Chapter 7
ALEJANDRA
Dancing in A Hurricane - Freya Ridings
And yet, across the room, a distraction stood watching.
A strikingly attractive accountant with the kind of jawline that could have belonged to Superman.
An ex-swimmer from Harvard—how life had funneled him into spreadsheets instead of something more fitting, she couldn’t understand.
He was, without question, one of the most attractive men she had ever seen, and she didn’t say that lightly.
He was exactly the kind of man she imagined when she read her romance novels—the perfect book boyfriend, suddenly real, standing just meters away.
Broad shoulders stretching a linen shirt, forearms bare as he leaned against the table, his gaze fixed on her like she was the only woman in the room.
And still, she forced herself to look away.
Tonight wasn’t about her.
And even though Sofia wasn’t truly forcing her to be by her side, Alejandra knew she needed her.
Her best friend never was the chatty one, not even the fame that came with her content creator career and her relationship with Ilias had changed anything, not even when the people surrounding them were all family and friends.
They spent the night dancing, laughing, and eating.
Long wooden tables were covered with half-empty wine bottles, plates smeared with olive oil and sea salt, grilled fish still steaming, lemons squeezed between fingers, bread torn apart and shared.
The air smelled like rosemary, citrus, and warm skin.
Music floated lazily between conversations, and candlelight made everything softer.
Alejandra barely sat still, constantly pulled to Sofia’s side, refilling her glass, fixing her hair, laughing when she laughed, and trying to make her very stressful night a little less overwhelming.
It was everything she had always wanted for Sofia, for her big day, shared with another person she truly loved.
Seeing Sofia happy, that was everything to her, and seeing her with Ilias, that meant even more because that guy was going to protect her, to cherish her, and she was sure about it even before listening to his vows.
As she was heading to grab a Puerto de Indias, weaving between chairs and brushing against bodies warm from dancing, a voice got her attention—deep, strong, one that made her weak in the knees.
“Did you have fun tonight?”
Waiting for her at the table with all the drinks, Callum was sipping a cocktail.
He was drop-dead gorgeous with that wavy black hair swept back, the beginning of a stubble shadowing his jaw, those blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean she loved so much.
The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, and she couldn’t stop herself from staring at the way his veins stood out when he lifted the glass. Everything in him screamed perfection.
“Being on maid of honor duty means a lot of dancing and drinking with the bride. There are worse jobs…” she paused, grinning, letting her eyes deliberately roam him before meeting his again, “…like being an accountant.”
Callum chuckled, low and warm. “I’ve impressed you with my job, eh?”
“It impresses me that someone like you does such a boring job,” she smirked, as she called the cocktail guy and asked him for a Puerto de Indias.
“Someone like me,” he repeated, stepping closer without her noticing until he was right there, close enough that she could smell his cologne. “What kind of job should I do then?”
Alejandra pressed her lips together. Her mind went to dragon rider, knight in shining armor, alien with two dicks.
I mean, her mind had definitely been corrupted by all those books she had started reading five years ago.
And Callum could definitely interpret all of them with those broad shoulders and biceps she could notice even hidden under the linen shirt.
“Anything but accountanting,” she said. Maybe it wasn’t yet time to scare him away with her taste in books.
He nodded. His gaze lingered. “Surfing suits you. Have you ever thought of what other job you could be doing if you weren’t surfing?”
The barista handed her drink, and she took a sip, savoring its sweetness—the only cocktail she could drink without hating the taste of alcohol.
“Never had that thought pass through my mind,” Alejandra admitted, which was the reason she had been spiraling in pure panic for months since she had lost her third USL title.
“Surfing has always been my one and only passion. I studied at university something that could help me understand my body better to be a better surfer. It has always been surfing to me.”
“You do it pretty good, so I fear you made the right choice in your life,” he smiled. “Your body has been wiser than mine.”
Alejandra was about to ask what he meant, when Sofia called her.
“I’ll have to go back to my duties. I hope we can see each other tonight. You intrigue me,” she admitted, smiling.
She didn’t give him time to reply as she stormed back to Sofia. She needed her friend to stand on her own, because that guy was calling her very loudly.
After another hour on duty, Sofia and Ilias announced they were leaving, that the catering was going to fix everything for the following day, and asked Alejandra if she could check that everything went smoothly.
Nodding, she cursed her best friend because she seemed she had forgotten she had conceded her to fuck Callum and now was cock-blocking her with adult responsibilities. But Sofia was too wrapped in her own mind, and Alejandra couldn’t even be mad at her. It was her weekend. She deserved to be happy.
As everybody filed out into the night, heels clicking on stone, laughter fading into the dark, she checked with the catering and the wedding planner that everything was in place.
When seemingly nobody was left, she headed towards her room after wishing goodnight to Francois. Ilias had been right, that man needed a Valium.
As she turned the corner of the villa, a voice almost made her jump out of her skin. “Goodnight, Alejandra.”
Callum leaned against the wall, smoking something that smelled more of pot than tobacco.
“You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he admitted, taking a drag of his cigarette, and getting closer. “I just wanted to wish you goodnight.”
As he puffed out the smoke and stabbed the cigarette in a nearby ashtray, Callum leaned down to kiss her cheek, warm breath brushing her skin, but she wasn’t there to play small.
This guy was everything she wanted for that weekend, and since fate had decided to bless her, she turned her head, and their lips crashed together.
It was immediate, hungry, like tension snapping. It didn’t take him long to recover from the brief shock. His hands cupped her face, firm, possessive, pushing her against the wall of the house, stone cool against her back.
Her fingers brushed back the hair that had fallen into his eyes, soft as silk, and she tugged just a little, feeling him groan into her mouth.
“You kiss exactly as I hoped,” he smirked, stepping slightly back just to take her in, eyes dark, chest rising fast.
“Like?” she challenged, breathless.
“Like you know what it means to be alive.”
And then he dove back into a kiss.
His hand roamed down her body, touching her skin through the cut on the ribs of the dress, fingers dipping in, teasing.
He squeezed one small boob, making her gasp, and then he leaned in to whisper in her ear, voice rough, “I think I can give you something tonight. It’s not going to take that long. ”
Looking straight into her eyes, never breaking the connection, he brought two fingers to his lips and sucked, wet, making her thighs clench.
And then, slowly, blocking the view from the outside, hugged by darkness, he skimmed down her skirt and slowly cinched it up her leg until he found her lace panties already soaked.
She took a sharp breath when he slid the two fingers through her folds, and then, keeping eye contact, he pushed them inside while his thumb massaged her clit, perfectly, like he had studied her body already.
“Joder,” she whispered, his eyes never leaving hers.
“You like it?”
“Continue, por favor,” she breathed, his movements rhythmic, precise, making her feel like she was floating, like the ocean right before a wave breaks.
“At your orders, Alejandra.” He kissed her neck, licked, bit her earlobe, as she let him wreck her with just a hand, rocking into his touch, riding his fingers.
He was right. It didn’t take him much to make her reach the apex. Her entire body tingled with desire, legs trembling, as she kissed him, muffling the moans escaping her mouth.
“Madre mía,” she breathed when that fantastic orgasm subsided. “Who the fuck are you?”
Callum chuckled softly. “Maybe my job has always been to please you, Alejandra.”
“Maybe.” She smiled, dazed, satisfied.
“Now I have to go. Leif and Asma are waiting for me. Tomorrow, if you’d like, you can have more.” He winked, kissed her lips one last time, and left.
She had initiated the kiss, but fuck, didn’t he wreck her entirely? This guy was the perfect distraction she needed.