CHAPTER 21
”Damn, this was exactly what I needed,” Micaela gasps, her lips swollen, clinging to Victoria”s frame. They”re both slick with sweat after their fervent encounter, akin to wild marsupials in heat.
”I need a shower,” Victoria breathes out, her voice heavy with a mix of exhaustion and desire. Although she prides herself on her vigor in bed, being with Micaela is like competing in an elite sport.
”Do you want to shower alone, or can I join?” Micaela asks, trying to sound casual, barely concealing her eagerness to continue their intimacy under the warm cascade of the shower.
”But just to shower,” Victoria points out sternly, wagging her index finger, ”and you have to tell me what got into you earlier.”
Micaela frowns, visibly embarrassed. Now, the jealousy she felt seems childish, stirred up when she saw Victoria”s ex-husband, Santiago.
”It was a foolish outburst. Don”t mind it. I just... really wanted to be with you again, but seeing Santiago made me feel like I was losing my chance,” she confesses, her cheeks flushing from both shame and the residual heat of their recent activities.
Victoria smiles broadly, flattered and reassured by Micaela”s attraction to her. The affection is mutual, and she can”t hide her admiration for Micaela”s beauty or the charm in her occasionally unbearable attitude.
They manage to keep their hands to themselves long enough to shower, dress in comfortable clothes, and descend to the living room for a glass of wine, as Micaela suggested. It”s time for a calm discussion about what”s happening between them. They need to approach this maturely, putting aside any foolishness.
”Thank you,” Victoria says as Micaela hands her the wine, touched by her thoughtfulness. ”So, what are we going to do?”
”Do what?” Micaela asks, momentarily lost in Victoria”s gaze and missing the question.
”We can”t keep repeating what happened the other day. We”ve been intimate again, and we need to define what happens next,” Victoria explains, taking a sip of her wine, the memory of their time in the bathroom quickening her pulse.
”I want to keep sleeping with you,” Micaela blurts out, perhaps too eagerly. ”We can keep writing and enjoying each other.”
Victoria has had time to think about this while they dressed. She”s undeniably drawn to her co-author, but she”s clear that their rendezvous can only be a delightful diversion while they”re secluded in this house in Vinuesa.
”This ends when we finish the book,” Victoria decides firmly. For Micaela, the decision feels like a hundred knives piercing her heart, but she masks her pain with a nod, pretending it doesn”t affect her.
”It”s fine,” Micaela mutters, avoiding Victoria”s gaze with practiced indifference.
”There can”t be anything more between us; we”re just too incompatible,” Victoria says, unaware of the sting her words inflict on Micaela. ”I need to focus on my son right now, and you should concentrate on your career. You wouldn”t want to give up all those flings with your fans, would you?”
Micaela bristles at Victoria”s final jab, hurt by the blunt dismissal of anything deeper between them. Yet, the Italian-named writer maintains her cool fa?ade, refusing to show even a flicker of how much Victoria”s aloofness scorches her inside. She slips on her mask of egotism, responding with a distracted tone.
”Then we agree. We”re nothing alike, and I”d never entertain the idea of anything serious with you,” Micaela retorts, her words tinged with venom, yet she adds, ”but it”s clear we have incredible chemistry in bed, and it would be foolish not to enjoy that while we finish our project.”
Victoria feels a twinge of disappointment hearing that, annoyed more by the realization that it bothers her Micaela sees no potential for something more. Not that Victoria wants a romantic entanglement with the Italian writer, but it bruises her ego to hear such dismissal. She wonders if Micaela feels this way about all women or just her.
”We have a deal,” Victoria lifts her glass to toast, sealing their agreement, though inwardly she wants to scream and ask what others have that she lacks. She manages a semblance of a smile, hoping it appears genuine. If anyone could read her tumultuous thoughts, they”d think her utterly mad. ”We do need to lay down some ground rules, though.”
”Go ahead,” Micaela responds, draining the last of her wine and staring at the empty glass as if questioning where the rest went.
”We need to maintain a good pace with the writing. We can”t let anything distract us from our work,” Victoria states.
”That”s the plan. Anything else?”
”If we set some schedules, I think we could manage better,” suggests Victoria, always the organizer, believing structure to be key to success.
”Well, that might be tricky because, right now, all I want to do is climb on top of you, kiss those provocative lips, and have you fuck me hard,” Micaela blurts out casually, as if discussing the weather.
At Micaela”s words, Victoria feels a rush of heat; her body responds before her mind can catch up. Micaela”s husky voice, so full of desire, brings back flashes of their passionate encounters, begging for more. Victoria”s mouth opens and closes, words failing her as excitement overtakes her, fueled by Micaela”s predatory gaze. She”s rendered speechless, caught in the web of their undeniable attraction.
Suddenly, Victoria”s cell phone erupts into a jarring melody. Her editor, Javier, has been increasingly persistent these past few days, likely fearing another delay in their manuscript submissions. Victoria hesitates, contemplating ignoring the call, but she knows all too well that dodging him will only amplify his tenacity.
”Talk to me, Javi,” she answers, her voice laced with exasperation.
”Hey, Vicky, bad timing?” Javier”s voice filters through, tinged with hesitation, sensing he might have interrupted something.
”Yes, well, Micaela and I were just ironing out some plot points that weren”t sitting right with us,” Victoria lies smoothly, catching Micaela”s mischievous grin from the corner of her eye.
”Good to hear you”re making progress. You two are my star team,” Javier schmoozes, and Victoria can”t help rolling her eyes. After years of working with him, she knows these flattering remarks are not reserved for them alone.
”Did you need something specific?” Victoria cuts to the chase, eager to wrap up the call.
”Just checking in, seeing if you needed anything,” Javier fibs, his tone casual. Victoria reads between the lines—her editor is just hungry for updates, making sure they haven”t driven each other up the wall yet.
”Actually, now that you mention it, I could use a day off. I”m worried about Dani and want to spend some time with him,” Victoria finds herself confessing, the memory of her ex-husband”s visit earlier that day nudging her guilt.
”Is everything okay?” Javier”s concern sounds genuine.
Victoria shares the troubling news Santiago relayed about their son. ”I don”t know what to do,” she admits, her voice heavy with guilt. ”Santiago promised to talk to Daniel, but I need to look into my son”s eyes myself to be sure he”s okay.”
”You”re being too hard on yourself, Vicky. You”re an amazing mom. Just the other day, I saw Dani, and he looked great,” Javier reassures her, his voice soothing.
”You saw him? Where?” Victoria asks, her intrigue piqued, aware that Javier”s paths don”t typically cross with her son”s.
”He sometimes does cover designs for us, remember? I”ve always told you, Daniel has a lot of talent and a bright future,” Javier explains quickly.
”Right, sometimes I forget...” Victoria replies, her tone softening, though a residual unease lingers. She dislikes missing any detail of her son”s life.
”Let me do this, Vicky. I”ll go see him, take him out for lunch, and then fill you in on everything,” Javier offers.
”Yes, thank you, Javi. His father is also talking to him, but it”s different coming from his dad. Maybe he”ll open up more with you,” Victoria says, her voice filled with gratitude.
”Don”t worry, he”ll be fine, it”s probably nothing. I have to let you go, sweetheart. Say hi to Micaela for me, I”ll call you both tomorrow,” Javi concludes, his tone making it clear that his follow-up calls won”t be ceasing anytime soon.
Though Victoria feels somewhat reassured, her mind remains foggy. Between her conversation with Micaela and the ongoing worries about her son, a wave of exhaustion washes over her. All she yearns for now is to lie down, close her eyes, and seek the solace of rest. As she turns to tell Micaela she”s heading to bed for a bit, she catches a look of such deep compassion in her friend’s eyes that her heart races like a rocket at lift-off.
”How about we both take a nap?” Micaela suggests, stunning Victoria. The connection between them, she realizes, is as profound as it is real.
”Yes, that would be good,” Victoria stammers.
Micaela smiles and rises from the couch. Together, they ascend the stairs in silence, slipping off their shoes before climbing into bed. Micaela lies on her back and immediately pulls Victoria to rest against her chest. Victoria complies without a word, and it feels as if they”ve been doing this forever, fitting together perfectly as they both exhale a contented sigh at the same time. A sudden panic grips Victoria; she knows her feelings for Micaela are more than just attraction, and she can”t shake the fear of the consequences of falling for Micaela de Lucca Bianchi, who thinks of love only in terms of physical desire.