by Eliza Master
“I’ll take you home,” Darwin said. “Gracias, Mama,” he said to Esperanza as he and Renata started down the trail back to the jeep.
Renata sank into the cushy seat as they drove back to her house at the yohimbe plantation. Both passengers were weary and held an easy silence between them. Just before the guard hut, Darwin pulled off the road and brought the jeep to a halt.
“You okay, Renata?” Darwin held her hand like an old friend.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Renata was a shaken but calm. Her stomach rumbled with mild nausea.
“I will watch out for you.” Darwin had real concern in his eyes. Whatever crazy warnings the old woman had uttered must have impacted her son as well. Renata was also wary, but of whom or what she wasn’t sure.
Darwin handed her a wooden tube. It was lightweight and hollow and only a few inches long. With it came a woven blue sack made from native fabric. Darwin opened it and unrolled a small length of rough cloth. “Careful, sharp,” he said, as he revealed small metal darts with razor tips, each the size of a cotton swab. He pressed one against his finger, and red blood seeped out from the thinnest opening. Renata paid attention. “And this.” He held up a thin plastic tube filled with a whiskey-colored liquid. “Strong – it can kill. It’s from a frog; my mother says you need it, so I give it to you.”
“Thanks.” Renata didn’t really know what to think, so she accepted the gift respectfully, dropping it into her handbag.
“And this too, if you need it.” Darwin handed her a small tub of Nivea that was obviously not new. “It’s for skin; it’s homemade medicine.”
“Also from your mother?” Renata remembered Esperanza’s wide grin.
“Yes,” Darwin returned her smile. “Buenas noches, Renata.”
Kenny’s light bulb clicked off as Renata entered the cottage and made her way directly to bed. She skipped her nightly routine and removed her clothes layer by layer in slow motion. She put on her silky negligee like she was dressing someone else, someone fragile and precious. In bed she touched herself gently and found she was ultra-sensitive. Soft moans escaped as Renata’s eyes closed, and she sank into sleep.
Kenny listened from the other room, hearing Renata masturbating. It was the same soft moaning she’d done when he’d fucked her before. Had Darwin drugged her too? Or maybe she was just drunk. Anyhow, by the time he pushed open the door to check on her, Renata was sleeping on top of the covers, wearing a see-through nightgown. She looked beautiful in the soft light, and tantalizing. Maybe Tim needed another sample? She’d had already had an orgasm, so he didn’t need to worry about that. He remembered the syringes Tim had given him, saying they were for “just in case Renata needed a little extra help staying asleep.” This was the perfect moment. He retrieved one and quickly jabbed her in the neck. Her eyes fluttered open for a second but then shut again. Right away her breath deepened.
Kenny was careful not to touch her anywhere, except for the fucking. Afterward, he retrieved the scalpel from his suitcase, scraped some sample tissue from her vagina, and placed it in the sterile canister. Then he put her panties back on and covered her with the blanket.
On the way to bed, he filled the cooler with ice and buried the sample in the middle. He left it by the door and sent a text to have it picked up and shipped to Tim at Fitzer first thing in the morning.
Renata’s slumber was disturbed. She was marauded with images of Esperanza and the Guatemalan man they had eaten dinner with. Darwin and Kenny tormented her too. In her dream, Renata was having sex with both of them, but she couldn’t feel anything. The three-stone fire was burning out of control. Renata was frightened, and she imagined she was trapped in a cold cave.
Morning came, and Renata awoke in a fog to the smell of rich coffee and a car departing from the house. “Who was that?” Renata asked Kenny, poking her head out the door.
“It’s the yohimbe bio-samples for Fitzer. They have to be kept cold and shipped all the way to New York in a controlled temperature. Hence the red cooler,” replied Kenny in a friendly tone. Renata assumed they had synthesized the samples from the fresh yohimbe plants. This must be part of the project out of Renata’s jurisdiction. She didn’t have time to follow the research aspect of the yohimbe itself. Her task was propagation, harvest, and yield.
Renata needed coffee badly, but she made a morning call to the outhouse first. “Yow!” Renata cried. Her vagina was hurting again. She was worried, but glad that she was headed home the day after tomorrow. Back in her bedroom, she rubbed some of Esperanza’s homemade salve from the Nivea tin on the sore spot. The ointment was cooling and protective.
19
The Barceló
More than half of the yohimbe stumps were in the ground, and the new stalks were flourishing in the rich Guatemalan soil. Renata felt proud of her accomplishments, but she knew she couldn’t have done it without Darwin. He had helped her every step of the way and provided everything she needed for the farm. After the meeting with Esperanza, Renata felt welcomed as family. Darwin had become more than a friend or an employee. Even so, she still didn’t know why he’d given her the frog poison, not to mention whom she would ever use it on.
Today they would say good-bye until her next trip to Atitlana Farm. After a quick pack-up, Renata, Darwin, and Kenny drove back to the Barceló to spend the night before their early morning flight. With a light hug and no regrets, Darwin faded back into the land he came from. Since Kenny’s room was on a different floor, the Americans parted in the elevator.
In her room, the air was muggy and thick. No unpacking was necessary, so Renata sat on the balcony with her computer on. There was a cool, dirty wind and ongoing traffic noise floating through her room. Her Guatemala City view was of congested streets, buildings, and roads. The urban environment covered every open space. It was busy and ugly.
Nothing is going to be accomplished here, thought Renata with a sigh. In two minutes she was in her bikini and the room robe, headed to the hotel pool. It was cooler there, and the water was refreshing. The hotel blocked the traffic noise. Renata suntanned her front and back, letting her skin drink in the color. After, a little soak in the hot tub soothed her muscles and washed away the week’s worries. She contemplated dinner. She remembered the delicious guacamole she’d had with Darwin, and she wouldn’t have to deal with Kenny anymore. They both needed a break. Padding back to the elevator, Renata hit the button for the tenth floor. Just as the doors were closing, a guy darted in. "That’s my floor too!” Immediately afterward, she heard the guy say, “Well, hi!” It was Adam the reporter, Alexa’s friend.
“Hey, hi,” Renata replied in surprise. What was he doing here in Guatemala City? It was a strange coincidence, but he was looking pretty cute. Renata checked him out in the elevator mirror. He was adorable, even though he wasn’t tall. His baby blue eyes were charming, especially when he looked into hers. Adam’s tousled black curls were barely under control, and a dark five o’clock shadow covered his square jaw. Adam smiled, obviously happy to run into her. Renata remembered the night of the ménage and the pleasure they shared. It had been a while since she had been touched, and she imagined making love to him.
“What are you doing here?” Renata asked.
“You know, writing and reporting, but I have to admit, I’m kind of taking a break too. I’d always wanted to check out Guatemala – it’s my first time down here. Heard a rumor Fitzer is working on a secret formula for the ladies, yee ha!” He winked. The doors opened, and they stood on the landing as the elevator descended. “I’m going that way.” Adam gestured left.
“I’m over here.” Renata’s door was almost opposite the elevator. She put the key card in the lock.
“Dinner? Downstairs…in half an hour?” Adam asked sweetly. His hand reached out like it wanted to land but was too shy.
“That sounds nice.” Ooh, la la. Perhaps dinner will come with dessert, Renata thought to herself as she accepted.
She put on her sexiest outfit, of course. It was a
strappy, tribal pattern dress with an open back. It had a light built-in bra that didn’t quite hide her nipples, but it fit her figure in all the right places. She added a special pair of black leggings that were more holes than fabric, calling attention to her long legs. They were a bit Goth, not her usual, but they were fun, and Renata had dragged them all the way here. The mirror showed her white dragonfly tattoo, poised for take-off between her shoulder blades, gossamer against her fresh tan. She wore a lavender thong and hoop earrings to complete her look.
Her mind wandered back to the ménage à trois. That whole night was a little blurry, but not in terms of her pleasure. What a wonderful birthday gift it had been, and she had slept like a baby afterward. Could that white herbal stuff have sent me to that edge? She hadn’t cum so many times ever, or since. She wanted to try a threesome with two men sometime. Maybe she’d try the powder again for that. She would ask Alexa for details on the white stuff when she got home. After all, if it was all natural, then why not try it again?
Thinking over that scenario awoke her hormones, and Renata got wet in anticipation. In an attempt to staunch her desire, she ran though Adam’s deficits. That was always a good way to keep her self-control. Adam wasn’t her ideal body type; Renata loved a larger man, like Erik. Erik could carry her, and she could wrap her legs around him and squeeze him as hard as she liked. Also, he had big dick that obeyed her whim. Renata put a finger into her thong. Pleasure was mixed with a faint soreness from the mysterious injury below. She took a little more of Esperanza’s special salve and rubbed it on the sore area. Then she rubbed around her clit, which was hard like a pebble. She yearned to lie back on the bed here and please herself, but the half hour was gone, and she wasn’t quite ready for dinner.
Renata got back to business: cherry lipstick, mascara, and flats completed the picture. She did a basic zazen posture. While standing, she tightened every muscle in her body and then released completely. She tried to empty her mind. Centered and back in control, Renata went down to meet Adam.
La Pergola was definitely a hotel restaurant. Its clientele of international guests presented a fine menu and an elegant atmosphere. The host greeted Renata. “Your friend is waiting. Follow me this way, Miss.”
Adam was at the table looking at the menu through adorable John Lennon specs. “Glad you made it.”
Had he thought she was going to stand him up? After all, she was only a few minutes late. Was it twenty? Whoops. Well she was here now. Renata organized her silverware, napkin, and glass, nudging them onto right angles.
“Yes, hi… So really, why are you here?” Renata asked, leaning closer. She noticed Adam’s blues eyes were outlined with indigo rings. The round lenses magnified his pupils, and Renata truly felt she was seeing him for the first time. The view was of honesty, truth, and pain. She felt like she was seeing his inner self in that moment, and she wanted to know him more deeply.
The young man glanced away shyly. He spoke nervously, as if he were confessing. “Actually, I am following the Fitzer story, but I swear I didn’t know you would be down here. I’m no stalker. I went to the pyramids at Tikal, which was amazing, and I ate some magic mushrooms. I even had a vision. How ’bout you? Been down here a while?” Was he worried that she would leave the table because he was reporting on Fitzer?
“I was here for just a week, actually. I’m working on the yohimbe plantation.” Renata felt completely at ease, not affected by Adam’s discomfort. The waiter came by. They sent him away for a moment and lapsed into silence while Renata perused the menu. She chose a chicken quesadilla and a margarita, and Adam ordered one too.
“I’m glad to be headed home though. Long week,” she sighed.
“Still got the thug with you?”
“Who? Kenny?” Renata laughed out loud. He wasn’t a thug at all; more like a pesky mosquito. It always amused Renata to hear men’s opinions about other men, especially if they were competing in the mating game. Certainly, Kenny and Adam weren’t in competition for her, as neither had any claim, yet perhaps their testosterone said otherwise. A waitress sauntered up with two margaritas.
“To the future!” Adam toasted, and Renata clinked his glass.
“And mucha suerte!” she added. Good luck. Renata held the icy cocktail on top of her tongue, letting it melt before swallowing. It was sweet and cold. “So really, Adam? You came all this way for the scoop?”
“Yeah, Vector paid for my airplane ticket, and the rest was cheap. I do have some more questions for you, if you’re open to it later on. How’s Alexa?” Adam artfully changed the subject.
Renata hadn’t made much time for that girl lately. She’d been really busy with work, and things had never really been quite the same between them since Alexa had inadvertently taken the fall for her. Sure, Renata felt guilty that Alexa had been hurt in her stead, but her guilt extended further than that. She felt guilty for not being more into the relationship. As beautiful and loving as she was, Alexa’s softness ended up being a turn off for Renata, Renata wished it weren’t so. but she preferred a strong male body. Not just preferred, but craved. Lately when they were together, Alexa wore an unhappy pout that just made Renata feel worse.
“Alexa’s good. Where did you get that?” Renata fingered the trinket that hung around Adams’s neck. It was a small Mayan warrior fashioned out of silver. It looked very manly to Renata. Adam’s chest had a few dark hairs, and his skin was soft and even. Renata reached for the necklace again, this time turning it over and tickling his chest in a not accidental way. She saw that underneath the warrior was a Jewish star dangling from the same leather cord. “Really nice,” Renata said. Adam didn’t seem to care whether she was referring to him or his jewelry. Like a puppy, he was happy to be petted.
Dinner and two fresh margaritas arrived. Adam talked about restaurants and hangouts in San Francisco that they had both visited. He lived fifteen blocks away from Renata’s apartment, it turned out. He was renting a place with another guy who was never home. Renata’s quesadilla wasn’t anything special, so she only ate half. The bill came in a pretty wooden dish.
“I got this.” Adam grabbed the check. Renata wondered how he had any money at all. She knew he worked for Vector, but he seemed to be focused solely on the Fitzer story. Putting down his credit card, Adam said, “Perhaps I could do a quick video interview? My good camera is upstairs.”
“Sure.” Renata hoped she was being obvious enough. She had not been with anyone in a few weeks, and she wanted to be in this man’s arms. He would be fun in bed, Renata thought. Was he magnetic, or was it all her?
Up on the twelfth floor, Renata sat at Adam’s room table. He set up his fancy video camera. “Ready?” he asked.
“Go ahead.” Renata pulled her hair behind her ears and straightened up in the chair.
“I’m here with Renata Alvarez in Guatemala City,” he began. “How long have you been working at Agri-Gen?” Adam smiled and reached under the table. He gently caressed Renata’s thigh. Obviously he wasn’t too serious about the interview. She felt the warmth of his hand travel up to her navel and settle there like a mini whirlwind.
“Let’s see, it’s been three plus years so far.” Renata put her hand over his under the table. Adam turned and grasped her in a handshake, then backed off and tickled her palm with one finger. Renata knew that palm tickle from middle school. It meant, “I want to fuck you.” He was so cute. Would he blow in her ear next, or give her a hickey? Playfully, Renata gave his cheek a gentle slap and said, “Bad boy.”
“A really bad boy,” answered Adam. He took her hand again, bringing it to his face in a harder slap. “Damn, you’re sexy, Miss Renata Alvarez.”
She was charmed by his boyishness and wanted to move closer, but she didn’t want to lose herself. She needed to be in control here. Adam slipped his finger between two holes in her leggings and pulled them down to just above her panties. Renata smiled devilishly as their eyes met. Adam led Renata to his bed like he was escorting royalty. Delicately she
climbed upon the pallet.
“You’re gorgeous!” Adam held himself above her, just looking. Renata drank in the attention. “Absolutely beautiful.” He traced her lips and drew a line down her torso, pressing her thin dress against her. He kissed a stray lock of her hair and gazed at her like she was an angel.
This was a little too much for Renata. She didn’t want this kind of worshipping. She pushed herself up and met his lips. His rough facial hair was spikey, and she rubbed her cheek against it. “Meow,” she said playfully. He rested on top of her. He was not heavy at all. We really are about the same size, thought Renata.
Then Adam pulled her to sitting on the bed and said, “I just want to look at you.” He traced his hand up her thigh. “They ripped,” he said. Following his gaze, Renata saw the leggings were torn just above the knee.
“They’re trash now,” Renata answered. She didn’t care about the leggings; her mind was on other things.
“So, you don’t want them?” Adam asked, ripping them more. He touched her thigh inside the rip, and chills went up her back.
“No, I don’t want them,” Renata responded, a challenge in her tone. Adam reached in his pocket and pulled out a Swiss Army knife. Carefully he cut around one leg and pulled it off. Renata was left with half shorts.
“You okay with this?” he asked, holding the knife away from her. Renata nodded because she was more than okay with it. She was wet and wanted more. Adam cut off the other legging bottom just as carefully and punctuated it with a deep kiss. The quality of his attention made her feel like she was the only woman alive. Renata was reveling in the glow. Next, Adam cut what was left of the leggings from the navel down and around to the back. The spandex made a soft hiss as the knife sliced through it. Renata raised her hips to allow him to cut a line along her crack. The metal blade was cold on her ass cheeks. The two shreds of fabric sprang back into rings around Renata’s thighs like two black garter belts.