Unsuitable Obsession - Part One (8 page)

“Papa wants us to meet him by the lake, feel like
going?”

Amber took Adrian from Victor’s arm and placed him
on her hip. Adrian whined a little and started to whimper. “No,
I’ll just stay here and put him down for an hour. How long will you
be?”

“I don’t know, two hours maybe three. You sure
you’ll be OK?” Victor asked, leaning over to kiss the top of his
son’s head.

“Yah sure, I brought a book. I’ll just sit down by
that tree over there and wait for you guys to come back.”

Victor gave Amber a peck on her cheek, “Sounds good.
See ya later.”

He left quite anxiously, Amber realized watching her
husband scoot off in a hurry. Victor had been fishing since the age
of five and couldn’t wait to cast his lure in the water. Fabrizio
used to take the boys fishing when they were little, getting up
early on the weekends and driving out to the nearest fishing spot.
Victor was hooked, whereas her brother-in-law was caught in another
pond.

Amber turned around and went back to her tent. What
to do now? Adrian was still fussy, a definite sign of him tiring.
Amber sat down on her air mattress and gently tried rocking Adrian
to sleep. If her little boy wouldn’t take a nap soon he would be
unbearable later that afternoon, he was just one of those babies
who needed at least three naps a day. Thirty minutes later of
alternating positions, singing lullabies and humming to him, Adrian
was finally asleep.

Amber peeked through the mesh one last time before
she decided to step away from the tent. She walked over to the side
of the cliff and took in a breath of fresh air. There was a light
breeze collecting off the lake and shooting up the campsite and
Amber felt tranquil. It was stunning that day—a good day to go
fishing—
and
read a book, she decided. She dragged her
camping chair over to the nearest tree and positioned herself
underneath it. She stretched out her legs and opened up her book
when she heard a growl. Her head whipped around and realized that
her brother-in-law’s tent was occupied. Someone was unzipping the
tent from the inside? But she thought she was alone here with
Adrian! Didn’t
everyone
go fishing? Oh damn, she should have
never taken that shower!

Amber perceived the thin ply opening up—out popped
defined masculine legs. Rolling her eyes, Amber sharply turned
around and gazed out at the blue water beyond. How was she going to
handle being alone there with Eduardo?

“I hate camping,” she heard him say.

Amber swallowed hard and then rolled her eyes again.
Figures. She turned to face him, “Why didn’t you go fishing.” It
was meant to be a question but it came out like an
interrogation.

“I wanted to take a nap, but I’m unable to,” Eduardo
complained, dusting off his shorts and shirt. “Tossing and turning,
I have the most uncomfortable air mattress known to mankind,” he
grumbled further, continuing to dust off his attire. Apparently
there was more grime in his tent than on the ground. “How the hell
did so much dirt get into my tent?” He asked, peeking through the
opening one more time.

Amber giggled, “You’re supposed to sweep it out
every night.”

Eduardo let go one of his sensual smiles as he
glared back at her laughing at him.

“Oh stop being such a baby,” Amber continued, “its
camping; you’re supposed to be uncomfortable and dirty.”

“I’d rather stay at a five star hotel,” Eduardo
quipped, continuing to dust off his shirt and shorts.

“Well, your parents wanted us to come here, it’s
their anniversary and we all agreed, even you mister,” Amber
complied, gazing away from him and out at the water. He was making
her heart flutter again and she tried to calm herself down.

Eduardo then dragged his camping chair over to where
she sat, “This is nice,” he let out, taking in the gust flying up
from the water.

Amber gazed down at the lake. Wasn’t she just
thinking the very same thing? “Yes it is,” she said quickly, but
then he made her tense. There was so much more to her
brother-in-law that she wanted to know! She didn’t know how to
approach him—Good Lord he was making her disoriented! She knew how
to act around other males; she was practically one of them, but
with Eduardo, he suggested difference.

“What are you reading?” Eduardo asked, noticing her
tight clinched book within her hands.

Amber surveyed her paperback. “Oh—some stupid
romantic novel I picked up at the supermarket.”

“I’ll trade you,” he asked, pulling out his thick
hardcover from behind his back.

Amber took one good look at it. “No thank you,” she
mocked, making a sour face. “That book is all yours.”

Amber watched Eduardo clean off his suede-hiking
boots once again, then pull out a leaf from within his dirty sock.
“Now I’ll need to take another shower.”

Amber started to chuckle again; he was being such a
pansy! But he was adorable nonetheless. He sure knew how to dress,
even for the outdoors. Expensive Ralph Loren wool blends, beige
khaki shorts and leather boots, and dammit, why was he so gosh darn
cute with all his hair mussed up? Amber blushed, turned away and
opened up her book. She couldn’t get passed the first few
sentences!

Eduardo opened up his book, skimmed through the
first few pages. Did he really want to read this law book for the
fifth time?

Silence fell upon them. The trees bristled in the
brisk wind that flew off the lake and up the canyon. Hawks soared
over them searching for mice. Kids in a nearby campsite started to
argue over seashells they found down by the lakeside. Amber
couldn’t take it anymore.

“How tall are you?” She blurted out.

Eduardo grinned, glad she spoke first; it was a safe
subject. “Six—four, why? How tall are you?”

“Five foot eleven, rather tall for a girl.”

“Not for a guy like me,” Eduardo teased, rolling his
eyes only to close them. Why on earth did he just flirt with
her?

“I’m two inches taller than Victor.”

Good, she didn’t notice. Eduardo began chuckling,
“Yah, my little brother didn’t get the height gene like I did, took
after my mother’s side of the family—all broad and lanky.”

“I’ve always been shy about my height, how about
you?”

“On the contrary, I rather like towering over
people.”

Amber laughed and Eduardo held his breath; Amber’s
eyes fairly sparkled when she did that.

“I bet,” she strained to believe otherwise.

“You played baseball?”

Amber smiled inwardly; her emotions were beginning
to swirl with glee. How else would he have known
that
if he
hadn’t already asked questions about her? “Softball, big
difference.”

“What—soft ball, baseball, no difference
really.”

“Of course you’d say that.”

Eduardo turned away from her for a moment. She’s
irritated, why?

“Victor told me you’ll be twenty-seven next
month?”

Another harmless query and he answered swiftly,
“Yep, big birthday next month.”

“So you’re six years older than Victor?”

“Almost seven, why? How far apart are you and
Molly?”

“Barely a year, my parents couldn’t keep their hands
off each other,” she snickered, disbelieving the serenity in her
own voice.

Eduardo once more held his breath. “That must have
been hard to grow up with divorced parents.”

Amber gulped, Good Lord, she wanted to change the
subject now. “Yah, consider yourself lucky to be brought up by
parents who still love each other.”

“I appreciate them every day.”

Amber gazed out at the waves in the lake. “You live
in Malibu now?”

So
many
questions. “Yah, just bought a
townhome near the beach a couple months ago, I’m working at a
Westside law firm, why?”

“Just wondering...”

Eduardo was stumped with all the sudden
inquiries—and then it hit him. Even though Amber was now his
sister-in-law, she was still a
female
,
and he was used to females attempting to acquaint themselves.

Silence again. The wind began to blow more
frequently, leaves and fine sand swished on every side of them.
Eduardo reopened his book, smiled internally.

Amber started to read again, her heart beat so fast;
she still couldn’t get past the first paragraph! “Why aren’t you
married yet?” She asked sticking her foot in her mouth. “Why hasn’t
some girl gotten her hooks in you?” Good Lord, did she just come
out and ask that? Well, the silence was unbearable. She’d rather
have Adrian crying in her ear than sit by her brother-in-law a
moment longer wondering what the hell he was thinking!

Eduardo began to laugh quietly. He sat up and
repositioned his lazy body in the fabric chair. “Why I am not
married...Good question,” he let go, crossing his legs out in front
of him. This was going to take awhile. “Who the hell would have
me?” He replied allowing her a peek at his soul.

Amber felt more feminine around her brother-in-law
than she ever did with Victor.
But why?
She swiftly became
further relaxed with him with each breath she drew and she ached to
know more and more about him. “Who the hell my ass,” she joked back
with him. “The entire female population that’s who, and don’t go
shaking your head at me mister, you know you’re good looking.”

Now that she got that off her chest Amber could
loosen up even more. There—she said it; she unequivocally came out
and told him that she thought he was attractive. Did he even doubt
it with all the blushing that she did?

Eduardo was taken-back. Amber was blatantly flirting
with him now, only this time his coy rejoinder wasn’t so eager.
This was Amber Sanchez. He was nevertheless still sexually
attracted to her, but he wasn’t about to just spill his guts to
her—so what if she was family. “I’m very selective Amber.”

Amber didn’t know why but that word
selective
stuck in her throat. Eduardo was an egocentric (she could only
assume by his appearance alone) women came onto
him
. He
probably had a Little Black Book filled with over ten thousand
names! “I’m not surprised with so many choices. You’re a spoiled
man Eduardo Sanchez.”

Eduardo couldn’t believe his luck. Here he was
extremely fascinated with this girl and she was coming onto him
very strong, she not only enchanted him, but her sudden openness
sparked continued interest. He had to keep reminding himself that
she was married—and to his brother no less! But his lascivious
temperament won the battle within and Eduardo wanted to find out
how far he could interest her. “Do you see me complaining?
I
love women.
I appreciate the difference in our bodies and the
way they smell. Heck, I’ll even listen to a stunning female I’m
interested in talk about her cat all night long if it was
guaranteed she’d sleep with me.”

Amber stared at him agape.
Good Lord!
Why was
his admission suddenly making her all hot and bothered? Because
this was Eduardo Sanchez, that’s why! Of course he’d be a snake
behind those expensive wool blends, he could afford too when there
was no struggle involved. “You don’t have to be so crude about it,”
Amber retorted, feeling her heart about to jump out of her
chest.

Eduardo was puffed up pleased with himself. Amber
went on the defensive, noticed her cheeks flush red as she turned
away from him. But then he felt contrite. Should he apologize for
having just made her covet him?

“You know what Eduardo? I believe you,” Amber
sharply returned. “You should be selective. You need to find
someone who will love your faults more than they treasure your
looks. In fact, that’s the very reason why I fell in love with your
brother; I looked beyond the exterior and found a wonderful human
being.”

Eduardo noted her coldness and gazed away from her
for a moment. What the hell was she doing? Helping him find a
girlfriend now? This was a first. He knew he got to her; Amber
suddenly attacked him with waiving her devotion to his brother in
front of his face. But, wait a minute, what did she just say… “What
faults?”

Amber seethed, “Oh please Eduardo you’re
not
perfect.”

“Who said I was?”

Amber closed her mouth. Yikes! She just better shut
up now, was that Adrian crying? No, darn it! “Well, I’m only
assuming you think you are, but I see differently.”

Amber thought he was flawed—unreal. Never in his
pretentious life had he come across a woman who thought he was
lacking.
It further intrigued him. “OK Amber, define your
findings then. Why do I appear imperfect to you?”

Amber gulped. Damn his Harvard Law School dialect!
She really did it this time. Her flirting got out of hand and now
she’s irritated him. Good Lord did he look magnificent annoyed! “OK
sorry—you’re perfect then.”

“No—no, you can’t just toss accusations around like
that and decide to alter your judgment.”

Amber sat up straight in her chair. “You’re high
maintenance.”

Eduardo guffawed. “I am? And what else?”

What else? Good Lord, did she really start this
embarrassing conversation? How the hell does she get out of this?
“...And you’ll never be able to find a partner who will meet your
expectations.”

“My expectations? And what do those appear to
be?”

What would those be?
Good Lord!
What the
hell was she doing?
“...Well, now don’t get mad when I say
this—and don’t go telling Victor I told you so—I really don’t want
to hear his words later.”

“It’ll be our little secret.”

Amber’s mouth went very dry. “You do realize that
you’re unattainable.”

“Now, why would I be so unattainable?”

“Oh gee Eduardo, do I really need to spell this out
for you? You know already, I can tell by that stupid smirk on your
face.”

Eduardo’s grin diminished instantly. “OK—I’ll be
serious, I truly want to hear your conclusion.”