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Four: Mr. Smooth
Xochitl
Xochitl had been too busy trying to catch her breath still, to come up with a fast enough excuse for why she couldn’t go dance with Lex. So, without thinking, she took his hand. She could only thank the sweet baby Jesus that it was a fast song playing and not a slow one. Before she knew it, she was walking hand in hand to the dance floor with Lex Moreno, her bestie’s six foot something, ridiculously hot brother.
“By the way,” he said glancing down. “I did notice you’re all wearing different shoes. Like with the dress, yours are sexy as fuck and outshine everyone else’s.” As if her heart wasn’t doing enough galling pounding already, he indulged her once again, with that beautiful smile. “Just sayin’.”They reached the dancefloor where Nena and a lot of the others in the wedding party were dancing. It relieved Xochitl that at least her dancing with him, would have more of a group dancing type of feel. The bride and groom joined the fun, as they all danced merrily to the upbeat music. While it had the feel of just a bunch of friends and family members having a good time at a wedding, he kept leaning in to ask her something or comment about something totally casual. Which she would’ve been fine with, but each time he did it, he’d lace his fingers through hers in the process. Between that, and taking in the scent of his intoxicating cologne, her heart went crazy with nervous excitement each time. She could not let this happen. They formed a huge circle on the dancefloor, and everyone would either take turns showing off their moves in the middle by themselves or as a couple. Xochitl’s heart nearly gave out after his parents finished their in-circle dance, and Lex pulled her into the middle with him. Vannah and Nena cheeredloudly as Lex showed off some very sensual moves. Deciding to just go with the fun, Xochitl danced and laughed the whole time, enjoying having such a hot partner for the evening.
So many of the times he’d leaned in and laced his fingers through hers, she’d laughed out loud at some of the silly things he pointed out and enlightened her about his dancing relatives. She’d never been giggly like Vannah and Nena. She’d always been and had no qualms about admitting being on the grumpy side for the most part. Vannah had been the first giddy girl she’d not only tolerated but embraced because she was so likable. But somehow Lex brought out a side of her she didn’t even know she had. She even did her best to try to step up with all the sexy moves Lex put out there when they were the center of attention in that circle—more than once. As much as she thought Lex’s moves sexy, his cousin Romeo, who technically wasn’t his cousin, washands downthe best dancer on the dancefloor. Lex mentioned something about him always being a naturally gifted dancer, but that he’d also been professionally trained from the time he was a kid, and it showed. Xochitl couldn’t remember having so much fun. After a while, even the times Lex took her hands in his, and they’d get locked in each other’s eyes, she knew she couldsoget used to it. They’d been at it for a good while, until the music changed. “Let’s slow this down just a notch,” the DJ said. There were a few jeers and he laughed. “Hey, I get that this is a celebration, but it’s also one of the most romantic days for two incredibly special people. You, see?” Everyone turned andawedas Vannah wrapped her arms around Byron’s neck, and they gazed into each other’s eyes like they were the only ones in the room. Xochitl was about to start off the dancefloor when she felt Lex’s fingers lace through hers again and he pulled her to him. “Whereyougoing?” He brought his arm around her, pulled her to him firmly, and look deep into her eyes. Lord have mercy, those dimples would be the end of her. Thankfully, she didn’t have to be tortured by them for too long, because he pulled her even closer, and she leaned her cheek against his hard chest. She’d lost count of how many slow songs she’d silently danced in his heavenly even bigger arms than she’d imagined, before he whispered against her ear. “You’re beautiful.” Her eyes flew open, feeling her heart do a flip, and the butterflies in her belly go wild. “I’ve called girls many things before. Good and bad.” He chuckled and for the first time tonight he sounded a bit nervous. “But you’re the first girl I’ve ever said this to.” Glancing up at him, he gazed at her in a way her heart literally felt the sincerity in his eyes. “I mean it, Princess. You’re fucking beautiful.”
This couldn’t be one of the cheesy lines or moves his sisters had quipped about theirlittlebrothers being so good at, right? No one could be thissmooth. And for the first time since shemetthis smug, too-good-looking-for-his-own-good,youngguy he seemed almost as anxious as she was feeling. “I don’t think I’ve ever watchedAladdinthe whole way through.” She gulped looking up at him. “I told you I’ve never been a fan of the Disney princesses. So, I can’t relate to the Jasmine thing, but I was a fan of Princess Leah.”
He smiled looking down at her. “Why am I not surprised? Princess Leah was cool. And aggressive.” He smirked. “Makes total sense now why you’d be more into that kind of take-charge princess than the Disney ones. But she was still beautiful, like you.” Only because he was being so sweet, and he’d already mentioned pegging her as feisty, and now he was insinuating she was aggressive, she kept her thoughts about princesses—before tonight—to herself. That she’d always been annoyed by all the girls who dressed up as princesses for Halloween. There’d never been a shortage of eyerolls even way back in grade school when she was inevitably forced to be around a sea of Disney princesses. Even the princess Leah’s never impressed her. Now as an adult the eye rolls had moved onto all the sexy girl cops and scantly house maids prancing around the Halloween parties she’d attended over the years. She’d say it ‘til she was blue in the face, damn it. Halloween was supposed to be night of fright and spooky costumes. But she knew feisty and aggressive were just nice words to describe difficult people like she knew she could be. No need to further drive that fact home. Especially now that she could definitely get used to a hot sweet guy calling her one. “You’re the first guy that’s ever said I was beautiful.” The words flew out before she could even think it through, but it really was the truth. The change in his expression was instant. He looked disgusted again. Like he had when he realized she’d been dancing with a guy who was old enough to be her dad. “No fucking way.”
“It’s true.” She shrugged feeling her cheeks warm. His brows were up in that inquiring way she’d seen him do often now. “Not even the boyfriend Vannah mentioned? Your first . . .everything?”
Xochitl thought about it for a moment, surprised once again that he’d remember something Vannah must’ve mentioned over a year ago, because it’d been that long since she and Cade broke up. Until Lex said it just now, she’d forgotten she’d even told Vannah Cade had been her first everything. She wondered now how the subject had even come up between him and Vannah or if maybe he’d asked her straight out. Trying not to look too stunned she smiled. “I guess maybe because we were kids. I remember him calling me cute a lot and then later hot,” she added feeling the warmth in her face extend down to her neck because Lex still looked appalled. Then she remembered something else. “He said I looked amazing on prom night,” she offered. Okay, she was talking too much now. Lex had just called her Princess and said he thought her beautiful. Her heart couldn’t take much more. The corners of his lips rose slowly, but unlike his earlier smug smiles, this time he smiled sweetly as his brow arched. “So, I guess he wasn’t your firsteverything,if I’m the first to call you beautiful.” Before she could think of how to respond to that, he added, “I like that. Hope that means you’ll remember this night forever. I know I will.”
She wanted to say she knew she would too. That there was no way she’deverforget the way he gazed at her even now. But he looked ready to kiss her, and it rendered her speechless. The lights went on suddenly and there were groans all around. Lex closed his eyes for a moment pressing his lips together, as if he too were just as disappointed as everyone else was. “Sorry folks but the newlyweds have a honeymoon they’re anxious to get to. For Xochitl, it was a mixture of disappointment, absolute angst, and a little relief. Something had happened tonight between them and there was no denying it. As determined as she’d been to not let her guard down, she’d begun to. Only now that the lights had gone on, Xochitl felt that much more exposed. Shehadbeen a chubby girl her whole life, and despite having shaken off the insecurity years ago, and learned to embrace herkiller curves, she’d yet to meet anyone deep enough to refer to her as beautiful. Another thing she’d never even come close to experiencing was how profoundly Lex would search and gaze into her eyes. Almost as if he were trying to either figure out the inexplicable insanity he too was feeling or convey it to her without saying the words. “It’s one in the morn, folks so it’s time,” the DJ announced. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” He played the Closing Time song, as everyone started to get up and began to gather their things and say their goodbyes. Though Lex tightened his hold on Xochitl and then kissed the side her temple softly, sweetly, with what felt like so much emotion. “I don’t even know how to explain it,” he whispered against her ear. “You do something to me no other girl ever has.” He chuckled softly before adding. “And it’s still insane to me that no one’s ever told you how beautiful you are,Princess. You really are.” Closing her eyes, it was all she could do not to swoon. “Thank you,” she whispered back somehow squelching the stubborn voice in her head telling her to leave it at that. But for once her heart won out and she gave into the temptation tofor oncenot be so cynical and just give into what she’d begun to feel. “You do something to me too. Tonight went from fun to amazing, and you’re right, I’ll never forget it either.” Hours earlier she’d started to mentally justify the possibility of this. He was less than two years younger than her. Big deal, right? He’d be starting college this fall. No more high school boy to speak of. He was so much bigger than her and amanin every other physical way. Now he’d proven he could be mature and say things that would melt her heart. Sweeter things no other guy’s even older than her had ever said and she’d never felt so comfortable with any other guy this quickly. Feeling him breathe in deeply, she smiled doing the same, refusing to pull away from his strong hold. Especially since he didn’t seem to want to let go either. Was it possible he was actually feeling the same baffling magic she was—this soon? She glanced up at him, needing to confirm she wasn’t dreaming. Needing to confirm being here in his arms and him holding her like this was really happening. Their eyes met for a moment as he searched hers then shook his head. “Jesus Christ, those eyes.Howare you still single?” He seemed to catch himself as his expression went a little hard. “Because you are, right?” She chuckled nervously under her breath and nodded. Her response brought on that beautiful smile as he continued to gaze at her. Meanwhile there was an explosion of rainbows and butterflies going on in her belly. Something she’ddiebefore admitting out loud, since hearing people saying things like that usually nauseated her. Yet here she was, thinking it. What the hell? “Taz,” Gordo pulled them both out of their wistful stupor. “Something’s going on downstairs. Dad got hot and its turning into a brawl. Uncles are all down there trying to hold him back.”
Instantly pulling away, Lex’s expression immediately hardened again as he turned to Gordo. “Is dad drunk?”
“He had a few beers, but I don’t think he’s drunk.”
“The fuck?” Lex turned to Xochitl squeezing her hand then bringing it to his mouth, and kissed it softly, before letting go. “I’ll catch up with you in a few.”
He started to rush away but glanced back and met her eyes as his hardened expression softened to a near smile. It quickly morphed into a baffled one, as if he too couldn’t believe what’d just happened between them tonight. Until Gordo said something to him and once again, they were on a mission tearing through the crowd. Still in a daze, Xochitl glanced around taking in her surroundings for the first time in what felt like alongwhile. As she approached the table where she’d long ago forgone herhot as fuckshoes, she smiled as she reached under the table for them.
“Oh my God, I’m so exhausted,” Nena said touching Xochitl’s arm with a slightly saddened smile. “Did you have a good time?”
“I did.” Xochitl nodded but peered at Nena with concern. “Are you okay?”
Nena’s face suddenly crumbled, and the tears alarmed Xochitl. “My sissy’s married now. Gone for good.”
“Oh.” Xochitl hugged her and rubbed her back. “She’s not gone.”
“It was hard enough, when she left for school last year.” Nena sniveled against Xochitl’s shoulder. “But I knew she’d be back eventually. There’s no denying how in love those two are. She’s never coming back now.”
Xochitl pulled away to look at her and smiled, despite her friend still weeping. “But that’s a good thing, Nena. She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her, and nothing will ever change between you two. She’ll always be your twin and other half no matter how far she is.” Nena wiped the tears away but smiled. “And it’s only two hours from here. You two can visit all the time.”
“Hey, what’s wrong?” TheircousinRomeo asked, in an almost demanding way. Like so many of the others in the larger than normal wedding party, Xochitl hadn’t gotten a chance to get acquainted with him. Aside from what little Lex shared with her about him and his dance background, she knew he technically wasn’t their cousin because Technically Uncle Romero wasn’t blood related. They just always referred to them as family because Lex’s dad and his brothers were so close to Romero. But she didn’t know much more. Except shehadnoticed in almost all the instances when she’d been in awe of his dance moves, Nena had been his partner. But then Nena and Vannah had shared with Xochitl on more than one occasion how Nena had been the head choreographer of their high school cheerleading squad. So, she supposed maybe it’s why he chose her as a partner most of the night. Of course, even this was just another nonissue that had annoyed Xochitl to no end. That a guy as good-looking at him could also have that kind of talent. Because she didn’t care that Lex said he’d had professional training. Xochitl could train for a decade and never have the kind of natural grace and talent this guy had. As with all the dimples and good looks the entire Moreno clan were blessed with, it just wasn’t fair. Nena nodded. “I’m fine. Just got a little blubbery about Vannah leaving me. Is everything okay downstairs?”
Romeo’s expression softened instantly. “Yeah.” He smiled sweetly, wiping away at Nena’s tears.
“My brothers’ okay?”
“Everyone’s fine,” Romeo assured her smiling sweetly. “My dad’s guys have it under control.”
Xochitl glanced at her watch. It was ten past one now and she still had to drive all the way back to Los Angeles. If it wasn’t for that internship tomorrow morning, she likely would’ve spent the night at Vannah’s parents—with her brother just a few rooms down the hall. The very thought heated her insides.
“Oh my God, Xochitl.” Nena touched her arm. “I forgot you’re driving home tonight.” Nena turned to Romeo wide eyed. “All the way to Los Angeles.” She turned back to Xochitl. “You should get going, girl.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Xochitl touched her on the shoulder. Nena nodded but pouted. “I can stay with you a little longer.”
“I got her,” Romeo said. “You have a two-hour drive still. That’s nuts but if you have to go, you really should get going.” He turned to Nena again and put his arm around her shoulder. “She’ll be fine.”
Hugging Nena one last time, Xochitl smiled as she pulled away. “I’m sure I’ll see you in Los Angeles real soon.”
After gathering her things, she said goodbye to as many as she could before making a B-line to the exit. Her heart thudded as she replayed the evenings happenings in her head. She’d be a zombie tomorrow for sure, but it’d be totally worth it after the unbelievable night she’d had. Would she really be having that conversation with Vannah soon? The one where she explained how she so quickly developed ahugecrush—if that’s what you could call everything she was feeling—for her little brother? The crowd downstairs was loud but not in a rowdy way like she would’ve expected, given the alarming way Lex had taken off with Gordo. Things did seem under control, though she didn’t see Lex or his brother anywhere in the crowd. She wondered now as she glanced at her watch again if maybe he’d gone back upstairs to look for her. She really should be on her way. But if she waited, would she get the chance to say goodnight to him. Maybe even . . . did she dare even think it?
