Page 37 of Swamp Princess

“You cook?” His question surprises me but I answer anyway.

“Yes, I love to cook when I have the money for food.” Cursing myself for saying too much, I try to move past it. “I love cooking shows and read cook books, imagining how I could improve a dish.” I look up and smile at him and see that he already has a smile on his.

“Interesting.” He says as I hand Rosie the finished empanadas ready to be fried.

“Go sit.” Rosie motions to a stool next to Hector and I hesitantly move around the stool and sit. Our arms touch as we sit in silence. Rosie grabs two plates and puts three empanadas on a plate. She slides them in front of me and six in front of Hector.

“You must really like these.” I giggle.

Laughing himself, he takes a big bite, and in between a bite he says, “wait until you try them.”

Eagerly, I take a bite and the beef flavor hits my tongue. I moan not really meaning to be that loud. “Rosie, these are so good, thank you.” I finish the first one in record time and when Rosie starts to eat, we all fall into comfortable silence.

As I reach for more, Rosie smiles and slides two more my way and my phone rings. I pull it out, seeing Blaise’s name and I hit ignore and hit block contact. Not two seconds later, my phone rings with an unknown number.

This time, I answer. “Hello?”

“Brinley? Where are you?”

“Who is this?”

“Kingston, now answer.” I snort.

“Fuck off.” I hang up the phone and also hit block contact.

“Everything good?” Hector asks and I’m hit with embarrassment again.

“Yeah, just stressed. Nothing I can’t handle.” I take another bite.

“Want to go swimming?” Hector asks, surprising me.

“Um, I don’t have a bathing suit.” I look down at my school uniform that I am wearing. He also looks down.

“Skystead? I thought you lived in the south?”

“Hector, she won the scholarship to the school.” Rosie fills him in.

He lips quirk up again. “Beautiful and smart.” He stands and holds his hand out to me. “Come on, you can swim in underclothing. It’s like a bikini anyway.”

Normally, I would decline. Not like this, but after the shit day I had, I smile and nod, taking his offered hand.

“Buena, nina,” Hector whispers. He called me Good girl. I don’t know why that shoots sparks to my core, but it does.

Hector guides me through the house, passing a large living room with wide open windows that overlook a sprawling garden to one side. Down a hallway, lined with photos of what looks like a young Hector and his grandmother. One of the last photos is of a very young looking Hector with a young looking woman, and a younger, but fierce looking man.

“These your parents?” I point to the last photo and Hector pauses and nods. I don’t pry any further. I just met him, and I don’t think he would want to talk about something so personal with someone he doesn’t know.

The hallways are hardwood flooring that blend nicely with the light peach of the walls which I bet make it look amazing in the rising and setting sun. As we near the backyard, I see the in ground large pool that comes with a giant slide and a diving board.

Hector hands me a towel and we walk out together, and I see all the seating under a large cabana on the side. He places his towel in one chair and turns to smile. “Come on.” I watch him run and dive into the water and swimming before surfacing again.

His eyes sparkle in the sun and I melt. This man is sinfully sexy, and I add him to the list of men I’ve had this reaction to. Blaise, the three sky kings, and now him. Hector, though, holds a dangerous air about him and I don’t know why, and honestly right now, I don’t care.

“You going to stand there or get undressed?” He chuckles when I blush.

Thank goodness I wore a matching sky-blue bra and lace sky-blue panties that ruche in the back, making my ass look nice. I kick off the heels and drag down the thigh high stockings, placing them to the side. I remove my jacket and that leaves me with my shirt and skirt.

I look back at Hector who gulps as he watches, and even with him looking slightly nervous, I still feel that I am jumping into the water with a shark. I decide to take my shirt off first, getting used to the idea. Hector is right, it is like a bathing suit but somehow, it still feels naughty.

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