Chapter 17
Rio
I wrap a towel around my waist and get out of the shower. Just having Luna this close, twice in this bathroom, and controlling myself has been tough. And there she is when I get out, still looking through my conversations. This time, she has her phone, looking back and forth.
This is not good.
“You okay?” I ask.
“She played me.” Luna shakes her head. “She told me you were trying to go out with her, but it was her the whole time. My best friend.”
“She was fucking Chico before, even that night, in one of Niko’s bedrooms. I don’t have that many people I call friends, and the ones I do, I would never disrespect. She’s not my type. I like thick chocolate and curves for me to crash no matter where my tongue goes.”
I say it in a joking-non-joking way just to make her laugh because she looks fit to kill. And she turns those eyes on me, looking as feral as she did when she blacked out. But fuck if I’m not excited.
“I’m pissed the fuck off. Don’t catch a stray, Riomar.”
“Cono Mami, how can I be serious when you say my name like that? Like, castigame, dame con la chancleta.”
Her mouth goes slack, and then she starts laughing. She drops her phone. But the sound makes me laugh too.
“Estás loco.”
I stand in front of her and reach for her face. “Crazy for your mouth. Por comerte enterita.”
I kiss her, and her hands go to my waist. “Me too. But I need to go outside before I get accused of fucking you in here again.”
“I think they’re daring you. You shouldn’t back down and do it. Show them you mean business.”
Her bottom lip disappears between her teeth, and my dick springs to life again. She doesn’t miss it and hooks a finger on the waistband of the towel and pulls it, freeing my dick in front of her face.
“You should get dressed.”
But she takes me in her hand, skimming over my member with her delicate fingers. I follow the trajectory of her pretty pink nails from tip to base.
“I knew it was long, but I didn’t know it was going to be this thick.” She closes her hand over it.
“Luna—”
She leans, and her breath washes over me, spreading warmth and making me desperate for contact. But she presses kisses all over it. Not just any kisses, wet noisy kisses combined with savoring moans that make all my blood rush down. I need to be in that mouth so bad it’s painful.
“Abre la boca,” I demand.
The banging on the door has me jumping back, grabbing my pants, and rushing to the shower stall to dress with a raging boner.
She goes to open the door to Tito.
“Are you guys ready? We need to vacate, and the car is here.”
“Pretty boy is not ready,” she says, tilting her head toward me.
“I’m just throwing my shirt on.”
“What the hell is taking you so long?”
I look at Luna, and she has a half-smile on her face.
“Oh,” Tito says. “Table that for later. You need to get out there and help Maeven because Sel is dying to lay one on Adina.”
“Why are they still here?”
His gaze drifts toward Luna. “They were invited to the after-party by the label.”
Luna’s face tightens, but she shakes her head. “We’re not there for them. Let’s go celebrate you.”
I put on my shirt and watch, and then I grab her hand.
As we meet our group, someone yells, “After the after-party, we keep going at Rio’s place.”
Everyone cheers.
I want to yell fuck no because tonight is not about all of them.
After I get done with this shit, I want to be alone with Luna.
But now that I think about it, my place was never going to be the right one.
I have my entourage with me. We were not going to be alone, and we need to.
I don’t want to expose her. I want her to be there just for me.
Take her home.
The thought makes me stop in my tracks. Home. My mom’s home. Samaná.
Do I dare do that?
The quickening in my heart, the image of her by the water, the warmth that follows…all of it spells a resounding yes. I don’t have my next concert until next week.
When we climb into the car, she turns to me. “Is everything okay? People were talking to you, and you weren’t answering.”
I nod. “How do you feel about getting away tonight?”
“Where do you want to go?”
I smile. “Home.”
She smiles back like she understands. “Okay.”
* * *
The world sings with me
And I’m back in my own skin
Standing, though still missing a limb
In the moment when I felt alone
In the glare, watched by vultures in the sunlight
I felt your gaze like a warm light shining on me
How does that happen?
How does the light in the dark become balmy on my face?
How do I hold it in place so I can keep basking in it?
Your warm hand anchored me in moments of doubt.
Tus besos strengthened me for the battle.
Tu lengua me tiene prendido.
I want to ride your body hasta caer rendido.
I want to give you so many Os
Hacerte que te vengas
As much as your body can take
I want tears of pleasure running down your cheeks
I want you to fade screaming my name.
I put my pen down, stare at my words, and then close the notebook and tie it up.
Next to me, Luna sleeps with her hand on my thigh.
We’ll be landing soon, but there’s a burn in my chest, a roaring I can’t explain.
It was there last time I came home. It didn’t go away until I found my center, but to get to that place, I have to face my demons and giants.