Hector (52 page)

Charlee stared at her confused now. “But you did.”

Drew nodded. “He went back and told them what I’d said, and few
days later, he came to me again.” She scrunched her face up and looked away.
“You remember what was going on around that time with my mom and my brother’s
coach, right? My dad was already so devastated.” She shook her head. “Well, my
idiot mother and that fucking coach taped themselves having sex. Someone got a
hold of that too, and they were threatening put a like-mother-like-daughter
video together, alternating my stupid tit’s picture with her video and going
viral with that. They sent me a snippet of the disgusting video, and there was
no way I could let my dad to see it or be publicly humiliated that way.

“Danny assured me that it was an inside-joke thing and that you
would never even know it. He said all the girls at these parties never knew
about it, and they kept it on the down low so the next year when it happened
again no one would know. It’s the only reason I agreed to do it.” Her face
suddenly crumbled again. “I wanted to die when they did what they did on
Facebook,” she cried. “I swear I wanted to kill all of them. I went to Danny’s
house and physically attacked him, but he swore to me he didn’t know they were
going to do that. I didn’t believe him, until there was this huge brawl at
school, and I found out it was Danny and his closest friends against some of
the bigger assholes behind the whole Facebook thing. It really divided the
whole,” she lifted her fingers to do an air quote, “popular crowd at school
after that. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I just couldn’t. You were
so devastated. I was terrified you wouldn’t understand. And earlier when you
confronted me about it, I couldn’t tell you because my dad was there. I just—”

Charlee hugged her, and Drew cried openly now against her
shoulder. She’d heard enough. As hurt as she’d been just hours ago, she now
felt for Drew and all she must’ve been going through herself that entire last
year. “I love you, Drew, and I understand why you did it now.”

Drew squeezed her tight. “Please tell me you’re not going back
home.”

Charlee smiled, feeling an enormous and complete relief come over
her now. For several horrifying hours there, she really believed she’d lost her
best friend and her first love all at once.

“No, I’m not going home. Are you kidding? And give up our new
beginning? Not a chance.”

They both glanced back at Hector, who stood at Walter’s stairs. His
muscles were bulging a little through his tight t-shirt, and he was smiling at
them now. “You’d be nuts to walk away from that hot thing too. He really is a
dream, Charlee, and not just because of his looks. He truly cares about you.”

Charlee mouthed the word, “I love you,” and Hector mouthed them
back.

“He is,” Charlee sighed deeply, feeling completely drained but
more content than she ever had in her life. “He really is.”

Epilogue

A four-day cruise was exactly what Hector and Charlee
needed after the grueling Junior World Olympiad. As a team, they came in second,
which was excellent because they hadn’t even been expected to place in the top
three. The Ukraine had been favored all along to take it all, and they did. But
the U.S. pulled a major upset against Hungary, and now Hector and Charlee could
celebrate in style.

Charlee had actually taken first in one of the longer
tournaments. It was very impressive. Hector had been so proud of her he’d
skyped
Sam, even though it was about four a.m. in Florida
to say, “In your face!” when she beat out the contender Sam was so sure would
take it.

The cruise was nice; although, they were sharing a cabin with
Abel. So they had to get really creative and sneaky about any alone time in
bed. As freaky as Charlee thought she was, doing anything with Abel in just the
other bed in the cramped cabin was not going to fly. Not to mention Abel had
warned Hector before they even boarded he didn’t want to be walking in on
anything or waking up to anything that would make things awkward for the rest
of the cruise. He’d actually told Hector to keep it in his pants for the
weekend.
That
wasn’t happening, not
with the incredibly romantic sunsets, dinners, and general atmosphere of the
cruise. So far their creativity had come up short.

They were up on the top deck now, looking out into the moonlight.
They’d be docking in Ensenada in just a few hours. They really should be in bed
already. It was late, but Charlee had insisted on going up there to take a look
at the stars. It was such a clear night you could see them twinkling as far as
forever.

Hector stood behind Charlee, hugging her as she leaned against
the rail, looking out into the ocean. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so content
in my life,” she said, taking a deep breath and leaning her head back into his
chest.

She echoed his sentiments exactly. Although he wouldn’t ruin such
a romantic moment by mentioning what would make this moment even more perfect, he
did glance around to make sure no one else was up there with them. The top deck
was completely abandoned, and it was well after 2 a.m., so he didn’t expect
anyone else joining them anytime soon. He kissed her lower chin, and she tilted
her head in reaction, granting him further access to her neck.

“Happy anniversary,” he whispered.

Her body suddenly went stiff.
“Anniversary?”

He smiled, kissing her neck
again,
a
little smug that he had one up on her. He knew coming into this new world of
being in a relationship that this is the kind of stuff girls usually kept track
of, not the guys, and he had a feeling he’d suck at it since he was so bad at
remembering birthdays even. Though he had to admit it was Roni and the other
girls who teased him just before the cruise about actually being with the same
girl for months now that had made him check a calendar out of curiosity. The
weekend just before they moved into their new house—the day he’d gone and
picked her up and they made it official after eating grilled cheese sandwiches
from a truck was exactly six months ago today.

She turned around to face him, looking a little worried. “Yep,”
he said, kissing her nose. “Today is six months since we made this official.”

Her eyes brightened now. “You’re keeping track?”

Though she smiled, she sounded as if she felt a little guilty, so
he let her off the hook. “Not so much,” he pulled her closer. “Roni and the
girls brought it up just before the cruise, and I had to look it up.
But six months, huh?
Feels like just
yesterday that I couldn’t keep my eyes off you at that tournament.”

“And you couldn’t keep your hands off those two girls,” she
teased with a smirk, though there was a hint of distaste in her eyes.

So many times Hector had wanted to explain to her that nothing
had ever happened between them except for the kisses they shared in the parking
lot that night, but he never thought it a good idea to bring up. He’d just as
soon let her forget about that and had since decided to never revisit it. How
the hell was that coming up now, on this most romantic of nights on a cruise
ship, in the middle of their anniversary talk?

Charlee spun herself around slowly in his arms to face the ocean
again. “I know you think I did, but I didn’t actually ever do more than what
you saw in that parking lot with them.” She didn’t say anything, and he was
almost glad she wasn’t facing him now. “I told you about Sam getting in a wreck
just before he moved, right?”

He filled her in on how it had happened that very day and he’d
had to cut his night short as soon as he turned on his phone and got the news.

“But you would’ve otherwise, right?” Without giving him a chance
to answer, she added. “I take it with the amount experience you have with those
types of girls you’ve done a lot of crazy things in the past.” Just when Hector
thought the conversation might be taking a turn into the uncomfortable, she
moved her ass against him, rubbing him in just the right place, instantly
arousing him. “Ever done it out in the open where you just might get caught?”

The second it hit him what she might be suggesting, the tension
he’d begun to feel bubbled over into smoldering need. Bringing his hand down to
the bottom of her adorable one piece shorts suit, he ran his hand up her bare
thigh and leaned in to her ear. “Not out in the open . . .” he whispered. “Like
here.”

Feeling her tremble, he brought his hand all the way up her thigh
and around to feel her bare behind. His heart sped up when he realized she wore
nothing underneath. He’d been around her all day, saw the jumpsuit she’d chosen
to wear, the one he’d at first mistaken for a very short sundress because the
shorts were so loose, and not once had it crossed his mind that maybe she’d
worn it for a reason. “Did you have something in mind today with this outfit
and no panties?” Unable to stand it anymore, he squeezed her ass.

She giggled in spite of the tense reaction her body had to his
question.
“Maybe.”

With a near growl, he sucked her neck, bringing his hand around
the front and between her legs. She gasped but still spread her legs for him. Hearing
her made him even crazier, and he rubbed what was now fully erect and throbbing
against his shorts on her behind.

His perfectly freaky little girlfriend swayed her hips, driving
him even more insane. Glancing around again to make absolutely sure there was
no one around, he moved quickly, pulling a condom out of his wallet and himself
out of his shorts. Amazed at the easy access the loose and stretchable fabric
of her shorts provided, he effortlessly bent her over then slid right in.

Glancing around again, he could hardly believe they were doing
this. If they got caught and he got arrested or something—he wasn’t sure what
the penalty for this would be. His mother would have his head on a platter, not
to mention the
guerita
she now adored would be flung from the pedestal she now sat atop. But this felt
so damn good, and the added eroticism of doing this in public place only added
to the excitement. There was no way he was stopping now.

He plunged in and out, pulling her by the waist so he could get
in as deep as possible. Shushing Charlee because her panting and moans began to
get a little loud, he had to smile at what a fucking lucky guy he was. He was
certain he knew plenty of girls who’d be up for something like this, but he
knew it’d never be as good as with Charlee. This wasn’t just about what he was
feeling physically.

Helping any girl to live out her wildest dreams, and this no
doubt had been one of
Charlee’s
, would be a dream in
itself. But doing so with the girl you were utterly in love with, well, there
was just no explaining how that felt on an emotional level, especially given
Charlee’s
past, fragile self-image. He loved that she said
no one would ever make her feel as he did. And, damn it, he’d make sure no one
ever got the chance to.

She was
his
.

He pumped her harder.

All
his.

He slammed in again.

Now and forever.

And again with a groan as she spread even more
for him.

Normally when they did it this way in private he’d bring his
fingers around front to give Charlee the added pleasure of playing with her as
he fucked her, but there was no time for that now. As good as this felt and as
dazed as it made him feel, he still had enough presence of mind to worry that
someone might walk up the steps to the deck any moment now.

Seeing Charlee take the initiative and use her own fingers for
her added pleasure only furthered his excitement, and he knew he’d be a goner
way sooner than he anticipated. Feeling her body tremble and hearing her soft
moaning, knowing she was nearly there, was all it took. He drove into her one
last time with a groan, clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut in
reaction to his massive and heart-pounding release.

Unable to stay in her and enjoy it for a while as he normally
would, he had to pull out and clean up. Taking the few steps it took to the
trash can, he could feel his legs were like noodles now. Any strength he had
earlier had completely drained from them. He turned back to Charlee, who leaned
against the railing, still catching her breath.

Walking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her delicate
little waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, staring out into the ocean.
“Did you plan this since this morning?”

She didn’t answer, so he glanced at her face, and she was
smiling. “You did, didn’t you?” He squeezed her tighter.

“Actually,” she smiled even bigger, “Drew and
I
went out in search of this outfit weeks ago.”

He pulled away, his mouth falling open, and she giggled. Charlee
had told him that, after the truth came out about Drew knowing about the party,
the two had made a vow to never be afraid to tell each other
anything.
Charlee said if she would have
known going to the party was going to help Drew keep that video from going
viral she would’ve agreed to go in a heartbeat. So if Drew hadn’t been afraid
to tell Charlee in the first place, it would’ve saved them both much heartache.
But Hector wasn’t aware Charlee was telling her
everything
—even her fantasies.

She turned to him and cupped his face with her hands. “I just
said I was looking for something with easy access, but I didn’t tell her
exactly what I had in mind.
That
I
save for only you.”

He pulled her to him, loving the way that sounded.
“Only me?”

She smiled, kissing him softly.
“Yep,
only
you—forever.”

A Note to My Wonderful Readers