The Dare Collection May 2019

by JC Harroway

  With his energy renewed, Antonio pulled off his sweat-soaked T-shirt and rolled it up into a long snake before tucking it into the waistband of his shorts. He took off at a quick clip, sprinting back in the direction from which he had come. He didn’t want to waste another minute playing around. He needed Kenzie, needed to feel her body underneath his and taste her kisses, now. He thought about how it felt when she planted them down the length of his body, until she reached the one part of him that she had total control over and that made him run even faster.

  Rounding the corner back up to the house, he felt his erection begin to swell. It was a base feeling but there was no denying it. He needed to put it in her, to connect with her. Fuck, he would impregnate her right there on the spot if that was what she wanted.

  When he entered the bedroom, there was a strange vibe in the room. He noticed that the bed was made, and that Kenzie’s numerous belongings were no longer strewn around all the furniture in the room. She must be taking a shower, he reassured himself. But when Kenzie emerged from the bathroom a moment later, she was fully dressed and holding her suitcase.

  “I’m leaving,” she said with finality and started heading toward the door.

  Antonio’s head was spinning, trying to figure out what had happened.

  “Stop,” he implored, holding her back and then releasing her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  His pulse and his mind were both racing. He watched Kenzie’s eyes as they moved from him over to the nightstand where he had left his phone. Where Elena’s message about Baracoa was still pulled up.

  “You’ve been going through my phone?” he asked, unable to hide the accusatory tone that would naturally go along with such a question.

  “I glanced at it. I thought it was mine,” Kenzie said loudly. “You’re planning to knock down the distillery?” The way she said it, it was as though she took it as a personal affront.

  “Kenzie,” Antonio sighed. This was not how he had wanted things to go. “I can explain.”

  “I thought the place meant something to you, to your family.” Her voice cracked when she said it. She seemed genuinely hurt, which pained Antonio to see.

  “I’m a businessperson first,” he heard himself saying, though what he really wanted to do was put his ego aside, to apologize and not fight with her. He wished he had just stayed in bed with her when she had asked.

  “I understand completely,” Kenzie said, her tone icy. “I’m taking the next flight back to Miami.”

  “The next flight is not until Monday morning and it would cost you upward of a thousand dollars to book. But if you’re really ready to leave I can tell my plane to take us back within the hour.”

  “Fine,” Kenzie said, sitting down on the other side of the room, the distance between them too obvious, too painful. “I’m ready to go.”

  Antonio searched for the words to make the situation right, to show her that he cared, but they didn’t come. So instead, he picked up the phone and made the arrangements for their departure.

  * * *

  When Kenzie arrived back in Miami she said a quick goodbye to Antonio before hopping in a car and heading over to Baracoa to see how things were going. On the drive over, she tried to forget the expression in his eyes when she had left. He looked so vulnerable, so hurt. Part of her had wanted to just kiss him and forget the whole thing, but the truth was she didn’t know if she could trust him. She felt so mixed up over the events of the last day. On the one hand, she truly cared for Antonio. But something inside her told her that this wasn’t real. It was just a fling. And despite the romantic dinner and telling her his deepest, most personal secrets, she knew that at the end of the day, he had no faith in her. Maybe he just didn’t understand how much she had to lose if things went wrong. She didn’t have a famous family backing her every step of the way—just a few good friends and a work ethic that didn’t allow her to quit something she had started.

  Through these years being on her own, she had learned that she needed to look out for herself first. She couldn’t worry about Antonio’s feelings right now. She was hurting, too but there was so much at stake—the yoga business back in Brooklyn, the distillery and the workers that relied on it for their jobs. And she had also made a very public show of the fact that she was going to be putting on the world’s biggest rum mixer party in just two short days from now. She had a celebrity coming to perform! She had to stop thinking about her love life and pull herself together.

  “I’ve finally been able to restore a little order around here,” Trudy said when Kenzie found her busy at work, nosing some of the barrels. Kenzie was at least glad to see things seemed to be going well there. She asked Trudy for an update. “We have a nice rotation of barrels, and I’m working on a new blend.” Trudy seriously looked twenty years younger than the last time they had seen each other. It just went to show what focusing on work you care about can do for a person, Kenzie thought to herself as Trudy went on to enthusiastically explain how she was creating a chemistry profile for each of the rums she was planning to blend.

  “It’s a mixture of science and art,” she told Kenzie, offering her a taste of her latest experiment. The warm alcohol burned the back of Kenzie’s throat. It was unlike any rum she had ever tasted. True, she was no expert, but she knew what she liked and what she didn’t like, and this stuff was good.

  “I’m so glad I found you, Trudy,” Kenzie said, smiling. Sometimes creating a great business was mostly just about surrounding yourself with the right people.

  “I never would have gotten into this if it wasn’t for your aunt,” Trudy said, sitting down to rest on a barrel. “She was the true visionary for this place, back in the day.”

  “You said she was involved with the owner of the distillery back then. Do you remember his name?”

  “Oh yes!” Trudy said instantly. “We all knew Pablo.”

  “Pablo... Navedo?” Kenzie asked tentatively. Trudy nodded affirmatively.

  Of course! Why hadn’t she put it together before? The man in love with her aunt was Antonio’s grandfather.

  “So, you knew him well?”

  “We all had a lot of fun times together, Kenzie. I even dated one of his cousins. It didn’t work out. But your aunt and Pablo, they were a real love story.”

  “Why weren’t they ever married?” Kenzie asked.

  “Well, Pablo had a wife. She was from a family who also was in the liquor business. They slept in separate bedrooms, but he would never divorce her. So eventually, Lilly, your aunt, she left. I think she felt like she had no choice.”

  Kenzie nodded solemnly. So, dating back then was basically the same as it was now, except without smartphones.

  “I want to show you something,” Trudy said, waving Kenzie to follow along after her. She went up the winding staircase that led to a second floor. Kenzie followed her into a room she’d never been in that looked like it had once served as an office. Trudy opened the desk drawer and pulled out a black-and-white picture. Kenzie gasped and jumped slightly back when she saw it.

  “I know,” Trudy said, watching Kenzie’s reaction.

  “She looks just like me,” Kenzie said softly.

  “And Antonio is the spitting image of his grandfather,” Trudy said, nodding.

  In the photo, a tall, dark and handsome man who indeed did look just like Antonio except that he was clean-shaven, stood in what looked like the courtyard of Baracoa. He had his arm around a petite woman with soft curls framing her face. Aunt Lilly.

  “They look happy,” Kenzie said, studying the picture.

  “They were,” Trudy said. “When Pablo died suddenly, your aunt was devastated. She couldn’t attend the funeral because of his family. Her only connection to him was this place, and the piece of it that he left her. The Navedo family pulled away from Baracoa after his death, so we ran the place until we just couldn’t.”

&nb
sp; Kenzie wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. Just thinking about the situation made her feel so connected to this relative she’d never even met. What if she suddenly lost Antonio? He wasn’t even hers to begin with, but the thought of it was too much to bear.

  “You and he are good together.” Trudy smiled knowingly at Kenzie, waiting for a reaction.

  Kenzie looked up at Trudy with a surprised expression.

  “Oh, come on!” Trudy said, slapping Kenzie on the arm. “I know how these things work. I was young once, too.”

  “Yeah, but some things just aren’t meant to be,” Kenzie said thoughtfully, staring back down at the black-and-white picture. “Wrong time and place. Wrong life.”

  “Unless you decide it’s right.” Trudy gave her a sad smile and placed a comforting hand on Kenzie’s shoulder. “Well I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for giving an old bird like me a chance. Makes me think I never should have walked away to begin with.”

  “Trudy, you are truly amazing,” Kenzie said, hugging her. She only hoped someday she could be that much of a visionary and a risk-taker when she was that age.

  Kenzie walked outside into the humid Florida air and pulled out her phone to order a car. Looking down, she noticed her phone blinking with a message from Missy. Reading the transcript of the voice mail, her heart sank.

  Hey lady, I have some bad news, it read.

  Catalina isn’t going to be able to make it tomorrow. She’s laid up at home with a broken leg. I’m so sorry...

  Kenzie clicked her phone until the screen went dark and looked back at the distillery. Without their star attraction would people even show up to the rum mixer? Or worse, what if they all came and then left, disappointed? Then she would have actually done more harm to Baracoa than if she’d never gotten involved in the first place.

  Clicking her phone awake and back to the messenger screen, she fired off a text to Missy.

  I think I’m going to cancel the event

  Kenzie took a deep breath and waited. Seconds later, she saw the typing bubbles flash across the screen and she waited for her friend’s reply.

  Don’t. Even without her you still have something special there. You said so!

  Kenzie started to type something else, but then she clicked out of messenger and quickly ordered a car. She had to get back to the hotel and figure out her next steps.

  By the time she arrived back at the Fontainebleau it was getting dark. Heading up to her room, she quickly showered and changed into her short floral dress and decided to take a walk. Sometimes that was the best thing when she needed to make a tough decision. She thought about calling Antonio and telling him the situation, but she wasn’t even sure whose side he was on. Did he want her to fail? She honestly didn’t know what to think.

  Kenzie walked and walked, observing all of the people out and about. They all seemed to be young, tan and impossibly fit. The area had a youthful vibe and the sidewalks were buzzing with activity. Down the street she could hear a strong Latin beat and wondered where it was coming from. Deciding to explore a little further, she crossed to the other side of the street and saw the entrance to a busy-looking dance club. The exterior didn’t reveal anything—there wasn’t even a sign, but Kenzie could tell that this was the place to be. The flashing lights inside tossed shadows onto the street and the pavement under her feet seemed to vibrate with the sounds she could feel coming from the club. The burly bouncer gave her a once-over and a smile.

  “You coming in?” he asked.

  Kenzie hesitated and then pulled out her wallet. “Yeah,” she said, surprising herself and handing over her ID. The bouncer read her New York driver’s license carefully. He looked back and forth from her to the picture of her at the DMV suspiciously. Did he think it was a fake? She knew she looked young, but not that young!

  “Go ahead,” he finally said, handing her back her ID and unlatching a red velvet rope so that she could pass through into the club.

  Making her way down a pink, glowing hallway in the direction of the music, she tried to remember the last time she had gone dancing. It was definitely years ago, maybe with her college friends, girls she hadn’t seen in forever. The thought of it having been that long was too sad—she loved dancing, and those friends, but she hadn’t made time for either in recent years, even the ones who had made the effort to check in on her after Cole had died. Life had just gotten too overwhelming. Something about that had to change, she decided on the spot.

  When Kenzie finally made it to the entrance of the main room, she had to turn her body sideways in order to slither her way past the crush of hot, half-naked bodies pulsing to the beat in order to find a small square of space for herself on the dance floor. But as soon as she started to move her body it all came back to her—how much fun it was to lose yourself in the anonymity of the club, how amazing it felt to let the pulsing rhythm carry you. Dancing was something she used to do all the time, even as a teenager. If she wasn’t a yoga instructor, she probably would have become a dance instructor. Why had she left it behind, she wondered, as the DJ worked the crowd into a sweaty, synchronized frenzy. She made a mental note to tell Missy that they were going out dancing just as soon as she was back in New York. Maybe she would make it a company field trip!

  Suddenly a voice interrupted Kenzie’s thoughts, breaking her out of her trancelike state.

  “Hi.”

  Kenzie turned around to see a handsome man, probably in his late twenties, dancing next to her. He was actually adorable, in a cute college guy kind of way.

  “I like how you move,” he yelled over the music when he caught Kenzie’s attention.

  “Thanks,” Kenzie yelled back in what she hoped was a friendly tone. She giggled to herself and gave herself a mental high-five over the fact that someone was hitting on her in the club.

  “I’ve never seen you here before. I’m Jack.”

  “I’m here on vacation. I mean, business.” Kenzie looked down at her feet. She didn’t know why this guy was making her nervous. Maybe she wasn’t old enough to be his mom, but she definitely could have been his babysitter. Just say your name! she instructed herself! “I’m Kenzie,” she yelled.

  For a few beats, they danced in each other’s vicinity and Kenzie occasionally stole looks at Jack. If it were a normal night, back in New York City, she would have been excited to dance with him. But now all she could think about was Antonio. It was strange to think that a week ago, she didn’t know him and now he had become so central to her thoughts.

  Then the song they were dancing to faded and the DJ changed the groove to a heavier beat. Jack looked up at Kenzie and moved closer to her, so close that they were now dancing together, their bodies almost touching.

  The air was thick, and it was getting a little hard to breathe. Kenzie tried to gulp a breath in, but it wasn’t easy. There were people everywhere and zero personal space. Was this how people danced in Miami? Was she that out of the club scene? Or was Jack just being really bold? She was flattered but also didn’t want to lead him on.

  Jack smiled sexily as he kept up with the rhythm and put his hands on Kenzie’s hips, so that the two of them were rocking side-to-side in time with one another. Kenzie thought about excusing herself to the bar, but then she figured, it was just dancing, just a little bit of harmless fun. Besides, she and Antonio weren’t committed. It was okay to be a little flirtatious. And maybe a little part of her felt like it was revenge—she guessed that if Antonio saw her dancing with another man it would make him furious. She was ashamed to admit that was the reaction she wanted, after feeling so betrayed by him on their short trip.

  “Wanna get a drink?” Jack asked when the song ended.

  “Yeah,” Kenzie said breathlessly. “I definitely need water.” She went to follow her new friend to the glowing bar area when a hand, firmly placed on the top of her arm, stopped her in her tracks. Kenzie g
asped when she spun around to see Antonio standing next to her. He had changed clothes and was now in a T-shirt that showed off his gorgeous chest, and jeans that fit his lean body oh-so well. Every woman in the club was noticing him, but it appeared that his focus was solely on Kenzie.

  “Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked, his eyes looking serious.

  “I was just about to...”

  “Please,” he insisted, holding onto Kenzie’s arm and not letting go.

  Kenzie looked over at Jack, who was already jockeying his way up to the front of the bar, and then back at Antonio.

  “Okay, let’s go,” she said, taking him by the hand and leading him outside.

  * * *

  Antonio stood outside the club next to Kenzie, shifting his weight from foot to foot, and wondering which one of them was going to speak first. He didn’t know what had drawn Kenzie to the Paradiso, but he knew why he had gone there on the heels of their big argument. The club was like a second home to him. The bouncers and bartenders knew him by name, and he always got the prime table with bottle service every time he was there. It had been a while since he’d frequented the place, having given up on the expensive booze and easy women. He didn’t want to have a meaningless encounter with a stranger. That wouldn’t replace his feelings for Kenzie. But in the moment, he thought maybe it was the only thing that could make him feel better.

  “You looked like you were having fun out there,” he said, and was immediately angry at himself that he had allowed his tone to betray just how hurt he had been over their falling-out.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kenzie asked. She crossed her arms over her chest.