Mi Carino (26 page)

“
So I’m a hero?”

“
To somebody maybe you are.”

“
To you?”

Marcella looked away from the table. Her little rant made no sense. She had made peace with their fight. She even enjoyed the makeup sex. Hell she even enjoyed the rough sex. Or had she? She wasn’t sure who he was to her anymore. The illusion of some great love affair had lost its luster. She felt raw, unhinged, and it wasn’t the wine. Part of her cared for him, deeply. She might even have fallen in love with him if he hadn’t shown her the dark side of his soul.

“
I’ve made a grave error with you Marcella, pushed you too far, too soon.”

“
You did it on purpose,” she said choking down the emotion clogging her throat. Her gaze returned to him. “Yes, I think it’s something in your past that makes you so hot and cold with me. That’s why you conveniently never mention where you’re from, or anything about your family. Somewhere along the line you lost control because of a woman. It makes you fearful of trusting me. Seeing me with Richard wasn’t about me violating you, it’s about you not being able to control me.”

The cold tense way he glared made it evident that not many people in his life gave it to him straight. Her chest felt tight with anxiety. And that infuriated her. When did she become the ‘U type’ of girl is what she wanted to know. “How did you know Richard was in the house? You’re watching me, aren’t you?”

“
And if I am? I had hoped I could trust you. You disappointed me.”

“
Well that makes two of us. Why give me a key if you’re going to play these games with trust? You get off on this? I want some answers. Time for the truth. Why did you come to Delgado? Who are you really?” The pitch of her voice reached its highest level, coming off as a squeak.

“
A business matter.”

“
See. You won’t tell me anything.”

“
I’ve shown you everything,” he said.

Marcella sighed. “I think you’re crazy and I’m beginning to…to like crazy. That’s what I think.” She lifted the bottle and poured wine in her glass.

Diego leaned forward. “If you’re so miserable with me Marcella you are free to go. I won’t stop you.”

And there it was. Truth or dare. This time she’d take truth. She wasn’t miserable, just lonely with him. Because as much as she cared for him she knew she might never know who he truly was—until the next time he lost control. Passion and sex would be the only thing between them. Nothing more.

“
I think you’re smart, beautiful, the most challenging woman I’ve ever met. I only offer control Marcella so that you can let go of yours. You want my trust, then earn it by giving me what I want.”

She scoffed. “Did I mention you were a jerk too?”

He smiled, ignored the barb. “Here is what I think. Before me you controlled everything, no? With me you control
nothing.
That tempts you.”

“
Okay, I’ve heard enough,” she snapped.

“
I’m not done,” he said flatly.  “That’s what excites you, right? The fact that I’m in control, it gives you an excuse to blame your actions on me. You liked the spanking I gave you. I was buried inside of you. I could feel…”

“
Stop it!”

“
No. You like that I’ll give you a spanking when you deserve it, fuck you when you’ve earned it, take care of you when you need it. Am I right?”

“
Crazy. Loco!” She said shaking her head. “I don’t know if I should throw my wine in your face or laugh my head off,” she mumbled. “Crazy.”

Diego smiled. “
Sí, loco
. Let’s face it Marcella right now we bring something to each other that we need. I
think
we don’t have to explain it. Just acknowledge it’s there.”

Marcella looked up again, her knot of frustration coiling even tighter to the center of her chest. He said all of that to say nothing, always nothing. “A relationship, Diego. That’s what I want to discuss. What kind this one is and set some boundaries. We’re moving toward a relationship, right? Surely they have them in Colombia?”

He let go a throaty laugh. His eyes sparkled with amusement. Marcella didn’t see the humor. She didn’t break a smile. He sat back but that arrogant smile never left his face. “How’s the lobster?”

“
Delicious, thank you,” she said with an eye roll.

“
What else is bothering you?”

“
Nothing, nothing,” she mumbled.

“
Well, we aren’t going home.”

“
What?”

“
We’re going to a show.”

“
Okay.”

“
Opera, in Chicago.”

“
When?”

“
Now.” He rose from his seat.

“
I can’t go to Chicago it’s...”

“
It’s Saturday. We can see a show and stay in a nice hotel, then be back in time for you to go to work on Monday. Perfect.”

Diego reached for her hand. She looked at his upturned palm, then up to his dreamy eyes. Sighing, she pushed back in her chair and accepted it. Diego pulled her to him in front of all the diners and the wait staff. “I plan to make you believe, Marcella.”

“
Believe in what? You?” she asked, breathless, his body pressed to hers, his arms around her. “That’s easy, Diego. Just tell me who you are?”

“
I’d rather show you.”

The light dinged and blinked off. Diego unfastened his seatbelt. Marcella sat close, but there really was no need. The private jet had the most comfortable reclining seats, made from the softest leather she’d ever felt.

“
Comfortable?” he asked.

“
I don’t like to fly.” She admitted, her white knuckled grip to the sides of her seat and pale wide-eyed look gave evidence of her terror.

“
Really?”

“
Yes. I-I-I got a fear of heights, remember?” she plied her fingers off the armrest and closed the airplane window shade next to her.

“
Ah yes. It’s only because you don’t know the pleasures to be found in the sky.” He whispered against her ear. “Have you ever made love in the clouds?”

“
I think I’m going to throw up. Excuse me.” She unfastened her belt and pushed out past his knees to the aisle. He looked on concerned as she half ran, half stumbled away. She charged into the compact bathroom. Head bowed over the sink she then became gripped with chest seizures as she gagged and dry heaved. The lobster dinner churned in her stomach but thankfully nothing came up.

Hot moisture gathered between her breasts and under her arms. No one could get her on a plane. Not her mother, not Susan, not Garrett, no one. Diego made a single request then here they were jet setting off without complaint?

Marcella’s knees buckled. She gripped the edge of the sink to keep from slipping to the floor. A wave of vertigo hit her just from the perceived height. She weaved side to side in her designer gown.

“
Marcella, are you alright?”

“
I can’t do it. Land the plane please. I don’t like it. I don’t want to.”

He joined her. The cramped space barely offered enough room for the two of them. His hand went for her arm and she jumped. “Do it!! I want to go home!” she shrieked.

“
It’s okay. It’s a panic attack. Just turn to me. Come to me,” he said.

Marcella shook him off. Suddenly his touch was stifling, the small bathroom smaller and the air too thick to breathe. “Please, Diego, please. I’m begging you. Please land the fucking plane!”

He held her face and she shut her eyes tightly. She knew terror, but she didn’t realize how terrified she was until now since she would never get on a damn plane to find out. In all her years struggling with minor bouts of anxiety, she was having a full-fledged anxiety attack now.  

“
Listen to me,
bonita
, listen.”

Marcella tried. She tried hard to listen but the pounding of her heart made it difficult. He rubbed his thumb over her cheekbones. “It’s okay,” he said and kissed her tears away. “Are you listening?”

She nodded.

“
You’re fine. Safe. I would never do anything to harm you. The odds of us crashing are greater than you winning the lottery.”

“
Greater?” she gasped.

“
No. No. I mean lesser.”

Marcella groaned.

The pressure in her heart lessened. Her eyes opened and Diego’s smile greeted her. He kissed her lips, pressed his forehead to hers and held her face. “I will protect you. I apologize. I was wrong when I said you had to earn my trust. It is I who has to earn yours. Can we learn together? Give me the chance. Trust me. I won’t let you down.”

Marcella acknowledged his offer of comfort with the closing of her eyes. The normal rhythm to her heart restored and her breathing regulated. She knew it wasn’t in her head. She believed she could trust him. He stood there for eternity it seemed, waiting for her to calm down. Diego didn’t speak. Silence in that moment became a welcomed change since she needed quiet. He stood still, because she needed everything to be perfectly still. As sudden as the fear came so did the calm. Soon she responded rationally. Her eyes opened. “I’m okay now.”

“
Yes you are beautiful. The best type of love is love in the clouds.
Es importante que tu te relajes.”

“
I don’t understand.”

“
I said it is important that you relax.”

Diego took her hand. She felt a surge of strength pass through his palm into hers. Obediently, she allowed him to lead her out into the narrow hall then to another door at the back of the jet. A small comfortable cabin equipped with a full sized bed awaited them. She didn’t feel as compartmentalized in the room as she did in her seat. She could breathe. She sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. Diego’s hands were on the back of her dress. She felt her zipper ease down.

“
What are you doing?”

“
I want to make love to you.”

“
Here? Now? On a plane? Isn’t that against the law or something?”

Diego chuckled. She gripped the front of her dress holding it to her. “What about the Opera? I thought.”

“
We can clean up afterwards. Let me show you why flying isn’t a bad thing.”

Marcella froze. Every detail of the room became clearer, brighter. She wondered if this was one of ‘his’ places for these ‘types’ of conquests. What did it matter now? She’d already danced closed to the flame. She released the front of her dress. It slipped gently to the floor. He cupped both of her breasts from behind her and squeezed. “There, tell me this doesn’t feel good?” He breathed against her ear, flicked his tongue at her lobe. His voice was lower, softer and way too sexy to deny him anything.