Free Warriors in Paradise by Luis E. Gutiérrez-Poucel Page A

awakened as Valentina shouted to me, “Get off. Get off me; I can’t breathe!”
    Laughing, I moved off her and sat on the edge of the bed. “I thought you were tougher than that,” I said as I stood up. Walking to the bathroom, I turned around and said to her, “We better hurry and talk to the rest of the group and decide whether we’re going to go to the Independence Day yacht party or not. How do you feel? Do you want to go?” I asked her.
    “Not really. I feel lazy. I’d rather stay here,” she said.
    “I feel the same way,” I said. “Let’s shower, get dressed, and find out how the rest of them feel about it.”
    We showered together. We tried to behave, but it was difficult, if not impossible. As I was helpfully soaping her body, my hands inadvertently spent more time on her breasts and nipples and between her legs, and suddenly I was hard again. She looked down onto my raging erection and said, “We cannot let that one go to waste.” She grabbed me with her arms around my neck. I cupped her ass to lift her as she enveloped her legs around my waist. I moved into her once again. The water was cascading over us. We were deep into each other. This time we climaxed together. I actually saw stars and electrical sparks as I came. It seemed to take forever before I regained my focus. My legs felt rubbery, and I had to bring her down gently before I fell down. I finished showering, and with a parting kiss, I got out of the shower, letting her continue with hers. I toweled myself dry. I put on white underwear, black trousers, black canvas shoes, and a white guayabera.
    Valentina came out of the bathroom. She saw me and said, “You look very handsome, but please try this blue striped shirt. Blue suits you.”
    “Whatever you say, mom,” I said, taking off the guayabera and putting on the blue shirt.
    Once I was fully dressed, I combed my hair, strapped on my watch, grabbed my wallet, and walked to the door, saying to Valentina, “I’ll be downstairs with the others. Don’t take too long.”
    She responded, “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
    I knew she would be down in five minutes. Valentina was that kind of a person who, just like my mother, did what she said she would do. She was a woman of her word. And she was all mine. I smiled. The relationship was moving fast, very fast. I had never experienced anything like it. Perhaps the storm had something to do with it. The primal sense that the world was coming to an end could be triggering a pressing need to reproduce. Whatever the reason, Valentina was for keeps.
    “Hello there, y’all!” I said, imitating a Southern drawl. Without waiting for a response, I asked, “Have the girls told you about the incident in the store’s parking lot?”
    “Yes,” said Charlie. “And Caleb and I agree with you. We would have done exactly the same.”
    Juliette said, “I am beginning to see your point of view, but I still don’t like fighting, and I pray I will never see you fighting, ever again.”
    “I will try very hard to oblige you in that department,” I said with a smile in my face.
    I would soon find out that I could not keep that promise.
    I heard Valentina coming down the stairs.
    As she entered the room, she said, “Have you discussed the invitation to celebrate Independence Day on the yacht?”
    “Yes, we have,” said Charlie, “and we would like to go.”
    “Well,” I said, “let us call your friend and let her know that we are coming.”
    “I have already called her,” said Juliette. “A boat is coming for us at eight p.m. at your jetty.”
    “Good. That takes care of the transportation. It is almost eight o’clock. Would anybody care for a drink before we leave?”
    Everybody except Caleb said yes.
    I went to the kitchen and sliced two limes into four pieces each. I put the pieces in the blender, skin and all, and then poured in half a bottle of white tequila and some triple sec. I put in three tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of