Nico had even
found a pair of huaraches, and added a small gold ring to his left
ear to match the gold chain around his neck. Funny, but Erica
didn’t recall seeing a pierced opening on his lobe before, though
she hadn’t really paid too much attention to his upper body except
for his gorgeous hair, face and mouth.
Of course, the minute he spied her when he
came to pick her up for the wedding, Nico produced a low whistle of
appreciation. For the occasion, Erica chose to wear her hair back
in a tight chignon and added a hair pick of silk, exotic plumeria
on the side. The sarong dress, in pink floral voile, set off her
curves nicely, while the gold sandal pumps were comfortable enough
to kick up her heels all night.
Her own family, the Rael clan, were quite
taken with Nico, but Erica refused to spend the rest of the evening
in the company of her mother and aunt who would pepper her with a
myriad of pointed questions. Tía Yolanda had the bad habit of
dousing her niece with questions like the hot chili flakes she
added liberally to her spicy caldo . Olga Rael’s maternal
gaze certainly sized Nico up for her possible son-in-law; but in
order to tone down the effects of her family’s meddling, Erica had
purposely steered them to a table far from family members.
Now Nico gripped her hand. “You do know, it’s
a tossup between you and your mother who gets the first dance with
me.”
“Oh, please!” she countered lightly. “The
more you indulge mi mamá , the more she’ll drive me crazy. Do
you know, she already has the tux picked out for you. The church,
too, I imagine.”
“A tux, huh?” He laughed. “I thought we’d
marry sans the traditional wardrobe with the bride in a towel
marked Hers and the groom in one marked His. Saves time during the
honeymoon.”
Even though she chuckled along, Erica felt a
twinge of apprehension. She didn’t want to give him the idea she
planned to move them into a permanent arrangement—or allow her
mother to do so on her daughter’s behalf.
Before Erica had time to form an answer, Nico
took her hand and led her to the dance floor. They started with a corrida , moved on to a cumbia , and then to an
old-fashioned, rock and roll dance. When the band segued into a
slow Spanish ballad, Nico brought her close, and Erica easily
molded her body and steps to his own.
Surprisingly, he whispered along to the
Spanish lyrics, and Erica shivered with a newfound appreciation for
his many assets. “So, you know this song?”
“I know many things, querida ,” he
cooed in her ear. “I have only just begun to give you a sample of
my varied talents.”
“Sounds exciting.” She nuzzled against his
cheek and savored his cologne. “I can’t wait!”
“Spontaneity is my stock-in-trade. What do
you say we try skinny dipping in the pool later on?”
Erica knitted her brows as she had a quick
thought. “Don’t we have to be guests of the hotel?”
“That can be arranged. If the married couple
have the honeymoon suite tonight, we can ask for the other VIP
room, the Horny Guests Who Need a Bed suite.”
Tilting her head, she laughed. “Is that the
one with the mirrored ceiling, the vibrating bed and the hot tub in
the shape of a huge champagne glass?”
“The one and only.”
“Although,” she reasoned, “I think Maya and
Tomás are taking a midnight flight to Cancun. That honeymoon suite
may be available after all.”
Pulling away to look into her eyes, Nico
smiled. “We can always check in as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were
just married today.”
“Juan or John Smith?” she added breezily,
“Juan and Maria, of course.”
“Of course!”
“All right!” As soon as the band whipped into
a lively country-western number, Nico kicked up his heels. “Texas
honky tonk! Come on!”
As she allowed him to guide her, Erica soon
twirled and jitterbugged like a pro. By the time the song ended,
she had to catch her breath. “Time out!” she called and allowed
Nico to lead her back
found a pair of huaraches, and added a small gold ring to his left
ear to match the gold chain around his neck. Funny, but Erica
didn’t recall seeing a pierced opening on his lobe before, though
she hadn’t really paid too much attention to his upper body except
for his gorgeous hair, face and mouth.
Of course, the minute he spied her when he
came to pick her up for the wedding, Nico produced a low whistle of
appreciation. For the occasion, Erica chose to wear her hair back
in a tight chignon and added a hair pick of silk, exotic plumeria
on the side. The sarong dress, in pink floral voile, set off her
curves nicely, while the gold sandal pumps were comfortable enough
to kick up her heels all night.
Her own family, the Rael clan, were quite
taken with Nico, but Erica refused to spend the rest of the evening
in the company of her mother and aunt who would pepper her with a
myriad of pointed questions. Tía Yolanda had the bad habit of
dousing her niece with questions like the hot chili flakes she
added liberally to her spicy caldo . Olga Rael’s maternal
gaze certainly sized Nico up for her possible son-in-law; but in
order to tone down the effects of her family’s meddling, Erica had
purposely steered them to a table far from family members.
Now Nico gripped her hand. “You do know, it’s
a tossup between you and your mother who gets the first dance with
me.”
“Oh, please!” she countered lightly. “The
more you indulge mi mamá , the more she’ll drive me crazy. Do
you know, she already has the tux picked out for you. The church,
too, I imagine.”
“A tux, huh?” He laughed. “I thought we’d
marry sans the traditional wardrobe with the bride in a towel
marked Hers and the groom in one marked His. Saves time during the
honeymoon.”
Even though she chuckled along, Erica felt a
twinge of apprehension. She didn’t want to give him the idea she
planned to move them into a permanent arrangement—or allow her
mother to do so on her daughter’s behalf.
Before Erica had time to form an answer, Nico
took her hand and led her to the dance floor. They started with a corrida , moved on to a cumbia , and then to an
old-fashioned, rock and roll dance. When the band segued into a
slow Spanish ballad, Nico brought her close, and Erica easily
molded her body and steps to his own.
Surprisingly, he whispered along to the
Spanish lyrics, and Erica shivered with a newfound appreciation for
his many assets. “So, you know this song?”
“I know many things, querida ,” he
cooed in her ear. “I have only just begun to give you a sample of
my varied talents.”
“Sounds exciting.” She nuzzled against his
cheek and savored his cologne. “I can’t wait!”
“Spontaneity is my stock-in-trade. What do
you say we try skinny dipping in the pool later on?”
Erica knitted her brows as she had a quick
thought. “Don’t we have to be guests of the hotel?”
“That can be arranged. If the married couple
have the honeymoon suite tonight, we can ask for the other VIP
room, the Horny Guests Who Need a Bed suite.”
Tilting her head, she laughed. “Is that the
one with the mirrored ceiling, the vibrating bed and the hot tub in
the shape of a huge champagne glass?”
“The one and only.”
“Although,” she reasoned, “I think Maya and
Tomás are taking a midnight flight to Cancun. That honeymoon suite
may be available after all.”
Pulling away to look into her eyes, Nico
smiled. “We can always check in as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were
just married today.”
“Juan or John Smith?” she added breezily,
“Juan and Maria, of course.”
“Of course!”
“All right!” As soon as the band whipped into
a lively country-western number, Nico kicked up his heels. “Texas
honky tonk! Come on!”
As she allowed him to guide her, Erica soon
twirled and jitterbugged like a pro. By the time the song ended,
she had to catch her breath. “Time out!” she called and allowed
Nico to lead her back
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