A Game of Hearts

by Tigris Eden

  “Chill,” I repeated, breathless as if someone had knocked the wind out of my sails. “What on Earth for? And Matty can’t go, he has work.”

  Matteo’s eyes changed. They went from that warm whiskey brown to an almost golden amber glow. I had to be seeing things, I was sure of it. His hands tightened around my waist, and somehow, we were closer. Hold on just a minute.

  “I can get the time off to go with you, Zori.” His voice dropped several octaves. This was a side of Matty I’d never seen before. Well, once I had. Back in high school when he’d been rumbling to Lisa Taylor about all the nasty things he could do to her. He’d been talking to Lisa, but I swear my body had been on board for the entire ride. Just like now. Oh my God, no! This couldn’t be happening. We were best friends. Like besties, besties for life. He’d made sure of it.

  My panties are melting.

  Oh, good heavens, his voice did that thing again. Where he rolled his r’s and his tone deepened. Women all over the world became ensnared by his roughened words dripping from his full lips.

  Nope, I wasn’t going there. I wasn’t taking Mateo to the island either. That would be all kinds of wrong. Especially for me. He’d made it very clear that I wasn’t girlfriend material. Or, at the very least, long-term material. Not for him.

  “Mateo, what are you doing?” I peeked past his shoulder in time to see Paige wave before she walked out the door. “Where is she going?” I screeched.

  “Who the hell cares? The person I want to have dinner with is right here,” he said in that bourbon-smooth voice.

  Damn. Something was wrong with me. My best friend either had one too many drinks before my arrival, or he really just tried to throw game my way. Alarm bells sounded in my head, but at the same time—I kid you not—I could hear Vicentico Valdes in my head, crooning to me, persuading me to sway with it. To get crazy with my feelings for a man I would have given my entire life to once.

  But everything was different now. I didn’t want the same things Mateo wanted. We were two different people, going in two different directions, and I refused to settle.

  “This can’t happen,” I said on a rushed exhale.

  There was this shine in his eyes--a look I wasn’t at all familiar with. I could see the determination, the laughter. And what scared me most, was the naked lust that blazed through unfiltered. It was raw and real, and not at all what I’d expected.

  “This is most definitely happening, Zori. Go set the table.”

  He’d never contradicted me before. We argued all the damn time, but over frivolous shit. His tone now was serious. And challenging. Almost as if he dared me to argue. It was hot. It wasn’t at all what I’d expected from him. Begrudgingly, I made my way over to the dining table and put out plates and utensils.

  * * *

  Mateo

  Zoraida thought she could get away, but I had news for her. If she even tried to run, I would tie her luscious ass to my bed and torture her with long bouts of sex until she agreed that we were perfect for each other. I knew it. According to Paige, everyone knew it, but Zori was just too stubborn and set in her ways to accept it. She had it in her head that in order to be happy, she needed money. Money didn’t fix everything, she should know. Her parents had almost ended their thirty-year marriage due to money. Or lack thereof. They always pushed to keep up with the Joneses, and it had almost killed her father.

  Zori tried to make dinner awkward, but I refused to give her even that. If what Paige said was true, I had to stop being nice and accommodating. Stupid me for thinking women wanted a gentleman outside of the bedroom. If she liked the cockiness, I could give her that in spades. I’d been nothing but sweet when it came to our friendship. I’d been an arrogant shit in high school. Every girl wanted me, and most of the guys all tried to figure out how I was able to get with as many girls as I did. But my mother had brought up a valuable point… In order to love a woman, I first had to love and respect myself. She’d said it was the only way I would ever be able to get a girl like Zori to notice me. So, I’d changed. Started to get serious about dating. But never got close enough to let them fall for me completely. I was always up front about what it was I wanted. When they started to get too close, I let them down easy. I didn’t draw things out, or give them a reason to leave. I was honest. I am honest. If Zori wanted the cockiness, I’d give it to her.

  “You not hungry?” I knew she was. She was just trying to figure me out. Classic Zori move. She would pick and pull apart the hardest puzzle until she was able to piece it all back together again. I wouldn’t be difficult.

  “Yes, just trying to figure you out.”

  “There’s nothing to figure out.”

  She stared at me for long moments, her exotic eyes un-playful. They weren’t a true brown, but they weren’t hazel either. It was a mixture of both, with hints of green and gold thrown in just to make a man do a double take. Her ancestry was a blend of Afro-Cuban and a hint of Spanish on her mother’s side, giving her high cheekbones and the perfect warm complexion that was flawless with undertones of golden brown. She hardly ever wore makeup, but when she did, it enhanced. It didn’t make her look like a made-up doll. The sound of my throat clearing gained her attention.

  “What do you want me to say, Mateo?”

  “You can say whatever you want, Zoraida. I love hearing your voice.”

  “You do?” she whispered.

  I nodded my head, not telling her that her voice made me hard. It always had. It was one of the reasons I enjoyed spending so much time with her. Even if it was torture.

  “Yeah, Zori, I do. Now, eat dinner. Nothing has changed. We eat dinner, clean up the kitchen, and settle in for our movie. I’ll even let you pick what we watch tonight.”

  She pulled in several deep breaths. She was relieved. It was obvious. I’d give her that for now. But in a few days, everything would change in a way that left neither of us unmarked.

  Chapter 4

  Zori

  I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business when Clinton walked in. I checked the clock on my laptop, and it was five minutes after nine. I didn’t have to prepare the conference rooms; Judith did that. So I wasn’t there to see it, but I could imagine how pissed off Carver and his partner were that Clinton was late after he’d been specifically told not to be.

  “Are they in there?”

  “I would think so,” I grunted back, not bothering to scowl up. Instead of walking straight to the conference room, he stood before my desk. I knew he hadn’t moved because I could see his hands on his hips out of my peripheral. I didn’t acknowledge his presence right away. I hoped he’d get the hint and move on.

  “I can take those tickets off your hands, Zori. Come on, I know the trip set you back. Let me help.”

  He’d used the voice, the one he used when he wanted something to go his way. It was smooth and sugary. But I was officially done with him, and even though I had some residual hurt and anger left over from the way he’d treated me, I knew him breaking things off with me was for the best. Instead of answering, I acted on impulse. The website to Indulgences opened with a beautiful panoramic view of white, sandy beaches and a beautiful ocean. I logged on, pulled up my itinerary, and quickly made the change. I couldn’t say what prompted me to act so hastily, and even now when I thought back on the initial decision, I had to wonder if I had intended to do this all along. I changed the name from Clinton to Mateo and hit save. Next up was the airline, where I had the tickets on hold. I hadn’t purchased them yet. The plan was to purchase them a few days before the trip because that was when the sale would hit. I’d gotten the tip from my cousin Marie, who worked for the airline. Yay for the family and friends discount. My heart hammered in my chest the entire time I entered in the passenger information. You’re doing this. You’re really doing this. It was all said and done, and I was scared and a little anxious.

  Clinton still stood in front of me. “Zori, I’m trying to be fair

  here.”

  “S
o am I, Clinton. But you just can’t take the hint, can you?”

  “What hint?”

  My desk phone buzzed, and I saw it was Carver on the phone. I answered. “Yes, sir. Yes, he’s here. I’ll send him over.”

  My eyes traveled up to meet Clinton’s. He didn’t even care that he was now ten minutes late. He knew he had the partnership in the bag. But I could hear the anger in Carver’s voice, and he wasn’t the least bit happy.

  “They want you in the conference room. You’d better go.”

  The jerk tugged on his tie, and when I finally looked at him, my stomach turned. I needed to see it for myself. He wasn’t what I needed, no matter how much stability he could provide. We wouldn’t have been an agreeable match. There was no way we made sense. The look in his eyes said he knew what I was thinking. The words he said next confirmed it.

  “We would have never worked. I’m too good for you.”

  Asshole.

  With his parting remark, he walked out of my office and down to the conference room. How had I not seen this part of him before? Because you were looking for something that didn’t exist, my mind supplied.

  What I wanted wasn’t hard to accomplish. I wanted to be happy. To be taken care of. And I wanted it all while not having to eat Top Ramen or some form thereof. My parents had struggled for so long to get the finer things in life. My father had almost lost his life because of it. He’d worked two jobs during the week and took on extra work on the weekends until he couldn’t anymore. My mother had even worked long hours. Still did. The house they lived in now wasn’t new, but it was new to them. It was in a decent enough neighborhood in Missouri City, but I wanted more than that. I wanted my place built from the ground up. I wanted my yard to be immaculate, and I wanted to join the Katy Cult.

  I called them that because they were women who didn’t have to work, they just walked their kids in their expensive strollers and brunched at Starbucks, shopped at CityCentre, and had personal trainers to keep their childbearing hips in line. I wanted that. It wasn’t too much to ask. I wanted to fall in love, I did, but before any of that could truly happen, I needed the other items to line up perfectly. I had thought I would get that with Clinton. I was wrong. So wrong.

  My sulking turned into full-on panic mode when I realized I’d screwed up yet again. In my quest to not give a damn, I’d switched my travel companion from Clinton to Mateo. My mind went a hundred miles a minute, but I couldn’t back out now. The airline would charge me an arm and a leg just to change the name on the ticket. I groaned loudly when I hit my head against my desk. See, Zori, this is what happens when you don’t use your brain. But what did that say about Mateo? I loved him, sure, but not in that way. I was confused, and regardless of my confusion, I didn’t see how sending the wrong signals to my best friend would help my situation at all.

  I was going to Indulgences with my bestie. The same guy who’d confessed to having feelings for me. He was also the one I would have given my world to back in high school.

  With all my worrying, I barely caught the email that popped into my inbox. It was from Kenderly, asking me to update my profile along with my fantasy. Indulgences was known for their fantasy packages, and when I’d read the comments on the website, one of the reviews raved about the different fantasies to choose from. Action, adventure, love, or just leisure. It was everything and more. I wanted the romance, I wanted the ring. Great. What the hell do I do now? My fantasy was to have Clinton propose to me. Now, I was going with Mateo. Him proposing would never happen. That was insane.

  I would like to just relax, and get away from it all. My plans have changed. I’m not sure if that’s okay or not, but I don’t think a fantasy is needed at this time. Maybe next time. Thanks.

  Zoraida.

  Kenderly responded quickly, letting me know it was okay, and told me that she and Mr. Aragon would meet us in three days. Three days. I tried calling Mateo, but it went straight to voicemail. He must be in the shop. He worked at Custom Cars and Motorcycles in Houston and was one of their top mechanics. People came from all over just to get their stuff customized by him. The shop belonged to a biker named Papi, and he constantly praised Matty for all his hard work. Hopefully, he’d give Mateo the week off. Or you’ll be vacationing alone.

  I almost hoped for that. Almost. But in the back of my mind, there was a small part of me that wanted to know what it would be like with just me and Mateo, no distractions, seeing exactly where things could lead. I wasn’t one to balk at extra attention, and Matty knew how to be attentive. I’d seen him wine and dine a girl right out of her panties. Maybe it’s what I need to relax, something fun and flirty. I’d have to explain that things couldn’t get out of hand because, at the end of the day, he was still my best friend. And it would suck to lose him.

  Chapter 5

  Three days later…

  Zori

  Aragon Island was beautiful. Even more so than the pictures. I’d all but jumped out the window of the plane as I’d looked around while we descended. I couldn’t wait to take a deep breath of tropical air. I would make this trip memorable. Even if I couldn’t get my fantasy.

  There were others joining us as well. We were only here for a week, and I was still trying to figure out just how long I could outlast whatever it was that Matty was Trying to accomplish. Maybe he was going through a phase because he was in between women?

  He’d said that things weren’t going to change, but the moment we got on the plane, they did. Like a switch had been flipped, and the sign on my forehead now read Now taking applications for a new relationship. I was worried, and for good reason. I didn’t know when it had all happened, or when I’d let myself believe that it was okay to even go there with Mateo, but when we’d gotten on the plane this morning, he’d leaned over, ever-so-gently, and whispered in my ear that our trip would be amazing. But it wasn’t the words that did me in. Nope. It was the timbre of his voice, the heat from his breath, and the way the words rolled off his tongue. He’d even had the audacity to say it all in Spanish. Bastard.

  We were greeted by our hosts, who introduced themselves as Kenderly, Mario, and Antonio. Kenderly was free-spirited and kind with smiling eyes. I remembered reading on the site that she was considered physic and very empathetic. Mario, well, what could I say about Mario? He was larger than life and vibrant. Antonio—Mr. Aragon—on the other hand, was reserved, and assessing. He watched as everyone got off the plane, then offered a slight smile and a handshake, whereas Kenderly was open as well as assessing.

  “Oh, what a beauty,” Kenderly said, walking over and taking my hand in hers. “Welcome to Indulgences.”

  “Thank you.” I beamed. I wore a simple, white, open-backed maxi dress with flip-flops, and I’d pulled my hair back from my face with my sunglasses. Tropical gear to the max. I would finally have a real vacation. Even though I was supposed to be here with Clinton, who was going to propose. At least that’s what I had wanted. Now, I was on the island with my best friend, Mateo, who I reacted to in ways I wasn’t sure I wanted to explore. Ever.

  “We’re excited to be here,” Mateo said, coming to my side and placing a warm hand against my lower back. The moment his palm touched my skin, I felt a telltale zing. What the hell is happening? I had to be in some kind of relationship rebound. Which was bad. Really bad. Because I didn’t want to give Mateo mixed signals. I cleared my throat and tried to step forward, but he grabbed a fistful of my dress to hold me in place.

  Kenderly watched us with a gleam in her eye, but otherwise said nothing. Mario, though, had no problems putting us on blast.

  “Welcome to Indulgences, honeys, don’t worry, you can touch each other all you like. This is a touchy-feely kind of environment. In fact, we insist on it. Here, let me show you.” Mario pulled me in for a hug, which in turn pulled me away from Mateo. I was relieved, but also a little put out that Mateo had just let another man grab me away. Granted, Mario had nothing on Mateo, he wasn’t bad looking at all, but he reminded me of a Spanish
version of Fabio. He wore a bright yellow button-up shirt open all the way, exposing his chest and his thick, gold necklace. He also wore a pair of white, linen pants that seemed to have a mind of their own. There was a moment when I thought for sure I could see a bright pink Speedo just beneath.

  When I stepped away, Mario gestured toward a vehicle that looked like a cross between a Hummer and a stretch limo. There were a couple of other people with us, and I noticed instantly when a tall, dark-haired stranger gave me a knowing wink as he boarded the Hummer after we were seated. Matty hadn’t said a word, which meant he hadn’t seen the other guy making eye contact. Matty knows the score. He’s not gonna rain on your parade. If you want some island booty, get some. I was losing it. Here I was on an island with Mateo, having thoughts about another man. But it wasn’t like Matty and I were in a relationship. The only ’ship we had was friendship. Matty was the one who wanted more. Not me. I didn’t want to destroy what we’d built. It was stronger than any other relationship out there, my three-year one with Clinton included.

  Mind made up, I now knew what I wanted my fantasy to be. And as the limo took off down the uneven terrain, I was sure Kenderly would be able to accommodate me. Even if I bunked with Matty. We’d had plenty of sleepovers. This could work. I could have my fantasy, preferably with tall, dark, and handsome. Then go back refreshed. And when I got home, I would cast my net out into the dating pool and see what fish were out there.

  Mateo placed his hand on my knee, and I politely moved it.

  “Matty, we’re friends.”

  “Friends that will make the best kind of lovers.”

  He was sincere.

  A hot image flashed before me of the two of us getting down to business, introducing tab A to slot B. Even as I tried to block it out, it streamed like a damn video feed right before my eyes. I held in my groan as I covered my face. What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn’t be considering Matty, could I? No, you’re not going to do anything. Vacation! You’re on vacation. Yeah, but Indulgences wasn’t just any regular vacation spot. It was the place you went to have your fantasy come true. And, dammit, I wanted to get married, have a husband I could rely on—one who offered stability, financial freedom, and all the perks that came with that.