Evenings at the Argentine Club (25 page)

He took his time, letting her dress fall, kissing her breasts through the tight fabric of her dress, pressing his hips against
hers. Slowly drawing in his need. Fighting to keep from doing what his sex-starved body craved. Finally, he cupped her face
and dropped a gentle kiss on her swollen lips. “I think we should date.”

She laughed deeply, way too sexy. “I love that idea.”

“Me too. Love the idea. That’s why I’m giving up what… damn it, I want right now.”

He stepped back. She sighed.

“You deserve the romance, the magical dating phase,” he said, more to convince himself that he was doing the right thing than
to inform her.

Her fingers combed through his hair, and her eyes warmly studied him. “Are you trying to make me fall in love with you?”

Her question stopped his thoughts cold, stiffening his back. Was he?

“Because my heart is doing some pretty crazy flips right now.”

He took her hand and kissed her fingers, then walked her to her bedroom, ignoring the question he couldn’t answer. “I had
a great night. You wanna go out again tomorrow night?”

With a smile, she nodded. “You dropping me off at my door?”

“Yeah.” He leaned a hand on the doorjamb. “See you tomorrow?”

She gave him a quick, soft kiss. “Maybe. Call me.” Then she slipped into her room

Eric chuckled and went to sit outside for a while. He wouldn’t be able to sleep for probably a couple of hours.

V
ictoria awoke early. Normally she would have slept in after a late night, especially one when she’d stayed up sexually frustrated
and emotionally shaken, replaying the scene with Eric over and over in her mind. The man was beyond sweet, and he made her
insides melt in so many ways. But life called for her to get up and take care of her responsibilities. She took a quick shower,
trying not to let her heart take over her head. When she saw Eric this morning, she had to be cool. She dressed in a pair
of jeans and a spaghetti strap top. Her mother would probably be going to the club today, and she would, too. She prepared
a plate of fresh fruit. She placed it on the center of their small card table in case Eric wanted some as well when he woke
up. Then grabbed a yogurt cup and her cell phone. As she enjoyed her breakfast, she speed-dialed her mother.

Jaqueline answered on the second ring.

“Good morning, Mom.”

“Victoria, how was the reunion? You didn’t stop by and let me see you all dressed up.”

“No, we got back late. But it was fun. Are we going to the club today?”

“Yes,” she said, not sounding very excited.

Eric walked into her field of vision, in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. The sleepy, intimate look of him, actually brought
warmth to her face. “I’ll, ah, pick you up around one?”

“All right, querida. I’ll be ready.”

Victoria said good-bye and stared at Eric.

He took a seat across from her. Reached for a bunch of grapes and popped a few in his mouth. “Want one?”

“I have some.” She pointed to the plate she’d loaded with grapes, blackberries, and a banana.

But he reached across and held a grape to her lips anyway. Victoria took it, even though she felt sort of silly.

He smiled, stood, and walked around the table. Bending down, he eased a spaghetti strap down her right shoulder and gently
dropped kisses and little nibbles on her skin. As if every touch of his lips raised her body temperature five degrees, her
skin grew hot. When he finished, he crouched by her knees and looked up at her. “What would you like to do today?”

She lifted an eyebrow and swallowed. “I’m
going
to spend the afternoon with my mom at the Argentine Club. I’d
like
to get started on those dates as soon as possible, but I guess that will have to wait.”

He placed both hands on her knees and moved them seductively up her jean-clad legs.

“Can I go to the club, too? I promise to behave.” His hands jumped from her thighs to her waist, where he rested them lightly.

She hooked her own hands behind his neck. “Do you really want to go?”

He nodded. “I actually do. I want to be where you’re at.”

She lowered her head and rested her forehead against his. “I’m really starting to like you,” she said, overwhelmed with the
whirling sensations of pleasure just his words stirred in her.

He kissed her lips and sat back on his heels. “That means I can go?”

“Of course, but you don’t need my permission. It’s your club, too, Eric.”

“Part of our shared history.”

“That’s right. We’ve both been cursed with all the crazy Argentine traditions, and they’re part of you, just like they’re
part of me.” And maybe that was the biggest attraction between them. The bond they shared ran deep and would always be there.

“Maybe it’s not a curse after all. I didn’t want to be part of all that when I was younger. But lately I’ve realized I’ve
become part of nothing, and it doesn’t feel good. I need life to have a deeper meaning.”

“Deeper than what?”

He grinned wryly. “I don’t know. Deeper than traveling around, seeing places on my own, and making money. I can’t remember
why I wanted to do that anymore.”

“Maybe you needed to figure out who you were apart from your parents and your culture.”

“Maybe.” He winked. “Is that what you feel?”

“Yes.”

He entwined his fingers with hers. “Maybe we can help each other. I’ll take a step back in and try to reconnect, and you take
a step out and leave some of that behind. It’ll be a new beginning for both of us.”

She’d already taken many steps out. She was figuring out who she was and what she wanted. Now she needed to help him return
home. And she wanted to, more than anything.

Jaqueline spent the morning reading. She was starting to understand that she wasn’t insane, and that there was nothing wrong
with the feelings she’d been having lately. Women who spent their entire lives dedicated to their children and husbands often
felt at a loss when that family was all of a sudden gone.

She bought a journal and a planner to create a new plan for her future. That was another thing she was coming to realize.
The future wasn’t something only for her husband and her children. Why couldn’t she create a fulfilling new life different
from the one she’d had as a mother?

Excited, she logged on to the online community she was coming to enjoy chatting with. She spent about an hour and a half sharing
her ah-ha moments and her plans for the upcoming cruise. She looked at pictures of young men and women in military uniforms
from other members who were not simply missing their children because they’d moved out, but had the added worry for their
safety. At least she didn’t have that fear.

Victoria arrived with Eric shortly after noon. Although she was surprised to see them together, she tried not to show it.
She wondered how many things they did together now and if they were becoming an actual couple. Jaqueline didn’t see how that
was possible when Eric was here only temporarily. She hoped Victoria kept that in mind.

“Oh, my God, Mom, are all these boxes in the living room things you’re going to get rid of?”

Jaqueline poured them both a glass of orange juice. “Yes. I’m going to have the Salvation Army pick it all up this week.”

Victoria looked through some of the boxes. “All our board games?” she complained.

“If you want them, take them. I have no use for those anymore.”

Victoria gave Eric a look as if to say,
Can you believe she’s getting rid of this stuff?

He stood beside her. “Tell me which ones you want to keep and I’ll put them in your car,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“This one.” She picked up Monopoly. “And this one.” Scrabble. “Oh, and these puzzles.” She piled them into Eric’s arms. “Am
I taking too many?”

“Take what you like, but I’ll have to make another trip if you add any more.”

“My dad’s chess game; he won’t want to lose that. Okay, that’s it.”

Eric staggered to the car, and Victoria sat at the kitchen table and accepted the juice.

Jaqueline looked her over. “You’re getting terribly thin. On your body type it doesn’t look good to be too skinny.”

“I feel great. I go for a run every morning and am up to three miles.”

Jaqueline wanted her to feel great, of course, and to be healthy—but a little meat on a woman’s bones was healthy. Why did
these American kids all think they had to look like mannequins? “You’re probably not eating much living with Eric. Are you
cooking?”

“Yes, but not too much because we want the kitchen to stay in new condition. But I’m eating fine. In fact, I’m looking forward
to an asado at the club today. Are you ready?”

Eric walked back inside. He went back to the boxes.

“I’m ready,” Jaqueline said. “Let me get a sweater. The air-conditioning is always too high at that club. There’s juice on
the table,” she said to Eric.

“Oh, thank you.” He picked up her camera. “Nice. You aren’t getting rid of this, are you?”

“I’m thinking about it,” she said, still not certain she wanted to give up entirely on her passion for photography.

“I’ll buy it off you, if you decide to get rid of it.”

“You like to take pictures?”

He blushed. “I just want to take some pictures of Victoria. I have a digital I use for my houses, but I bet this one will
take some really nice shots.”

She gazed at the young man Eric had grown into. Did he love Victoria? Was that possible? And if he did, how long would it
last before he found another woman to love and hurt Victoria, erasing the pure feelings she might have for him? “Take it,”
she said, as she turned away. But before she reached the hallway she turned back. “Borrow it. And bring it back when you’re
finished.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Torres.”

“I’ll have to show you how to use it. That’s a complicated camera. The lenses take some work.”

“I’d appreciate that,” he said, full of sincerity.

Jaqueline headed to her bedroom, knowing that if she didn’t, she’d say things she shouldn’t. The boy was too charming and
handsome for his own good, and Victoria would fall for it all, just like she herself fell for Victor. She had to fight the
urge to tell him to stay away from her daughter.

Of course Lucia was thrilled to see them all at the club. And Victoria was her new best friend. Lucia hugged her and pulled
her aside. “Eric looks so happy when he’s with you,” she said. “I’m not implying anything. But you look great together, like
you fit.”

That wasn’t implying anything?
“Thank you, Mrs. Ortelli.”

“You know since you two decided to work on that house together, he hasn’t mentioned leaving even once.”

“I guess you’re hoping he sticks around a long while, huh?” She felt for Lucia, she really did. She’d been so heartbroken
when Eric left. She remembered Jaqueline sitting on the couch, holding Lucia while she cried. She’d heard it all from her
bedroom and had hated Eric back then.

“He belongs here with all of us. A man has to be surrounded by those who love him in order to reach his potential. Love makes
him stronger and happier and healthier.”

“Well, he can’t even think of leaving until he sells the house, so don’t worry. Okay?”

“But there could be other houses, right?”

“I really don’t know his intentions.”

Lucia patted her face. “You’re right. Let’s not worry about that now. The wonderful thing is that he’s here and he’s happy,
and you’re a big part of that reason.”

Victoria blushed. “Mrs. Ortelli, I don’t think that’s true.” If she was responsible for Eric’s happiness and desire to stick
around, when Eric left would Lucia also feel that she was responsible for him leaving? “I’d better get to the classroom to
help out. Excuse me.”

She hurried away, leaving Eric, who had found a table to sit at and fiddle with her mother’s camera, in the main hall. If
Lucia had any more questions, she could direct them at her son.

A couple of hours flew by. She loved working with the kids, even if they complained about having to do anything at all. Alyssa
was one of her favorites, but she was a heavy complainer. Today she found issue with everything.

“But you get to do crafts and fun things,” Victoria said to the precocious seven-year-old.

“This is boring.” She waved the collage of fall images in front of Victoria’s face.

“When I was little they actually had Spanish lessons here on Sunday.” Victoria eased her hand down and cocked an eyebrow.
“It was like school. You’re lucky. I wouldn’t complain—it could be worse.”

“I could be home playing DS or playing with my friends.”

Victoria sympathized with her—but hey, this was part of the burden all Argentine kids had to bear. Sundays at the club. When
lunchtime arrived, everyone was happy, including her.

That was until Lucia cornered her again at the table. She set down a bowl of salad and gave Victoria a hug. “Would you and
Eric like to come over for dinner next Friday night? I can’t invite Eric without inviting you anymore. You’ve always been
like family, but now that you and Eric are so close, you’re even more like a daughter.”