Guilty Pleasure

Page 95

The sun sets on our first night in Cuba and the weather is still warm and inviting. The atmosphere is different at night, by day the locals go about their day casually without a care in the word or so it would seem. A far cry from back home where everyone hustles and bustles through their day. At night certain parts of the city come to life with music and dance. Restaurants with patios will be paying music while people eat, others will be broadcasting local variety shows or novellas After dinner we head to Cafe El Escorial for that famous Cafe Calypso and delicious Cuban pastries. Thank God they have Cuban bakeries state side because the pastries are to die for, the Empanadas de Guayaba positively melt in your mouth and the expresso is amazing. the rum liquor gives it a creamy smooth and rich flavor while relaxing your body. Shannon is impressed with the coffee, and atmosphere of the cafe. He loves the simplistic, homey and eclectic feel of the decor. He takes random pictures mostly us but also of the cafe. He looks at Jared with a gleam in his eyes, one he knows all to well Jared:"You're on to something" S:"Remember how I told you Julie and we're talking about buying out Dolce's and turning it into a cyber cafe" Jared:"Yeah I remember" he looks at Julie S:"What if we turn it into something like this, with a Southern California feel?" Julie:" I'd like that, can you imagine this in our own back yard?" He starts talking a mile a minute about Dolce's and the changes they could make, Julie:"I love you baby but it's our anniversary trip and all you can think of is coffee" S:"Sweetness coffee is fuel!" Julie:"Yeah, more like black fuel the way you drink it!" He looks at her in awe and that smirk returns it's almost like watching a lightbulb light up above his head S:"Blackfuel ....... I like it!!! ....... That's it! That's what we're renaming Dolce's...... Blackfuel!"

He's like a kid in a candy store, going into a sugar comma before he's had a chance to sample the sweet treats. He is so excited in fact he wants to talk to the owner about the ins and outs of making expresso and fresh roasting in house. He drags Nikko with him to translate if need be. Julie sighs and giggles in defeat Julie:"Should I just fly back to the mainland" we can't help but laugh at that, Jared:"Just let him go and get it out of his system, he'll come back to you soon enough. Besides I'm sure you'll make him forget all about coffee once you're get back to your room" Julie blushes and giggles at the thought Julie looks over at Shannon who smiles and winks at her Julie:"Oh I know I can" Me:"TMI thanks for the over share" Julie:"Oh you're welcome bug" Me:"Smart ass!" Julie:"You ol prude!" I let out an exaggerated gasp! Jared gives Julie a wicked little grin Jared:"Oh trust me, a prude she definitely is not" he takes my lips as my cheeks flush through 50 shades of pinks and crimson. This time it's Julie who gasps, Julie:"And exactly what is that supposed to mean?" Me:"It means there's a lifeguard tower in Santa Monica with our name on it" I give her a wicked little grin of my own before taking Jared's lips again. Julie:"Wait .... WHAT!!!" Jared:"Yeah! You know, the night you "slept" on the job! Yeah well we went for a walk on the beach and this lifeguard tower was unlocked so we....." Julie:"Stop Stop Stop TMI, I do not want to know" we can't help but laugh the look on her face is priceless.

We make our way back to the hotel enjoying the fresh night air as Nikko goes over the itinerary for tomorrow N:"So I was thinking after breakfast we could visit El Morro Castle followed by the Museum of Contemporary Arts and maybe some shopping for the girls. We'll head back to the Hotel around four so we can check out and head to my uncle's Hacienda" S:"Sounds good, is it far from here?" N:"45 minutes by jet" Julie:"By jet?" N:"We'll be taking my uncle's private jet" Me:"And he's a penny pincher?" Jared raises an eyebrow and looks at him like really, Jared:"No don't tell me, let me guess he got the Jet in a garage sale" we all bust up laughing N:"Real Funny guys, for your info it's a rental, it's owned by four different companies and they all use it at their leisure" Me:"Like a timeshare almost" Nikko:"Something like that"

That night I lay in bed cuddled up in Jared's arms I run my fingers over his bare skin tracing the curves and ripples of his chest. I sigh deeply as I gently touch my lips to his skin. I close my eyes and listen to the drumming of his heart. They say that when to people are in love their hearts synchronize, I believe it to be true. I remember when I was pregnant we lay in each other's arms just like this and listen to our unborn babies' hearts via an at home monitor. He'd smile so sweetly at the sound and gently rub my belly and lay his hand flat at their slightest movement. The sound of his heart aside from our children's is the most beautiful sound in the world, his rhythmic breathes slows as does my own as I drift to sleep. In Shannon's room Julie stands at the balcony lost in thought admiring the view and listening to the faint sounds of a trio playing a bolero somewhere in the distance. He wraps his strong arms around her from behind J:"Beautiful isn't it?" S:"Not as beautiful as you....." he kisses her neck sending sweet shivers through her body. "..... I cant beleive its almost a year since you've been mine" J:"Neither can I, this last year has been like a dream to me, one I don't ever want to wake up from" S:"You'll never have to" he takes her lips passionately holding her close, wanting her, needing her. He pulls back and looks deep into her eyes as he softly caresses her face S:"Thank you" she smiles sweetly at him J:"For what baby?" S:"For loving me and making me happy" J:"No, thank you for making me the happiest woman in the world" S:"I love you my sweet Jewel" J:"I love you more, so much more"