revelation. Trina’s frown, scrunched eyebrows
and pointed index finger punctuated words Monica didn’t want to
hear. Dave rubbed a tired hand over his eyes, shook his head and
responded in a softer volume. He nodded and even tried a
pat-pat-pat to her shoulder. She gave an exaggerated shrug,
effectively pushing his hand away.
Monica felt a small jolt of sympathy for
putting him through that. Of course, Dave was the director, which
was often akin to having a bulls-eye painted on your chest.
Shortly, Trina must have felt she’d made her
point because she twirled and stomped away from him. Monica could
swear she felt little reverberations through the stage floor from
her fury.
Monica turned slightly and locked gazes with
David. He gave her a small smirk and a thumbs up gesture.
She was now an understudy. She crossed her
fingers that she’d get her chance to perform live.
Or not.
Carlos had driven her to distraction from the
moment she met him, but after that amazing kiss he’d laid on her
last week, she could think of little else. Even when he wasn’t
around, her body was on full alert. When she was engaged in some
kind of productive activity, like work, or helping Luisa with her
homework, he was at the back of her brain, never straying far,
along with the memory of his lips on hers. But when he was in the
room, she’d study him surreptitiously, collecting memories she
could pull out at times he wasn’t present – a constant arsenal to
drive her crazy and set her whole world on end.
“Thanks for coming over, Monica. I can’t wait
to get my science project back and tell you what I got on it.”
Luisa bobbed on her toes, her movement and her smile revealing her
excitement.
She leaned down and gave Luisa a kiss on the
top of her head, just to the front of her sweet-smelling ponytail.
“It’s a project you should be very proud of. I know Mrs. Bakewell
is going to love it.”
Monica moved to the front door and Luisa
grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “See you Saturday,
right?”
Monica did a quick mental calculation. “No.
Remember we went to the movies last Saturday, so we don’t see each
other this weekend.”
A fleeting pouty lip was the only indication
the news bothered the girl, then back to her smile. Someday, she’d
have a happy daughter and she prayed she’d be just like Luisa.
Someday.
Monica had just closed the door behind her
and released the knob when it opened again. Carlos stood in the
doorway. Her heart immediately leapt into her throat. She hadn’t
even known he was home this evening.
His mouth curled in a lazy smile and he
leaned one broad shoulder against the doorjamb. He cleared his
throat and gave his head a shake, driving his hair back from his
forehead. “Hey, I have a question for you.”
A question about the Big Sister program, most
likely. Well, she’d be happy to answer any question he had since
he’d been so much more welcoming as of late. “Anything.”
“Would you go out with me?”
Monica stared at him, suddenly breathless. A
million daydreams over the last week had begun this way. Had she
lost track of reality for a moment? Her fingers ached to plow
through his dark wavy strands, brush against his full lips and poke
into the adorable dimples that only revealed themselves when he
smiled.
“I – uh … what?”
He chuckled, humored by her indecision.
“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”
“Easy….?” Not only was the man beautiful, but
his voice, so deep and rumbly, and its exotic accent made her want
to do things she’d never considered doing with any other man. In
fact, it was because she found him so attractive that it pained her
so to say, “No.”
Which prompted a delighted grin from him. “So
you do plan to be easy for me, is that it?”
Monica let a small gasp escape her lips.
She’d led him to the wrong conclusion. “No! I mean, no, I can’t go
out with you.”
Carlos’ eyebrows joined together in a
and pointed index finger punctuated words Monica didn’t want to
hear. Dave rubbed a tired hand over his eyes, shook his head and
responded in a softer volume. He nodded and even tried a
pat-pat-pat to her shoulder. She gave an exaggerated shrug,
effectively pushing his hand away.
Monica felt a small jolt of sympathy for
putting him through that. Of course, Dave was the director, which
was often akin to having a bulls-eye painted on your chest.
Shortly, Trina must have felt she’d made her
point because she twirled and stomped away from him. Monica could
swear she felt little reverberations through the stage floor from
her fury.
Monica turned slightly and locked gazes with
David. He gave her a small smirk and a thumbs up gesture.
She was now an understudy. She crossed her
fingers that she’d get her chance to perform live.
Or not.
Carlos had driven her to distraction from the
moment she met him, but after that amazing kiss he’d laid on her
last week, she could think of little else. Even when he wasn’t
around, her body was on full alert. When she was engaged in some
kind of productive activity, like work, or helping Luisa with her
homework, he was at the back of her brain, never straying far,
along with the memory of his lips on hers. But when he was in the
room, she’d study him surreptitiously, collecting memories she
could pull out at times he wasn’t present – a constant arsenal to
drive her crazy and set her whole world on end.
“Thanks for coming over, Monica. I can’t wait
to get my science project back and tell you what I got on it.”
Luisa bobbed on her toes, her movement and her smile revealing her
excitement.
She leaned down and gave Luisa a kiss on the
top of her head, just to the front of her sweet-smelling ponytail.
“It’s a project you should be very proud of. I know Mrs. Bakewell
is going to love it.”
Monica moved to the front door and Luisa
grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “See you Saturday,
right?”
Monica did a quick mental calculation. “No.
Remember we went to the movies last Saturday, so we don’t see each
other this weekend.”
A fleeting pouty lip was the only indication
the news bothered the girl, then back to her smile. Someday, she’d
have a happy daughter and she prayed she’d be just like Luisa.
Someday.
Monica had just closed the door behind her
and released the knob when it opened again. Carlos stood in the
doorway. Her heart immediately leapt into her throat. She hadn’t
even known he was home this evening.
His mouth curled in a lazy smile and he
leaned one broad shoulder against the doorjamb. He cleared his
throat and gave his head a shake, driving his hair back from his
forehead. “Hey, I have a question for you.”
A question about the Big Sister program, most
likely. Well, she’d be happy to answer any question he had since
he’d been so much more welcoming as of late. “Anything.”
“Would you go out with me?”
Monica stared at him, suddenly breathless. A
million daydreams over the last week had begun this way. Had she
lost track of reality for a moment? Her fingers ached to plow
through his dark wavy strands, brush against his full lips and poke
into the adorable dimples that only revealed themselves when he
smiled.
“I – uh … what?”
He chuckled, humored by her indecision.
“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”
“Easy….?” Not only was the man beautiful, but
his voice, so deep and rumbly, and its exotic accent made her want
to do things she’d never considered doing with any other man. In
fact, it was because she found him so attractive that it pained her
so to say, “No.”
Which prompted a delighted grin from him. “So
you do plan to be easy for me, is that it?”
Monica let a small gasp escape her lips.
She’d led him to the wrong conclusion. “No! I mean, no, I can’t go
out with you.”
Carlos’ eyebrows joined together in a
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