Loving in the wrong century E-Book

Tamara Demontis

• Herausgeber: BoD - Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Nothing is more important than love, feeling loved, and giving love. In recent years, the need for love seems to have increased due to the ever-faster changes in society, which makes it all the more important to talk about it. In the past, it was the most normal thing in the world to talk about love and feelings, but in this century, mankind has developed a kind of longing for love, romance, and everything that goes with it and has lost touch with the most natural thing in the world. In this book, you will be taken on a journey of love to the point of physical encounter and the explosion of the senses. The chance meeting, the play of glances, the whispering, the tenderness, the eroticism, but also the normal life of a couple accompany you from the beginning to the end of the reading.

Leseprobe

Who is this book for?

This book is for you, beautiful soul, and for all those who still believe in love in the 21st century, the kind of love that many people have only heard about without knowing its meaning. The kind of love that awakens a deep longing in the 21st century, because we live in a generation that talks about love but no longer knows how to love. Many say with nostalgia in their voices: I would like to fall in love like my grandparents or parents did. But how did people fall in love in the past, and could it come to the point where you have to ask yourself how you can learn to love, the most natural thing in the world?

What made the love of yesteryear so special? What was so different?

The answer is simple: Everything.

First of all, the clear and defined roles of individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, and then the perception of feelings. The way of getting to know each other and getting closer, the naturalness of the approach, and the magical journey to the first kiss—from the kiss to the gentle touch that creates the tingling sensation to the merging of the bodies in the act of love—everything had a different value then, and everything was somehow given a deeper meaning than today.

If you ask today's younger generation what a kiss between two lovers means, the most likely answer is: sticking their tongues down each other's throats. But if you ask someone from an older generation what a kiss means, you will probably get this answer: a kiss is undoubtedly the deepest and most intense ritual a couple can experience; it is the fuel for the fire of passion, an exchange of feelings, a silent and powerful message between two souls.

Not to mention the value that today's generation places on the sexual act. How many satisfy their natural instincts and needs without knowing what it feels like to make love to the person they love? How many confuse passion with love, and why do so many in this generation no longer know how to build a loving relationship?

Perhaps it is because today there is an unbelievable range of offers and possibilities on the Internet portals, and it is no longer absolutely necessary to make an effort for person A or B or to make a commitment. Meeting in person, off-screen, can lead to confrontation and disappointment; online, behind the screen, you can put on a protective mask, block contact, or ignore the person through the classic and hated ghosting. Is this the created reality in which social media influences love relationships, the image of an intact family life, and interpersonal relationships? Or are many people suddenly giving up on relationships because people have become too complicated, because they lack trust in others, because for various reasons they have not been taught the importance of love, or simply because they come from a family where the teaching of certain values was not given too much importance?

There seems to be something that has changed the healthy perception of feelings and emotions, and while some seem to have resigned themselves to a life without love, even in the 21st century, many would like nothing more than to rediscover the magic of love, to have a protective and understanding partner, to experience the great "love story." Is love just a utopia, or is it all we need, and what does it mean in the 21st century to have a connection between two people who like each other, who understand each other emotionally, where the chemical reaction is explosive, and whose bodies and souls want nothing more than to love each other? How can such bonds be formed? Can relationships develop without the help of dating portals? And what is the difference between people who hide behind dating sites and those who find love the old-fashioned way? Where is the kind of person who looks at you and makes you feel hugged, who stares at you and makes you feel kissed, watched, and touched? How do you find people like that? How do you approach a person in the 21st century without seeming intrusive, without annoying them or embarrassing yourself?

How do you manage to bring deep emotions or feelings into the wrong century? Reading this story will give you some ideas.

Are you ready to feel the passion and share it with Eva and Valentin?

Are you ready to deal with the behaviour of relationships in the 21st century?

Then I hope you will enjoy reading this modern story, set in a reality in which many of us will recognise ourselves.

Introduction

Eva, a girl from a middle-class family, marries her childhood sweetheart, David, in her beautiful hometown of Barcelona. The economic crisis that hit Spain in 2008 forced them to migrate to Canada.

No sooner has Eva arrived at her new job than she meets Valentin, the only son of her employer. There is an instant spark between them. The beginning of a dangerous game of love that touches all the senses, both emotional and physical. A passionate love is the fusion of two bodies leaning against each other, driven by something that is not limited to a sexual impulse but encompasses the essence of being together. Eva had never felt such desire before, not even with her sandpit lover David.

Kisses, words whispered in her ear: sensual gestures that fanned the flames of passion and imprinted themselves in her mind, and more than that, this man showed her a different approach to a partnership that she had never known before, and that was very different from the way her husband David did things.

Table of Contents

Who is this book for?

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter 1 Transfer

Chapter 2 Eyes of Desire

Chapter 3 Fiery Days

Chapter 4 Passionately yours

Chapter 5 Canada forever?

Chapter 6 Stranger kissed?

Chapter 7 Secrets

Chapter 8 Glory Days

Chapter 9 Noxious Letter

Chapter 10 Insufficient proof

Chapter 11 Arrangement

Chapter 12 High visitor

Chapter 13 Surprise!

Chapter 14 Insurmountable differences

Chapter 15 The Confession

Epilogue

Prologue

"You're the new employee, aren't you?" asked Valentin as Eva copied the latest texts into the computer.

"And who are you?"

"The company belongs to my parents; I've been observing for a few days now," he replied.

"Are you responsible for observing new employees in the family business? Is that your job?"

"No, I just watch you."

Eva, clearly taken by surprise by Valentin's behaviour just before the end of the working day, stood up frantically to get her jacket and accidentally knocked her papers off her desk.

Instinctively, they both kneel down to pick up the papers and bump their heads. Their eyes met for a moment, and then they started to laugh.

Valentin grabbed Eva's hand, pulled her towards him, looked deeper into her eyes, touched her lips lightly with his finger, and kissed her passionately.

Completely overwhelmed by the kiss, and without resisting it She simply kissed him back.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?" he asked as she remained stunned and silent.

"I was wondering the same thing," she replied quietly, her face flushed.

Within a moment she realised what had just happened, took two steps back, put her hands in front of her face, and cried out in panic: "What have we done? My husband will be here soon.

Passionate, he grabbed her hands again, pulled her towards him, and kissed her again, but she pushed him away with an energetic movement.

"I wanted to kiss you the first time I saw you. How hot are you? We haven't been introduced."

And she said, "Have you gone mad? First you kiss me twice, and then you ask my name?"

She quickly grabbed her bag, stormed out of the room, and ran straight to the staff toilet. She stood at the sink in front of the mirror for a while, washing her face several times with cold water, until she regained consciousness a few minutes later and made her way to the exit.

As she hurried towards the car park, she saw her husband David from a distance outside the gate, talking to someone and gesturing at her arrival until both men turned in her direction at almost the same time. At this sight, she suddenly stopped in her tracks as she realised who her husband was talking to.

"Madame, are you ill? You look as if you've seen a ghost," Valentin said. Then he looked deep into her eyes, and she felt that tingle again.

It was that look again that said it all, that signalled to her: I want you.

Chapter 1 Transfer

Eva and David sit nervously in the conference room after an important announcement has been made. The internationally renowned pharmaceutical company where they have worked for years has been in decline for months and needs to be restructured.

"Three jobs in my department are going; I have a bad feeling," says Eva.

But before David can comment on the conversation with his line manager, there are two energetic knocks on the door.

"Good morning, everyone," Mr. Garcia says, beaming.

Eva and David looked at him nervously, then returned the greeting in a friendly manner.

"Let me give you a brief summary. As you have no doubt heard, the company is going through a period of restructuring that will affect not only our sales department but also 150 other jobs in various departments," said Mr. Garcia sadly.

"We were afraid of that," David replied in a worried tone.

"You and your wife needn't worry about your jobs. We have alternatives for good people."

"I'm glad to hear that. Then what do we have to worry about?" asked Eva, her voice trembling.

"Well, we have two vacancies for both of you in one of the head offices in Canada."

"In Canada?" they both asked at the same time.

"Yes, in Canada. You have two weeks to make a final decision."

"But what if we don't want to go to Canada? We're newlyweds, and we just bought our dream house six months ago," she asked excitedly.

"If you don't want to accept this offer, I would advise you to start looking for new opportunities now. We can't offer you any more jobs in this company."

Suddenly there was silence in the conference room. Mr. Garcia took the new permanent contracts out of the folder and placed them on the table in front of Eva and David.

"When do we have to start in Canada?" asked David.

"In three months. You are welcome to take the new contracts home with you to look over," Mr. Garcia replied.

Back home, Eva and David look for new job opportunities at several large companies in the country. In 2008, the economic crisis hit Spain like a hurricane. The job advertisements left a lot to be desired for the highly qualified, newly married couple.

David polished up his CV and picked out three jobs he wanted to apply for.

"Have you found anything suitable?" asked Eva.

"Well, there's nothing exciting, but I'm going to apply for three jobs; we have to try and stay here in the country."

Determined not to give up, they spent the rest of the evening diligently searching for new vacancies, sending their CVs to numerous companies, at least the few that were still looking for staff despite the economic crisis.

The next morning began with a series of disappointments, as they had already received several rejections by email, and although they didn't like the idea of having to leave their country, they had to reckon with the fact that they wouldn't be finding work any time soon.

"Honey, hurry up; my parents are waiting for us!" She called from the car.

Due to the tense situation, Eva and David had called their families for a crisis meeting even before they had made the final decision to move to Canada. The number of job advertisements was either very low or did not match their professional qualifications, so they were unable to find a new job quickly. It was time to return the contract that would open the door to new experiences in Canada.

"We're very excited, and we've already got something to talk about,"

says Eva's mother.

"Where did you get something to talk about? We haven't said anything about the reason for the presentation yet," David asked in surprise.

Eva's parents looked at each other and were silent, then David looked at Eva.

"We haven't, have we, darling?"

"Of course Eva hasn't told us the reason, but at our age we can already imagine what you have to tell us, can't we, Federico?" asked Eva's mother, waving her hand.

"Come on, bring the package now," she ordered.

"But Mum, what reason and what package? What do you mean?" she asked, becoming increasingly irritated.

Eva's father came rushing out of the kitchen with a parcel in his hand and put it on the coffee table. Eva and David looked annoyed. Eva's mother, Marion, picked up the package and put it on Eva's lap.

"We decided on a neutral colour; we hope you like it," Federico said in an excited voice.

"Mum, can someone tell me what's going on?"

Marion stood up euphorically and raised her hands in celebration.

"We're going to be grandparents!"

David looked at Eva with a tense expression and asked irritably:

"May I ask why your parents were allowed to know about the pregnancy before me? And above all, we wanted to take our time with the children first, remember?"

"What pregnancy? What's going on here?" Eva replied angrily.

"What do you mean, you're not pregnant?" asked Federico.

"Of course not! What makes you think that?"

Federico scratched his beard nervously, turned to his wife, and said firmly:

"Marion, this is all your fault."

Irritated, Marion sat down again, looked in Eva's direction, and asked, "If you're not pregnant, what is there to talk about?"

"We've been transferred to Canada!" Eva shouted.

Eva's parents looked at her wide-eyed and laughed hysterically.

"You're joking, right?" asks Federico.

Eva and David are silent.

"But what are you doing in Canada? You just bought a house a few months ago. What's the point?" asked Marion.

Calmly, Eva took the employment contract out of her bag and put it on the coffee table.

"We'll lose our jobs if we don't sign the new contracts," she explained.

The room suddenly fell silent. Eva's father picked up the contract and quickly read through the pages.

"How much time do you have to decide, and when do you have to be in Canada?" Marion asked, stunned.

"The employment contracts have to be returned on Monday. We have to be in Canada in three months," Eva replied with a hint of frustration in her voice.

On the way to meet David's parents, they both realised that immigration was not going to be a walk in the park. Eva's parents were the easiest part of the family to look after. The bigger challenge lay ahead.

David's parents were already standing happily in the front garden of their house, waving cheerfully as Eva and David arrived, not yet aware of what was to come.

"We couldn't arrange anything for dinner at such short notice," called David's mother, Leonor, from the other side of the garden.

"Mum, don't worry about the food; you'll have lost your appetite after our conversation."

"¡Por Dios! David, don't scare me. What's happened?" She asked, her blood pressure rising slightly.

"Please, let's go into the house first," David suggested.

Without further comment, all four of them went into the house. As soon as the front door was shut, David's mother jumped in. Her hysterical manner left no room for gentle explanations, so David ran straight into the living room, took the work contracts out of Eva's bag, and put them on the dining table.

"David, you still haven't told me what happened. What papers did you put on the table?" She She asked, her face flushed.

"Mum, we've only been here five minutes; we've already spent three minutes outside the door, and in the last two minutes you've gone hysterical before I can even say anything!"

With all four of them sitting around the table, David finally handed his parents the contract.

"You scared me; I thought something bad had happened, but you've just got a new job," said Leonor, relieved.

Cristiano looked at his wife and said firmly: "Tell me, Leonor, can't you read? Isn't it bad enough that the job is in Canada?"

"Oh no... no! no! In Canada? David, you can't do this to me. You didn't take the job, did you?" She She asked in a panicked voice, suddenly standing up and pacing. She beat her hand on her chest and mumbled something no one could understand.

"David, why don't you answer? Cristiano, get the blood pressure cuff; I'm dying!" she cried.

"Mum, please calm down! There's nothing wrong; thousands of people work abroad these days.".

But David's explanation only made the situation worse. Eva was still sitting quietly at the table, watching what was happening, while Cristiano ran frantically into the living room with the blood pressure machine.

"Over here!" he thought, and as he ran in, the cable caught on the living room door, sending the sphygmomanometer flying through the air and crashing to the floor. Pieces of it were scattered all over the living room, and David threw up his hands at the sight. Suddenly Leonor stood up, took two deep breaths, and collapsed. The conversation about emigration ended for her in A&E.

"Honey, please say something; you haven't spoken for hours," David pleaded worriedly. worriedly."

"I didn't want to steal your mother's thunder. I know it's not an easy situation for any of us, but did it have to be so dramatic? Your poor father..."

"OK, that's fine. Let's change the subject."

At home, Eva and David avoided each other; it had been a difficult day; each had to deal with the events on their own. Determined, she took the employment contract and signed it, then switched on her laptop and did some research on her future employers and Canada.

The company had provided her with a furnished apartment for the first six months, during which time she could have considered whether to continue her life in Canada or return to her home country.

After careful research, Eva realised that Canada alone is almost the size of Europe, and she was already fascinated by the crystal clear waters and vast wilderness areas. At 27, Eva was the oldest of two siblings and the only one in the family who would be leaving Europe for the first time.

After a weekend full of turbulence, Mr. Garcia was waiting for David and Eva in the conference room on Monday morning, but they didn't have to wait any longer and came straight into the room.

After a quick and cordial greeting, Eva puts the contracts on the table. Mr. Garcia looks at David's contract sceptically and asks uncertainly, "You haven't signed your employment contract yet; will your wife be flying to Canada alone?"

"Well, my mother had a nervous breakdown at the announcement; you know, I'm an only child," he answers in a low voice.

"I see, and that's why they can't cut the umbilical cord, and will your wife emigrate alone? Do you know how lucky you are?? How many of your colleagues would like to have such an opportunity?"

David felt insulted by Mr. Garcia's words, and although he, like Eva, had decided to emigrate to Canada, he needed more time to think before signing the contract.

"We'll both take the job," Eva confirmed.

David took a pen from Eva's bag and signed his contract.

"Congratulations! This is going to be a great experience for you. My secretary, Mrs. Guzman, will be with you shortly to discuss all the details."

Eva and David said a friendly goodbye and left the boardroom.

In the information centre, Mrs. Guzman had set up a screen to show the structure of the company in Canada. The imposing building was set in park-like grounds, just two kilometres from the new home that Eva and David were to move into.

"So, what do you think?" asked Mrs. Guzman with a twinkle in her eye.

Eva looked at her David with excitement in her eyes.

"A dream!" he replied.

"Excellent! Then you can have the key to the apartment and this package. Here are all the contacts and emergency numbers for a good start in the new country."

"What's in the second package?" Eva asked curiously.

"We have put two mobile phones in the second package for them, so that they can contact their families directly when they arrive."

Everything was organised down to the last detail. Eva and David were impressed by so much professionalism and empathy. Grateful for their good fortune, they both left the room.

In the afternoon, Eva and David looked for solutions for their house, for which they had to pay a monthly installment.

"We can't leave the house empty; six months is a long time," she said regretfully.

"What do you suggest? Do you want someone else to sleep in your new bed?"

"Why not? A new mattress is cheaper than the monthly instalments, and if the house is empty, the cost can quickly become a burden."

"Yes, you're right. Let's try renting it out instead," he replied with conviction.

In the afternoon, Eva's parents and her younger sister Carmen spontaneously showed up at the door with dinner.

"You know, Eva, I think it's great that you're going to Canada; finally we have a reason for a holiday away from Europe," said Carmen, totally excited.

"After sleeping on it for a night, we think you've made a good decision, and we'll support you," Eva's father decided.

"I'm relieved to hear that. I thought you'd come here to get rid of your emotional baggage," David said carefully.

"Even if I had, no one here will be able to outdo your mother." Eva replied sarcastically.

The days passed peacefully, and they began to feel that the family members had accepted the transfer to Canada when one morning they were summoned to Mr. Garcia's office. An unexpected situation, which they had not anticipated, led to a change of plans.

"Good morning everyone; I hope you had a good breakfast," greeted Mr. Garcia.

"Actually we didn't get a chance to have breakfast; Mrs. Guzman practically dragged us out of bed," David replied.

"Well, there's a slight problem. The transfer to Canada has to be moved up a bit." Mr. Garcia burst out, his lips pressed together.

"That's no problem for us; we can be in Canada a bit earlier," Eva assured him.

"You have to be in Canada in four weeks, right after Christmas, which means eight weeks earlier for you!"

"In Canada in four weeks? That's impossible!" David replied regretfully.

"They'll be in their new jobs from 3 January!"

There was already a special leave of absence on the desk for the beginning of December. Faster than expected and with much more pressure, Eva and David would have to find a tenant for their house and deal with all the bureaucratic matters. A new crisis meeting with the family was organised at short notice, which this time resulted in David's mother being rushed to the hospital under lights.

"Blimey, that's all we need!" muttered David in exasperation.

David's father quickly packed a few things for his wife and followed the ambulance.

"I wonder what's going to happen next; I mean, if your mom collapses at the announcement, then we'll probably have to order a coffin before we even get on the plane to Canada, because I'm afraid she won't survive the separation," Eva said irritably.

In a bad mood, they decided to return home and look for a tenant.

Eva placed an advertisement on the various property websites and waited hopefully. To her delight, the enquiries were not long in coming, because as soon as the ad was online, the phone rang.

"Unbelievable, isn't it? We have 7 potential tenants to choose from within 20 minutes. That's at least one reason to be happy today," she grinned enthusiastically.

"We have even more reason to be happy today; take a look at the bathroom," he said in an inviting tone.

Full of admiration, she looked in the direction of the bathroom that David had decorated with candles during her phone calls to potential tenants.

Thrilled by the pleasant surprise, she quickly undressed and jumped into the bathtub.

"I know why I love you so much!" she exclaimed to endear herself to her husband.

In the bathroom, lit only by soft candlelight, she lay relaxed in the steaming tub until he reached her and knelt before her. He gently massaged her neck down to her scalp. She closed her eyes, savouring the moment. He gently touched her lips and kissed her tenderly. With the aplomb of someone who knows what she wants, she took his hand and ran it lightly over her bare breasts, letting him feel her excited nipples as she let out a soft moan.

"I want you," she whispered as she pulled her still-clothed husband into the bath.

After a stressful week, Eva and David managed to rent out their house at short notice. Of all the interested parties, only one young couple was prepared to sign a six-month lease. This had to be celebrated, so David opened a bottle of cava and the two toasted their good fortune.

"This is an exciting moment," David said.

"We haven't heard from your parents all week; how come?" she asked in surprise.

"Let's enjoy the evening first. My mother has been sedated with medication."

"Do you have another tasty surprise for me tonight?" she asked.

"Mmhh, let me think... No, it's your turn tonight."

She leaves the living room with a seductive look on her face.

"I'll be right back!" she called from the hallway.

David waited patiently for a while, but she didn't come back. Tired of waiting, he called out to her several times, but she didn't answer.

Irritated, he got up and searched the whole house for her but did not find her. On his way back to the living room, he suddenly saw her skirt outside the cellar door. A clue? Curious, he opened the cellar door and found her blouse on the floor. Then he walked briskly down the stairs and suddenly saw her pants and shoes on the last step.

"Darling, where are you?" he called, but there was no answer. All the clues led to the garage, so he opened the door cautiously, only to see her bra and pants on the floor, and the car horn honked before he realised she was naked in the car. Startled, he jumped aside, then she got out, laid down on the bonnet, spread her legs, and pulled him towards her, to which he reacted negatively.

Was the game too wild for him? Or had the stress of the last few weeks gotten the better of him?

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" she asked expectantly.

"Yes, but I'm not in the mood right now; it's been a very stressful week. Don't you think?"

Visibly disappointed, she packed her things, left the garage, and went to bed without saying a word.

The last week of work flew by. On their last day at work, Eva and David took time to say goodbye to their colleagues, but Mr. Garcia reached them just before the end of the working day.

"Where are you going in such a hurry? I forgot to give you something to take with you. Please follow me," he ordered.

Without asking any questions, they followed him until they were outside the conference room.

"Please lead the way," Mr. Garcia ordered.

David carefully opened the door to the pitch-black conference room.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" asked Eva, a little apprehensive.

"Surprise!" shouted a crowd of people as the disco ball began to glow with coloured lights and the music started.

The countdown was on: only 14 days to go before they left for Canada. Although they had done a lot of research about the place where they were going to live, they were still unsure about what to expect, what kind of people they would meet, and what kind of clothes they would need to wear, as the climate in Canada was a particular challenge for them, as they were used to very different temperatures.

"How many more suitcases do I have to get from the attic?" he shouted.

"At least two for me and two for you!" she replied.

Sorting through her clothes, Eva suddenly realised that there were very few winter items in her wardrobe. In warm Barcelona, the winter temperatures were on a par with Canada's summer temperatures, and they were not prepared for such weather.

"Darling? I'm afraid there's a problem," she called out after a quick rummage through the wardrobes.

Not thrilled with what he had heard, he poked his head out of the attic and said firmly: "We don't need any problems today, because we don't have enough suitcases, and that's already a big problem."

"Then it's all right, because we don't have enough winter clothes either."

"Excellent! So a change of plan after all," he said half-heartedly.

"Why don't we go shopping?" she suggested enthusiastically.

A shopping trip three days before Christmas Eve, with all the crowds in the city, wasn't exactly what they needed, but what the hell, at least one of them seemed excited to be on tour. The city was full of Christmas magic, people walking around happily with their bags full of presents, but none of it matched David's mood. What had happened to him in the last few days? Had the stress of the past few weeks and the excitement of the emigration taken such a toll on him that he could no longer pull the plug? He dragged himself through the city, taking time to do some last-minute shopping until they bumped into Eva's family and joined them for a meal at the Christmas market.

"I still can't believe it; in 14 days you'll be in another country," said Marion in a wistful voice.

Eva looks at her mother with melancholy eyes and says: "Yes. It's like a dream for us; we're very excited.".

Eva's mother turns to David with a worried tone: "How are things with your parents?"

"Well, it's fine. My mom is on tranquillizers and has calmed down a bit; hopefully she will stay that way.".

"We would like your parents to join us on Christmas Eve. Why don't we all celebrate Christmas together this year?" suggested Marion.

"That's a great idea!" replied David.

Because of Leonor's boisterous nature, they were not used to the usual family celebrations, but this particular situation called for an exception; after all, Christmas is the celebration of love, the celebration of family, at least according to what Eva had experienced as a child.

Christmas was fast approaching, and while David was busy picking up his parents, Marion and Federico were preparing delicacies for the festive table. What was in store for them at this joint celebration? The last time they had celebrated together was at Eva and David's wedding, and they did not remember it fondly.

But this time it was different, because Leonor's mood was lifted considerably by the effects of the tranquillizers, and between Turrón, cream cheese with honey, and nuts, they managed to create a magical Christmas together.

At the departure terminal in Barcelona, David and Eva stood with their families and friends at the check-in desk, waiting for their turn to board their flight to Canada.

Visibly excited, David's mother clung to her husband.

"I can't believe we made it from the house to the terminal without incident; that's a great achievement," David whispered in relief.

But then his mother started pacing back and forth, suddenly clasping her hands to her chest, and ran off the line.

With a sense of foreboding, Eva looked at her David and said firmly, "I think you spoke too quickly; your mom is waving at the end of the line with an unhappy face. Can you see her?"

David turned quickly to see what was happening to his mother, but suddenly the loudspeakers announced boarding for flight CA335 to Canada, and people rushed to check in.

Desperately, David made eye contact with his father, who looked in his direction and shouted in panic, "The drops!"

In the rush to the airport, David's mother had forgotten to take the sedative drops and collapsed at the back of the queue.

"Check-in for flight CA335 is closing!" shouted Eva, pulling David's hand as the crowd pushed them further and further into the terminal.

Chapter 2 Eyes of Desire

"Welcome to your new workplace; we hope you will feel at home here," said the managing director of the pharmaceutical company Ritel.

Eva and David officially started their first day at work and were welcomed together, but not assigned to the same department. The introduction to the team was brief and warm, and David was assigned to the marketing department, just as he had been in Barcelona. Nothing about his job changed except the language.

Everything changed for Eva, who was placed as an assistant to the management. As she waited to be collected after the welcome meeting, she tried to imagine what her job would be and in which office she would work. But suddenly a cheerful lady appeared in front of her and interrupted her thoughts.

"You must be the talented young woman from Barcelona. Mrs.

Leblanc, the managing director, was deeply impressed by your professional profile. We will train you for your new job," said the unknown lady.

"May we introduce ourselves? I'm Eva Rodriguez."

"I'm Melanie Campbell, the former executive assistant."

"You're the former executive assistant?" Eva asked in surprise.

"Yes, that's right. I'm expecting my first child and have asked for a change of position. You're the only one qualified for the position after me," Melanie replied.

After a quick tour of the company's corridors, Eva is shown into her office, a beautiful, modern glass office adjoining the executive office, with a large desk, a leather chair, and a wonderful view of the park.

"You can sit down," Melanie orders.

"Can I sit in the boss's chair?"

"No, of course you can't sit in the boss's chair, but you can sit in your chair, so please sit down; this is your office," Melanie replied amusedly.

"This is my office?" asked Eva in complete astonishment.

"Yes, welcome to your office, Mrs. Rodriguez!"

After work, Eva and David met in the company car park.

"Hey, honey, I've been waiting for you for a while; I haven't heard from you all day," David said.

"You don't know what's happened. My duties have changed at short notice!" said Eva, still completely taken aback by what had happened.

"In what way?"

"I'm now an executive assistant and have my own office next to the manager's."

"Wow, that should be celebrated!"

"That's a great idea!"

David drove out of the complex at high speed and parked on a forest track.

"Where are we going? What are you up to? It looks a bit spooky here at dusk," she said, a little frightened, as he pushed the seat back and began to kiss her fiercely.

"Hey, we're in a hurry today," she whispered, unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt and then biting his neck gently.

Caught up in the urge, he put his hands on her waist and pulled up her skirt, running it gently over her thighs, pausing on her mound until she moaned softly.

"I want you!" he said in a voice full of desire.

Captivated by passion, Eva sat down on David and let the game lead her. He gently caressed her breasts under her blouse. Moaning, she moved over his excited body, giving free rein to her passion.

"Oh sh*t, all the windows are steamed up; have you got any tissues??" asked David after realising that he could no longer see outside.

"Unfortunately not. I didn't expect it to be this late at night."

"It's already dark; how are we going to clean the windows quickly?"

"Here, take my pants and just clean the windscreen; we live just around the corner."

They cleaned the windscreen with Eva's pants and drove home. Eva wasn't really prepared for a shot of passion in the car, given the situation at home in Barcelona when she wanted to surprise David naked in the car.

Clothes are everywhere in the modern apartment. On their first day in Canada, the two had to prioritise and were in no hurry to tidy up their luggage.

"It looks like your suitcase exploded in the living room, doesn't it?"

"Yes, we have the same problem in the bedroom with your two suitcases," he replied in a somewhat ironic tone.

But then they realised that it was urgent to put an end to the chaos, and they started to put their things away until the doorbell rang.

Who could visit them in Canada when they'd only been there a day and didn't know anyone?

The concierge had received a report that their car was in the wrong parking space.

"Is the car with the steamed-up windows yours?" The man asked kindly.

Perplexed, Eva and David looked at each other.

"Which car do you mean exactly?" asked David.

"I mean the white car with the steamed-up windows. The car park is almost empty; a vehicle with steamed-up windows will quickly attract attention. By the way, the parking spaces are numbered."

Assuming that he didn't understand what he was talking about, David followed the caretaker downstairs, where the real owner of the car park was.

"Your car park is right next door, see? That's number five! But from the look of your windows, I imagine you missed number five. What on earth happened to your car?" The caretaker asked helplessly.

Embarrassed and without further comment, David apologised to his neighbour, shook his hand, and parked his car in the right place.

Cleaning the windows with Eva's knickers proved less successful.

The next day, Eva and David met in the company car park during their lunch break.

"Hustle and bustle and at the same time an oasis of calm, an incredible place," he said admiringly as he looked around.

"Yes, that's it. What are your colleagues like?"

"I don't know all their names yet, but it's a very close-knit team. I like that. What about you?"

"I can't say much about my team; my only colleague is Mrs. Campbell when she's here. I think I'll be completely settled by the end of the week. It's like I already know how everything works. It's strange."

"We're lucky," David said gratefully.

The first week passed quickly, and Eva and David made their first trip to Ottawa. Hand in hand, like newlyweds, they stood on the frozen Rideau Canal in the middle of the city centre at the world's largest skating rink.

"Kiss me!" she commanded, pulling him towards her.

David took Eva's face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips as she wrapped herself tightly around him.

They seemed to have discovered the secret of a good marriage; with all their years together, they knew each other inside out; a quick glance was enough to understand each other.

"You get jealous just looking at her," a voice said behind David's back.

What a great surprise! David's work colleague Steven and his wife Martha were also standing by the canal watching their children skate.

"So you lovebirds, are your kids there too?" asked Steven.

Eva and David laughed.

"We don't have any children yet," David replied.

"That's what I thought when you kissed," Martha added enviously.

"What are you trying to say?" Steven grumbled back, immediately asking more questions to get off the subject of kissing: "Have you eaten yet?"

"Actually, we were just about to. Do you want to go?" David asked politely.

"There's a nice chicken wing place around the corner. Shall we eat there?" suggested Martha.

"Sure, it's perfect; let's eat there," David confirmed.

Fascinated by the twins, Alexa and Moira, Eva asks Martha a lot of questions, and Martha is delighted with her interest, explaining the peculiarities of raising two children at the same time and giving up her job as a secretary to devote herself entirely to her children.

"Have you already planned to have children?" Marta asked curiously.

"Yes, yes, but we still have time; we're newlyweds," Eva replied.

"You can tell that the relationship is still very fresh," Martha said with a touch of nostalgia.

"Well, it's not that fresh; we've been together for over twenty years.

Since the sandpit," David pointed out.

"What, more than twenty years? You're still so young!" Steven exclaimed, completely surprised.

"Does that mean you've never been intimate with anyone else?"

Martha asked indiscreetly.

"Why, is that a bad thing?" asked Eva.

The questions were starting to get too personal, but the four of them didn't seem to have a problem with that; they looked at each other a little confused and laughed.

"Well, that's a rare constellation at your age," Martha noted with amusement.

The second working week was hectic and stressful right from the start. The managing director, Mrs. Leblanc, had been in hospital after a horse-riding accident over the weekend, and her former assistant had only been able to cover part of the time due to her pregnancy problems. There was no specific candidate to replace Mrs. Leblanc.

Eva tried to keep her head and work through the list of priorities without panicking. Not only did she have a lot of paperwork to do, but she also had to take Mrs. Leblanc's calls and coordinate appointments. It was much more than she had been taught to do.

Just before closing time, she was so absorbed in her work that she didn't even notice someone knocking on the glass door.

"You're the new employee, aren't you?" asked Valentin as Eva copied the latest texts into the computer.

"And who are you?"

"The company belongs to my parents; I've been observing them for a few days now," he replied.

"Are you in charge of observing new employees in the family business? Is that your job?"

"No, I just watch you."

Eva, clearly taken aback by Valentin's behaviour just before closing time, frantically gets up to get her jacket and accidentally knocks her papers off the desk.

Instinctively, they both kneel down to pick up the papers and bump their heads. Their eyes met for a moment, and then they started to laugh.

Valentin grabbed Eva's hand, pulled her towards him, looked deeper into her eyes, touched her lips lightly with his finger, and kissed her passionately.

Completely overwhelmed by the kiss, and without resisting it She simply kissed him back.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?" he asked as she remained stunned and silent in front of him.

"I was wondering the same thing," she replied quietly, her face flushed.

Within a moment she realised what had just happened and took two steps back, putting her hands in front of her face and shouting in panic, "What have we done? My husband will be here soon.“

Passionate, he grabbed her hands again, pulled her close, and kissed her again, but she pushed him away with an energetic movement.

"I wanted to kiss you the first time I saw you. How hot are you? We haven't been introduced."

And she said,"Have you gone mad? First you kiss me twice, and then you ask me my name?"

She quickly grabbed her bag, stormed out of the room, and ran straight to the staff toilet. She stood at the sink in front of the mirror for a while, washing her face several times with cold water, until she regained consciousness a few minutes later and made her way to the exit.

As she hurried towards the car park, she saw her husband David in the distance outside the company gate, talking to someone and gesturing to her to come in, until both men turned in her direction almost simultaneously. At this sight, she suddenly stopped in her tracks as she realised who her husband was talking to.

"Madam, are you unwell? You look as if you've seen a ghost,"

Valentin managed to get out. Then he looked deep into her eyes, and she felt that tingle again. It was that look again that said it all, that signalled to her: I want you.

Still reeling from what had happened at the office and not knowing what they had been talking about in her absence, she sat in the car without comment, waiting for David to get into the driver's seat.

"What's going on? Do you know who that guy is?" David asked, irritated at her behaviour.

"No, of course not. You tell me!" she replied, annoyed.

"You've had a bad day, haven't you? That guy is the only son of our bosses!"

"How should I know who this arrogant guy is? My boss is ill, and I had to cover for her in all sorts of things today!"

"Things will be different tomorrow."

"Well, thank God Mrs. Leblanc will be back tomorrow!" she cheered.

"No, she won't. Her son Valentin Leblanc will probably take her place for the next two weeks."

With the car ready and the engine running, Eva opened the door and threw up several times.

"I told you, you've had too much stress today. Let's go home."

Even at home, Eva couldn't relax and took a hot bath.

Thinking he could use the opportunity to his advantage, David got undressed and lay down in the bath in front of Eva.

"Would you massage my feet?" she asked.

"Actually, I had something else in mind," he replied, leaning in to kiss Eva on the lips.

"I'm not in the mood today. The day has been too stressful, and I can't switch off.".

Realising that the evening was not going to end as he had hoped, David took her right foot in his hands and massaged it lovingly.

"Oh yes, that feels really good. You're the best husband anyone could ask for," she said, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.