He and Juanita both ordered melt-in-your-mouth cakes. He savored the expression of intense pleasure it brought to her face. She sucked and licked the chocolate from her spoon in blatant provocation. He teased her back a little, but he knew his reactions would be too strong for a public place if he fully entered into the game. Maybe she’d agree to skip the show and go straight back to their room.
He should have known better. Juanita kept up a running stream of commentary as they walked to the theater, speculating about which songs would be performed and hoping for her favorites. He savored her enthusiasm and enjoyed the way she snuggled against him once they took their seats. After the lights went down he took advantage of the darkness to let his hands wander, but she was so intent on the show he held back from distracting her much. He enjoyed the music too, but not as much as he enjoyed having her body touching his.
They went to the piano bar afterwards, requesting a few songs Juanita had wanted to hear that the show had skipped. When it closed down, they stopped by the nightclub. Juanita danced with joyous, sensual abandon. Watching her body and feeling it move against him drove Ryan to a fever of frustrated lust. He held out as long as he could, but finally pulled her tight against him, letting her feel how hard he was. “I want to go back to our room,” he whispered in her ear.
“I thought you’d never ask,” she murmured back. “What are we waiting for?” She danced across the packed floor, dragging him with her. They squeezed between couples and groups and singles until they finally made it to the exit.
They kissed in the elevator and walked hand in hand through the corridors. When they reached their room, Juanita headed straight for the balcony. Ryan took a moment to adjust the lights, turn down the covers, and set the box of condoms on the nightstand. He slipped one into his pocket, just in case. Then he joined Juanita outside. He leaned on the railing beside her and gazed out at the hypnotic motion of the waves.
She pointed at the horizon. “Venus has set already.” Her voice roughened. “We’ve been lovers for a whole day.”
“The best day of my life,” he told her, soft and serious.
“And mine.” She swallowed hard.
After a moment of silence, she spoke again, the teasing tone back in her voice. “I’ve got a secret.”
“You do? Are you going to tell me?”
“If you’re good.” She shot him a flirtatious glance, then looked back out at the ocean.
“Define ‘good.’” He leaned close and breathed into her ear, then ran his tongue along her earlobe, teasing the earring there. She turned to kiss him, and for a long breathless while they savored each other’s mouths. Ryan’s pulse rushed in his ears and he nearly forgot what they’d been saying. But when she drew back and gazed into his eyes, he remembered. “Was that good enough?”
“It was,” she agreed dreamily. She leaned close and whispered in his ear. “I’m not wearing any panties.”
A jolt of pure lust shot through Ryan. Before he could choke out a response, she added, “I haven’t been all night.” She twisted around and wiggled her butt against him.
He put his hands on the railing to either side of her. “Festival has a very stern warning on their website about not having sex on your balcony.”
She shrugged and wriggled some more. “They’re not going to find out.”
“Other people might be outside, too.” He looked to either side and up and down, where rows and columns of balconies surrounded them, separated only by thin partitions.
“I don’t see anyone. Do you?”
“Down there.” He nodded to a place far below and to the side where some hands were visible on a railing.
“We’ll just have to be quiet, then.”
He was going to explode if he couldn’t have her right now. But caution made him try one more time to discourage her. “Can you do that?”
“If I have to. You can put your hand over my mouth if you think I’m going to make noise.”
That was too much. Ryan fumbled with his pants. It had never taken so long to get belt and button and zipper undone. But finally he was free. He drew up the back of Juanita’s dress and rubbed against the bare round swells of her buttocks. She let out a voiceless breath and moved her legs apart, pushing back against him. Her heels brought her to just the perfect height. He pulled the condom from his pocket and put it on while she gave a soft, approving hum. Then Juanita braced against the railing and he slid into her. Her inhale carried just a hint of sound.
“Quiet,” he warned, easing back and thrusting forward. He moved one hand down to fondle her clit. This time her gasp included a distinct moan.
“All right,” he said, and raised the other hand to her mouth. “If you need me to move it, just shake your head.”
She nodded as his hand pressed into her lips. She rocked against him, moaning into his muffling palm as he stroked her within and without. The wind cooled their hot, damp skin and ruffled their hair. The dark, flashing ocean stretched before them and the glittering stars arched above.
Release came swiftly for both of them. Juanita gave a strangled cry and bit down on his finger. Ryan orgasmed hard and long, holding her tight as his hips jerked and washes of pleasure consumed him. They both stood panting, heads drooping. Juanita shifted forward and Ryan slid free with a final twinge of nearly painful pleasure.
He went to clean up, then undressed while she took her turn, taking the time to hang up his suit neatly so it wouldn’t wrinkle. He climbed into bed and watched her as she slipped out of her dress and hung it up, then removed her bra and came to join him, gloriously naked.
“Do you usually sleep nude?” he asked, pausing before he reached to switch off the lamp. “You wore pajamas before.”
“Only because you were here. When I’m alone I prefer not having cloth to get tangled up around me.” She curled against his side. “Or when I’m with someone I trust.”
Ryan nodded, not daring to say anything that might draw her attention to what she’d just said. He wrapped his arms around her. She settled against him with a contented sigh.
He hoped it was really true, and not just an idle expression. He wanted Juanita to trust him. He wanted it more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.
Their time together was slipping away like water through his fingers. He had one more day to persuade her to continue their relationship after they made it through customs. Otherwise she would slip away too, as impossible to hold as the ebbing tide.
CHAPTER 16
Ryan wouldn’t tell her where he was taking her after brunch, but he strode from the dining room with purposeful steps, so Juanita went along without argument, curious to see if there was any portion of the ship they hadn’t explored yet. Besides the casino, which was so choked with cigarette smoke she insisted they go out onto the deck to bypass it whenever they were walking from one end of the promenade deck to the other.
She yawned. She’d woken Ryan for another round of lovemaking in the middle of the night, and they’d enjoyed a long, lazy session that morning as well. She was a little embarrassed by her appetite, but Ryan gave no indication he thought she was excessively demanding. And she couldn’t help it. She craved him with a hunger that would never be satisfied, no matter how many incredible orgasms he gave her or how long he spent inside her body. She had to stuff herself full of as much of him as she could hold. Now, while she had the chance.
He was pretending he’d given up on continuing their relationship once they got home, but she knew he hadn’t. His talk of marriage hadn’t been just for the sake of helping her get legal status. It was what he wanted. He’d wait until a decent amount of time had passed to propose, but his feelings weren’t going to change.
Neither were Juanita’s. She’d marry him in a minute if it were only her own future at stake. She couldn’t imagine anything she’d love more than spending the rest of her life with him.
But she had to face facts. She was an illegal alien. Ryan was committing a felony by helping her get
back into the US. Every minute they remained together after she was safely through customs put him at greater risk. The only way she could protect him from the arrest and prosecution that would follow if the government ever found out what he’d done was to stay as far away from him as possible. She was going to make up a detailed story of paying a coyote to smuggle her across the border to have ready if they ever caught her. That way they wouldn’t have any reason to suspect Ryan.
But as long as he continued to harbor her, he’d continue to be guilty of aiding and abetting a criminal. She couldn’t let him make himself vulnerable that way. She couldn’t let her inevitable discovery lead the authorities to him. Because of course it was inevitable. She only hoped it would take them a few months to find her, so she could be with Mom until the end.
Ryan would never agree to leave her for his own benefit. So she was going to have to convince him she didn’t want him anymore. She was going to have to break off their relationship firmly, with no room for him to argue. He wouldn’t continue to pursue her if he believed her rejection was real. It would take a performance worthy of an Oscar, and it would shatter her heart into a million pieces, but she had no choice. She’d rather suffer forever than see him go to prison for her sake.
On that note of resolve, they reached what was apparently their destination. Ryan pushed open the door to the spa that filled three levels at the front of the ship. “Here we are.”
Juanita hung back. “Isn’t everything they do here crazy expensive?”
“Yes, but I decided I wanted a massage anyway. And I didn’t want to leave you wandering around the ship alone for a couple of hours. Someone might notice how incredibly hot you are and try to steal you away from me. So I booked us a couple’s massage.” He pointed at her as she opened her mouth to protest. “Nope. No argument. This is entirely for my own selfish pleasure. If you happen to enjoy it too, that’s just a lucky side effect.”
“Baloney.” But she followed him through the door. It wasn’t worth either a real curse or a fight she wouldn’t win. It was his money. If he wanted to drop a few hundred dollars on her while lying about it, that was his choice. He would get the benefit of half of it, even if he never would have opted to spend it this way if not for her. And she’d always wanted a massage.
The receptionist directed them down a hallway to a room lit only by candles, with instructions to remove their clothing and lie down on the two padded tables. Juanita stripped and hung her clothes on the provided hooks. She cast a longing glance at Ryan’s bare body, but climbed onto her table without pausing to give him even a quick caress. She didn’t know how long it would be before the massage therapists came in, but she wasn’t going to get caught standing around naked.
The table was covered with a cool white sheet, with another folded at the foot. She climbed onto it and pulled the sheet over her, then turned over to lie face down. A padded opening at the head of the table accommodated her face comfortably, letting her keep her neck straight while still being able to breathe. She closed her eyes and listened to the soft instrumental music coming from hidden speakers, a little tense despite the soothing atmosphere.
The two massage therapists slipped in and introduced themselves in quiet voices, explaining what they were going to do in such a calming way that Juanita quickly lost all nervousness. The woman went to her feet while the man went to Ryan’s. They both oiled their hands, folded the sheets back from their legs, and went to work. The woman’s skillful hands expertly kneaded the tension from Juanita’s muscles. It felt wonderful, sensual without being sexual, warm and strong and profoundly relaxing. Juanita let herself fall into a dreamy haze of enjoyment.
After thoroughly working over Juanita’s feet and legs, the woman moved to her back and shoulders. Then she had Juanita flip over and gave attention to her arms and face and scalp. Every now and then Juanita peeked over at Ryan, who was getting the same treatment. But mostly she lay with her eyes closed and hoped it wouldn’t end anytime soon.
Finally, after the woman applied hot stones and steamy towels and fragrant aromatherapy oils, she told Juanita to relax as long as she liked before dressing, bid her farewell, and slipped from the room. Ryan’s therapist told him the same thing and followed.
Juanita rolled her head to the side and found Ryan looking back at her. He gave her a lazy smile. “What did you think?”
“It was wonderful.” She pushed the sheet back, stretched, and sat up.
“I agree. Well worth the price.” He climbed off his table and reached for Juanita. She slipped down and he enfolded her in a warm embrace.
Too soon he released her. “Much as I’d like to see whether they really meant it when they said we could stay as long as we want, we’d better get dressed.”
“Yeah.” Juanita went to retrieve her clothes and pull them on. She wasn’t quite bold enough to sneak a quickie in a place that, if not really public, wasn’t exactly private either.
When they emerged from the spa, Juanita took the steps up to the adults-only deck at the very top of the ship. She led Ryan among the sparsely occupied deck chairs until she found what she wanted. A round wicker canopy arched over a double lounger, as big as a bed and piled with pillows. She arranged them so she could recline with a good view of the ocean and stretched out. Ryan settled next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest with a contented sigh.
For a long time neither of them said anything. Lulled by the warm sunlight and cool breeze, Juanita drifted into a light doze. She wished this moment never had to end. She could be perfectly happy lying here beside Ryan forever, while the sun rose and set and the years rolled past and they both grew old and gray.
She opened her eyes to find Ryan looking down at her, eyes golden in the sunlight. He tenderly brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. Impulsively, because it was true and because she couldn’t leave it unsaid for one moment longer, she whispered, “I love you, Ryan.”
He swallowed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he leaned his forehead to touch hers. “I love you, too, Juanita.” His voice cracked, whether from joy or grief she couldn’t tell. Both of those emotions and a thousand others swirled together in her heart. She nodded and pulled his head down to her chest.
The sun slid down the western sky. Eventually it set in a blaze of scarlet and tangerine. Twilight stole over them. The wind cooled and stars appeared overhead. Juanita’s stomach rumbled, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to let him go until she had no other choice.
Finally Ryan pulled away and sat up. His rueful expression mirrored what she was feeling. “Much as I wish we could stay here all night, I’m hungry and it’s starting to get a little chilly. Shall we go to supper?”
She reluctantly climbed to her feet. “We can’t miss our last meal.”
He came around and took her hand. “That sounds so final. It’s not like we’re being executed in the morning.”
“We’re not?” She dismissed the comment with a wave before he could react. “Do we need to stop by the room first?” She ran her fingers through her hair. It didn’t seem excessively windblown.
“You look fine.” His long, slow glance held all the sexual desire she could have wished, but also a deep tenderness that made her stomach flip and quiver.
“So do you,” she said lightly and pulled him toward the stairs. “Good thing. We’ve barely got time to go straight there.”
She wouldn’t have traded the hours they’d spent cuddling for anything, but when they passed the water slides, she realized with a lurch that they’d missed their last opportunity to play there together. They’d never bask in the bubbling warmth of the hot tubs again. They’d never play board games or cards in the library. They’d never return to the ropes course or have their miniature golf rematch. One more dinner, one more show, one more evening dancing or singing along at the piano bar, one more night of lovemaking, and it would all be over.
Juanita shoved the knowledge down and buried it at the bo
ttom of her mind. She wouldn’t let grief spoil the brief time they had left. But it kept escaping and smacking her when she least expected it. When Dave and Nancy greeted them, and they all pulled out their phones to exchange e-mail addresses. When the menu listed three different appetizers she wanted to try, and Ryan talked her into ordering all of them by reminding her that it was her last chance to be so carelessly extravagant. When she ordered melt-in-your-mouth cake for dessert even though she was stuffed, because she’d never get to taste it again. When Ryan gave Emil a big tip and thanked him for his attentive service. When Dave shook their hands and Nancy hugged them both with tears in her eyes and wished them a happy future.
The show was a lighthearted romp through the cities of the world. Ryan hummed along and clapped enthusiastically and whispered approving or critical reactions in Juanita’s ear. She did her best to respond, but it was hard to get past the knowledge that London and Tokyo and Rome and Bangkok and Sydney and Cairo and Paris and all the rest were closed to her forever, as inaccessible as if they were on another planet.
Afterwards, all she wanted was to retreat to their room and lose herself in sex, but Ryan tugged her toward a lounge they hadn’t yet visited. “This is our last chance to sing karaoke. Come on, I know you’ll like it.”
Because he was so insistent, and because she really did want to give it a try, she agreed. When they went in, the singing was already underway. A woman stood in a clear space ringed by chairs and low tables, clutching a microphone and staring at a screen in front of her. Instruments and background vocals began playing, and she launched into the first verse of “Rolling in the Deep.” Juanita listened as she settled into a seat next to Ryan, nervously wondering whether she dared go up there and give it a try. The woman’s voice wasn’t bad, although she drifted flat occasionally and breathed in awkward places. The audience seemed friendly. They listened attentively and responded eagerly, ignoring the singer’s lapses and breaking into enthusiastic applause when the song drew to a close.
Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads Page 212