Page 15 of Out of Office

“I’ve been to several fondas, and this by far is the best decor. I love the mural and the art for the Buenona letters,” Genevieve said, her face a mask of wonder as she gazed at the blue, green, and purple wall with an intricate mural of the beach and a curvy woman facing the sea. The letters were blocked, and each of them had native flowers from the area curving around the corners.

“Yeah, that’s all Chichi. He’s pretty talented. Also very good with graphic design,” I explained, proud of my nephew as I rested my elbow on the counter and faced Genevieve. I loved that she was tall enough that I didn’t need to fully bend to look down and keep eye contact with her.

“Adri, what you want tonight?” Claudia appeared in the opening, wiping her hands.

“Anything in particular you want to try?” I asked Genevieve.

“If y’all have arroz con coco y guandú, and fish escabeche, I’ll be the happiest woman alive.”

“It’s that easy, huh?” I smirked and Genevieve flushed dark as she fiddled with the strap of her tank top. My chest tightened, and I shifted on my feet, hoping things didn’t get hard below. I followed the trail of her finger, my eyes traveling up her neck, then to her lush lips. Genevieve caressed her neck, and she seemed to be caught in the same trance I was in.

“Two days, huh? I’ll be surprised if you make it tonight.” Claudia pursed her lips in smugness, then turned to Gen. “I have all of that honey, I gotchu. And you?”

“I’ll do the same,” I said as I noticed Genevieve attempting to find her footing again after Claudia’s meddling comments.

“Let’s go get somewhere to sit down.” I offered her my palm, and she rested her hand in mine. An electric current galvanized where our fingers met. I didn’t want to let her go when we reached our table, so I kept holding her. Genevieve stared at our clasped fingers, offered me a goofy grin, and that current strengthened inside me.

“I know I’ve been acting like a green girl today, but I guess I just haven’t done this in a long time,” Genevieve confessed, and I nodded in understanding.

“You don’t get out much back in the States? All work and no play?”

“What makes you think that?” she said, a self-deprecating laugh escaping her. I tightened the hold of her warm hand, my heart thumping faster at her laughter.

“I had a front seat view of your everyday, at least when you’re in a project. Not once did you ask me to make an extra stop or to take you somewhere else completely.”

“You don’t know my life. I could have been doing stuff after you dropped me off.” She flicked her ponytail playfully.

“So, you saved your wild escapades for when I wasn’t around. Damn, it’s like that?” I clutched my chest, pretending to be wounded.

“Oh please, I wish I had them at all,” she mumbled and kept toying with her ponytail. Her hair gradually grew as the day progressed, and I was curious to see how it looked without straightening. When Genevieve had her walls down, and she was fully comfortable.

“You could have asked, I’d gladly have taken you out.” Damn, I hadn’t meant for that to sound suggestive, but Genevieve didn’t seem fazed.

“Really, you wouldn’t have felt conflicted about work?”

“I would have asked another driver to keep driving you if things...” If things went the way I hoped these two weeks would go.

“Oh, but I would have hated to lose the time we had together each morning and each afternoon,” Gen said.

“We would have seen each other regularly. I was too drawn to you. The truth is I don’t do drives anymore. Not since we hired a few drivers. But the guy that was supposed to pick up you up that first day was sick and...” I shrugged.

“Oh, whew... I used to wake up so excited to see you in the mornings I had to temper myself by the time I stepped into the elevator. We’d just been together the night before in the car, but it felt too long,” Gen confessed, pressing her palm to her cheekbone.

“We were fools.” A pang of regret vibrated through me at the time lost.

“True, but hey, you made your move, and here we are.” She squeezed my hand and her plump lips spread in a wide grin.

“Yeah, here we are.” I let that bass from earlier really deepen. Her proximity was alluring, and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from saying something out of pocket. Gen’s eyes stared at my bottom lip, and her pink tongue traveled the path of her own lush bottom lip. The same way I wish I could right now. I tugged her hand, and she swayed forward, showing me more of her beautiful dark brown skin exposed by her shoulder, begging to be caressed.

“Get a room! I’ll be surprised if you can get out of the fonda without jumping on each other. Damn.” The group of women at the following table all busted out laughing at my loudmouthed sister’s comment. There really should be a support group for aggrieved younger brothers. Claudia placed the fragrant hot plates in front of us, a pitcher of chicha and another of water.

“I was gonna get the plates.”

“Really? If I’d waited for you to realize the food was ready, you’d be eating icicles instead of hot food. Enjoy, Genevieve, not for nothing, but I’m the best cook across these areas.”

“Oh no, Claudia, don’t be so modest; please don’t hold back,” I mocked and Claudia’s hand popped my head. Fuck that hurt.

Genevieve’s chuckles joined the laughter from the following table and I felt a spark of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time. I didn’t remember feeling this bubble of positive pressure in my chest since...since before I’d made the necessary changes to save myself and my sanity.

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