Page 46 of Until You Came Along

At that moment, the waiter brought our plates, and we had to wait for him to leave before continuing our conversation.

“Don’t even think about eating first and then continuing to tell me about your adventure with my brother. Eat and talk at the same time,” he declared.

I narrated what happened the day we went to dinner with his mother and the slap I gave him.

“Now I understand Hermes’ behavior. As I told you, he’s always been unsociable, but that day he had less discretion and delicacy than a caveman.”

“You’re right about that,” I affirmed.

“Continue.”

I told him how uncomfortable it was running into him the day we were leaving the apartment and they were arriving, and that same night we met again at the pub where I had gone with Serafina, and from there we went together to his house to have a conversation and try to clarify what was happening between us.

“Wait, wait. You ran into him shortly after crossing paths with him in our building? Aaaah, what a son of a bitch! I noticed he was extremely agitated after the encounter, but he told me he had to leave because he had arranged to meet one of his ‘friends.’”

“I assure you I wasn’t that ‘friend’ because we hadn’t arranged anything, and besides, I have no idea how he knew where to find me.”

“I don’t either, but nothing surprises me about him. And he took you to his house? That really is something new,” he affirmed, touching his chin as if reflecting on what he had just heard.

“He suggested we talk about what was happening between us and told me he was willing to accept exclusivity.”

“Are you kidding me?” he asked, his eyes widening excessively.

“Not at all, that’s what happened. Why are you so surprised?”

“Just continue with the story and I’ll give you my conclusions afterward.”

With great embarrassment, I told him that we slept together that night and that I asked him to let me think about what he was proposing, explaining to Baco why I was so reluctant to accept it. I also confessed that when he found him arriving at the building, it was because he had come to hear my decision, and that I maintained my refusal to accept the relationship he was proposing.

“That’s everything,” I concluded.

“Why did you hide all this from me?”

“At first because even I didn’t expect everything that happened, and when it actually did happen, because I was embarrassed.”

“What’s going on between you and Hermes?”

“I like him a lot, but I won’t accept something that won’t make me feel comfortable. I know he proposed exclusivity, but it’s still a relationship where he made it clear from the beginning that it would only be based on sex, that I can’t aspire to anything more.”

“And that’s what bothers you,” he affirmed.

“Baco, my heart isn’t closed to love, and although I’m not in love with your brother, he has made me feel things I’ve never felt before, and that already gives me an indication that if I continue with this, I’m going to end up getting hurt.”

“I understand, and your position is reasonable.”

“And why are you looking at me strangely? It seems like you want to tell me something else,” I asked.

“I have several things to say, but I don’t know if you want to hear them.”

“Spill it,” I said, using the word he had used a while ago.

Baco smiled, rested his elbows on the table, and looked at me as if evaluating me.

“I think both my brother and you are very confused about what you feel. To begin with, you told me things about Hermes that I never thought I’d hear. I assure you he’s not the type to chase after women; rather, they’re the ones who pursue him, but it seems that in your case, he’s the pursuer. On the other hand, I assure you he had never brought anyone to his home before; you were the first woman to set foot in his bedroom, except for his housekeeper, obviously.”

“And what are you trying to tell me with all that?”

“That you're not like any of his other lovers, and that's also clear from the moment he accepted exclusivity. I'm sure he feels something stronger for you, in fact, I'd say very strong. Besides, I don't think he'll give up, I assure you he'll keep insisting.”