“I have a girlfriend, Mrs. Cruz,” Bruno laughed.
“I know, honey, just in case...” she said with a sly smile. “It never hurts to keep an open opinion, no?”
“Bruno and my friend Beauty belong together, Mrs. Cruz,” Jessie cut in with a little more force than she intended.
Mrs. Cruz giggled at Jessie's protectiveness.
“Ay, Jessie, just being a nice tía (aunt), trying to find her sobrina (niece) a good match, that's all. Es mi deber como familia (It's my duty as family).”
Jessie looked at Bruno for the translation.
“What?”
“Translate.”
---
After spending time with Mrs. Cruz, Bruno went back to their room and opened the door. As soon as he stepped in, he wasn't expecting anything close to what was in front of him.
There was Beauty, pulling a dress on, her back to him, but the mirror across the room gave him a perfect view.
He froze at the sight of her standing there wearing nothing but a lace thong and a matching bra.
The sight sent a jolt through him, and his heart raced. His breath caught, and he was so stunned that he didn't notice when she turned around, her eyes wide with surprise and embarrassment.
“Bruno!” She shrieked, her cheeks flushed as she clutched her dress to her chest in an attempt to shield herself from his gaze.
Well, she didn't say Sir Bruno, fair enough, he thought.
“Uh, hey,” he managed, his voice cracking slightly.
“The hell! What are you doing? Don't you know how to knock?” she snapped.
He blinked, snapping out of it, and awkwardly avoided her eyes, a guilty grin spreading across his face.
“Uh... no, I mean, I do know how to knock... I just didn't think anyone was in here.”
Beauty rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, sure. You just happened to walk in while I'm half-dressed. You were there when I said I was going to freshen up.”
Bruno tried to avert his eyes, but they betrayed him, glancing back at the curve of her waist and the way the fabric hugged her figure.
His breath caught in his throat.
“Just... uh, stop looking!” she squeaked, her tone a mix of flustered and annoyed.
“Yeah... you are right, my apologies.”
Bruno could feel his cheeks burning as he turned his back, fighting the urge to glance at her again.
He smirked to himself. It was a nice view, sexy, hot, gorgeous—no word was enough. He could visualize himself pulling the thong off her feet, kissing her up to bury his head in her thighs.
Beauty turned back to the mirror, and an awkward silence followed.
“You, um, look nice... breathtaking,” he blurted out, his attempt at a compliment only making the situation more uncomfortable.
“Thanks, I guess?” she muttered, her cheeks flushed at the compliment.
He could hear the nervousness in her tone, and it made him feel even more self-conscious.
“I really didn't mean to walk in on you,” he replied quickly, trying to defend himself. “I'll just, uh, stand here.”
“Yeah, just... stand there,” she replied, her back still to him as she fiddled with the straps of her bra.
The silence grew more awkward between them, each second feeling more tense than the last.
Bruno could hear her breathing quicken, like she was struggling with something, and he fought the urge to steal a glance.
What was he supposed to say?
“Do you, um, need help with that?” he asked suddenly.
His eyes widened at his own question, and he quickly regretted it. She would think he was mocking her for not being able to dress herself.
“Help? With what?” Beauty asked, glancing back at him over her shoulder with a mix of confusion and embarrassment on her face.
“The dress or whatever...” he mumbled, his voice trailing off as he realized how ridiculous he sounded.
“Right, because I clearly look like I need help right now,” she replied, her tone sarcastic.
“You should really just... go.”
“Okay, yeah, I can do that,” he said, forcing himself to look at the wall instead of her. But the image of her half-dressed came back to his mind, and he stole a look at her again, freezing in place.
Beauty noticed and sighed in frustration.
“Are you going to leave, or are you just going to stand there like a statue?” she asked.
Bruno blinked.
“Right! Leaving now!” he said, turning to the door, but not before stealing another quick glance at her.
His heart raced as their eyes met briefly.
He was at the door when Beauty called him back.
“I think I do need your help with this,” she said, fumbling with the bodice hook.
He chuckled inwardly to himself but obediently turned around, still grinning to himself.
“I thought you'd never ask,” he replied and stepped forward.
Beauty's face reddened as his fingers grazed her back when he took hold of the hooks.
“You have a beautiful back,” he whispered.
Beauty swallowed, feeling his breath on her shoulder.
“You're... you're taking your time, aren't you?” she murmured, her heart racing too. The brush of his knuckles on her back felt so intimate and sent chills all over her bare skin.
They felt so strong, warm.
She wanted him to touch her more, everywhere.
“Just being careful,” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Can't risk a wardrobe malfunction, right?”
His hands were steady, but his heart was racing as he slowly fixed the hooks, catching the subtle scent of her perfume.