10 Minutes

Alejandro

November 2, 2021

The waves rolled in one after another in the ancient rhythm of the sea. The water, a deep royal blue; seemed to glisten even more so in the midday sun. She held her hand above her eyes to shade them as she scanned the surface of the water trying to find the creature who was slowly captivating her thoughts of late. She looked back across the direction from where she had seen him last but couldn't find him. She stood now as a slight quiver of fear rose up in her belly but was soon assuaged when he finally broke the surface and with powerful strokes made his way back toward the beach. She felt silly worrying about him. He was a world class athlete and never doubted his own abilities to overcome any challenge. She had long ago learned that whatever Alejandro Karaca did, he did it with style, determination and excellence. Today was no different. She watched as he rose from the ocean like a mirage. He was sublimely handsome. Chiseled features that made any woman with blood in her veins turn and stare. She watched him as he rose out of the water and stride toward her. His body was tan from the sun he adored and perfectly shaped from head to toe. Tall and muscular without an ounce of extra fat. He took very good care of himself and it shown. He was also blessed with very good genes that would see him into his later years with the suave appeal that older men of a certain age have when their hair turns silver but their beauty only Increases. As he moved toward her further up the beach she watched every muscle move like a well oiled machine. His six pac abs and Adonis belt that could be seen just above his trunks seemed to mesmerize her enough that soon he was standing just a few feet away from her before she realized it. She mentally cleared her throat and blinked her eyes behind her sunglasses. "Sanemcin, won't you take a dip. That water is amazing". She watched him behind her polarized lenses, appreciating every move he made as he stood with his hands on his hips looking at her, through her almost. "In a bit Alex. I just want to soak up all the sun for a little longer and then run in and energize myself with the sea. She watched his features as they beheld her and then, seconds too late; recognized the sneaky grin that crept over his mouth as he bent at the waist while wrapping his arms around her, lifting her off the ground in his arms and turning toward the water. "Alejandro....... what are.....your crazy.....nooooool!" But her tone lacked the strength or conviction of her words to back them up and she burst out into laughter as he ran with her into the water and threw her in falling in along side her. She emerged without her sunglasses, turning in every direction looking for him until she felt his strong arms taking hold of her, lifting her out of the water as they held her under her arms. He held her above him as he looked up at her from below. He bestowed her with one of his rare and magnificent smiles that softened his supermodel good looks and she couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her. It had been a while since she had felt so free and so hopeful. She had let her guard down and somehow without knowing it, Alejandro took up a space in her heart that she had once held for him when she was just a girl and he a teenaged jock that her brothers worshipped like a god. This time it was different however. Then he had looked upon her like a little sister, which had broken her heart a little, but now; now there was no mistaking the look of pure male interest that she had felt from him over the last few years. Always respectful, always at arms length and always a gentleman he had given her a life that she could never have imagined for herself without ever asking for anything in return. Two nights ago that had changed when she had accompanied him into the city for supplies and noticed how well received he was by the females attending to him. A surge of jealousy swept through her that surprised her as much as it did him when he recognized it for what it was. They finished their business and returned to the villa in the convertible jeep without speaking more than a few words. Later that same evening with Jaime leaving for the airport to catch a flight to the states for business they were left alone and she knew that there were words they needed to exchange. However before she could summon the nerve Alejandro spoke first. "Sanem.... I value you more than any woman I have ever met. Your family is family to me and I would never jeopardize that for a moment. I'm not sure your over......" she quickly walked up to him and grabbed his hands and finished his words. "Him..... I'm not sure I am either but I'm not going to live my life with a ghost of the past. Alejandro... Alex....I do know how I feel when I hear your voice, when I see your face, when you stand by me....you make me nervous and anxious and... and ...... I haven't felt like that....I like how I feel when you're near me. With me. And when your gone I want you back". She was looking up into his hazel eyes that were dark and unreadable. He tightened his grasp of her hands and in a hushed tone spoke honestly " Jamie is in love with you Sanem.... I'm sure you must know that". When she would have spoken he nodded his head and continued. "He's like a brother to me and I wouldn't hurt him for the world, but I won't concede to him or any man if your sure". She could feel his heated gaze boring down into her very soul and her heart felt warm and surprisingly full. "He knows that what I feel for him is only friendship. Only that and it could never be more. I'm sure that's why he left sooner than planned. He.... he asked me straight out if he had a chance. He felt that now that I had given away the last vestige of my past with... with Can that we might have a chance. Alex, that's when I realized that my feelings for you were more than what I had allowed myself to acknowledge. I hurt him. I know I did but I couldn't lie to him or allow him to hope for something that could never be. I would never be so cruel. She gripped his hand harder and felt him pull her closer. She was surrounded by his arms and his scent and his very male persona and when he spoke against her ear, as his face leaned down towards hers, a shiver coursed up and down her spine. "Sanem Hanim if your jealousy of those women is merely half of the intensity with which you have captivated me, I'm all yours".

Alejandro let her body glide down his own as he brought his strong arms back down with her in them and set her back onto the sea floor. Now he was looking down at her and her upturned face with her lips half parted was more than he could stand. They had agreed to take things slow. They hadn't t even held hands other than the day they declared their attraction for each other. He knew it was more than that but he was still apprehensive about her being on the rebound. He believed she was genuine with her feelings but could he trust them. As far as he was concerned he would marry her tomorrow and fill the house with babies as soon as possible giving her everything she deserved in this life but he didn't want to risk it. Not her family which was like his own and not their friendship which he valued as much as the love that burned and flamed up in his heart for her. He couldn't help it. She had won him over without even trying and their was nothing he could do about it. He felt her slide her soft and small hands up his arms and rest them on his pecs. She was a sight to see in her black cut out one piece. She certainly wasn't the skinny little sister that tagged along whenever he would visit her brothers. She had filled out in all the right places and the once pretty face had turned in to a gorgeous one with out much adornment than a swipe of lip gloss or mascara. She was beautiful and vulnerable still. He reminded himself that there was time for everything under the sun and he wouldn't rush anything but allow her to set the pace. The fact that she nearly claimed her rights over him at the market while the ladies fawned over him had nearly done him in. He was shocked but appreciated her honesty when they spoke. He had begun to feel a change in her with regard to himself and at first he was confused by it. Worried that he had done something to offend her or ignored her in someway. The reality was that she had grown jealous of his acquaintances of the female variety. At first they had just been interludes for him. He wasn't a monk and she was so off limits for him. Later he saw how she behaved when he went out and at first he couldn't quite figure it out. Then on a hunch he had a party inviting some of the local who's who to attend and her reactions to the woman he asked as his "date" soon proved out his theory. She was jealous. At the time he wasn't quite sure if it was of him as a man or him as her lifelong friend. Either way he was bowled over and made it a point to prod the little firecracker when he got the chance. The trip to the market had been a fluke. So when the ladies that were always way to kind and way to touchy proceeded to "welcome" him he could have been toppled over with a feather when Sanem plowed through the little gathering and grabbed his hand in hers and said "let's go home babe", with fire in her eyes and a sweet and sultry voice to boot. Now she stood in the enclosure of his arms, with the warm waters of the Caribbean swirling around them; and all he could think of was kissing her. And so he did.