Spring Into Love

by Chantel Rhondeau

The soothing sound of the surf swishes through the open window, and the damp salty scent of the sea mingles with the hot sultriness inside. My body hovers in a chemical soup of oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—bonding hormones associated with pleasure and a feeling of well-being.

  Romeo’s hand wanders over my upper back. He’s gentle and soothing. Gradually the crying subsides and I snuggle, resting my head on his chest.

  He pulls a sheet over us since the night breeze is cool. “You okay now?”

  I sniffle and nod. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.”

  “I’ve never made a woman weep.” His voice rumbles low. “You’re really different.”

  Is this good or bad? How many women has he had? How come I never asked? Or maybe this isn’t my business. We’re a one-night stand. I shut my eyes and making mmm… sounds against his chest. Soon enough I’ll be gone, maybe back to school or a job far away. But forever after, this man, this set of arms, this chest, this heart is the only one I’ll ever want.

  He brushes a tear from my face. “Hey, tell me what’s wrong.”

  I wipe my eyes roughly. “I’m ruining this for you. Should I leave?”

  “Heck no.” He lifts me so my face is level with his. “I just had the best sex in my life. You want to cry, go ahead. But this, being here with you, it feels so natural and right.”

  A cozy warm feeling, like a soft, downy blanket envelops me. “You’ve always been a part of me, Romeo.”

  And it’s true. Always in the background, whether I’m conscious or not. Romeo has been there, living in my heart, lurking in my emotions, waiting for a moment like this.

  He lays a tender kiss on my cheek, catches a rolling teardrop with his lips and brushes his thumb across my mouth. “I feel as if we’ve never been apart. Let me make love to you.”

  “Yes,” I mutter against his lips, and he captures me with a lazy, drifting kiss. I’m floating on a mighty, majestic river, wider than an ocean, rocking over his sleek muscles.

  His eyes are closed as I admire his exquisite features. One hundred percent Pinoy. His eyebrows are strong over eyes with dark, curly lashes. Not quite round, they peek with curiosity, giving him a puckish look when he’s smiling, but a deep, soulful gaze when he’s thoughtful. A half-circle scar arches over his right cheekbone, a stark reminder of the knife wound he took for me when I was almost abducted after a football game. I kiss it and rub the angular jaw that juts slightly. His nose is broad without being flat, flaring nicely from the straight bridge over lushly kissable lips. The smooth dark tan of his skin is broken by his beard stubble, rough and stimulating.

  I nibble my way down his neck to his chest and roll my tongue around his nipples, causing him to tense and suck in a noisy breath of air. His erection is already pressing against my belly, but I’m ignoring it, teasing and taking my time appreciating the tiny grunts and moans I elicit. His taste is salty, moist, and freaking sexy, like moss in the redwood forest, pungent and exciting. I massage his chest and slide my hands down his sides as I nuzzle his belly with my nose, kissing and exploring the ridges between his abdominals.

  The tip of his cock touches my chin and I shudder when I reach the patch of wiry hair. I lick my lips and glance at him. His eyes are half-glazed, smoldering. He sits up and grabs my hair, twisting it around his fingers.

  “Not now.” He leans against the headboard and pulls me into his lap. “Unlike you, I have to conserve my energy.”

  “Like how?” I straddle his erection and rub, delighting in his strained expression, like he’s holding back a tsunami.

  “Stop moving.” He pinches my hips.

  It’s like he touched a live wire. A spark jumps the gap between us and I balance myself, my hands on his shoulders. He pats the bed, trying to get to the night table, but I don’t want that piece of rubber. I want all of him, skin to skin. I do a quick mental computation and give into my deepest desires. Holding him down, I ride up onto his engorged tip.

  “Evie, baby, you feel so good.” He grunts and moans as I plunge myself down on him.

  I pinch his shoulders and neck and slide him in and out, long lingering strokes. He quivers, gasping for breath, his face scrunched, bathed in sweat.

  “Stop fighting me.” I nip his earlobe, keeping my rhythm steady and deliberate. Pressure mounts around my thighs and screams for release, but I soldier on, slowing to prolong the intensity. “Take deeper breaths, love. Don’t be in such a hurry.”

  I massage his shoulders and arms and rub my breasts against his chest, circular movements each dripping with exquisite sensation. My lips join his and we settle into a euphoric cadence where my senses exist on an elevated plane, vivid, burning into my consciousness, grand vistas of majestic snowy mountains and vast tracks of tropical treetops, undulating and bobbing. I’m soaring like a golden hawk, high above a shining river, the sun’s rays twinkling like sparkles of a million jewels.

  Firm lips nip and suck the sensitive zones of my neck, behind my ear, on top of my breasts. An aria sings in my mind, calling me across a great chasm of fire, danger, red lava pits. Sweat runs down my face like streams of blood and time slows to a drawn out chord.

  Hot, slippery passion spurts and shoots through my body. I lose control of my motor functions, my body convulsing and contracting as my soul opens her arms and connects with the sound of the heavens and join all of humanity, past, present, future to cry out in joy and love.

  Romeo’s eyes open, bringing me down to earth, dragging me into his mesmerizing depths. He mouths only a single word, “Forever.”

  Chapter 12

  I shouldn’t have fallen asleep, but I didn’t want to break the fantasy. A single, perfect night, a night I never want to end. But the morning looms, a morning I don’t want to face. Already, sunlight simmers through the blinds, the sound of the morning surf more agitated, accompanied by the calls of seabirds.

  Romeo’s slow, steady snore breaks and he opens his heavy-lidded eyes. A saucy grin lights his face. “Wow, Evie, have I died and gone to heaven?”

  Of all the things he could have said to me on this dreadful morning after, he chooses a cheesy soap opera line?

  “Don’t be silly.” I huff. “Do you have work today?”

  “Not until the afternoon.” He props himself on one elbow. “How about you?”

  “The restaurant opens at ten.”

  “Hmm…” He flicks his fingers through my hair. “It’s still early. How about a shower and an appetizer? That is, if you’re not too sore.”

  I never knew my Romeo to be so arrogant. But then, I’m not accounting for five years of constant female attention. Might as well make this brief and get out of here with whatever dignity I can keep.

  “I had a great time. I should probably get going.”

  “I understand.” He pulls me into his arms. “Where are we going with this? What happened last night?”

  Now that he points it out, it’s pretty awkward to wake up in bed with a guy I haven’t seen in five years. It’s almost like walking into a high school reunion and jumping the ‘one who got away.’ Actually, this is exactly what it is.

  “Do you have to ask the hard questions?” My voice sounds like a dilapidated wheeze.

  “I have to ask if I want to know. Don’t you?”

  “Yes, no. I mean I don’t know what happened.”

  He chuckles and rolls so we’re side by side and he can look directly into my eyes. “I want to see you again.”

  Is he saying this to make me feel better? What does he mean by seeing? Am I just another hookup? Someone to have sex with when convenient?

  “I don’t usually do this. I mean, end up in some guy’s bed.”

  “Evie, Evie, Evie. You don’t have to explain.” He lightly pinches my cheek. “First of all, I’m not some random guy. And let’s not pretend. You’re not innocent and neither am I. We both wanted it.”

  “But, I swear. I don’t get picked up. I’m not like this. I’ve only ever had one relationship. You must t
hink I’m like the other women you hook up with.”

  “Oh, baby.” He thumbs the outline of my face. “I’m not thinking anything but how wonderful you were last night, and how I want to see you again and spend time with you.”

  He’s putting all the player moves on me. I’ve watched enough telenovelas to know how it goes. Argh! He’s an actor. Of course he knows his lines. This isn’t the Romeo who was my true blue friend. How do I know everything that happened last night, the things he did and said, wasn’t an act? And now, he’s negotiating another session. Makes sense.

  “So, what do you say?” He casts an alluring grin. “Shower before or after our morning appetizer?”

  I close my eyes as a delicious tingle roils and clenches in belly. My female parts throb to attention, urging me to agree, coo, and explore this fascinating shower with him. But rational, consenting-adult-me, steps back. No, Evie. Have some self-respect.

  “How long will you be in the area?” My amalgamated self says smoothly, like I’m entering into negotiation.

  “Three weeks while we shoot on location, then we’re back to the Philippines for the rest of the scenes. That could take us to the end of summer.”

  “I need to think about this.” I almost say I’ll have my people get back to your people. “I’ve really got to go. My parents are probably worried.”

  Yeah, my people aren’t going to be happy to see me.

  In the light of the morning, everything about his room seems harsh, stark, and strange. A temporary residence, impersonally decorated. No photos and mementos sit on the dresser. A half open suitcase lies on the rack near the closet. A briefcase, laptop, and a stack of folders are spread over the round table near the window.

  Romeo’s weight shifts as he swings his legs off the bed. “I’ll call for breakfast.”

  “Sure, can I use the bathroom? I don’t even have a toothbrush.” Not to mention clean underwear or makeup. Maybe I should have called a cab before falling asleep. The walk of shame is more bearable under cover of darkness.

  “You can borrow mine, or I’ll find an unopened one. I think they left a hospitality package when I arrived. It’s under the sink.” He pulls on a pair of briefs and comes around to my side of the bed. “You were great last night.”

  “Yeah, you weren’t bad yourself.” I clutch the sheet over my naked body and wait for him to give me space to run for the bathroom.

  He stretches that glorious body of his and pads out of the bedroom without looking back.

  As soon as he’s gone, I scramble to gather my clothes. My pants and panties are on the floor, but my top and bra are in the living room. I grab a black t-shirt from Romeo’s open suitcase and dash to the bathroom.

  One look in the mirror disabuses me of any notion that I resemble a sex goddess. Smudges of makeup remain around my eyes and my hair is tangled and stringy. My lips are swollen and the area around my mouth and chin is chapped. Dark purple splotches line the left side of my neck and there’s a crescent shaped bite mark on my shoulder and another cluster of purple around and under my breasts. What is this guy, a vampire? Shit! How am I going to explain wearing a scarf over my waitress uniform?

  I dig under the sink and pull out a basket. Toothpaste, razors, lotion, a toothbrush, a strip of condoms. My breath hitches and my throat tightens as a web of stinging chills encircle my scalp. We used protection the first time, but not the second. Not the time I was in control.

  I drop onto the cool tile, knocking my head against the cabinet. As if my life wasn’t fucked enough, I now have to worry until my period arrives.

  After a quick shower, I pull on my pants, then throw on Romeo’s t-shirt. Opening the bathroom door, I yell out. “Romeo? Can you throw me my top and jacket?”

  There’s no answer. He’s gone? I stumble out of the bathroom, gather my boots from the floor and scan the tiny apartment. The lights are off. There’s a cup of coffee and a bagel on the table. No note. A whiff of cologne trails toward the door.

  Chapter 13

  The taxi drops me off at my parents’ home shortly before eight. Turning up the collar on my motorcycle jacket to hide my hickeys, I tiptoe down the steep driveway. Papa is usually up early for his morning walks, but the newspaper is still lying at the entrance and there is no sign he’s gone out. The curtains are open in my parents’ room, so I sneak around the side gate.

  “Ate, where’ve you been?”

  It’s Brian. Shit. I forgot he waits for the school bus at the entrance to our community.

  “I had a late dinner date,” I answer in a casual voice with an air of big-sister authority. “How’s mom and dad? Where did you guys go for dinner?”

  Our family is so tired of cooking that we always eat out on our day off.

  “They’re really mad at you.” He flips his skateboard and catches it. “Papa said if you’re going to stay under his roof, you need to abide by his rules.”

  “What did they say about, you know, Romeo?”

  “Genie hates you. She says you stole her boyfriend, and Mama had to go to bed early after Tita Elena left.” He shrugs nonchalantly. “Gotta go, sis.”

  “Hey, thanks for the warning.” I wait until he disappears up the road before falling apart.

  Romeo’s mother was here? She always had something disapproving to say about me growing up. I was too sassy, full of backtalk. Anna, that girl of yours is too smart aleck for her own good. Or staying out in the sun and ruining my skin. Anna, she’d be prettier if she’d wear sunscreen. As if she isn’t dark already. And since she once dated my father, she felt free to address him, too. Rey, better watch the studious ones, they say still water runs deep. How do you know she’s at the library all evening?

  The house looks quiet, as if no one is up. Shouldn’t they be getting breakfast ready? Or maybe they all headed to the restaurant already. I slip my key into the laundry room door and push it open.

  Clang, clang, clang! The alarm bells and sirens clamor. Who put it on ‘No Delay’ mode? Dang. Now I have to call off the armed response guards.

  I punch in the code to disarm and grab the landline phone. I’m in the middle of giving our password before I notice the Sánchez posse lined up around me, arms crossed, mouths downturned, eyebrows lowered.

  “Yes, false alarm. My name? Evangeline Sánchez. Yes, I’m all right. No, not under duress.”

  “How was your morning so far?” the operator says. “Answer fabulous if you’re safe or lovely if you’re in need of assistance.”

  “I’m having a fabulous day, bye.” I hang up before the operator can ask more test questions.

  My father steps forward. His face is stony, lips curled with disgust. “Explain. You shamelessly flaunted Romeo in front of Tita Elena. Do you know how much face she lost?”

  “She invited her church friends and business associates to the shoot,” Choco explains. Behind her, Mama looks pale and Genie is glaring at me.

  “I, uh, didn’t know she was going to be at the shoot. Besides, Romeo and I are good friends. He gave me a ride on his bike for old time’s sake. Nothing happened.”

  “He left without greeting his own mother,” my father shouts, shaking his finger. “All because you distracted him. What were you doing flirting with the casting guy?”

  “Look, I’m sorry. The actress was missing and he picked me to fill in. I wasn’t trying to draw attention to myself.”

  “Papa, maybe we should be going to open up.” Choco glances at the wall clock. “Evie’s back. That’s all that’s important.”

  Mama grabs my arms and shakes them. “We would have called the police if it hadn’t been for that twenty-four hour rule. Next time you let us know where you are.”

  I stare at Choco. She signals me to stay quiet. Apparently she didn’t tell them I was with Romeo, which on second thought, was probably a better thing.

  “There isn’t going to be a next time.” Papa puts his fist on the counter. “You’re grounded. If you want to go shopping or to the movies, Choco goes with you. O
therwise, you work at the restaurant until you decide to go back to medical school.”

  “The sooner the better,” Genie huffs in her whiny voice. “Just because Eric dumped you doesn’t mean you should steal my boyfriend.”

  “He’s not your boyfriend,” Choco says. “Romeo doesn’t even know.”

  “Yes, he does,” Genie screams. “He always brings me a rose when he comes by with a cake sample.”

  “There’s not going to be any more cake samples. There might not be a merger,” Mama says. “She’s not even my friend anymore.”

  “What? That’s so unfair.” I turn to Mama. “She’ll get over it. You were friends forever.”

  Mama bursts into tears. “She’s not speaking to me. Says she’s lost her son to… to… to a…”

  “Now, Anna,” Papa says. “Let’s not go repeating what Tita said in anger. Let’s get ready to open the restaurant.”

  “Well, I’m not going until Evie says she’s sorry.” Genie’s eyes are blazing and her cheeks are splotched with red.

  “Sorry,” I mumble.

  Genie is such a baby. She juts her lower lip and wags her finger at me. “Because of you, I might not have a prom date. I was going to ask Romeo, but now Tita Elena’s not speaking to Mama, so how am I going to ask her to ask him?”

  “Let’s not worry about that right now.” Choco takes control of Genie. “Get in the car. We’re going to be late.”

  While my father comforts my mother, I run to my room and change into my waitress outfit. I’ve behaved badly and caused my family grief. Romeo isn’t worth this rift and I’ll need to make up to Mama and Genie and submit to Papa’s authority. I know it’s stupid to ground me, but hopefully in a few days, things will blow over.

  My heart twinges with pain over Romeo, but my rational mind tells me it’s for the better. We had one night of fantasy and romance, but he showed his true colors when he walked out on me this morning after I wouldn’t give him a quickie in the shower.

  Jerk.