“Buenos días. Como estás?”
“Excelente. The water’s wonderful today. Are you ready to swim?”
“Por supuesto (Of course).” I pause for a moment. My gut clenches. I didn’t think I’d be this nervous, but I want so badly for her to agree to see me later. I need to say this well, not jumble my words all over the place. “But first, I want to ask you something.” My voice sounds too serious. Like I’m about to ask for a quote on car insurance. I smile, hoping it will lighten the conversation. “I need to say this before I start choking and flailing around in the water.”
“Okay.” Keeping her wide eyes fastened on my face, she wrings out her wavy hair.
“Will you please have dinner with me tonight?”
She studies me for a moment, a doubtful frown shadowing her features. “Is this a sneaky way of trying to pay me for the swimming lesson?”
“No, not at all. Yesterday, you asked me not to pay for today’s lesson—if I could just accept the lesson as your friend. And I said yes. Because I like being with you. I asked because I want to get to know you better. Oh, and to give you a chance to see me when I’m not at my worst.”
Her lips perk up in a smile. Her cheeks redden. “You don’t need to worry about that. You were fine. Most people don’t have the guts to jump in and try something difficult. I like your persistence.”
“Gracias.” The Spanish just slips out. I grind my teeth together. She hasn’t said Sí yet. Is this a gentle way of letting me down? Asking again would be awkward. I decide to wait to see what she says.
She seems to sense my anxiety. She steps closer and places her hand on my shoulder. My skin burns with instant heat. My pulse starts to pound in my ears. “And as for your question… I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.” Her hand slides down my arm to my hand. Her fingers interlace with mine. She smiles and tugs me closer to the sea. “But now it’s time for you to swim.”
More hot blood courses through my veins. Damn, the attraction between us is strong. No amount of coffee energizes me like this. Following her lead, I laugh and stumble in the shallow water. She laughs along with me. The playful nature of this interchange relaxes me. All the tension of waiting for an answer has melted away. She slowly releases my hand. She looks at me for a moment, blushing, then clears her throat. “Do you remember what we worked on yesterday?”
“Yes, of course.” I position the goggles over my eyes and take a deep breath.
She asks me to show her some slow arm strokes first. Once I do that well, she has me add the breath to the side with the dip of the shoulder. When I put it all together, it feels surprisingly good. I watch the ripples on the sandy bottom moving below me as I propel myself through the water. I’m actually going somewhere. Before, it seemed like I struggled a lot while accomplishing nada.
“You’re doing great, Luca. You amaze me.”
“You’re a great teacher, Jade. If you could teach me, you could probably teach anyone.”
“You should give yourself more credit. You listen well and have been able to put all the pieces together. If you keep practicing, swimming will get easier and easier.”
“I’ll practice every day I’m here. I’ll try to get to a pool when I’m traveling.” We’re standing in chest deep water beside each other. It feels strangely intimate to be alone with her in the water. Other couples are out in the water, kissing and holding each other. I wonder what it would be like to lift her up by the waist while the blue-green waves move around us, to taste the salt on her lovely lips.
“You should. It will help a lot.”
I glimpse a dolphin fin out in the sea maybe 20 meters away. “Look, dolphins.” I point in the direction where I saw the fin.
Jade shields her eyes from the sun and looks out over the water. “Oh, that’s probably Nick and his pod. Do you want to get closer?”
My pulse beats faster at the thought of going out deeper. In the shallow water, I could stand up at any time. Near the dolphins, I’ll be in water over my head and might feel helpless. “It’s deep out there.”
“Wait here. I’ll get my buoy. You can clip it around your waist. If you get tired, you can just grab onto it and float.” She dashes out of the water up to her beach tent and returns a minute later holding the bright orange buoy. “Are they still out there?”
“Yes, I just saw one jump.”
“Great. Fasten this around your waist.”
I take the buoy from her and clip it on. She explains that the buoy will trail behind me when I swim.
“Why don’t you do three swim cycles of stroking and breathing out to deeper water and then we’ll float there and wait for them. I’ll swim right beside you.”
“Sounds good.”
I slowly propel myself through the water, the way Jade taught me and when I’m done with the three cycles, I don’t feel as tired as I expected.
Jade pulls her goggles up onto her forehead and starts treading water, seemingly effortlessly. “How was that?”
I grab onto the buoy and float. “Fine. I wonder if they left. I don’t see them anymore.”
Jade claps her hands together and then says something out loud underwater.
“What did you say?”
“I said, ‘Hey, Nick, it’s Jade.’ It might work. They know my voice. But they only come if they’re in the mood to socialize. I don’t know what they’re up to right now. They might be feeding or playing games or mating.”
“Can you tell what they’re doing?”
“Sometimes. But I only saw fins—no tails or bodies—so I can’t tell what they’re up to at the moment.”
Three fins emerge in front of us. I hear a loud, watery sound of the dolphins releasing air through their blowholes. Then they dive under again. They’re coming right toward us. “Dios mío.”
“They breathe loudly, don’t they?”
I put my head underwater in time to see enormous dark shapes pass underneath me. My blood pressure skyrockets. Fear constricts my chest. I never knew dolphins were so big. They must be three meters long. I paw at the water and gasp for air.
A steady strong hand grasps my upper arm. Jade’s touch is both exciting and calming at that same time. She pushes the buoy that I’d released in my panic back toward me and I latch onto it.
“Relax. Just breathe, slowly. I know these dolphins. They won’t hurt you.”
I realize I’ve been hyperventilating. “Oh. It was a surprise. Seeing them.” I take another breath. “They’re really big.”
The dolphins swim a circle around us, slowly, effortlessly gliding by.
“They’re checking you out.”
The water’s so buoyant, all I have to do is slowly tread water to stay afloat. I put my eyes underwater to look again. They’re swimming almost on their sides as if they want to get a better view of us. “I hope they approve. I’d hate to be smacked by one of those tails.”
“That’s how they stun fish to eat.”
“That’s comforting.”
“It’s all right, Luca. I promise. I’m here for you. Just relax and enjoy the moment.”
She’s right. I need to calm down. But this marine environment is her world. It’s never been mine. To me this sea with its waves and currents and strange creatures is new. Although I find it exciting, I find it threatening, too, having these tank-sized animals so close. A fin surfaces right in front of me. Then it disappears. “Okay, where did you go?” I put my head underwater, but see nothing.
“He’s trying to hide. Look behind you.”
I turn around and the dolphin passes by me, just a few feet away. But it doesn’t seem threatening. It’s moving so slowly. Even though I’ve seen them swim very fast in the distance.
Jade’s feminine voice tickles my ear, like the wind tickles my wet face. “They know we’re fragile. That’s why they move slowly when they’re near us.”
“I was just noticing that.” I turn toward Jade.
She’s smiling. Laugh lines surround her eyes. She’s not the
least bit nervous. Her dark eyes flash with joy, so alive and bright. They look at me with so much intensity that I feel heat rush through my veins. She seems so excited to be sharing this experience with me. I said I wanted to learn to swim. That I thought it would be increíble to be out in the sea with the dolphins. And she’s given me both of these gifts—she’s shared her world with me. “Oh, look! They’re underneath us again.”
I lower my head beneath the water to see enormous sleek bodies, drifting along beneath us. They have long noses and broad flat tails. And they’re making sounds. Very strange sounds. I could touch them if I wanted to. But I don’t want to. Not today.
“Trust me,” Jade whispers.
She knows I’m nervous. And she’s trying so hard to make me feel comfortable. I allow myself to enjoy this experience that I longed for since I first saw her out in the water. Out here, floating on these blue-green waves, smelling the salt air and feeling the sea breeze on my neck and shoulders, I’m closer than I have ever been to any sea creature. The dolphins could just swim away, but they’ve chosen to spend time with us. I haven’t felt this alive in so long. Being out here with Jade is like a dream. I love looking at her gold-flecked eyes, at the water glistening on her cheeks and her curvy, kissable pink lips. She’s kind. She’s compassionate. She sets my skin on fire. She even seems in-tune to my emotions. And this bonita señorita said Sí to seeing me tonight. This is the closest thing to romantic love that I’ve ever experienced.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jade
He’ll pick me up at seven. My stomach is jumpy and I’m so nervous. So far, Luca’s only seen me as a wet mess. Tonight’s my chance to show him I can look good. I started getting ready more than an hour ago. I figured that would be plenty of time. But I keep wanting to do one more thing. I’ve changed dresses three times. Then I added more gel to get my hair to behave. Now I’m outlining my lips and about to roll on lipstick. I look at my reflection in the mirror when I finish and smile. My lips feel strange with lipstick. Lately, I haven’t worn much in the way of makeup. I make a conscious effort to relax my lips and look natural.
Why am I so worked up about this date? I shouldn’t even have said yes to it in the first place. I was doing so well—staying away from men. Then Luca showed up and now he’s all I can think about. The man’s constantly on my mind.
The knock on my door makes me jump even though I expected it. I release a loud exhalation. He’s really here. My heart beats faster and my skin starts to tingle. I rush to the door and open it. My eyes widen when I see how hot Luca looks. The scent of his aftershave hits me hard. Heat spikes through my body. “Wow. I mean hi,” I blurt out. A warm smile spreads over his face, deepening his dimples. Two days of sun have darkened his skin. His wavy hair is tamed slightly with gel, which makes it look still wet. Super sexy. He’s dressed neatly in khakis and an off-white dress shirt, unbuttoned enough to show off a swath of tanned chest and a sprinkling of dark hair. I feel stupid at first for gushing over him, but realize from his expression, he seems as pleased with what he sees as I am. I see a flicker in his eyes, like the diamond flash of sunlight on the sea.
“Hola. You look beautiful, Jade.” He says it all in Spanish. His accent and his deep voice makes every word sound like a caress.
My heart skips around inside my chest. The look of appreciation he’s giving me makes the time I spent getting ready worth it. “Thank you.”
“You ready to go?”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
As I walk beside Luca to his car, he tells me about the seaside restaurant where he’ll take me. It’s on the other side of town. Past the Bahia, next to Algodones Beach. He’s renting a Volvo SUV. It’s really comfortable, with leather seats. During the drive, he asks me more about my writing work. I tell him about the romance novel I plan to publish later in the month. The two articles I have due next week. And the intermittent editing products I take on. I ask him about his career. He’s quiet for a moment. He presses his lips together and his jaw muscles tighten. He looks strangely sad. I wonder why. I consider asking but decide that might be too intrusive. He glances toward me and tells me he travels often for work. He helps with stage setup for plays and concerts, he says.
“That sounds like fun. Do you enjoy it?”
“I do. I’ve met a lot of interesting people and have traveled all over the world.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’ve always wanted to travel, to see more places.” Too bad Brandon never wanted to go to Costa Rica or Greece or Bhutan. But Brandon’s history. I have a new life now. I can do whatever I want and go wherever I want to go.
Luca turns off the main road and drives down a dirt road that leads to the sea. He parks the car. Before I have a chance to open my door, he’s there opening it and reaching for my arm. With his gentle support, I step down onto the ground. His touch leaves me feeling giddy and lightheaded. I push the SUV door shut. His hand skims down my arm to my hand. Our fingers interlace so naturally. We walk, still holding hands, through the sand into the outdoor restaurant. I can’t help smiling. A happy tingle electrifies the skin on my face, spreading from my cheeks to my ears.
We walk past the bar and into the main restaurant area, which is all open toward the sea and topped with a thatched roof. A waiter in jeans and a T-shirt with the restaurant logo greets us in Spanish. Luca answers and the man leads us to a table.
The waiter pulls my chair back. I sit down and let him help me scoot in closer to the table. I lean back in my chair and admire the view. We have a great view of the sea, the curving coastline and two nearby islands. “What a perfect spot.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Luca sits beside me, rather than across from me, so we’re both able to enjoy the sea view. We angle our chairs in toward each other so we can look at each other when we’re talking.
The waiter returns to take our drink orders and returns moments later with the margaritas we ordered, chips and salsa, and menus. There’s a pause in conversation while we decide what to order.
“Where do you live when you’re not visiting San Carlos?”
“Nowhere, really. I travel so much for work, I just rent a place wherever I go unless I’m staying with family.”
“I guess that makes sense with your schedule being so crazy and all. Where are you from?”
“I was born in Italy.”
“Italy? You’re far away from home.”
Luca presses his lips together and shakes his head. “No, Mexico is very much my home now. We moved to Mexico City when I was still a boy. After my father abandoned us.” He drops his gaze. I can tell it’s a painful memory for him.
“Abandoned you. Oh, Luca, that’s terrible. I’m so sorry.”
He meets my gaze. I see a flash of determination and defiance in his eyes. He’s a strong man, accustomed to dealing with adversity. That became crystal clear when I saw how he handled the swimming lessons. “You don’t need to be. It was a long time ago. The five of us managed just fine on our own. My mom always put our family first. She did everything to take care of me and my sister and brothers. She’s always been there.”
“It sounds like your mom’s an amazing person. Does she still live in Mexico?”
“Yes. She lives in San Miguel de Allende now—a quiet town up in the mountains. It’s not too far from Mexico City.”
“How about the rest of your family?”
“My brother, Lorenzo, works with me. My youngest brother, Nicolo, and my sister, Chiara, still live in Mexico City.”
“That’s great that you work with your brother.”
“Yes, the two of us have always been close. But I can’t for the life of me get him to come to San Carlos. He’s got this thing for Vegas. He’s usually there anytime we get a break.” Luca shakes his head and laughs ruefully. “But that’s not my scene at all.”
“It’s not mine, either. I find the place depressing.” Naturally, Brandon loved it. He enjoyed the gambling, the glittering lights. He didn’t seem to notice what I s
aw—people who clearly struggled with money frittering away their life savings, as they played the slot machines robotically. I felt sorry for them. “Do you get to see the rest of your family often? It must be hard to with your busy travel schedule.”
“Family has always been a priority. I visit my mom every month. A lot of the time, Nicolo and Chiara meet me there. I also get together with them whenever work takes me to Mexico City. How about you? Where did you live before you moved down here, and where is your family?”
I pause to drink more of my margarita, hoping the tequila will give me the courage I need to tackle this more-than-a-little awkward question. Many Mexican families come to the beach on weekends to hang out. Grandparents, moms and dads, aunts and uncles all gather together. Some of the adults sit on the sidelines, talking to each other or drinking beer while others are in the sea swimming or splashing around with their children or helping them build sandcastles. Many of the moms even wade into the sea in street clothes—jeans or flowing dresses or shorts. The wet clothes stick to their skin and look uncomfortable, but the women don’t seem to care. They’re still laughing and talking and enjoying everyone’s company. Watching how happy they seem together jerks at my heart strings and makes me realize what I’ve missed out on. All my grandparents passed away when I was in elementary school. My parents have been dead for more than ten years now. My dad was adopted, and my mom’s sister died of a drug overdose before I was born. All that’s left is my sister, my niece, and me. And I have nothing in common with Kelsi. The sound of her voice is almost enough to make me break out in hives. Luca will think I’m pathetic. Disinterested in family. Not the kind of woman he wants at all.
“Is something wrong?” Luca’s voice sounds gentle and soothing, and the look in his eyes says he’s genuinely worried.
“It’s hard for me to talk about it, that’s all.”
He reaches for my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Don’t worry. We don’t have to talk about that now if you don’t want to.”
Jade's Song (South of the Border Book 2) Page 7