Page 2 of Caffeine & Chaos

The sound of the shutter echoed through the silent room; a moment frozen in time immortalized on film. With a sense of reverence, he lowered the camera, his fingers tingling as the polaroid emerged. He caressed the photograph as if it were a precious treasure.

She was perfect, flawless in every way. The curve of her smile, the sway of her hips—each detail etched into his memory with a clarity that bordered on madness. And yet, no matter how many pictures he took, no matter how many moments he captured, it was never enough.

As she disappeared from view, swallowed up by the hustle and bustle of the street, he felt a pang of longing grip his heart. But he knew that soon, she would return. And when she did, he would be waiting, his camera poised and ready to capture her beauty once more, adding yet another piece to his ever-growing shrine of obsession.

Her.

It felt good to dance. The pulsating heat, sweat, and raw energy of the club, was liberating. Swaying and gyrating her hips, Nadia surrendered to the music coursing through her veins, from head to toe. The DJ’s rhythms bore the unmistakable influence of Cuban music, adding depth to the already electric atmosphere. The intricate beats of Cuban Salsa fueled her movements, infusing her with vitality, and restoring her confidence.

Tonight, she would lose herself in the music, leaving behind the unsettling encounter in the cafe. There was nothing more empowering than a night on the town, surrounded by the energy of the bar. Already, a small circle of admirers had formed on the outskirts of the dance floor, their gazes fixed on her with a mix of desire and intrigue. Nadia smiled to herself, amused at the thought of having her pick of the men to take home.

Nadia stiffened momentarily as strong hands encircled her waist from behind and settled on her lower abdomen, just inside her hips. His fingertips slipped just under the lip of her low rider short shorts, sending a shiver down her spine. The man jerked her back against him commandingly and locked her hips into his, twisting rhythmically to the music. As she relaxed into him, inviting his advance, she could feel him growing hard against her with each passing moment. Nadia slid her hands down his forearms and pressed her palms against the backs of his hands, giving him a silent yes to his unasked question.

They moved in perfect synchronous harmony together – there wasn’t a shred of the usual frantic clumsiness that often accompanied these salacious drunken encounters. This man was graceful, strong, and commanding.

The stranger pressed his lips against the shell of Nadia’s ear. “You are exquisite,” his deep and sensual voice trailed warmth down her neck, causing her legs to buckle.

Nadia leaned her head back into him, draping her wavy blonde hair down his chest. His hand slid up her bare waist, over her midriff tank, and encircled her throat briefly, before running through her hair. A deep ache began to develop in her loins; her legs started to tremble in response to her intense desire for him.

She needed to get a grip. She was swooning all over again and losing control, just like in the café. After all, he was merely another man, ensnared on the same hook as countless others before him. Yet, despite this rationalization, an undeniable craving surged within her. She hadn’t even seen his face yet and she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone.

When the song ended Nadia continued to rock listlessly for a few seconds, soaking in the intoxicating cocktail of pheromones that had overtaken her senses. When she finally became aware of the fact that the man’s hands were no longer on her, she pursed her lips into a coy smile and turned around, ready to put the nail in the seduction coffin.

There was no one in sight. Nadia stood there, stunned by the absence of the mystery man. He hadn’t lingered after the song ended. Scanning the crowd, she finally caught sight of a figure navigating through the throng at the edge of the dance floor—a fleeting glimpse of the man she believed to be him.

Nadia gasped audibly. It was him! She would recognize that body anywhere; the muscular width of his shoulders, the V-shape of his lats leading into his waist, and his firm round buttocks. She had drunk in his perfect form every day for the last month, imagining herself intertwined with that body in all kinds of kinky positions. Come to think of it, the voice in her ear had sounded vaguely familiar. It was Ryan McKellen!He’d drove her into a tizzy and then left her destitute immediately after.

Every muscle in her body tensed, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Anger surged through her like a searing dagger, fueled by the realization that he had gotten the better of her again. Nadia seethed with frustration, directing her ire not only at him but also at herself for allowing it to happen. Still, he had some serious nerve to leave her like that. The next time she saw him she was going to give that son of a bitch a piece of her-

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Nadia jumped. Lost in her own thoughts she hadn’t noticed the young man approach her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and relaxed her shoulders, willing herself to regain some serenity and self-control. She came here for a purpose, and here he was. The need to wash Ryan out of her mind was an even higher priority than it was when she arrived at the club an hour or so earlier. The stranger was cute, fresh-faced, and innocent looking. Just the distraction she needed.

“Sure you can,” she forced a demure smile and closed the short distance between her and the young man.

Nadia scrutinized his form as she followed him over to the bar. He was well-built, tanned, and clearly very young. She guessed twenty-one to twenty-four years old. Nadia was only twenty-six, but rarely gave men of that age the time of day.

“What’s your name?” He shouted over the music.

“I’m Nadia. And what should I call you, besides my generous benefactor?” Nadia teased him, a playful glint in her eye. Judging by the flash of confusion on his face, he didn’t get it. She took another appraising glance at him; his half-turned stance toward her showcased the impressive bulge of his pecs and the chiseled definition of his abs beneath his snug T-shirt. Still drunk with desire from her dance with Ryan, she quickly determined she could overlook his lack of wit.

“My name’s Travis.” He shot her a toothy smile and brushed a strand of his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes.

It was Travis’ lucky day. Nadia stroked her hand down his forearm provocatively, leaned into him, and whispered right in his ear “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Travis.”

Him.

Ryan slipped out the back door of El Palenque into the sultry night air. It was another scorching hot night in Miami, but that wasn’t the only reason he had beads of sweat rolling down his chest. He could still feel the sensation of Nadia pressed against his body and the light musk of her perfume clung to the air around him. Her antics in the cafe that morning had certainly whet his appetite for her. He adjusted himself trying to conceal the rock-hard flesh beneath his pants.

He had noticed Nadia in the cafe weeks earlier. She was beautiful, like most of the women he came into contact with, but there was something more to her that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Although she was sensual, inviting, and wildly sexy, none of that put her at much more of an advantage than most of the other women vying for his attention. But still, there was that something about her that was particularly alluring.

Nadia had managed to occupy his thoughts all day, rendering him unable to focus on his work. He found himself distracted, barely present during the semi-annual meeting with his shareholders. His mind wandered to vivid fantasies involving her. Nadia’s bare legs clutching his hips… Nadia’s full lips wrapped around his sinewy length... Nadia’s supple breasts bouncing as he drove into her...When he absolutely couldn’t get her off his mind, he called his driver, Armand, and had him follow her after her shift. He needed more information about her, needed to know what made her tick, needed to know her deepest and darkest thoughts. It seemed when it came to Nadia, he just needed.

He hadn’t planned on seeing her tonight. When his man had called to check in and give him an update on her, he was surprised to learn she was in Little Havana, Miami’s famed Cuban neighborhood. Without much thought, he impulsively summoned a car to take him to her. It was completely out of character; irrational even, but nothing about his behaviour today could be described as rational. He was consumed with desire for her and was determined to possess every fiber of her being.

Ryan walked along the wall around the back towards the alley, where Armand had the car waiting. He needed to get out of there before someone recognized him. He picked up the pace and smirked to himself with smug satisfaction; he had purposefully lingered just long enough for Nadia to see him walking off the dance floor.

He could have had her tonight, but was grateful that he was able to reign himself in. Waiting would be so much sweeter, he could tease her into a frenzy first. He wanted her to be quivering on her knees for him; wet, ready, and willing when the time came. The crotch of his pants grew tight again, his sex swelling with anticipation. A bead of sweat formed on his brow, as his growing desire tempted him to go back into the club for more.