Living in a Telenovela

He looks completely confused. "I-what!" He throws his hands up. "Are you pregnant?" He sounds angry, his tone serious. "I mean, we haven't even had sex but I would take care of it-"

"I'm not pregnant!" My mouth falls open.

"Then what-" He shakes his head and he looks like a confused child. He seems to think back about something and his dark eyes finally land on mine. "You think Roxy's baby is mine?" So he has a nickname for her?

"You were sleeping with Roxanna and she did end up pregnant. That's how it works."

He scoffs. "First of all, if that baby was mine I would not be here. Second of all, I always use protection. And third of all-"

"So why did she come looking for you the day she found out?" I don't mean to yell but all of this is hitting me hard right now. The hope that is spreading in my chest is almost blinding.

"Because I do know who the father is and she confided in me to get him to accept settling down and being a dad." He talks to me like I am the child in this conversation. "Natalia you thought I got Roxy pregnant and ran away without confirming anything?"

"You said it yourself, you would not be here right now if she was."

He tries to pull my in his arms but I pull away. If I let him hold me I might let him do more and I can't do that. Nothing is set and stone. He is still leaving tomorrow.

"Even if the baby was mine I don't love her and she doesn't love me. Yes we fool around because we both have shit luck in the relationship department but we both know what we're in for." He runs his hand against his hair. "She knows I have eyes only for one person and even if she was pregnant with my child I would help her raise the kid. But she knows I would come looking for you."

My heart stops and my breathing begins to slow. What does this all mean? Where does this leave us? Is he still leaving tomorrow?

"I'm going to bed." I announce.

He looks torn but nods his head.

I shake my head and step back. I turn around and run towards my room and lock the door behind me. I go to my bedside and find my sleeping pills. I take two and change into my pajamas. I need to sleep, let all of this settle and then deal with it tomorrow. I can't stay up worrying about this. I need sleep.

******

The next morning I wake up to the light coming in from my window. I shake the sleep from my face and feel the nervousness settle in my belly. Last night. It really happened. He said he wants me. He's not going to be a father. I can't help the smile the takes over my face. So that means the ball is in my court. I want him too. But is he willing to move here for us? There is no way I am going back to that small town to become a domesticated housewife with six kids. There is only one way to find out.

I take a shower and change. I look at the clock I only have twenty minutes. We don't have to put it all out there right at this moment. We can put a pin in it and talk about it tonight before he leaves. I get butterflies thinking about tonight. So far everything is up in the air but we do have tonight. Now that I know he's not a father to be I have nothing holding me back from giving myself what I want.

I grab my purse and open my door. I peak outside into the living room to see him still sleeping on the couch. Again the blanket is kicked off and he looks too big to fit on that small couch. I smile when I think about tonight's sleeping arrangements.

I turn on the coffee machine, thinking about today's to-do list. Because he won't be up any time soon, we can just arrange getting together later. I wonder if he will stop by my office again.

I hear him shift in the sofa and stop my movements. When I don't hear anything else I breathe a sigh of relief. I add a little bit of sugar into my cup and stir absentmindedly.

"Good morning, mi amor." His voice is thick with sleep.

I fight the urge to turn around. Clearing my throat I place the spoon in the sink. "Don't call me that." I love how it caresses me.

The coffee burns down my throat causing my cheeks to flush.

"What no kisses this morning?" His voice sounds closer.

The mug is firm between my hands. I guess last night's revelations are enough to make things between us less tense. A kiss wouldn't hurt.

I feel the heat of his chest radiating against my back. His large hands grip my hips and he takes one step closer. I feel his hard length against my ass.

"You wear these type of skimpy skirts to work a lot?" His tone is aroused.

The skirt is not as modest as all my other ones but it is knee length, anything but skimpy.

"A gust of wind could just," One of his hands lifts the skirt up, revealing the baby blue thong I'm wearing. "Jesus." I feel his eyes burning a hole through the small cloth.

My breath hitches. Holy...I resist leaning back against him.

His heavy breathing nears my neck. He gives me a wet kiss and I squirm. "Do you know how insane I am now that I know you walk around like this?" Both of his palms run up my ass cheeks. He bites my neck and I hiss.

"Esteban," My breathing is labored. My breasts are aching, my legs are quaking, and my pussy is throbbing.

He uses one hand to grab one of my breasts. I moan, shaking my head.

"Stop." My voice is weak. I only want him to stop because I have to be out of the house soon. We can't start something that we can't finish. I want to promise him tonight but I can't think straight. My mouth and my brain aren't connected.

"You're not wearing a bra either?" He sounds incredulous.

I don't want to explain that this shirt is not meant to be worn with a bra. It covers all that it should.

He pinches my nipple twisting it.

"Esteban," I whine. "I'm going to be late for work."

"This won't take long." He uses a finger to pull my thong to the side. I feel my juices trickle down my leg. His hard cock pushes between my lips.

"No!" I briefly panic. He can't. I can't let him. Not like this, not a quick fuck like Patrick used to do when we were seeing each other. I want our first time to be nice and slow. I try to wiggle away but his arm wraps around my waist. He pushes me against the counter so I can't move away.

"I won't fuck you." He huffs. "Not yet. I just need to feel your warm juices on my dick."

I shiver at his dirty words, groaning when I feel his large head rush against my clit. He eases back and forth in between my bare pussy lips. His cock takes every ounce of my creamy juices. He quickens his pace and I feel myself pushing back against him. My hips ride his dick matching his speed. The wave of an impending orgasm gets close. I thrash my head side to side.

"Let go," He pinches my nipple.

I whimper. I hold off as long as I can but all too soon I submerge. My body shakes from head to toe. His hands firmly hold on to my hips as his thrusts against me. Then I feel him pulse against me and his cum coats my underwear.

His lips brush against the top of my head. "I'll see you tonight."

******

I barely make it to work before I have to make myself cum again.

Is this what it's going to be like for us? If this is what the future has in store, I want it all. I have to change my underwear once I get to work too, my juices mixed with his cum are too much for me to handle. If I thought I was distracted at work yesterday, today is another story.

More than once Jennifer has to call my line to make sure I didn't forget a phone conference or upcoming appointments. I want to take the day off and just have some time to sit back and speculate about my relationship with Esteban. But just like Paul reminded, this is what I have been working my ass off for all of these years. Business school, internships, making a name for myself. Most think I am where I am because of my father but I am proud to say I paid for my classes on my own. My mother also 'insisted' he treat me like a big girl when I decided to move out so they didn't help me financially. And now I can say I have gotten here on my own.

My phone rings again.

"Jennifer, give me five minutes to myself please."

There is silence. "Should I tell Mr.Reyes it is a bad time?" I can hear the fear in her voice. I probably threatened to bite her head off sometime this morning after the fifth call. I will make sure to buy her lunch today and apologize.

"Put him through." I fix my hair and straighten my blouse then remember he won't see me through the phone.

"Natalia." There is a hint of darkness and hunger in the way he says my name. It's like letting dark chocolate melt on my tongue.

I clear my throat and cross my legs. "Can I help you?" I try to sound haughty.

He chuckles. "If I am being frank, yes you can absolutely help me. But I will play nice since you decided to take my call and I know you are a busy woman."

I imagine him in his work boots, white tank top that is sweated through, and his dark jeans hugging his muscular legs. I lean back and fan myself.

"What do you want? I have a florist to meet in an hour."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing after this morning." His sexy swagger is gone. Replaced by a vulnerable, concerned Esteban. I bite back a smile. He is endearing.

"I am perfect." I purr into the phone. I can't help it. I want him to know we are okay. That after finding out he is not a soon to be father there might be something between us. I'm sure this conversation can wait until tonight.

He sighs. "Great. So I will be cooking dinner again tonight. Let me know if you're going to be late."

"Mr.Macho-man knows how to cook?"

"You just wait and see."

We both stay on the line in silence. I haven't done this since I was in high school. I must have it really bad.

"You hang up." He says.

"Bye."

"Adios, amor."

******

I am burning rubber on the way home. Every red light is my worst enemy and every stop sign is seen as a suggestion. In just a few minutes I will be in Esteban's arms. Who knew this man would have me giggling like a schoolgirl? Never in my wildest thoughts did I imagine me becoming so close to someone. Especially not him.

I think back to what Pepe said in their living room. Had Esteban really always been there in the background pining after me? I do remember Pepe complaining about having to drag him around with us but Esteban was cool enough that we knew he would never rat us out for drinking or smoking. He was a scrawny kid, with dark skin, and big ears. Just how much younger is he?

I close my car door and buzz myself in. The elevator ride feels incredibly long. The butterflies in my stomach want to be released. I am almost panting by the time I cross the hall and open my apartment door.

"Natalie."

I stop dead in my tracks. The door behind me slams.

In the middle of my living room my mother is standing with her hands on her hips. I haven't seen her use that pose since she caught me sneaking back in from a concert in high school. There is a flush on her cheeks. Her black coat matches her dark mood. My eyes search for Esteban who turns out to be behind her on the couch. The television is on and he's pretending to pay attention to the news. He's eyes don't meet mine.

"Mother." I remove my heels and place my keys on the side table.

"I need to speak with you. In private."

I sigh. "I can't tonight. Esteban leaves tomorrow and he has plans for us."

Her eyebrow raises an inch. "So he's not staying?"

"Don't speak about me like I'm not here." He finally looks at me and then at her.

"I'm sorry." I move in closer to the room. I want to hug him and hide him behind my mother's glare. Her distaste for Esteban is very apparent.

"Can you give us a moment?" She is still staring at me.

He stands and picks up his bag. He moves past my mother and tries to go around me to get to the door. I step in front of him. He doesn't look down at me.

"Please stay." I try not to sound needy. But he could decide to leave and never look back. I don't know what my mom has said to him while I was gone but he has to hear what I have to say. "You can wait in my room. This won't be long."

He nods and walks to my room.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I walk past her and hide in the kitchen. I shouldn't be scared of her. I've lived on my own for years now. I shouldn't care what she thinks. But there is a small voice inside my head that is never going to go away. 'Sit up straight, no man will want a hunchback toad', 'Stop crying over that little fool, you are an even bigger fool for falling in love', 'I didn't raise you to be in second place'. I shake the voices out of my head. She can't keep thinking she is controlling my life. I grab two cups of water and fill them.

"Natalie, you let him leave and never come back."

I turn to see her standing at the kitchen's entrance. "Is this why you came? Who told you he was here?"

"Obviously not you. Since you haven't returned any of my calls or any of Patrick's calls I had to come and see what was wrong. Now I see he has you wrapped around his grimy finger." She crosses her arms.

"Is that all?" I drink my cup of water and place it on the counter. I still hold on to the other one.

"Patrick specifically went down to your grandfather's to ask him for your hand in marriage and instead you let this freeloader come into your life and ruin it all."

"You will not insult Esteban in front of me!" I yell.

"How can you be so blind? He has nothing to offer you! Patrick is very close to becoming established. He will have means to take care of you."

I scoff. "You don't care about me."

"You're wrong." The conversation that should have been had years ago is about to explode in my face with Esteban sitting on the other side of the wall. I throw my hand up. "We're not doing this tonight."

"I got you down to your grandfather's, got Patrick to come down and propose and you don't think I care?" Her veins are popping out of her forehead.

"You did what?!" I slam the other cup down on the table, water splashes all over my hand.

"Now you call Patrick right this instance and tell him you will marry him."

"You said my grandfather was dying." I feel so lost. Why would she do all of this? She has never taken an interest in my personal life.

"I knew you would want his blessings to get married." She shrugs one shoulder. Completely unaware of the hurt she caused me thinking my grandfather was actually going to die.

"I need you to leave."

"You need to tell him to leave." Her finger points to the wall behind me. "He will ruin you. What are you going to do? Move down there with him and his mother? Raise pigs and chickens for the rest of your life? Because you know he won't make it up here. The city is not for him just like it was not for your grandfather."

This conversation has exhausted my down to my core. All of the built up anger I have harvest over the years starts to exit my body with each exhale. Whether she realizes it or not, she doesn't know me. She may have raised me but she doesn't know what is best for me and who is best for me. Her superficial personality doesn't allow her to see the depth of mistakes she has caused that lead me to where we are as mother and daughter.

With one last sigh I walk up to her and hug her. Something I haven't done in years. Her expensive perfume assault my nostrils but I hang on. Her arms never come around me. She is stiff and uncomfortable. Something I can't blame her for. I have never been overly affectionate with her.

I pull back and take a good look at her. "I love him." That is all the explanation she will get.

Her perfectly plucked and dyed eyebrows pull in confusion. I can see the wheels turning in her head. There is so much she wants to say but I won't let her. At least not tonight. I hug her one last time and walk her to the door.

"I love you." I say when she is outside.

She pulls the coat closer to herself and puts on her expensive shades. I've done that move myself many times when I was left confused on hurt. Like mother, like daughter I suppose.

Once I lock the door I let a tear slip. If only our relationship would have been different growing up. I wanted a mother to confide in. Someone that I knew would love me unconditionally no matter what I did. My father just threw money at us to show us love. My mother tried to make me her personal doll. My grandfather was the only one who grounded me and taught me what real love is.

I fall back against the door and close my eyes.

I feel his presence. His large hand takes my cheek and he wipes the tear away. His lips cover mine. It is a soft kiss. Very tame compared to his usual ones. I kiss him back, letting him set the pace.

"Did you hear all of that?" I open my eyes to look up at him.

"Which part?" He looks more concerned than hurt.

"Any of it."

"I heard the most important part." His brown eyes swallow me whole.

I shiver. "And?"

"You are going to drive me insane you know?" He gives me a kiss on the forehead.

"I feel crazy just being around you." I hate to admit. "You make me nervous."

"How about this," He pulls back and gets down on one knee.

My eyes open wide and I bring a hand to my throat. He can't be! I mean, why is my heart ready to pop out of my chest? Why am I imagining spending the rest of my life with this incredible man next to me? All of our kids, the dog, the white picket fence...

"Natalia, mi amor. Please make me the happiest man in the universe and let me make you my wife." My mouth drops open. "I am giving you all of the power right now. I am giving my soul to you and you get to decide what to do with it. Maybe that will help with your nerves." His wolfish grin makes me melt.

"Yes!" I jump up and down. The beautiful silver band with a modest rock slides on my finger. The ring looks familiar. It was my grandmothers. I feel a lump in my throat. He asked my grandfather for my hand in marriage before coming. My heart feels bigger.

He smiles and laughs and pulls me down to the floor so I land on top of him. We kiss passionately on the plush carpet. His hands roam my body while mine do the same. I feel a button from my shirt pop and then the rest go down with it as his eager fingers dig into my soft skin. His rough hands palm my breasts and I arch my back into them. I moan into his mouth.

"We should go back to your bed." He pulls back.

"You're fucking me here." I growl against his lips.

He groans and flips us around so he is hovering over me. He removes his shirt and tosses it aside. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this."

His hand goes down to his fly. My breathing becomes labored. I will finally get to feel him inside of me. I shimmy my skirt up and out of the way. I am thoroughly wet and eager to have him. His hand is holding his hard dick. Oh my, it is quite big, I've never actually gotten to see it. A lot bigger than Pat's. He leans back into me and kisses me hard. His hand moves my thong out of the way and very slowly he pushes his large head into my wet pussy.

"Oh-" I arch my back and give him more access.

He pushes in every inch making me moan over and over again. Once I feel his pubic bone against mine I catch my breathing. He doesn't allow much time to pass. With more urgency he starts to move in and out of me at a quicker pace. I feel my orgasm building with each brush to my clitoris.

"Fuck." He sighs into my lips.

I am going to cum. I bite his lip, scratch his back, and try to hold off but I can't. My eyes roll back and I cum all over his dick. He pumps in and out of me, his thighs slapping against my own. I see stars behind my eyes. Just as the second orgasm starts to creep in I feel his semen pulse into my wanting hole. I moan even louder and riding the second wave.

We're both breathing hard, spent on the floor.

"Are you okay?" he leans up on his elbow to look up at me. He's still inside me. The weight of his body is welcomed.

I nod. "I'm on the pill."