The next morning Shelby rolled over. Briefly forgetting where she was as the bed was so much larger than she was used to. Plush sheets weren't tucked into the walls on either side. There was room where blankets had dripped off the edges and pooled slightly on the smooth concrete floor.
She sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest as the room was relatively cool. She pushed her hair out of her face as she looked across the bed.
An empty space beside her except a little note on the pillow. "Went to get breakfast. Uno momento, por favor."
She put the note back and sat all the way up. A closet with frosted glass doors sat on the other side of the room next to a matching door where she assumed the bathroom was.
Unable to see the slippers, she braced as she got out of bed.
Stepping onto the floor wasn't the cold concrete she was expecting. A warm floor happily greeted the bottoms of her bare feet.
It was a pleasant surprise as she crossed the bedroom to the bath.
She admired the tidy bathroom and couldn't help her curiosity as she peeked into the organized medicine cabinet, and a back up for every product in a bin under the sink. In the back of the cabinet was an unopened box of condoms.
"Would have been nice to know those were there." She said to herself. The evening hadn't panned out exactly how she'd thought. But he had been a gentleman and they still had a very... enjoyable time.
But if they were there... Shelby swallowed and shut the cabinet quickly. She couldn't help her cheeks flush and feel a twinge of jealousy. It was obvious from last night, the toe curling things he was able to do only came from experience.
And the thought of him kissing, pleasing, being with someone else made something in her stomach heat and squirm.
She returned to the bedroom and sat back on the messy bed. After looking through her email from her phone for about fifteen minutes, she noticed she was absentmindedly itching her calf.
Looking down at the dry skin she remembered she hadn't washed off any chlorine and figured she had time to shower before he returned.
Pulling her hair up on top of her head, she quickly washed off. His body wash smelled amazing and she opened the bottle and took a few whiffs throughout her shower. It wasn't until after she was done and turned off the water when she noticed there were no towels.
Swearing under her breath, she hugged her ribs and looked around the bathroom. Nothing.
Then she remembered the closet just outside. Carefully tip-toeing across as she dripped on the floor, she opened the frosted glass door.
Inside was fine clothing, shirts, a few suits, a leather jacket, all in hues of blacks and reds. The clothes hung crisp and perfect, and she imagined if she pulled out a ruler, each of the hangers would be exactly an inch apart.
But something at the back wall caught her attention and made something in her shift. An enormous black safe, one even she could easily fit inside and still have room to spare.
It sat ominously on the back wall and was bolted to the floor with numerous lug nuts.
Immediately she felt strange and guilty. She really shouldn't be snooping.
He had invited her over for dinner, and a good time, not to go through his things.
Snapping the door closed she crept out of the bedroom and came across a linen closet in the hall. Relieved to have found a towel, she dried herself off quickly and put on her clothes. She had a pair of shorts and an old band t shirt in her pool bag and though they were casual, it felt strange to put back on the dress from last night.
Her eyes traveled back to the closed closet door again.
Plenty of people have safes in their house. Maybe not as big. But it wasn't something so outlandish that it set off any alarms. After all, he had allowed her to stay in his home unsupervised. What could he really be hiding?
Pushing the negative thoughts from her mind, she crossed out of the bathroom and into the living room. It was strange being alone in someone else's house. Shelby wasn't sure she would necessarily be comfortable if the roles were reversed.
She started to look through the pantry for some food but stopped, if he was getting breakfast she didn't want to spoil her appetite. She turned to the fanciest coffee machine she'd ever seen, and fiddled with it long enough to finally turn it on and get a cup going.
But soon curiosity got the better of her and she explored a little more, finding the door to the garage where the red Javelin was gone and a huge workbench with tools and equipment took up the entire second parking space.
Shelby looked at the clock and it had been well over thirty minutes since she woke up. She wondered where he had gone that would make picking up food take so long.
Pushing it from her mind as she meandered back to the living room. But after fiddling with the TV for another ten minutes, unable to watch anything but static, she gave up and slumped on the couch.
A knock came from behind her and she perked up. Her stomach rumbling she practically skipped to the garage door, ready to help bring in whatever food he had brought. But when she opened the door, the garage was still empty. She realized she hadn't heard the rumble of the engine either and listened again.
A second more aggressive knock came again and she realized it was from the front door.
Her heartbeat picked up a little, wondering who could be coming by his house, and what they would think if they saw her here alone.
A string of possibilities crossed her mind as she made her way to the front door and looked through the peak hole.
It was a woman. Her knocks were growing in vigor and she started calling out for Nacho.
Shelby debated not answering the door, she waited. And almost a whole five minutes went by. The woman undeterred by the lack of answer as she became more and more belligerent.
"I saw movement, you son of a bitch. I know you're inside." She practically screamed as her slaps on the door turned to hard fist slams. She was disheveled and looked like she was wearing three day old makeup.
Shelby took a deep breath and swung open the door. "What!" She stared the woman down.
The quick motion of the door sent the strange woman stumbling back. Her hand had reflexively swung up to protect her face, bruised needle marks were faintly visible under her mesh sleeves. But when she got a look at Shelby her face turned to a vicious snarl, "who the fuck are you?"
"Who the fuck are you ?" Shelby asked back. Standing in the door, puffing out her chest, trying to maximize her size in the oversized door frame.
The strung out woman looked past Shelby, into the house, and called out, "Nacho! I'm here!"
"What do you want?" Shelby squared up to her.
The woman shifted side to side, trying to get a better glimpse into the house as she ignored Shelby and continued to call into the house. "I haven't seen you at the Hive, where have you been?"
"He's not here." Shelby said, her confidence cracked slightly around the edges of her words. "I don't know when he'll be back."
"I really needed you!" The woman shouted, her voice growing more shrill. "I miss you, baby!"
"He's. Not. Here." Shelby's patience had worn thin and she put a hand on her hip. "Are you stupid or do you just have hearing problems?"
The woman glowered at her and began yelling at her in rapid fire Spanish.
It was at that moment that Shelby recognized her as the same woman who she had seen talking with Nacho the first day she met him, standing in line at the upholstery shop and causing a scene.
Sensing Shelby wasn't understanding her, she looked past her into the house. "He let you stay here? Alone?" Her thin arms wouldn't stop moving as she fidgeted with her sleeves.
Shelby took a step back and began to close the door. "You should go."
"He let you stay here?" She looked past Shelby again to the back courtyard.
Shelby followed her gaze and saw her bathing suit top floating in the water.
"You let this slut stay here, but not me?" She called out into the house again, her voice cracking in desperation.
"Seems that way." Shelby lifted her chin confidently and pulled the door shut with a hard thunk.
Shelby took a step back, breathing heavily, trying to rationalize the interaction. But her mind flashed to the box of condoms and her stomach twisted as she pictured Ignacio being with that horrible woman.
Drinking the coffee she went over to the couch, curled up her legs and sat under them as she tried to tease apart the interaction.
She thought of Ferra and how there had been times where her sister hadn't made the best impression of her and her family either. And if this woman was a bad decision from Nacho's past, he obviously hadn't been paying much attention to her.
The woman said it herself that he hadn't been going to The Hive or wherever she was used to seeing him.
That comforted Shelby a little. The timeline made sense, as he had been spending more time with her since he went 'missing' from the other woman. Well, except the times he answered his phone and ran away. But if he was leaving and not seeing her, what was he doing? And how did someone who worked in an upholstery shop make enough money to live in a house like this?
Fifteen minutes passed and it allowed her mind to calm down and clear before the rumble of an engine came closer to the house and into the garage.
Shelby got up from the couch and met him at the garage door by the kitchen.
Entering the house with two large paper bags in tow, his face looked relieved to see her standing there. "Buenos Dias."
"Good morning." She said, taking another sip of coffee as she watched him place the food on the counter.
It smelled absolutely amazing. Her stomach growled as she watched him unpack the huevos rancheros, migas, salsa, ceviche, and ten other things.
He happily presented the food along the island.
"This is quite a spread." She admitted, her nerves were still a little flared from the interaction with the woman. "I hope it's worth the wait."
"It is. Sorry it took so long. I ran into traffic across town, then I sat in the drive through for so long before an employee walked out and took the order. I guess the speaker system was broken and no one knew." He shrugged.
It seemed like a legitimate excuse and she began to load up her plate.
He must have heard her stomach growl and the corner of his mouth curved up. "I hope you haven't waited long."
"No, not long," she lied. But her stomach still held in its uneasy knot. It wasn't like they had agreed they were exclusive or anything. And he hadn't once asked about her past or any private business. Even when it would have been perfectly fine to do so, he never once pried and she appreciated that.
But a part of her wondered if that's because he didn't want reciprocal questions asked.
They both wolfed down the food, and Nacho didn't speak or offer conversation. But Shelby didn't either.
Finishing up only a third of the food he had brought back, he packed up the leftovers and put them in the fridge, cleaning up as he went.
Shelby sat on the bar stool and silently watched him.
His face was stoic and his eyes were distant.
As he cleaned the same spot on the counter for the third time, Shelby thought it may have been a mistake to have stayed so long.
Excusing herself to the bathroom, she realized she hadn't brushed her teeth. If she wanted any potential of a kiss goodbye, or even a conversation where she didn't feel self conscious, she didn't want the last thing in his mind to be anything less than stellar.
She pulled out a mouthwash she had seen earlier under the sink and quickly rinsed. She looked at her watch and tried to run through and practice how she could leave while still being gracious that he bought breakfast and that she still wanted to see him again.
She came out of the bathroom to see him straightening the bed. Tucking the crisp white bedding under the mattress and fluffing the pillows to be perfectly even in spacing across the bed. Nacho moved his palms evenly across the spread, smoothing out the wrinkles, his eyes far away and thoughtful.
A little surprised, she blurted, "you aren't going to change them?"
He straightened and stopped. "I thought it would be rude to… while you were still here."
"Oh." She rubbed her hand over her arm. She hadn't thought about it, but yeah I guess it would have been strange either way.
She took a deep breath and started on her exit speech that she'd been practicing in her mind. "So, last night was really fun." Shelby took a step forward, and anxiously stuffed her hands in her pockets. "But–"
"I'm sorry I keep leaving." He interjected. "I haven't been in…" he gestured back and forth between them a few times searching for the words but coming up short. "I just have a lot going on right now. But that doesn't mean I don't want this," he pointed at the two of them, "to progress."
"No, I get it." She rubbed her arm anxiously and took a step forward. "I haven't either. And I guess maybe that's why it's a little shaky."
He took a step towards her too and breathed a sigh of relief. But his face went solemn and sad as he repeated, "shaky," under his breath.
"But I don't think you should worry about it. I'm not-" She shrugged and her voice became playful. She walked in a sultry way towards him. "I'm a distraction, just bad for business remember?"
Nacho relaxed his shoulders. "I enjoy my time with you. You're more than a distraction."
"Is that so?" She said with a sly smile. Purposefully mimicking him.
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly and he met her gaze. Drawing him towards her with his eyes, his face inclined towards her. She felt herself pull towards him until they were toe to toe.
He rested his hands on her hips, but the touch of him was more hesitant today. Like his mind wasn't fully present.
She unfurled her fingers, resting her palm on his chest.
He relaxed and lifted his arms, wrapping them around her waist.
In response to his grip she raised her arms, moving them up around his neck and pulling him closer.
They were like magnets, being pulled together by some invisible force. Each of them wanting more and more of their bodies to touch.
The thought of that woman with him flashed in her mind and sent something competitive and primal through her. A part of her wanted him all to herself. All the power and sensuality he had to offer. She craved it. She stepped forward pressing against him.
He took a step back, a little smirk on his face.
She tilted her head and took a step towards him again.
He took another step back and she placed her hands on his chest and they walked in tandem to the direction of the bed.
He leaned in to kiss her, and again let her close the distance. His legs bumped against the edge of the bed and he spun around pulling away.
"You don't want to mess up the bed?" Shelby gripped his shirt and pulled him towards her as she sat down.
He looked only a little anxious, but it came and went as his face softened, allowing her to pull him near.
They leaned down onto the bed and she pressed her mouth to his. The soft white bedspread welcomed her again as she laid against it, pulling him on top of her.
He leaned forward eagerly advancing his lips against hers. His hands moved to cup her face, she saw that he had fresh broken skin across his knuckles.
She pulled away but before she could get a better look, his kisses moved down her neck and across her chest.
He pulled up the bottom of her shirt, only enough to expose her stomach and his lips moved across the plane of her abdomen.
She breathed in deeply, arching into his touch as his hand moved under her lower back and lifted her further onto the bed.
Her feet were still on the warm flooring and her hips got heavier as he moved his body lower down on them.
His lips moved down her ribs towards her navel and lower still. "I've been thinking about you all morning." His voice was low and sultry.
A surge of electricity went through her legs as the sensation of his stubbled face kissed slow and soft, down past her navel and traveling to her waistline.
Hot air came from his mouth and nose as he breathed heavily, moving his fingertips along her waistband, curling them inside the fabric of her shorts.
She pushed up to the balls of her feet, lifting her legs as he began wiggling the shorts slowly down over her hips. Biting her lips as she watched his hands.
Then their attention locked onto each other.
His eyes were full of dark passion, gaze focused and determined as he slowly moved his mouth lower.
A warm heat settled low in her stomach and ballooned as he moved right above where she desired him to go.
Breath and mouth were hot and thrilling against the precipice of her.
She let her head flop back into the soft bedding, unable to take a breath as she waited in hope where his kisses would go next.
Curling the bedspread under her fingers and shuddered in a breath, the anticipation sent Shelby's body on overdrive.
But the woman at the door flashed in her mind, and she couldn't help but picture Ignacio doing this same thing with her. But not allowing her to stay, not trusting anyone else in his home. And why even after spending the night together, he couldn't resist the pull of whoever was on the other end of those phone calls.
"Wait." Shelby reluctantly breathed out. The sweet balloon deflated inside her. Despite her body screaming at her to be quiet, she said again, "Wait."
"I'm so sorry." Nacho jerked away and grabbed her waistband, pulling it back up swiftly.
"No, it's–." Shelby caught her breath unsure how to articulate her feelings as she sat up on her elbows, uncurling her fingers, taking a deep breath as all the excited tension in her body unwound.
Nacho rolled back, scooting away from her to sit on the floor, his arms resting on his knees as he clutched his head in his hands, "I'm sorry, Shelby." He shook his head slightly in disbelief and he looked furiously angry with himself.
Shelby sat all the way up on the bed. "It's not- that." She pushed the hair nervously from her face. "Someone came to the door while you were gone."
Nacho's body tensed and he shot up to his feet before she could blink. "Was Lalo here?"
Shelby furrowed her brow, surprised that's where his suspicion went first. "No. It was a woman." Shelby described her and told him the entire interaction.
Nacho's face turned so sour, she wasn't sure which visitor he would have preferred less.
"Fuck. Did she hurt you?" Nacho said, his voice was cold.
Shelby was a little surprised by the question. "No, not at all."
The woman didn't seem like she could have thrown a successful blow due to her strung out state, but it wasn't like Shelby wanted to trade swings with her anyway. Certainly not on the front porch of another person's house.
"I can't believe she showed up here." He rubbed a hand over his head in thought. "I'm so sorry. I thought she was done pulling this shit."
"I don't really care who she is. And I'll spare you by not asking." Shelby stood with a sigh and scooped up her bag. "But I'm going to go. Because she definitely seemed like she'd be coming back, and it'll give you some time to figure out whatever this is," she pointed to the two of them, "and whatever you two are."
Nacho turned to face her, a brief wave of sadness crossed his stony expression. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it.
Shelby could see the walls being piled high once again.
He looked to the floor and simply said. "Okay."
Refraining from rolling her eyes as she crossed the bedroom and walked to the front door. Quickly putting on her shoes she said, "I still had a really nice time. And when you get your shit sorted… well, you have my number."
She held the door open, stepping half way out of the threshold and turned back. "Just don't take too long. I'm a busy person too."
She walked out the door, leaving Nacho standing alone in his beautiful, empty house.