I.
Ricky stirred in bed, his hands rising absently to rub his eyes in the sunlit bedroom. He felt a cool breeze coming through the open window, the sounds of the traffic below rolling in with it, and he scowled. He hated when Lucy opened the windows at night in springtime. It always led to a chill in the room. He usually put his foot down and persuaded her to close it, until she waited for him to fall asleep and opened it again.
He looked over at her side of the bed and found it empty, the sheets crumpled where she had been. Just as he was going to call out to her, she appeared from the bathroom, nude. Ricky lay silently, not wanting to alert her that he was awake, and he breathed in the scent of her perfume. Her skin glistened in places where it was still damp from her shower.
Ricky smiled softly as he watched her raise her arms to tie her hair back. She turned slightly to look into the mirror and his smile grew broader when the side of her breast was exposed to him.
As Lucy finished tying her hair, Ricky quickly and nimbly crawled across the bed and stood behind her. She jumped in surprise when his arms went around her, his fingers brushing the bottoms of her breasts. She laughed softly. "I suppose you'll be wanting breakfast…"
Ricky chuckled and grabbed her arm, turning her around gruffly to face him. "Why do you do that?"
Lucy tilted her head. "Do what?"
"Why do you come out like that to taunt me?"
"I didn't come out here to taunt you," she laughed. "I left my robe on the chair by accident." Lucy pointed to the small chair in front of the vanity, her silk robe draped across it.
Ricky responded by joining his lips to hers, his tongue swirling into her mouth passionately as his fingers caressed the skin around her nipples. He felt her responding to his touch, her hips moving closer to his in a silent request for him.
Very suddenly, he broke his kiss from her and withdrew his touch from her quivering skin. His lips curled into a smirk as Lucy's eyes flew open, a whimper of disbelief barely audible. "I need to get to rehearsal, I'm late," he retorted.
Lucy was silent as he walked past her briskly into the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bed, trying to will herself to ignore the throbbing desire that he had so abruptly left in her.
II.
It was after two in the morning when Ricky arrived home. He walked quietly into the dark bedroom and immediately saw the window open again. He peeked over at his wife, her breathing calm and rhythmic below the sheet that was draped over her. He walked to the window and lowered it gently before starting to undress.
As he laid his tuxedo clothes over a chair in the corner, Lucy rose quietly from bed and walked to the window herself. Ricky turned around quickly when he heard it open. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the silhouette of his wife in the dim light from outside. She wore a sheer gown that moved like liquid in the breeze. "I want the window open," Lucy said softly.
Ricky walked to her slowly and stopped with only inches between their lips. "I want it closed."
Lucy's hand dipped into his boxer shorts and wound purposefully around his stiffening shaft. Ricky groaned and began to lift the gown away from her skin as her fingers continued to manipulate him.
Very suddenly, she withdrew her hand from him and slinked away from his reach. "We don't always get everything we want, do we?" She climbed into bed and pulled the blanket firmly around herself before beginning to drift to sleep, leaving Ricky leaning against the wall to catch his breath.
III.
Ricky walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Lucy pouring coffee. She looked up at him briefly as he entered, a hint of a mischievous smile crossing her lips, but she largely ignored him.
He paused before sitting at the table. "I see you're dressed today."
Lucy placed the coffee pot gently on the stove. "Disappointed?"
Ricky sat and poured some cream into his cup. "Not at all," he lied. He picked up the newspaper as normal, staring at the headlines without concentrating on them much. After three years of marriage, he should've known better than to start these games with Lucy, he thought. She was far better at them than he, although she'd never in her life hear him admit it out loud.
He continued trying to read the paper as she set a breakfast plate in front of him, the smell of eggs and bacon momentarily distracting him from his frustration.
Lucy sat beside him and poked at the shell of her hard-boiled egg. "Will you be home for dinner tonight?"
Ricky didn't look up from the paper and took a sip of coffee before responding nonchalantly. "I have a long rehearsal today, so probably not." This was true, but he decided to lob the ball in their proverbial tennis match back into her court. "Unless there's some reason you want me to come home."
Lucy narrowed her eyes as she continued peeling her egg gingerly. "No. I'll see what Ethel's doing tonight."
They finished their breakfast silently and Lucy gathered the dishes to wash as she always did. Ricky stood up and watched her for a moment. "I've gotta go now."
Lucy glanced at him over her shoulder. "Alright."
He approached her and his fingers touched the tie of her apron around her waist. The tug of the strings gave Lucy an unexpected sensation and she thought how wonderful it would be if he simply demanded her then and there. She focused on the soapy water in the basin.
Seeing no reaction from his wife, Ricky kissed her cheek and headed out of the kitchen.
When she heard the front door close behind him, she leaned on the edge of the sink and exhaled.
IV.
Marco watched Ricky drop a pile of sheet music onto the table as he tugged at his necktie. "You're tense today, boss."
Ricky glanced at him from the corner of his eye and sighed. "This rehearsal's takin' longer than I thought." They had been rehearsing for nearly five hours, shooting down Ricky's plan to return home even though he'd said he wouldn't. He was ready to admit defeat, but it was so late now that it would have to wait.
"Quiere café?"
"No, gracias."
Ricky flipped through the pile of music as the band laughed and talked boisterously behind him. Tony, a trumpet player, suddenly jumped off the stage and strutted toward the front door.
Marco chuckled and elbowed Ricky. "Mira."
Ricky looked over at Tony and smiled. He looked like a peacock as he wooed a curvy brunette who'd come to see him. "Is that his girlfriend this week?" Ricky looked down at his music again.
"Yeah. He says he's serious about this one."
Ricky chuckled as he pulled one of the sheets out of the pile. "We'll see. Remember the one a month ago that he said he was gonna marry?"
Marco turned and hopped back up to his piano as Ricky turned in Tony's direction.
"Hey, Romeo! Am I gonna have a trumpet for this number or what?"
Tony laughed as he said goodbye to his latest conquest, giving her a soft slap on the backside as she started to saunter out of the club. When she was out of earshot, the other boys in the band whistled and catcalled as Tony resumed his place on the stage.
"Alright, alright," Ricky mused. "We got a lotta work to do here, fellas. Get that new number out, we gotta take that from the top…"
V.
It was after one in the morning when the crowd started breaking up and heading out of the club. Ricky sat in his office and looked at a calendar. He was starting to feel that he needed a couple of days off. He turned toward the door when he heard footsteps in the hallway and saw Marco passing by.
"Hey, Marco, c'mere a minute."
"I'll be with you in a minute, boss, I gotta say goodbye to someone."
Ricky waved at him in acceptance. Marco had been seeing a girl steadily, but no one knew much of her yet. Tonight was the first time Ricky had seen her at the club. "Meet me on the roof, I'm gonna get some air," he called.
"Ok," came Marco's response from down the hall.
VI.
As Ricky approached the stairs to the roof, he saw Tony's latest girlfriend descending them, straightening her skirt. He stayed to the side until she had left before he walked up to the roof.
He found Tony sitting on the ledge, looking out at the city and smoking a cigarette.
Ricky walked over slowly and leaned on the same ledge. He pulled out his case and lit a cigarette for himself.
"Did you see her leaving?" Tony spoke quietly.
Ricky feigned ignorance. "Who?"
"The girl. Name's Bernadette."
Ricky took a drag on his cigarette, answering carefully. "Oh. Yeah, I think I saw her leavin'."
"She's a real firecracker," Tony smiled as he looked off into the distance.
Suddenly curious, Ricky turned to face Tony. "Lemme ask you somethin'."
Tony turned to look at Ricky silently.
"Tell me the truth, dun't you ever get tired of havin' to play loverboy with a different girl every week?"
Tony laughed. "Rick, the best thing that ever happened to me was coming to work in this club. Girls all the time! Beautiful girls! Girls that'll do anything for a little attention from a handsome guy like me. And I mean ANYTHING."
Ricky shrugged. As a man, he understood. But it wasn't for him. He took another puff of his cigarette as Tony spoke again, this time his tone a bit different.
"But the truth, huh? I'm having a lot of fun with these dolls. But if I found one that was anything like your wife, I'd give it all up tomorrow."
Ricky looked at him warily. From most anyone else, he'd take that as a compliment. But from Tony, he wondered if he was giving commentary on how he'd make Lucy into one of the notches on his belt if he could. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she's smart and sweet and she's beautiful. And she loves you and you love her. You don't hafta do what I do 'cuz you have that."
Ricky looked out at the lights of the city reflectively. He dropped his cigarette onto the floor and snuffed it out with his foot. "I gotta go…"
Tony watched Ricky head for the stairs, unaware of what he'd said to cause that reaction.
As Ricky headed quickly down the stairs, he almost ran into Marco on his way up. "What's up, boss?"
Ricky barely stopped walking. "Marco, I'm takin' tomorrow off."
Marco didn't have time to respond before Ricky was out of sight.
VII.
Ricky was heartened to see the bedroom light on when he entered the apartment. He had expected his stubborn wife to pretend to be sleeping again.
He walked into the bedroom and looked at Lucy, who was sitting on the small vanity chair, reading a book. The window was open again.
"You win," he stated quietly.
Lucy lowered the book slowly and looked at him. "What?"
Ricky walked to where she sat and knelt beside her. "You win." His hand slipped up her arm and cupped her cheek. "I love you and I wanna make love to you."
Lucy blinked. She'd had every intention of ending the streak by breaking first and she didn't know quite what to do now.
She didn't have to think about it too long because Ricky stood up and lifted her from the chair. He placed her gently on the bed and moved beside her, kissing her ear and her neck softly. She closed her eyes as he whispered to her.
"Mi vida sería tan vacía sin ti."
Ricky lowered the satin gown from her shoulders, revealing her milky breasts and moving his lips over them.
Lucy was breathless. "Ricky, don't tease me."
He smiled as he released his growing manhood from his slacks. His fingertips traced the inside of her thighs and dipped gently into the soft, silky center. "I'm not gonna tease you."
Lucy's hands caressed the dark skin of his chest and shoulders as she eased the shirt from his body, releasing an audible whimper as she felt his hardness probing her thigh. She slid toward him further, her body begging for him.
Ricky cupped her face in both his hands and looked directly into her eyes. "Un hombre podía entrar mil mujeres en este mundo y divertirse haciéndolo. Pero esta…" He entered her slowly, both of them releasing a simultaneous, audible gasp at the relief that it brought. "Te hacen de oro."
"In English, Ricky…" Lucy begged as he quickened his pace and his hands roamed over her breast. He grasped her hips and brought her toward him, thrusting into her deeply.
He didn't want her to understand. It was part of his way.
Lucy's thighs clenched around him as she approached her climax. Ricky's lips adhered to her neck and he felt the gentle vibration of her vocal cords as she cried out in release.
He lingered inside her as he flooded her with his warmth. He lay by her side and they caught their breath, damp with sweat.
"Do you want me to close the window?" Lucy reached for a sheet to cover herself.
Ricky laughed. "No, I want it open…"