Chapter's song: 3 am by Meghan Trainor. I am absolutely addicted to her songs...

҉       A ƤriƝɕҽsslɣ CoƝƝҽCƬioƝ        ҉

ChaPtEr sEVENTEEN  _________________________

Morning after

My stomach growled as soon as I pushed the kitchen door. Different aromas attacked me. Coffee, beans and the particular smell of tortillas. Despite the early hour, Maria was already busy working on breakfast. As the door creaked, she glanced at me sporting her usual smile, “Buenos días!”

“Hola,” I reached her and kissed her on the cheek as it was a Mexican custom. “At what time do you get here every day?” Looking around, the beans pot was already boiling and she’d made coffee in a clay pot. A cinnamon stick was floating on top.

She grabbed a mug and poured me some, “Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda (God helps out those who are up early). It’s spicy and sweet. I hope you like it.” I thanked her and took a sip. It was too sweet but it was good. “It’s café de olla (pot coffee). I don’t make it every day because it’ sweet. Not everyone likes it.”

It took me a moment to understand what she had said. “It’s good,” I smiled at her.

The door creaked once again. “Buenos días,” Jason’s dark voice sounded and my heart skipped a beat. Biting my lip, I turned to look at him. His grey eyes were intensely staring at me. Maria said something and he answered back. Always looking at me.

For a moment, I could feel his hands trailing on my legs. My lips tingled remembering how it felt to be kissed by him. Bloody hell. How was I supposed to stop myself from jumping on him?

Maria placed several plates on the table and I figured we needed to help out setting the table. Swallowing hard, I took the plates and started to walk around the table at the same time Jason placed forks on the sides. His hands grazed mine several times. I was pretty sure that he was doing it on purpose.

We finished and I leaned on the kitchen’s counter crossing my arms and trying to steady my heart rate. He stood next to me and made a show of stretching his arms. Brushing against me. Leaning closer to me, he whispered softly, “Hola bonita (hi pretty), did you get some sleep?”

I totally swooned at his cute thick English accent. Shaking my head, I bit my lip. He looked at my lips for a moment before a lopsided smile formed on his mouth, “Me either…”

Sol and Pablo burst in the kitchen. Pablo let Sol enter and she smiled shyly at him. He averted his eyes and they both walked in awkwardly. Crap. What had happened yesterday?

I glanced at her as she greeted Maria. Her eyes twinkled mischievously when they landed on us. “Had a good night sleep?” she asked slyly.

My cheeks flushed. Jason smiled, “Definitely. You?”

She looked at me with those you’ve-got-to-spill-girl eyes before shrugging, “I guess.”

Quizzically, I looked at Pablo who was playing with the fork. Huh. There goes my matchmaking career. To be honest, he would be a total idiot if he hadn’t noticed Sol earlier. I just had to make sure to tell him that.

My aunt walked in and greeted everyone. Maria started to serve everyone while Jason helped her. She wasn’t too happy about it. I had noticed that she liked to work alone, even when you wanted to help out.

Breakfast was somewhat awkward. Pablo was too quiet and Sol was totally freaking out. I could tell. Aunt Patricia noticed, too. Still, she tried to make out conversation about the week’s plans. She complained about not having guests for the week and I felt bad for her. I made a mental note on talking to her about my payment. It didn’t feel right to get paid, fed and everything while she didn’t have much work.

As I finished my coffee, Jason placed his hand on my thigh, making me choke on the drink. His lips twitched while everyone looked at me as if I was crazy. Red-faced, I raised my palm showing that I was fine while I coughed a bit more. Jason slapped me on the back while trying to hide his stupid smirk.

Still…his hand on my leg made me feel all giddy inside. It felt nice…like too nice…

We finished breakfast and while we helped out cleaning all the dishes, my aunt asked Sol and me to help out keep the rooms clean despite being empty. She also asked Jason and Pablo to finish repainting the whole place and she announced that we could have the afternoons free as long as we finished our chores.

The boys left to start painting while Sol and I walked to the laundry room to get amenities and such. As soon as we closed the door behind us, Sol assaulted me with several questions. “So, what happened? One moment you were making out on the dance floor and then you were gone! Are you like a couple already? Have you told Patricia?” she took a breath and lowered her tone, “Did you sleep together?” Her brown eyes sparkled curiously.

I raised both hands. “Hold on. What happened between you and Pablo?”

Her eyes looked away and her shoulders sagged. “Nothing happened…”

Frowning, I reached her, “Seriously?”

Suddenly, she looked really sad. “We just danced. Like all night. But that was it.”

I bit my lip, “well, dancing all night long doesn’t sound that bad, does it?” I asked hopefully.

She sighed and sat on the table, “I mean, we didn’t dance like you did. It was a pretty normal and conventional dance.”

Blushing, I looked away, “I don’t know what came on to me last night…”

She snorted, “Jason did!”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Seriously, I’ve never done something like that.” I had never in my whole life thrown myself at anyone like that. I sat next to her. Our legs dangled on the air. “I was too forward…and careless…”and free.

“Salsa can do that.” She thought for a moment, “To anyone normal except that idiot I’ve fallen for…”

“He is,” I looked at her, “I’m sorry but if he can’t see you in this light, maybe he’s not worth it.”

A small smile formed in her face while she shrugged. “I knew that it wouldn’t change a thing, anyway…” Disappointment tinted her voice. I got angry at Pablo for making her feel like that. Sol sighed. “My life is depressing. Tell me about yours. What happened last night?”

Blushing, I grabbed a plastic container and started to fill it with different amenities. “We kissed,” I shrugged.

“Duh! Everyone saw that!”

I chuckled and rubbed a palm on my eyes completely embarrassed. “And then I sort of asked him to get back here and he just told me that I looked beautiful.” I bit my lip, “it felt like he was brushing me off so I ran away and asked Ed to bring me back.” Sol’s watched me completely interested in my story before standing up and following me around the rooms.

“And?” she pressed after we’d checked the first room.

My eyes lit up in excitement, “he came and while I tried to open my room’s door, he kissed me…” I looked away for a moment as my cheeks flushed, “and we spent the night together…”

“Oh my God!” She beamed at me, “so what now? Are you a couple?” she asked excitedly.

My shoulders sagged, “he has a girlfriend, remember?”

She dismissed me with a movement of her hand while rolling her eyes, “Please…he came back for you. That has to mean something.”

“Well, he left my room really early and told me that he wanted to keep whatever was going on between us, so…”

Sol groaned, “Ugh. Men are so stupid.”

“I can’t blame him. Things back in England are just too complicated…” I sat on the last room’s bed and sighed.

Complicated was an understatement. More like fucked up.

“What are you doing about it?” She sat on the floor watching me concerned.

I shrugged. “I think I’m falling in love with him; so, I’m just going to enjoy it while it lasts, I guess…”

Even if it breaks my heart.

“And then what? Are you letting him crawl back into that stupid girlfriend of his?”

My stomach churned uneasily while my heart clenched. “Do I have a choice?”

I knew I had no dignity by accepting all of this…but I just wanted to be in his arms once again, feeling his burning lips on mine…

Fuck.

Sol sighed, “Love sucks.”

“Tell me about it.”

Totally depressed, we finished our chores while we were both thoughtful. We didn’t mentioned the subject once again while we worked around the house. After lunch, my aunt told us that we had the rest of the day free, so I decided to walk to my room, grab my phone and stroll on the beach while I talked to my family.

The phone ran twice before someone answered, “Hello?”

I smiled at the sound of my little sister’s voice. “Ash? How are you?”

“Marianne!” she sounded like she slapped her mouth. In a hush tone, she murmured, “How are you?”

I frowned. “Why are you whispering?”

“Hold on.” I heard her climb the stairs and close a door. “Things are a bit hectic right now.”

“How so? Is Grandma ok?”

“Yeah…” I could see her rolling her eyes, “the old wench is causing a mess, right now. So, I’d say she feels great.”

Worriedness washed over me, “What’s going on, Ash?”

She sighed, “Well, she’s making a huge deal out of the fact that Mom could become queen,” she muttered annoyed.

“Are you for real?” I asked glaring at the ocean. Mom and our great Grandmother used to have this hateful relationship. At least from my Grandmother’s side. Mom hated her guts but she was always respectful and all. But making a deal out of it was stupid and immature, to say the least.

“Mom would be a great queen, you know?” she added angrily.

“I do.”

“She’s even saying that you should take her place?”

My stomach plummeted to the floor, “What?” I was 20 years old, for God’s sake! I couldn’t be queen!

“Don’t worry, Dad told her to fuck off. Not with that words, obviously…”

“I don’t know what to say…that would be awful…I mean, are we on the nineteenth century, or what?”

She snorted. “Dad’s taking care of it, don’t worry. I think it’s been useful that you haven’t been around.”

“Oh…” I took a seat while sulking after hearing all of that.

“Anyway, how are you?”

“I’m great. You know, working like a slave and all,” I mocked her. She snorted, “I do have to say that I’ve discovered that I make beds like a pro and that I suck at the kitchen.” She chuckled, “But what about you, Missy? I heard you were dating a rock star?”

“Ugh,” she groaned, “it’s just Ben. He aced the X factor thingy and now he just signed a contract and all of that.”

“Just Ben?” I asked incredulously. He’d been a close family friend and Ashley had forever crushed on him.

“I don’t know…” she trialed sadly, “it’s just that he’d always known that I like him and the fact that he asked me out on a date a week before the final seems like impeccable timing, you know? So, I’m not entirely sure that he actually wants to date me.” Or use me. I understood what she meant.

I played with the sand on my feet, “Why don’t you give him the benefit of the doubt? Just for a little while. I mean, you are a total knockout, sis. We are so much alike, you know?”

She laughed, “Yeah I guess…although my hair is prettier.”

“In your dreams!” She laughed even more while I smiled at the sound of it. My phone started to beep, meaning that I just finished my balance. I rolled at that. “I gotta go, but say hi to everyone, ok?”

“I will. Take care!”

“You too!”

Dropping the phone where I’d left my sandals, I looked at the sea. My grandmother was out of her mind if she wanted me to be Queen. To be honest, I’d never even thought about it. I always thought Dad would become King someday but I never thought that I could be after him. There were many cousins and such who wanted to become king and such…why didn’t she think of them? Why me?

I knew my chances with Jason were pretty slim. But being a queen pretty much ended the whole thing. Not that there was anything to begin with…

An image of a lonely spinster surrounded by cats formed in my head.

And I sort of hated cats.

“Hey,” Jason said as he plopped beside me. “You look thoughtful. Everything all right?”

“No,” I shook my head. “Things back in England are a mess right now…”

Grey eyes watched me concerned for a moment. His left hand reached out for mine and he intertwined them. My heart started to race as I looked at him.

“Do you want to go back?” he asked after a moment. “I’m sure you just have to say it and-“

“No.” I bit my lip. Going back meant that I wouldn’t be with him. And I was being totally selfish here, but I just didn’t want to let him go. Not yet.

His intense eyes found my lips. His other hand cupped my chin and he leaned closer. The moment his lips brushed mine an electric current ran through me. The kiss started soft and slow and without really noticing it, it changed into needy and passionate. Gently, he pushed my back to the sand and kept kissing me for a moment more. When he pulled apart, my breath was coming out in pants and his pupils were completely dilated.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you all day…”

My heart soared at his words. It felt good to know that he’d been thinking about me. Scratch that. It felt freaking awesome.

He hovered over me as his eyes roamed all over my face. I pushed myself and kissed him one more time passing my arms around the back of his neck. A husky groan left his throat as his hands gripped me tighter against him.

I forgot about everything and everyone as I got lost in him once again.

________________________________________________________________________

Hey everyone!

So, I'm going to continue with Take Out Chef :) I'm trying to set a schedule, so I'll be updating this story on Wednesdays and TOC on Fridays. If I can, I'll update sooner.

Life has been pretty hectic right now... :)

Comments and votes, please!!!

Gabs