Desperate for You

by Ruben Soto

  Chapter Eight

  It was Sunday morning and Jennifer was knocking on Enrique’s door. He opened the door and was shirtless. He was only wearing a pair of shorts. He smiled when he saw Jennifer standing there. She was already dressed and ready to head to his apartment. She was playing the part of being in control. She needed to let him know that she was not going to succumb to him just yet. He was looking forward to the day they would make love for the first time. The prolonged anticipation was almost unbearable.

  “Are you ready? We have to get going to make sure the apartment is to your liking. I had it fully furnished and decorated to look like a bachelor’s pad. I didn’t want it to look like a woman lived there. It has a masculine feel to it. It also has a king-size bed so you can get a good rest every night.”

  He was eating all of this up. All he could think of was how lucky he felt to have such attention given to him. He thanked the gods for making him so charming. Little did he know that he would soon fall in love with her. She would become more than his lover. She would do what no other woman had ever been able to accomplish. She would aim her arrow at his heart and hit the target. He would finally know what true love was all about.

  Jennifer and Enrique arrived at the apartment complex. Enrique was overwhelmed at seeing this incredible apartment complex. They took the elevator and got off the third floor. They went inside the apartment and he was smiling knowing that this incredible place was his new home. He went inside the bedroom and couldn’t believe the gorgeous sight. The bed was huge. He went into the bathroom and noticed the oval-shaped bathtub and the marble floors.

  He envisioned them both taking a bath and making love. He then went into the patio and saw an incredible view of the golf course. It was the same golf course facing Jennifer’s house. In fact he could see her house from here. She made sure to point it out to him. That way when he looked out he would see the house and think about her.

  “Well, how do you like it? Did I do a good job?”

  Jennifer knew she did an excellent job in decorating and furnishing the apartment. She just needed to hear Enrique say it. This was a special moment. It was the first time they were alone in his new place. She was not about to give in to him just yet. He on the other hand was getting ready to celebrate and make love to her. Her body ached for his touch and he could sense it.

  “You did a terrific job and I am very thankful. I don’t deserve to be treated with such kindness. I’ve never lived in a place like this before in my life. Thank you Jennifer.”

  Enrique was in heaven as he stared at Jennifer. He started heading to the bedroom when Jennifer told him she was leaving.

  “I’m glad you like it and you do deserve it. You’ve had a hard life. I feel good knowing that I can make your life just a little bit better. I must leave now because I am going to mass and I’m taking the kids with me. You have my number. Call me if you need anything. And please don’t let anyone in my house know where you’re staying. It’s our secret.”

  Jennifer looked into his eyes. Her eyes sparkled as though she was playing a game. A game she would definitely win.

  After she left, Enrique looked around the apartment and was overcome with joy. He went into the bedroom and fell into the bed. He grabbed a pillow and he was hugging it pretending it was Jennifer. How much longer did he have to wait? When would she finally allow him to make love to her? He knew that moment was closer than ever.

  Roberto came back on Sunday night unexpectedly. He surprised Jennifer when he walked into the house. She was expecting him Monday afternoon. Why was he home a day early, she thought? She was so glad Enrique was no longer staying there. She thanked the Virgencita for preventing what could have been a very bad situation. He went over to each of the kids’ room to see them and kiss them. It seems he was feeling guilty at having cheated on Jennifer. It was a way for him to release these feelings of guilt that were flowing through his mind. Jennifer noticed something different about him but she could not figure out what it was.

  “Roberto, I’m surprised to see you here today. I thought you were coming back tomorrow? Is everything okay?”

  Roberto could not look into her face and tried hard to focus on what she had just asked him. He couldn’t allow her to see the guilt that he was feeling.

  “Yes, honey everything is fine. The conference was over this afternoon and I was able to get a flight today. I didn’t find it necessary to stay another day there. I was longing to come back to my family.”

  The truth was that he had had enough of Lisa. Lisa was not bright and only knew how to please men. She couldn’t carry an intelligent conversation with him. He didn’t want to disclose any information to Lisa about his marital problems. Lisa talked to him about everyone she knew. The last thing he needed was for his mistress to be spreading nasty rumors about him.

  The next morning Enrique showed up early and started working. The maids asked him if he found an apartment and he told them he did. They wanted to know where it was located and he gave them a phony address. He was going to keep his promise to Jennifer.

  He told them it was a fairly decent apartment located on the northwest side of the city. Now he had to get up earlier otherwise he would get there late. Little did they know he was able to see his apartment from the back of the house. He was really enjoying playing this game with them. The maids knew he was lying but he was not about to give them a clue.

  Jennifer walked in on them and said hello to everyone. They were all shocked at her appearance. She was a totally different Jennifer. Gone was the wavy hair and conservative appearance. She had a new shorter hairstyle and it was now straight. She was wearing a mini skirt and a provocative blouse. Enrique could not believe how incredibly different she looked. If she was an angel before, now she was a goddess.

  “Señora, you look so beautiful today. You look like a movie star. When did you have time to do this?”

  Olga was totally taken back by Jennifer’s transformation. She wasn’t sure she liked this new look. It somehow made her look less respectable. Anyone who saw her on the street wouldn’t believe she was married.

  “Thank you Olga. I went to my hairdresser yesterday after I got home from mass. He opens on Sundays until five. He was able to squeeze me into his schedule. Does it really make me look better?” Jennifer had requested to have a more daring hairstyle. She wanted a look that was sure to draw attention.

  Enrique interrupted Olga and he couldn’t help comment on Jennifer’s new look.

  “You look like a goddess that has just come down from heaven. I feel like bowing down in front of you and asking for your blessing. You absolutely look ravishing. Your husband must be very proud of you.”

  “Thank you Enrique. That’s a great compliment coming from a handsome man like you. Actually you’re the first man to see it. I wore a hair net last night so Roberto hasn’t even seen it yet. I hope he likes it because I’m going to have it for a while. Well, you all have a nice day. I may be little late tonight. I’ve already asked Becky to spend the night here for the rest of the week. I have to work on inventory since we’re approaching the holidays.”

  Actually Jennifer was only telling half the truth. The holidays were approaching and she did have to stock up on extra merchandise. But more important of all, she was planning on spending more time with Enrique. She wanted to get to know more about him. She wanted to gradually fall in love with him before she made love to him. They could talk privately about their most intimate secrets and share special moments together. No one except them should know about this.

  The maids suspected she was up to something since she always kept her inventory up to date. Besides she had two employees who normally handled that side of the business. Both Olga and Lupe looked at each other and then they looked over to see Enrique. They knew that Enrique was the reason for her drastic change.

  That night Enrique finished his work early and headed to the apartment. He knew Jennifer would pay him a visit. He wanted to be ready for her visit. Jennif
er closed the boutique and headed straight to Enrique’s apartment. She picked up some Chinese food on the way knowing that neither one of them cooked. Enrique took a shower and then put on a pair of shorts and a white T-shirt. He sprayed on his favorite cologne. Then he turned on the radio to listen to some romantic music. He lay on the sofa waiting for Jennifer to ring the doorbell.

  Jennifer finally got there and he let her in. He looked her over and knew that tonight she would be his. She handed him the Chinese food and they went and sat in the dining room. He brought out some wine to make this moment more romantic. She complimented him on his choice of radio station. It seems they both liked the same type of soft, romantic, Latin ballads. It was the perfect format for this special occasion. They ate their meal and repeatedly looked into each other’s eyes. Once they finished they moved out to the balcony to gaze at the beautiful sunset. They could also see the swimming pool from there. Since the weather was starting to get cool there was no one in the pool area. The pleasant evening breeze brought a welcome moment of relaxation and anticipation.

  “This feels so great. It was such a hectic day today at the boutique. So many ladies were buying their dresses for the holiday parties. I couldn’t believe they all showed up at the same time. Thankfully I ordered so many different designs. All of them want to wear a unique gown to these events. That’s why they shop at my store. They’ll never find two dresses that are alike. We women always have to be the center of attention. That’s why I enjoy my business. And how was your day? How are my beautiful kitchen cabinets coming along?”

  Jennifer was sipping some wine and Enrique could smell the fine fragrance of her expensive perfume. He turned to her and answered her question very softly.

  “I had a blast today with your maids. It seems they just can’t get enough of me. They have an incredible crush on me and I play along with them. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. They do their work, it’s just we need to have fun to make the day go by faster. I’m almost finished with the second cabinet. I must tell you this is the job I have enjoyed the most. Those cabinets are going to be the best I’ve ever built.”

  Jennifer didn’t quite like his comment about playing around with her staff. She knew they wanted to get information from him about their relationship. She wondered how much they already knew or suspected. She now had to refrain from telling Enrique certain things for fear he would leak it to them. Olga and Lupe had both worked for Roberto since he was married to Elena. She knew how loyal they were to him. They wouldn’t hesitate in telling Roberto everything.

  Jennifer changed the subject and began to interrogate Enrique.

  “I’m going to be bold and ask you a very personal question. It’s getting more exciting as we get to know each other better. How old were you when you first made love to a woman? And be honest. I’ll know if you’re lying to me.”

  Enrique smiled and was shocked that she would be asking him such an intimate question. He composed himself and he wasn’t going to lie to her. He was going to play right along with her.

  “Believe it or not I was fourteen years old. It was part of a secret ritual that Sister Maria assigned to one of the male teachers. He took a group of us boys to a bordello and there we were taught the joys of manhood. They figured we would eventually start experimenting on our own. So they might as well teach us the right way. I was totally surprised that Sister Maria would allow this. I mean she didn’t tell us she was sending us there. I figured it out years later. She knew about the ways of the world. She also understood she would have to accept certain customs that were against her own principles. But she was allowing us to grow up as men.”

  Jennifer couldn’t believe that a nun would’ve allowed something like that to happen. But she didn’t put it past her. She had a school full of poor kids who also happened to be smart. These guys didn’t have fathers so someone had to fill that role.

  “So who exactly was the first woman you had?”

  “She was a fifteen-year old girl. The experience was somewhat repulsive because she was ugly. Her figure had not developed fully and I didn’t feel any sensation. All of us were bragging to each other as if we were already experienced. But the truth is that all of the girls were ugly and it was the first time for all of us.”

  “You’re so bad. Poor girls, I guess they had no other recourse. So when was the first time you made love to a woman who made you feel like a man?”

  Enrique distinctly remembered this experience. He was much older and it was after he graduated from school. He took a quick sip from his glass of wine. This was a special memory that he cherished.

  “Her name was Teresa. I met her one night in a trendy club in Mexico City. She had gorgeous long, black hair, and brown eyes. She was very pretty and very sophisticated. I had never seen such a beautiful woman in my entire life. I didn’t feel worthy of even introducing myself to her. Her rejection would’ve devastated me. But somehow I got the courage to walk over to where she was sitting and I introduced myself. We immediately took a liking for each other. We exchanged telephone numbers and we dated for about a month.”

  “Her father was an attorney and they lived well. She was heartbroken because her fiancé had called off their engagement. He lied to her about wanting to marry her and convinced her to sleep with him. She had never slept with a man before and he deceived her. She was scarred by this betrayal. She didn’t feel worthy of being loved by another man. She started sleeping with different men to forget about him. I fell in love with her and I wanted to marry her. But she made a vow to never get married and that no man would ever own her. I had never made love so passionately before as I did with her. I often think about her and wonder what became of her life.”

  “So you fell in love with her? It’s hard to believe that someone like you could fall in love so easily. But of course that was years ago. How many other women have there been since her?”

  Jennifer was now going for the gusto. She wanted to know about his previous lovers. Enrique wasn’t quite ready for this question. But somehow he felt comfortable relaying these intimate moments of his life to her. He knew she meant no wrong. He immediately realized that Jennifer had not had any other lovers besides Roberto. He was going to bring her into his world. A world he didn’t know if she was quite ready for.

  “You are very inquisitive. I admire your courage for asking me such personal questions. I don’t really know where to start. I don’t know if I even want to tell you everything. There have been several, although I loved each of them differently. Many of them were divorced and lonely. Others were single mothers whose husbands or boyfriends had left them. I guess I feel attracted to them because I feel abandoned myself. I never knew the true love of a mother. I feel cheated by life in that respect. I especially find myself attracted to women who are mothers. I don’t know if it’s my way of seeking the motherly love I so longed for. I know it’s wrong but I guess I envy those children when I see their mother hugging and kissing them.”

  Jennifer was stunned by Enrique’s confession. She wondered if he had psychological problems. Was this some sort of perversion? Or was he left traumatized by the lack of a mother and father? All she could think of was what a sad childhood Enrique had had. She now assumed he was attracted to her because she also was a mother. Was it right for him to feel this way? And was it right for her to accept him knowing what he had already confessed?

  Nevertheless they kept on talking for a while longer going back and forth about his many loves. He also confessed to her that he had liberal views on sex. He didn’t care whether the woman was married or not. All he cared was that he was fully satisfied. He told her everyone has needs and these needs have to be fulfilled. It is just a natural instinct that humans have so the human race can continue. Jennifer flatly disagreed with him.

  She told him he thought that way because he’d never had a mother who would’ve taught him differently. She caught herself disagreeing with something she herself was planning on doing. The conversation was
starting to heat up and Jennifer told him she was leaving. Roberto would get home soon and she wanted to be there. Enrique was surprised since he thought that tonight things would surely fire up between them. She grabbed her purse and thanked him for a wonderful evening. She told him she would be back tomorrow and they would continue finding out more about each other. Another night wasted he thought. Why do they have to talk so much? Why can’t they just do what they really want to do?

  The more he thought about it, the more he liked Jennifer’s approach to their relationship. It reflected a lot about her. She was essentially researching his past to see what kind of person he was. She was a very smart and strong woman. She was unlike any woman he had ever met. The more she made him wait, the more in love he grew with her. It was no longer lust that was ruling his desire for her. Now his heart had been aroused as well. His sudden love for her would convert him into a new man.

  Chapter Nine

  The rest of the week Jennifer made her daily stop to see Enrique. They continued talking about his many loves. They also talked about his dream to start a construction business. Now he wanted to have that business in San Antonio. They talked about literature, the many books they had both read. He taught her how to make the fruit smoothies that he drank daily. She bought him some new clothes and shoes. All this time they were just talking like good friends. Not once had either one of them made an attempt to kiss the other. They were just enjoying each other’s company. It was a nice change for both of them, especially for Jennifer. This was the closest to a fantasy that she had ever gotten. Being with another man and sharing intimate secrets with him was beyond her wildest dreams. Enrique longed to see her more and more every day. He had already completed a total of four cabinets by the end of the week.

  Late one night Jennifer called Enrique. She wanted to talk to him, to hear his voice. It seems that Roberto had not gotten home yet and she was feeling lonely. She needed to talk with someone who cared for her. She felt cheated and betrayed by the only man she had ever loved. She was overcome with self-pity.