Bare In Bermuda (27 page)

“Not really,” she said. “I just wanted you to see me in my dress. Tell me I'm a vision or a goddess or…as you like.” She shrugged a little. “You pick.”

He laughed. “You are a vision.” He bent down and kissed her. “Thank you for letting me worship you.” His hands held her hips then slid down her thighs to the hem of her dress. He kissed her again as he drew up the fabric to her waist. He hooked his thumbs around her panties.

“Do not rip my panties off me. I don't care that you paid for them. I love them too much.”

Instead of ripping at the fabric, he shimmied them down her hips and thighs as he knelt in front of her. He blew on her wet, exposed sex, then gave it a long lick. The tip of his tongue slipped between her lips and found her clit. She leaned back against the dresser, supporting herself with her hands. He let his tongue flicker and pulse while her fingers threaded through his hair. He sat back just a touch then spread her lips with two fingers. Just enough to expose the bright pink button. His lips curled into a tight circle and he blew air, cool and hard.

“Oh.” Henna sighed. She was close. He knew. He could tell.

He finished sliding her panties down her legs. When they were unhooked from around her shoes, he stood. He delved two fingers inside her wet cunt. The muscles clamped tight around them. “I think I'm going to leave you like this,” he said. “Unsatisfied. Wanting me.”

“No.” She shook her head for emphasis. “You wouldn't.”

“Yes. I would.” He withdrew his fingers, stooped to pick up her panties, and tucked them inside his jacket pocket.

“That is mean.”

“Yes.” He adjusted the hem of her dress, letting it fall. “Feel free to punish me later.” He took her chin in his fingers, lifting her lips to his. The kiss opened her mouth. His tongue flicked and licked hers as it had her clit. Again, he pulled away before she was ready for to let him go.

“Oh, I will.” She stepped away from him, but not before her hand landed hard on his ass. She picked up a glossy red clutch and headed to the door. With the clutch tucked under one arm, she reached for the neckline of her dress and flashed her breasts at him. “Hard?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” She tucked her breasts into her dress. “Hurry up. They already know we're sleeping together. I don't need my mother giving me funny looks.”

They walked together to the elevator where Midge and Judith waited. Judith looked at her watch. “Ten minutes.”

“I work well under pressure,” Eduardo said and put his hand on Henna's back.

Midge laughed and Judith looked horrified. Henna just shook her head. The doors opened, revealing Leo and Mel. “Where the hell have you women been? It's like wrangling cats,” Mel grumbled. “Eduardo. Good. Any sign of Hector or Romeo?”

“There.” Leo pointed. His hand fell against the elevator door that started to close.

He looked behind him and saw Hector, Gloria, Romeo, and Eden. Henna followed his gaze, then stepped away from him. Gloria. Although he had never actually beaten his child, he considered it as a real possibility at that moment.

Mel gestured for the four to move it along.

“We are not all going to fit in there,” Judith said. “Boys wait. Ladies first.”

Mel and Leo traded places on the elevator with Henna, Judith and Midge. Gloria and Eden stepped on last. Henna avoided Gloria carefully as she moved to stand between her mother and her aunt. This was not what he wanted.

“Hola!” He turned along with everyone else at the call from down the hallway. Fatima came charging after them, arm waving and bosom heaving.

Fatima stopped at his shoulder. She turned to him and told him in Spanish. “Esmeralda called me. You lied to me.” She smiled then walked onto the elevator with the women. Before the door closed, Fatima gave him a little wave. This was definitely not what he wanted.

****

Henna spent the ride in the elevator ignoring glares from Fatima and avoiding Gloria, who seemed determined to get closer. Midge and her mother were better human shields than she could have ever previously envisioned.

When they sat at dinner, one on either side of her, the two women stared at her without speaking until she grew so uncomfortable she had to break the silence. “What?”

“Really, Henna,” her mother said. “Romeo's father?”

“Honey,” Aunt Midge said. “All I got to say is, hubba hubba. You've done me proud. He's foxy.”

“He's incredible,” she told her aunt. “He's nothing like any other man I've ever met.”

“Well, I'm a fan,” Aunt Midge said. “Any fella who puts roses in your cheeks is okay by me.”

“This is ridiculous,” Judith said. “It's bad enough Eden is practically eloping with a stranger, but now you're…keeping company with his father? This is very unlike you, Henna.”

“Is that a bad thing?” she asked, not really looking for an answer. “He makes me think differently. What do you think about destiny?”

“Like love at first sight?” Aunt Midge asked.

“Sure,” she said. “Like love at first sight.”

“The first time I saw your Uncle Lou, I knew I would spend my life with him.” Aunt Midge smiled sadly. “I'll never forget it. It was at Coney Island, and your dad was trying to set me up with that Jimmy—what was his name, Judith?”

“Oh, god.” Her mother’s eyes rolled slightly. “I'm getting old. Jimmy…Jimmy Horschack.”

“That's it. Jimmy Horschack. Wonder whatever happened to him?” Aunt Midge shrugged a little. “Anyhow, Mel's got it all set up for me to meet Jimmy Horschack. Well, he shows up with Jimmy Horschack and your Uncle Lou. But your Uncle Lou wasn't there to meet me. He was there to meet your mother's friend. What was her name?” Midge asked her mother who stared blankly into space.

“Dottie Cohen,” her mother cheered at last. “My memory isn't totally gone.”

“Anyhow,” Aunt Midge continued. “Could have been Farrah Fawcett he was there to meet, and it wouldn't have mattered. It was love at first sight. I knew I would be with your Uncle Lou from that moment on, and it was the same for him. Does that answer your question, honey?”

For a moment, she'd forgotten her question then remembered she wanted to know if her mother and aunt believed in destiny. “Yes, I think it does. Not everything, especially matters of the heart, are always predictable.”

“That's the truth!” her mother said. “You're a planner like me, Henna, but some things defy order. Think of it this way. What would have happened if I hadn't been pulled over for speeding in your grandfather's brand new Chrysler New Yorker in Midtown when I was supposed to be in English class? I never would have met your father.”

“You realize that daddy offering to take you on a date instead of writing you a ticket is against the law?”

“Honestly Henna.” Her mother sighed. “You are a fuddy-duddy. Do you have any idea how angry grandpa would have been with me not only for skipping school but for speeding in his new car? Besides, your father was just the most handsome thing in his uniform. He looked like Magnum P.I.”

“Does everybody believe in destiny?” Henna asked. “I'm starting to think I need to rethink my position on what is an acceptable way to find a man. Maybe I should start listening to fortunetellers and tossing pennies into wishing wells. I like Eduardo, but I'm not convinced that anything can come from a flirtation under extraordinary circumstances.”

“Henna.” Her aunt took her hand and squeezed it. “You are my niece and I love you. I think it's possible Eduardo is the best thing that's happened to you in years. He's a lovely man. Kind, friendly, charming, handsome as the devil, and he loves his family. He also knows how to live. I say run with it.”

“I actually have to agree,” her mother said. “Maybe I was a bit quick to find fault with how you met him, but the reality is, he's a lovely man. Go for it.”

“I would, but there may be a problem. Or two. Possibly more.” She told them about Gloria, Fatima, the machete, and Eduardo's dubious taste in women. The three of them stood together in their desire to avoid both confrontation and trouble on the eve of Eden's wedding. Her mother and aunt finding out about Eduardo made life easier, rather than more complicated as she originally thought such a revelation would.

After dinner, drinks, and too much dessert, she made her way to the ladies room. She should have known better than to go alone. She should have taken Midge or her mother, but they were engrossed in conversation with Inez. Besides, she was a grown woman. She didn't need her mother to take her to the potty anymore.

The ladies room, with its dark wood, white marble, and pale yellow walls, neither felt nor looked like a trap. It wasn't until she was inside and Fatima stood between her and the door that she knew there was only one way out.

“Do you know we are getting married?” Fatima said. “Eduardo and I.”

“Are you?” she said lightly. “Congratulations. When is the big day?” Henna had no doubt in her mind that Fatima was deluded. Although she'd known him only a brief time, she knew he was an honorable man. He'd told her Fatima was aware of the fact they were going no further as a couple and Henna believed him.

“We have not exactly set a date,” Fatima confessed. “But this was decided two months ago. Two months ago.”

“How about you and I just cut to the chase,” she said. “You want to tell me to stay away from your man.”

“Stay away from my man.” Fatima growled as her pretty face turned sharp. “I don't know who you think you are, but I do know that Eduardo is confused and vulnerable. Romeo getting married reminded him he is no longer as young as he used to be. Whatever he is going through now is not being helped by you. He needs me. He is my man.”

“He's not your man, honey,” she said, mimicking her Aunt Midge. “Based on the fact he's spent the past two nights with me I am positive he's not your man.”

“He lied to me. He told me he was in his room alone. He doesn't want anybody to know that the two of you are lovers.”

“Or here's a thought. We're being discreet.”

Hands on hips, Fatima shoved her boobs in Henna’s face. “Or he doesn't want anyone to know.”

“That must be it,” she said calmly, pleased for the first time in two days she wasn't wholly driven by passion. “We are at my sister's party, and I am sure you do not want to make a scene in front of all of these people.”

“Stay away from him!” Fatima exhaled.

“Or what? You're going to huff and puff and blow my house down? You can't do anything to me. I'm not afraid of you, and the truth is, if you really start pissing me off, I imagine all I have to do is tell Eduardo and he'll deal with you directly. He's really very gentlemanly, but I suspect you do not want to make him angry.” The look on Fatima's face told her she was right. “I think you know perfectly well what Eduardo wants, and the truth is, you know you can't give it to him.”

“And what would that be?” Fatima asked. “Because you don't have half of what I have.” She gestured to her body with a flick of her hands and her wrists.

“How about a working uterus?” Why was she letting herself get drawn in? Why? “I know what he really wants, and it isn't a pair of giant fake boobs. He wants children.”

“Ridiculous,” Fatima scoffed. “Babies! Do you know how long it took me to talk him out of that nonsense? My children are grown. His children are grown. He will come to his senses soon enough. You stay away from him and do not give him any ideas. Just so you know, these are real!”

The door to one of the stalls flew open. “What do you mean my father wants children?” Gloria shouted.

Henna shrieked and her hand slammed against her chest. Gloria moved like a stiletto-shod ninja across to the bathroom. Accusing and shifty eyes darted from one woman to the other. “My father has two children. He doesn't need any more children.”

“You didn't know this?” Fatima turned to Gloria. “Your father, he wants babies. He wants a whole new family. Babies, babies, babies. It's all he talks about.”

“What do you mean my father wants babies?” Gloria stood with hands on hips and hair swishing. “He's too old to have children.”

“Actually,” Henna said. “He's not. Professionally speaking, he's actually at what many consider to be the optimal age for a man to have children—”

“Did I ask you?” Gloria shouted at her. She turned to Fatima. “What do you know about this?”

Fatima smiled like a cat. “Since he returned from Mexico, all he could talk about was starting his life again. Getting married. Another family. Having babies. Well, while you were off in New York and Romeo was in Italy, I was in Colombia trying to convince your father that he didn't want more children. Then she comes along with her bony ass and her skinny hips and all of a sudden he tells me we're really finished and he wants babies.”

Gloria raised her palms up. “Just...” She looked to Henna. “Is this true? Does my father really want to have more children? With you? You two aren't just fucking? Are you actually getting serious about each other? Oh, my god. Is that was he was talking about when he told me about the two of you today? You hardly know him, and you two are talking kids? What the hell!” The anger had been replaced by confusion. Possibly more dangerous than rage. She couldn't tell with Gloria. It was time to get out of there.

“I'm... You know what? This is my sister's hen party. I would actually rather talk to sane people and not you two crazy lunatics.”

She fled from the bathroom and immediately went to her mother, Aunt Midge, and Inez. “Remind me never to go to the bathroom alone again.” Placing the women between her, Gloria, and Fatima seemed like the smartest move.

“What's the matter?” Inez asked.

“Fatima is going to stick a knife in me.” Probably best not to mention Gloria to her grandmother.

“Fatima is a lunatic,” Inez said. “Sometime, when we have a moment and a pitcher of gimlets to share, I'll tell you all about Fatima and Don Juan Esperanza.”

“I need to hear that one,” Midge said.

“I still need to pee,” she said.

“Henna!” her mother scolded. “Really. Try to at least pretend you're a lady.”

“What? I didn't get a chance to pee. Fatima practically jumped me in the bathroom. I didn't get a chance to go.”

“Poor girl!” Inez laughed. “I never understood why Pilar tolerated her. I suppose that is friendship.”