Mi Carino (35 page)

“
No he doesn’t. If he won’t tell you who he truly is he doesn’t.”

“
I don’t have time to play Sherlock Holmes with my boyfriend. We have Katchner to deal with.” Marcella dismissed the notion.

They rode for several long minutes in silence. Susan chewed on her bottom lip. “Fuck it, we go for it. I’ll help you. We’ll get to the bottom of Mr. Diego Andes I promise.”

Marcella smiled. “You’re too good to me.”

“
Thank me later! Now pass me that bag of chips, we got a long ride home.” Marcella agreed.

Chapter Eighteen

Susan blew the horn. Holding her tote in one hand Marcella waved off the silver Mercedes as it backed out of the drive and drove off into the night. The wind howled in her ear as it got tangled in her hair. She looked up at the sky. Under a crescent moon, it was splattered with stars. Tucking her hair behind her ear she smiled then turned for the door. The trip had exhausted her.

Road trips always drained her, though as a little girl her mother would insist on them for every holiday. Together they’d drive hundreds of miles in search of the best campsite. Suddenly she had an urge to call her mother, glean her wisdom. If anyone could help her understand her heart now it would be her mother.

The funeral, Diego, her life, all of it mixed and boiled to the surface along with her feelings of confused love and anger.  Her fingers cramped as her grip tightened but didn’t turn the knob. Diego and she hadn’t spoken all day. During her week of self imposed isolation she needed the space. Today she needed his support. It had been a major difference. Now she and Susan had hatched a plan. One she felt certain would end in disaster. Spying on him? Together they went over their mission, worked out every single detail. On the road with her friend’s encouragement she reasoned it necessary. Now? Now she wasn’t so sure.

Marcella’s shoulders sagged with the burden. “I’m tired,” she mumbled. She released another tense breath as she pushed the door open to darkness, silence. A stark contrast to the echo the waves carried through the wind when she headed up the walk.  But in the darkness her senses sharpened. He was there, and there was more. She inhaled the waxy vanilla fragrance of candles burning. There had to be many for the aroma to be that compelling. Marcella dropped her tote and curiously set her keys and purse on the wall table before walking through the beach house.

Led by the flicker of flames casting dancing shadows along the wall she found him. Waiting. He lingered near the doors to the terrace gazing at the moon and stars. The homecoming felt quite seductive. Candles, flowers, wine, a spicy dish that tasted even better when he told her the name in Spanish.  

“
Hi?”

“
Hi,” he said without looking back. “How was your trip?”

“
It was okay, Susan’s okay. I’m glad to be back.”

“
You sure about that?”

“
Yes Diego. I’m sure. I’m here aren’t I?”

Marcella realized how silly it sounded to call this place home. Still with him there waiting for her that’s how she felt, like she was coming home. He didn’t turn. He continued to stare out at something she couldn’t see. The silence between them was fraught with tension, a force that linked them yet somehow divided them. She took a step but Ginger crossed the room to rub against her ankle. Marcella smiled at her neglected kitty. She lowered her bags, and scooped her up in her hands. “Hi baby.”

To this Diego’s head turned, he observed them both for a moment. “She missed you. So did I. We’ve been missing you a lot lately Marcella.”

“
You have?”

Forever the gentleman in his tailored suits, he parted the folds of his jacket as his hands slipped into his trouser pockets. “Are you hungry?”

“
I want to say yes, as usual you’ve gone out of your way to prepare a sweet dinner for us. But we stopped along the way and ate. Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

“
I couldn’t,” he replied.

She nodded. “Well no I’m not hungry, too much fast food.”

“
Not good for you,” he said.

“
No. But being here with you, that’s good for me.” She went to him. Putting Ginger to the side of her arm she walked into his embrace. He held her close to his chest. His large open palm ran up and down her back for long tender moments.

“
Why don’t you let me give you a bath?” He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “I want to hold you tonight.” He said as his lips brushed hers. Thoughts of resentment for his ignoring her calls all day tangled in her mind, and then floated off. She opened her mouth to his, quivering at her unlimited response to his deeply probing tongue. Her lashes fluttered down; helplessly she yielded to the potent enchantment of passion.

When he lifted his head she opened her eyes, her questioning gaze held by the gathering storm in his. “I have missed you,” he rasped. 

“
Is that all?”

“
Is that enough?”

“
Yes, it’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

The rest died on her lips with his finger pressed there. “Can’t you feel it Marcella? Don’t you know by now what that feeling means?” he asked. He bent his head before she could say any more and kissed the objection from her lips, and predictably her doubts fled under the ravishing eroticism of his kiss. Against her mouth he whispered the words:
“I adore you.”

His hands slid up to cup her neck. She trembled as the slightly roughened skin of his fingers and his thumbs stroked slowly over the vulnerable hollow in her throat. His gaze darkened with desire when her pulse vibrated under his fingertips, before letting them drift back down her throat. She’d never known that her skin there had been so acutely sensitive. His slow caresses sent shivers of want scuttling down her spine. He drew back just an inch. Diego’s smile taut, he measured the width of her shoulders, his touch seeking, gentle yet masterful in controlling her responses.

“
Welcome home
nena
, I’ve been waiting.” He led her away from the dancing candle flames to the stairs.

***

Marcella left the bathroom when she heard the door close. She crossed the room to the dresser and picked up her cell phone. She hurried in her heels down the stairs to the front of the beach house. She moved the curtain and peeked out. Diego’s dark trench blew behind him as he approached the waiting open limo door then slipped inside, that was her cue to dial her friend immediately.

“
Hey?”

“
He just left.”

“
Wait. Wait. I see him. I’m on him. Where are you?” Susan asked.

“
On my way out the door. Stay on the phone.”

“
Okay.”

Marcella hurried back through the house to get her purse and coat. She tripped over Ginger and cursed. “Damn it!”

“
What?”

“
Nothing, nothing.” Dressed in black slacks and a black silk blouse her hair was smoothed back into a chignon.  No time to curl it or get stylish.  She arrived late last night. But he was up. He surprised her with flowers, candles, and a warm silky bath. Together they stayed up sipping wine under a thick afghan blanket to weather the high winds coming in off the sea. They sat on the deck watching the sea. He asked her a few questions about the funeral and Susan. She answered. It was more like he wanted her to talk, to keep from talking himself. She even managed to mention her mother, how much the funeral affected her, and her need to call her before they went to bed, to help ease her anxiety. Diego whispered to her in Spanish a prayer he said for Susan. It lulled her to sleep.

Though she burned for him, when she opened her heart and shared about her relationship with her mother, something in him changed. He showed her a different kind of tenderness. He made her feel loved, and surprisingly they didn’t make love. Every night since she had moved in they had made love, whether she had been fully in the mood or not, the man was relentless. But on this night, he just held her, touched her everywhere. He went to sleep with his hand cupping her sex and his face buried in her neck. But not once did he try to make love to her.

The next morning she decided, she had to know. She just had to know why he couldn’t give her more. Her doubts and insecurities had reached the breaking point. She was too invested and too hooked on the man not to try.  So she watched him dress in silence, he gave her the perfunctory kiss on the forehead and strolled out. Now it was on.

“
Susan where are they?”

“
East on Harding.”

“
Harding? Already?”

“
Yeah, took Shannon Road up, they turned off on Harding.”

“
Oh okay, over by the warehouses?” she asked, closing the door and locking it.

“
Yeah, where are you?”

“
On my way to my car. Just stay on them.”

“
Shit.” Susan yelped.

“
What!” she stopped, her heart in her throat. Immediately a flash memory of his call when she was snooping surfaced. “What, what is it?”

“
Coffee. I spilled it on my skirt. Damn! This is going to stain, a brown stain!”

“
Susan! Focus!” Marcella said getting behind the wheel. She grabbed the door handle and slammed it shut. “Where is he now?”

“
Moving, but…wait.”

“
What now?” Marcella asked her hand on the key, the key in the ignition.

“
Well I’ll be damned. Two big black SUV’s, cut me off, they’re behind him. Who are they?”

“
SUV’s? So he has a caravan?”

“
Looks like it. I need to fall back don’t I?”

“
Yes, yes, let another car get in between. I…I mean he wouldn’t hurt you or anything, but just pull back okay?”

“
Okay.”

Marcella turned the key and fired up the ignition. Throwing her car in reverse she backed out too fast, her wheels burned her desperation over the asphalt.  She accelerated and the car purred as it coasted into the accelerated speed, handling under her maneuvers. “Okay, I’m on the move tell me where?”

“
We’re now back through the Meat Packing District on...on 24th no… 25th and Crescent further down Harding. You know where the warehouses meet the old train tracks. They redid some of them into lofts and offices.”

“
Yeah, I know it.”

“
Okay well… uh oh.”

“
What? What Susan?”

“
Hold on.”

Marcella sped through the yellow light trying to catch up. She pressed the phone to her ear to listen hard. “Susan? What is it?”

“
Hi suga, can you um…move your truck? I got turned around and…”