A Taste of Desire

by Chloe Blake

  Destin’s voice was low and unyielding. “I want to see that list.”

  She sighed. “I have a hard copy at the hotel.”

  They drove in silence for most of the way. Nicole took in the gorgeous terrain on the other side of the mountain, while Destin’s mind raced with ways to make sure a casino never opened its doors in Rio Grande. He’d been wrong about her. She was just as cutthroat as those other lawyers, maybe more so, since she hid it so well. He’d have to step up his game. Make sure that her list of interested clients dwindled to nothing. Then he would happily pay for her ticket back to New York.

  He slid another glance at her. She leaned forward and studied something out the window, taking an interest in her surroundings. So she could better sell it, no doubt. She let out a gasp. “Look!” A waterfall was cascaded over the rock of a deep canyon. Nicole turned, and her animated face and smile took his breath away.

  He wanted to kiss her. Hard. So her iron will would bend. So she’d forget why she was here and see his point of view. So she’d let him make love to her.

  Ridiculous. “It’s a watering hole. Locals swim there.” Destin gripped the wheel and turned back to the road.

  As they got closer to the heart of town, concrete buildings, graffiti murals and teens on motorbikes streaked past. Traffic began to congest, and finally they stopped completely as horns honked around them and cars jostled for leverage. They were fifteen minutes from the hotel, but at this rate, they’d be there in an hour.

  He was starving, which didn’t help his already foul mood. His mind flipped through different paths to take to her hotel, but he had a feeling they were all jammed. He decided to take a chance. If he was going to be with Nicole for more than an hour, he needed sustenance.

  Destin twisted his body and made a gesture at the car next to them.

  “What are you doing?” Nicole asked.

  Destin didn’t answer. Instead, he worked the SUV to the side, through the traffic, amid honks and angry yells. Once out of the fray, he proceeded down a small alley and onto a dirt road.

  “Wait, the hotel is that way.”

  “I know where it is.”

  “Look, I know you’re upset about my buyers, but I was brought here to do a job and—”

  Destin drove up to a one-story ranch house that sat on miles of flat rocky land. Then he threw the car into Park and got out without explanation. A line of people stood off to the side, and a few more were at benches in an outside seating area.

  “What are you doing?” she yelled from her seat as Destin walked to her door. She raised an eyebrow at him when he opened it.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “A little,” she said without looking at him. He’d bet she was starving.

  “You can yell at me inside. Let’s go.” He held out his hand, and she slipped her fingers into his as she gingerly lowered herself onto her good foot.

  “I’m not yelling,” she said sheepishly. Destin whistled, and the dog squirmed from the backseat to the front and jumped to the ground.

  “Hmph. Can you walk?”

  “Yes.” Her eyes flashed with defiance.

  “Good.” He shut the car door and kept a close eye on her slow gait as they made their way up to the small porch.

  “How are you going to show the property when you can barely walk? You should cancel.”

  “My ankle is better. It’s just that these shoes aren’t really flats. And you should mind your business.”

  “Rio Grande is my business.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “And it’s 8:20.” With that, Destin strolled into the establishment ahead of her.

  Chapter 11

  Fuming, she stared at his back as he entered the restaurant, watching his athletic stride. She didn’t have the strength to argue with him, not after a sleepless night. That kiss. What on earth had she been thinking? She hadn’t been, only feeling.

  The adrenaline pumping through her body had been from more than that stupid spider. Destin had looked like a god in the doorway of the bathroom. All skin and muscle, with tossed bed hair and that wild look in his eyes. When his arms had come around her, she’d never felt safer. It was a moment she’d wanted to capture forever; maybe that was why she’d reached for his kiss.

  It had been the briefest of touches, but his mouth had fit hers perfectly. When she’d reached her bed, she’d thrown herself under the covers, praying the humiliation she felt over his pulling away first would knock her out cold. But the minute she’d closed her eyes, she could feel his lips on hers again and his hands trailing her skin.

  Had she even slept? She remembered the sun rising, along with the realization that it was the next morning. She’d lain in bed feeling embarrassed, a little angry and sexually frustrated. The shower hadn’t helped. Her empty stomach didn’t help. Seeing him swimming, with his skin glistening in the sun, hadn’t effing helped.

  She’d made the decision then—she wasn’t going to think about it. And they definitely weren’t going to talk about it.

  Destin propped the door open, waiting only a few seconds to watch her slow approach before turning his back and continuing inside. Fine with her. She didn’t need his help. She couldn’t wait to be relieved of his presence. Just a little bit longer, and then she could forget about him...and that kiss.

  The smell of coffee and food made her mouth water, and she limped through the inside of the little restaurant, which wasn’t much except dark wood and square tables, but the backyard was spectacular. Picnic tables graced with wildflowers and tea lights were set up in the grass. Fragrant citronella torches peppered the area, and tall poles were anchors for strings of tiny lights that were on, even in daytime.

  Nicole saw Destin shaking hands with an older man, who then bent to give Magnus a pat on the head. The man rushed forward at the sight of Nicole, helping her to the table while speaking rapid Portuguese. Nicole smiled and nodded.

  “Ela é Americana,” Destin told him.

  “Oh! Welcome, miss. Please enjoy.” Their host waved at a server. “Destin and I have been friends a long time. The wines are—” he kissed the air “—superb. Please Destin, more soon. Yes?”

  Destin shifted uncomfortably, nodding curtly and flashing the man a look.

  “Okay.” The man smiled and was off to another table.

  “What was he talking about?” Nicole asked.

  “Nothing.” Destin shifted his attention to the server, who, Nicole noticed, was young, beautiful and wearing only a bikini top and shorts. She was like the Brazilian version of Aaliyah. Her breasts threatened to spill out of her swimsuit top as she bent and poured them both water.

  “Café?” Aaliyah asked with a lazy drawl. At their enthusiastic nods, she pulled menus from under her arm and walked away.

  Nicole must have made a face because Destin gave a low chuckle. “It’s a surf community.” Destin grinned. “Jimmy Choos don’t matter here.”

  “Nor do tops, it seems.”

  “Nor underwear.” Her eyes widened. “Why did you put yours in your pocket?”

  “I don’t know what that tiny monster was doing to them. Laying eggs?”

  “Ridiculous,” he said with a smug look.

  Their gazes locked in a silent battle of wills. They were hungry, dirty and moody, but for all of the tension between them, all she could think about was that kiss. That kiss. Would she ever forget the feel of his hands on her body?

  His shoulders looked broader in the T-shirt, and his hair had been finger brushed into perfection. She looked away, taking in her surroundings, and focused on what she did best.

  “Maybe we should ask your friend what he thinks about a casino being here. I’m sure he would appreciate the tourist business.”

  Destin’s eyes narrowed. “Do you see that line?” He pointed to the string of people she’d seen when they first pulled up. “Most of the
m are off to work on the small farms in this area or the next town, which is more than an hour away. Others are doing odd jobs in town or in the favela. They aren’t poker players or card dealers. Half of them wouldn’t pass for a job as a bouncer or whatever casinos need as security.”

  “People can be trained.”

  “This isn’t Las Vegas.”

  “It’s not?” Nicole’s voice rose, and she feigned surprise. “Between the bikini tops and the heat, I couldn’t tell.”

  The coffee arrived, along with whole milk and a basket of rolls with butter and jam. Nicole took a sip of her java and stilled. She had never tasted a cup so fresh or crisp.

  “Why is this the best coffee I’ve ever tasted?”

  “It’s probably local,” he said, reaching for a roll. “Organic. Possibly picked days ago. Brazil is one of the largest producers of coffee in the world.”

  “Do you drink this type of coffee every day?”

  “Mmm-hmm. Tomorrow there will be a market in town, and everyone will be buying coffee, grains, whatever they need.”

  “It’s a weekly market?”

  Destin nodded, tapping his coffee cup. “At the square. Hopefully, you won’t be bringing in a Starbucks to take a look at Dechamps.”

  Nicole stared at Destin for a moment and decided to ignore him. She held up her menu, grateful it was translated into English, but she noticed the selection was scarce—small meat plates, smoothies, fruit and bread.

  “Breakfast isn’t a main meal in Brazil. You won’t find eggs on the menu, but I can have him make some.”

  She half expected to see annoyance in his face, but his eyes held genuine concern. “There is ham, cheese, a plate of fruit and couscous.”

  “What’s couscous?”

  “Like cornmeal. Steamed.”

  They settled on the ham and fruit, with a plate of scrambled eggs for Nicole.

  She needed to calm down. His opinion of her buyers and her job shouldn’t matter. She didn’t work for him; she worked for his father, who didn’t seem to care about...what was best for the people of the town.

  She sighed inwardly. Was Destin right? Was she only thinking about herself and her promotion? Things change, or they don’t survive. Destin was still holding onto a fantasy that had died years ago. There needed to be new opportunities for these people. She could provide that.

  “Nicole. I—”

  They were interrupted by a flurry of plates and food. More coffee was poured, and another bottle of water appeared on the table. Whatever Destin had been about to say was forgotten.

  They had utensils, but the ham was rolled into small logs, the papaya and mango were halved, not sliced, and the rolls were perfect for tearing. Except for the eggs, it was a meal they could eat with their hands. It was relaxing and kind of fun.

  Afterward, Destin helped her back into the SUV. In seconds he’d slid inside and started the engine.

  “We should be back at the hotel in an hour. Not bad—traffic should be better,” he said, turning on the air conditioning.

  “Thank you for breakfast. That was way better than sitting in traffic. It’s a cute restaurant.”

  “It is. Preserving places like this is important to this community,” he said, pulling onto the road that led back to the town. “And now I’m going to show you why.”

  Destin punched the accelerator on the SUV, and with the traffic cleared, they found themselves in the city within minutes. White and gray skyscrapers, boutiques and cafés whizzed by. The working class hurried on foot to their jobs amid armed police officers. Destin rounded a corner and slowed. They were on a tree-lined residential block with seventy-foot-high trees that twisted into the sky and created a regal green archway. Shade blanketed the car, and it felt like they were entering another dimension.

  “What in the world?” she said in awe. The trunks were thick and majestic, and Nicole imagined local kids trying to climb and play among them.

  “These are Tipuana trees. They’ve grown here for over eighty-five years. Ten years ago this whole area was threatened with a mall development. The people protested for months. Now it’s a cultural site preserved by the government.”

  She turned and met his gaze, aware of the not-so-subtle message. “That’s a lovely story.”

  “A true story. The people protect their quality of life here.”

  “Are we ever going to get to the hotel?”

  “Sick of me already?”

  “We’re way past that.” Nicole grinned.

  They picked up speed and drove through the metropolitan area as he pointed out a beautiful park with a lake and small, romantic bridges. Not far from there, both the art museum and the grand theater were a mix of old and modern architecture with fountains and inviting white steps.

  A massive silver dome rose in front of them, and Destin’s eyes lit up. “May I introduce Estadio Beria-Rio, our soccer stadium? We call it The Giant.”

  “I can see why.” The building stretched for several blocks, with white flags billowing all around the exterior.

  “It seats fifty thousand people and was built with cement and brick donated by fans.” His pride was obvious, and his message was more and more clear. “The body of water next to it is Guaíba Lake, a perfect place to watch the sunset,” he continued. Nicole saw kids playing along its banks and lovers strolling hand in hand.

  As they moved on, Nicole could tell they were getting closer to the sea. The air smelled of salt, and she felt the heavy wind when she cracked a window to get a better whiff.

  Destin slowed again as they came upon the public mercado in the town square. Pounds upon pounds of ripe produce, meats, seafood and textile goods sat in a canopied two-story building that covered several blocks. Although it was still early morning, the place teemed with local customers.

  They sped along the pier, with Destin explaining the early morning fish auctions and the best fish restaurants in the city. Before she could ask a question, they were in an alley and stopped at a dead end. It looked as if a small mountain of grass and sand had swallowed the road.

  Destin was out of the car and walking toward the dune; Nicole hurried to follow. Magnus ran full speed ahead and vanished, but his barks could be heard in the distance. She smelled the ocean the minute her feet touched the ground. Ahead was a wooden bridge, and they followed its gentle swell to the vast expanse of a gorgeous beach. Seagulls cried, the wind whipped their clothes and the sun gave no mercy as it bounced off the crystal water.

  Nicole forgot Destin, her disheveled state and the pain in her ankle as she kicked off her shoes and limped toward the ocean. She was a city kid, so beaches were like the eighth wonder of the world to her. Nothing was man made, buildings didn’t block the sky and the sun virtually kissed you. She marveled at how the ocean carved out its space and was a home to creatures she knew little about.

  Nearby, Magnus played a game of splash with the tide. It was still early, but a few umbrellas spotted the miles-long shore. She bet the place would be packed with families and laughter in a few hours. Water washed over her toes, and she walked in farther, covering her bad ankle, letting the ocean heal it. Would she go to the beach with her daughter one day? The sea foamed and splashed at her calves, and she took that as a yes.

  “You look like you’re about to dive in.” Destin was at her back; their shadows touched.

  “I’m not a strong swimmer, but I like the beach,” she said over her shoulder.

  “Do you see this place?” he said, his lips at her ear. “There is no boardwalk, no carnival, no—”

  She whipped around. “I get it. No greedy corporate developers who will ruin your way of life. I understand. But things can’t stay the same forever. And just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I’m not here to tear down your life.”

  His hair whipped in the breeze, and he lifted his gaze over her head to star
e out into the sea. A loud caw from a seagull was too close, and they both bent as a shadow passed overhead. Nicole looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then grimaced when she felt something wet on her shoulder.

  “No. No! I can’t take it!” She cringed, her body stiffening in disgust.

  “What?” He frowned and came around to stand in front of her.

  She pointed and then he saw it. The white-and-brown slime of bird poop. The harsh lines of Destin’s face softened, and his deep laughter cut through the wind. She wanted to curl up into a ball in the shower and cry, but when she saw Destin bend down then rise with a broad smile and a little seashell, she began to laugh. Her dignity had left her hours ago.

  “What is that going to do?” she said, grimacing.

  “It’s a scoop. For the poop,” he joked, but then he proceeded to scrape the goo from her blouse, still chuckling.

  She refused to watch, feeling humiliated, not just by the bird but by all the theatrics of the night before. “I hate you,” she said with a small chuckle.

  “I didn’t do this to you.” He was so close she could smell his shampoo.

  “No? I think you paid that bird. That’s a trained actor bird.”

  The warmth of his laughter brushed her ear. “It’s good luck, you know.”

  “Yeah, I feel incredibly lucky.”

  She could feel him smirking as he finished. He stepped away and tossed the little shell. “All clean.”

  “Not even close,” Nicole said with a sigh. “We need to leave.”

  “We are. Back to your hotel. Come.”

  Her feet had sunk into the wet sand, and Destin held onto her hands, helping her forward. She stepped close to him and smiled up into his face. His gaze slid to her mouth and lingered for a moment. Then he stepped forward and slid his hand around the back of her head. Before she knew what was happening, his head lowered, and he kissed her.

  A shock wave of heat burned through her.

  His mouth moved over hers in a slow, thorough exploration, as if taking what he couldn’t the night before. She rose on her toes, gripped the back of his head and kissed him back. She had no rationale for her reaction; she wanted him. It was that simple.