Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

had the hunch this was the case in the Hidalgo family. They had their own version of "Don't Ask Don't Tell".
    Javier and Diego finished playing their small concerto, and the lady of the house asked Javier to improvise something by himself. He interpreted Albinoni's adagio and everybody but Doña Elvira applauded. Since she didn't, the others stopped at once. She spoke, looking at Javier with those inquisitive dark eyes.
    "That's all your repertoire?"
    "No, ma'am, I had more pieces similar to this one."
    "Do you have anything more classic?"
    Before Javier could answer, Esteban intervened, "Grandma, I think that's enough."
    She looked at Esteban silently and ignored his comment, going back to Javier.
    "Is there anything else you can interpret for me?"
    Javier knew she was pushing him, but that was nothing compared to what Luis Lozano, his father, had done all his life.
    So he delivered. "Yes, there is a piece I've been practicing in case I have to audition. Please allow me to perform it for you."
    She simply waved her hand, and he refused to look at Esteban, because he needed all his concentration for this one.
    It was one of the most difficult concerts for a violinist to perform, and he had worked very hard on it, but it wasn't perfect yet. His hand trembled a little when he positioned the bow, but once he started to play, he closed his eyes and forgot anything except the music.
    Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto meant so much to Javier. It had been written by Tchaikovsky with the collaboration of his lover, Iosif Kotek, a violinist, who because of the time they lived, refused to accept Tchaikovsky's dedication of the concerto, or to play it in public. The concerto would be the only one Tchaikovsky wrote for violin. And Javier considered it an example of something magnificent inspired by forbidden love, and created by two men that had to hide their feelings.
    Javier chose the allegro moderato because he could play it without reading the music, and it usually impressed anybody who listened to it. He played for about four minutes, and since he only knew the part of the concertmaster, he stopped right where the orchestra would have joined him.
    After he stopped, there was a deep silence in the room. He opened his eyes and found Esteban staring at him in awe, as the rest of the members of the family, including Doña Elvira broke the silence applauding.
    Javier briefly bowed from his seat, and after the room became silent again, Doña Elvira told Javier, "You're a virtuoso, Javier Lozano."
    She extended her hand and Javier wasn't sure if he should kiss it or shake it, so he simply grasped it and briefly shook it. She smiled for the first time and said, "Welcome to our family."
    After that, all the other women were all over her, and Diego pulled Javier to the side.
    "You did it! That was amazing. You're in."
    "What?"
    "You're part of the family. Ask for anything, and they will help you get it."
    Well, the only thing he really wanted from the Hidalgos probably wasn't for the taking, and it had a name, Esteban Hidalgo, who remained away from him to Javier's dismay. The game of hiding wasn't for him, he understood that if these people knew what he felt for Esteban or what Esteban could feel for him, they would despise him, but hiding his feelings was something he didn't like doing.
    The next afternoon Esteban sent Javier a text message, asking him to meet him at his place after work. When Javier came back from the foundation, he kept going upstairs.
    "I'm so glad to see you alone again."
    Javier couldn't hide his excitement while Esteban's expression was stern and controlled as usual. Javier didn't care, he placed both hands around Esteban's neck while his warm lips were feathering kisses over his mouth. Unexpectedly Esteban pulled him against his body, and started meeting him kiss for kiss, until Javier decided that it was time to deepen the caress.
    The tip of his tongue taunted the seam of Esteban's lips, until he parted them, letting him explore his mouth. It took only a brief stroking to get Esteban's tongue engaged with his. Well, Esteban knew how to kiss, what else could he possibly know; Javier couldn't wait to find out.
    His hand and hips were joining the passionate encounter as he pulled the front of Esteban's shirt out of his pants, putting his hand under it and feeling the firm abdominal muscles. Great. He had nice abs, firm without the bulking of a workout maniac. Javier slipped his hand beyond Esteban's bellybutton