Cadu
So much has happened today that I decide to have lunch by myself in a restaurant by the beach. I can’t stop thinking about seeing Mariana this morning. She really is beautiful and I’m surprised I never saw that before. I gave Miguel, the biggest man-whore in the office, a lecture so that he would leave her alone. She’s a respectful girl, not like the other girls at the magazine who are always dating someone. Mariana is serious and dedicated and sweet. It’s actually disconcerting how much I’ve been thinking about her.
Sitting by a huge window, I look at the beach. I love the sea. There are some days, like today, when it takes everything in me not to take off my clothes, grab my surfboard, go for a swim, and just forget the world around me. Suddenly, something gets my attention. It’s her.
She’s there, sitting on a bench near the beach. With her hair blowing in the wind and a smile on her face, she looks like a nymph that has just emerged from the sea. What’s wrong with me? I’m obsessing over Mariana and I have no idea why. I run my fingers through my hair and call the waiter, asking for the check. After it’s paid, acting totally out of character, I follow my impulse and cross the street, heading for the beach. She’s got her back to me, and she is looking straight at the ocean. I sit quietly next to her until, suddenly, she turns around and screams.
“Oh, my God! Are you trying to kill me?” she asks, a hand on her chest.
“I’m sorry, Mariana. I didn’t mean to scare you . . .” I don’t know what else to say.
“Um . . . what are you doing here?” she asks, looking curious. This wasn’t a good idea. I don’t even know what I’m doing here. I’m a twenty-six-year-old successful and experienced man acting like a fifteen-year-old boy.
“I was having lunch. Then I saw you,” I say, then I shut up to stop myself from saying something else I’ll have no explanation for. The wind carries her perfume to me. It’s sweet, smooth, and deeply feminine. I close my eyes, carried away by her scent.
When I open them, she’s looking at me with a funny expression, as if I am crazy or something. Maybe I really am.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, trying to smile.
I nod.
Shit! She must think I’m some sort of idiot. I look up and focus on the sea. Then I hear a laugh. When I look at her, I see she’s giggling, and she looks like she’s trying hard to suppress a full, loud laugh.
“What?” I ask, and see her cheeks color with a blush.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve never seen you speechless before. It’s kind of cute,” she says, then laughs a bit more.
Cute? No one has ever called me cute.
“Glad to see someone’s having fun,” I say seriously, and she suddenly stops and looks seriously at me. “What now?” I ask, curious.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t nice laughing at you like that, Carlos Eduardo,” she murmurs, looking down. I have a strong urge to reach out and push a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“Cadu,” I say, unable to stop myself.
“I’m sorry?” She looks up in surprise.
“Out here, I’m just Cadu, Mariana.”
She smiles openly now.
“Mari,” she says, and I smile just as deeply as she does.
The wind shakes her dark hair and I can no longer resist the urge to touch it. I reach out and push a lock behind her ear, and she closes her eyes. It’s like I’m having an out of body experience, tripping in another dimension. I have no idea what’s happening to me, but it’s as if some sort of magnet is pulling me towards her. Suddenly, a loud noise scares us both and I pull back my hand.
“What was that?” I ask, confused. She grabs her cell phone from inside her blouse, where it is safely stowed between her breasts. Oh, Lord! She’s going to be the death of me.
“My alarm,” she says, turning it off. It makes me laugh. There are tons of programmed alarms on her phone.
“How many alarms have you got there?” I ask curiously. She laughs.
“Quite a few. My boss has lots of appointments.” She sounds amused and I smile. “Should we get back?” she asks, and I nod. “Cat got your tongue?”
I laugh. She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met.
“No. A kitty got me speechless,” I answer, unable to control the flirting tone in my voice. Mari smiles in a lovely way.
We walk back to the building in silence and when we’re almost there, she starts getting herself back together. She takes the hair band from her wrist and ties up her hair, immediately assuming a more professional posture. We walk into the elevator alone and I am very aware of her vibrant presence by my side. We smile at each other, but keep quiet. For the first time in my life, I’m speechless, but there’s no need to talk at all.
When we reach our floor, I hold the door for her. We go to our office still in silence. I purposely let Mari walk ahead and I watch the smooth swing of her hips. I have never gotten involved with anyone I work with. It has been my rule from day one, but right now rules seem irrelevant. All I can think about is her soft smile and how badly I want to kiss her lips and find out if they’re as soft as they seem. We enter the office and she smiles at me.
“Thank you for your company.”
“Anytime, Mari.” I call her by her nickname and she smiles, excusing herself to the bathroom. I take a deep breath and go to my office. I sit on the black leather couch feeling as if I have just been run over by a truck and didn’t even have time to get the license plate.
From: Mariana Costa
To: Lais Menezes
Subject: RED ALERT
I’m hyperventilating in the bathroom. My boss was kidnapped and replaced by some weird charming man!
From: Lais Menezes
To: Mariana Costa
Subject: RE: RED ALERT
OMG! What happened? New boss?
From: Mariana Costa
To: Lais Menezes
Subject: RE: RE: RED ALERT
Nope! Old one, but recycled. Oh, God, I’m dizzy. He’s delightful.
From: Lais Menezes
To: Mariana Costa
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RED ALERT
WTF? Why are we e-mailing instead of phoning? I’m gonna call you.
The cell phone ring startles me.
“Can you please explain what’s happening?” she yells.
“I don’t know what to say. I was at the beach, looking at the sea. He just popped up out of nowhere and we had the weirdest conversation ever!”
“What did he say?”
“He . . . he said that outside his name is Cadu!” I blurt, confused, and Lais laughs out loud.
“Well, thank goodness it’s Cadu and not Eduarda, right? He could’ve said he likes what we like!” she jokes and we both laugh.
“Lais, he’s got dimples! Dimples!” I still can’t believe what a surreal situation that was.
“How hot on a scale from zero to ten?”
“Eleven! Twelve! Fifteen!” I answer excitedly, and we laugh some more. I hear a noise coming from my phone. Another alarm. “Shit. I have to go. It’s almost time for the meeting. I have to get the room ready.”
“All right. Mari, you better write down every detail so you don’t forget anything. I want to know everything tonight!”
“Will do.” I say goodbye then run out of the bathroom.
I stop by my desk to get the material I’ll need, then go to the conference room, practicing some breathing exercises I learned on YouTube. I set the table, placing the folders with the meeting material in their places and I slowly start to calm down, allowing Mariana Costa to take Mari’s place. That is, until the Big Boss shows up with the team. I feel his eyes on me while everyone is settling down in their chairs. When I turn around to face him, he winks. If I had a crush on him before, now I’m completely lost.