xx

I

had to take my shoes off to drive. I am wearing the Louboutin chosen for me to the travel of the last week by the personal shopper Jorge met. I need to have near something that reminds me everything is going fine after I watch everything going wrong during the dinner. Because I have a bad feeling about these Christmas which is beginning and I don’t like this sensation, especially during a season in which I am always so happy.

It is turning difficult to drive with this dress which keeps pulling up. I chose something for the season: A dark green tie dress, over the knee with square neckline and short sleeve, made of a fabric that displays tiny shiny sparkles. A red velvet fabric choker with a cameo in the middle, a pair of simple tear shape earrings and, to complete, I made wide locks in my hair and I placed a red bow which falls with the locks waterfall, appearing a Christmas gift. Yes, I plan to gift myself to Jorge, to take him back with me save and safe after Christmas Eve.

I arrived at the Castle after six in the afternoon. At that hour there is not very much people yet but, I predict my parents will be near organizing the last details. I grabbed my bag to spend the night in my well-deserved Grant Feudal Suite, I wear the black shawl I brought and I walk inside the castle.

This is just the way I remembered. Although, it has been renewal, it still has those antique furniture and walls are covered by stones. A beautiful effect I have always wanted to my future house. Well, for the house I would have if I was plenty of rich.

I walk in front of a hall with tapestry in its walls, long carpets over the floor and a grand piano at the bottom. I love those pianos... I have to escape from the party and come to play for a while. In my floor I don’t even have space for a giant t.v. and, I miss a lot sitting in a piano and spend hours playing any melody.

And there are my parents, in front of the chimney of the entrance, with a glass of wine and talking to the people who already arrived. My mother makes a gesture with her hand to ask me to approach after she sees me.

“Sweetheart! How long without seeing you. Can I know where have you been?”

“Me... it is because my job... and...”

Nothing, I have done nothing. I start doing fine if I am not capable to create one phrase slightly coherent. But it seems my mother has just been a rhetorical question so, I think she didn’t even listened to me.

“Very good, very good. Look, I will introduce you...” she turns to the group of people but, I notice there is not the person she wanted to introduce to me “Ángel” she calls to my father “Where is Juan Carlos?”

My father turns back and as soon as he watches me, his face expression gets softer and he gives me a big smile.

“Hello sweetie” se says giving me a kiss in my cheek “I am glad you came at last.”

“Yes, you insisted so much that I thought if I refused you would call the police with an order or something like that...”

My parents started laughing although I am not joking. I believe anything coming from them after I found out they had a secret spy watching me when I left teenage parties.

“Ángel...” my mother insists on remember him about her question “...Juan Carlos...”

Who is this Juan Carlos my mother is suddenly insisting so hurried?

“He has to be around, I think he was looking for a drink some moment ago” he answers, making a gesture to indicate the route this Juan Carlos had been gone.

“It’s a pleasure, miss...” a man of the group who is talking among them suddenly interrupts us, extending his hand toward me.

Slim, red hair, contemporary to my parents and with a delicious remarked Scottish accent.

“...Laura. Nice to meet you...”

I love when foreign come to Spain and try to speak our language, that’s why I always answer using their language. The man smiles, thanking for the deferring.

“...Alistair.”

We shake our hands at the amazement of the presents.

“Scottish, right?” I asked.

People keep looking at us amazed. As they had never heard anyone speaking in English...

“Exactly, Laura, but, how have you known that...?” he seems surprised for I noticed his accent.

“Oh, you know... David Tennant, for example...”

I can’t help it. I am a whovian, I love Doctor Who...

And it seems this Alistair is as well, because he drops a big laugh which rumbled the entire room.

“What? What?? What???” in the second What?, I followed him and we finished saying it at a single sound to the amaze of the rest of the guests. Whovians’s jokes, of course, phrases that are used to be told in the t.v. show and that stick at our memory “Another whovian in this party? I love you from this moment.”

He kisses my hand chivalry like.

“Oh! And I always sing Auld land syne in New Year’s Eve, in Scottish of course!” I tell him.

His sight seems melancholic as soon as I talk of his traditional song from New Year’s Eve.

“I’ve seen a piano in this castle” I go on, pointing to the room which I have recently crossed “If you want, maybe we could play and sing it later”

“It will be great” he answers bending his head slightly toward me.

I hear my father coughing and my mother looks at me more than nervous. What’s wrong with them?

“Mr. Steward, I have to tell you about the new projects of...” my father starts telling him, trying to catch the conversation once more.

“Laura, don’t forget it, after dinner we have an appointment” and he winks at me before continue talking to my father about boring lawyer’s stuffs and I smile nodding with my head.

“Sweetheart...” my mother pulls me a little apart and speaks in a low tone “Mr. Steward is the person we have been talking about the project of opening the new law firm delegation in London”.

“Oh! Was that? Well, he is very nice!”

I liked him. If he is a whovian, then he is a confident man.

“What do you mean Oh, was that? You do not understand... he is a very important man, he is...” and she makes some silence, trying to find the appropriate words to help me understand “...well, the one who decides if we will be able to set a business there or not.”

“Very well... but, why is that related with the fact he is nice?”

I don’t understand anything about business; that is clear...

“You’ll see... Mr. Steward is not... nice. He...” and she searches for words again, to describe him this time “He is worse than Jorge.”

I frown my forehead instantly. What does worse mean? Jorge is perfect!

My mother doesn’t understand what I felt wrong about her phrase but, she tries to explain herself a little better.

“You know, so serious and, correct... Imagine that so far we did not know his first name...”

“Oh... well but, I haven’t done anything wrong, right?”

“No honey” she says smiling resigned “you as usual...”

I haven’t understood what I have done. I mean it. What have I done wrong? I like Scottish people and I like whovians...

My mother releases her anguish for the moment when she sees some guy arriving to the room.

“Oh! There he comes” she says really excited “Juan Carlos!” and she calls him raising her voice to make him approach.

A tall, blonde, good looking guy with a perfect smile approaches to us. I think he visits the gym too much for my taste but, I care very little about the poor guy even before meeting him. My mother introduces us and shamelessly excuses herself to leave us alone. Unbelievable, that is the reason she insisted so much for me to come. She is so obsessed about finding a match to me. It seems he is the son of Conchi, the receptionist, and he works at the college hospital as a neurologist. He is about my age more or less and it seems to me he is a subdued guy as fast as he starts talking.

“So you are Laura... I have been spoken about you” he says showing his smile and looking at me up and down.

Why do men always do the same every time they are introduced to someone?

“Oh, really? Well, I hope they told you only good things and not the truth.”

The guy smile after my comment, which has not been funny at all but, you know how this is...

“I thought I was going to be the only one at the dinner who is not a lawyer but, now I see I will be able to talk to a journalist. I’m glad I came at last.”

“You know... family duties that we have...”

We talked for some time. A time that seems endless to me, speaking of shallow topics at first and, following with the explanation of the most outrageous cases he had been through his short career.

Invitees are arriving and the environment is fulfilling with their law chatting. Unfortunately, most of my parents’ friends are lawyers or are related to the profession and I can’t stop listening at work chat everywhere.

I try to wait for a small pause of my speaker to go to my room and leave my stuffs there but I give up and finally had to cut his conversation just before he starts explaining to me the way he remembers the best methods he learnt to perform incisions in thoracic surgery while he was crossing his residence.

My mother notices I am going to my room to leave my stuffs and uses it to talk to me. She catches me in reception picking up my keys and jumps over me with the typical question.

“So? What do you think about him?”

“Who?” I answer to make her upset.

“Oh, who else, Juan Carlos! What happens with you, daughter...”

“Mom, I am not interested about him, I’m sorry” and I say it with the major strength I accomplish to show, trying to make her desist with the topic. But of course, been the way she is...

“You talked to him for few time, it is normal that you do not feel interest about him yet.”

“It is not that. Is just that he is the kind of man I don’t care at all.”

“A mother always knows what is best for her daughter.”

But go figure how dramatic she is when she proposes it...

“Mother... I am thirty years old, leave it now, please.”

The reception guy gave me the key at last and I turned to go up the stairs in direction to my room but my mother keeps insisting me on what she thinks that I want.

“He is a good catch. And as you have said, you are thirty. You should...”

“You are not going to say what I think you are going to say, right?” I warned her with an exhaustion tone more than angry tone. Because I am so sick for my mother to keep thinking I have to be with a man to be happy...

“I will not repeat it again because I know you are aware of that very well” she excuses herself “but it is clear that he likes you. And for God, Laura, he is very handsome, he is smart, he has a good job and money...”

This is an endless nightmare. Maybe if I start hitting my head against the castle’s wall, she will finish with this torture.

“I am sorry mom but, no. Thank you for concerning about me” I lie “but I guarantee I am very happy in this moment.”

With Jorge. At every hour. In the bed. Or in Paris’ streets. Or over his kitchen counter. Or over the floor in front of his chimney. Or...

“Are you dating someone already?”

Her tone has become too high to my ears and a couple of persons turned to us after listening at her saying it.

I try to change the topic as fast as I can to avoid telling her barefaced lies.

“Was that the reason you insisted me so hard to come?”

“No, not just for that, daughter but, Juan Carlos is charming and you had to know him. I am sure you both will handle very well.”

Aw, mom, if you knew...

“Good night!” I hear the unmistakable and shrill voice of Claudia at my back.

And now the party is starting.

“Claudia, darling!”

My mother is delighted with the arrival of her dearest friend, whom she almost admires. I count until three, pick some air and I turn back as well. And there he is, next to Claudia. Our eyes meet and I see he has to effort to keep composure after watching me with my dress. I allow him to watch me up and down, left to right or whatever he wants. When he sees my shoes a smile runs out of his mouth. He remembered... He raises his sight a little to confirm it to me.

He looks really handsome, elegant, sexy; amazingly attractive... he has worn a gray suit, white t-shirt a gray matching tie.  He has shaved and has brushed his curly hair at his back, except for some rebellious lack of hair which runs at his front and that he tries to fix unsuccessfully in this moment. I suddenly feel like jumping over him, taking his clothes away and make love right here over the hall carpet, over the furniture, against the wall... I start noticing heat and not only in my cheeks. Why do I still get so nervous when Jorge shows up? Will I be able someday to be next to him as if it was the most common thing in the world and I will stop feeling intimidated by his presence?

I think my heart is going to blow as they approach to us to greet. Please, don’t let them notice anything... Jorge sets serious again when they came close to us. Once more mister lawyer distant and proud. Claudia is glowing of joy for arriving next to him at the living and I can’t help feeling a stab of jelousy. It should be me the one who gets in this way next to him. Why don’t we send everything to hell and declare our relationship just like that?

Jorge greets me shaking hands as usual but, I notice how he caresses my knuckles in a fraction of second with his thumb. I do the same. That is the only method we have right now to communicate without letting anybody notice it.

“Aw, you have no idea how anguish I felt a moment ago...” my mother starts telling “Laura started talking to Mr. Steward like if they were friends their entire life; we thought we would have a heart attack!”

Claudia and Jorge look at me with the same expression the rest of the invitees were watching me the previous time. In fact, Jorge is watching me more with a horror face opening his eyes too much at first, and trying to calm down as soon as possible to keep the composure which identifies him.

But anyway, did everybody know who that man was but me?

“And what happened?” Claudia asked with fear.

With fear! Does her life depend on it? I don’t think so!

“Nothing darling, they had been talking about weird things. That they were who... something.”

“Whovian, mom...” I emphasized some upset “I liked him, he was Scottish and whovian; he had everything.”

I notice Jorge repressed a smile. If he is British he perfectly knows what it is. Oh! Maybe he is as well. Just when I thought Jorge couldn’t be more perfect, he might be whovian. He is a dream.

“Well, something weird” I paint my eyes white after hearing my mother calling weird to a whovian, I can’t help it “The point is Mr. Steward ended laughing with her and...”

“Scottish and whovian?” Jorge interrupts my mother to ask me, paying no attention to what she just told us.

I watch him surprised about the question. Claudia seems to dislike what I said and what Jorge asked me and I don’t know very well why.

“Yes... I have always liked Scottish people and well, a whovian is a whovian” I answer, shruging my shoulders.

“Have they always liked you?” he insists.

Is he smiling? I think he is after the manner my mother and Claudia are watching him, surprised for such an unusual expression on him.

“Yes... well, they are a little wimpy and their kilt looks some funny on them but, even that seems endearing to me.”

Jorge watches at me so smiley that I think he has forgotten for a second where we are and he is approaching to me to kiss me for... well I don’t know very well why but, for something I have said that has enchanted him. Or maybe illusion him.

I open my eyes wide trying to make him notice it and come back to reality again and, I think he reacted. He moves his head slightly and keeps talking, changing the subject.

“I am sure if he talked to Laura, she has only been able to improve the concept Mr. Steward had about the law firm” he ensures with determination.

The three of us turned shocked. I don’t even dare to smile at him to thank for the appreciation he has established about me. He notices he might not be objective enough since the main moment we started talking and he shrugs his shoulders little by little.

But my mother has many things to tell and she has no time to waste paying attention to comments she doesn’t understand.

“Oh! And I already have done the introductions...” my mother says “What a wonderful idea you have had!” and turning to me she says: “It was Claudia’s idea to introduce Juan Carlos to you. And she was right; you both are a great couple.”

“I told you!” the annoying Claudia answers using that tone which makes me insane “Oh Jorge, my dear” call him like that again and I’ll cut your pony tail with no scissors “We have found the perfect boyfriend for Laura. He is a neurologist in the college hospital, he is thirty two and he is devilishly attractive.”

Devilishly attractive... Who uses that expression nowadays? Please... she is so easy to hate that would be illogical not to do it.

Jorge has set serious again and he is trying to remain straight but I already know him enough to know he has been jealousy inside. He turns to me and speaks with his head some sidelong.

“Really? I am so glad. I hope he is your kind.”

But I am the only one who realizes the ironic tone he uses.

I took advantage that my mother and Claudia are talking to each other paying no attention to us to mess with him, making a nod the way he always does when he says hi. He closes his eyes when he sees me and I show him my tongue, but he opens his eyes to make me control myself, the way I did to him just a moment ago. And I had to effort but I did it. I bite my lip and I see Jorge watching at that lip while he moves his head slightly from side to side, trying not to smile.

And he bites his lip unconsciously. And not noticing it, I love him for that.

“They have met already and, I believe something has emerged” my mother keeps saying excited “I left them alone to talk but, I predict something will result after this party...” and she uses some singing tone.

My mother becomes a jerk when she is next to Claudia, seriously.

Jorge keeps staring at me and the muscles of his face turn tense after he listens at that comment. I know all this is not funny for him. Me on the other side, are becoming, not nervous, but the next.

“Laura, you look very cute today” Claudia tells me, emphasizing cute, as if I was a small child who needs to be told something nice at her new dress.

“Thank you Claudia, you look as usual” I answer smiling.

You look like a slut, darling... extremely short sequined dress and daubed with some expensive make up, I assume. She brushed her black hair in a bow secured with a big needle which is supposed to belong to a very expensive jewelry brand. And of course, earrings, bracelets, rings and necklace plus every jewelry articles she and her neighbors must have in house. I am a discrete and elegant Christmas tree and, she is the Christmas tree kids decorated by themselves without parents’ supervision: overloaded and cheesy. That is better, in that sense Jorge can notice the difference between us easily.

I see Jorge squeezes his lips. He is repressing his laugh, he seems to be one of the few ones who understand my ironies and it is clear he has understood this one completely.

“And you are wearing some Louboutin of this season, wou...”

Claudia opens her eyes so hard that she can’t dissimulate her admiration for my simple but expensive shoes.

“I painted the sole” I answer mocking her.

“No, no” she answers staring at my feet, almost in a total veneration “those are some Louboutin of five hundred euros at least.”

Son of the... I knew those shoes were expensive but, not that much! Right now I feel the necessity to run and take them off and lock them in a crystal box with temperature and moisture meter to keep them safe. I look at him with a murder face and it seems Claudia’s comment doesn’t like him at all considering the way he has his forehead frown. He denies with his head with an almost imperceptible move and I know what he is trying to tell me: Laura, I don’t like to talk about money so, don’t even consider taking this topic.

“Daughter, how long do you have this expensive taste about clothing?” my mother asks, who didn’t notice my shoes so far “Understand me, it is wonderful, I am delighted you finally want to spend money in something like this but...”

“Those were a gift” I answer to try to make them stop about their questioning but on the contraire I made it worse.

“Who gave you a pair of Louboutin?”

Claudia and my mother are really intrigue right now and, I see Jorge is anxious changing position, distress, supporting over one leg and the other leg exchanging after seconds.

“Girls, after Christmas” and I try to hide the anguish I am feeling in this moment “they have launch the house through the window this year.”

“And it won’t be some boy you are...” the impertinent of, still, Jorge’s couple, interferes using a tone that I absolutely dislike “How do you call it now? Hanging out or something alike...”

Is she suggesting that I am a child using the reference of the generation gap? Can I only date boys as she says?

“I imagine in your time mothers use to prepare your wardrobe” I set these words at her face being as gentle as possible “but, now things are different, you are right.”

I have said that in a magnificent kind manner that I can’t be label as rude in any sense. But according to Claudia’s face that didn’t like her at all. I have seen Jorge giving one step back as an instinct, almost if he wishes to leave as soon as possible.

“It sounded like you called me old.”

No, definitely she is not absolutely dumb...

“Oh please, no Claudia, how could I call you like that? However, I have to thank you for considering me this young, you flatter me.”

“In fact, I didn’t pretend to make it sound like that in any sense” drops this big slut with a smile on her hyper-make up face, which I would like to slap right now.

And this will become a problem. And a big one. I notice it after I see Jorge grabbing Claudia at her arm and she turned to him and smile. Let’s see, what did I miss and why do they exchange complicit gazes?

“How did you want it to sound actually?” I ask with no pinch of cordiality.

“Claudia did not mean to offend you, Laura” the traitor of Jorge interferes without releasing Claudia’s arm.

“I imagine she didn’t, how would she try to offend me telling me I am younger that she is?”

“I preserve nice and pretty” and as if were not enough the way she called me. She turned to Jorge blinking in a flirt “Jorge, sweetie, am I right?”

“Yes, Jorge, tell us how well your woman preserves herself. Listen to a couple of lovers talking about the other, fascinates me.”

As soon as I drop my sarcastic phrase Jorge looks at me unbelieving, with some panic at his eyes which he can’t hide. He opens a little his mouth but not to answer precisely. Meanwhile, Claudia continues watching at him, waiting for an answer and, my mother truly believes I have said the last phrase being honest considering her ease smile, holding for a Jorge’s answer which seems not to arrive.

“Jorge, sweetie...” Claudia insists, some troubled after the answer delay.

“Tell me” Jorge answers moving his sight to her, almost jumping out of a trance.

“Do you think I am well preserve? Wives like to be told those things once in a while...”

Claudia smiles at my mother and gives her a stupid naughty gaze while they laugh each other.

“Yes of course...” her perfect and dearest husband answered, although I am not clear right now what did he refer; if he answered at the point she is well preserve or, to the point wives like to be flatter by their husbands.

Any case, I gave him a hatred gaze which crossed through every pore of his body at the same time as if it was electricity, while we keep listening at Claudia and my mother talking cheerfully about couples, and love, and youth and several silly things. Jorge tries to explain me something with his eyes and he starts locking his tie and his cufflinks unconsciously; something he only does when he is extremely nervous. I don’t care, he is nervous for being a traitor and a coward. He has done nothing but screw the conversation and he knows it. He stood by Claudia. It seems he even did it on purpose. Things have change a lot since yesterday...

After I put my eyes away from him, I continued the no-spoken conversation through the phone. I see him sidelong writing something fast at his phone and immediately my phone vibrated inside my minuscule purse. I open it and without taking my phone out of the purse, I read the message: This is not what you think.

Oh... this is going worse. He is swimming in an endless loop by himself.

You can’t figure how terrible it sounded, that is my quick answer at his shitty explanation.

He adjusts his tie once more before answering.

I was trying to calm you both.

Oh my, what we had left. Like if we were two horny wolves fighting for him! How cocky this coward is...

You won’t need to ever again.

He watches me confused of what I meant immediately after he read the message, he seems to wonder for several nasty meanings to my ever again. He locked his phone writing no answer.

“Laura” he said, and with no consideration about the presence of my mother or Claudia’s presence, he made a gesture with his head indicating me to leave that place.

Is he insane?

I turned my face and go back to the pair of parrots we have next to us, giving a damn about hearing a new Laura almost in a whisper with a nasty and desperate tone.

“And the best is” my smiley mother is saying in this moment “I have request to seat them together during the dinner.”

Claudia and my mother applause in a ridiculous manner. They are speaking about Juan Carlos and I.

Shit...

Meanwhile I am already blushed after anger and Jorge... I think he understands right now why I didn’t want to come to the party tonight.

“Hello again.”

It can’t be... Juan Carlos. He shows up with an I-am-ruling-the-world smile although, he is ruling absolutely nothing. He says hi to Claudia, who he already knows, of course, and Claudia introduces to Jorge, who is more than serious when they shake hands.

And now is my turn.

“Juan Carlos, we were worried about you. You took long to come back...” I speak more than gentle to Jorge’s surprise, who watches me with his open mouth, really wide this time. Even Juan Carlos himself can’t believe how nice I am in this moment, considering I was clearly talking to him as an obligation few moment ago.

“I was looking for a drink and I got some distracted, forgive me” he says in a gentle tone and with a big smile at his face, which I returned to total fascination of the personnel.

“If you excuse me, I will leave my luggage at my room” Jorge says in that moment, surprising us all with his sudden departure.

I see him grabbing his keys on reception and missing between the people who are around the hall.

I think he didn’t like Juan Carlos very much...

After few minutes I couldn’t tolerate the conversation with annoying Juan Carlos anymore and, I walked away with the excuse of leading my bags at my room. He made me promise we would meet at the dinner later. Shit, the dinner... I’ll have to tolerate him the entire night. Just to think about it produces me stomachache and right now the cheerful environment surrounding the castle, with people laughing, glasses of wine turning empty through people’s throat and Christmas lights everywhere, don’t look very fascinating to me anymore.

I am going up through the stoned stairs; I am arriving at the second floor, leaving the noise of the ground floor behind, when Jorge suddenly shows up from a corner of the stair. And I think he is upset considering his anxious expression...

“We need to talk” he jumps over me no paying attention if someone is watching us.

“Are you insane?” I say in low tone, trying to shut his mouth.

I continue my way but he is coming behind me.

“I did not say that to support Claudia” he keeps insisting.

“Leave me alone...” I warn him while I take my key out after I see the suite door at the bottom.

“I just wanted to make her calm. I know Claudia and that was going worse and worse. I did not want to tell you something nasty and...”

He is making me upset even harder if possible, and right now I only want to yell at him. I open the door of my room and take him by the neck of his jacket to pull him inside my room as fast as I could, closing with a great punch after we both got inside. Jorge seems to be confused of the reason I pulled him in that way but, after watching at my eyes he understands he can dismiss one of the options: I am still upset, that’s right, and I am more upset every time.

“She had told me something nasty already” I recalled him in a low tone, as if we were surrounded by people yet “and what you did was to hold her by her arm kindly and you dedicated a nice sight to her while you were telling me to shut up.”

“I did not tell you to shut up at any time” he complains “I just...”

He walks to the middle of the room trying to organize his ideas. He rubs his hair and puts his hands inside his pockets for an instant, to take them out again and start talking making gestures.

“The situation was disturbing me and I just wanted to make it stop. I know you are more reasonable than Claudia and...”

“Don’t you play with me because I don’t buy it.”

I go to the bed and put my luggage over the bed and I sat there to look for nothing. At least, I am pretending I don’t pay attention to him.

“Please Laura, don’t make things get out of control, ok?”

And the loop gets bigger and bigger on size and intensity after he pronounced those words with a severe tone, trying to pretend moral authority at last.

“Excuse me? I take things out of control? It wasn’t me the one who started!”

“Do not be childish, it has nothing to do. You just...”

“Childish?” I yelled at him “Am I childish?”

“I have not said that! I said... Dammit Laura, you are making me nervous! I did not come here to argue, I only came to explain you.”

“Everything was very clear to me downstairs, you didn’t need to come. Among the darling and the reminder that she is your woman and, those gazes and, the way you squeeze her arm and, all that shit of defending her stepping over me by the way...” my voice tone has arisen eventually and even I have noticed that, I don’t want to calm down “Don’t worry, it is clear to me. You can come back with your woman anytime you want, she might be looking for you.”

“You know I am getting divorced” but instead of continue this route, he decides to try something new “What about you and Conchi’s son? Because it seemed you missed him until he returned.”

“What do you care who I miss? At least Juan Carlos is single and he doesn’t despise me in front of his woman.”

“I was not despising you! God, Laura...” he moves again along the room agitated, raising his glance to the roof as searching for an angel to come down to enlighten him “Please, I...” the very naïve tries to grab my hands but, I move apart before he manages to touch a single hair “Laura, please, you have to trust me. Claudia and I are not together anymore. I just try to stay with her in a gentle manner to make the divorce last shorter.”

“And I try to be gentle with the men who are introduced to me.”

“Laura...” he warns me, keeping his hand inside his pockets once more, standing straight after my last sentence.

“Jorge...” I answered using the same tone.

We both stood in silence, examining at each other as if someone were going to appear and make a test about the parts of the face.

“I am sorry” he finally says, making and incredible effort to contain himself “I understand. I placed Claudia before you when I said what I said and I swear it was not my intention. Please, Laura, forgive me. I do not want to be this way with you. I cannot handle this.”

“You can’t do that” I answer some more relax but still hurt “you can’t treat me the way you have done the previous days and then come here and stand by her side after any little thing. Because I can’t handle this either.”

“I promise I will not do that again” and he sounds so honest and so surrendered...

I look at the sad eyes he is showing me and, he only needs to whine and moan as a puppy to make me forgive him.

“I said that to Juan Carlos to make you upset” I confessed watching at the mattress.

I see Jorge coming to me. He pushes the luggage apart and sits next to me. He timidly approaches his hands at my hands and when he notices I didn’t put them apart, he grabbed and squeezes them between his hands pulling them at his chest tendering with his thumbs in a constant circular move. As soon as we look at our eyes, calm seems to return at our bodies, forgetting the anger, the rage, the bad memories of a moment ago step by step. We are alone once more, just the two of us, nobody around. But we have to handle the whole situation; we can’t be unlocked in a room forever.

“Do you know you are gorgeous?”

His eyes stare at mine and he doesn’t need to look at my lips to know I am smiling.

“You are gorgeous as well.”

I hold my laugh until he laughs out loud briefly while swinging slightly his body backward without releasing my hands. We have to stay in silence again for fear to be heard both of us in the same room but, nice humor has finally returned and we are enjoying this with every sense we have.

“Laura, you have some things sometimes...”

He drives my hands at his lips and he kisses them, then grabs my chin and pulls me next to him. He tastes my mouth kindly and at this moment I believe we need no dinner other than our bodies. But it can’t be, people are waiting for us downstairs and they will soon notice we are absent.

“We have to get down” I tell him between one kiss and other, desiring he pays no attention to that.

“I know” he answers with the same attitude I have.

Our lips seems to have a special glue, chocolate, vanilla and milk candy like, with color chips which spread all over our mouths led by our tongues. We taste each other as if we had nothing more than few seconds but, we don’t even have that anymore. His cellphone rings and we both jump after hearing it, stepping backward immediately. Jorge grabs my hand and with his other hand picks up the phone.

“Shit...” and he moves his lips to pronounce Claudia’s name while he hangs up the phone “Tell me... in my room leaving my suitcase... because I was resting... no, one thing is coming here together and other different is to be forced to spend the party together” his voice sounds upset and I can’t stop feeling good inside for watching him angry at her and I kiss him fast at his lips and, he thanks for the kiss although happy and confused “...No, stay where you are, I will go down in a moment but, I seriously ask you to behave according to... No, you know very well that...” he sniffs exhausted of hearing who knows what kind of arguments she might be establishing and I don’t really want to know them “Claudia, I am sorry, I will hang up ok?”

He removes his phone of his ear after two seconds and watches it surprised.

“Well, she hung up...”

He puts his phone in his pocket again and after his expression, I know we have to go.

“I know, we have to go down...” I say, saving him effort to convince me.

“If depended on me, I would stay here with you the entire night but, Claudia and your parents would miss us...”

Wearing a reluctance expression, we both stood up with our hands joined together. The glue still has us under its effect and we struggle to put our hands apart.

“I’ll go out first and I let you now through a message when the hall is empty” I explain, thinking it will be easier than taking the risk of letting him going out first to be seen by anyone.

He nods and we finally untie our hands making the moment last longer by rubbing them until the tip of our fingers. I grab my bag, my shawl and go to the door. I almost open the door when I feel Jorge over me, he rampages me against the door strong with his body, fulfilling my mouth with his swift tongue. His hands seem to be all over my body and I barely had time to react when he releases me as sudden as the manner he caught me against the door few seconds before and he steps back. He locks his hair and he smiles when he notices how disturbed he left me as consequence of that rampant heartiness. I don’t know this Jorge as much as I wanted. And I desire him right now.

I difficulty manage to leave the room and I walked until the bottom of the hall where I can check the level is empty and everybody is already downstairs, so I text him a message and as soon as I see him leaving my room I force myself to turn around and go down the stairs quickly to avoid people watch us going down too near.

This is going to be excessively difficult and this is just the beginning.

“You may pass to the dining room as you wish” someone from the hotel personnel announces to us.

I walk inside resigned to what definitely will become a torture dignified from inquisition. When I find my seat, I see Juan Carlos coming next to me. He is already loading that smile, and it’s not his fault; I encouraged him to keep behaving like this few time earlier just to create jealousy in Jorge. Uf, what a night I will have...

“It looks like we have to sit together during the dinner” he says making it appear a surprise.

“I see, good...” and I sat down over something that seems to me worse than an electric chair in this moment.

Juan Carlos sits at my right and continues talking to me about the emergency surgeries he had to perform during his second year of residence, he has told me about those of the first years since before sitting here and I wonder with fear, how many years of residence this guy has done. Blood, visceras, autopsy... perfect to start a dinner.

“You know? I have this weird sensation of déjà vu about you...” Juan Carlos says making a ridiculous effort to flirt with me.

Plus he pronounced it wrong, you dumb. Jorge would pronounce perfectly...

“Déjà vu” I listen to Jorge say with his perfect French behind me. I turn and I see he is sitting in the chair at my left side “It seems we are going to be dinner partners tonight.”

He moves the little card with the name and I see he shows a slight smile in his lips. He has changed it! I am positive, he changed his card to sit next to me. I lift my eyebrows as making a question.

“Yes...” he confirms in low tone while he sits “I was not going to leave you alone; no matter you said you missed him...”

Oh... he is lovely, that is the reason why he left so hurried earlier, to change the cards before everybody walks in.

Next to Jorge will be Cecilio, a friend of my parents during the years in the faculty but, in that moment Claudia shows up with her card on her hand and she blatantly change it with the good man.

“Your place is in the third chair starting that way” she announces him pointing at the other side of the table “I will sit next to my still husband” and she emphasizes still, making my anger grows with no chance to hide it.

Poor Cecilio shrugs his shoulders watching at Jorge and he moves at his new location with no complaint.

“Well! You see what a mistake they have had when placing the cards. Thank God I realized it on time, right?” she says watching us smiley and triumphal.

She seems she has no idea of what happened. I think she actually believes it was a mistake of the organization. Well, how can she possible deduct something different, there is no way... I see Jorge picks some air to contain himself from saying some outrageous words he probably has at his mind right now and I pick up the napkin to place it over my legs and breathing deep to contain myself of killing someone prematurely.

This is going to be a super fun party.

“...but you have to be careful when you do the dissection, otherwise you can injure a blood conduct and...”

Juan Carlos is still performing his conference about uneven procedures. I do nothing but using my holder to move my food in my dish. As soon as I take a bite to my mouth he starts explaining to me once again how blood flows like a jet out of a patient and I have to repress my nausea.

“Juan Carlos, we all love you are such a great professional but, could you postpone your conversation about human entrails? I am sure Laura will appreciate if you let her taste her food” Jorge told him at last, peeping up above me. And he adds looking at me: “the lamb is really exquisite, you should try it.”

I feel a gentle squeeze in my left leg below the napkin I have over my legs. It is Jorge. I discretely lower my left hand and grab his hand. He answers to me caring my hand. This intimate moment comforts me although we have fifty persons around us. It is not a sexual gesture; it is more like an enclosure gesture, a mutual support. A gesture any couple could perform in front of everybody with no problem but, it has to be hidden performed by us. And we make the gesture long last as much as we can until dessert is served.

Claudia does nothing but crow and my head is starting to hurt. She seems to be really interested in Juan Carlos conversations. She asks him any kind of things. If doctors’ coats are size-made, if exists some rule in hospital forgiving to hire an interior designer like her to set a distinguish style to the place. I give my best to try to hide what I think after every clever comment however, Jorge hopelessly sighed after one Claudia’s question and painted his eyes white. I couldn’t help to laugh and I had to cough to dissimulate. Jorge watches me sidelong but he says nothing, he confines himself to continue eating his tiramisu like nothing happens like nothing can disturb his inner peace. How does he do to remain so serious all the time? I can’t. Although I don’t need to make a major effort in this dinner to achieve it.

The torture is finally over. People is standing up and leaving the place, missing along the different halls of the Castle and the places around it. Some are going out to smoke, others are giving a walk and some others are just in the yard or in any hall. My parents rented the entire castle to the delight of the invitees so, it is exclusive to us today. The manner my parents enjoy their parties is very old fashion to be honest.

Claudia has to go out to smoke. Jorge doesn’t smoke but, when I said I wanted to go out to give a walk he went out as well. Juan Carlos goes behind me, of course. I think he doesn’t realize he is not required.

I have the intention to take my shoes off and go to the maze to get lost for a while but, Juan Carlos doesn’t lose a single step I give. I try to rid of him as discrete as I can. I still have the hope this night can be better at some moment. I am too optimistic, I know...

“Let’s do something: you will get in that way and I will go the other way to try to find each other, do you agree?” I propose to try to hide in one of the borders I know for heart so he will leave me in peace once for all.

“Oh, I want to go too!” Claudia says without been invited “Guys, let’s go to the maze!” she says to a group of people which is next to us.

I look at her with a murder face. I want to be alone!

“Well, in that case I’ll stay here, I’ll see you when you come back...” Juan Carlos says, not very happy with the idea of been surrounded by so many people there. It is evident the reason he wanted to go when we were going to be just the two of us but, with so many people it is not attractive to him anymore.

I can’t say no now so, I took my shoes off to avoid going down in the grass and I walk with the rest of the group who think Claudia’s idea is wonderful. At least I rid of Juan Carlos for a while...

Jorge is waiting for people to get inside in the same entrance that I am when Claudia grabbed his hand to pull him inside with her.

“Claudia, please...” he says with an evident angry tone, releasing from her.

She frowns her forehead for an instant but she walked inside hilarious while she starts talking to the rest of invitees who are already inside the maze. Jorge shrugs his shoulders and watches at me with resignation after listening to her.

It is only the both of us standing there. We watch each other while our breathing is running faster after the pressure of been so close but not been able to jump over the other’s arms and share a kiss full of passion the same way we did few hours ago before leaving my room. That is what I feel right now. Well, that and some more but, I’m afraid Jorge is very correct and very respectful of the good manners, unfortunately.

“So, Juan Carlos is still stick at you” he says in a low tone, almost whispering.

“I didn’t think you care. You are still stick at Claudia since the beginning of the night” –I shout at him with some rage, I recognize but, it seems like Claudia and him can’t do anything by themselves, they go everywhere together like if they are still a happy marriage.

“This is not my fault” he excuses frowning his face.

“I disagree...”

We hold our eyes in an instant in which a big discussion always precedes. But I think that looking at our eyes that way doesn’t increase our anger like the rest of people. I start feeling a sudden hit growing through my veins again and, considering the manner Jorge looks at my lips, changing his body language for the third time at this point, something alike happens to him.

“I better go back to the hotel” he says with no shadow of anger, actually I think he gets disturbed when we are too close and he doesn’t want to lose his head and expose himself to be watched together by anyone.

“I know this maze by heart” I communicate him looking at the entrance.

Jorge watches me in silence, questioning, and he bends his head trying to understand the reason why I made this particular confession. I look at his lips for a last time and at something more and, I walked inside the maze.

I look backward for an instant and I see him following me saying no word. I walk straight to the place where I used to hide to be able to read with no interruption of the tourists who were trying to walk through the maze. It is very narrow but it is enough for both of us if we stand very close to the other and, that’s the idea.

We can listen to the people inside the maze laughing and shouting each other yet. Someone is approaching at our hall. Then I grab at Jorge by his tie and pull him to the corner which is already next to us.

Jorge and I are completely stuck at the other, face to face. We breathe accelerated. I am still pulling his tie and he continues looking at my lips with a gesture which indicates lust. Then, he grabs my waist and starts kissing me with impetus, the way he did few hours ago in my room; even more if possible. I am astonished with this attitude of a Jorge I didn’t know until now however, I answered the same manner. I even had to grab air in more than one occasion to take my breath again.

“I was wishing to do this...” he says with a deep voice in the instant he separates his lips from mine.

I notice he puts one hand under my dress. And, he immediately burns my skin, as if we are not in the middle of December in an open field. He reaches the band of one of my socks and he continues going up. I am more and more excited with this game I don’t know where will lead us. We still listen at people very close of us. We even listen at Claudia’s laugh one hall farter the most but, in this moment we can’t stop anymore.

I confirm Jorge is as excited as I am when I touched him above his pants in an unconscious impulse. He continues kissing at me abruptly while he starts touching me under my dress which is already as high as my stomach. Keeping his hand there, he lowers his zipper with his other hand and I hear he takes something out of his pocket. He separates his mouth from my mouth an instant to break the bag of the condom and he places it with a single hand. In a fast movement, he carries me on his arms and I hold his waist with my legs and his shoulders with my arms catching him completely. He kisses my lips, my shoulders, my breasts... I am chilling but, I have no cold in this moment.

“Were you ready...?” I ask.

“I was waiting for the right time to take you somewhere and fuck you hard.”

That is something I ever thought I would hear from Jorge and, even less to be doing what we are doing right now. Maybe, the surprise of listening to him saying something so inappropriate is what makes my body to respond this way. His words have driven my body at hundred per second.

“And now we have to be very quiet and very quick” he whispers watching at me with those eyes which are burning by excitement “Are you ready? Because what I am going to do to you now is very hard and I don’t want to hurt you.”

Unconsciously, I remembered the day in our travel when he said I would not like everything he would do and that we had to be trying. You know what? I think I am going to enjoy this...

As I didn’t answer, he grabbed my intimate area with his hand and he smiled when he noticed it was completely wet. How would I not be like that after what he said...

I think you like it hard with me... -He says tasting every word-. I’ll take it in mind from now on.”

I can feel how he introduces himself on me, little by little at the beginning and when he is completely inside, he starts moving me up and down faster. If he keeps this way, it’s going to be fast, for sure but, quiet...

We tried to drown our moans with a wet and deep kiss in which our tongues struggle to defeat the other.

“You have no idea how much I like this, Laura...” he gasps, eating me with kisses.

“Don’t stop now, please” I ask him, noticing he lower the intensity of his movements when he speaks.

When he heard my almost beg, he increases the pace. I don’t know how he does it, I would be able to move in that posture but, Jorge is who moves me up and down, rubbing my sex up and down his member.

“I want you to finish for me, could you do it?”

His voice has a tremendous sexual burden. Only by talking to me this way I would be able to have an orgasm in this moment with a single touch.

I have to squeeze my lips at his lips to avoid yelling during the climax. He notices and he lets himself finish the same time I do, using my mouth to drown some God, Laura...! Which he pronounces inside my lips right from his throat. I love to listen to him saying my name in this moment. It seems like he is begging for forgiveness after something I don’t manage to understand. But, in any case, he would be forgiven in advance; he shouldn’t doubt it for a second.

He moves me down slowly while he still kisses me and when I reached the floor I try to get some composure. He does the same thing. The world is spinning around me and I can’t stop looking at him. I can’t believe we did this...

“What has happen to you?” I ask him laughing in low voice, still overwhelm.

Jorge grabs me with the same impetus of a moment ago and kisses me in a wild manner.

“You have no idea how much I had to hold myself during the entire dinner. I only wanted to throw every dish at the floor and make love to you over the table” –He whispers, using that sensual voice he has when we have sex.

“This is not appropriate from you, mister lawyer. I am more than surprised.”

I see he gives me a huge smile with more than satisfaction at his sight.

“This is your entire fault, miss journalist. Nobody excited me this way ever.”

“I am glad to know. I hope I’ll keep doing it always.”

“I have no doubt about it.”

He kisses me again some more calm and his sight is turning warm and sensible. He moves his cheek close to mine and rubs it with my earlobe in a tender and intimate gesture I had never received from anyone. When I notice his kisses on my neck once again, I pushed him away and I see his astute smile, challenging me to start all over again, taking the risk to be caught if we stay more time here, hidden. Someone could ask from us, we can’t disappear so long and we both know that.

“We have to get out of here...” I say showing some sorrow in my voice and my face. Jorge is not very attracted to the idea either but, he doesn’t complain because he knows it is exactly what we have to do, the sooner the better.

I peep my head to see if someone is coming through our hall even when voices are not heard close. It has been short time since everybody walked inside the maze so; they are still inside the maze walking around. I leave our hideout and I make a gesture to indicate him to go out too. I go ahead and he follows me through the narrow hall completely quiet.

He grabs me from behind for few seconds placing his face in my neck.

“My Christmas gift...” he whispers in my ear while he plays with my red bow between his fingers.

I turn and smile. Exactly, I am his Christmas gift. Please, don’t let him forget it tomorrow...

We went out from there before the rest of people. With some luck, they’ll be there for a while. We walk again in direction to the castle although, if you ask me, I would take him through every single corner of the entire farm to repeat over and over again what we just have done in what has become my favorite maze. I can’t help thinking of every maze I can recall I have visited and I suddenly feel anxious to traverse them with Jorge’s company at my side. Or over me. Or below me. Or...

I grab air and try to exhale it joined to my actual overload libido.

“Are you ok?” I ask him with my pulse still accelerated.

Jorge smiles with the naughtiness I still try to get use to.

“Not completely...” he says with doubt “We can go back and repeat to see if...”

I push him with my arm on his arm and we laugh in low tone, with the objective to hide the complicity between the bosses’ daughter and one of their employees.

“You are not going to stay in your room tonight, are you?” I warn him while we walk to the castle.

“Laura, we can be caught...”

I watch him astonished. Do you really say this after what we have done? He smiles moving his head at both sides noticing the foolishness he has said and he corrects:

“What do you have in mind then?”

“Come to my room” I answer keeping my sight ahead because, I’m afraid I will have to take him to my suite immediately if I see his face while saying this “As you have confirmed, that is the best room in the entire castle.”

“Nothing is good enough for a princess like you. You should be living surrounded by luxuries.”

His phrase has been very enigmatic and melancholic. It seems like he wants to wrap me with cotton to prevent something bad happens to me. Is so unusual and surprising at the same time to hear him speaking this way about me in such a brief time...

“In this castle perhaps?” I ask him.

“I was thinking in one of Scotland.”

I watch him surprised for this particular accurate answer.

“Oh, Scotland specifically?”

“We might go someday, would you like it?”

“With you; any place you want to go will be good.”

He comes to kiss me after watching me smile but, I moved apart right on time. He realizes we are already near the rest of invitees and he laughs, denying with his head.

“I don’t get use to...” he adds as an explanation.

We reached the entrance unfortunately. I put my shoes on and we watch each other before going inside with the rest again. And the only thing I can think is about going up to my room and spend a night of amazing sex but, of course, the problem is my parents would ask about me and, Claudia would ask about Jorge...

This is a shit...

“Now, wear your serious face once more” I tell him trying to imitate the serious gesture which seems to accompany him all the time in front of people.

Jorge drops a laugh for a moment but he clears his throat a little, organizes the cufflinks of his t-shirt and his tie and he brushes his hair with his hand. I love to see him doing those gestures that are so peculiar from him. In a second he becomes once more Mr. Darcy from the beginning of the story. His eyes are glowing as a consequence of what we have recently done in the maze, he can’t help it.

He makes a gesture to make me pass front first. We can’t get in together of course, just in case.

“Laura” I see Mr. Steward is walking to me as soon as I crossed the door “We had an appointment, I hope you have not forgotten it.”

“Of course not, Mr. Steward” I say smiling.

“Alistair, please.”

“Alistair” and I nod smiling again.

I turn backward and I see Jorge walking inside and watching how I walk away from people with Mr. Steward. He moves his head in a denial some disgusted but, I imagine he doesn’t have blood enough in his brain in this moment to react.

We both walked in completely alone. If there would be more people, my scenic fear wouldn’t let me even get inside the room. I have never enjoyed being observed, not performing neither any other situation. I am only able to forget about everything in my work. Luckily...

I sit in the piano and Alistair stays standing next to me. The poor man still can’t believe I know the Auld lang syne in Scottish. I actually don’t speak Scottish but, I like languages, I have a good ear and accents are easy for me as well as pronunciation, that is the reason I have no problem on reading something and make people think that I know what I am doing. Speaking or understanding is something different of course...

“Well, Mr. Burns” I say referring to the Scottish poet who created the poem of the song “sorry in advance!” I look at Alistair and we smiled “There we go...”

I start playing the first notes which are dancing along the room, making my mind to lose itself and fulfill with the Scottish melody which seems to be performed by itself without my help. It is a marvelous piano and the acoustic of the room makes a perfect match. Alistair is truly excited. Actually, it feels like we are in one of those beautiful Scottish castles during New Year’s Eve, blessing the good times.

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot...” we started to sing.

The lyric is beautiful, a toast for friendship, for those times that are gone. A poem which distills melancholy in every line.

Alistair looks at me moved. I think he didn’t fully believe I knew the song in Scottish and he hoped I sang it mixing English and Scottish the way it is used to be done. 

“For auld lang syne, my jo...”

Music envelopes us and continues cradling us and taking us far from this place. In that moment, I see Alistair watching to the door and my mind comes back, here and now. Unfortunately, I turn and I see a group of people standing in the entrance who might be just four persons but, my mind has multiplied the numbers in an outrageous manner until reaching a number made of millions. And all of them are watching us.

My fingers start shaking and my voice goes down step by step, not as slowly as I would like. I am only capable of playing the first notes of the following strophe and I can’t manage my vocal cords to support me. And my parents? They know what happens to me in this situation, why don’t they move people away instead of staying there?

I watch the piano horrified. Come on Laura, dissimulate... he is a very important figure and you will earn a big problem if you mess up right now... but this kind of thoughts only makes the situation worse and I have problem to breath now.

Shit, why did I talk to him?

“We twa hae run about the braes...” I hear a deep voice with a perfect Scottish accent behind me.

I look at Alistair but, he is still standing in front of me, watching the people who admire us and watching at me strange for the reason I didn’t continue singing the following strophe at once. I turn back again while I kept playing the piano and, there is Jorge, walking through people and coming to me. He approaches to our side and smiles at me while he places one hand over my shoulder which apparently managed to bring me back from the dark place where I was going just an instant ago.

And suddenly there is no one else in the room but Jorge and I.

“...and pu’d the gowans fine...” I managed to pronounce.

Alistair stays quiet staring at Jorge and I singing. Where did Jorge find that voice? I am hypnotized. He looks sexier when he sings more than what he regularly is and, as you understand, it is a lot to say.

Jorge squeezed my shoulder while he sang. He wears a wonderfully charming smile that would impress the same Alistair even if he was no whovian.

“And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie’s a hand o’ thine! And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught, for auld lang syne...”

I watch at Jorge when we end the final note, I am not sure if I am grateful for his help or relief for finishing at last. He bends reaching my ear in that moment, with no consideration of the audience we have.

“You are perfect, princess” he whispers before people start clapping and my cheeks blushed instantly.

Alistair joins to the audience and starts clapping too. Jorge stands straight again and locking his eyes in my eyes he stretches his hand to help me stand up. I think I stand up automatically, looking at those green eyes which make me forget my disabling scenic fear for the first time in my life.

People starts disappearing from the door gradually, they drink more Champaign again and continue with the party, luckily me. I see Claudia nailed in the door next to my parents, who are approaching to us. Her face is absolutely rotten with rage, revulsion and who knows what else. She spins over her hills and leave the place, saving us a scene. I feel relief for that but, I actually think it is not good to make her mad very much. I don’t want to cause troubles to Jorge.

“But Laura!” my mother claims hugging me “How have you...?”

Good time my mother picks to remember! I shrug my shoulders being incapable to explain how I have been able to continue in spite of everything.

Alistair hugs me to everybody’s surprise. Then he looks at Jorge and gives him a hug also; the circumstance makes us laugh. Even Jorge smiles timidly in front of the sudden display of excitement.

“These two boys are charming” Alistair says to my parents with enthusiasm “You are a marvelous couple!”

Jorge jumps a little and I stay breathless. We might even show some strangeness in our reaction. Alistair doesn’t understand what was wrong, and he watches us flashing, frowning his forehead to understand the consequence of his comment.

“God, no!” my mother answers before us, scared for what seems to be an abomination to her “Jorge’s couple is out there, Mr. Steward.”

That instant made me understand how difficult is going to be to tell my mother about us. Jorge must thought the same I did considering the way he looked at me sidelong, with a resignation gaze.

“My daughter, Mr. Steward” my father says with proud and with a glance very different from my mother’s “and my best lawyer” and he looks at Jorge while he claps his back.

Alistair nods although he seems to wonder why we are not a couple. He looks at us with his forehead frowned, and I think he knows we are not been completely honest deep down. Scottish people are very smart...

I hear Alistair taking Jorge apart while my parents congratulate me for what they think is a great advance to what they have always considered as an unreasonable fear. I effort to appear interested on what they say but, actually I am paying more attention to what Alistair and Jorge are talking but, I don’t understand what they say. It sounds some like English so, I suppose it is Scottish or something alike. He not only knows the song, he knows Scottish! I don’t know why it surprises me, coming from him...

But Jorge doesn’t seem to be interested on what Alistair is telling him; he only looks at us sidelong and answers very serious, nodding with his head. Is he... scared? Nervous? I don’t know; he doesn’t look comfortable with whatever Alistair is saying however, Alistair seems enchanted.

“Well” Alistair says talking to my parents at last, after they were watching at them astonished during their conversation “now, let’s talk of the date to begin the procedure...” and the three of them left the room, leaving us finally alone.

Jorge and I stood there standing in feet, without moving. He is still with his hands behind his back and, I instinctively cross my hands in front, interlaced, with my arms pointing low. We only watch each other while he listens at the voices going far from this room which is finally for both of us.

“Thank you” I say showing a smile which explains myself better than the simple word I said.

“I told you in Paris that I would save you for any water lilly, princess.”

I swing my head smiling. It is impossible to be more perfect.

“So... Scottish, ha?”

“I was going to say the same to you, lady.”

“Seriously, Jorge. One thing is to be stuck at the accent. But, you are not stuck at the language...”

His eyes turn dark before answering me.

“My father is Scottish. Actually, I am Scottish too.”

I have never heard about Jorge’s father. In fact, his first last name is Alonso and it is not a Scottish last name. And, why he has such a sad glance?

“Really? Don’t tell me you have a house there!”

“We have something but, I haven’t come back since...”

He has mute at instant. He sits in the piano stool and looks at me from below, trying to appear relaxed. I think that is a very sensitive topic to him and, I don’t want to ruin the night to him so, I stopped insisting.

“You have to play and sing for me once more. You have a very sweet voice” –he says changing the topic.

I sit next to him. Jorge approaches his hand to tender my face unconsciously but, I retreat and I open my eyes in a signal of warning and he separates himself immediately. It is very difficult for us not to touch each other when we are this close, it is almost a necessity we have to hold constantly, almost against nature.

“To you, any time” I answer.

“But your mother was surprised, don’t you sing for them?”

“Why would I sing to anybody?” I say laughing “I don’t do rehearsals... my parents are aware of my scenic fear so they don’t ask me to sing anymore.”

“Do you have scenic fear?”

He seems really concerned about me now. I like so much looking at him concerning for what could happen to me...

“Yes, pretty much... I don’t like to call everybody’s attention especially if someone stares at me... I almost had a heart attack today when I saw everybody behind me watching at me.”

My breath still runs fast when I remember that.

He stretches his hand at my hand and holds it strongly. But this time I have no will neither strengths to avoid the gesture.

“And you would sing for me?”

His face reveals a kid asking to open his birthday gifts before starting the party.

“Yes, silly, I would sing to you. I had many years without singing in front of so many people.”

I still remember the day in the school contest, when I had to play in front of hundreds of people. I don’t want to repeat the experience ever again.

“And, would you teach me to play the piano? Cord instruments are not my thing...”

“Oh, but you don’t know? It is strange to me to know Captain Von Trapp doesn’t know how to do something...”

“Who?”

Oh, shit, I let it go...

“I am sorry, it is just... My friends have told you that way my whole life and I let it go...”

He stares at me for few seconds and then smiles, completely forgetting about the nickname.

“Your friends know about me your whole life?” he says emphasizing my last words.

“A little...” I answer some ashamed, making the gesture with my fingers.

He looks down while he keeps smiling and he places his rebel hair back again. He loved to discover that...

“So, will you teach me something?”

“Something?” I ask in a naughty manner.

“...in the piano, Lau.”

“Well, something quick.”

“Something quick?”

Now he is the one who talks in a double sense and smiles maliciously.

I move my head and I try to repress the anxious for kissing him. This is turning very worthy. Watching Jorge so amused, making word games and leading my jokes as if we were doing this our entire life is such an experience. A delightful experience that I hope to enjoy beyond these first days we are meeting each other for real.

“Let’s see...” I put my hand under his hands and I placed them over the piano keys.

I start playing very slow “Running away”, from Midnight hour, one of my favorite songs. I notice his soft touch in my hands after every move I make. I didn’t know that playing the piano could be so sensual. What I did know for sure was, that Jorge spread sensuality through every pore of his body.

He is focused on the keys we are pushing down with every move. And, I am focused on Jorge; his fingers start caring my hands slightly, almost imperceptible.

“Which one is this song?” He asks me while he keeps caring my hands.

“It is from Midnight hour, “Running away”, do you know it?”

“No.”

“I’ll play it to you someday, it is very pretty. Well, and very sad... It’s too late for you to make me stay, no, I won’t stay... so I’m running away...” I hum low, almost for myself “He is leaving that person, he doesn’t even want to be convinced of staying so, he runs away from her. He is hurt about something she has done to him but, I have always thought that deep down he is still in love with her that’s why he runs, to save himself from been hurt again.”

Jorge squeezes my hands, making me stop playing. It might be a very sad song for a day like today, it is true.

“Laura, don’t you ever leave me, I would not stand it.”

He has surprised me so much with this abrupt request and I stopped concerning for the distance between us, or for his hands which squeeze my hands in a very intimate sense.

“I couldn’t leave you, Jorge, how do you say something like this?”

He shows the same sad glance he had previously. How can he think I would do something alike? I think the fact of imagine that breaks his soul in thousand pieces and he shares the pain through his eyes.

“Promise me, you will talk to me before doing something like this and you will give me the opportunity to convince you to stay with me.”

I turn to him until we are face to face and I look at him. I would hug him but I am afraid to be seen. Now, I am who squeezes his hands, which are still over the piano keys.

“I promise. But just in case, in the song he is the one who leaves the girl...”

“But I would not be able to leave you for anything in the world. You know it.”

“Actually, that is over valuating me...”

“No, Lau” and his deep voice turns tense after my doubts “you have to give me time to show you what you mean to me. Promise me you will.”

Someone moves behind us, from the door. We turn standing far from the other, alarmed. My father passes in front of us drinking from his glass and he seems distracted. No, he has not seen or heard anything otherwise, he would get in to kick Jorge out at least...

“Jorge, we have to go. I won’t be able to stay next to you and not kissing you.”

The horror that seems to possess him a moment ago after watching my father was completely gone and he watches me lascivious while he stands up and stretches his hand to me. I grab his hand to stand up and we walk to the way out, not rubbing us for any moment. When he left me pass through the door first, he supported his hand over my part-nude back, making me feel a delicious tingling along my entire body. I watch him sidelong and I see him smiling.

Jorge... do not play with fire in front of all this people...

I say good bye from everybody early. It is not even two a.m. but I am already exhausted. This way I will wait for Jorge until he gets up to my suite because, the reason why I am so exhausted is actually him plus the sexual tension I was not able to release, not even inside the maze. Everything is turning very complicated. The less I can be close from Jorge, the most I want to jump over him and I feel I will consume myself as consequence of this tension I can’t rid of, no matter what I do.

“Shall I accompany to your room?” Juan Carlos asks with hope after I said good night.

“No, thanks... But it has been a pleasure to meet you. I hope you continue succeeding in the hospital” and I offer my hand to say good bye to him.

He understands and shakes my hand not very excited. I walk away as fast as I can relief for releasing myself of his unrestless chattering and, I direct myself to my parents to let them know about my retreat; they are talking to Claudia and Jorge in this moment, so timely...

“I will go to my room now” I tell my mother “Where is Alistair? I would like to say good night to him too.”

“He went to his room right after the song. He asked to be excused with you; he also said he hoped to see you both soon again” she answers although; I have the feeling she was not very comfortable for including Jorge in the sentence.

What is the problem my mother has with Jorge? I know she likes him; otherwise she would never introduce her dear friend Claudia to him. Now he is no longer with Claudia, possibility of us having a relationship is disturbing her? I don’t understand the reason, he was fine to be with Claudia but he was not acceptable if he was going to be with me?

My father interrupts my thoughts squeezing my shoulder while he mocks of me.

“It is very early yet! She is the youngest in the party and is the first one who goes to bed...”

“Is Juan Carlos going with you to your room?” Claudia asks displaying a cheap slut smile.

Jorge looks in another direction, upset about the question but, holding himself to not make the same mistake by giving opinion as he did the last time. And I am too frustrated right now; I have no reason to hold myself. I am tired of her jokes, her giggling and her ridiculous ideas to try to involve me with a jerk like Juan Carlos who almost ruin the party; fortunately Jorge was here. I am sick of watching my mother celebrating Jorge is with Claudia but, she turns scandalous if someone mentions we could be a couple.

And no, I do not hold myself. Not because I can’t but, because I don’t want to.

“Is Jorge going with you to your room? Oh, no wait... You are getting divorced, of course...” I drop it abruptly, displaying a very cynical smile.

Everybody look at me swallowing a scream. Jorge starts coughing, nervous. However, I smile very confident of myself and happier than a fish in water. Claudia is speechless and I am sure that if I would not be the daughter of my parents, she would jump over me as a rabid wolf.

“Sweetheart...!” my mother says shocked after the words she heard from her own daughter.

She could be impertinent but I could not? She allows her to do it but she doesn’t allow me?

My father laughs again and claps Jorge on his back once more, who still tries to react.

“Good night everyone” I smile once again and turn, I go to my room still frustrated but some satisfied.

When I said this room is the best of the entire castle, I was not even close. It is gorgeous. A very high roof, with a high stair which leads to the outside, vintage furniture, a big comfortable bed, a completely equipped bathroom... I want a room like this in my future house, the one I will have when I became billionaire, you know.

I have been half an hour waiting for Jorge sitting in the soft mattress. What if he is angry about what I said to Claudia? Well, I don’t regret. I can’t stand her. I never could stand her and right now. I hate her even more. I think she doesn’t like me very much either but I don’t really care. My bad feelings about her have increased after she is the reason why Jorge and I have to hide to meet each other besides, watching how troubled he is when he hangs up after talking to her on the phone, makes me upset. I don’t like to see Jorge that way; even less after I proved he can smile.

I turn on the television, trying to distract my brain for a while waiting for Jorge to arrive at my room. Because he has to come, right? I zap on every channel possible and I turn it off again, I stand up of the bed thereupon, restless, nervous, almost desperate.

I am sure he is upset. Would he go to sleep with her for real? No, no, no... He could not go with her, I am sure. Not after the night we have had.

I can’t stop walking around the room, picturing every possible context and each one is worse than the previous one. Claudia persuading Jorge to remember old times... Jorge angry about the answer I gave to his still wife and entering in her room to comfort her... Jorge and Claudia inside the room part naked while...

I listen to someone knocking at the door and I run, literally, to the entrance. And when I opened, there was Jorge, wearing jeans and a part fasten garnet t-shirt showing the scarce hair he has in his chest. He almost pushes me to pass inside, I closed the door next.

“It was very difficult to get here...” he explains almost breathless and sitting on the bed “I found Claudia in the way and she was very intense...”

I move close to him and I sit next to him, feeling relief for having him here with me instead of her.

“For? What did she want?”

“What do you think she wanted, Laura?” he answers, looking at me and moving his head.

“Such a slut...”

After I notice what I have said aloud, I cover my mouth in an unconscious gesture. Jorge watches me awestruck about my answer. Then, he drops a noisy laugh. I even had to cover his mouth to save us to be heard.

“Hey, by the way...” and he kisses me, trying to calm his laugh for an instant “Is Jorge going with you to the room?” he says imitating me and using a ridiculous voice, laughing again.

“What! That was the way it came out. I chose saying it instead of pulling her hair out of the topknot...”

My voice still sound angry, I acknowledge that. Jorge continues laughing not been able to stop and I complain kicking him with a pillow, indeed; he laughed even longer.

“I thought I was going to suffer a stroke for holding my laugh. Your father kept laughing after you left but, Claudia and your mother had no idea where to hide their heads. I have never seen Claudia so furious!” and he laughs again while he kisses my mouth, almost celebrating what I told her.

I stand up of the bed, trying to calm down. I think about Claudia and I become nervous at instant and feeling an enormous desire to kill her.

“Is just I have never tolerated her... I can’t, I can’t! And she did nothing but chase you the entire party, and I... I...”

I am about to collapse.

Jorge stops laughing when he notices this is a situation which affects me very much. He lifts from the bed and comes to me, rounding my waist with his hands.

“You are jealous about Claudia for no reason. You know it, right?” but he whispers to calm me down instead of talking.

“No, I don’t know...”

Jorge grabs a lack of my hair and starts playing around with it. He catches one of the borders of the bow I am still wearing.

“Today, you look amazingly beautiful.”

I can’t help to stay sulking no matter how beautiful he says I am. Claudia makes me lose my head all the time...

“Do you really feel nothing about her?”

“Laura, I already told you I do not. Moreover, she is who should be jealous about you. Everybody could be able to see the difference today, when you both were together. Even Mr. Steward was stuck at you...”

I raise my sight and I lose myself in his dilated pupils. He has this intense green gaze which drives me crazy and makes me believe anything he could tell me.

“Do you mean it...?”

“Come on, Laura! You are the most attractive and elegant girl in the party. I had to control myself more than once to prevent kicking others’ faces. I don’t like the way they look at you” he stops for a moment “and even less for you to be settled a match... that Juan Carlos is hideous.”

Now I am who laughs when I remember the gesture Jorge did when he saw us together.

“He was very heavy...”

“Ok but, I would not take the risk of leaving him with you the whole dinner.”

“You are a compulsive jealousy guy...” I say in a singing tone.

“What do you want me to do? I had to change the cards as fast as I could. I would be insane if I let you the entire night with a stranger” he pulls me to hug me tie against him and kiss me slowly “Me, always with you...”

Oh... he remembers that afternoon, in the ice-skating board in Paris. Something flies inside me for listening to him pronouncing the phrase again.

“You, always with me” I say, repeating the words I had told him in that occasion.

I kiss him in return and we fall over the bed. Jorge is already on top of me pulling my dress up once more when we heard the door. We immediately stood apart. I don’t know how my face looked but, Jorge was almost terrified. Was he seen walking in?

I stand up in a strike and I point under the bed to indicate him to hide. I know, it sounds like a scene of a Saturday afternoon movie however; it was the first thing I found out. Jorge thought it was too overused at the beginning indeed, he decided the not very original idea could be useful after he heard knocking at the door with more pressure.

When I see him placed in his hiding spot, I go to the door and open it with determination.

Unbelievable... it is Juan Carlos.

“Something happens?” I ask him, anxious to close the door again, before Jorge comes out from under the bed and indicates him the way out in a manner which is less elegant than mine.

“Nothing, I just wanted to say good night to you.”

He makes a move to try to get in but I blocked him by standing in front.

“Very well, good night Juan Carlos.”

My voice sounds too severe even so, he seems to be careless. I will close the door but he places his hand in the middle to open it once more.

“Won’t you invite me to get in for a moment? People say this room is truly amazing” and he peeps his head to get inside.

“Well no, I am sorry, I will go to sleep. If you excuse me...”

I try to close the door once again but he repeats the same situation with his hand. If he continues insisting, Jorge will go out to stop him and we will be caught...

“Do you have a minibar? We could drink a last shot.”

What is the problem with this guy? Is today the let’s-disturb-Laura day?

“Juan Carlos, did you want something from my daughter’s room?” my father shout at him very serious walking toward him.

I know he uses that tone to scare my boyfriends and this is very hilarious actually; Juan Carlos startled when he heard him and turns in his direction.

“No, I... no, no, of course not” and turning back to me, he says good bye ashamed “Good night, Laura...”

He walks away almost running along the hall. It is very regretful the way my father intimidated a man over his thirties, do they never grow up? I laugh in low tone watching my clever progenitor, who is very proud of himself for still having the capacity of scaring any man who approaches to me. This time I am more than grateful and, I think Jorge is as well.

“Sweetheart, we only came to say good night to you” my mother says watching my father sidelong, clearly upset for ruining her plan of matching Juan Carlos and me “Do you like your room?”

“It is gorgeous, mother, thank you very much.”

“Daughter... Something happens with Claudia?” she asks with a concerning tone.

“Carmen, leave the girl in peace” my father says categorical and he laughs again after remembering “It was the best moment of the night! Jorge was struggling to repress his laugh, and that is something that does not happen very often. Jorge feeling anxious to laugh! I thought the boy had alexithymia or something alike.”

“Ángel, please!” my mother shouts “I hope they left together to the room to try to solve everything.”

“What would they solve? I am sorry , honey, but your friend is snobbish and some tiny, I do not understand how Jorge has been next to her for so long” and he looks at me, speaking in a confident tone and winking an eye “I would not scare him, I like him.”

“Ángel! You do not say foolishness, for God. Jorge with my Laura... He is too old for her!”

“Come on, look, they are not even ten years different. Darling, anyhow, no matter how much you overreact, they could do whatever they want; they are older already, right?” my father looks at me again “Besides, Jorge tries to hide it showing himself serious but I am no fool, I have always known he is attracted to you, men notice that. And today, he was vigilant about you more than any time” my mother turns horrified to look at him “I would not be surprised if he comes tonight to visit you as well, although, I believe you would not reject him the same way you did with Juan Carlos, he?”

My father is having a phenomenal time but, I am blushed red from embarrassment. I don’t want to imagine how Jorge is right now...

“Ángel! Holly God, but, what do you say!?”

My mother is hysterical, of course, making my father laugh even harder. She walks along the hall disgusted and my father stays in the door with me for a moment.

“In the bathroom?” he asks me almost in a whisper.

I watch him confuse not knowing what he means.

“Under the bed?”

“Dad!” I say in low tone, ashamed to death when I realized he is talking about Jorge.

“Come on, go with him” and he smiles making a gesture with his head to tell me to walk in.

My mother cries at him from the other side of the hall to make him go with her. I think she will be upset with him for a while.

“Dad, I don’t...”

“He is a good boy. I have been watching you since few months ago and I heard what you were saying in the piano room and... do not worry, I will not scare this one” and he puts one finger on his lips to let me clear he will keep the secret.

I can only smile. He knows me very well, I can’t lie to him. He turns to reunite with my mother; I walk inside the room again, close the door and puff for relief. Please, no more visit today...

“You can already go out” I inform Jorge while I walk there.

He walks out under the bed little by little and we sit over it. I think he has no idea what to say in this moment.

“When I see Juan Carlos, I will break this child muzzle he has, that is it.”

I kiss him to calm him down and he looks at me sidelong, not very calm yet.

“You are a dangerous scoundrel...”

“No, it was enough, who he thinks he is? Coming to a lady’s room in the middle of the night and try to get in!”

I look at him not knowing if he is joking. Because, he has to be joking, he has done the same thing. The difference is Jorge did get inside the room but Juan Carlos didn’t cross the entrance...

“Jorge, are you kidding me? What about you, what have you done?”

“Well... But I had your permission even before coming up to the room!” he argues.

“Ok, ok” I say laughing “it is true, I was who invited you. You are very British, he? Manners and culture before anything.”

I support my hand over his face. It is always so soft... He supports himself over it closing his eyes some and I think he is getting relax at last.

“Anyway, my father scared him in a moment, you had to see him running through the hall!”

“Laura...” he says standing serious again “Your father knows...”

“I think he does he knows, yes. I believe he saw us in the piano room and...”

“What will we do?”

He seems preoccupied and I think he has reasons to be it. We have been seen together just one day and one person already notices, plus, one of his bosses.

“My father is not going to say anything, I guarantee.”

“Are you sure?”

I nod with my head and I smile to make him calm. And to make myself calm either.

“Am I very obvious?” he asks me.

“I thought you didn’t, in fact I can tell my father notices before I did actually...”

“I will have to talk to him, explain him what is happening. I do not want him to think I am using you in any sense...”

“Jorge, don’t you concern. I am positive my father didn’t believe that. Otherwise, he would get in here and drag you out.”

Jorge watches at me worried. I think he didn’t realize that and he is picturing any number of contexts when my father kicks his ass after any imaginary thing he could do to me.

“Besides you heard him, he likes you.”

“Yes, right?” he says, to convince himself more than any other thing.

“Sure, you can be relaxed because he is not going to say anything; Claudia is not going to find out. I promise. Anyway, I will talk to him too, ok?”

He nods with his head, some more relief and he falls over the bed taking a breath. I watch him still on my sit and he grabs my hand and pulls me until I fall next to him. We turn to lie down in a position in which we are face to face. Jorge is distracted playing with my curls again.

“I love how your hair looks; you have to make your hair this style more often.”

“Any time, if you like it.”

He looks at my eyes and smiles satisfied for my promise. He starts caring my arm up and down without moving his sight from my eyes. This is hypnotizing.

“Do you believe I am too old for you?” he says, using a very solemn context to the question.

“No, of course not, why?”

“Your mother thinks...”

He seems concerned. He moves out his sight for an instant to stare at my shoulder, which is been toured by his finger making circles right now. He is so sweet in those moments...

“My mother doesn’t think, you better say.”

He looks at me again to give me a small kiss in my lips like appreciating what I just told him.

“But you also said at the beginning...”

“Jorge, I was scared to death that day. I said that as if I say I am afraid of men with green eyes.”

“Sometimes, when I am with you I forget I am almost forty and it is not good either.”

“Why?”

“Because it is not, Laura, I cannot start making foolishness at my age. I have a daughter; I have responsibilities to attend...”

...and Mr. Darcy from the beginning peeps his head...

“What is this about?”

I start feeling truly wrong after all he is saying. It sounds like I am making him lose the right way he has to follow or something alike.

“I... I am not this way. Or well, I am but, I had never been this way with anybody, only with you and...”

“But that is not wrong. You are still the same person but some more rested, not as tense as you usually are.”

He stares at me displaying curiosity, like if I am showing a completely different and unknown world which terrifies him and attracts him at equal parts.

“I do not know what you are doing to me, Laura but, do not stop doing it ever” he approaches to me and kisses me once more, taking me from my back to pull me closer to him “And now...” he grabs the zipper of my dress, pulling down from it “I will unfold my Christmas gift, which I deserve...”

“But you opened it previously...”

“No, I only gave it a quick view...”

He finishes pulling down my zipper and he places on top of me, removing my dress slowly. I stretch my arms to untie his t-shirt. He has some hair in his chest. I have always like that, I hate with all my strengths men who use wax.

“I love it...” he says when he notices I am not wearing bra.

He starts kissing one of my breasts making a stop in my nipple, which he explores with his tongue with no rush. I caress his back with my fingers, drawing some kind of curve from right to left, from his shoulder blades until the end of his column, feeling how he moves over me, following the route of my fingers while he continues kissing all around my body. Once he is lower from my stomach, a moan is drowned in my throat and I feel his smile over my skin. He continues with the display of kisses, while he takes my thong away, making a stop now in this area. I have to grab the quilt of the bed and I bit my lip to avoid screaming. I grab his hair to make sure he doesn’t move away not even a millimeter and I think he likes it according to his laugh which I hear from down.

When I notice I won’t be able to hang anymore, I make him come up to be able to kiss him.

“I am at your command, princess.”

He kisses me so slowly that makes me lose the sense of space and time for an instant.

“What are you now, some kind of Lancelot?”

“Sort of. I should not even get close to you, however...” he answers, shrugging one of his shoulders and kissing me again.

I unfasten his pants and he makes a fast move to get completely undressed, pulling down the clothes with his feet. He starts caring me with his entire body while he sweeps my neck with his tongue. Still kissing me, he takes out another condom from his pant pocket and puts it aside. Please, don’t make me wait like the other day. Not today...

“Jorge...”

“Tell me.”

“Make love to me now, please.”

I hold the lock of hair which falls over his forehead and I pull it back. He smiles to me in such a sweet manner that I believe I will melt myself right here just for watching him. He unties the bow I have in my hair and launches it to the floor, moving my profuse hair gently and he stares at me few instant, almost entrapped by my curls.

“Plenty of the invitees in the party would like to see you today this manner. I love to know I am the only one who can have you this way.”

“I only want you to have me.”

I still have his head caught from behind, so I push him toward me to kiss him. He separates himself to watch me once more. He grabs the bag, rips it and he takes out the condom, placing it skillfully.

“You are gorgeous, Laura” he pronounces almost as a moan while he introduces himself on me slowly “My Laura...”

He keeps looking at me while he gets in and out of me. I share his movement with my pelvis, which I arise to be closer to him. He grabs my head from behind and starts kissing me at the peace of every move. We are totally measured, our two bodies move at unison. He uses one of my moves to slip his hand in my back, making us completely tangled, joined to the other by every part of our bodies.

I don’t know how much time we could be in this form. Time flies with Jorge when we are in these situations. I start noticing I won’t hold on any longer and, I think he won’t do either considering the more accelerated moves and breathe he has every time. He continues caring me, placing apart every lock of my hair which falls in my face after every move we make, thereby kissing me again. He appears to effort to explain with no words why shouldn’t I be afraid of our relationship, why I shouldn’t be jealous about Claudia or to be concerned about what people say about us in the future.

“Jorge...” I say, gasping.

And after saying that, he perfectly understands. We don’t need to talk anymore to know what we want. He joins his lip and my lips and rushes the pace, making us both reaches the orgasm at the same time with a resounding moan.

He stands still for few seconds over me, until we could control our breath. He raises his head to look at me again, still inside of me. I still gasp slightly. It has been so intense and so sweet in the same time that it turns difficult to me to fully calm my breath. I think he has effort to show me how involved he is in all this, almost equal as I am or even more.

“Are you ok?” he asks worried.

Jorge seems to be always concerned about any tiny thing could happen to me.

“Of course I am, silly...”

He came out of me little by little, he removes the condom making a knot and dropping it over the floor. He lifts the quilt and we get inside the bed, pulling me toward him and I take the chance to cuddle on his arms, the best place in the world I think, after we were in Paris.

He supports his hand over my chest to help my heart stop beating so fast and almost instantly I am completely relaxed. This is the effect Jorge has over me.

He starts kissing my forehead while he caresses my hair.

“I would stay here with you forever” he whispers like if someone was behind the door trying to listen.

He appears to be spoken honestly, not only as a romantic sentence. Then I remember he has to go the following day with Claudia and Noelia and the romantic moment has totally gone, drown for my fears.

“When will we meet again?” I ask him.

“That sounded like a one night adventure.”

I hit him on his arm tenderly and he complains, cheerful.

“Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I’ll have to be in my parents’ house.” I tell him.

“I imagine I will go to Lasalle after we deliver Noelia’s gifts during the night. Call me the next day when you are free and we will go to my mother’s house, do you want?”

“We have a deal...” and I cuddle even more among him.

“I love when you do that.”

“Do what?” I ask without moving.

“Cuddle on me.”

“Why?”

I raise my sight to be able to watch him so handsome; with the orange light... he seems like an old portrait on sepia with green eyes colored on top.

“I do not know, it is like you feel safe with me.”

I smile after his sweet idea. It seems he doubts I can feel safe with him and that is why it turns so perplexing to him believing it can be this way.

“And why shouldn’t I feel safe?”

“I do not use to make this effect precisely...”

“It does in me. I never felt more secure than with you.”

I don’t know why my confession surprised him so much. He finally changes his acid gesture and gives me a smile in return. I lie down over his chest again and he continues caring me until I fall asleep.

What time it is?

I am still sleeping over Jorge while he placidly sleeps next to me. I stretch my hand until the nightstand to watch the hour on my phone. It is almost eight. I don’t manage to perceive a single sound from the outside so; I imagine everybody is still sleeping. I stand up carefully to prevent awakening him, I walk to the bathroom and I grab a bathrobe to place it over me. I want to go to the terrace of the room to watch the landscape from that point and think a while, get some perspective, you know.

When I went out it was still dark but, there must be short time before sun rises. I cross my arms and behold the landscape which extends in front of me. Salamanca is beautiful, there is no doubt. If it was not so tiny...

I remember the previous night and I smile after thinking in the maze. I had ever done something so wild in my life. I didn’t imagine Jorge could be so passionate... Every day, I discover new things about him and I love every single one of them. He is right when he says he is different when he is with me instead of with the rest of people. I don’t know why it happens but I love it does. I think people would be surprised if they knew how he is with me in reality.

And it leads me to think... My father knows. I have to talk to him, I don’t know what he thinks but at least he was not exactly upset, it seems he even like the idea. Different from my mother... I don’t know the reason why she opposes when thinking about Jorge and I together. Only joking about it almost make her blow in anger.

And Jorge... What do I feel about him in this moment? I think I am truly falling in love hopelessly. And that scares me, it never happened to me before and I don’t want to become vulnerable. But just with thinking about him, I feel tingles in my stomach which I can’t control. He takes my breath away when he stares at me with those green eyes and, he knows it. No, I can’t fall in love, it is too complicated and I don’t like to get complications in my life, even less on what comes to love. One thing is having a platonic love, which is even funny. But when things become real...

“What are you doing up here? You will freeze yourself.”

I turn my head and see Jorge wearing his t-shirt and yesterday’s pant only, walking barefoot toward me.

He approaches to me and hugs me from behind, sinking his face in my messy hair.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up, I am sorry” I apologized

“I think I cannot sleep anymore if I do not have you next to me” he removes the hair from his face and kisses my cheek.

I smile like an idiot because I know he is not watching me. Even when he is angry he tells me this kind of things which makes me fall in love deeper. He makes it in purpose, I am sure...

“It has to be incredible to live in a castle, don’t you think?”

“People who live in castles are not happy all the time. Castles are just places, Laura, nothing more than that.”

“But this is a nice place, you can’t deny it. You don’t want me to live in a castle of Scotland?” I tell him recalling his own words from the previous night.

I hear him smile.

“Do you rather a castle instead the attic from Paris?”

“No, never, you know that. Although, it would be no difference to me the place where I had to live if you live with me.”

He stays quiet; I don’t even hear his breath. He seems to be processing my phrase in detail. Did I cross the line by telling him that? In my head it didn’t sound as bad as it did after saying it.

“You deserve to have everything you wish, Laura. I wish I can give it to you some day.”

I turn my head an instant to smile at him and I look back to the landscape.

“You are already giving it to me.”

He squeezes me harder toward him and kisses my hair with devotion. The tickles in my stomach go up higher until they reach my throat, making me feel the desire of shouting to the four winds how happy I am in this moment.

“Look, the sun is rising” he says taking me out of my dream.

We stood there standing on feet no talking, looking at the horizon, watching how a new day begins. In that second I am sure it can’t be anyone on earth who is happier than both of us. It is impossible.