Acknowledging this doesn’t upset me; it makes me happy. He came.
I know he’s eager to touch me. I am too, and without resisting the urge, I move a little closer.
His control seems to snap. His hand lands on my waist, and the warm mouth I love so much touches my cheek.
It’s a chaste kiss, but it speaks volumes, possibly more than a declaration of love would.
When he finally lets go of me, I don’t want him to move away.
“Yes, it is,” I say, finally answering his question. “Will you also have lunch here?”
He shrugs, and I take that as a yes.
“We could . . . uh . . .”
“Of course,” he replies quickly.
Knowing that he’s also eager calms me a bit. He pulls out a chair for me, and I look at him, studying every bit of the owner of my heart. His face looks tired, despite his usual impeccable appearance.
“Are you here by chance?”
“If I say no, will you leave?”
“I won’t. I missed you too.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them, he doesn’t meet my gaze. “You said that if I loved you enough, I would give you space. Me being here doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It’s quite the opposite.”
God, what am I doing to both of us?
“Have dinner with me tonight?” I ask.
He was looking at his hands folded on the table, but he immediately lifts his head at my words. “Where?”
“I’d like to see Nina, so if it could be at your place . . .”
“Yes, she would love that. We both missed you.”
Before I can say anything else, a group of classmates sees me and comes over.
We both stand up, but he holds me by the waist. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
“You don’t have to; I can take an Uber.”
He doesn’t give me time to continue protesting. After another kiss on the cheek, he repeats,
“Six o’clock in front of the course venue, my love.”
I don’t even bother asking how he knows what time classes end.
“Is that Guillermo Caldwell-Oviedo? What is he to you?” one of the girls in the group asks.
I watch him as he leaves the restaurant.
“He’s mine.”
I get out of the building a bit late, and Guillermo is waiting for me with the family driver, Simon, outside the car.
As soon as he sees me, he closes the distance to meet me, and as if in a hurry, he intertwines our fingers and guides me to the vehicle.
