I don't know where this ends, but I think I'll keep going

T-MINUS 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS, 28 DAYS, 9.5 HOURS (OR CRASH & BURN)

"I thought you needed to use the little boys room."

"Yeah, right," replied Randy. He made his way to the back of the restaurant but stopped in front of the door to the men's room. Bella was taking a small stage as one of the patrons handed her a flamenco guitar. She started diddling the strings and then found a chord as she alternated from strumming the strings to furiously plucking out a melody. Several men got behind her and clapped in rhythm to her song. Some women got up and started to dance. She wasn't as raw and visceral as DeathbySex, but Randy could hear a passion in her playing as she made love to her instrument in her own unique, sensual way. There was something heart stopping to her music, it made a lump swell in your throat and you believed romance was alive in the room with you. After she finished she started singing Envidia by Vicentico Valdes (Spanish for Envy). Alejandro appeared next to Randy.

"Buen Amigo, Randy, I thought you were kidding when you said she was a local singer. That my friend, is Southern Bella . She is one of my favorite musicians. " whispered Alejandro. "How did you get her to go out on a date? I never expected to see her with someone like you."

Randy was irritated and not sure what Alejandro meant by that, but it had the bitter ring of truth. He was about to head back to the table and suggest they leave when someone shouted:

"Cross the Border por favor, Senorita Bella Del Sur!"

Bella laughed to herself and stared down at the fretboard. She was radiant even in the dim lighting spilling down on her.

"I haven't heard that request in a while. Gracias!"

It was a peppy, Spanish ballad. Randy caught a few words over the comments from patrons.

My friends said it would blow over

But our love was a tele nova!

You were a poor immigrant

But romance was imminent

It was worth the risk

When you whisked me

Cross the border.

The audience was spellbound by her song, and Randy felt himself growing closer to Bella as well. Her innocence was so pure, but when she sang of romance, you could hear the lovelorn woman coming through each passionate note and see desire's flames crackle in her eyes.

My family

gave me

the cold shoulder

Better wait till

You get older

Still I don't regret

As we leapt

getting swept

Cross the border.

The crowd erupted in a standing ovation. Randy pushed his way to the front and vigorously clapped along with everyone else. He reached up and helped Bella off the small stage.

"Thank you, kind sir," said Bella. "Are you ready to leave? I don't want to keep you. I know this isn't the date you expected to have. You can take me home and enjoy the rest of your night."

"Over? We just got started our date," protested Randy.

"but I thought you wanted – you know sexo caliente ."

"Hey, you said you didn't speak Spanish!"

Bella laughed. "A lady is allowed her little white lies especially in a 'hole in the wall.' Besides, I said I don't speak Spanish. I didn't say none of us did. Zendi is very multi-lingual." She nudged Randy with her elbow and it was his turn to blush.

"I want to be with you," said Randy as he firmly gazed into her eyes.

"Well, I'm not as – adventurous as she is, but making out might be nice."

They hopped on his bike and headed for Mackie's Ridge, the town's version of lover's leap overlooking a quaint lake and park below. Randy took a blanket out of a saddle bag and whipped it out on the grass. He pulled Bella into his arms off the back of the motorcycle and cradled her like he was about to cross a threshold with his bride as he gently set her on the covered ground. Bella let out a girlish squeal of delight and nuzzled his neck as he did so. He could smell jasmine and lilies waft off her hair. Randy brushed Bella's hair behind her ears and took her face in his hands. She closed her eyes as his lips touched hers, gently at first with no tongue. Surprisingly she initiated the French kiss and pulled him closer as her hands wandered down towards his zipper. Randy pulled back.

"Mmmmm ... tequila," said Alias as she began to transition to DBX. "Got any more?"

Randy should have been overjoyed by the turn of events, but for some reason he wasn't. Not that the sex hadn't been fantastic the other night, but a piece of him was fascinated by the passionate, romantic siren who he had just seen on sing.

"How about if we grab some ice cream? Maybe share a milkshake with a couple of straws?" he sheepishly suggested.

"Milkshake?" protested DBX her nose wrinkling as if Randy had bad breath. Her face softened as Bella came back with her nose now crinkled gleefully as she flashed a full-on smile of straight, bright white teeth and batted her lashes into Randy's eyes.

"That sounds delightful."