Make-Believe Marriage (8 page)

- Okay, but let’s not
overdo it. - She was nervous about what could happen if caresses continued to
increase.

- It will be as you allow
it to be. - She did not understand the meaning of those words, but preferred
not to get into it. The waiter came and took down their orders.

After Amanda chose the
food they both seemed tense. She knew the cause of their anxiety, soon they
would need to exchange caresses and she did not know if she was ready for this;
as for Antônio, there was an unknown expression on his face. “He was up to
something," Amanda thought, concerned.

Amanda realized that the
waiter had been called to Breno’s table and found that he had just arrived too.
She preferred they were already on their way out, but to her chagrin, she
confirmed otherwise. A wine was soon served at the table of Amanda’s former
husband and the waiter approached suggesting a bottle for Amanda and Antônio

- Courtesy from the
gentleman on the back - said the young man serving both after pointing to Breno
who greeted them with a nod. Amanda saw Antônio do the same in the way of thanks.

 - He has good taste for
wine - declared Antônio tasting the drink.

- It is one of his few
qualities - said Amanda.

- So a toast to the few
qualities of the father of your child, because if he had many, you would not be
here with me. - The joke made her laugh relieving the tense atmosphere that
hovered on the atmosphere. They touched their glasses lightly.

- How were the days here
alone? - he asked curious to know how she’d been.

- No news! I worked, I
spoke a few times with my son, with my parents and worked some more. - Her
comment made them smile together. - And Breno did not come by to torment me as
usual. See? My lonely days were very peaceful. And you?

- I worked and worked. I
went out a few times to see the movement of the city with the help of my
client's assistant. - That last information seemed to call her attention more. Antônio
noticed it.

- Really? Then you got to
know a little of the city?– she asked.

- Yes the girl was very
kind to me. She left her job to accompany me to some places. - He was beginning
to like that game, but would not go far, she would think that he would seek
pleasure away from the house while they were married.

- I'm glad you found
someone to tour you around. - "Red light," he thought. She was
beginning to get bored with the conversation, it was time to stop.

- Her husband was our
driver and was also very kind. A really lovely couple. - Amanda's face changed
and from there on she talked and smiled more giving him the certainty that at
first she felt jealous, perhaps more as a woman than as a friend.

I love you! - said Antônio
suddenly taking Amanda to almost choke with wine.

- What? - She asked
surprised. Antônio picked up his hand and brought it to his lips leaning her
body a little.

- Her ex-husband is
watching me a lot. - Antônio said quietly. - He seems attentive to my lips and probably
understands what I am saying - he explained to undo the amazement on her face.

- I never knew that he had
learned to read lips. - She commented still surprised.

- I swear he's trying to
Amanda. - Antônio stood up again getting back on the same position, erect and protective.

- If you feel we need to
fake, all right. She agreed. - Antônio took both her hands on the table.

- They are cold !? - He
said. - They looked eye to eye, and a chill ran through Amanda's spine. She
turned her face quickly. It was still too embarrassing for her to pretend to be
involved by her close friend.

- You are getting to be an
expert in performing Antônio. Your eyes were deceiving even me and I know all
about our arrangement – she confessed looking at the glass before her.

- A couple needs to look
at each other with passion sometimes. Don’t you like it? - He wanted to know.

- I have nothing against
it. But it's too real. I cannot do it so well. - Amanda complained tracing the
outline of the glass with her finger.

- Just follow me. - After
hearing Antônio talk Amanda took a deep breath and lifted her face and they
looked at each other. Antônio did not see in her the same brightness that was
probably in his eyes, but he was much too happy to see her sharing that moment
with him. Maybe one day Amanda could have stars on her face just by looking at
him, maybe.

- Is he still watching us?
- Amanda wanted to know

- Yes, and even more than
before. - Without previous warning, Antônio pulled Amanda slightly and bending
over the table, kissed her. She felt her body freeze with the touch of
Antônio's mouth. He gently took hold of hers and she did not resist. Amanda
knew she needed to accompany him and everything would be fine. Their tongues
played affectionately with each other. A pleasant sensation took hold of Amanda
who took some time to convince herself it was just a game. A few seconds later
Antônio gently kissed her lips and stood back muttering something unreadable.

- Wow, what an
embarrassing situation, Antônio! - exclaimed Amanda unable to look at him.

- Do not beat yourself up
so Amanda. We need to do better, remember? - He asked.

Yes! - She accepted
forcing herself to pretend as well as Antônio did. Although Amanda knew it was
all a game, her unconscious seemed not to see it the same way and caused her
body to react positively to Antônio's touches. This was nothing positive in the
case of something that was not true. But she would avoid succumbing to the
whims of her body and follow only as agreed.

- He gave a truce now -
said Antônio realizing that Amanda was out of place with the situation. He was
not pleased to see her that way, but he needed to help her in the best possible
way and of course if he could change the way she saw him, it would also be
great. If it did not happen, everything would end as planned and they would
remain friends.

-Amen! I confess to you
that if I had imagined it would be like this, I would not have accepted this
game. Breno does not deserve so much effort on our part - said Amanda.

- We know he does not, but
the big aim is not to reach him, but rather Lucas’s welfare - remembered
Antônio. Amanda smiled to hear him talk about her son. Antônio was right, they
were not doing that sacrifice for her ex-husband, but to save her family. She
and her child.

- You are right, but since
he is the cause of all this I sometimes deviate from our great target that
certainly is not Breno. - Friendship took control again and they could take
better advantage of the situation without any worries.

- When I was away, I spoke
with a friend who has a great franchise with an international representation of
underwear and found interesting to give you the contact if you want to know
more. - Antônio pulled from a visiting card his jacket pocket and handed it to
her. - Visit the site and see about it, if you are interested, call the number
that is below. - Amanda looked at the logo of the pieces.

- It is probably not easy
to represent a company like this, but I'll try. - She put the card away in the
bag and turned her attention to him.

- They have support and
improving services. It can be very good for you. Who knows, maybe they open a
branch and work only with the pieces. I’ll give you the support you need. -
Once again Antônio gave her the support that it was her husband’s role to have
given and never did because Breno believed to be better to have the wife taking
care of the home and the child. That was also a way to keep her under his rule.
Amanda realized this some time later. Looking at the dear friend she preferred
to remove such thoughts from her head. Alienation time was up and it was not
good to remember bad things because nothing would help and she had no time to
waste on nonsense.

- I will visit the site
and then we’ll talk about it. Thanks again. - She thanked touching his hand. That
touch felt like fondness to Antônio

- You know I'm cheering
for your wellbeing and will help you whenever you need. Regardless what happens
from now on. Did you understand? - Both stroke hands and Amanda felt some
regret in that contact. Her life would be much happier if she had known Antônio
in other circumstances.

After dinner Antônio
invited her to dance together with the couples who were taking the center of
the dance floor. Amanda readily accepted. Dancing was also one of the few
things that she had kept in her life for a long time. When they walked toward
the dance floor, they decided to thank Breno’s courtesy personally, since his
table was in the way.

- Thanks for the wine -
thanked Amanda with a friendly smile to Breno and his date. He made a brief
movement with his head and the two went on.

As they approached the dance
floor Antônio snuggled her by the waist and they started to dance. Amanda let
herself be led by the melody and snuggled close to him.

- They often plan a very
good
samba
here, but today they are even better – said Antônio pleased
by the slower rhythm. The proximity of the bodies was such that Amanda was
startled when she realized the perfect fit between them. - Surreptitiously she
pulled away a bit. Her body had not been near a man for some time now. Even
when dealing with a friend, it was better not to abuse.

- If we continue to dance with all the distance between us, the
most they will think is that we are friends or cousins – said Antônio a while
later. Amanda let herself lean on him and tried to ignore the signals her body
was sending.

- Excuse me, but I can’t
act very well. - She said trying not to exhale his male scent. Antônio wore
such good colony that Amanda's senses began to send her signals of pleasure
that she had long forgotten. “The needs of a woman could easily take her off
reason," she concluded to herself.

- Next time do not wear
something as nice smelling as that! - Amanda clung to this excuse to disguise
the tense atmosphere that hung in the air.

- Didn’t you like it? -
Antônio asked worried. He had chosen the best of his perfumes for the occasion.

- On the contrary, I love
the scent. - She said touching her nose on his neck making his flesh tingle.

- So do not complain,
enjoy and smell. - That way of acting facilitated a little the good performance
of their roles.

- All right, but then do
not complain if I jump on your neck and bite you. - She spoke disguising her uneasiness.

- Imagine you doing it. I
think I would starve if I needed to do this to feed. - Antônio took advantage
of the mild climate between them and put his face close to Amanda's neck
ruffling her from head to toe and returning to her the same feelings he had. When
his lips lightly touched her neck the contact was as soft as a feather and
warm. Sweet and urgent as it should be between a man and a woman who fervently
desired each other. For so long she had not allowed herself that aphrodisiac
sensation in her sleeping body. Amanda could feel each cell of her body trying
to shape to that of Antonio’s with such an urgency that she had not know her
womanhood until then. Offhandly she touched her face on his strong and warm
chest that had been so helpful in moments of pain and distress and that now was
causing strange sensations which she couldn't decipher. Amanda felt a sudden
urge to laugh and cry at the same time. “How fragile she was from affection and
close contact”, she thought. How could she feel such things exactly with her
best and only friend? “It was so ridiculous and sad to think that one let herself
die as a woman because of a man who had never given her love.” That contact was
waking her up to the needs of her body and was immensely enjoyable, but unknown
and dangerous by the fact they're just putting on an act. Yet she would
surrender to that brief feeling because she knew that it would be short, enough
not to leave major scars. Against him, Amanda remained for a long time feeling
the accelerated beats of Antônio’s heart who probably was as embarrassed as she
was.

– We're going to have to
move on to the next level because he doesn’t stop looking at us. -Antônio spoke
in hushed tones so as not to spoil that moment that was pleasing him so much
and that asked for much, much more. He would need to contain himself not to get
where his thoughts insisted on taking him. After a little control, Antônio
kissed Amanda’s ear lightly and got away to search for her lips. The kiss
started slow. Amanda looked surprised and embarrassed, but since she did any reject
it, he deepened the touch. She half-opened her mouth to receive him and that
had been the last barrier for Antonio to savor the sweet honey from the mouth
he so much desired. Antonio's kiss was so hot, sweet and domineering as she'd
never experienced before; it made her unresponsive, because her body was asking
and her reasoning no longer had the domain she cultivated in that long time by
herself. The kiss, even though it was tender, had been full of seduction and
pleasure. The synchronized movements of the lips. The tongues involving each
other in the hot and sensual touch. All that fled from what they were trying to
represent, but none of them were prepared to see and maybe wouldn’t ever be. With
the explosion back to normal Antônio reduced the intensity of the kiss not to
scare Amanda away and she took the opportunity to pull herself together and
moved away quietly.