Page 60 of His Forever

“Slammed again. At this rate, we won’t have a mortgage,” he responded.

“We really don’t have one now,” Gray said.

“This is true, but it will be nice not to worry about it at all.”

Glancing at his watch and seeing the time had Zeus standing. “I hate to break it up, but we’ve all got long days tomorrow.”

As the group stood up, they each grabbed something and helped get everything cleaned up. “I’ll walk you home in a few minutes, mi siempre hermosa,” he said.

“Mmkay,” she replied. She loved walking with him, hands intertwined. “Guys, I’ll see you at the apartment, okay?” she asked her cousin.

“Yeah, works for us. We’ll see you there,” Paulie replied.

With her cousin and Gray gone, she helped Zeus finish putting everything away and then was surprised when he pulled her into the living room. Going over to his stereo system, he put on Rod Stewart’s “You’re in My Heart” before he pulled her into his arms.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

“Dancing with my girl,” he replied as he softly sang along to the chorus. “She told me she missed being able to dance with me Saturday night so I’m fixing that.”

Listening to the words, she heard what he hadn’t yet said to her and her heart melted even more. As he tilted her chin up and captured her lips, she put all that she was feeling into the kiss. As one song melted into another, she held on tight to all that his kisses were promising. When the last song played, he pulled back and softly said, “C’mon, mi siempre hermosa, let me walk you home now, okay?”

Chapter Nineteen

The past few weeks had flown and finally, it was time for the Fourth of July extravaganza, as she had taken to calling it. Paulie and Gray had closed on their house and were moved in and settling into nicely, with Paulie booked every day the salon was open. They had hired on two students – one handled the shampooing and laundry and the other was handling the shampoo/sets that Mamá had organized. Her own book had grown and she was contemplating reaching out to a friend to see if she would be interested in coming to join her as an esthetician. She simply couldn’t keep up any longer.

She looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied that the bathing suit covered everything. Tossing a cover-up on, she grabbed some sunblock and a towel and put it all in a tote bag by the front door. While she waited for Zeus to come get her and take her down to the pool area that was further back on the property, she fed the cats and made a new list for the following day, since it was Monday and she was off. Taking a minute to count her tips, she pulled out the money for the next few months’ worth of rent, then grabbed a bottle of water. Hearing a knock at the door, she grabbed up her tote bag and opened it to see Zeus standing there. In board shorts.Be still my heartshe thought as she glanced at his chiseled, muscular chest. He had a good smattering of chest hair and her fingers ached to run through it, just like they did whenever she gave him a massage. He pulled her close for a quick kiss before saying, “You ready mi siempre hermosa?”

“I am, yes. Oh! Let me grab what I made to bring,” she replied as she turned back to the kitchen. It was a cookout to celebrate the Fourth of July and everyone was bringing a side dish and a dessert while Mamá provided the meats and Zeus and his cousin Carlos got the drinks and alcohol. His sisters had divvied up the paper goods and condiments and she was sure anything they didn’t get, they could live without. She grabbed the container filled with brownies and cookies, and the bowl with the pasta salad she had made and went to turn around, only to find him right there with his hands outstretched.

“I’ll take those, you just carry your tote, okay?” he asked as he moved to the door. Making sure everything was locked up, she followed him down the stairs and watched as he put the stuff in a cooler he had strapped to the back seat of the golf cart.

As she sat down, she caught a glimpse of his profile and began blushing. He might be wearing board shorts designed to swim in, but she could see that their brief kiss had affected him and her first thought wasThat’s not gonna fit, no way, no how!He drove down the path holding her hand and noticed that she was quiet. “You okay, mi siempre hermosa?” At her blush, he raised his brow at her and said, “What exactly are you thinking?”

“Um…uh…well, that is to say…” she stumbled over her words before she finally said, “Zeus, I know we’re not there yet, but just to say, there’s no way in hell what you’re packing is gonna fit!”

At her honest comment despite the obvious embarrassment she felt, he chuckled and taking her hand, placed it on his lap where she could feel just how hard he was. Curiosity won out and she found herself touching him, which caused him to close his eyes briefly before he looked at her and said, “Mi siempre hermosa, whenthathappens, you’ll be so wet for me, it’ll fit and I for one cannot wait until that day.”

Now fire engine red, she went to move her hand and he stopped her, saying, “No one can see, Marleigh, and I enjoy your hands on me. In fact, this is what happens every time I’m near you. Every. Single. Time.”

“Oh my, I don’t…I don’t know what to say.”

“What’s there to say, mi siempre hermosa? A natural reaction toward the woman I’ve grown to care about dearly.”

She kind of knocked him with her shoulder before saying, “Zeus? I feel the same.”

“I’m glad, Marleigh. Now, I know there are going to be a lot of my family there you don’t know, but they don’t bite. The kids may drive you to distraction and if they do, let me know and I’ll take you home.”

***

Arriving at what she could only describe as an oasis, she looked around in wonder. “Marleigh? What are you thinking?” he asked when she continued to stare without speaking.

“This…this is fantastic, Zeus! Oh my goodness, I cannot believe this is back here!”

“When my father died, he left Mamá rather well-off and she decided she wanted a pool.”

“Um, just to say, it’s a lot more than a pool, isn’t it?”

He laughed at her description because she was right. The pool was a customized one, with an area specifically for the small children and non-swimmers, as well as multiple water features that ensured there was something for everyone. Several slides in the deeper ends were in use, and there was a cove area where several adults were sitting. Off to one side was a pool house and he told her there were several bathrooms inside. Off to the other side was a picnic pavilion unlike anything she had ever seen. Very cozy and inviting. While looking around, she heard, “Tio Zeus! You’re here!” and within minutes, they were mobbed by a group of children who all clamored to have him pick them up and toss them into the pool. Her heart clenched seeing how happy he was playing and interacting with his nieces and nephews. She closed her eyes briefly and said to herselfnot yet, I can’t do it yet.Turning, she got the items she had brought and took them over to the picnic area, where she got a hug from Mamá, as well as the other girls. “Go swim, Mija,” Mamá said. “Enjoy yourself. Have Paulie’s parents arrived yet?”