Forever Summer (28 page)

“Why did you never say something Mamá?  I was never interested in her that way, but if you took exception to her, why did you not tell me?  The only reason I allowed her to hang around for so long was because I didn’t want to offend her parents or cause problems between her parents and you.”

“I will tell you the truth,
mijo
, since I’m sure you see my wisdom now.  I knew as long as Celia was around, it was unlikely that any of those groupies would be able to get involved with you like your first wife did, so I bided my time until I met our Summer and knew she was the one for you.  I didn’t think you’d make the same kind of mistake again, but Celia served my purposes all the same.  The day I met Summer, I decided it was time to get rid of her, and you cooperated quite nicely.”

“Mamá, I can’t believe, …"

“Mamá, I love you.”  Summer hugged and kissed her future mother-in-law again, and the woman smiled at her and patted her cheek.

Everyone headed to the family table, and dinner was served, which consisted of Mexican shrimp cocktails to begin with and was followed up with a choice of grilled sword fish or filet mignon served with scalloped potatoes with green chile and
calabacito
s, all favorites of the engaged couple.  Dessert was a choice between crème Brule with fresh berries or
tres leches
cake.  Both were superb as was the entire meal.  Mariachis played during dinner, beginning first at the family table to serenade the engaged couple, then moving on to other tables and finally to the stage.

After coffee was served, Gabe signaled for champagne to be placed at all tables and excused himself to address their guests.  His band was set up on a raised stage and took the place of the mariachis.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of my family, I’d like to thank you all for coming to share in our joy at welcoming my future wife, Summer Alvarez, to our country and into our family and our hearts.  If you will allow, I’d like you to be the first to hear a new song I’ve written for my fiancé entitled
Verano Por Siempre
.  In English
, Summer Forever
.”

The band began to play, and Gabe’s strong, beautiful voice rang out clearly, his expression and lyrics clearly reflecting the great love he had for Summer.  The song was about finding a love so great that his life was forever filled with warmth, sunshine, and carefree happiness all year long, like a never ending summer and how, if he ever lost her, he would never be warm again.  As he sang the last verse about how her warmth and love had revived him like the summer sun warms the flowers and chases the cold away, he left the stage and walked to where she sat, tears in her eyes, singing only for her. 

The rest of the people in the room might as well have not existed as he finished the last notes of the song and knelt down at her side, touching her face and kissing her palm.  Summer curved her hand around the side of his face and bent to touch her lips to his.  She lifted up, and the two of them were surprised when loud applause surrounded them, reminding them that they were not alone.

Gabe stood up and held his hand out  to Summer, who took it and was led out to the dance floor as the band struck up and played the music to the song he’d just sung for her and they glided across the floor, looking into each other’s eyes, very much in love, as all present could clearly see.  After dancing together for awhile, Diego tapped him on the shoulder asking him to relinquish Summer to her father to continue the dance.  Gabe handed her over then went back to the table to get his own daughter and joined them again.  Gabe’s parents were next, followed by Carlos and his grandmother, and then the rest of the guests joined them.  Music and dancing continued, and Marisol got to practice the
cumbias
and
corridas
that her new mamá had taught her, and after about an hour and a half, an easily convinced, very sleepy Marisol was taken up to bed with the promise that both her parents would be up shortly to tuck her in. 

Gabe approached Summer and whispered in her ear to meet him upstairs in ten minutes for a few moments in private.  When she looked at him in question, he bent down again and told her he would not be responsible for his actions if he couldn’t at least kiss her for a few moments so he could make it through the rest of the party without embarrassing them both.  She smiled wickedly, and he winked and went upstairs to wait for her.

Gabe took the stairs two at a time, wondering how far Summer would actually allow him to go to feed his insatiable hunger for her, so that he could maintain his composure through this interminably long party.  He was smiling as he opened his bedroom door, betting money he could persuade her to go all the way after a few strategic kisses, so at first he didn’t realize he wasn’t alone.  Thinking he wanted to be able to see Summer’s face as he stirred her passion, he turned on the light.  He almost went straight into the bathroom to freshen up, but stopped half the way there when he saw a movement from the corner of his eye.

“Gabe, I’ve been waiting for you.”  A very naked and bold Celia was laying in front of him with her hand held out to him, in his bed.  His and Summer’s bed.  The bed she would see any minute.

“Out.  I want you out of my bed and out of my house.  This hasn’t happened in the past twenty years, and it’s not happening now.”

“Gabe, give us a chance,
querido
.  It will be so good between us, you’ll see.  Come, let me show you.”

“Get the hell out, Celia.  Now.  I love Summer and only Summer. Believe me when I tell you she keeps me completely satisfied on all levels.  I have no interest or need of anyone else, most especially not you.

“You’re a fool, Gabriel.  We’ve known each other our whole lives.  We were always meant to be together.  She’ll never take you away from me.  I won’t allow it.”

“Celia, I don’t know what you’re planning now, but I suggest you forget it.  I know you’re the one who told the press where to find us in Spain, and I kicked out your little friend, the reporter tonight, and he’ll probably lose his job over it.  There is nothing you can say or do that will keep me from making a life with Summer.”

“We’ll just see about that.  What do you think she’ll do when she finds us together in your bedroom, and I tell her it was your idea?”

“Celia, I want you out of here.  Do I need to go get your parents to see you home?”

“Go ahead.  I’ll just wait here.”  Just then the door opened, and Summer stepped into the room.

Summer looked from Celia to Gabe and back to Celia again.

“Oh my, this is awkward isn’t it?  Gabe, I told you we should have gone to another bedroom.”

“Summer, I swear this is not what it looks like.”

Summer raised her eyebrow and looked again at Celia, naked in the bed, and then at Gabe.

“Gabe, did you invite Celia into your bed?”

“Of course not!  I know this looks bad, but …"   Summer held up her hand to Gabe to silence him.

“Did you know she was waiting for you?”

“No, Summer, I didn’t.  That’s what I’m trying to …”

“Had I not come in when I did, would you have had sex with her?”

“Absolutely not!  I’m telling you …"

“Good, that’s what I thought.  The day I take her word over yours is the day it’s time to call it quits.  As that day will never come, I think it’s time to end this … invasion now.”  She turned her entire focus on Celia, and the woman actually paled when she saw the raw fury in her eyes.

“Celia, you have exactly five minutes to get dressed and get out of
my
bedroom and
my
house.  If you’re not gone within those five minutes, I’ll call security and have you removed, with or without clothes.  Considering the number of reporters camped out at
our
gate, if I were you, I’d hurry.  It’s time for you to move on with your life, Celia.  He’s not interested.  And he’s mine.  What’s mine, I keep, and I don’t share.  Gabe, I’ll take it from here.  I’d appreciate it if you would go check on
our
daughter.”

Gabe had never seen Summer like this.  She’d always been so sweet natured and gentle. Even on the early occasions when he’d made her mad, she never looked so … lethal.  The woman before him was staring Celia down with evil intent in her eye.  He was thoroughly convinced that, in this state, his sweet fiancé could commit murder with that violent gleam in her eye.  Apparently, so did Celia, dressing warily while keeping one eye on her rival.  He wasn’t about to do anything but follow Summer’s request. 

On his way out, he stopped in front of her and kissed her passionately, partly for show to put Celia in her place once and for all, and partly because he was filled with love and a healthy dose of lust for the scary looking, possessive woman in front of him.  He left the room with a sexy smile on his face that left no room for doubt on either woman’s part about exactly what was on his mind as he looked at Summer, who returned his smile with one of her own, patting his butt as he passed by, making him laugh.

“And Gabe, after we say goodnight to Marisol, plan on meeting me back here for a … reminder of one of the reasons we’re so good together.”

“
Si, Señorita
.  It’s a date.”

After four minutes passed, Summer picked up the phone and dialed Javier, asking him to come to the master bedroom and remove a guest who had outworn her welcome.  As Celia was still dressing, she glared up at her nemesis with a mixture of fury and resignation mixed with a healthy dose of fear at actually being photographed half dressed.  She quickly finished covering herself and had to pick up and carry her shoes, having run out of time when Javier appeared.

By the time Summer made it to Marisol’s bedroom, she was already asleep.  She bent to kiss the little girl’s head, and she and Gabe left the room with the nanny in attendance should anything disturb her sleep.  As soon as the door was shut behind them, Gabe grabbed her hand and practically ran to their bedroom, flung open the door, pulled her inside, slammed the door closed, and backed  her up against it, covering her lips with his, plundering her mouth.  He didn’t ask for a deeper kiss, his demanded it, and she gave him what he wanted, making demands of her own.  As he continued to kiss her, he began pulling up her skirt, past her thighs, all the way up to her waist.  He slipped his hand inside her lacy, red thong to delve into her wetness, making her whimper with need.

Summer reached for the belt on his pants, opening it and unfastening the rest of the barriers, then reached below and freed him, gripping his rock hard length in her hand.  Gabe frantically grabbed her leg underneath the knee and pulled it up to curve around his hip, and he plunged inside her warmth, both of them groaning with need.  He lifted her other leg, and she hooked her ankles around him as he cupped her rear in his hands and continued to thrust inside her, her back against the door.

“We belong to each other, Summer, always.  There will never be anyone else for either of us.  You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

“Yes, Gabe, only yours.  And you’re only mine.  All your little groupies better keep their distance.  Next time someone comes into our bedroom, I won’t be so nice.”

“No one will come between us, baby.  I love you and only you.  Thank God you know that.”  He pumped into her twice more, and she fell apart in his arms, calling his name.  He continued moving and joined her, tensing as he emptied himself inside her, both of them breathing hard.

“You’re amazing, do you know that?  Any other woman would have taken one look at the naked woman in the bed and believed the worst.  Thank you for believing in my love for you.”

“Gabe, I’m not stupid, and neither are you.  You knew I’d be coming up shortly, and I knew Celia was out to cause trouble.  But even if it had been a complete stranger, you’ve done an excellent job of convincing me that you love me.  I feel very secure because of that.  I’m serious, though, I don’t share, and next time, whoever is bold enough to make a play for you better watch out.”