Face of Love

By SusanLeigh

After a restless night interrupted by tears and the persistent ringing of the phone, Tina gave up on the idea of sleeping. Escape was paramount to her right now. She threw everything into her luggage except for the clothes she had worn riding -- Irene's clothes. These she folded and placed in a sack. She would ask the hotelkeeper to return them. She was ready to go and wait at the airport for a flight out to anywhere but here.

When she stopped at the hotel desk to check out, the clerk looked surprised.

"Senorita, I did not think you were in," he said. "Your office has been calling looking for you. Please call them immediately." He handed her the message.

"Now what?" she thought as she dialed the number of her editor in the New York office.

"Tina, thank God, you're still in Santiago, aren't you?" Sam, her editor sounded worried and irritated.

"Yeah, but I was on my way to the airport to fly back this morning," she responded.

"Well, I need you to stay there and wait," he said.

"For what, Sam," she cried, "I am tired of this place and want to come home."

"England has released Pinochet," he answered. "His flight lands in Santiago in two hours. I can have our local photographer pick you up there," he continued, "and I need at least 3 columns plus a couple of sidebars before deadline."

"Dammit, Sam," she responded hotly. "I haven't done any political reporting in years and I know little or nothing about Pinochet." Although exhausted and emotionally drained, Tina felt her journalistic juices kick in. She knew she couldn't refuse and besides, she had never really seen a dictator up close and personal.

"The local bureau has all the background you need -- plus they'll line up some interviews for you," he was talking rapidly now. "The usual human interest stuff -- some pro-Pinochet and some anti-Pinochet. But I want it from a very personal angle -- that's the stuff that you do best. Talk to you later."

Tina grabbed the bag holding her laptop, tape recorder and notebook. Instructing the clerk to put her luggage back in the room, she went out on the steps to wait for the photographer.

The car carrying the photographer screeched to a halt in front of her. The man jumped out and excitedly helped Tina put her things in the back seat. His name was Carlo and he was excited to be assigned to such an important news story. He explained to Tina in rapid Spanish that his family had been very active in the campaign to bring Pinochet home to try as a criminal.

Tina turned to the photographer for help. She had no time to arrange any interviews, so she asked him if he knew anyone that would be good copy for her.

"Senorita, I have a very large family," he answered. "Most are anti-Pinochet because of what happened to my uncle. But I could set up interviews with them."

"What happened to your uncle?" she inquired.

"He was imprisoned and tortured because he helped people escape from Chile," he said.

"Why don't we start with your uncle then?" she replied. "He helped people escape but couldn't escape the regime himself-I like that angle."

"He would love to tell his story," Carlo responded, " but I am afraid he is getting old and he is not well."

"The interview shouldn't take very long really," she said. "I am up against a deadline, Carlo, I need your help."

In a few minutes, they had pulled up in front of a large building and parked. Carlo grabbed his camera and helped her out of the car.

"Come on. He is on the sixth floor," Carlo said.

They walked into a dark hospital room. The man in the bed was asleep.

"Tio, I have brought you a visitor," Carlo spoke softly and shook the man's arm.

Carlo's uncle opened his eyes and focused on Tina. He muttered something that Tina didn't understand. Finally, he seemed to wake up fully and sit up.

"Carlo, why didn't you warn me that you were bringing a beautiful woman to see me?" his uncle said. The man was obviously used to charming the ladies.

"Tio, this is Tina Moon, a magazine reporter. She wants to interview you about the bad times under Pinochet. Tina, this is my uncle Mario."

"A magazine reporter, you say?" A smile played across Mario's lips. "How interesting. Sit, sit, please…Carlo, get the lady a chair." Mario turned on the bedside lamp to get a better look at Tina.

"I am sorry to disturb you. Are you feeling well enough to do this?" Tina asked.

"Certainly, it is important that the world not forget what happened here," Mario said.

As Tina fumbled in her bag for her tape recorder and notebook, the hospital door opened again.

"Oh, good, you're back. Here is someone who also has an interesting story to tell, why don't you interview him as well." Mario gestured toward the door, his eyes danced with mischief.

Tina turned to the figure silhouetted in the door. No, it couldn't be! Not him, not again. She dropped her notebook and her pen went flying across the room to his feet.

He retrieved her pen and walked toward her. He took her limp hand from her side and wrapped her fingers around the pen. He stood there holding her hand and looking deep into her eyes.

"Francisco, look, we have a visitor," Mario called to him immensely enjoying the situation. "She is a journalist…from America."

"We have already met," Francisco said softly.

His voice brought her back to reality. She jerked her hand away and grabbed her things.

"I'm sorry…I can't do this," she mumbled as she fled the room.

Francisco watched the door slam behind her.

Mario broke the silence first, "Is that the woman you were telling me about?"

Francisco nodded.

"If you do not go after her," Mario continued, "you will regret it for the rest of your life."

He caught up with her as she was running down the front steps headed for a cab.

"Please, please, let me explain," he grabbed her arm and spun her around. He held her shoulders tightly so she couldn't escape.

"I am sorry…so sorry," the anguish in his voice was plain enough. "I should have told you how much you look like Irene, but I was afraid that you would react like you just did and I didn't want to lose you."

"I am not Irene," Tina stamped her foot indignantly.

"I know, I know." His voice was barely a whisper. "Look, can we go somewhere private and talk. I have hurt you and I want to make things all right between us."

The way he gripped her elbow, Tina knew she didn't have much of a choice. He ushered her into the cab and gave an address.

They arrived after a stiff, silent cab ride.

"Is this safe enough for you?" he asked as he turned the lights on in his office.

"I guess," Tina wasn't going to let him off the hook easily. She sat far away from his desk on the leather sofa.

He sat instead in the chair across from her and leaned forward intently.

"I am so sorry. When I saw you on the plane, it was such a shock. You look enough like her to be her twin," he stumbled through his explanation. "That was the longest plane ride of my life. You obviously didn't want conversation and I had to pretend to read that damn book. And then when you showed up at the church that next morning, I knew God had sent you -- that it was fate, whatever you want to call it."

"Oh, please, Francisco," Tina jumped up impatiently. He grabbed her wrist.

"No, hear me out," he pleaded. "I know that you are not Irene. I know that no one can bring back Irene, but I do know that even if you did not look like her, I would want the chance to get to know you better. Tell me that you don't feel the attraction as strongly as I do…surely you do. If you can tell me truthfully that you don't, then I will let you go."

Tina took a deep breath. She knew that the smartest thing would be to lie so he would let her go, but…

"No, I feel it, too," she whispered.

He pulled her closer to him and looked up at her through his thick lashes.

"Good, can we start over again, please?" he smiled at her and her heart skipped two or more beats.

Tina looked into his face touched by the emotion there. She decided to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on this intriguing man. In response, she took his face into her hands and kissed him.

His arms snaked up around her and he pulled her into his lap. The sexual tension that had been building between them for days now screamed for release. The kiss became deeper and more insistent. Tina had never wanted a man as badly as she wanted him and wanted him right now.

He seemed tentative to go too fast for her so Tina took the lead. She took his hand and held it tightly over one breast then another as she looked him in the eye. That was all the permission he needed. With a groan, he devoured her mouth. Both of them frantically worked on releasing the other from the clothes that prevented their skin from touching. He rained hot kisses on her shoulders, her breasts, his tongue teasing each nipple erect.

Tina pulled him from the chair onto the floor. She wanted him inside her now. She fumbled with his belt and zipper as knelt above her. He pulled her jeans and panties off her in one swift movement. She was lying naked and open to him when he stopped and sat back.

"Are you sure?" he asked huskily.

To answer him, she pulled him to her. "I want you now."

"Wait, wait," he whispered. Sitting back, he quickly rid himself of the rest of his clothes.

Slowly, he kissed her eyes, her ears, and started downward. When he came to her breasts, he sucked hungrily on first one, then the other. She gasped as he pushed two fingers inside her and rubbed her clitoris insistently with his thumb. He continued downward licking her navel. His slow pace and insistent fingers were driving her insane. She wiggled frantically wanting him inside her. Finally his mouth found the spot that ached for him. Tina cried out and pulled his head tighter against her not wanting him to ever stop.

He pulled his head back and smiled at her.

"Ah, you like that?" he asked as he positioned himself over her waiting to enter her.

"Yes, oh God, yes," she whispered as she reached for his now hard penis.

But he teased her first rubbing the tip of his penis over her clitoris sending shudders through her. He leaned on his elbows and stroked her hair. He looked deep into her eyes as he penetrated her. Tina cried out at how large he was.

"Did I hurt you?" his amber eyes deepened in alarm.

In response, Tina kissed him deeply sucking his tongue into her mouth. She wanted to be totally possessed by this man.

He started to move slowly, slipping his long hot penis lazily into and out of her. His eyes closed obviously enjoying the sensations.

Tina felt like all time had stopped. There was nothing except the passion between the two of them…passion that she never wanted to stop so that the real world would never intrude again.

He continued with long, hard insistent strokes each punctuated with a small grunt of pleasure. Tina grabbed his butt and pulled him closer into her. He placed one of his legs up under her and started pounding into her. Tina felt her orgasm growing taking away all of her senses. She cried out as she toppled over the edge of awareness. A second or two later, he came.

He fell upon her, his breathing rapid and ragged. He held her tightly as if he expected her to disappear. Finally he loosened his grasp and rolled off her. Tina lay there satiated with such pleasure that she shivered all over.

"Are you cold?" he broke the moment by rising and finding his jacket to lay over her.

Her eyes followed him admiring such male beauty, touched by his tender concern.

She took his hand and kissed his palm. He gathered her into his arms again kissing her neck and shoulders.

"Valentina," he started.

"No, don't say anything," she placed her hand over his lips. "Words will just spoil it."

The phone rang shrilly breaking the moment.

"I'm sorry, it could be a patient," he rose to answer the phone on the desk.

She slipped into his jacket. Then she approached him at his desk wrapping her arms around him and kissing his chest as he spoke on the phone. When she lifted her head, she saw it -- a picture of Irene and Francisco arm-in-arm and laughing. Intrigued, she broke the embrace and picked up the picture. She held it under the lamp on the desk to see it better.

Francisco hung up the phone watching her reaction.

"We do look incredibly alike," she muttered. He nodded his head in agreement.

"How did she die?"

For a long time, she didn't think he was going to answer.

"She died waiting for a kidney transplant," the words were hard for him to say. "She had lost a kidney many years ago in a horrible accident and then her good one stopped unexpectedly. She went quickly."

"And you had no children?"

Again the look of pain. "After the accident, she couldn't have children." He turned from her and began putting his clothes back on.

"Look, if you don't want to talk about it, I understand," Tina felt the distance her questions were putting between them. She wanted to regain the intimacy that their lovemaking had brought so she crossed over to him and helped him button his shirt.

He held her hands against his chest and bent to kiss her cheek. "Later," he whispered. "I will tell you all later". His words were cut short by Tina's mouth as he crushed her to his chest. "I want you, Valentina," he said slipping his jacket off her body and lowering her again to the floor. "I want more of you…now."

Tina did not argue with him.