Valinta - Chapter 7 [Martin]

 A/N: Ahhh guys I’m sorry! I’m still alive! And I have several more chapters mostly written. I’ve had several procedures done on my thyroid recently as I have Graves’ disease, and I’m still working full time, so it’s just been pretty busy (I’m also working on a podcast with my boyfriend but we’ve been running into recording issues- shout out to Sex and the Wiki!). I hope you all are well ❤️

Chapter 7 [Martin]

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“Hey, guapos!” Alicia greeted Martin and Sirina with a kiss on each cheek. She was dressed stylishly for a night out. Her lean, tall figure was sheathed in a thigh-length, sparkly silver dress, and she wore jeweled, strappy silver sandals to match. Her dark hair framed her face in loose waves, with dangly sapphire earrings and a minimalist zodiac necklace to complete the ensemble. Alicia was a Libra. Siri suddenly felt a bit self-conscious. Martin’s beauty seemed to run in the family, and both of her friends looked leagues better than she did…

Martin looked gorgeous and at ease in a loose, colorful shirt and slim-fitting, white jeans. His wavy hair gained extra volume in the humidity, enough so that it moved as he did, or with the breeze. His skin had soaked up the sun this week, and so while his arms and face were a light olive back home, they darkened to a golden bronze in tropical climates. 

Siri fiddled with the hem of her baby-blue dress. Her wedge espadrilles were already making her feet ache. How was she going to keep up with a group of stunners for a night of dancing? 

“You look so pretty, Alicia!” Siri tucked her key card into her clutch, where her ID and some cash were already tucked away. Alicia grinned. 

“As do you! You and Martin look amazing together. Look at you two!” The friends blushed, exchanging a glance. 

“Are your friends waiting for us?” Martin finally ventured. Alicia nodded.

“They’re already at the club. They sent me a picture of the VIP booth- it’s so nice! 

More like a cabana outside, by the club’s pool, really. I’ve never done anything like this before.” 

Siri felt relieved to hear that. She hadn’t, either. “I’m so excited.” Sirina wasn’t much one for clubbing. Even concerts made her feel a bit claustrophobic. Truth be told, as social as she was, she preferred to hang out in smaller groups- crowds overwhelmed her. Still, she was eager to get a sense of how the young, rich, and beautiful lived. 

The three of them took a taxi from the resort’s main promenade, Alicia and Martin chatting with the driver in rapid Spanish while Siri attempted to keep up. Their driver was friendly and spoke good English, so he occasionally interrupted the conversation to translate for Siri, which she was grateful for. 

“Yeah, this club is a nice one. A lot of tourists go there, along with rich Mexicans from Monterrey, Puebla, Zapopan, and the like.”

“Are you from Sinaloa?” Siri asked, knowing Sinaloa was the state in which Mazatlán resided. 

The driver smiled. “Yes! I was born near Mazatlán. I lived for a while in Mexico City, but it’s too expensive, too crowded. It’s different here. You can’t beat life in Baja California. You three are Californians? Or Texans?”

“Californians,” Martin affirmed. “Well, she and I are,” he gestured to Siri. “We live in LA. My cousin works here at the resort, but she’s from Veracruz.”

“Oh, so you both are cousins!” The driver smiled. “I see the resemblance. I can hear the Veracruz in your Spanish,” he looked at Alicia, “but not in yours.” 

Martin laughed. “That’s fair. My mom is French and Filipino. My dad is Mexican, but I was born in America.” 

“That’s quite the mix,” the driver mused. “My maternal grandfather was from Russia.” He looked to Siri, smiling. “We’re a lot more diverse down here in Mexico than people expect! Many people have Spanish blood, sure, but also Jewish, or Lebanese, or Eastern European, or Caribbean…and of course, we have Aztec blood,” he teased. 

Siri grinned. “The Aztecs are cool. I haven’t gotten to see Aztec ruins yet, but when I was a kid, I went to see the Mayan ruins at Cozumel with my family. They were amazing!”

“You like history? You would like the Observatorio. There’s history, beautiful views, a trip up the mountain. He should take you! It’s very romantic.” 

Martin rolled his eyes. Siri squeezed his arm teasingly. 

“Yeah, you should! And out to dinner afterwards.” 

“Seafood or Italian?”

“You have him taking you out to dinner?” Alicia arched an eyebrow, smiling at Siri. “Usually he’s on to the next one before it gets that far.” 

“Oooh, a ‘mujerigo’,” the driver teased. “Well, she looks strong enough to handle you.” He winked conspiratorially at Siri, who laughed. Martin smiled at her, and she leaned his head on his shoulder. Alicia noticed the canoodling, but she only smiled to herself- as if satisfied, from learning her suspicions had been correct all along- and didn’t comment. 

…

Siri was out of her element. 

As social as she was, she never did well in crowds, especially when she hardly knew anyone in them. After they arrived at the club and joined Alicia’s friends in the booth, Siri felt left out of the conversation with her limited knowledge of Spanish. Martin, normally good at helping Siri out in situations such as these, was oddly distant. Even though he and Siri were sitting next to each other, so close that their thighs were flush against one another’s, he hardly even glanced in her direction. Siri wondered if one of Alicia’s friends had caught his attention instead. Was it Celeste, the beautiful brunette at the end of the table? Or maybe Cristian, the handsome surgeon who made everyone laugh with his jokes? Siri bit her lip, glancing at Martin and hoping he would get the hint. 

*Martin…I feel awkward.*

Martin looked back and gave Siri an apologetic smile, but there was no flirtatiousness in the gesture. Had something shifted between them? Come to think of it, he had been quiet towards her in the cab, as well…

Was Martin regretting their arrangement?

Siri leaned her head on his shoulder, whispering.

“What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing. Why?”

Siri wondered whether there really *was* a problem at all. 

“You’ve been quiet.” 

“Sorry. I’m just tired. I’m not doing a good job of translating, I’m sorry. Should I ask them to speak English?” 

Siri shook her head. She didn’t want the others to inconvenience themselves just to accommodate her.

“No, it’s okay, really…But, are you sure? You’re not having second thoughts about what we’re doing, are you?”

Martin fixed Siri with a wide-eyed stare. “No, of course not. It’s just fun, after all. Nothing serious. We’ll still be friends when it ends.” 

Siri didn’t know if she liked the sound of that: *when it ends*. She forced a smile. “Yeah. Of course!”

Martin patted her arm gently. “Do you want me to go get a drink with you? Then at least we can talk for a bit. I feel bad that you’re bored.” 

Siri shook her head again. “No, no, enjoy your time with Alicia! I’m really just fine. In fact, I’m gonna go dance a bit. Do you wanna join me?”

Martin grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Neither Martin nor Siri were particularly fluid dancers, but on a dancefloor only lit by torches and the stars above, they could get away with some grinding. Siri switched her hips, pleased to feel Martin settle in behind them, looping one arm around her waist. As they continued to rock to the beat, Siri could feel Martin hardening against the curve of her ass. It felt *good* to know that she was the reason. She turned back, kissing him, and he returned the embrace passionately, delving his tongue into Siri’s hot, wet mouth. He groaned into the kiss, and Siri felt herself drip down her thighs. *God*, she wanted more. 

She finally pulled away, breathless, and turned to face Martin. He held her as they continued to dance. 

“I have to have you tonight.” 

Martin chuckled. “Now who’s needy?”

Siri nipped at his lip. “Says the guy who rubbed his hard cock on my butt for the last 10 minutes.” 

“Touché…”

“Martin!” Celeste and some other woman, one that wasn’t in the group, ran up to him. Celeste began speaking in rapid-fire Spanish, seeming to introduce Martin to the woman. He turned to Siri apologetically. 

“Can we continue this later?” 

“Of course! Have fun.” 

He smiled at her, mock-saluting as he left. Siri surveyed the dancefloor. Most of the dancers had partnered up, but there were several single men still scoping out the scene. Siri caught the eye of a particularly handsome one- a tall man with chestnut curls and hazel eyes. He approached her. 

“I’m shocked your partner left you alone for even a moment,” he said in lightly-accented English. Siri smiled coyly, enjoying the heady scent of his spicy cologne.

“Why is that?” 

“Because you’re beautiful. I’d be worried some other guy would swoop in.” He smiled back, a bit self-effacing.

“Oh? Like you?” He laughed, and Siri stepped closer. “He’s not my boyfriend, if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

The man laughed. “Well, I didn’t want to *say* that, but…yes.” 

Siri took his hand in hers, still smiling. The man flinched, seemingly surprised by her boldness, but quickly softened and laced his fingers in hers. “I usually ask a guy for his name before I dance with him.” 

His hazel eyes brightened, and Siri was intrigued by the playful light in them. “I’m Alejandro. And you?”

“I’m Sirina. Mucho gusto, Alejandro.”

“Sirina, or ‘Sirena’?” Alejandro teased. Siri giggled, pulling him over to the dance floor. Alejandro looped his arm loosely around her, resting his hand gently over her navel. Siri wondered if he could feel her wetness, the arousal Martin caused, when he rocked his hips against hers. 

This was completely foreign to Siri. She never danced dirty with a guy who wasn’t her boyfriend, but she also never had casual sex, and so this was a week of firsts. Part of her loved it- the raw, intoxicating sensuality, the spark of newness- but part of her also felt unsettled by the rushed intimacy. She didn’t know Alejandro at all, and he *seemed* nice, but who really was it that she was grinding up against? Still, she tried to enjoy the moment for what it was- a bit of fun in a foreign nightclub. Didn’t every young person lose themselves to the music in the arms of an attractive stranger at some point or another?

Still, Siri wished she was dancing with Martin. Alejandro was certainly attractive, and his touches were gentle and inoffensive, but they weren’t passionate and tender the way Martin’s were. When they kissed, there wasn’t anywhere near the raw sensuality that Siri shared with her friend, even though Alejandro seemed to enjoy them (he was rock-hard against Siri, and panting whenever they broke for air).

Without consciously realizing it, Siri scanned the crowd for Martin. When their eyes met, she realized that his expression was oddly vacant, his lips pursed. 

Was he jealous?

She realized this was a ridiculous thought. Martin was the king of keeping things casual. She spun around to face Alejandro, kissing him deeply, which caused him to gasp in delight. She could have fun, too. If Martin wasn’t taking this seriously, neither would she. And why should he? Siri had told him from the get-go that this was all just for fun.

Wasn’t it?

…