CHAPTER SIX

Santiago ran past the shocked cashier, gunning straight to the female restroom at the back end of the store. As he pushed the door open, he silently hoped that no one else would be inside. Otherwise, he could see the outrageous headlines on the news already.

“Go away.” Lola’s muffled voice made him relax a bit, though it didn’t make him feel any better about being in a female washroom.

“I did it for a reason, Lola,” he explained. “It was sudden and impromptu, but it’s for your own safety.”

Lola’s laugh wasn’t a pleasant one. “For my safety, or for your pleasure? Don’t try to justify your decision and make this a noble cause when I wasn’t given the right to decide. I’m not some child you order around whenever you want, Santiago.”

Santiago planted himself in front of the closed stall where Lola hid. All he wanted to do was kick the door open and drag her out. But, as effective as that method seemed, it wasn’t going to solve anything. He inhaled deeply instead and rested his head on the door.

“You’re not the only one who’s gone through this experience. Several other women I’ve been involved with in the past have been in your shoes. But, unlike you, they were better prepared to handle the fame that came along with me. You’re too inexperienced to understand just how the press will eat you alive, at any chance they get. You saw it for yourself today. Like it or not, your best bet is with me.”

Uncomfortable silence prevailed for a while, with the only sound being a faulty faucet leaking drops of water.

The door suddenly swung open, and Lola just stood there in her sunflower-patterned sleeveless top and denim shorts, her hair held up in a bun. Santiago had always known she was an attractive woman, but seeing her in a state of vulnerability put a new perspective on her beauty. It almost prompted him to take her into his arms just so he could comfort her.

Hmm, he thought. Now that’s new.

“Alright, hotshot,” Lola said quietly. “Seeing that I probably don’t have a life to return to, maybe it is for the best that I stick with you. After all, this is all your fault.”

Santiago’s smug smile returned quickly. “My fault, you say?”

“Yes. And our coexistence under the same roof would be under strict terms and conditions.”

“Done,” agreed Santiago.

“No funny business.”

“Only if you approve of it.”

“I’m serious, Santiago.”

“I know you are, muñequita.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“I’m afraid that’s something we’re not gonna agree on.”

Both of them stood quietly for a moment, weighing each other’s intentions with the intensity of their stares.

“If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, then I’m down,” Santiago remarked as he leaned against the stall.

Lola broke into a small smile of her own. “Oh, you’re filthy, alright. Luckily for you, that's all I’ve been thinking about lately.”

For the second time in as many days, Lola and Santiago collided with the rush of hot passion. His lips tasted sweeter without the taste of whiskey in them, though it didn’t mean she’d complain if they did. Her skin felt as soft as the first day, and his hands were quick to explore everywhere like time wasn’t a friendly factor. His cologne burned sweetly in her nostrils, and her petite frame fit right into his sturdy arms. Unfortunately, it was a moment they could only have for a limited period.

After properly getting acquainted with her lips and neck, Santiago decided to go for the main prize. Pinning her hands over her head with one hand, he slipped the other into her shorts, wiggling past her silk panties as he softly rubbed the sweet spot between her thighs. Lola immediately inhaled sharply, tilting her head upwards with a slow moan and exposing more neck for Santiago to savor.

“Looks like torture,” Santiago commented against her burning skin. “Do you like this kind of torture, muñequita?”

“Oh, yes. Oh, hell yes.” Lola’s answer came out in a ragged, raspy voice, accompanying her heavy breathing. “Don’t… stop.”

“I wasn’t planning to.” He took it up a notch and slid two fingers within, caressing her moist insides with the gentlest of strokes.

“Oh!” Lola looked like she was going to erupt with a sea of moans. “Oh, fu—.”

Santiago quickly covers her lips with his, not wanting her to announce their actions to the outside world. He kept at his pace, speeding up and then slowing down. Each alteration made Lola shiver entirely, until she couldn’t hold it any longer. Her entire body quaked as she climaxed all over his hand, releasing a long sigh like she’d traveled miles on foot.

“As exciting as that was,” Santiago said, pulling his hand out of her wet shorts, “we’re never doing this again at a gas station.”

Still catching her breath, Lola grinned with a chuckle. “Agreed.”

The drive to his place was less tense, with music in the background to lighten up the mood further. Despite her agreement, Lola was still unsure of what to make of the arrangement, knowing fully well that it was all a sham in the long run. She wished she had spoken to Gabriele first, that’s if she didn’t already know about it. She wondered how long they’d keep the lie going, how many people they’d have to fool. And themselves? Even if the whole world saw something different, they couldn’t lie to themselves. Something dangerous was brewing in the air, and Lola didn’t like one bit of it. But was she going to indulge regardless? Pretty much, yeah.

Santiago smirked occasionally at Lola on the way to his villa downtown, but he’d become a master of masking his true emotions. Deep down, he knew himself better than anyone. And deep down, he’d caught himself breathing hard, looking at her frequently, enjoying their moments together a little too much. His plan was for the pact to be convincing enough to keep the public away from her, while scoring some points himself. But this felt like an unfamiliar path, one that he hadn’t embarked on with anyone else. And, to be quite honest, he didn’t mind a woman like Lola Navarro. The question was: beneath the riches and tailor-made personality, would she fancy a man like him?