Chapter Eighteen: Part Three
At another market stall, Rick ordered them both a pot of green tea and some vegetarian dumplings. As soon as they’d finished, a young boy invited them through the kitchen and into a wide semi-enclosed space behind the stall. A group of men were playing dominoes on a wooden table, and they grunted in recognition when they saw Rick. When Kate came into view, they sat up straight, sucked in their stomachs, and suddenly became knights of the old world.
Kate found dominoes less than captivating but having Rick there made up for it. After half an hour of play, one of the boys started strumming a guitar. She picked up a large upturned plastic bucket, sat next to the young guitarist, and started drumming, surprising everyone there with her skill. Someone quickly produced an African djembe drum and passed it to Kate. Rick watched her hands and listened to her play, entranced. One of the older youths disappeared for a few minutes before returning with his own guitar, and they quickly started duelling. As other stallholders closed up for the day and joined in, a fiddle and more instruments materialised. A party developed organically, and Rick and Kate had their first dance, their afternoon passing in a haze of singing, laughing and joy.
~~~~~
Sitting on Rick’s balcony, they watched the last of the day’s colour fade into hues of blue and grey as the city slid into the evening. The air was warm and comfortable. After their day’s grazing, a little fruit was all they wanted to eat. Each delighted in the other’s knowledge of their shared areas of specialist expertise. Their conversation was natural and unrestrained. Kate found herself simply enjoying everything about Ricardo Myers.
He is waiting patiently for an answer. Earth to Katie? a part of her mind prompted her.
‘Sorry Rick, I was thinking of the many pleasures you give me and completely zoned out. What were you saying?’
‘I think I nearly forgot myself just then, Kate.’ He smiled. His fingers dug back into her shoulder muscles.
‘That’s what made me lose the power of thought last time, Ricky,’ she said as her head lolled off to one side again in bliss.
He kissed her neck once and said, ‘Sunday, dinner with the folks?’
She let her head fall back and dragged his face to hers by his hair with both hands, kissing him upside down in response. ‘Yes, I would love to, Rick. Now, would you please take me away and have your wicked way with me, my lord?’
‘As you wish,’ he replied, kissing her exposed throat. Again, they explored and enjoyed each other, looking over the lights of the cityscape from the comfortable warmth of the spa bath.
~~~~~
The shrill call of the alarm woke them both with a start. ‘Sorry baby, I forgot that I set that one when we were away,’ Rick said, fumbling his phone to silence in the pale golden glow of the early dawn.
Sleep proved elusive for them as they lay snuggling under the warm covers, aware that today was the start of a very busy week for them both. The sun was well up by the time the lovers started moving, neither wanting to break the spell.
Still aglow from her hot shower, Kate walked out in a robe, enticed by the aroma of fresh brewing coffee. Taking her seat, a warm and cared-for feeling wrapped itself around her. Rick had arranged a fruit platter with toast and juice on the table. He reached past her and placed two steaming cups on the table before kissing her forehead from behind, letting his fingertips caress her throat as she purred.
‘I don’t want it to end!’ Kate said petulantly, sticking her bottom lip out and stamping her feet.
‘In the short term, we both have busy lives. I don’t want this to end either, Kate.’ He paused. Kate looked at his face, which was suddenly tense. Staying silent, she let him process whatever thought he was having. Finally, he looked at her. ‘Kate, I don’t want to scare you off. I don’t want to do anything to scare you but I have to tell you that I know beyond any possible doubt that I am falling for you. Catherine Jones, I am falling for you in a way I have never felt before. I never thought I could find an equal who ticked all my boxes until you came into my life.’
The look of vulnerable honesty on his face instantly brought tears to Kate’s eyes. She leapt, spinning into his arms, and kissed him deeply. ‘I feel exactly the same, Rick. I love you.’
It just slipped out. Her tension was short lived when she felt an instant heave as his breath shuddered from him. ‘And I love you, Kate. I’ve wanted to say that all weekend. I wanted to say it on Alegria. I knew it then.’ Their embrace was fierce and their kisses, needful and passionate.
Breaking, she looked at him whilst giggling. ‘Wow. Do you know how many times I told myself I wouldn’t tell you I loved you in case I scared you off?’
‘Yes, Kate, I think I do.’ He smiled back. For the next twenty minutes, they ate in silence. Every time they caught each other’s eye, they started giggling. A tone playing on his phone caught their attention and broke their reverie. Rick answered.
Kate heard him say, ‘Can you push that back an hour, please?… Damn… Okay, forty-five minutes it is.’ Seeing the look on his face, she understood that their morning together was at an end. ‘Harold will be here in fifteen minutes. I’m sorry, Kate.’
‘Rick, It’s completely alright. We both have a lot on today.’ Kate gulped the last of her coffee, waving Rick in the direction of the bathroom. She said, ‘Go, I’m showered.’ He smiled and vanished as Kate tidied their breakfast things away. As she finished dressing, Rick emerged from the bathroom, looking the epitome of a senior executive. Looking at him in his tailored suit, Kate felt her stomach spasm a little.
~~~~~
Harold was pulling up as they exited the building. Rick waved to him to stay in the car and opened the door for Kate, climbing in after her. ‘Uptown first, sir?’
‘Thank you, Harold. Then wherever Ms Catherine wants to go.’
Kate moved close to Rick’s ear. ‘Ms Catherine wants to go with her sir.’ The sexuality with which she hissed the sir was not lost on him. His answering grin said exactly what Kate needed to hear.
Too soon, the car ride was over and Rick kissed her goodbye. ‘Until Sunday, my lady. I love and lust you.’ He was out and gone too quickly for her to respond, but she did manage to rake her nails from his knee to groin as he exited. The smile she shot out of the back window caused him to walk into a parking meter, and nearly trip over. He was smiling back sheepishly and rubbing his hip when she lost sight of him.
‘To your apartment, ma’am?’
‘Yes please, Harold. Thank you.’
After a few moments, Kate looked forward and said, ‘Harold? Thank you so much for the make-up, and clothes, and everything. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you do.’
He replied, ‘It is truly my pleasure Miss Catherine.’
‘Please, call me Kate.’
‘Thank you Miss Catherine,’ he said with a cheeky smile.
Kate was sure no time had passed at all when Harold opened her door and walked her to the door of her building, making sure she was safely inside before driving off with a respectful wave.
~~~~~