Catch You (Love Me, I'm Famous Book 0)

by M. H. Soars

  “So where are you taking us?” Owen asks.

  Mario stares at us through the rear view mirror. “Have you ever been to a traditional Mexican wedding?”

  Chapter 24

  Kimberly

  After the yelling session in the desert, Mario’s mood improves somewhat. He tells us Big Joe has been investigating Alex for months and he began to collaborate with the Mexican police when Alex made contact with Luis Garcia, an elusive drug dealer Mario’s team had been trying to nail for years. I tell him about the SD card but Mario is not as enthusiastic as I thought he would be. There’s no proof in it of this Luis Garcia’s involvement in any of Alex’s shenanigans. I insist we must find it, though. It’s enough to get Lorenzo off jail. Mario promises to relay the info to Big Joe.

  He takes us to his parents’ house in a nice suburban neighborhood called Playas de Tijuana. Their two-story home is in a gated community and every single house lies behind a protective wall and gates. It’s so different from back home.

  Once we enter the property, we see several people working like busy bees, getting the house ready for the wedding ceremony in a few hours. I question Mario why he was already dressed up if the wedding is not until later, and he tells me he was supposed to take official pictures when the phone call came. I feel kind of guilty for one second, but then I remember how desperate our situation was and the guilt disappears. He can still take those bloody pictures.

  Mario walks into the house and Owen and I trail after him. A petite woman with jet black hair pulled back from her face greets our reluctant savior.

  “Mi hijo. Que bueno que has regresado. Tu padre te espera.” Her gaze travels past Mario’s shoulder to land on us. Her hand goes up to her chest. “Los niños. Gracias a Dios.”

  Mario turns so he can glare at us better. “Mom, this is Kimberly and Owen. They can’t return to California today. I’ve invited them to stay for the wedding.”

  “Of course.” Mario’s mother approaches us, taking turns hugging me and Owen.

  “I’m sorry to be a bother, Mrs. Gomez,” I say.

  “Oh dear. You’re not a bother. The more, the merrier, mi papa used to say. Bless his soul. We only have one spare bedroom, so I’m afraid the young man will have to sleep on the couch.”

  “It’s perfectly fine, Mrs. Gomez,” Owen replies.

  She smiles at him with kind eyes before her gaze takes stock of our filthy clothes. “Tsk, this won’t do. Mario, this young man seems to be about your size.”

  “Fine, I’ll see what I can do.” Mario departs, leaving us alone in the hallway with his mother. I’m feeling extra uncomfortable now.

  Mrs. Gomez turns to me. “As for you, I have the perfect dress.”

  Owen stomach decides to make a loud noise and his face turns all shades of red. Ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one who suffers from that malady.

  He scratches the back of his neck and looks at the floor. “Sorry about that.”

  “Oh, you poor things. You must be starving. Come to the kitchen. I’ll make you sandwiches.”

  After we eat our bellies full, Mrs. Gomez shows us where the spare bedroom is. It’s at the back of the house and it has one twin bed, a dresser, and a big painting depicting the Virgin Mary right above the bed. I guess they don’t want their guests getting up to any funny business here. It’s kind of creepy, but other than that, the room is lovely. The walls are painted a light shadow of yellow, and the gauze thin white curtains have daisies on them.

  I’m glad it has its own bathroom. It’s bad enough to be imposing our presences at their family wedding. I let Owen take a shower first while I go call my parents and say I’m spending the weekend at Larissa’s. I’m glad I’ve done that many times in the past, so they don’t suspect anything.

  When I return to the room, Owen is wearing a pair of light grey slacks and a white button down shirt. It’s a look that suits him well and my heart does involuntary back flips inside my chest. I’m beginning to realize that Owen in formal clothes is my weakness.

  “How do I look?” He pivots on the spot, opening his arms.

  I give him an elevator glance and notice that he’s still wearing his dirty sneakers. “Interesting combination.”

  He shrugs. “Mario’s feet are tiny.”

  For a moment, we remain still, staring at each other. The kiss from the previous night is at the forefront of my mind again. I wonder if Owen is thinking about that too.

  “Knock, knock,” Mrs. Gomez says from the doorway.

  “I have the dress.” She lifts the garment bag in her hand. “I see that your boyfriend is all nice and clean already.”

  My cheeks warm up. “Uh, he’s not my boyfriend.”

  There’s a look of surprise on Mrs. Gomez’s face, then she recovers. “If you say so.” She looks in Owen’s direction. “Mario would like a word with you.”

  Owen nods and leaves the room, giving me a lopsided grin as he walks by.

  Mrs. Gomez waits until he’s out the door before she opens the garment bag. Inside, there’s the most glorious dress I’ve ever seen in my entire life. She lays it on top of the bed.

  “Do you like it?”

  “It’s stunning.” My hand hovers over the intricate fabric. “I can’t possibly wear it.”

  “Nonsense. You’ll look gorgeous in it. It belongs to mi hija, Juanita. She wore it for her fifteenth birthday.”

  I glide my fingers over the dress, stunned by the array of colors and patterns.

  “He won’t know what hit him when he sees you wearing it,” Mrs. Gomez continues.

  I swivel my face to her. “What?”

  “Oh, niña. I know a smitten boy when I see one. And Owen es muy enamorado de ti.”

  It takes a moment for me to translate Mrs. Gomez’s words. “He’s not in love with me.”

  Mrs. Gomez pats my arm. “Ah, the young are so blind sometimes. Go take your shower and I’ll help you with the dress and your hair.”

  Mario’s mom leaves the room, but her words have latched onto my brain. I feel my heart expand like it wants to burst. Do I want Owen to be in love with me? But most importantly, am I falling in love with him?

  Chapter 25

  Owen

  Despite the shitty situation we find ourselves in, and the ordeal in the Mexican desert, I’m having a blast at Mario’s sister’s wedding. I’ve never attended a traditional Mexican wedding before and it’s a feast for the senses. Great music, great people, and lots of tequila. Granted, I don’t understand a word they’re saying, but it really doesn’t seem to matter to any of them. But the biggest appeal to me is Kimberly. That dress she’s wearing makes me want to break my resolution and attack her mouth again. But I won’t. Call it pride or whatever, I want her to ask me to kiss her. My resolution doesn’t prevent my eyes from following her around as she mingles with the guests, though.

  I’m not the only one who has been enchanted by her beauty. Several of the young male guests have invited her to dance with them. I’m sitting by myself at one of the tables, watching her move with the grace of a born dancer. Her current partner whispers something in her ear and she laughs. I grin, not an ounce of jealousy in me. She’s presently dancing with Mario’s grandpa. The dude must be eighty years old. Once the music is over, she glances my away and smiles. I smile back and crook a finger at her. On the way to me, she picks up two shots of tequila. I only had a few at the beginning of the reception, and switched to beer an hour ago. I don’t want to wake up on a stranger’s sofa nursing a massive hangover.

  Kimberly sits next to me and hands me one of the glasses. Her cheeks are flushed and her eye makeup has smeared a bit, but she has never looked more beautiful. Her hair is pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck and huge, colorful flowers adorn one side of her head.

  “What did grandpa Gomez say that was so funny?”

  H
er eyes sparkle with mischief. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “I didn’t realize you spoke fluent Spanish.”

  She shrugs and then takes a sip of the tequila. “I know enough to get by.”

  She looks pointedly at the glass in front of me. “Come on, drink up.”

  I stare into her eyes, and then at her mouth. I’m this close to losing the battle against myself. I clink my glass against hers, and throw my head back, drinking my shot in one gulp. Heat immediately spreads down my throat. I definitely shouldn’t drink any more tonight. Kimberly seems determined to get wasted, though. When a server passes by our table, she steals the bottle of tequila from his tray. The guy just shakes his head and goes back to the bar area.

  “Come on, Whitfield. We escaped the jaws of death today. Drink with me.”

  I let her fill my glass again. Then she points straight ahead. “Aren’t those two adorable?”

  I look in the direction she’s pointing and see Mario’s grandparents dancing. From the corner of my eye, I catch Kimberly dumping her shot into the flower arrangement on the table. What the fuck? She fills the glass again and demands I take my shot. Is she trying to get me drunk?

  I pretend to drink it, then spit it out the moment she looks away. Two can play at this game, sweetheart. We take turns fooling one another, pretending we’re drinking shot after shot. It’s a shame to be wasting great tequila, but I want to see where Kimberly is going with this. By the fifth fake shot, she begins to slur her speech. Man, she’s a terrible actress.

  She stands up suddenly and grabs my hand. “Come dance with me.”

  I let her lead me to the dance floor, then I take her into my arms. My hands rest on her lower back while hers circle my neck. We move to the rhythm of the song, without breaking eye contact. I recognize desire in her eyes, she’s begging me to kiss her. When she licks her lips, I almost cave.

  “You look good tonight,” she says.

  “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

  She pouts, a gesture so out of character for her that a chuckle escapes my lips.

  “What?” she asks.

  “Nothing.”

  “Bullshit. What is it, Owen?”

  “Just say it, Kimberly.”

  “Say what?”

  “Ask me to kiss you.”

  “You wish.”

  “I do. But you want it too, probably just as bad as I do.”

  She tries to break free from me, but I hold her tighter.

  “Let me go, Owen. You’re drunk.”

  “No, I’m not. And you’re not either. Why did you pretend to drink all those tequila shots?”

  Her pretty eyes widen and her mouth makes a perfect ‘O’. Stop staring her mouth, you idiot.

  “I, I...”

  “Were you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me?” My tone is teasing, but by the stricken expression on her face, she doesn’t find me amusing.

  She pulls my hands off of her and takes a step back. “You’re a jerk!”

  Then she does something ridiculous. She runs away from me, back to the house, leaving me standing there like a moron. I stare after her for far too long before I snap out of my stupor and follow her. She’ll not get the final word.

  On my way to the house, I cross paths with Mario’s mother and she gives me a knowing glance before she says to her friend. “Primero amor.”

  I don’t know what the first word means, but I recognize the second, love. Love is not exactly what I’m feeling right now, more like deep annoyance.

  I burst into Kimberly’s room while her back is to me, closing the door with a loud thud. She swivels around, her eyebrows reaching her hairline. “What the hell, Owen. Get out!”

  “Not until you tell me why you want to play games with me.”

  “I’m not playing games.”

  I stalk toward her, until I back her against the wall. “Bullshit. What’s your deal, Kimberly? Are you so afraid to admit you have feelings for me that you decided to resort to trickery? I didn’t peg you to be a coward.”

  “I’m not a coward.” Her defiant eyes narrow, but her lips tremble as I move closer, brushing my own against hers.

  “Ask me to kiss you then. I dare you.”

  I place my arms on both sides of her head, effectively caging her in. Her breathing is shallow and when she places her hands on my chest, it’s almost my undoing. I’m about to succumb to the crazy need to seal my lips against hers, when she kisses me instead. I wasn’t expecting that, but the taste of her tongue against mine is a sensation that goes straight to my head, it makes my heart feel heavy and light at the same time. My hands skim down her side, until they’re clutching her tiny waist. My body is on fire and I want to do more than kiss, so much more.

  I pick Kimberly up and her legs automatically wrap around my waist. My dick is straining against my borrowed slacks. The dress I found so enticing before becomes a hindrance. There’s way too much fabric in the way. I grind my pelvis against hers, eliciting a raspy moan from her lips. I’m reaching the point of no return, but I need to know she’s on the same page as me. I pull back.

  “Kimmy, I want you.”

  “Then take me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She answers by biting my lower lip and tugging it. Fuck. I’m gone. I move toward the twin sized bed and put her down. I stare at the multi colored dress and pause for a second. Where the hell is the zipper on this thing?

  Kimberly rests on her elbows and looks at me expectantly. “What are you waiting for?” She points at my shirt and pants. “Clothes off.”

  I give her my million-dollar lopsided grin, the one girls can’t resist, so I’ve been told. “Bossy, aren’t you?”

  “Always.”

  I unbutton my shirt and peel it off, taking great pleasure when Kimberly’s eyes widen as she checks out my chest and abs. I unbutton my pants and stop. “Now, this is not fair. I think you should get rid of your dress, too. Even the field.”

  She shakes her head. “Uh-uh. I want to check the goods first. What if I don’t like what you’ve got?”

  I raise an eyebrow at her. “Babe, there ain’t a chance in hell you won’t like it.” I remove my shoes and socks, then I pull down the pants and boxer shorts together. Do I feel self conscious about standing completely naked in front of a fully dressed Kimberly? Sure. But hell if I’ll let her know. I grab Kimberly’s ankles and pull her to me. Laying flat on her back, she’s exactly how I want her. My hands skim up her legs, bringing the skirt of her dress up in the process as well. When I reach her inner thighs, there’s a sharp intake of breath from her. I pause and stare into her eyes.

  “Is this okay?”

  “Owen, shut up and take my dress off already.”

  Chapter 26

  Kimberly

  Owen pauses only for a split second before he pulls me into a sitting position, captures my face between his hands, and kisses me again. I hold onto his shoulders for only a moment before my hands get curious and travel down his body. The groan that escapes his throat when I glide my fingers over his hard edges makes me even more desperate for him.

  My hands keep traveling down, until my fingers curl around his length. His lips leave mine to trail a path of scorching kisses down my neck. “Fuck, Kimmy. I don’t think I’m gonna last like this. I need you naked now.”

  I definitely don’t want to end the party too soon, not before I find out how it feels to be with Owen. I let go of him and turn around. He doesn’t waste any time and pulls the zipper down, parting the fabric of the dress. He kisses my shoulder blades, then down my spine, giving me delicious goose bumps everywhere. But I’m impatient. I grab the skirt of the beautiful dress Mrs. Gomez let me borrow, and pull it over my head. Owen is all too eager to help. I’m not wearing a bra, and a sliver of insecurity makes me apprehensive as he turns me ar
ound. His eyes drop to my chest and I fight the urge to cover myself.

  “God, you’re more breathtaking than I could have ever dreamed.”

  His warm fingers brush against the underside of my breasts and I close my eyes. Then Owen’s warm lips find one of my nipples, and his tongue begins to draw lazy circles against my skin. I rake my fingers through his short hair, wishing it was longer so I could grab a handful of it. Owen moves from one nipple to the other and my body turns into a puddle.

  I straddle his lap, grinding my soaked panties against his erection. This is what I had always craved, what I always felt was missing with Ross. I banish thoughts of my ex to a dark corner of my mind and focus on Owen and what’s he’s doing to me. He flips me on my back and hovers above me, while I fight for air. Lust and awe are mixed in his gaze, making my heart constrict for a second. This is only sex, nothing more. So why the heck is there also a fluttering feeling in my belly?

  Owen brings his body flush to mine and resumes kissing me, making me forget my stupid thoughts. Our bodies began to move in synch, mimicking what is to come. He pulls my underwear down my legs and when they gather around my ankles, I kick them off.

  “There’s nothing icy about you, Kimmy.”

  He leans down for another kiss, but I place my hands on his chest, keeping him at bay. He looks at me with a question in his eyes. I take that opportunity to flip us over, so I can stride him.

  “I like to be on top if you don’t mind.”

  “Mind? Babe, you can ride me all night long.” He cups my breasts and a new bolt of desire shoots down to my core. I grind my pelvis against his, loving the feeling of his erection rubbing against me. Then I stop, remembering something very important. Owen notices my sudden hesitation.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We don’t have a condom.”

  Owen smiles lazily, a grin that twists my insides in the best possible way. “Says who?”

  “You have a condom? How? They took your wallet.”