"Do you remember that cabin we stayed in when were hiding out? Being in the mountains was so nice."
"Yeah, I remember..." I pull her body closer to mine and breath in her scent. "You remember what we did in the backyard?"
"Ricky!"
"Heh, you said my name just like that too."
"Oh my gosh, shut up." She laughs and shakes her head. I had missed that laugh, a genuine one that wasn't hollow and filled with sadness.
I take a bar of soap and rub it in my hands until suds form then slowly being to massage her back. She has her eyes closed and a small smile on her face. She was so effortlessly beautiful. God, I will never lose this woman again. I just can't.
"Mhm, that's nice Ricky." She sighs as I continue to work her back.
"Careful beautiful, those sounds excite me."
I move her wet hair from her back to her shoulder and kiss the back of her neck. Something about touching her body felt like it were more erotic than claiming her. Perhaps it was do to the fact that I haven't been with anyone else.
"Come on, let's wash off and go see the kids. My fingers are pruning up."
She stretches out her arms then stands to step out of the bath. Her backside was still covered in bubbles and her hair was now at armpit length. I watch in astonishment as they run down her shoulders and onto her ass. She really didn't have a single bad side, she was just so gorgeous and didn't know it.
"I can't believe I get to call you mine..."
I wanted to reach out and pull her back into my arms but I know that if I did that we would be in this bathroom for far too long. My lingering gaze on her was cut short as she wrapped herself in a towel.
"What a shame, I was enjoying the view..."
She peeks over her shoulder and smiles, "I'm sure that if you continue to behave yourself, you'll have many opportunities to see it again. Now come get dressed."
She exits the bathroom and I slowly follow after her. I lazily throw a towel on and let it hang lowly around my waist. I lean against the frame of the door and watch as she starts to towel herself off. She starts with her hair then her arms, next is her chest and finally her legs. She was aware that I was watching her, it made holding back much harder for me.
"Oye Kazmaria, don't do that."
"Do what?" She raises a brow and grins. This woman would surely be the death of me.
"You know exactly what you're doing... Stop it."
"I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean." She continues to lean over and slowly applies lotion to her legs. "If it's that interesting to watch then come help."
She tosses the bottle at me and I catch it with one hand.
"Ay, vamos a llegar tarde a la cena."
(Oh, we're going to be late for dinner.)
***
"Goodness! What in the world took you so long to-"
I stop talking as Ricky slowly enters the room after her.
"Oh. Never mind."
Kaz gives me a sudden hug and lifts me off the floor.
"Thank you, Lina. You've been nothing be kind to me and I appreciate you. Thank you so much."
I squeeze her back and put my face in her neck. I had missed seeing her up and about. Seeing her happy again was enough to make me tear up.
"Don't thank me. You're my best friend Kazzie, I did it because I love you."
"I love you too."
She sets me back in the floor and lets me go. I glance at Ricky and notice the unimpressed look in his face as he leans against the wall. God, I just wanted to knock his head off.
"Well uh, I just put the boys down for a nap and dinner's ready in the kitchen. I didn't know what you wanted to eat, so I had the chief make one of everything."
"Ugh you're the best." She pecks my cheek and walks towards the kitchen.
I expected for Ricky to follow behind her like he always did, but he never moved from that same spot.
"What?" I ask him when I know Kaz is out of earshot.
"What are you playing at, eh?" He folds his arms across his chest and scowls at me.
"Excuse me? I'm not playing at anything. My friend needed someone to be there for her and that's exactly what I did; Be there for her."
"Well there's no need for that anymore. She has me and that's more than enough. After this say your goodbyes because we're leaving soon."
He pushes himself off the wall and heads after Kaz.
"The hell you mean 'leaving'? She never said anything about leaving!"
He sighs and pauses in his tracks.
"My wife and I are in agreement on what we're going to do in this new phase of our life. It doesn't concern you so please, respect my wishes or next time I wont ask so nicely."
He didn't say anything else after that. He just left the room with that smug grin and his face. What I would give to smack that look off his stupid little mouth.
"You're a complete asshole, Ricky." I mutter to myself quietly. "I'll never let her settle for a piece of shit like you, she deserves better. Way better than you."
I had to think of something and I had to think of something fast. Now that he was back in the picture I had to make her see his true colors. I had to make her understand that she's being fed empty lies and that this man was absolutely no good for her.
"Don't worry Kazzie, I'll get you away from that monster in no time. I just hope that you're ready to finally let him go."
Oh no. I hadn't thought about that before. What if she wasn't ready yet? What if she refused to leave him? Or she thought that she had to be with him because he was the father of her kids? What if she really did want to leave with him?
I shake my hands at my side and stop myself from thinking the worse.
"Don't think like that, Lina. My Kazzie is a strong woman who is completely capable of thinking clearly for herself. She's an intelligent person and I'm sure that whatever she's doing is all part of some kind of plan she has."
The unexpected ring of my phone causes me to jump a little. I grab it from my pocket and put it to my ear.
"Damnit Carlos you scared me."
"Lina? Is Ricky still in the house?" He voice sounded stressed. Like he was on edge about something.
"Um yeah, he and Kaz just sat down to eat."
"Fuck... Okay, keep an eye out on anything he does and don't let him leave the house. I'll be there in a few."
"How am I supposed to keep him from leaving? I can't stand the man, I can't wait for him to leave!"
"Now's not the time for that kinda talk. You don't let fucker leave the goddamn house. Do whatever you have to do to keep him there. I'm counting on you, Catalina."
The other side of the phone clicks and I'm left with a smile on my face and butterflies in my stomach.
"He said my name... Hehe."
I smack my hands against my face and push this feeling aside.
"Focus Lina. As much as I don't want to, I have to keep him here as long as I can."
An idea forms in my head and I start to smile to myself again while walking to the dining room.
"Just what am I up to?"