Page 43 of My Spanish Love Affair

The evidence of our union trickles from within me, causing a sticky dampness at the top of my thighs, but I’ll deal with that in a minute.

For now, I’m more than content just to lay here, wrapped up in the safety of Santi’s arms.

Chapter Fifteen

“Ilove a man who knows what he wants.”

“Oh, we’re starting there, are we?” I say with a playful roll of my eyes.

“Absolutely,” Laura replies as she digs into her lunch. “I mean, this man has practically swept you off your feet, hasn’t he? Nowspill. What’s going on with you and this rugby-playing dreamboat?”

I shake my head, my cheeks already warming.

“He’s... wonderful. I mean, I don’t know where to start. What do you want to know?”

“Erm, everything!” she laughs.

“Alright,” I say, trying again. “Well, he’s twenty-nine. Erm… He’s a professional rugby player, obviously. He’s been with the same local team for a few years now, but he plays for the national team, too, which is… kind of a big deal. Ah… Rugby season ends in May, not long before my school closes for the summer. I think it’s kind of bittersweet for him.”

Laura raises an eyebrow. “Bittersweet?”

“Right. I mean, I’m just assuming here. It’s very intense,” I explain. “All of the training and stuff. He has quite a tight schedule. It’s obvious when we talk that he loves it, but it’s not exactly easy on the body. He can’t drink alcohol -”

“At all?!” Laura interrupts.

“Nope,” I confirm, popping thep.“And… I don’t know. There’s this sense that he’s thinking ahead, about what comes next. I guess he can’t play forever. But right now, he’s definitely all in. Training, matches,everything. By the sound of things, his schedule is pretty insane.”

“And yet, he makes time for you,” Laura points out.

I can’t suppress my smile there. “Yeah, he does.”

Laura leans closer to the screen, her curiosity palpable. “So, what are your plans for the summer? Are you coming home?”

I pause, considering my answer. “I don’t think so,” I say finally. “I want to stay here. Embrace the culture, keep immersing myself in all of it. I’ve made some friends at work, and obviously, there’s Santi… but I’ve also signed up to do some tutoring over the summer. I’ll be keeping busy, and still earning money.”

Laura blinks at me in mock disbelief. “Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?!” she asks. “The Olivia I know would have been on the first flight back to moan about the heat and hide in the bedroom at her mum’s for a week straight.”

I laugh. “Maybe I’m changing. Being here has opened me up to so much. New experiences, new people…”

“Rugby players…” Laura chimes in.

“A certain rugby player,” I admit, shaking my head at her cheeky grin. “Just one. But it’s not just him, Laura. It’s the festivals, the language, the food… everything about this place feels alive, and I want to soak up as much of it as I can. I’m not staying here forever, so I want to make the most of it.”

Laura nods thoughtfully, her expression softening. “I get that.I do. I just miss you, you know?”

“I miss you too,” I say, my voice quieter now. “But I feel like I’m finally starting to find myself here. For the first time in ages, I’m not just... drifting.”

“That’s all I want for you,” Laura says softly. Then her teasing grin returns. “That, and for you to give me more details about this Santi guy. Is he funny? Thoughtful? What’s he like?”

I smile, thinking of him. “Both.”

“Wait a minute. He’s hot, funnyandthoughtful?!”

I laugh softly. “He’s not what I expected. He’s so grounded. He talks about his family all the time - especially his mum. He’s always messaging me first and responds quickly, and he always makes the plans for us. And he’s got this ridiculous sense of humor that makes me laugh even when I don’t want to.”

Laura tilts her head, a dreamy look on her face. “He sounds like a keeper.”

“I think he might be,” I say softly, surprising myself with the admission.

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