Page 64 of Yours, For Now

After multiple visits to the top floor offices of the Sotomayor Group, I could simply say hi to Cynthia and walk past her reception desk toward the offices at the back of the place. I'd escaped my dad and uncle who would arrive together soon, with the excuse that I needed to pick up the Mexican cookies I brought to the meeting. The smell of cinnamon and sugar wafted from the box as I made my way to the boardroom, and I imagined I left a tempting trail of spiced sweetness behind me.

I didn't make it to the boardroom. To my surprise, my dad, Tío Miguel, Raúl, and Jake stood together chatting in the boardroom. They all turned to me as I approached them.

"Lina," Raúl said as he kissed my cheek. "What's this?"

He grabbed the box from me and Jake helped him open it.

"Hojarascas," I said. "My mom made a few different types for everyone to enjoy."

"Do I smell cinnamon?" Jake took one from the box and took a bite. "Oh god. This is delicious."

"Iris is a great cook. I'm very fortunate," my dad told the group.

"And if you're wondering," Tío Miguel added, "I'm sure Lina has learned a thing or two from her mother."

"Wait until Gabe is here to say stuff like that." My dad smiled. "It's for him that our Lina is showing off, right? Or are you trying to show off for the in-laws, too?"

"I brought this for everyone," I said.

Jake put the box on the table, and offered me coffee. He made me some at the small brewing station set up in the room while I caught up with Raúl.

"Where's Gabe?" I asked.

"He was wrapping up a call, the last time I checked. He will be here soon. Come, let's sit."

Everyone found a place around the table, but I hesitated. I checked my watch; Gabe had less than ten minutes to arrive.

"I'll go see if he's ready." I turned on my heels and stepped outside, opening the glass door to the boardroom, only to find Gabe taking strides in my direction. I kept the door open for him instead.

"Hey," he said. "I made it."

"Glad you're here." I offered him my cheek to kiss on the way to the meeting room, my hand still on the handle.

He didn't go in, and stopped in front of me instead. He took my chin between thumb and forefinger, turned my face toward him, and placed his lips on mine.

It was nothing more than the press of our mouths together, but my body reacted like I had never been kissed before. My knees weakened and everyone around us disappeared, my attention fully focused on the way his lips brought tingles to my skin, and his warm fingers held me in place. It lasted only a few seconds, but by the time it was done, it had pushed the button inside of me that wanted me to ask for more.

That simple kiss wasn't enough.

"C'mon, you two," Raúl said. "We need to get ready."

"Sweeter than the cookies, huh, Gabriel?" Tío Miguel added, his quip followed by his usual out-of-place, unconcerned laugh.

"What cookies?" Gabe asked, guiding me to two empty chairs next to each other. "Oh. I see."

"Hojarascas," Jake explained, taking another one from the box. His accent was better in Spanish than I'd expected. "Sit. I'll make you coffee."

Gabe nodded to his friend in thanks and he and I sat side-by-side, and I didn't say a word. I was still reeling from his kiss.

"Soon enough?" he muttered my way.

I didn't know how to answer the question, because there were reasons to say yes, and many more to say no.

"Don't distract me," I replied at the same volume. "This meeting is important."

He chuckled. "Thanks for that. It does wonders to my ego, to know I'm distracting you."

I shook my head and chuckled as well, just as Gabe opened a laptop and set up the call on the big screen. If my reaction made him feel good that was fine, I supposed, but I had to work hard at bringing down my internal response. Him kissing me that way in front of people was a big part of the point, but I wasn’t supposed to react so strongly to it. I should have known; if I'd lost all scruples I'd ever had at this pretense, and I had lost all sense of irony in faking a relationship with Gabe, then it was time to accept that my feelings were more involved than I was prepared to admit out loud.