When Ali met Alejandro at the door wearing only her new lingerie, the look on his face was worth every minute of the forty-six hours they'd spent apart. The rumble of his bike in the driveway at exactly 10:15 had her on her feet and stretched provocatively in the door frame before he even realized she was standing there. When he did see her, he'd nearly dropped the Harley.
"Baby," he breathed as she slid into his arms on the stairs. "I've missed you." He ran his palms excitedly over the black lace. "Mmm, this is sexy."
Just like that, little pinpricks of excitement radiated outward from her core, and her legs trembled a bit as Alejandro claimed her mouth. "Ali, Baby," he whispered as his lips captured hers. "You are so beautiful. I've been counting the hours till I could touch you again, mija." Without another word he scooped her into his arms and kicked the door shut behind him.
When he cradled her against his chest to carry her up the stairs, the rich leather smell of his club vest mingled with his own musk and that scent she could never quite place, no matter how many times she pressed her nose against his skin and breathed him in. The smell that always made her think of fire.
He settled her on the bed and Ali propped up on her elbows so she could watch him undress. It was her favorite part of the night, when Alejandro came to her and shed his garments one by one like he was shedding the harsh reality that separated them.
She watched him remove his shirt and gazed at the trail of dark hair running down his muscular chest and disappearing beneath his waistband. Her breath caught for the hundredth time as she marveled at the tattoo he'd gotten when he'd left her ten years ago, the vines growing through the exposed ribcage, a visual reminder of how deep their love had taken root. Finally he was gloriously naked. He walked toward her and she forgot everything else but her need to touch him.
***
When Alejandro crawled into Ali's bed she wrapped herself around him, clinging to him like a vine as he touched her everywhere. He stripped the lingerie from her body, sad to see the lacy scraps float to the floor but eager to be skin to skin with her.
"Tomorrow night," he murmured. They usually didn't see each other two nights in a row, but he didn't want to wait. In his mind he'd already made a plan to bring her some food, set up a sunset picnic in the back pasture, and make love to her under the stars. "I can come. How early?"
He was unprepared for her to stiffen in his arms. She went silent for a few seconds and he sore she was holding her breath, her spine rigid. He'd barely registered the shock of her reaction when she slipped away, shaking her head as she climbed off the bed.
"What's wrong?" Her whole face changed, the eagerness that had been there just moments ago replaced by anxiety as she stood and walked across the room. She pulled a short satin robe from the bathroom door and wrapped it around herself, avoiding his eyes as she tied the sash.
"Ali."
Her eyes flickered back to his and then down to the floor. She seemed to shrink against the wall.
Alejandro sat up then, and swung his legs around until his feet were firmly planted on the floor. "What's going on? Talk to me."
"I have a gala to attend," she said, her voice softer than usual. "I can't see you." She kept her eyes downcast as she spoke.
"Okay." He shrugged. "Another time, then. It's no big deal." She shook her head again and he realized her eyes were filling with tears. "Hey, hey, what's this?"
"I'm going with Bobby," she blurted, and it was like a bucket of cold water on his head.
He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands over his head, trying to ignore the murderous thoughts racing through his head. Ugly words lodged in his throat and he swallowed them back as she tried to explain herself.
"It was already in the works... sort of. I mean, I knew about it and I already had a ticket reserved, but I hadn’t planned to go."
"But now you are." He tried to keep his voice neutral, but it only came out bitter.
"Yes," she whispered. “There’s an important funder there, and I need to meet him.”
His jaw clenched despite his best efforts to remain calm. "And were you planning to tell me?"
She shifted from one foot to the other and threaded her fingers through her hair as a move he recognized as nervousness.
"That's a no, then. Fuck, Ali!"
She flinched like she'd been slapped. Clearly she'd been nervous about his reaction, and that hurt him more than her sin of omission. Doesn't she know I'd never lay a hand on her? How can she even think I'd hurt her?
He stood and walked toward his carefully folded clothing. Ali shrunk in the doorway, as jumpy as a cat, as he stepped into his jeans. "I know you don't really love him, and I also know I'll be right back in this bed with you, if not tomorrow then the next night." He approached her, his hands up so she knew he wouldn't hurt her. "But I don't like being lied to. I haven't lied to you, and I sure as fuck don't want you doing it to me. This--" he motioned between them, "This won't work unless we can be honest with each other."
"I'm sorry." Her plaintive voice, damp eyes, and nervous body language conspired against him to keep him there. Every cell in his body screamed at him to stop in his tracks, pull her back into bed and reassure her with his touch.
But his stubborn pride won out. Fuck this, he told himself as he pulled on his clothes. You don't need to hang around here being her cock on tap while she sorts her shit out. Look at her, she's fucking scared of you, like you're some kind of threat.
"Alejandro, please..." Her gray eyes filled with anguish. "Let me explain," she pleaded, reaching her hand out to him. "Please."
He shrugged away her touch and stepped into his boots. "Not tonight. I gotta go." He took the stairs down two at a time and was relieved when she didn't follow him. He didn't want to look in her eyes again, because he knew he'd be a pussy and fold. Instead, he started the bike and took off for the clubhouse where he could think in private.