by Laura Ward
I hesitated, but only for a second. Curiosity got the best of me. “Lead the way.” Climbing into the passenger seat, I buckled up, watching her do the same, and the car glided smoothly down the road.
After a few minutes, Aveline spoke. “I forgive you. For lying about your reasons for getting to know me, for trying to exploit my parents, and for not telling me about our connection. I get it. The desperation you felt to help your father makes up a part of you that is the man I fell in love with.”
My jaw dropped, and I stared at her profile. “You love me?”
The car stopped, and she put it in park before facing me. “I love you with all my heart, Ricky.”
The earth shifting on its axis couldn’t have stopped me from kissing her. I leaned over, my hands cupping her jaw, treating her as the precious gift she was. My lips landed lightly on hers, but she pressed back, her mouth opening, tongue finding mine.
Heat and bliss and relief flowed through me. I was home, in a way I had never known before. Being with Aveline was where I belonged.
We kissed in a desperate, clawing, grasping reunion. As soon as my lips met hers I was determined that I wouldn’t stop it. I’d kiss her until she was the one who broke free.
Finally, she did, breathless and with swollen lips.
“I have more to tell you.” She opened her door, exiting quickly, jumping up and down until I got to her side of the car.
“Why are we at Ed’s, mariposa? The shop closed.” Unable to stop myself, my lips locked on her neck, kissing lightly up and down the delicate, sweet smelling skin there.
“We aren’t at Ed’s, my love. I was thinking Pedro’s?” she whispered. I froze, pulling back and staring into her eyes. “Let me explain. When all the truths came out, I learned that not only is my family rich, but so am I. I have a huge trust fund to use as I wish. When I stopped to think about what I wanted, all I could focus on was making our dreams come true. Your dream was to own a bike shop. So, I bought Ed’s. For you. For us.”
She pressed her lips together, eyes shining but also uncertain, watching my face with true fear on hers.
“What?” My heart raced, my breath caught, and my stomach twisted. This couldn’t be happening. “No, I don’t need you to take care of me. It should be the other way around. Me taking care of you. That’s what I want.”
She held up her hand, palm facing me. “Hear me out on this. I’m not trying to take care of you. I’m trying to build a life. For the two of us.
I wrapped my hand around her outstretched palm, tucking it against my heart. Because my heart was hers. It had only ever been hers. “But what about your dreams? I don’t want you only focused on mine.”
Her trembling smile almost sent me to my knees. “Come with me.” Grasping my hand in hers she walked us to the door. “You open the door. This is the first time you will open the door to your business,” she said, handing me the keys.
We walked into Ed’s, now Pedro’s, because holy fuck had anything ever been sweeter or more loving than that? She tugged my hand, leading me to the back, a spare office that Ed had used for file storage. It was empty now and we stood together inside.
“See the side door here?” She pointed to the unused entrance. “This will be my office. I’m opening my own business. With this trust, I can make my dreams come true. I don’t have to work for money. I can help people. I’ll translate for non-profits and tutor needy kids with hearing and speech issues. It’s my dream. And I get to be near you. My dream guy.” She hesitated, faltering and looking down, her face crumpling.
“Oh shit,” she whispered. “I’ve jumped too far, too fast. I’m sorry.” She stopped making eye contact, her face red.
This time I did go to my knees. “What, mariposa? What are you talking about?”
“I’m making plans for our future and I never asked you. Is this what you want? Am I what you want?” Her voice shook with each word.
I closed my eyes, drawing her body closer to me. “You’re every wish and every dream, I never allowed myself to have. You truly forgive me?”
She nodded.
“You love me?”
She nodded, her lips curving into a grin.
“You want to share a workspace and dreams and a life?”
Her face mellowed, and she nodded, her knees falling onto mine, hands wrapping around my neck and ponytail. “I don’t want anything else. To me, you are everything.” With those words, she pressed her lips to mine, her tears falling onto my face below her.
“I love you, Aveline. I need you.” My voice was gruff and harsh with the overflow of my emotions.
She pulled back, a sexy smirk on her pursed lips. “I have one more surprise.”
Chapter Forty
Aveline
RICKY COCKED HIS eyebrow. “And what’s that?”
“I moved out!” I giggled, clapping my hands together like a little girl. “Mom and Dad and I talked, and they agreed I was ready. You taught me to face my fears and I’m doing it. I got a small one-bedroom apartment right in between my parents’ home and here. I moved in yesterday. It isn’t much, but I thought with your mom working at my parents’ house now and you sharing a bedroom with your sisters…” My voice trailed off and I bit my lip before adding, “Again, very presumptuous, I know. I mean sex isn’t the reason to get an apartment. I was hoping… or thinking… wanting some…” I stopped when Ricky growled, standing straight up from his kneeled position without letting me go.
“I’m driving. Give me directions.” From my place in his arms, I could feel the tension in his entire body.
Nuzzling my nose against his neck, I nodded. He walked us to the door and with one hand gave me the keys. “I opened the door the first time we were here together, now you lock it for the first time.” He watched as I clumsily locked the door, his arms still cradling me to him.
As soon as the key was out of the lock, he was on the move, hustling to my car. Sliding me into the passenger seat with a gruff, “Buckle up.” He moved to the driver’s side.
We peeled out of the parking lot and I breathlessly told him to turn left. Nerves set in and I gripped the door handle, my knuckles turning white from the pressure.
“I should tell you something, as long as I’m being super bossy and controlling.” I looked at Ricky, noticing his lips twitch, but otherwise, he focused on driving.
Looking straight ahead, I forged on. “I’ve contacted Dr. Redmond.”
A furrow developed between his brow, but he only hummed, the sound coming from deep in his throat.
“I explained why you left class and what our story is. I even told her the connection from when I was picked to talk in class until now, today.” I paused, waiting for more of a reaction. “Turn left at the light. I hope you aren’t mad at me.”
Smoothly turning the car, he snickered. “I’m pretty sure you could say anything right now and I wouldn’t be mad at you.”
Grinning like a mad woman, I blurted out the rest. “I asked if you could make up your missed class time and assignments. She agreed. Yay! Oh, take a quick right.”
He did, moving into the parking lot of my complex. The place I had chosen was small and quaint, a good starter community.
“Thanks for doing that, mariposa.” Ricky purred, the sound shooting straight between my legs. “I do want to finish college. And I love that class.” He glanced over at me, his eyes soft and smile warm.
Ricky glided into a parking space, hurried out of the car, and took my hand in his. Holding back peals of over-excited laughter, I told him my place was on the second floor, and with that we were jogging up the stairs.
I fumbled for my keys, unlocking the door and introducing him to my home. He slowed, his breaths deep, as he took in the space.
Cream colored walls, two deep green sofas, and a cream-colored entertainment center filled the open family room. Over the sofa, I hung a painting of a Monarch butterfly, wings spread in flight. His eyes focused right in on it, coming slowly to mine.
; “Mariposa,” he breathed.
“This is my home. I hope really soon it might be yours too.” I held his hand, walking through the family room into a kitchen with dark brown cabinets and cream-colored granite countertops. A small brown kitchen table filled the corner. The space was simple, but efficient, and I loved it. A huge vase of sunflowers brightened the center of my table, and I already started collecting cookbooks and kitschy serving bowls and platters.
“Bathroom.” I pointed to my right as I led him down the hall. “And bedroom.”
The only room on the left was a large bedroom. I had purchased all new furniture that reflected maturity. In a deep espresso brown, a sleigh bed filled the center of the room, flanked by espresso colored nightstands. A wide, low chest with a mirror and a writing desk under the window were the only other pieces in the room. The bed was covered in an intricate silver patterned throw with many matching pillows.
We stopped at the foot of the bed, my chin tipped back so that I could look into his eyes.
“How do I thank you for what you’ve done?” he asked me, voice trembling.
My hands ran up his wide, cut chest, stopping at his perfect pectorals. “Love me. And let me love you.”
He brought his face down to me, lips parted, our mouths crashed together. When my tongue slid against his, he groaned a guttural sound that tore through me.
Pulling away, I tore off my clothes, watching as he did the same, lifting and tossing me onto the bed. I landed on my back, and he followed, holding his weight off my body with his arms, as he bent closer to kiss me long and deep, the heat of his mouth making my body burn.
He pulled away, dragging his tongue down my neck, stopping at my breasts. He sucked a nipple into his mouth, drawing and pulling, as I arched my back and cried out. Moving to the next one, he continued his welcomed assault. My hands found his hair and I unwrapped the tie, allowing the long locks to flow around us, blanketing me in his familiar scent of cinnamon, with a faint touch of gasoline.
My hands found him, hard but skin smooth and hot. I stroked, up and down, trying to match the ferocity of his mouth on my body.
But I couldn’t.
He consumed me.
“Aveline,” he said my name on an exhale of breath. Burying his face in my neck, his hands traveled down and touched me, parting my skin and drawing his fingers inside.
“Oh God, yes,” I cried out, as his fingers circled and rubbed, dipped and hooked, bringing me closer and closer to a perfect release.
He stopped before I got there. I harrumphed, a sound of pure frustration, and he chuckled.
“I want to come together. This time seems different. A promise. Our future.” His tongue traced the edge of my earlobe, trailing down my neck.
“Yes, yes,” I begged. I wasn’t sure what I was agreeing to, but with Ricky, I knew it would be good.
Leaning over the bed, he wrestled with his jeans, hand emerging with a condom. My eyes followed his movements as he rolled it on, positioning himself over me, and then thrusting in, filling me.
The past two and a half weeks had been almost enough for my body to forget. But with that possessive claiming, joining us together, all lost memories were gone. I was his and he was mine, just as it should be.
“My girl, my love, my heart.” His breath washed over me as he chanted those endearments in Spanish. I had never felt so blessed by spoken words as I did in that moment.
Arching his back, he thrust his hips harder and harder into me, picking up pace and intensity until I cried out, the explosion I was waiting for engulfing, blinding with white light, heat, and pure, carnal ecstasy.
Ricky stilled at the same time, yelling out as he released, his body pulsing above me, his hair a curtain around us. I reveled in it. The intimacy, the pleasure, the connection. Looking up into his smoldering eyes, I had never been surer.
Our bodies and more importantly, our hearts, were like threads of yarn, interwoven together.
Chapter Forty-One
Ricky
THE END OF the semester flew by. In between setting up the bike shop and Aveline’s company, we finished and turned in our final papers for Psychology 201. Any other spare time we dedicated to our families, and the growing bond between the two—and to the growing bond between us. We never missed any opportunities to be alone, rest assured.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text from Aveline.
“I’m here”
Fingers flying over the keyboard, I wrote her back before grabbing my backpack and heading out of the building.
“On my way down”
Aveline picked me up every day on her way to class or work. She didn’t want me to take the bus and offered to lend me money for a car or bike all the time. I was waiting. I planned to save profits from the bike shop—I’d savor every second of buying my ride when the time was right.
What was harder was turning down her requests for me to move in to her apartment. At first, I balked, wanting her to have the freedom and independence that she had desired for so long. Leaving her at night was killing me. I didn’t like my sweet little butterfly sleeping alone, and her parents didn’t either. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to hold off much longer.
Opening the passenger door, I folded my long legs into the seat and shut the door. “Mariposa.” I leaned over, kissing her lightly. “How are you?”
She kissed me back, sucking on my lower lip before answering my question. “I’m a little sad, actually. It’s our last day of class. Where we met and fell in love. Saying goodbye to Dr. Redmond feels wrong.” Her lower lip stuck out in a pout, so I copied her previous action, sucking on it for a few seconds.
Today was our final day of Psychology of Personality. Dr. Redmond had allowed me to make up lost class time and work, and after hearing our story, was full of questions for both Aveline and myself. I was sort of sad for class to end as well. There had never been a period of time in my life where I learned as much about myself.
Aveline pulled away from the curb, heading toward campus. “How’s Papa today?” she asked with a smile.
“Better each day. The center is amazing. All that technology that we never knew existed. He seems to be getting stronger and stronger.” I took Aveline’s free hand in mine, linking our fingers together.
“That’s the best news. Mom and Dad told me this morning that they can’t imagine how they ever survived without Ana. They haven’t had takeout in weeks. She brings joy to them.” Aveline informed me. “And your Mama called me this morning.” She finished, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
“Yeah, mariposa?” I asked, relaxed and unconcerned about something involving my mother for the first time ever.
“She’s coming to my office a few times a week for sign language lessons! She wants to know how to communicate with my parents.” Aveline’s smile was blinding.
I could have never guessed the link that formed so quickly between our parents. A tragedy that happened over eighteen years ago still had the power to draw them together.
Pulling up to campus, Aveline parked and we walked to the Psych building hand in hand. My mind was flooded with memories. God, the first time I saw her I was so judgmental, immediately passing her off as a spoiled rich girl. Then I learned that she was the cause of all my anger and rage. And I hated her, a small, beautiful, stranger—without ever having spoken to her.
Settling into our seats, Dr. Redmond entered the classroom. An excited hush fell over the room. No matter the class I took, emotions ran high on the last day of the semester.
Next to me, Aveline reached out, entwining my fingers with hers once again.
“Good afternoon for the final time, class. This is our final lecture for Psychology 201, Psychology of Personality,” Dr. Redmond announced, standing in front of the podium. “I’ve spent the last few days grading your final papers and I’m pleased with everything you’ve learned this semester.”
Moving across the stage, Dr. Redmond spoke. “From our examination of personal
ity disorders, to theories from behaviorists and human psychologists, you all have studied many facets about the construction and evolution of personality. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I end this class as I began it. Asking you to verify whether you agree with my first proposed hypothesis. That the age-old question of nature vs. nurture is yes. It’s both.”
She looked around the room, arms out to her sides, and eyes wide. “Would anyone like to come up here to discuss this?”
A few seconds passed and finally several hands raised. Without hesitation, so did mine.
Aveline squeezed the hand linked with hers. “What are you doing?” she hissed. “You hate”—she fumbled for the right term—“volunteering, answering questions, class participation… all of this.”
I chuckled at her wide-eyed shock “I really do.”
“You, sir. In the middle, with the long hair and very colorful tattoos. Please come on up.”
I complied, standing up and walking down the aisle and up onto the stage.
Murmurs increased as students saw who the class volunteer was. Hell, I surprised myself. I had never raised my hand during my four years of high school. Avoiding communication that had anything to do with academics was the name of the game.
“Hello,” Dr. Redmond stretched out her hand and I shook it.
“Ricardo Martinez,” I introduced myself, watching her eyes register who I was and my story.
She motioned to two chairs and we sat. Holding a wired microphone to her mouth, she asked her first question. “To start, tell me your thoughts on nature versus nurture from this class, Ricardo.”
Dr. Redmond handed me the microphone, I took it and paused. “Before taking this class, I would’ve wanted to believe that we are who we are because of nature, or our genetic makeup. What I believed was that it was nurture, or our environment that made us who we are. Now, I know it’s both. Our genes influence the environment we create, and our environment impacts how our genes are used. The two are interwoven.”