Translation of Love

by Alice Montalvo-Tribue

  Victor’s looking at me again, his eyes full of desire. “Do you want me to stop?”

  My brain wants to say yes but my traitorous body is screaming no. “No,” I say, barely audible.

  “I promise you, no sex, okay? Not yet, I know you’re not ready,” he says, kissing my forehead.

  Can he really be this good of a guy? I feel the butterflies start to flutter and my chest tightens. “Okay,” I reply, closing my eyes as he kisses me again. His hand presses down on my stomach, then starts to descend slowly until he reaches my panties. He keeps moving until he’s cupping me, that one piece of clothing is the only barrier between us. He strokes me gently, leaving me breathless in the process. “You still with me?” Victor whispers in my ear, licking the outer lobe.

  “Yes,” I say, half moaning. My eyes flutter open. His eyes are on me, searching for a sign of indecision on my part. I feel that nagging tightening of my chest again. His lips are back on mine and in the same moment, his hand slips inside my panties. His fingers open up the sensitive folds of my most private area. His fingers start a gentle exploration, the sensations causing my heart to beat frantically.

  “Fuck. Jesus Christ, Baby, you’re so wet,” he whispers in my ear.

  I can feel my whole body start to flush. I’m embarrassed by my reaction to him so I hide my face in the crook of his neck.

  “Hey,” he says, kissing the top of my head. “Look at me, Love.”

  I take a deep breath and move my face so that we’re eye to eye.

  “Don’t ever be embarrassed, okay? I love that you’re wet for me.”

  I nod my response, unable to speak. He nuzzles his nose to mine then kisses the tip. Moving his lips to mine again, he resumes his assault on my mouth. His fingers start to rub my already swollen clit in a delicious pattern. I gasp at his touch. “Oh my God,” is all I can mutter.

  Victor breaks the kiss, my eyes are closed but I can still feel his eyes on mine. “Open your eyes, Love.” It takes me a minute but I do as he asks. “Jesus, Baby, you’re so beautiful.” His words heighten my pleasure, my moans are getting more frequent. He positions his thumb over my clit, resuming the relentless stroking as he slips a finger inside of me. I gasp with a mixture of shock and pleasure. My back arches up, and my hips start to move, meeting his thrusts, he slips another finger inside and picks up the rhythm slightly. My legs start to tighten and tremble. “That’s it, Baby. I can feel how close you are. Come for me, don’t be scared.” His words send me over the edge, my hips bucking upward. “Oh God, Victor,” I scream, clutching onto his shoulders. His touch is relentless, I’m falling with no end in sight. It’s both exquisite and torturous. My climax seems to go on forever, his teeth tugging at my bottom lip through my screams of pleasure. He gives me one last kiss as my orgasm subsides, leaving me out of breath and delirious.

  “I’ve been dying to do that to you since the moment I laid eyes on you,” he says, stroking my cheek.

  “Mmmm.”

  He chuckles at my lack of speech and pulls me into his arms again, my back to his chest so that we’re spooning. We lay there for a long time, my mind racing. I’m mentally berating myself for letting things go this far with Victor. A week ago, I was trying to cut him out of my life as quickly as possible, now I’ve slept in his bed and he’s given me a mind blowing orgasm. I keep thinking about how sweet he was though, constantly stopping to make sure that I was okay with what was happening. I make a decision to not beat myself up about it.

  “You okay?” he prompts.

  “Yes, I’m good.”

  “You wanna get out of here? I can take you home, you can get a change of clothes, then we can get some breakfast and see where the day takes us.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Okay. I’m just gonna take a quick shower, then we can leave.” I nod and he hugs me tighter to him. “I’ll be back,” he says, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. I slip back into my clothes from last night, pull a compact mirror from my purse and straighten out my hair.

  I check my phone and see that I have three missed calls from Dad, Gavin and Jordan all from last night. I make a mental note to call them back today. I also have a text message from Jordan from this morning.

  What the hell? You never called me back last night. Meet me for breakfast at Laura’s?

  I respond.

  Sorry. I spent the night with Victor… I’ll call you later.

  WHAT??!!! OMG Elle!! I want all the details ASAP. Are you with him now?

  Yes…

  Bring him to breakfast!

  Ugh. I don’t think I’m ready for all that.

  Please!!!! I wanna meet the hottie.

  “Everything okay?” Victor says, strolling out of the bathroom on bare feet. His hair is wet from his shower, making him look sexier than normal and that’s saying a lot. His black t-shirt clings to him just enough to hint at what’s underneath and his dark wash jeans hang low, snug in all the right places. My mouth goes dry at the sight of him.

  “Yeah, just that Jordan wants us to meet her for breakfast.”

  “So let’s meet her for breakfast.” he shrugs, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

  “Really? You don’t think that’s a bit much?”

  He laughs. “No. It’s only a big deal if you make it one, Ellie.”

  “Alright.” I say, looking back down to my phone and typing out a message.

  Fine. Laura’s in 30 minutes.

  Woohoo!!!

  “She’s ecstatic,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “I don’t have time to go home and shower or change. Any chance you have an extra toothbrush?”

  He walks over to me, pulls me up off the bed and nuzzles my neck. Jesus Christ that feels good. That simple touch awakens the butterflies that have taken up permanent residence in my belly. “Just use mine.” I can feel his lips twitch up in a smile. I can’t help it but him smiling makes me smile.

  “Seriously?”

  He looks at me. “I’m dead serious. We’ve already swapped plenty of germs, you won’t die if you use my toothbrush.”

  I stare at him like he as two heads. “Oh, alright,” I huff, stomping off to the bathroom to wash up a bit and brush my teeth.

  A little while later, Victor and I are walking through the hotel parking garage hand in hand.

  “Do you want me to drive?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “No, I’ve got my car with me.” He stops us in front of a black Range Rover HSE. My mouth drops at the sight of this car that surely costs more than what I make in a year. He notices the look of shock on my face. “What’s the matter?” he asks as he opens the passenger side door for me.

  I hop up into the seat and pull the seatbelt on. “Your car costs more than my house,” I say sarcastically.

  He throws back his head and laughs. “No, it does not, smartass,” he says as he closes my door. He rounds the hood and seconds later he’s in the driver’s seat.

  “Fine. It doesn’t cost more than my house but it’s more than my yearly salary.”

  “Babe.” He cocks his head to the side. “I never claimed to be poor. You have a nice car too.”

  I shake my head at him. “I have a Toyota.”

  “I know. It’s nice.” I just stare at him unable to speak. I know I’m making a big deal out of this when I shouldn’t. It’s none of my business but for some reason it makes me feel inadequate.

  “I’m sorry. I’m acting like a brat. It’s a beautiful car.”

  He reaches over, pulls my hand to his thigh and starts circling his thumb on my palm. I love it when he does that. “You’re not a brat, Ellie. I understand that it’s an adjustment. I have a lot of money, yes, but I don’t live a flashy lifestyle. I’m a guy. I have a few toys, this being one of them, my motorcycle being the other. To be honest, my most expensive purchases are the properties I own.”

  “Properties? Plural, as in more than one?”

  He laughs. “I’m not helping the situation am I? Yes
, properties. I have my apartment in New York which is my primary residence, a house in Los Angeles for when I’m working over there and I’m actually looking for a house in Miami.”

  “A house on the beach?”

  “On the bay. You wanna come with me and look at houses in a few weeks? It’s always good to have a second opinion.”

  “You want me to come to Miami with you and look at houses?”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “Sure. Why not?”

  My head is spinning with this information. In theory, I knew that he had to be rich but I hadn’t given it a second thought until I was confronted with it. “Can I think about it?”

  “Of course, Love,” he replies with his usual patient demeanor. “You okay with all of this now?”

  “Yes, it’s not that I wasn’t okay with it, I just never thought about it up until now.”

  He leans over and kisses my forehead. “Can you enter the address of the restaurant in the GPS?”

  “Sure,” I say, entering the address as he pulls out of the parking lot.

  “So tell me about Jordan. Anything I need to know?”

  “Jordan is the best. She’s going through a bit of a rough patch with her on again off again boyfriend. She’s afraid to commit and he thinks the way to fix her commitment issues is for them to move in together.”

  He laughs. “Got it. Do I get bonus points if she likes me?”

  “No. She already likes you,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  “How could she like me? She hasn’t even met me.”

  “I don’t really date so she thinks you’re some kind of miracle worker.” Fuck! Did I really just say that out loud?

  “What do you mean you don’t date?”

  Yup. I said it out loud. I’m not entirely prepared to have this conversation, but I opened my big mouth and now I just have to go with it. “I mean I don’t date.”

  “Like ever?” he asks, looking stunned.

  “Like ever.” If the car wasn’t moving so fast, I might attempt jumping out.

  “When was the last time you went out on a date besides me?”

  “I went on dates with my ex-boyfriend when I met him so…I don’t know over four years ago, I guess.”

  “Wow. I’m sorry, I don’t get it. You’re beautiful, I’m sure you can go out with just about anyone you want. Why don’t you date?”

  I flinch when he says I’m beautiful. It’s not that I think I’m ugly or anything, but in comparison to him, I’m merely average. Hearing him say I’m beautiful feels like a lie. “I’ve just been too busy. Between work and fixing up my house, it’s been a pretty hectic couple of years.”

  Victor nods his head in understanding but I know he doesn’t buy it. He’s starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together, my hesitation to take things further with him and now this. I guess I’m not as good at keeping secrets as I thought I was. Maybe it’s for the best. Eventually, he’ll figure out I’m too much trouble and move on to someone who is better suited for him.

  The breakfast rush is in full swing when we finally make it to Laura’s Café. Jordan is already there and waiting for us in a booth, coffee in hand. I slide into the booth across from her. Victor slides in after me, effectively blocking me in.

  “Hi, I’m Victor,” he says, stretching his hand out to shake hers.

  Jordan is beaming. She takes his hand and shakes it. “Hi, Victor. I’m Jordan, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

  “You too,” he replies.

  She looks at me with a Cheshire cat smile planted on her face. “Hey, Elle. You’re quiet this morning. Rough night?”

  I narrow my eyes and give her my best death glare. I can feel the crimson in my cheeks and Victor chuckles. I aim my glare toward him. “You think she’s funny?”

  He puts his arm around me and kisses my forehead but says nothing, As usual, my body has a mind of its own and melts into his. I look back to Jordan and her eyes have gone soft.

  “You guys are cute together,” she says quietly. I know what she’s thinking. She’s thinking that I’ve found someone special and she’s hoping that I’ll just let myself be happy. Well, it’s easier said than done. Getting my mind to shut out all of the negativity and doubt is becoming a full time job.

  The waitress makes her way over to our table. “Good morning, what can I get you all?”

  Jordan goes first. “I’ll have a refill on my coffee and the short stack of buttermilk pancakes.”

  “I’d like a large orange juice and a western omelet, please,” I say.

  “Make that two,” says Victor, giving me a squeeze. The waitress writes down our order and walks back towards the kitchen.

  “You guys even order the same thing. Adorable!” Jordan gushes.

  “Jordan stop,” I say

  “Don’t mind her,” Jordan says, pointing her head in my direction. “She just can’t stand when she’s the center of attention.”

  Victor smiles at her. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Elle tells me that you’re recording a new album. That must be cool, huh?”

  His face lights up at the mention of recording music. It’s easy to see how much he loves making music. “I am, and it’s very cool. Some musicians like being on the road all the time, traveling to different countries, performing live. For me, it’s the creative process that I love, making music from scratch. I go into the studio and I can just create. It’s amazing.”

  I like hearing him talk about what he does. It shows off a side of him that’s passionate. It almost makes me jealous because I have very little in my life that I’m passionate about. I was so caught up in what he was saying, that I didn’t even think about what came out of my mouth next.

  “That’s really great, Babe.”

  Now I just want to die. I just called Victor, Babe. The guy who I’ve know just over a week. The strange thing is that it just flowed out of my mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world to call him that. At my endearment, he tightens his hold on me and kisses my hair. I look over at Jordan and her eyes have gone wide with shock. I’m pretty sure mine match hers.

  Jordan senses my panic and breaks the silence. “It sounds amazing. I wish I had a creative side like you.”

  “You and Ellie are welcome to come into the studio with me whenever you want.”

  “Really?” Jordan and I both ask in unison. We look at each other and bust out laughing.

  Victor looks between the two of us and laughs. “Yup, you two are definitely best friends.”

  After breakfast, Victor and I head towards his car so we can go back to my place. I realize that I haven’t had my morning cup of coffee yet and now I’m craving one.

  “Hey, can we go get some coffee. I’m kinda craving a latte.”

  “Sure.” He moves to open the door for me and I stop him.

  “Let’s walk. There’s one just up the street.”

  He smiles. “Lead the way, Babe.”

  Niecy’s coffee shop is a small coffee house in the main part of town. It’s a popular tourist hangout, especially in the summer months when Niecy hosts Karaoke nights, poetry readings, and open mic nights. It’s also popular because it’s the only place around to get specialty coffee unless you count the big chain brand outside of town.

  Victor holds the door open for me and ushers me inside without ever letting go of my hand. The thought of him always holding onto me makes me smile. I remember when I met him at that bookstore last week, I was so caught up by his good looks but I never would have pegged him as the affectionate type. He leads me to the back of the line and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest. I can’t believe I’m standing here, out in public, hugging him but the truth is, I love it. I love how affectionate he is with me and how considerate he is. As much as it scares me, I’m starting to let go and soak up the attention. I find that I’m allowing myself to get lost in him more and more.

  “Elle?” I hear my name called out and I freeze in a moment of s
heer panic. Oh my God, please tell me it’s not…I lift my head from Victor’s chest and turn to see my dad standing in front of us with coffee in hand.

  “Dad?!” At the sound of my voice, Victor stiffens up as well and releases his hold on me. I’m thinking that’s a smart move on his part. The look on my father’s face is positively glacial. I walk to him and give him a hug and a kiss. “What are you doing here?”

  “Same thing you’re doing here, Kiddo. Who’s your friend?” he says, pointing his head in Victor’s direction. I think I might pass out at any moment. As a matter of fact, I’m hoping I pass out. That would be easier than this.

  “Dad this is my…” Victor interrupts me, walking over to my side, he holds out his hand and says, “Boyfriend. Victor Garza, sir. How are you?”

  Boyfriend? Really? I can barely admit to myself that I like him and now he’s calling himself my boyfriend. If I wasn’t so preoccupied with making sure Dad doesn’t kill Victor, I might actually have a panic attack.

  Dad looks down at Victor’s hand, contemplating whether he should take it or leave him hanging. He decides not to be a jerk and shakes his hand. “I’m Joe, Elle’s dad,” he says. He looks at Victor from head to toe. I know this look. It’s the badass police detective look. “You know what’s funny, son? Elle never mentioned having a boyfriend.”

  “Dad!” I nearly yell.

  “What? You haven’t!”

  “No, it’s okay. We’re fairly new.”