by Jan Moran
Valentina’s smile was wide. “Thanks for coming. I’m so nervous. Can you believe how many people came?” She prattled off a number of names expecting they would know the people. Lily assumed they were critics or people well regarded in the industry.
“I need to speak to Blake.” She leaned up on tippy-toes and kissed Diego’s cheek. She whispered, “Thanks for everything.”
Lily and Diego, holding hands, moved around the gallery looking at the paintings. With the strategic lighting, each came alive under Valentina’s artistic brush strokes.
They stopped in front of a large piece. Lily stared at the slashes of colour and the bold design of the evocative piece. “She’s very talented.”
“She is.” He nodded approvingly.
Turning to him she asked, “Why did she thank you?”
“You’re very inquisitive, hermosa,” he replied, his hand snaking around her waist to rest on her hip.
Her belly did a flip-flop, as it always did when he spoke to her in that deep, sexy voice. God, she loved the sultriness his Spanish accent made to his voice.
“Just asking,” she said. “Is it a national secret?”
“No.” He chuckled. “I wanted the right people to be here tonight, not just the freeloaders.” He jerked his head in the direction of people helping themselves to the food buffet.
She punched his arm. “You big softie. You called in favours.”
He grinned. “Shhh. I have a reputation to maintain as a ruthless entrepreneur.”
“And we wouldn’t want to spoil your image now, would we?” She ran her fingers down the side of his face. “What you did tonight, was really nice.”
They continued to look at the remaining pieces, hand-in-hand. She stopped in front of a small painting, mesmerised by the textures and the splashes of paint. Drawn and unable to take her eyes off it, she stared at the swirls of colour.
“What do you like about it?” Diego asked.
“It’s speaking to me. I see something inside that has exploded outward, delighting in new found freedom,” she admitted in a low voice, not wanting any of the arty attendees to ridicule her insights.
He brushed his lips against hers. “No wonder you like it, it’s just like you. After all these years, you’re embracing a new life as a beautiful, confident woman. You’ve raised LJ and Jake, and now it’s time for you to travel, be your own person.” He lowered his voice to whisper in her ear, “And have great sex.”
Her toes curled in her heels. “You’re pretty perceptive for a bloke.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He gave her a wink.
Grabbing two flutes of champagne, he handed one to her. “To the new Lily.”
Their glasses clinked and she took a long sip.
“And tell me about the new Lily. What are her plans?” he asked, leaning forward.
They moved to a darkened corner and she decided to be upfront. If she could do what she did in bed with him last night, she could certainly be honest and truthful. “I met this guy,” she started. “And he’s really great in bed and I want to have lots of sex with him, before I travel overseas.”
A serious look crossed his face. “If this guy is so great, why are you travelling?”
“Because, I’m not changing my plans for a bloke who doesn’t believe in love.”
His brow lifted as though he didn’t believe her. “Really?”
“My parents loved each other. Sure, they had disagreements, but I have fond memories of my dad bringing home flowers for my mum, for no reason. He kissed her every day, before he went to work and every night when he came home.” She paused as the beautiful memories washed over her. “I want that.”
A silence hung between them before Diego broke it. “I can only give you short term.”
She nodded slowly. “I know, that suits me, besides I’d be a fool to fall for you.”
“You know how to wound me.” He placed his hand over his heart in a dramatic way.
“You’ve been honest with me, you want to settle down, have a family. I really don’t want that. Besides, I just want you for your great body.” She ran her fingertips down his torso, to emphasise her point.
He’d break her heart. She would be a fool to fall for him. Sure, he was great in bed, but she wanted more. She wanted romance, silly phones messages, spur of the moment kisses, and a commitment of love. Diego couldn’t give her that. Once her contract finished in the next few weeks with Deena, she’d be free to do what she always wanted. To be by herself.
“Ready for dinner?” he asked.
She gulped away all the emotion ricocheting in her tummy. “I would like that.”
“Back in a minute.” He pressed his lips to the sensitive spot behind her ear.
Walking around, she sidled up to a group pretending to look at art as she listened to their views on one of the larger paintings. Art critics, she supposed. Crossing her fingers, she hoped tonight would give Valentina the success she deserved.
“Let’s go.” Diego came from behind, and looped his arm around her waist.
“Shouldn’t we say goodbye to Valentina?”
“She’s busy,” he added with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Besides, my family will be here soon.”
“Oh no.” Concern spiked her belly. Camilla. His mother. They would take one look at her and Diego and know. Her cheeks warmed and she looked up at him. “Is there an exit at the back?”
He chuckled before a loud voice made him turn around. “Too late.”
Taking her hand, they walked over to his family, greeting them. Camilla sidled up to her. “Just friends, huh?” She lifted a perfectly groomed eyebrow.
Wagging her eyebrows, a la Groucho Marx, she indulged in a private laugh with Camilla hoping to distract her. It’s not like she could tell her the truth.
Soon enough, they were able to escape. Diego placed his arm around her shoulders and brought her toward him. The warmth of his body was reassuring and comforting.
They walked along the footpath busy with people coming from work and others enjoying an early evening walk.
“I love the mix of shops here, such an interesting mix of fashion, homewares and cafés,” she gushed as they stood admiring the window display of vintage homewares in a boutique.
Within minutes they found themselves outside a large, busy vegetarian restaurant. “I’ve heard this place is great.”
“Let’s try it,” he said, opening the door for her.
They made their way upstairs, past the noise from university students and families with children, all enjoying their dinner.
They found a small table upstairs on the balcony, which gave them some privacy, away from the noise and chatter. Music could be faintly heard from a nearby store and an occasional tram rocked by.
“Do you want to share some dishes?”
“I’d love it,” she said. He could’ve asked her to join him for sex on the table and she would’ve agreed. Her usual calm approach to life had disappeared under the flurry of multiple orgasms and confessions.
“Do you trust me?”
She blew him a kiss. “I trusted you last night.”
He groaned. “Lily, you’re killing me. We’re in a restaurant and all I want to do is taste you.” He gulped down the glass of water on the table. “We need to eat.” Then lowering his voice, he declared, “Then I’m taking you home and making you come again and again and again.”
She fanned herself with her hand. “We should stick to subjects that do not work up our libidos. Deal?” She raised her brow questioningly.
“Deal.” He grinned in return.
A waiter came to their table and Diego ordered a bottle of wine and a number of dishes. Closing the menu, he handed it to the waiter and leaned back in his chair.
“Thank you for tonight,” Lily said. “I really liked Valentina’s art, she’s very talented.”
“I’m glad.” He gave her a lazy smile. “I bought you the painting you liked.”
“What?” S
he all but yelled. “No, you didn’t have to.” She didn’t want him to buy things for her because that would mean they were in a relationship. She wanted to keep it as sex-only between them. Anything more and it would get messy, complicated.
He scowled with frustration. “I thought you liked it?”
“I do like it. I just…I just want to keep things simple between us.” She drew in a deep breath. “You want the perfect wife to settle down with. I want to travel and then try and start up a new career.” She had to keep emotional distance from him and not get heavily involved. Despite the short time they’d been back together, she knew he had the ability to shred her heart into splinters.
Look at him. Helping out his sister, his cousin, his family. She could easily fall for him. Best she didn’t.
“You just want me for my body?” he said, a twinkle in his smile.
“Pretty much.” She was glad the conversation wasn’t going to get heavy. “Is that okay?”
“I like women who know what they want,” he added before being interrupted by the waiter. Diego looked at the wine before it was uncorked and it was poured into two glasses. Lifting his glass, he said, “Salud.”
They clinked glasses and tasted the rich wine.
“What do you think?” She was interested in what an expert thought of it. It tasted pretty good to her.
“I like it,” he said, swilling the glass around and taking another sip. “Just so you know, Valentina was delighted you’ll be receiving the painting, especially after I told her how much you like it.”
Gulping down some more wine, she slowly relaxed. Either the confession, the wine, or a combination of both had helped.
The arrival of the pan-fried mushrooms sizzling with garlic and goats cheese was a welcome interruption.
“I promise not to buy you anything else unless you say it’s okay,” he said.
“Thank you,” she replied, spearing a piece of mushroom and eating it.
“Have you worked out a date when you’ll be leaving?” His brow lifted before he ate another mushroom.
“As soon as my contract with Deena finishes. I’ve got to wrap up the charity event and complete all the tasks on her to-do list. She’s very good to work with.” She paused. “I’ll need a bit of time to pack, organise things for the boys, and then I’ll be off.”
“Where to?” he asked, taking a sip of wine.
“America. My dream is to visit New Orleans, listen to jazz, and then see all the sights in New York.”
“Anything else?”
“I thought that once I’m there, I’ll travel around. There’s so much to see. Washington, Niagara Falls. I’ve never been out of Australia before, I still can’t believe I’m doing this,” she admitted.
“I think it’s great,” he said, flaunting a genuine smile. “You’re following your heart and living your dream.” He paused. “How about after dinner to celebrate you living your dream, I take you to the best gelataria in Melbourne?”
“That would be great.” She smiled warmly at him.
Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against her ear and whispered, “I’m looking forward to enjoying our dessert” —he paused for dramatic effect— “in bed.”
She shivered in anticipation. She. Could. Not. Wait.
Chapter 6
Diego’s heart pounded so hard against his chest, he was sure it was going to burst out. His self-control was hanging on by a cobweb.
With Lily’s hands gripping the bed-head, her head buried in the pillow and her mewling cries had him praying he wouldn’t explode too soon. The sex was wild, uninhibited.
His fingers gripped her hips. Her unique smell of wild flowers mixed with the scent of their lovemaking was intoxicating.
“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” she begged.
He sent a prayer of thanks when her muscles contracted around him and she screamed out his name. Finally. He surged into her one last time, coming with such intensity that his knees wobbled. His breathing was ragged and he collapsed on top of her.
They remained joined together until his legs were steady enough for him to stand and dispose of the condom.
He fell on the bed next to her before pressing a kiss to her shoulder and one to the pulse point on her neck.
“That was fantastic.” She gulped some air. “Can I get a drink of water?”
“Of course,” he said and pressed his mouth against hers. “Find something for us to watch. I’ll be back soon.” He tossed her the TV remote before getting out of bed and padding toward the kitchen.
A minute later he returned with the gelati, two spoons, and a bottle of mineral water.
She growled with frustration. “I can’t work out how to start up your state of the art system. Why doesn’t this have a simple on/off button?” She tossed the electrical device on the bed.
He opened one of the tubs, filled the spoon with chocolate ice cream. She opened her mouth when he deliberately spilt it on her naked breast. “You beast, that’s cold.” She squealed.
He ran his tongue along her skin, licked the gelati on her skin before his cold mouth closed over a nipple.
“You are so bad,” she said in an all-knowing voice.
“You have no idea how bad I can be,” he said, swirling his cold tongue over the raspberry bud.
Much later, they lay in bed watching When Harry Met Sally. “Have you seen it?” she asked. “It’s my favourite movie.”
Turning to look at her, his brow lifted, he said, “Do I look like the kind of bloke who’d sit through a chick movie?”
She giggled at the image of Diego enjoying romances. “It’s very clever and well written. At the beginning Harry says women and men can’t be friends.” She paused. “What do you think?”
“Perhaps?” he said, shrugging with indifference. “I could never be friends with you.”
“Why not?” She was very interested to know why.
“Because the sex would get in the way.”
She gasped then lightly punched his arm. “You have seen the movie.”
Grinning, he brushed his lips against hers. “I just looked up the movie online, my beautiful.”
“You tell me I’m beautiful all the time but I’ve never felt it,” she confessed in a low voice.
“But you are,” he said, his eyes wide with surprise.
“When I was at school, I was called Stick because I was tall and skinny. The red hair didn’t help.”
“Kids can be cruel. You’re not a stick, you’re beautiful, every inch of you.”
“You should know since you’ve kissed every inch of me,” she said with a brash smile. “What about you? Were you teased at school?’
“A little. We came to Australia when I was ten and I didn’t speak English. The first few months were tough but then it got easier. I made friends and learned Australian football.”
“Well, this is Victoria. We’re football mad here,” she added in an all-knowing tone. “So why leave Argentina?”
Clearing his throat before fiddling with his mobile phone, he said, “My uncle, my dad’s brother, came here years ago. We were poor and at the time Australia needed migrants. He got a job working at a vineyard.”
“He had experience with wine making?”
“No, but he was good with his hands and could fix fences, build steps, grow plants. You get the gist. Anyway, he loved working there and soon enough met an Australian woman, got married and had kids.” He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. “But then his wife got sick. Cancer. Treatment didn’t help and she died. My uncle was a mess and needed help.
“My father and his brother were close. So we moved here. It helped that he sponsored us.”
Shock made her sit straighter. “Just like that? Your dad moved you all from Argentina to Australia to help your uncle and work in wine.”
“My uncle, Ignatio, needed help,” he started to explain.
“But to move you all here?” she asked, unable to believe the decisions made to help family. Unwarr
anted envy crept along her arms, wishing she had had a smidgen of what Diego’s father had done for his brother. How she would’ve loved a bit of support from friends when her parents had died.
Pushing away the jealousy, she focussed on him and the rest of the story.
Diego continued. “My mother helped raise his children. Valentina is the youngest, she’s like my sister.”
“No wonder your family is so close.” She breathed out conclusively. “You’re all so lucky to have one another.”
Shrugging off her compliment, he said, “It’s what family do.”
She crinkled her brow, wanting to know more. “What happened to your uncle? Did he remarry?”
“No,” he said in a grim tone, the skin around his jaw tight with animosity. “It’s hard to compete with the dead.”
Her hand flew up to her mouth, surprised at the bitterness in his reply. “That’s mean. He must have loved his wife a lot.”
“Whatever,” he muttered, low under his breath.
She reflected on what he’d just said before asking, “Do you blame your uncle for you having to move here? It wasn’t his fault his wife died.”
His face drew a blank look, making her frustrated at his ability to categorise something so complex. “You’re very judgemental,” she flung at him. “So what that he married for love, is that so bad?”
Diego remained tight-lipped and the fun from the movie to the gelati to the art exhibition evaporated with a reliving of a tumultuous time from years gone by. Obviously, the change had impacted him more than he wanted to admit.
She observed his fisted hands and the brooding lines across his brow. “I think it’s time for me to go home.”
He tugged her close. “You’re staying here.” Anchoring her to him, his lips trailed kisses along her neck till she sagged against him and eventually fell into a deep sleep.
The next few days were spent at work, and she and Diego passed the nights in bed finding new ways to pleasure each other.
Saturday morning, the day was mild and warm for Autumn. The sun shining and a whole day stretching ahead of them, they ventured outside.