Chapter 55 - The Spanish Fly (2/2)
”No, this is more than just money or compensation, but a lot more. You'll find out in due time.” He smiles.
”Uhh, sir,” the flower seller buŧŧs in. ”I'm also selling a few bottles of Spanish fly here.”
”What?” Claire's curiosity is piqued. Also, she couldn't help but notice the man has been listening to their conversation. ”What Spanish fly?”
”It's an aphrodisiac, ma'am,” the man flashes a toothless smile. ”For, you know, sėxytime.”
”What sėxy—”
”It's for the…” Gabriel begins, but whispers the rest in her ear.
Claire's eyes widen. She bursts out laughing, and playfully punches Gabriel in the arm. ”And why would we even need that?”
”You've heard the lady, mister,” Gabriel turns to the man. ”We don't need that because we're already deliriously satisfied with our 'sexytime'.”
The man is still grinning even as Gabriel rolls up the window.
”How dare you say that,” Claire giggles. ”I'm a vɨrġɨn, Mr. Tan. Please don't make these jokes at my expense.” Yet, she laughs.
Gabriel smiles. For some reason, mention the word ”virgin” and he's transported back to the bedroom in her suite earlier, when he found her nȧkėd. Mention the word ”virgin,” and he's transported back to last night, when he almost arrived too late at Jake Magno's house. More and more, these little things seem to erode his hardened exterior and show his softer side.
”And did you just buy everything from that man?” Claire almost couldn't see him because she's holding all the flowers in her arms.
”Well, not everything. Because, you know, the Spanish fly.”
Claire ignores the last comment. ”You're on a roll, Mr. Tan! You've been buying up entire businesses today! But I have to warn to warn you, though. Remember Karen?”
”Karen? Who's that?”
”My flatmate, remember?”
”Oh, that. With that guy who tried to harm you.”
”Yeah. And guess what happened earlier?”
”She also tried to **** you?”
”Aw come on, be serious!”
Gabriel snickers. ”Alright, what is it?”
Claire tells him everything, even the little details. Except, of course, her own inkling of what Karen is really up to.
”And he's with Miguel now?” Gabriel says. ”Classic Miguel, always with the bleeding heart save-the-world machismo.”
”I don't know what to say,” Claire mutters. ”But is Miguel really that impressionable?”
Gabriel laughs. ”Not really, Claire. Miguel is also fond of playing games. He's generally bored with life. He gets girls so easily, as you can guess. So he loves playing these little games.”
”Seriously? Because that not how it seemed.”
”Yeah, I'm serious,” Gabriel says. ”And you'll get a front seat to Miguel' spectacular show. You'll see it all at dinner tonight. So don't blink.”