The next week found Temi, Facundo, and Thom falling into a comfortable routine. Monday, Wednesday and Friday Temi worked out with Thom, having dinner with him on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday and Thursday, she would leave work and head straight to Facundo’s. He cooked on Tuesday, she cooked on Thursday, and on Friday they went out. Temi spent absolutely no time at home, but today, she would need to stop by to water her plants.

      “You ready to go?” Facundo kissed her neck as went to the wall to grab his keys.

     “Mmm,” she finished her coffee, “yes.”

 Today was going to be a big day for them, as her mother put in a request to meet Facundo over dinner. Temi couldn’t deny she was nervous about the meeting. Not because she didn’t think her mother would approve, but because she was afraid her mother might approve too much. Facundo, on the other hand, was excited. Although they had only been together three weeks, he felt it was about time to meet the parents. To Temi… things were just moving too fast.

      As they traveled up Battlefield Boulevard, Facundo reached for her hand. “Once we’re finished here, what would you like to do?”

     Temi thought for a moment. “Umm… how about Northwest River Park? I can make us some sandwiches, and we could hike the Molly Mitchell Trail; stop by the creek or at the overlook and have lunch before hiking back?”

     Facundo screwed up his face. “You really want to go hiking?”

     “The leaves are beautiful right now and round trip, it’s less than five miles.”

     He sighed. “Listen, I’m not really dressed for a hike, and I would hate to drive home, change, and go back out.”

Temi bit her lip. She’d had this conversation before… with Jordan. He never wanted to go for a hike, to go camping, or anything outdoorsy. Well, almost anything; he would walk along the beach for hours.

     “How about this. Why don’t we drive over to Croatan and walk along the beach?”

     Greeeaat... she thought. “Sure, why not?” He kissed her hand and pulled into her parking lot.

Facundo walked around Temi’s apartment as she watered her plants and rotated the clothes in her sleepover bag. She also pulled out a white dress to wear to her mother’s later. Just about finished in her bedroom, she was getting ready to walk out when Facundo wrapped his arms around her from behind.

     “Temi,” he was kissing her neck. “I’m thinking maybe you should move in with me.”

     She was beginning to hate the way he could turn her to mush. Standing straight, she tried to clear her head.      “Why? You don’t like my place?”

     “No, babe, it’s not that. It’s just, well, you’re spending every night there anyway. I have plenty of room, and my place is a little more… mmm, mature.”

     Temi rolled her eyes, wiggled herself out of his arms, and left the room, bag in hand. “My place may not be as mature as yours, but it’s mine.”

     Facundo shook his head and silently berated himself before going after her. “Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” He caught up to her in the dining area where she was watering a plant near the window. “Temi, will you put that down and look at me for a moment?”

     She closed her eyes, sighed, and put the water can on the dining table she rarely used. “Yes, Facundo,” she turned around.

     He smiled and pulled her to him, kissing her lightly on the lips. “The truth is, I would really like you to move in. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I love listening to you sing in the shower, and I love the way you curl up next to me at night.” He kissed her again. “You don’t have to respond now, but will you please think about it?”

No, thought Temi. She didn’t want to move in with Facundo! They hadn’t been together a month and now he wants her to move in? Hell, no! She knew he wouldn’t want to hear that, and she really didn’t want to fight about it. So, to dodge the question, she ran her hands up his chest, wrapped them around his neck and kissed him. She knew this wasn’t the best idea because as much as it would throw him off… it would also throw her off.

Facundo grabbed her, turned and put her on the table. Temi sat up, raised her legs and wrapped them around him as she unbuttoned her blouse. His heavy breathing signaled to her that the conversation was definitely on hold. He placed his face in her breasts, kissing, fondling. With two fingers, she lifted his chin and brought his lips to hers, and while he kissed her, her hands were busy removing his pants. When they finally fell about his ankles, he suddenly stopped. He looked her in the eyes, then let her go to pull up his pants. Not knowing what was happening, Temi lowered her legs and gathered her blouse together. “Facundo?”

At the sound of her voice, he swept her off the table and moved to the sofa. With swift dexterous hands he removed his pants and then her skirt; his breath catching when he realized she wasn’t wearing panties. That’s when he lost all control.

Two goes and three hours later, the lovers were lying on the floor. Temi had to admit that what just happened was the best thus far. She wasn’t sure why, but somehow, they had surpassed the dozen or so times they’d had sex before.

     “Oh, my God, Temi,” Facundo kissed her shoulder. “Do you see what you do to me?”

     Temi laughed and turned on her side to face him. She moved his hair from his eyes and kissed him. “What I do to you? Don’t you mean what you do to me?”

     “Please.” He cupped one of her breasts, bent his head, and drew the nipple into his mouth. A warmth began to stir within her and when she moaned, he smiled. “Mmm… perhaps you’re right.”

Temi saw the devilish look on his face and slapped the back of his head. Looking up at the ceiling Temi thought about their three weeks together. Much of their time had been spent like this; kissing, teasing, bodies intwined. In fact, she really didn’t know much about Facundo outside of his love for sex. Which, amazingly, she discovered she was quite fond of the act herself, but… there had to be more.

     “Hey, what’s your favorite color?”

     “Red. Why?” he stopped kissing her abdomen to look at her.

     “No reason,” she shrugged. “What’s your favorite food?”

     Facundo sat up and gave her a quizzical look; assessing her disposition as he rubbed the scruff on his chin with his right hand. “Fried chicken, but if you tell my abuela, I’ll deny it,” he smiled. “She thinks her tamales are my favorite.”

     “Favorite type of movie?”

     “Action films. Temi, are we playing twenty questions,” he asked with one eyebrow cocked while smiling.

     “No,” she swatted him. “I just realized I know every inch of your body,” she ran her fingers down his arm, “but I know very little about you.”       

     “Hmm. I see.” He pulled himself on top of her and held his face mere inches above hers. His proximity was intoxicating. “What else would you like to know,” he whispered to her mouth but didn’t touch it. Temi’s brown eyes met his hazel ones. She noticed they were getting darker, and she knew what that meant.

     “Like me, you’re an only child. Were you ever lonely?”

     He smiled. She was going to do her best to resist him. Well, we’ll see how long she can keep it up, he thought. “No. Including Carlos, I have at least twenty-three first cousins; some of whom you will meet in two weeks.”

     Facundo’s birthday was in two weeks, just a few days after Halloween. “Did you always want to be a lawyer?”

     “Yes.”

     “Your ex-girlfriend. Did the two of you fuck as much as we do?”

     Facundo pulled back in order to search her face, but he couldn’t read it. He could tell she wasn’t angry or upset… just asking a question and expecting an answer. “No. She wasn’t really into it like this,” he moved his hand between her legs causing her back to arch and her eyes to close. Temi held his wrist for a moment trying to decide what to do. She wanted to press it to her but in the end, removed it, panting heavily.

     “Really,” her question was labored. “Were you as free with her as you are with me?”

     Facundo thought about it, and he had to admit that he wasn’t. There was something about Temi that made him bolder. He was used to going after what he wanted when he wanted it, but with women he was usually pretty cautious and sometimes even shy. “No.”

     Temi could see this was not just a revelation for her but for him as well. He was frowning now. She didn’t mean to upset him or make him second guess past decisions. She lifted her hands to either side of his face. “Hey.” When he looked at her, she asked in a husky voice, “What’s your favorite thing to do?”

He grabbed her hips and found his way inside her. He kissed her savagely. Temi, rolled him onto his back and took over the rhythm; she had to slow them down before it ended too quickly. She took his hands and placed them on her hips and with her eyes urged him to help her keep the pace. Slowly, his hands cupped her bottom urging her to go faster. She refused… in fact, she went slower and watched as his head tilted back and he bit his lower lip. She knew she was in control, and she felt powerful. She rolled slightly backward and pulled him into a sitting position, wrapping her legs around him and moving his mouth to her breast. She quickened the pace until eventually her breast dropped from his mouth just as the pace again slowed; becoming deliberate as they reached their peak.

     For several minutes they lay on the floor completely spent. Facundo pulled her toward him just as sleep was setting in, “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of this.”

            “Oh, honey, you look beautiful,” Jada gushed over her daughter. “Is that a new dress?”

            “Yes, Mama, it’s new.” Temi and Facundo walked inside before Temi made introductions. “Mama, I’d like you to meet Facundo Hernandez. Facundo, this is my mother, Jada Clarke.”

Temi’s mother told Facundo she’d been looking forward to meeting the new young man dating her daughter and extended her hand to shake his. Facundo smiled at her hand, took it in both of his and kissed it. “This meeting is well met then, for I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

            Temi raised a brow in his direction. She’d never heard him speak that way before; kind of a modern take on Elizabethan English and coming from him it seemed out of place. “Okay, then,” Temi broke the growing silence and the wide grins they were giving one another. “Shall I get us some drinks?”

            “Oh, Artemisia, that would be wonderful,” Jada clasped her hands together. “Take Facundo into the living room. I have appetizers waiting to be eaten.”

Temi smiled at her mother, then she took Facundo by the hand and escorted him to the other room.

            Temi’s mother had gone overboard with the appetizers. There was a spinach dip, homemade cheese puffs, smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers, mixed nuts, and a fruit tray. Seeing all the food, Temi shook her head and continued to the small bar. “Hey, babe,” she called out to Facundo who had stopped to graze, “what would you like?”

            “Do you have scotch?”

            Ewww, she made a face he couldn’t see. “Yep.”

            “I’ll have a scotch on the rocks then.”

            Temi got to work on the drinks; scotch on the rocks for Facundo, French martini for her mother, and a bourbon… neat… for herself. She placed all three drinks on the serving tray and was walking over to the coffee table just as her mother was joining them.

            “Oh, thank you, baby,” Jada accepted her drink and took a sip. “Mmmm. Perfect,” she smiled her approval.

            “Shall we have a toast?” Facundo raised his glass.

            “Sure,” Temi agreed with him.

            “To Ms. Clarke, for the delicious bounty we’re about to enjoy, to my beautiful Temi for returning love to my life, and to our futures; may this be the first day of many happier days to come.”

            “Sláinte,” Temi and her mother said together as the three of them clinked glasses.

            “Sláinte,” Facundo asked. “I’m sorry what does that mean?”

            “To health, right mama?”

             Jada nodded. “My late husband had the opportunity to work in Ireland for several months before he and I met. In Ireland they say sláinte after a toast, and my husband liked it so much he kept it up.” She took another sip of her libation. “So, tell me, what did you kids get into today?”

Temi could feel her face warm and thanked God for her dark skin and the dim lighting, as she looked down at her drink. Any lighter, and her mother would see her blushing.

            Facundo looked at Temi. He smiled and took her hand. “We… got to know one another a little better.”

            Jada couldn’t pretend she didn’t know what that meant. She smiled as she looked at the embarrassment on her daughter’s face and thought it was sweet that her thirty-plus year-old daughter could still be bashful over something she assumed Temi had been doing for years. It was adorable. “Well. I hope it was enjoyable for both of you.

            “Mom,” Temi begged her to stop.

Smiling deeply, Jada stood and asked if they were ready for dinner. She had prepared a salad with homemade dressing, coq au vin, and baked potatoes. Everything sounded so delicious that Temi and Facundo agreed to begin dinner. Besides, with such an amazing dinner, Temi didn’t want to fill up on appetizers.

Dinner with her mother went well. Temi’s mother asked questions and listened intently, and her questions were simple, logical questions. Questions, to which Temi should have probably already known the answers. Where was his family from? Where did he go to law school? How he chose real estate law?

What he liked about her daughter? As Jada learned about Facundo, Temi realized, with embarrassment, that she was getting to know him too.

            At the end of their meal, they were once again seated in the living room. Jada had removed the appetizers and replaced them with a homemade caramel cake. “Facundo, this is my grandmother’s, Temi’s great-grandmother’s, recipe. I hope you like it.” She cut each of them a slice and poured each of them a cup of black coffee to help cut the sweetness of the cake. Temi knew her mother made it not only because it was delicious and it remined Temi of her nana, but because it was her favorite. It was her dad’s favorite cake too.

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