Chica Bella

by Carly Fall

She slapped his leg and laughed. “I’m serious, Landon. We’re seeing Mother Nature at her…how do you say it…at her rawest? It’s beautiful.”

  He didn’t bother to correct her English. Her flawed speech added to her charm, as far as he was concerned.

  He watched the whales, and snuck glances at her as she pointed and commented on the mother and her calf, wonder and awe on her face. He loved the way Maya embraced life. Each day was a new beginning for her, and she looked for ways to fill it with laughter and happiness, and he wanted to be a part of that. Closing his eyes briefly, he sent up a prayer that Marty would find a replacement for him. He didn’t want to go on another tour.

  Just the thought of returning to military life drained him, and he hoped Marty understood that. He had tried to make it real fucking clear.

  He was done.

  Chapter Ten

  Maya leaned in closer to Landon, her body aching with desire. Landon was the only one who could do that to her with just a kiss.

  He wrapped his big arm around her protectively, and she felt the safety and security that always came with being snuggled up against him.

  The whales had been an amazing sight, and she was thrilled she had seen them. The boat was headed back to the harbor, and then she didn’t know where they would go. She had so many conflicting thoughts and emotions going through her, she didn’t know what she wanted. When he left last time, there’d barely been any notice. He received a phone call and was on a plane five hours later. There wasn’t time for goodbye, to prepare for his departure. He was there one minute, and gone the next, taking her heart with him. Part of her wanted to scream at him for not calling, writing, sending smoke signals…anything. However, she understood why he couldn’t, but that still didn’t take away the hurt of it all. Not knowing he was okay had eaten her alive.

  After seven months, she was sick of the worry and hurt that were her constant companions, and she had accepted an invitation to dinner in an effort to move on. She couldn’t wait around her whole life for a man who may or may not show up again. That dinner had been a disaster, especially when she had tried to calm her nerves with too much wine, and she called her date Landon right before she threw up in his car. Needless to say, he never called again.

  She remembered the shock, relief, sadness, and anger that had twisted around within her when she laid eyes on Landon that afternoon. And on top of all of those feelings, she had lust running through her veins at high speed. No one affected her like Landon. His touch set her very soul ablaze.

  The sadness and anger had slowly ebbed away throughout the day, and she found herself excited about the impending date. She needed to guard her heart, though, and resolved she’d enjoy her time with Landon while he was here. She also made a promise to herself to not give all of herself to him, so when he left again the devastation wasn’t as complete as last time.

  The captain docked the boat, and Landon helped her out. They said thank you and goodbye to the captain, and strolled around the harbor. The sun had fully set, and darkness had settled around them. There were still people out enjoying the restaurants and the clean night air. The smell of fajitas and the sounds of laughter permeated the air.

  “Hungry, chica?” Landon asked.

  She smiled at the question. Yes, she was hungry, hungry for so many different things. A cheeseburger sounded good, as did more wine. But the one hunger that left her feeling starved was Landon. She wanted to feel him against her, skin to skin, as they made love and took each other to heights she never could have imagined. The thought made her shiver.

  “Si,” she said.

  He pulled her tighter to his side. “Are you cold, Maya? You’re shivering.”

  She smiled and let out a little giggle. “No, I’m fine.”

  As they walked, they talked in low tones as he questioned her about everything from her family to her job. Where the harbor met the street, Landon came to a quick stop.

  She looked up at him, and found him glaring across the way at something. She followed his gaze to the sight of a policeman standing on the corner with a machine gun, carefully watching everyone go by.

  “What the hell?” he asked.

  Maya sighed. It was terrible that the small town of Cabo had to arm itself in this way, but the drug cartel activity in Mexico made it necessary. The people of Cabo watched the tourism industry all across Mexico suffer due to the cartels and their violence, and people, especially the Americanos were afraid to travel and experience the beauty Mexico offered. The small government of Cabo decided that they wouldn’t become a place people avoided, and the mayor put heavily armed patrols in all the tourist areas to protect their vital industry. Maya hated it, but appreciated the effort.

  As she explained this to Landon, she watched as his eyes shifted all around them, as if looking for the danger the police protected them from. When she finished, he said, “I get it, but I don’t like it. Reminds me of Afghanistan, or any other place in the world where there are a bunch of assholes looking to take stuff over. It pisses me off.”

  She could only imagine what he’d seen and experienced, and she learned not to ask because he made it very clear he didn’t want to talk about it, claiming she didn’t need to hear the horror stories he was so familiar with. She only knew the dreams that woke him last time he was with her had left him with cold sweats and shaking as if his bones had come loose and were rattling in his skin.

  He was tense as they walked to the car on the side street, and she understood why. Besides Mexico’s drug cartel problem, there were people in Cabo who waited for an easy target to rob once the sun set, and she was thankful he was anything but an easy target.

  As he waiting for her to get in the car, she noticed him scanning the streets. When she was safely inside the car, he walked around to the driver’s side and quickly got in. He started the engine and pulled away from the curb. When they were on the main thoroughfare, he glanced over to her. “Where to, Maya? Should I take you home?”

  She sat in silence for a moment, contemplating his question. Where to, indeed? She felt the tension in the small space as he waited for her answer. She knew what she wanted, and that was to go back to the hotel with him, and have him stay with her and they would move on to their happily ever after.

  But what if she couldn’t have that? What if she only had the here and now? What if he was gone tomorrow, and she hadn’t allowed herself to be with him tonight? How would she feel?

  She could be with him, but it was mandatory for her to hold just a small piece of herself back. She needed to be with him, but protect herself at the same time. Could she do it? Could she satisfy her wants and desires, yet protect herself from the heartache?

  Exhaling slowly, she closed her eyes. A moment later she opened them, her decision made. “No. Not back to my house.”

  He was silent for a beat. “Does that mean you’re coming back to my hotel room?”

  Landon’s hands gripped the steering wheel and turned white while they looked like they could break the thing in half.

  Searching his face, seeing the desperation written on it, she knew she couldn’t deny either one of them this night. She lightly touched his arm. “Si, Landon. With you.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Landon’s whole body relaxed when she gave her answer. It was the best thing he had heard in…well…nine months and some-odd days.

  “I really want a cheeseburger and some more wine,” she said.

  He smiled. “We’ll get room service.” Hell, he would pluck down the moon and a star out of the sky for her if that was what she wanted.

  He drove Maya’s car to the personnel parking, and they got out and walked to the hotel holding hands.

  Dropping her hand, he draped his big arm over her and pulled her close. He liked having her close, loved being with her. His thoughts traveled to the fact that he very well may have to leave, but he tried to push those away. If Marty couldn’t find someone to take his place, then so be it. He would go and do what he was train
ed to do for as long as needed, and then come back to Maya and hope that she would take him back yet again.

  He sighed, his thoughts draining him.

  “What’s wrong, Landon?” Maya asked as she snaked her arm around his waist. “Do you want me to go home?”

  “Oh, hell no, Maya. I’m not letting you go home now.” He stopped and faced her. “You’re mine tonight.” He heard the gravel in his voice as he laced his hand around her neck and hugged her close to him. “All mine.” He bent down and gently brushed his lips across the tip of her nose, to her eyelids, and on the left side of her neck. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  His lips met hers.

  His body responded in a detonation of desire. Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder so she couldn’t go anywhere. Her arms snaked around his waist, her small hands slowly traveling up and down his back as she pushed herself closer to him.

  There had never been a woman who could set every nerve ending on fire the way Maya could.

  Reluctantly, he tugged away from her. His senses were so alive with everything Maya, he wondered if she could feel the vibrations coming off of him.

  “I would love nothing more than to rip that pretty yellow dress off of you and throw you onto that bed of soft grass, but I’m not willing to share your naked beauty with the other guests at the hotel,” he whispered.

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Well, then, solider, I suggest you…how do you say it…fall in line and…vamanos!”

  He smiled, her laughter warming the coldness in his soul.

  They continued down the path, which may have been one of the longest walks of his life, and ultimately made it to the building, up the elevator and to his room.

  She stepped in and walked to the middle of the room and turned, taking in every piece of furniture, the art on the walls, and finally ended up back at him.

  Meeting his stare for a moment, she looked as if she was trying to make a decision. He stood in the doorway waiting for some type of indication of what he should do. The kiss in the parking lot had given him a good idea, but he still needed to have her lead.

  “Come, Landon,” she said huskily, stretching out her hand.

  He let the door shut behind him, and he made it to her in two strides, taking her in his arms, and kissing her mouth with a passion that had been building for nine very long months.

  Chapter Twelve

  When he took her in his arms, the relief of her decision washed through her. It was simple: she needed to be with him. Her body burned for him, her soul longed for him.

  As he pressed his lips to hers, her knees went weak, and she quickly wrapped her hands around his neck to prevent her from falling to the ground in a heap of swooning woman.

  It was as if he had never left, as if she had kissed him yesterday. She found she became comfortable in his arms as her body came close to reaching the boiling point where desire overran any rational thought.

  “Landon,” she murmured into his lips.

  “I’m right here, sugar, right here.”

  His lips were everywhere—her neck, her lips, her earlobes. His hands…his hands were everywhere his lips weren’t—her breasts, her waist, her back, her hips.

  His hands slid down her leg until it reached the hem of her sundress. She felt the breeze from the fan as the dress came up her thigh. His hand cupped her left buttock.

  “Sweet Jesus, Maya,” his voice whispered in desperation as his hand slipped up to her lower back. “You’re going commando, honey. Are you trying to kill me?”

  Maya’s confidence soared. She enjoyed the sexual power she held over him, but she didn’t abuse it, always giving just as much as she received.

  Her dress slowly come up, his lips disengaged from her neck as he brought it over her head. Standing before him naked, she was sexy, as well as vulnerable.

  Reaching forward, she undid the buttons of his shirt. His breath came in short spurts as he looked at her.

  “Look at you,” he said, as he pushed her hair over her shoulder. “You are so beautiful.”

  “Landon.” She couldn’t say much more as the shirt glided down his arm and dropped to the floor. She let her hands roam over his hard chest, feeling the slightly raised bumps of his scars.

  She imagined what had caused the scars, and she got angry at the violence that had made them, and tearful in the fact he had been hurt. She kept staring at them, rubbing her hand over the little bumps.

  “Maya.”

  She looked up into his eyes.

  “Please. Don’t. Come back to here and now and be with me,” he said huskily. “I need you, chica bella.”

  “What were you doing when you got this?”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now, Maya.”

  Opening his eyes, he met her gaze, and she recognized he was right. It had happened, and what had caused the scars was irrelevant. What was important was that she had the man she loved before her, in one piece, and he was more than ready to love her back.

  “You’ll tell me later,” she said quietly, pressing her mouth to the middle of the rough area. She let her tongue glide over the scars in a slow circle, and then circle around his nipple.

  “God, Maya,” he breathed.

  His heart thudded beneath her hand, and a slight sheen of sweat covered his body. As she let her hands roam on his chest, his flat stomach, up the muscles of his strong smooth back, she knew her idea of keeping a little bit of her heart out of the picture was useless. Landon owned her heart, as well as her soul, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Landon picked up Maya and gently laid her out on the bed.

  Sweet Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. Seeing her made him certain that there was a God, and based on the ugliness he had seen, he had sometimes doubted it.

  He eased himself on top of her, and kissed her hungrily. Her hands traveled over his chest again, making their way to his belt. He grabbed them and slowly brought them over her head, trapping them there.

  “I want to touch you,” she breathed against his mouth.

  “Me first.”

  He peppered her throat with easy kisses down to her collarbone as he gently massaged her left breast. When he was finished with her neck, he let his tongue swirl her taunt nipple, then lightly suckled it.

  “Mierda,” she whispered. He smiled to himself as he looked up at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were above her head where he had left them. He loved it when she swore during sex. He didn’t know why, but it was a complete turn-on for him.

  Like he needed to be anymore turned on where Maya was concerned.

  He made his way over to her right breast, flicking her nipple with his tongue, watching her breath hitch as he did so.

  He blazed a trail of kisses down to her navel, and he moved over to her hipbone. As he got closer to her core, he smelled her arousal, which only jacked him up even more. He bent her knee up and kissed her inner thigh, deciding a little more self-torture would do him good before he dived into his special treat.

  “Carajo,” she said loudly when his tongue found its way to her swollen, wet center.

  He groaned as he tasted her. She was simply delicious. He licked, swirled his tongue, and gently sucked on her. He slid one finger into her soft center, and a second. He found a slow rhythm with his tongue and fingers that had Maya breathing hard and fisting the comforter.

  Her silken walls tightened around his fingers, and he swirled his tongue around her swollen nub one more time, taking it in his mouth.

  “Dios mio!” she yelled as she orgasmed. He was relentless with his tongue and fingers, milking out every last tremor and shudder she had.

  When she was finished, he stood and took off his pants. They dropped to the floor, and he looked at Maya for a moment. Her brown eyes glittered, and he was almost in shock that he was about to make love to her again. For the past nine months and some-odd days, he didn’t know if this day wo
uld ever come again.

  He gently lay down on her, the anticipation of their joining causing constricted breathing. Kissing her, he urged her legs farther apart with his knee. Her arms wrapped around his neck as their mouths met, and he moved to enter her.

  “No,” Maya said against his lips. He looked down at her, unsure if he had heard her correctly. Maybe she was speaking Spanish, some other word than what he thought she was saying. Well, he hoped so anyway.

  “No,” she said again, her gaze meeting his.

  Dammit all to hell and back. He had understood her right the first time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  As Landon rolled off Maya, tears stung her eyes and all her insecurities about him boiled to the surface.

  She looked over at him. He lay on his back, his breathing labored with his arm over his eyes. She allowed her gaze to travel over his chest down to his lower stomach where his thick, long sex lay, ready to be used.

  She supposed they should have had this talk before they ended up in bed, but apparently she hadn’t been thinking straight.

  “Landon,” she whispered, lightly touching his ribs.

  “What?”

  She could hear the frustration in his voice.

  “Landon, we need to talk about safe sex.”

  He exhaled loudly and removed his arm from his eyes so he could see her.

  “I know. I wasn’t thinking, Maya, and I’m sorry.”

  “Neither of us were thinking, Landon. That’s what we do to each other. It is like our brains turn off when we’re together.”

  He turned to his side and propped himself up on his elbow. Caressing the side of her face, he asked, “Should I go get condoms?”

  Maya blushed. “Landon, I haven’t been with anyone. I tried to date while you were gone, but I ended up…how do you say…vomitado…throwing up in his car. I drank too much wine because I was so nervous.”