her.
“What the hell? What straight man in his right mind says no to that offer?”
“Ben did. So I said something horrible to him, put on the robe and walked out. I cried all night. The next morning, I decided he was dead to me.”
“Beatriz…why didn’t you tell me this?”
“You were graduating, too. You had more important things on your mind. Plus, it was so humiliating. Definitely not my finest moment.”
Claudia sat on the bed and looked up at Beatriz, who tried looking at anything but her sister and the pity in her eyes.
“And here we are—it’s just like college again. You’re with Henry, and I’m stewing over Ben.” Beatriz sat on the other bed across from Claudia. “It’s just, I loved him, you know? I didn’t let myself love anyone else but him. And maybe that’s for the best. But I spent an entire year trying to be with him, and he said he didn’t want me. That’s fine. No one is supposed to want me. But then why did he kiss me like he did that night we met? Why did he tell me he wanted me on a Thursday, but by Friday it was poof—gone?” She blew into her fingertips.
“I don’t know. I thought he was crazy about you, too.”
“He took me for a tour of campus. You remember that? My first week at Brooks? I told him I was born in El Salvador and only made it to the U.S. when I was ten. You know what he said?”
Claudia shook her head. The sadness in Beatriz’s voice clutched at her throat.
“He said, ‘Más vale tarde que nunca.’”
“What does that mean?”
“Better late than never.” Beatriz smiled. She’d been so impressed that Ben, this blue-eyed all-American boy, spoke Spanish and spoke it so well. He hadn’t asked her any questions about her past, about why she’d come to America, where her parents were. People did that, even total strangers, not realizing that if a ten-year-old girl had to leave her family and her country behind, then it was probably not the sort of story you’d tell to someone you just met. No. Ben said, “Better late than never,” as if he was the reason she’d ended up in this country. And at that moment she’d believed he was.
“I know you loved him. I remember.” Claudia sat on the bed next to her. “Your freshman year was tough. It broke my heart watching him break your heart.”
“It was like I had two hearts and both of them were in love with him. I never knew you could feel that much. And he just had the one heart and it wasn’t interested in me.”
“I thought for sure he’d come around about you. I’d never seen two people more perfect together than you two. Not even me and Henry.”
“In college Henry wore his underwear on the outside of his pants.”
“Now you know why it took him five years to convince me to marry him.” Claudia winked at Beatriz who leaned against her sister and kissed her on the cheek.
“I’m very happy you’re getting married to Henry,” Beatriz said.
“I am, too. Now we just have to find you someone to be happy with.”
“I am happy, I promise. Spain was amazing, but it’s great to be back in the States again. Great to be here with you.” She smiled at her sister, a bright, genuine smile that she hoped convinced Claudia not to worry about her. She was so happy for Claudia and Henry. They belonged together. And Claudia needed to focus on her own wedding and not her foster sister’s five-year-old heartbreak.
“You’ll be okay?” Claudia asked, squeezing Beatriz’s shoulder.
“Totally okay. Promise. Or I will be as soon as I find someone to have sex with this week,” Beatriz said.
“God, it really is like being back in college.”
Chapter Four
Claudia slammed the hotel door behind her and raced to the bed. Henry groaned as she threw herself on top of him.
“Easy, babe. I had too much to drink.”
“Two beers?” she asked, planting kisses along his jawline.
“And a half.”
“You’re such a lightweight.” She threw her leg over his stomach and he caressed her thigh. “I love you anyway, even if you do have the drinking prowess of a ten-year-old girl.”
“Hey, I’ve known some hard-drinking ten-year-olds.”
“Liar. Kiss me, I’m horny.”
“Best four words ever spoken.” He kissed her on the mouth and rolled her onto her back. “Thought you’d be too tired tonight.”
“Never too tired for you inside me.” She grinned up at him. Her newly manicured hands slid through his dark blond hair. A ravenous twinkle shone in his eyes.
“Dirty talk from my angelic bride? Someone’s been talking to Bea.”
“She just puts me in the mood. I think she’s like a sex goddess. You get near her and you want to have sex with anything that moves.”
“Anything that moves?”
“Or anything stationary. I don’t want to limit my options.”
“How’s Miss Bea-havior doing?” Henry asked as he slid his hand under Claudia’s shirt. He cupped her breast lightly and caressed her hardening nipple with his thumb.
“Miss Bea-having, as usual. She brought her work with her this week.”
“Oh, damn. Did she have the bellhop cart up ten boxes of dildos and vibrators?”
“Worse. She has to review a sex position manual. She’s on the hunt for a fuck buddy.”
Henry unhooked her bra.
“Well, I’d volunteer, but I’m too busy being your fuck buddy.”
“What do you think about Ben?”
“I could be his fuck buddy.”
“I mean for Bea. I still think they’d make a great couple.”
Henry groaned and rolled onto his back.
“Hey, no. Hand back on the boob,” she said, grabbing Henry’s hand and putting it back where it belonged.
“Sorry,” he said, moving her bra out of the way and pressing his hand to her bare breast. She sighed with pleasure. “But Ben’s still got it for her, I think. At least he’s still pissed at himself for not going after her when he had the chance. It could get ugly and weird if those two get together.”
“Or sexy and awesome. Why not? What happened with them anyway? Did Ben ever tell you why he flaked out on her? Because I swear it was love and lust at first sight when we introduced
