Chapter 12

Much, much later, Brendan was walking Jacinta home. As they walked arm in arm, Brendan wondered if they were embracing because it was cold or because she enjoyed the closeness.

"Do you know how long I've been chasing you?" Jacinta said.

"Several weeks ago, I met you in the rectory. You were angry," Brendan said.

"No, I wasn't angry," Jacinta said. "I was flustered. That is the word, no?"

Brendan chuckled as he replied, "Yeah, that's a good word, though I can't understand why you would be flustered."

"There are these pictures from back in the thirties that I stick out in my imagination. The pictures show these men in sleeveless undershirts with big muscles working in the fields and the factories. They are handsome and heroic-looking with a look of common decency on their faces. You were standing over the stove covered in sweat with a big stick— you got my panties wet when I should have been tending to the revolution."

Brendan didn't know whether to be thrilled by the mention of her panties or terrified by the mention of revolution. He was still trying to unravel that confusion when Jacinta squeezed him hard and spoke again.

"When I found out that you went to jail for the revolution, that made you all the more sexy. Then you were so shy on the bus; it was cute, ' she said. "I waited a long time for tonight."

"It's only a few weeks," Brendan said, trying to change the subject. He figured that the dark and the cold made it impossible for her to see his blushing.

"In these times, no one knows how much time he or she has. You saw what happened to Father George. One moment you are going about your business and the next," she snapped her fingers, "you disappear."

"I see your point," Brendan said.

"Besides, I'm impatient. When I see something I want, something I really want, I don't wait," Jacinta said with a mischievous smile on her face.

They were standing in front of an apartment building. Brendan had been expecting a kiss, but Jacinta backed away from him as he bent over to kiss her. To his surprise, she slid her hand from his shoulder down to his hand and took a firm grip.

"You're not leaving me tonight, Danny," she said. "It's cold. Let's get inside."

Never letting go of his hand, she led him up the stairs and into her apartment. She dropped his hand only when they stood in her bedroom.

"Hurry, it's freezing. Get in the bed with me."

Brendan dropped his pants and furiously pushed down his underwear, letting the offending garment fly off of his shaking foot. He ran for the bed and scurried under the covers.

"I'm here, but I'm not taking off my socks. I don't care how unromantic they are; my toes are cold," Brendan said.

Jacinta wrapped him in a warm, naked embrace.

"You poor baby. Let me warm you up."

"You're lying," Brendan said. "You don't want to get me warm. You want to get me hot and take advantage of me."

"As long as you understand who the boss is, I don't have a problem with that statement."

She kissed him on the nose as they pressed their flesh together, belly to belly. Brendan stroked her back with his forearms, feeling the softness of her skin. He reached down further to touch the firmness of her butt that he had admired most of the evening.

"My butt is cold," Jacinta said. "Make it nice and warm with your hands. Do it nicely and I promise you a special reward."

"A reward, huh?" Brendan said. "That sounds like an awful amount of work for a vague promise."

"Jacinta's promises are sweet and special. You don't want to miss such an opportunity, Mr. Capelli."

Brendan cupped both cheeks and rubbed them from top to bottom, taking a cheating stroke every third or fourth time to touch her inner thigh or the bottom of her nether lips. He received a moan of pleasure for his efforts. He was encouraged further when she lifted her top leg and draped it over his legs, offering access to new territory.

With his fingers, Brendan reached down between her legs and then tapped with his fingertips up the front. He delicately explored the lips that offered a hint of moisture as he touched and stroked softly. He prodded with his middle finger and carefully slipped into a warm wetness that beckoned him to slide further into her essence. Her vaginal muscles clenched at his finger as it wiggled inside her depths.

"You are being so gentle," she whispered in his ear.

"I want to impress you."

"You are impressing me. Now, if you can handle your cock the same way as your finger, then I'm going to be very impressed."

Without warning him, Jacinta shifted her hips and pinned his arm under her back. She pulled out his arm from beneath herself and placed it on her belly.

"No more nicey-nice, Danny. Put your cock in me, please. I've waited all night for this and I don't want to wait any more. Just don't take the covers off of us. If the covers come off, I'm kicking you out."

"Are you always this demanding," Brendan said with a smile in his voice.

"Make love to me and you will learn," she teased back, encouraging him to climb on top.

Brendan lined up his cock and eased it between her lips. He sunk down further and made perfect aim with the head of his cock with the first thrust. They both moaned. He sank in another inch and began moving slowly.

Jacinta responded first with her hips, urging him to bury his cock all the way inside. As he began to comply with her wishes, her nails began an intricate dance on his back, coolly raising the nerves that nestled along his spinal column.

Meeting him thrust for thrust, she made sure with her hands on his back that he thrust down hard and retreated slowly. Her head rolled from side to side with each thrust, her body in motion underneath him. Her moans started to come more loudly. Brendan started forcing himself to thrust harder still, and she rewarded him with small cries.

Jacinta went rigid under him. Her nails dug into his back and a small scream popped out of the back of her throat. Brendan's cock was immediately locked in a vice that he struggled against as he felt his own climax starting. As Jacinta collapsed back into the mattress, Brendan clamped his mouth over hers and tangled with her tongue. She sucked in his tongue and Brendan fired his release, first one and then more surges of his own orgasm. He gave her everything that he had and then fell upon her.

When Brendan had finally caught his breath he said, "Jacinta does keep her promises. I'll have to remember that."

"That wasn't the promise, Danny. Stay the night and I'll show you my real promise."

"Of course."

She did. Brendan fell asleep with a smile on his face and a satisfied woman at his side. His dreams were sweet and gentle that night, without the fear and violence that had troubled his sleep previous nights.

He awoke to a weak sun coming through the window and the sound of a phone ringing. Heavy footsteps stepped to the phone. A garbled, deep voice spoke several times and then there was silence. The footsteps came again and stopped in front of Jacinta's bedroom door. The door opened and Hugo stuck his head inside.

"Jacinta, wake up. We have to get to tio and tia's house. Now! Oh, hello Danny."

Jacinta yawned and stretched her arms.

"Don't you knock anymore, Hugo?"

"This can't wait. Big things are happening in the news this morning. They have the television on and are waiting for us."

"You just wanted to see if I brought Danny home." Jacinta was pouting.

"I know you brought Danny home. Mrs. Rodriguez next door knows. In fact, the entire building probably knows if they didn't hear it for themselves last night. You think the door blocks all of the noise?"

Hugo gave a snort of disbelief and slowly shut the door.

Danny wanted to ask what was happening but kept his mouth shut. The bed was not wide and he was feeling a bit cramped, even if Jacinta's body felt delicious against his side. He was warm and toasty with no particular desire to move.

With that thought firmly in place, Jacinta threw back the comforter, blanket and sheet to welcome the cold air in the room.

"Aww" he complained without receiving any response. Instead he got a gentle tweak on his nipple and a push on his flank.