by Chanta Rand
Kendra avoided eye contact with Mark, focusing instead on the Royal blue color of his button down shirt. It matched the hue of his blue eyes, and it complimented his bronzed skin perfectly. The pinstripe navy slacks he’d paired with it seemed tailor-made for his athletic physique. Maybe if he didn’t dress so impeccably, she wouldn’t lose focus all the time.
Lonnie spoke up. “I will sacrifice and take one for the team if you need me to indulge in the amenities at Anantara Villas.”
Everyone at the table laughed. Comprised of a series of bungalows located in the Maldive Islands, the Anantara Kihavah Villas resort was a tropical paradise. According to their brochure, the resort offered days of sun-lit pleasure and endless turquoise waters capped by nights of flickering candle light dinners beneath the stars.
“How selfless of you, Lonnie,” Mark joked.
“Actually,” Alfonse said, “Lonnie has a great idea. What better way to participate in zee guest experience than by staying at the resort?”
Kendra spoke up. “But we have three resorts to choose from.”
“Investigate each one. You can research in teams of two. That will ensure all of you get to participate.”
“Wow!” Marge gushed. “Thanks, Alfonse!”
“Je vous en prie. You are welcome. I will let you guys work out all zee details. Make the reservations immediately, and let me know by the end of next week who zee lucky vendor will be. We cannot lose steam on this.”
********
Days later, Kendra landed at Ibrahim Nasir Male' International Airport. The twenty-hour flight from JFK to the Maldive Islands would have been a lot more tolerable if she hadn’t been stuck sitting next to a chatty Stella Tryin’ to Get Her Groove Back type. Lonnie should have been on the flight with her, but at the last minute, he’d gotten sick with the Flu. Poor guy. Now, she would have to spend the trip as a loner–or as Tatum said when she’d found out Kendra was going on this trip, “a lucky bitch!”
With its deep blue seas, colorful reefs, white sandy beaches and palm trees, the Maldives consisted of 1,190 coral islands formed around twenty-six natural ring-like atolls, spread over 90,000 square kilometers. It was idyllic for a Valentine’s Day getaway. Kendra rode in a speedboat to the Anantara Kihavah Villas. As the sun bathed her and the salt winds stroked her skin, she’d already made up her mind. She didn’t give a damn what the other resorts were like. This was her number one choice!
The resort also offered spa treatments in the guest bungalows. That would make up for the weekend she’d missed with Tatum. From doing her research she’d learned that each atoll in the Maldives was made of a coral reef encircling a lagoon with deep channels dividing the reef ring. A string of islands made up the atoll ring, and each island had its own reef encircling the island lagoon. The reefs of the islands were teeming with countless types of underwater creatures and vibrant corals. From her seat on the boat, she couldn’t see any of this unique structure of reefs and channels. All she observed was endless blue waters and lush trees in the distance. She patted one of the two pieces of luggage resting by her sandaled feet. She’d brought five novels with her. She planned to pass the time stretched out on the white sands and indulging her every whim.
Check-in was seamless. Cheerful staff members wearing crisp, white short-sleeved uniforms milled about. A bellhop dressed in Bermuda shorts carried Kendra’s bags to her bungalow. As she walked along the wooden planks to her room, a breeze lifted the hem of her linen sundress. God, she couldn’t wait to get barefoot and sink her toes into that delectable sand.
“Enjoy your accommodations, Miss Michaels,” the bellhop said as he deposited her bags in the middle of the hardwood floor. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she scanned the room, taking in the dark, teakwood furniture and the diaphanous curtains flapping in the tranquil winds. She could see crystal blue waters stretching for miles outside the open patio doors. “Someone will bring you extra towels shortly. Also, a package was delivered to your room about an hour ago.” He pointed to a nondescript box wrapped in brown mailing paper.
“Thank you.” She tried to tip him, but he stopped her.
“That won’t be necessary, Miss Michaels. Your gratuity is included in your final bill.” He grinned. “After all, there is hardly room for a wallet when you’re wearing a bikini all day.”
She returned his smile. Yes, this resort was definitely her choice.
Alone, she took a moment to inspect the package. Her heart skipped as she noticed the sender’s name. Mark Sullivan. Her fingers trembled as she used a nearby letter opener to poke a hole in the brown paper. She opened the card inside the box and read it aloud. “You have a lot of spark already, but I thought you might appreciate these.”
She tore open the box to find a pair of spark plugs. She thought back to the comment she made the day the group visited Sweet Thang! “What’s romantic is me getting new spark plugs for my car.” Incredible! The man actually remembered. Her heart fluttered as she thought of Mark taking the time to buy these and have them shipped halfway across the world to her. She cradled the ripped box to her chest. This was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. Not simply the gift, the thought and caring that went into it. It was something only a true Valentine would do.
She stopped short. A true Valentine. A Secret Valentine. If Mark had taken the time to do this, he must have sent the other gifts too. He knew how to get the confectionary masterpiece from Sweet Thang! And he’d known the meaning for the roses. She shook her head. My Valentine was under my nose all along. How could I have been so dumb?
Of course, Carl had denied it and she’d ignored the truth, convincing herself of what she wanted to be reality. All the while Mark had watched from the sidelines. What an idiot she must look like to him. She had to call him. She didn’t care if she got bombarded with roaming charges. She had to hear his voice. She dialed his number from her cell phone, but her call went directly to voicemail. She didn’t know if she had a bad signal or if Mark’s phone was turned off. She called a few more times with the same result.
“Damn!” She let out a frustrated breath before she tossed the phone onto a nearby wicker couch stuffed with white pillows. She wouldn’t be able to talk to him for five days. The members of their group had pulled names for the various resorts, and he’d drawn Spicers Peak Lodge in Australia. Both he and Marge should have landed there yesterday. Kendra had been ecstatic when her name was drawn to go to the Maldives. Now, she felt the letdown of a missed opportunity. She was alone in paradise while Mark was in Australia with Marge–who incidentally was single.
As she stood on the patio of her bungalow, gazing at the sun reflecting on the never-ending sea of blue water, she fought a feeling of melancholy. It was silly to feel this way. “You don’t believe in all this Valentine’s Day stuff, remember?” she loudly reassured herself. “Yeah, that was before Mark showed me the error of my ways,” she answered aloud. She wondered what he was doing now. Flashes of his kisses invaded her thoughts. His lips on her mouth. His hands on her hips. His erection pressed against her. The attraction she felt for him was undeniable. She sighed. The thought of being here in this lover’s paradise for five days was not as exciting as when she’d first landed.
Snap out of it, girl!
She squared her shoulders and mentally put on her big girl panties. She had a life before Mark. Although void of a passionate relationship and filled with non-stop work, it was still a life. She enjoyed her job, and right now, she had work to do. She was supposed to be checking out the resort’s amenities. She took a leisurely tour of the bungalow. Garden tub. His and her marble sinks. A circular bed with a round canopy. A wet bar stocked with champagne. Spectacular wrap-around windows that allowed her to see the Indian Ocean from every room. What wasn’t there to love?
A knock at her door pulled her from her pity-party. Those must be the towels the bellhop promised. Great! She was ready to get this vacation started. Maybe a hot stone massage would cheer her up. When she opene
d the door, her heart slammed against the walls of her chest. The man standing on the other side had haunted her daydreams and her fantasies at night. She drank in the sight of him. Draped in tailored, tan slacks and a white linen shirt, the man looked good from head to toe. A tidal wave of emotions churned inside her as his blue eyes held hers hostage. She opened her mouth, but words wouldn’t come. Instead, she threw herself into his arms and fused her lips to his.
Chapter 7
Mark took full possession of Kendra’s mouth, branding her with all the passion he felt. He held her tongue captive as he erotically fondled it with his own. He cupped her face, the pads of his thumbs stroking the silky skin. The warmth of her wet mouth sent a jolt of excitement through him. Since the first time he’d kissed her weeks ago, he could think of nothing else but repeating the titillating act. Within moments, the taste of her mouth wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to sample every inch of her. Her sweet lips. The perfume-scented area beneath her ear lobes. The column of her throat. The tender flesh between her breasts. He licked and suckled, and nibbled, afraid this would all be a dream snatched from him when the alarm clock went off.
He vaguely remembered closing the door and pulling Kendra against him. When his fingers sank into the smooth globes of her buttocks, Kendra gasped. He tugged her bottom lip, nipping the corners with his teeth. She clawed at his shirt and dragged her lips from his mouth to the open collar of his shirt. When she stroked his chest and pressed kisses along his collarbone, his self-control threatened to snap. His erection pressed insistently against his pants. The guttural moan that made its way from the pit of his belly sounded foreign to him.
“Kendra,” he croaked. “I’ve never wanted anyone so badly.”
“How did you get here?” she rasped.
Her question barely registered. “Plane.” He didn’t bother to mention that he’d thought about her the entire trip. He’d conspired to get her alone in this beautiful paradise. It had been easy to change places with Lonnie’s help. The man was probably in Australia by now putting a shrimp on the Barbie.
“Was Lonnie really sick?”
Mark fondled her breasts. When he squeezed the hard nipples, he heard Kendra’s sharp intake of breath in his ear. He smiled. “What do you think?”
She pressed her body against his. “I can’t think with you doing that.”
“Then don’t think. Enjoy.”
They shed their clothes in the middle of the bungalow’s main room. If they’d bothered to look, they might have reveled in the sight of the room’s spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. But they had eyes only for each other. Mark licked the salt-water air that had gathered on Kendra’s smooth skin. He’d always thought she had a killer body. He’d gotten a glimpse when he removed her clothes the night she threw up in his car. But seeing her in her naked glory was enough to send him over the edge.
His eyes followed the full slopes of her breasts past her stomach down to the black landing strip of shaved hair between her legs. An intricate butterfly tattoo graced one of her supple thighs. He kissed it, and then sank to the floor. He pulled Kendra atop one of the plush rugs and laid her on her back. Spreading her legs wide, he dipped his head and slowed his frenzied moments. What he had in mind didn’t lend itself to the rough stuff. When he flicked the tip of his tongue across her clitoris, she arched her back and moaned. He gently licked the sensitive nub, slowly swirling his tongue in a circular motion. She clenched her fingers through his hair. “Ooh…feels so…good.”
He kept licking, working into a rhythm, sliding his tongue back and forth along the delicate folds of her pussy. Kendra thrashed back and forth, pushing her pelvis against his mouth. He eagerly lapped the salty taste of her essence as he thrust his tongue in and out with deep strokes. He gripped her hips and licked her mercilessly. His lips were soaked in her womanly juices.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she screamed. She shuddered against his mouth and arched one final time before she stiffened and reached her climax.
He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Then he raised up on his elbows and reached for his discarded pants.
“Wait–” Kendra raised her passion-filled eyes to his. “You’re leaving?”
“Just getting some protection.” He retrieved a foil package from his back pocket and ripped it open with his teeth.
“How did you know I’d say yes?”
He rolled the latex onto this rock-hard erection. He sat poised at the entrance to her pussy. “I’ve learned that if I want something bad enough, I’ll find a way to have it.” He stared into her pretty hazel eyes. “I want you bad, Kendra. Do you want me?”
She nodded, her tongue flicking across her full bottom lip. “Yes.”
That was all he needed. He pushed inside, filling her with his girth and sinking to the hilt. She cried out. Her fingernails raked across his back. He didn’t care if she drew blood. Making love had never felt so good. Kendra wrapped her long legs around him, granting him uninhibited access. The walls of her pussy tightened around his length. For years, every time he saw her legs peeping beneath her skirts, he’d wondered how they would feel wrapped around him. Now, his fantasies had become reality.
He slid in and out of her sweet wetness, his resolve weakening with each stroke. He wanted to fuck her all night, bring her to the edge of rapture, and then start all over again. He wanted to show her his romantic side. But she was the one bringing him toward the rapture. Kissing his neck. Arching her back. Grinding her hips. Nipping his ear. He’d been hard as granite since she opened the door to her room, and now she had every one of his nerve endings on fire.
She whispered in his ear. “Fuck me harder, Mark. I want every inch of you.”
Her dirty mouth turned him on. She was such a professional in public, but a wildcat in bed. “You want me to fuck this pussy harder?” he growled.
“Yes!”
He plunged deeper, pounding relentlessly. He changed his stroke from long and tender to shorter, harder, and more powerful bursts. He pulled her legs up until her knees hooked over his shoulders, and her shapely calves dangled down his back. A thin sheet of sweat coated his body. He’d bedded plenty of women, but it had been months since his last encounter. And no woman held his interest like Kendra. From the moment he’d thrust inside her, he was ready to explode. She was so soft, and wet, and sweet. He pumped harder. Faster. Stronger. She writhed beneath him, meeting him stroke for stroke. Clinging to him. Moaning. Begging him not to stop. A white-hot friction shot through his veins he fought the urge to cum. His thighs were taut with tension as he pumped, making sure Kendra got every ounce of pleasure she deserved. When he finally felt the warm rush of fluid signaling her orgasm, he gave up the battle. Tremors racked his body as he catapulted toward an earthshaking release that gripped him to the core.
********
Kendra and Mark carried the resort’s enormous orange beach towels the short distance from her bungalow to the beach. They found a secluded spot on the white sand, and spread out to enjoy the brilliant sunset. Kendra chose to wear a black string bikini that left little to the imagination. Mark had changed into a pair of turquoise swim trunks that showed off his perfect physique. Earlier, she was too busy reveling in the throes of ecstasy to fully inspect his body. Now, she unabashedly let her eyes roam his bronzed skin from head to toe and back up again. His broad shoulders gave way to biceps that looked to be carved of marble. His sculpted chest tapered down to flat abs layered with a fine dusting of hair trailing down to his navel. She’d already seen the package between his muscular thighs and felt the power in his well-toned calves when he picked her up and carried her to the bungalow’s bedroom for round two. She shivered. Just thinking about their lovemaking made her wet again. She had to get her mind out of the gutter.
“I never thanked you for the spark plugs,” she told him.
He lounged backward on his elbows, his muscular legs stretched out in front of him. “Oh yes, you gave me plenty of thanks earlier when you jumped my bones.”
She laughed. “That was not for the spark plugs. That was my own selfish libido at work.”
“If that’s the case, you can be selfish with me anytime!”
“Okay, I just might hold you to that.”
He licked his lips, hunger written across his face. “I hope you will.”
No fair. How could she resist that face and that body, especially here in paradise? Mark Sullivan had the whole package. Intelligence. Wealth. Looks. She was doomed from the start. She pulled a bottle of sunblock from her canvas bag. “Would you mind putting this on my back?”
“My pleasure.”
She lay on her stomach and closed her eyes as Mark rubbed sun block on her back. His strong hands moved in circular motions, spreading the gooey lotion across her shoulder blades and down her spine. She wasn’t sure which was hotter–the glowing heat of the sun or the scorching touch from his fingertips. His hands expertly kneaded her skin, dipping low beneath the band of her bikini bottom. She purred as she felt the erotic caress of his palms brush her butt cheeks.
“Um, does my butt need sun block too?”
His deep chuckle floated through the balmy air. “The skin there is delicate.”
“Not on my butt. I landed pretty hard on it quite a few times when I was learning to roller skate.”
“You used to skate?”
“Oh yeah. I was the champ of my high school.”
He laughed again. “I can’t see that.”
She twisted toward him, her eyes issuing a challenge. “You saying I don’t have skills?”
“I’m saying you’re such a diva. Divas don’t skate.”
“Oh no, you didn’t!” She rolled over and threw a rumpled towel at him. He caught it and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her toward him. She squealed with laughter as she squirmed in his embrace. They playfully tussled in the sand with the ocean breeze wafting over them. Mark hovered above her, pinning her arms above her head with one hand. With the other, he spread her legs open and nestled his torso between them. She relished the feather-soft kisses he placed on her nose and lips. The throbbing between her thighs shocked her. She couldn’t believe how turned on she was. They’d had toe-curling sex. Twice. And already she was creaming for him again.