AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sounds nice. But sounds even better coming from you.” He noted my accent, my slight Caribbean-Spanish hitch. I combed a curl behind my ear, blushing. “Shit…”
“You ok?”
“Yes… it’s just… the damn part I brought doesn’t work.”
“Again?”
“I’m so sorry, Elena.” Nick sat up, lifting himself from the sink, stretching his neck. “These pre-war buildings have some strange characteristics, and the plumbing is old as hell.” He took the mug from my hand, taking a long sip of his coffee. I didn’t mention I already drank from it and felt a little guilty, but the way his broad shoulders dropped in relaxation was so rewarding. “I think I know what I need, but it will be about a week until it gets in. I was able to fix the leak, but it’s only temporary.”
He smiled.
I smiled back.
Everything grew quiet as I brushed my hair off to the side, twisting its ends with my red-painted nails. Nick tapped his mug before taking the last sip of coffee.
“Did you enjoy it?” I arched my brows, desiring his praise.
“It hit the spot. Always does.”
“If you liked that, then you’d love coquito… It’s more of a holiday drink, though.”
“Chocolate?”
“Noooo,” I waved away, taking his mug to rinse in the sink. I could feel him behind me, watching as I rambled away. “It’s sorta like eggnog, but with condensed milk, cream of coconut, cinnamon…” I tried not to list everything, but then got excited, “Oh! And rum. Lots and lots of rum.”
“Never heard of it.”
I turned and huffed a curl out of my face, unable to hide my grin. “Well, it’s more of a Puerto Rican thing. Something my family and I make for Christmas every year.”
Nick looked over at Marty, who sniffed under my completely empty Christmas tree. Not a single gift was placed beneath it, but the smell of pine wafted in our direction, not the least bit subdued by the smothering of lights and silver tinsel. Photos of my family decorated the branches, along with little ornate ornaments that I’d brought with me when I left home.
“Christmas in San Juan, right?” he asked quietly.
I wrung my hands together, missing home as I replied, “Yup.”
“And are you visiting them for the holidays?”
Ugh. Please don’t ask.
I was about to escape the purgatory of being an intern at New York Prestige, and with this sex toy countdown I was working on meant my chances of being promoted to an associate editor were riding on this one silly assignment. I had no money to travel, let alone the desire to bring vibrators along to my very Catholic family gathering. Still, the fact that I couldn’t go, that I couldn’t make coquito with them, was completely heartbreaking.
“I, uh, decided to stay in New York this year.” I kept it short. “You?”
“My sister out in Jersey invited me over this year.”
“Fun!”
“Yeah… kind of, but with the nephews and the cousins involved… it gets a little overwhelming. Then there’s her ex-husband.”
“He shows up too?”
“Eh, yeah. They’re cordial for the kids, but the tension is suffocating.” Nick mocked, wrapping his hand around his neck, his large, light eyes bright and hilariously worried. I laughed. “If it’s anything I learned from those two, it’s don’t mix business with pleasure. She got involved with someone she saw every day at work, and now they hate each other.”
I winced. “Sounds like fun.”
“Fun is doing your taxes. I’m looking for any excuse not to go.” Nick’s eyes wandered around again, following his brief silence. He focused down at a stack of New York Prestige magazines, their pages noted with colorful sticky tabs. “Fan of the magazine?”
“For work,” I shrugged, organizing the various pamphlets from my favorite Chinese restaurant. He picked up the menu, reading its red logo—Sichuan Garden.
