by Phavy Prieto
"You weren't very talkative either," I replied trying to see if I was able to bring up the subject.
"I was too worried about your reaction," he said.
Was he really? Or maybe it was just the fear that I could spoil everything?
"Why?" I asked cautiously.
"Because I want everything to be the way you want."
Planet Earth calling Maria Acosta! Anyone there? No answer.
"The way I want..." I reacted after like five minutes. It had to be less, but it seemed to me like an eternity. "Are you trying to make my wishes come true?"
Was I on that thin line between fiction and reality? It seemed I had already crossed that line long time ago.
"Each and every one of them," said Damian. He came over to give me a sweet kiss on the corner of my mouth. "Did you like the lilies?" he asked, giving me another kiss close to the neck.
"I loved them, but they're not my favorite," I replied. His lips ran all over my neck making me sway.
"Too bad, I thought they would be the ones," he replied with a smile and bit my neck gently as he slid one hand between my legs.
"You have come close, but not close enough," I whispered in his ear feeling the heat of his hand that was making space between my labia.
"Let's make a deal," he panted, running his mouth along the rather generous neckline of my nightgown.
"You scare me when you say that," I whispered spreading my legs for him as if that were an obvious manifestation that we would most likely come to an agreement.
"If I guess what your favorite flowers are before the fortnight is over, will you grant me a wish, whatever it is?"
"Admit it, you want me to take out Rebecca!" I exclaimed ironically. He laughed: only I could think of something macabre in moments like these.
"I promise it's not something that involves other people. Just you and me," he said with his provocative look.
That proposal suggested lust, passion, ecstasy, unbridled pleasure.
"I accept then," I said sealing our agreement with a kiss that was anything but innocent.
I had no idea what his request was, but if the consequence was to find myself under the same roof with Adonis, I considered myself very happy to do it.
The week passed quietly, despite the audit process. Steven seemed non-existent, he hadn't asked for a single extra report. I didn't know if he was waiting for my reaction or if he died of a heart attack and we would find him mummified in that dimly lit room.
Unable to silence my conscience, I decided to check by myself if he was still alive.
"Good morning, Steven," I said, knocking on the open door of his micro office.
"Finally you had the decency to come and see me! Did you regret that you rejected me? I have to admit, I didn't think it would take you so long."
Where's the marijuana this guy smokes? Surely he has hidden it somewhere.
"I haven't changed my mind and certainly won't accept your proposal, even if I lose my job. I hope you enjoy the view," I answered ironically to point out the absence of windows.
"I think I will find several errors in these reports, Maria, and when that happens, you will beg me to come to my bed, unless you decide to do so first."
First I'd throw myself off the 10th floor. How did that man manage to say such things without feeling ashamed and remaining so calm?
"I don't even know why I worry about being polite to you if it's all too obvious that you're a disgusting pig. I'm not kicking you out of here since you are looking after our client's interests. Don't provoke me any further."
"Why don't you stop pretending and admit that you want me once and for all? I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me."
What did he read in my eyes? Repulsion?
"That scene from the other day, I know it's your way to make yourself interesting, not to give the impression of being an easy woman. I get it, you know?" he insisted.
"I think you played too many video games that fried your brain. You confuse reality with fiction if you see desire and not repulsion in my eyes."
"Really? Why did you come to my office alone? Where is your alleged boyfriend that you are going to marry?"
At that moment he got up to approach me. Good heavens, what disgusting perfume did he wear? I didn't know if people like him always used smelly perfumes or whatever good perfume he wore would smell horribly for me anyway.
"I just wanted to know how long I will have to endure your presence," I said, taking a step back.
He grabbed my hand to pull me towards him. I didn't expect it. If I had guessed it, I would have clung to the door.
Steven looked like an octopus, with those hands that began to touch my waist as he groped me while I was trying to push him away without success. At that moment I sank my heel into his foot and a moment later I gave him a knee in the groin.
Steven screamed and let me go, so abruptly that I almost lost my balance. I saw him raise his hand in order to slap me. I couldn't raise my arm to protect myself. I closed my eyes and prepared to take the blow, but instead of feeling his palm on my face, I heard a moan.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Damian twisting Steven's wrist as he knelt on the ground moaning with pain. I didn't know what happened, but surely it had to hurt to death as Steven was about to cry.
"Get out of here," Damian said with unusual calm. "I don't know who you are and I don't care, but if I see you here again, I'll make sure that even your mother doesn't recognize you."
I didn't think things would go that bad with Steven. I figured he would just be a pain in the ass to put up with for a while. He would then walk away and leave me alone. Considering what happened, it was clear that I couldn’t handle him on my own. Things could have gone a lot worse. I never expected Steven to attack a woman. I always thought he was one of those intrusive, arrogant, presumptuous people but nothing more. But it was evident that he needed someone to put him in his place and, unfortunately, I couldn't do it.
As soon as Damian released him, Steven started talking.
"She's the one who came looking for me, not me ..."
"Get out, I said!" Damian screamed with such fury that Steven got up and walked away. I hoped to never see him again for the rest of my life.
Damian closed the door and we were left alone in that tiny room in the light of a light bulb.
"What was the guy from the restaurant doing here?" he asked looking at me as if he needed to understand.
"He's the one doing the audit," I admitted putting a hand on my forehead. "I thought that I could manage him by myself, I believed that he would not cross the line and that..."
I couldn't continue. I was shocked that that guy thought he could get his hands on me without me being able to react.
"Are you OK?" he asked approaching me and taking my face in his hands so that I could look at him.
"No," I moaned. "He was an important client and now surely..."
"I don't give a damn about the client. Did he do something to you? Are you OK?"
"He didn't do anything to me. You came in time."
"I would have killed him if I hadn't arrived in time. What kind of man attacks a woman who rejects him?! I'll make sure that guy never sets foot in here again. And don't worry about the client. They will find out what kind of person they sent. If they prefer to defend him, it will be their problem."
"But he's an important client, Damian!" I insisted.
"I told you I don’t care. Right now I'm only interested in how you feel."
I didn't have an answer to give him. At that moment I just wanted to hug him and thank God for letting Damian come into my life that day outside the elevator.
I didn't give a damn about the planner, the lists, the schedules, the company, my job, and the whole world. I was only thinking about one thing: I was in love with that man.
I hugged Damian tightly, I needed to feel that at least he was real, that what he had just said was not a fiction but what he really felt at that moment. The way he
hugged me comforted me. Even more so when I felt his lips on my head, as if he wanted to calm me down and make me understand that he would be there to take care of me, protect me, be by my side all my life.
"I don't want it to end. It can't end," I told myself as I slowly moved away from him. He gave me a soft kiss on my lips. I smiled.
"My mother is expecting us, but we can postpone it if you prefer to go home," he said, opening the door to get out of that cramped room.
"No," I replied. "I prefer to get distracted and not think about what happened."
"Okay, as you like. There is nothing you need to worry about. I'll personally make sure you never find that guy in your way again."
I had no idea how he would do it, but I had no doubt that he would succeed. Maybe he would send him to Australia, Canada or Timbuktu.
Once we arrived at the venue, I fell in love with that place. From the photographs it looked enchanting and in reality it was beyond any description. It was a crystal palace. The hall was huge with high vaulted ceilings. Getting married there would have been like getting married in a paradise within the reach of few mortals. I imagined the majesty of that hall full of guests, tables scattered around the room, all adorned with white magnolias...
"You like it, don’t you?" Damian asked smiling. "Tell the truth, you are astonished."
"I am," I said. "I don't think there's a better place than this in the whole city."
"Mom!" Damian shouted to draw Elisabeth's and the manager's attention who were far from us.
"Yes, dear?" her mother answered gently.
"We want this place. Maria has chosen it, and I also want what she wants."
Where did this creature come from?
"Great! Now we can prepare the invitations!" Elisabeth exclaimed enthusiastically.
Oh God ... Oh God! It will be really difficult when everything falls apart.
"There's still time, there's no rush, right?" I said feeling a little under pressure.
"The sooner they are ready, the better, my dear. So the guests are able to get organized. Also, it will take some time to deliver some invitations in person," Elisabeth replied.
Damian said nothing. He provided some information to the manager and paid a deposit to confirm our choice. I was stunned when I saw him hand over a check with a four-digit down-payment.
Back home the only question I wanted to ask him was "Don't you think we're going too far?" but for some reason I was unable to tell him that. Perhaps because of fear that that question would put an end to everything or because deep down I didn't want to know the answer.
"Do you want to order something for dinner?" he asked once we came back home.
"It’s an excellent idea. I just want to take a shower first," I said with a conspiratorial smile.
"You know," he said, slowly approaching me and tucking my hair behind my ears, "I could get used to all this easily. And you?" he whispered before gently brushing my lips.
"Me too," I admitted, turning around so that he couldn't see the expression in my eyes. "I could get used to it so badly".
I let the water wash away all the tension built up during the day. Too many things had happened in such a short time: Steven's attack, the choice of the venue, Damian's words. Once everything was over, I would need a vacation, a long vacation, away from everything and everyone in order to overcome that whirlwind of emotions.
Chapter XXI
The days passed too quickly to be able to savor them fully as I would have liked. I understood for the first time what it felt like to truly enjoy the moment and the presence of someone you cannot do without. I couldn't accept that a week had already passed and only one week was left. After that everything would fly away like leaves in the wind.
"Good morning, honey," Damian whispered in my ear. I smiled. The fact that he woke me up like this every morning didn't help me in trying not to fall madly in love with him.
"Good morning," I whispered half-asleep. My naked body felt slightly sore under the sheets - the consequence of what would be improper to call sport.
"I don't know if I'm going to miss sex or Damian more," I thought for a moment as several images of that night flashed through my mind.
"Breakfast in bed?" he asked as I turned to him. I saw a tray with orange juice, coffee and toasts with strawberry jam, accompanied by a glass of water with a daisy in it.
"Now I know how a princess feels," I said smiling, sitting up in bed.
"You are a princess," he said moving closer to brush my nose with his. "At least for me," he whispered before brushing my lips with his. I placed my hands on his face to hold him close to me for a few moments.
Could Damian be considered the sweetest man I had met? Certainly. Even though I thought he was faking it, it was inevitable to get carried away by emotions.
"What is this?" I asked as I saw a few envelopes next to the plate.
"Those are the drafts of the invitations. Choose the one you like best so that on Monday we send them to be printed."
My heart began to beat fast. Why the rush? Why not wait? There were too many questions I wanted to ask, but it was impossible to ask even one for fear of hearing the answer.
At first I did not have the courage to confess the feeling that was arising in me even to myself, and I pretended not to be involved. Over time the only thing I wanted was that those days never ended.
I took the three envelopes: one cream-colored, another blue, and the last one purple. I opened the cream-colored envelope. The inside had floral decorations, as did the card, our names were written in gold relief followed by the text in a simple and smaller font in black. I liked it but it seemed too pretentious.
I opened the blue envelope, the ivory-colored card was sober, the font elegant, the names were the same color as the envelope.
Finally, I opened the purple one. The inside had geometric patterns, which I liked very much. The card featured an image of a couple and another image that represented something significant: a train station to remember how they met. Unlike the others, all the text was on one page of the card.
"Which one do you like best?" I asked as I wanted to hear his opinion first.
"I like all three of them, but this is the one I'm least excited about," he replied pointing to the card in the cream-colored envelope.
"I like this one," I said pointing to the purple one. "But I don't know what image we could include."
"Several things come to mind but above all a very specific one," he said with a look that made me blush. "If that's the only problem, then the question is settled. I'll tell my mother we've already decided."
"Already?" I asked surprise.
I thought Damian was pretending and he wouldn't say anything to his mother. Yes, certainly he was: he would never communicate our decision to her, and I was sure that those invitations would never be printed.
"You don't have to worry about anything, she loves taking care of these things. She is very excited and knows that you are very busy at work," he said approaching to give me a kiss on the lips. I then saw him disappear behind the bathroom door from where a few moments later I heard the shower water flow.
Soon after we had to meet Damian's friends. I was particularly nervous because we were going to break the news of our marriage to everyone. I had been reflecting the whole week on the fact that, after the fateful fortnight, the likelihood of seeing them again would be practically nil. Thanks to that thought the sense of guilt that gripped me magically evaporated. But not my discomfort: partly because of the desire to be accepted by them, partly because if I made a good impression on them, I thought that somehow Damian and I could still be together.
My passion for Damian had by now taken possession of my mind and my heart. As much as I tried to force myself to enjoy the present and the devotion that Damian showed me, my rational and methodical brain never stopped predicting a disastrous end.
"I will never get over the end of our story," I thought.
How could I, if Damian was perf
ect in every sense? He was not only intelligent, wealthy, handsome, attractive and without a single physical defect, but he always behaved like a perfect Prince Charming fulfilling or anticipating my every wish.
At that moment the desire to reveal what I was feeling resurfaced with great force. What could happen if I confessed to him what I felt? The answer was very simple: it would be over immediately.
Damian made it clear that our relationship would end in two weeks, that we would be living those weeks so intensely that we'd believe it was all true. Everything had a beginning and an end: including the possible love that we could have felt for each other in the meantime.
No, I was not going to say anything or I would have deprived myself of his company a week in advance, because one of my few certainties was that Damian Devoir would never fall in love with a girl like me.
Because of a stupid prejudice of mine I was convinced that Damian's friends, given their economic and social status, would look down on me. So I chose the only designer dress available in my wardrobe. Instead, it was a real surprise to discover they were simple and friendly people like Damian.
Pablo and Alvaro were the only single guys, while Alberto, Ricardo and Manuel were accompanied by their girlfriends, and Germán was accompanied by his wife whom he had married recently. Esther was Germán's wife, Laura was Alberto's girlfriend, Damian's best friend since childhood, Patricia was Ricardo's girlfriend and the last to join the group of friends just a year earlier. While Lorena and Manuel were planning to get married the following year.
"So, what’s going on?" Alberto asked as soon as the others stopped complaining about Damian's absence over the past weekends because of me, although it was clear from their laughter that he had already been forgiven. "What did you have so important to tell us?"
"Honey, I guess Damian wanted us to meet Maria since he surprised us by not showing up alone," Laura replied, stroking his arm.
"Actually it wasn't just that," Damian said taking a bottle of beer out of the ones that had just been served. Despite knowing what he was going to say, I couldn't help but be nervous about the reaction he would provoke. His friends knew Damian well, and I wondered if they could guess that it was a vile staging or if they were going to believe it was all true. "Maria and I will get married on May 4th."