Because right now, I feel like walking away from her would be torture. I won’t do it. So I’ve got to wait until it wears off – because no woman has ever made me feel this strongly at our first meeting. I have to wait and see what course this takes.
“Oh, it looks so sweet,” Ashley grins, stepping forward and through the doorway. I like how she’s able to lead the way, rather than waiting on me to make every decision for her. Some women expect you to open every door and prevent them from having to lift a finger. Maybe I’ve gotten used to the lazy, spoiled women who are the wives of my business partners or their friends. Maybe it’s just that this American is a breath of fresh air.
I follow her inside to a table, where she picks up the menu and begins to read. “You speak Spanish now?” I ask, watching her eyes move over the text.
“Not really,” Ashley admits. “I picked up a few basic phrases when I booked this trip. Just enough to get by. And some things are obvious – like patatas bravas, I think I know what that is.”
“I can translate if you’d like to know the rest,” I tell her. I watch as she puts the menu down on the table and bends over it to concentrate, then I quickly jerk my own menu in front of my face. Mainly because that stops me from staring right down her cleavage since the way she’s leaning really makes it hard to avoid.
Damn. Concentrate, Fernando. I try to think of things that are decidedly unsexy: taxes, parking fines, cemeteries. Anything to get control of my dick and make it stop wanting me to rip her clothes off right here and fuck her on the table. What is wrong with me today?
“What’s this one?” she asks. “Something about… fish?”
“Fish stew,” I tell her, glancing at her finger marking the spot and getting an eyeful again. I really need something to distract me, now.
“I think I’ll have a Spanish omelet,” she says, then laughs. “Or, I mean, an omelet, I suppose.”
“You’ll get used to that,” I assure her. “How long are you here for?”
“Just until the end of the week,” Ashley says. “I was in Madrid last week. I wanted to take a little vacation, just by myself. To prove I could, I suppose.”
“Why not?” I reply, keeping my smile up despite the sinking feeling in my chest. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I thought she would be here longer. Maybe I thought there was no way the universe would put this beautiful creature in my path unless it would allow me to keep her. Just one week. It’s not very long at all.
But a lot could happen in a week.
“Anyway, it’s going pretty well so far,” Ashley says. “I only got lost in Madrid three times. And every time, I tried to ask someone in Spanish for directions…”
“Don’t tell me,” I say. “They replied in English each time.”
“Yes!” Ashley laughs. “It’s like everyone speaks it here.”
“In the big cities, yes,” I nod. “Tourist resorts too. It’s easier to get by. Out in the countryside, it might be different.”
“I didn’t know you still lived here,” Ashley says, making a thoughtful face. “Dad must know, though.”
“Yes, I’m sure he does – we spoke a couple of months ago and I told him about what I’ve been up to recently. Nothing has changed in that time.”
“I don’t know why he didn’t call to suggest you show me around, then,” Ashley says, then shrugs. “Maybe he thought you would be too busy.”
“He could still have asked.” I offer her a sly smile. “I can show you around if you like.”
“Really?” she asks, excitement immediately lighting up her face before I see her consciously fight it down. “Oh, no. I couldn’t ask you to do that. You must be so busy.”
“Busy, yes,” I tell her. “And bored, yes. It would be a nice break. Actually, this afternoon I’m totally free.”
“You are?” The excitement lights up her eyes again and I can feel it happening, something is taking over me. She’s so enchanting. The way she shows everything on her face, without trying to hide how she feels. It’s so innocent and raw. Talking to her, I remember what it’s like to be that young. It’s been twenty years since I was her age, but I feel it coming back to me. She infuses me with it like a potion of youth. She makes me feel vibrant and fresh, the way she is.
“It’s settled,” I tell her. “We eat, and then we walk. I’ll show you some places that only locals know.”
“That would be perfect,” Ashley enthuses. “Thank you, Fernando.”
“Please,” I tell her. “Nando.”
And just like that, I’ve secured myself a few more hours with her.