“Hey! What are you doing? I was in the middle of replying to a work email!”
“I’m getting you out of the house. You are taking the day off, and you’re going to enjoy this beautiful weather and my spectacular company.”
“Vera, I really need to reply to that email. I’ve been waiting for it to come in for two weeks. Just let me finish up and then we’ll go do whatever you want, okay?”
She reached out her hand, like she thought I’d just give in. She had a point, because I really wanted to. I hated denying her anything, but I had to stand my ground. She’d thank me for it later. I hoped.
I shook my head and put the phone in my pocket. “No, princesa. You work too hard and you’re always on your phone. There will always be an email that needs to be answered, or a phone call that needs to be made.”
She groaned. “That’s part of my job, honey. Can I please have my phone back?” She gave me the saddest little puppy dog face that almost had me caving.
“No. Work will always be there, and your phone will be here when we get back. I bet you can’t even last one day without your phone, princesa.”
I smirked when she scowled at me. Gotcha!
“You bet? Okay, I’ll bite. You really think I can’t go a whole day without my phone? You’re about to regret this. What are the perimeters of this bet, then? What are we going to do and what do I get when I win?”
I laughed. I probably was going to regret it, but to see the competitive side of her come out again was so hot. I saw it when we played pickleball with her friends and I had to force my hands to myself in the showers. She never failed to take my breath away or turn me into a horny teenager.
“If you win, then I’ll let you pick my outfit for a day. But If I win, you have to dress like me for a day.”
Her eyes widened and sparkled with challenge. “A whole day? What if I want you to wear a dress or leggings?”
I crinkled my nose. “Then I guess I’ll be wearing a dress or leggings.
But that’s only if you win. Don’t get cocky.
I haven’t seen you without your phone since I met you, besides the wedding, but that doesn’t count.
It’s easy to be off your phone when you are doing something.
But what I’m planning, it’ll be harder.”
“You sound very confident. Fine. You have yourself a deal, Ms. Rojas. What are we doing then?”
“Have you ever been hiking?” I asked, already guessing the answer before her head started shaking and her brows creased together.
“No, I can’t say that I have…”
“Well, after today, you can. Go get dressed. We leave in an hour.” I kissed her forehead and headed to the kitchen. Laughing when I heard her footsteps behind me.
“Hiking?! I’m sorry, is that supposed to be a joke? The outdoors and I are not good friends, baby. Can we do literally anything else?”
I smiled, walking up to her and placing a kiss on her lips. My heart fluttered at hearing her call me baby, and I wanted to pick her up and take her to my room.
“It’ll be good for you. I’ll be there to protect you, and we’ll get some fresh air. But if you want to forfeit the bet now, then that’s okay, too.” I grinned, knowing she wouldn’t cave just yet.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Fine. I’ll go hiking, but when I win this bet, because I will, you not only have to dress however I choose for you, but you also have to cook me dinner and dessert!”
I pulled her to me and leaned closer to whisper, “Deal, princesa. I’ll cook you whatever you want, and for dessert? I’ll lick you like gelato."
“Mmm, I like the sound of that.” She smiled and closed the distance between us, shutting down any more conversation.
“How are you doing up there?” I asked. We’d been walking the trail for about thirty minutes, and so far I hadn’t seen her pull out her phone.
I’d let her bring it to make the bet more difficult. And also in case of an emergency. So far, she was doing better than I expected. I didn’t really care about the bet. I’d wear a dress for a week if it meant she relaxed and enjoyed herself.
“I’m breathing… I think. Why is this more difficult than a treadmill?"
I laughed. “Because, baby. There is terrain outside in the real world. I’m proud of you, though. You’re doing better than I expected.”
“Because I can survive without my phone, thank you very much. But this was actually a good idea. I’m always so busy with work that I forget to stop and smell the roses sometimes.”
She walked back toward me and gripped my shirt, smiling as she leaned up to place a kiss on my lips. I brought her closer to me and deepened the kiss, not ready to give her up just yet.
When we parted, I licked my lips, still tasting her lip gloss. “What was that for, princesa?”
She smiled. “To thank you for making me take a break. I hadn’t realized how much I needed one until we got out here. I’d rather be walking inside a mall or bookstore, but it’s actually not so bad out here.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself and staying away from work. The sun will be setting soon, but we should be coming out onto the beach at the perfect time to see it before we need to start heading back. So you still have a ways to go. We’ll see how long you can last.”
The look she gave me was pure mischief. “I think you know how long I can last, Vera” She winked and good God I wish we were closer to the house.
We continued our walk, pointing out different plants and birds we saw along the way.
Our hands stayed connected for the rest of the walk, and my smile was unmistakable when I felt the faintest caress on my thumb.
I didn’t look at her, though. I didn’t know if she knew she was doing it or not, but I didn’t want it to end.
“You were right, we made it just in time to see the sunset. Did you plan that?”
I smiled. Of course I was right. It wasn’t my first time hiking this trail.
“Maybe, maybe not. I thought we might make it on time, but I couldn’t predict your walking speed.
I didn’t want to rush you, but I hoped we’d make it.
Looks like we did. Do you want to sit and take a break for a while and watch the sunset? ”
She nodded, placing a kiss on my lips. “Yes, please. The trail isn’t so bad, but I do love a good sunset.”
“I know, princesa. That’s why I brought you here. I wanted you to get away from work, but I also wanted you to enjoy yourself. I know hiking isn’t your thing, so I brought you to the easiest trail where I knew we could watch the sunset.”
“I love…that.” She bit her lip and turned away from me, sitting down in the sand and looking toward the sunset without another word.
I was in my head, thinking too much about what she just said. She was not about to say that she loved me. I was being ridiculous.
Instead of tossing the idea around in my head, I shrugged it off. There was no way she was about to say that word. I sat in the sand next to her, and wrapped her in my arms, enjoying the way she smiled and laid her head on my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I said after a few minutes of silence.
She looked up at me and furrowed her brows. “Thank you? For what?”
“For giving me a chance. I know you didn’t want to and I kind of pressured you into it, but—”
“Whoah. Stop right here. Vera, you didn’t pressure me into doing anything.
Everything that has happened up to this point is because I wanted it to.
I wanted to kiss you at your abuela’s. I wanted to kiss you in Bali.
I wanted to explore more of what we could be.
Believe me, I wanted to from the beginning, I just didn’t want to want to, if that makes sense.
I was scared and in my head about who I’d always seen myself with.
I’m still scared, but I’d rather be scared and find out than regret not trying.
Please know I’m not with you because I’m settling or anything like that. I’m right where I want to be.”
I grabbed her face and kissed her, causing her to fall back.
She chuckled and I bit her lip. I didn’t want to talk anymore.
I wanted to pour all the feelings I had for her into that kiss.
I wanted her to know there wasn’t a single part of me that didn’t belong to her.
My mind, body, and soul was hers and she didn’t even know it.
I broke the kiss when I started feeling raindrops. “?Mierda! It’s starting to rain. We better get back to the truck. We can finish this later, princesa.”
She pouted but when she felt a raindrop hit her nose, she nodded. “Good idea.”
I helped her up and we started jogging back toward the truck. We weren’t too far, I just hoped it didn’t start pouring all of a sudden and we could make it back fairly dry.
Of course, the universe heard my thoughts as “I hope we get hit by a downpour on the way back.”