Translation of Love - By Alice Montalvo-Tribue Page 0,32
turns his head, briefly looking out the window. When he turns back to me, I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. “Can I ask you something?”
My heart rate increases. I always dread situations like these. Heart to hearts are not my thing. “Yes.”
“This morning, when I…I went to far, didn’t I?”
I suck in my breath. This is exactly what I didn’t want. I don’t want my fears and insecurities to fall onto him. I need to reassure him, to show him that it’s okay, that I really do like him. He’s the reason I’ve come this far and if he pulls back, there’s no telling what might happen. I just know that at this moment, I don’t wanna go backwards. I get up, move to him, lowering myself onto his lap, circling my arms around his neck. He reciprocates by sliding his arms around my waist. I put my forehead against his and decide that if I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna go all in. “Baby,” I whisper. “This morning, was…” I smile, and bring my lips down to his, placing a gentle kiss there. “It was amazing. You didn’t go too far. It was perfect.”
Victor smiles against my lips. “It was pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.” He kisses me, sending electric currents pulsing through every surface of my body. He’s pulling me further in, making himself my center of gravity. No one has ever been able to calm my nerves like this. He pulls away, resting his forehead in the crook of my neck. “If you don’t want me to go tonight, I understand. I can go back to the hotel and you can come by after.”
He’s such a good guy, I’m truly starting to believe it. “No. I want you to come. Hopefully, my family will be on their best behavior but I can’t make any promises.”
He lifts his head and tilts it up to look at me. “They don’t have to be on their best behavior. One day you’ll meet my family and God only knows how they’ll act.”
I smile down at him. “One family at a time. Deal?”
“Deal, should we shake on it?” I shake my head. “No? What then.”
I run my tongue against his bottom lip. “Kiss me,” I say, He gives me his mouth and takes mine in return. I don’t recognize myself anymore. This is more like the girl I was pre-Brian, before all of the lies, and hurt. I thought that she was gone, lost to me forever. Perhaps I was wrong.
My pulse is racing, my palms are sweaty, and my breathing is erratic as I open the door to Dad’s house. After the day I’ve spent with Victor, I really don’t want my family to do anything to scare him away. To be fair, I’m not exactly sure how they’ll react. I’ve never brought anyone home before. I never really even introduced them to Brian. I just kind of disappeared off the face of the earth for the length of our relationship. They met him a few times but, for the most part, I was living a different life back then. I guess in hindsight, the fact that I kept him away from my family speaks volumes. I was going through a hard time when I met Brian. I’d just lost my mom and I guess I thought he could fill the void that losing her had left behind. I was wrong. Nothing could ever fill that void.
“Auntie Elle!” I hear Gemma before I see her bounding into the foyer. She stops dead in her tracks, looks at Victor, then back to me with a huge grin on her face. “Nice!”
I’m pretty sure I’m turning a bright shade of red. “Gemma!”
“What?” she asks still grinning. “Dad, Grandpa, Auntie Elle and her friend are here!” she yells loud enough for the neighbors to hear. I look at Victor who is holding back laughter, then back to Gemma. “What are you…five?”
Gavin enters the room, striding with purpose to me and Victor. His eyes are kind. I know he’s not aiming to give Victor a hard time. He pulls me into a hug. “Hey, Sis.”
I hug him back. “Hey, Gav.” I pull back. “Victor, this is my brother, Gavin. Gavin, this is Victor.”
Gavin holds out his hand. Victor takes it and they shake. “Nice to meet you, Victor.” He lets go of Victor’s hand and throws his arm around Gemma’s shoulder. “Have you met my loudmouth daughter, Gemma?”