The Spanish Love Deception

didn't like you all

hat had been crowned

ouring down the minu

of

I cursed under my bre

ssive entrance door and

rain falling from

checked the Weather app

bably hover over Manha

ur

, just

t in the evening, so sta

ption. I needed my bed.

and a pint of Ben & Je

ving today. Instead, I'd

tover veggies I h

here nearby, returning

now gusts of wind veerin

e to th

nTech's entrance hall, I

the chilly building and c

ehow act as a barrier b

d grabbed that morning,

aterp

autiful and brand-new

gorgeous and unfortunat

state one last time. "Fa

told them

the glass door and stepp

I held my cardi

econds under the rain t

'd be completely and

I speed-walked under t

-minute commute to the p

'd spend soake

er of the building,

rainfall increasing an

water fell heavily on t

rel

half my hair to my ch

locks out of my face

izing quickly how ba

on a puddle, sliding f

sidewalk. My hands, sti

ir as I fought t

please, universe. My eye

te. Please, universe, don

this

re inch as I held my b

ulous

gs were close to doing

ndi

traighten and resume m

ng up a short dista

wned a vehicle in th

a, I told myself as I

pp

eye, I watched the pas

er to the vehicle I str

ood to interact with, I

as I still held the stupi

ve

eaking

de. His body was leani

see his lips moving, I c

of the traffic, the wind

e characteristic

in his direction,

robably indicating that

s at him, wet as a drow

s pointe

hell

e over his expression a

a lot like impos

owled over the rain, st

what I assumed was som

ling me how much he wan

owl, I would not

ped closer. Very slowly

nd slide across the sidew

people in N

a." I heard Aaron's exas

the furious and

spected, he hadn't

s that blue gaze fell

e to two years of him e

im was of no use. But I w

hated my full name. Pap

his daughters after tw

atalina. My name being

in my country.

parted in

ed my words. Then, he

e. "For an improvised t

t be ot

ooked inside Aaron Bla

pression of ge

is face go from exaspe

am driving you home"-h

to me, as if it were a d

lmost break yo

ai

t he had adde

ks. "Oh, thank you," I

embarrassed I was and p

need." I stood in front

again. I finally droppe

ff it. "I can manage myse

ithout breaking my neck,

oo. Plus, I'm

ng you since you walked

da

some more water off my

his earlier expression

bout th

at

tilted. "

en seeping through my

pin down what he

cat that you are not al

s widened

"Bryan. My neighb

impor

ark, I couldn't help b

behind

the car.

ore car piled up. "Mr. C

witho

but before he could sa

me, making me give a litt

he car's

r de Dios!"

heart in my throat, I

yellow taxis. After a f

, ch

I was being pushed bac

Right until my whole ba

t r

the order from my left

louse. "If you are worrie

Aaron's words weren't rea

angry as a few minutes a

hand, the movemen

to the seat belt that n

don't want

won

stealing a qui

road, shooting dagge

for that l

ank

again. The car was fi

d on his task and mine to

elf, thinking o

s all that bad," she h

t waited to seep in unt

d? It wasn't like Mr. Su

an he us

f just saved me from t

he h

cursed myself for wh

g out those papers for

pulse to take it back im

east, right now. "It was

ncing, the admission fee

taking in his hard prof

s jaw rela

welcome,

is gaze o

us. That was .

y more into that, a shi

shudder. I hugged my m

wet clusterfuck th

e console, changing the

of my seat. I immediately

nd arms, my legs gro

tte

." I faced him w

searched my face with

he were waiting for

't let all these thank

ckf

lifted one of his hand

f humor in his voice. "J

I should ask if

n, but I don't think i

ighting the snappy comeb

am soaked to my bones,

joy it if

?" That tiny pinch

other shudder, I burrow

seat. "More li

e. It was a deep sound,

e you, but I have been

fessed, taking the truce

. "And you are not even

subdued snort came fro

admit that I liked it.

il

considering something. "

ould I be offen

ford. Plus, there's tim

ur rightful place as t

most murd

Aaron's head turned slo

xpression was. His ocean

d ever seen it. We stared

nother shiver curled

the wet

nd as if he had eyes on

light changed to green.

point

ions of his request, my

layout of the wide avenue

red. "We are

acted that I had forgot

ough he wasn't too

of the city, right? N

d-Stuy." I confirmed w

how did y

compl

nked at his

his way okay, or

stumbled over my words

ll let you kno

ka

feeling a little too war

n?" I m

aron answered calmly.

mentioned that it takes

yn you live in." He pause

almost ev

I did complain but not

se. Yeah, half the tim

t he was interested in wha

. Or if it c

ng, "Who's made the t

you might have wanted

surprised that he was i

petition," he said, se

ction. "It'

? Oh my God, it

felt myself smiling wari

ight, so Jeff"-I count

finger-"and Gerald. Yes

lap. "Hey, look at that;

ackford. Cong

genuinely sur

ow his brow

problem with

my hand in the air, t

ck Holmes wannabe had

of my made-up boyfri

am

r that for a long momen

e to look out the passe

lyn through the droplet

came from the man i

r at him. His profile w

I'd ever hear

t he deserves. I'm shoc

t. If it were up to me

what? What would you

t answer, so I averted my

. This conversation was

pt to have it anyway. "It'

rst rodeo

an?" Aaron's voice

tion to that, I answere

oo much detail. I didn

en exactly pleasant and a

" I shrugged, clasping m

y someone like me has th

ne lik

ily through my mouth,

a couple of seconds. "A

youngest team leader an

en, it also crossed my m

reigner. I know a few of

erheard Tim call me Sof

took it as a compliment.

ouldn't be the worst thi

. I'm okay with being ..

thing about me was pret

n hair. On the shorter si

ll bust. We were million

average. Not a big deal.

wedding, but I don't th

kin

side, making me reali

lso rambled my way out

n't even compu

throat-"Gerald doesn

to do with me not being

hat's how the world wor

it doesn't

ce followe

s to know what it was t

e or telling me that I wa

But he only looked mad

and his br

y eye, I saw the inter

t right, please," I instr

at the end of

ctions in silence, sti

had said. Thankfully,

was tempt

my finger. "The buildi

ark red fr

tioned the car on a fre

right in front of my do

as he kille

the confined spac

d around. I tried to foc

his borough of Brooklyn

izzeria on the corner-w

g lazy. Or just hungry.

he silence pressed on me,

e

elt and feeling the top

my mouth. "All ri

ht about my off

eat belt. My head lifted

ing

I had placed my drenche

dy all of him. His profil

ps perched on my street

l dark and angry, as if th

rst was ye

y much in the dark, so I

of blue that usually told

asn't the case-or that l

I could notice was how hi

al. They almost dwarfed

l, looking at him now, h

stance between his seat a

ate his long legs. So m

sily fit

elf wondering what he w

ory, Aaron cleared his

rew my attention

ff, a little shaken by t

ap. I am ridiculous.

eth

ranged his body in his

e weirdly. "I'll probabl

u think I

treet. In front of my b

athroom. And I hoped it

est

te with a deep breath and

u

need to use t

if he couldn't figure ou

eantime, I wondered e

work of the seat belt, s

ring holes

t's your

dy froze. "

u thought about it? A

ending you don't reme

bling down for a horr

d, doing exactly what

eded to win some time t

tion. And more importan

? Why was he insist

did he think he could be

like he mea

t w

omment, or a roll of hi

tract his words because

patience for that, I brac

go with, he went with t

o

sigh left

lin

I'll be your date," Aa

as much as he possibly c

ans

ring something simple

d answer that didn't re

like dessert, Lina? Why,

u. But Aaron's offer was

m cheesecake as

im a look-"you c

s you thin

"Well, for one, you ar

can't be," I repeated.

tly serious

I laughed bitterly. "Is

hat, and let me tell you

eal feel of what's funny

I looked at him straigh

y, A

ed. "Not

g at him for

not be joking. He coul

tangled and wet hair,

o get out of here. And yet

ac

any other options? A b

the mark I assumed he'd

ers fall

have any ot

ct that he was being so b

. My cheeks heated, a

hat as a no," he sai

little like a ki

eep the hurt off my face

get a glimpse of how pat

ade m

hen my only option was

l that much in

d as much as it hurt to

else. Just Aaron Bla

ions. In a world where I

ade-up boyfri

le

. Did he notice-unde

I accidentally told my m

was A

y head. No wa

you are doing this," I

sincerity I had

aving his body almost

's so hard to bel

le left my lips-"we do

ldn't be any more ... di

han a handful of minutes without bickering or w

believe this w

et along

gh. "Okay, that was ac

ckf

ed. "And I am your onl

e was still ri

t the closed passenge

u want to attend that we

who can

ed I was that desper

my head. Because you

ation inflating inside

crazy alternative

y. "Let's say I entertain

t you do this, what's in

ill-wet clothes were sti

t do stuff just for the

A goal. You must want

ver help me. You are no

not w

ck, almost unnoticeabl

a long moment, and I cou

head

e same for me,"

to be more specific, Bl

paused in thought. "Do y

uess it doesn't matter if

nt me to go to

I didn't know if he w

he added, "Not for a wed

te

is d

. so ... different whe

aking different when Aa

e and

feeling self-consciou

d a date? Like"-I point

to be yo

up with a chimpanzee,

sed, that scowl takin

and then opened back

ou want me"-I pointed at

r d

n't sa

riend?" I interrupted h

of

I d

ose for a heartbeat,

sual someone y

me anoth

fli

ghed.

or that?" I regretted it

curious. So, perhaps, i

question

ightly, his back relaxin

ave to give me an answer

y of time in fact." Even i

eyes of his pin me down

simply saving it for s

ly smug. Sort of concei

of ..

Nope. The only S-word

. sarcastic. Scornful. Se

t not se

have a date already?" I

indifferent and cold. "B

h as t

t. "Is that why you hav

din

re the reason instead of

instinct of self-preserv

y hands drop in my lap

he console i

without having a reas

lyi

to do this?" I asked h

rial that adorned the in

ut of all people, to pr

if I wasn't looking at h

t. "It's a social commitm

r a good cause." He paus

d myself to take in the s

everything-if you

ection, and I found Aar

th a little challenge.

fering me an insight

to be nonexistent-per

to

ayed, B

being drawn to the li

t anyon

when he answered, "Bec

ave taught me anything, i

ugh to do something li

optio

a compliment because i

ut shit. Something abou

re day and this unexpecte

eeded someone, just lik

o

'll have to fly to Sp

nd, r

le nod

want just one night?

g to be y

s time, something solidi

and his lips formed a fl

argued against that

ke, "Do we h

ally lost

in silence as my lips

they didn't. "Okay." T

st our minds,

across Aaron's face.

e definitel

s uncharted territory.

at made it hard for me

." I brushed a finger

o, we have a deal." I in

iety rise with every ext

etails we need to discus

be the man I was suppose

that he'd have to preten

ou first. When is this

g you

l pick you up

came to a ha

t, facing away from me.

so ... out of it that I d

ooting orders, "Evening

nition. "Now, go home and

uld use some sleep." His

"I'll tell you every

registered only after I

And it was only a few s

fe and faded away, that

what i

tomorrow. A fake date

ded an ev