Christmas in Cancun

by KaLyn Cooper

  Although Jack had been raised in a family where money had never been a worry, he’d always been frugal with his personal funds. As far as he was concerned, there were too many ifs in Jillian’s plan. It wasn’t his place to judge, but he promised himself that he’d be there if she needed him. Okay, so she had a short-term plan. What about long term?

  “Good,” Jack said but didn’t have the confidence in her plan that she obviously did. “Going back to our previous conversation, Addi needs to have a male role model in her life, someone to love her as if she was of his own flesh and blood.”

  Someone to take care of you. Protect you. Make you smile.

  “She’ll have her Uncle Jack to dote on her. That’s more than I ever had.”

  The mere thought of Jillian and Addison, alone in the world, turned his stomach. Yes. He would show that darling little girl just how much she was loved. He’d make it his duty to assure that she would know her cousins well and she’d feel free to ask him for anything, and he’d give it to her. He’d be the greatest uncle on the planet.

  Of course, he’d do the same for Jillian. She was family, even though the solid link that connected her to the Girards was gone. “I’m here, for both of you. Anytime. Just ask.”

  “I appreciate that, Jack. It means a lot to me.” Even though her eyes were hidden beneath sunglasses, he knew her smile never reached them.

  Jillian stared out the doorless side as they passed through busy Playa del Carmen and continued south. Small local businesses dotted expanses of short green vegetation interrupted by massive resort entrances on the ocean side.

  Mentally on autopilot, Jack automatically moved into the far left lane as the signs to the popular Xcarat Park appeared and the highway widened an extra lane then two.

  “What’s Xcarat?” Jillian’s question was a good one.

  “That depends on who you talk to.” Jack dodged a hotel guest transport van changing lanes. “Ask my cousin, Doctor Kuk, and he’ll tell you it’s an archaeological and anthropological platform to educate locals and tourists about the Mayan ways and how it morphed into the Mexican lifestyles of today. Ask a local teen boy and he’ll tell you it’s a waterpark where you can watch girls from all over the world parade around in bikinis and maybe get lucky.”

  “Why did you call your cousin a kook? He sounds intelligent.”

  “I didn’t call him crazy, Kuk is short for Kukulcan, and he is very intelligent. He has a Ph.D. in Mayan studies and another in anthropology. He’s a professor at the University of the Yucatan. He’s also the lead dancer in the fire show they offer every other night and owns one of the hottest clubs in Cancun.”

  “So he’s a dancer?”

  “Yes. He choreographed many of the dances at Xcarat based on historical research.” As if it hit him over the head, Jack realized that Kuk was the perfect person to ask about the translation. He’d taught Jack most of the Mayan-Spanish dialect he knew. He still needed to discuss it with Jillian. Maybe over supper.

  “And he lives way out here?” Jillian’s question brought Jack back to the conversation.

  “His branch of the Chel family has lived in Rio Secreto for centuries. It’s only a few miles down the highway. Besides, we’re not that far from Cancun, and Kuk has a condo in the city.”

  “Rio Secreto? The Secret River? How can a river be a secret?”

  “It’s not really a secret. It just disappears and reappears several times before it makes it to the ocean. Secret may be the wrong word, a mistranslation from Mayan to Spanish. It happens more than you’d think.”

  “How can a whole river disappear?” Jillian’s reddish-blonde eyebrows rose above her oversized sunglasses.

  “This entire area is riddled with caves and underground waterfalls. The river doesn’t become exposed unless the cavern falls in. I’ll take you to one. A few have stalagmites and stalactites that are thousands of years old. Xcarat has a whole series of them, but some of those are manmade to connect existing caves.”

  “I’d like that.” She hesitated a minute before asking, “We don’t have to rappel into the cave or anything like that, do we?” She quickly added, “Not that I’m a chicken. I’ve just never done any mountain climbing or rock wall climbing, but I’m always anxious to learn new skills.”

  Jack couldn’t help but smile at her initial hesitation. “No rappelling. There are stairs.”

  “Oh, good.” Jillian relaxed back into her seat. He liked the way she was willing to tackle anything, both physical and emotional.

  She was quite a woman. One he’d like to get to know even better.

  Every inch of her, as soon as possible.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jillian was exhausted and energized as she hoisted her tired legs into Jack’s Jeep at five thirty. The team of professors from the University of Yucatan had run her through the gauntlet, first questioning her about her credentials then interrogating her about the basis of her thesis. In the end, they’d left with warm smiles and firm handshakes, promising to keep in touch via email with open invitations to return.

  “Jack, I can’t thank you enough.” Thanks seemed so understated for what she felt. “When that boy bumped into me, I thought I was just in his way.” She had been too wrapped up in reading the emailed instructions she’d printed out as to where to meet that she thought it had been her fault when a young man almost knocked her over. Jack had tackled the teen and retrieved her stolen wallet.

  “Punk kid. The park guards should do more about them.” Jack sounded gruff. He reached over and gave her hand a little squeeze before he moved it to the key to start the vehicle. “I’m glad I was there and saw it happen.” Jillian was too.

  “I thought Professor Oxte was going to shake your hand off when he realized who your grandfather was. Kind of neat they knew each other years ago.”

  “Yeah.” Jack pulled out the parking space and zipped past dozens of busses filled with hotel and condo guests. “Gramps used to bring old manuscripts to the universities and have them translate a passage or identify some piece of crockery we’d found. I remember him mentioning Professor Oxte as one of the good guys. There were more than a few he didn’t trust, and others he said were full of shit.”

  “Well, Oxte was certainly proud of your Chel heritage.” The way the man had gone on and on about Jack’s ancestors had verged on embarrassing. “Cool too that both he and Dr. Muan know Kukulcan.” All the family connections eased the way for her acceptance.

  “Yeah. Kuk is pretty respected in the academic community.” Jack turned out onto the main highway and settled back in his seat. “Let’s stop in Playa del Carmen and eat. I need to check on my boats.”

  Oh. No. She’d taken him away from his work. Again. “I’m sorry it took all day.”

  Jack cocked his head and glanced her way. “What are you talking about?”

  “Twice now I’ve taken up your whole day and kept you from your business.”

  His smile shot straight to her heart. He was so damn good looking in a rakish, surfer-boy way.

  “I made the choice to spend the day with you. Don’t you dare apologize.” His warm hand enveloped hers just before he wove their fingers together and placed them on the armrest.

  “So was it that boring for you today?” she asked.

  “No. I love hearing the story of how the conquistadores had their asses handed to them after raping and pillaging Isla Mujeres. They had their first real encounter with Mayan warriors, my ancestors.”

  “Yes, the Spanish took major casualties that day, but they also discovered even more gold and silver, not to mention precious gems. It confirmed their previous discovery on Isla Mujeres and was the primary reason the Spanish settled in this part of the new world.” Jillian had slipped into professor mode. “Sorry, I just get so excited about all this. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”

  “No problem.” He tightened his hand for a second. “I can tell you love teaching. If things don’t work out with the new contract, yo
u’re welcome to stay at the house for as long as you want. Everyone will bolt out of here around January second.”

  It hit Jillian like a building had just fallen on her. She didn’t have a backup plan. What if the university didn’t renew her contract? Sure, she’d have enough money from the sale of her mother’s house to pay the rent and put food on the table for at least nine months, maybe even a whole year. But what if—

  “It’s a big house.” Jack’s words broke through her disparaging thoughts.

  “Thank you. But we’ll be fine.” Yes. She and Addison could survive anything. They would be just fine. Her mother had never needed a man’s help, and she’d done just fine. Hadn’t she? Or had she?

  Being alone so often throughout her childhood and young adult life had allowed Jillian to explore her feelings…and shortcomings. She knew she had grown up almost afraid of men and had struggled most her adult life overcoming those ridiculous fears.

  No. She didn’t want Addi to fear men, like she’d been taught. And it was a learned response. Maybe Jack was right. She’d need a man in her life, for Addison.

  She mentally rolled her eyes and scolded herself. Jillian, you can lie to others, but you can’t lie to yourself. You miss sex. You miss a man next to you in bed.

  Jillian had read several books on the stages of grief and knew that she had made it to the final acceptance level. She also knew that, like with divorce, there was often a rebound man. Someone to put her derailed sex life back onto the tracks. Statistically, he was rarely the right man forever.

  “You okay?” Jack asked as he clenched her hand, still wrapped in his.

  She’d been so comfortable with it she’d forgotten he was holding her hand.

  “Just digesting everything I learned today.” True statement, as far as it went, but Jillian wasn’t going tell him her real thoughts. She looked at him now, really looked at him.

  Jack was a man’s man, an Alpha for sure. He’d probably had plenty of lovers in his life, and she’d bet he was good in bed. He’d know exactly what to do with those long rope-roughened fingers, and she was sure he knew where to find a clitoris.

  Her panties went wet. She crossed her bare legs and squeezed. Oh, yes. Jack would be a good lover. She was only going to be there for another ten days, and then she’d be gone. She could…maybe…well, yes, she could use him to take her through that first sex. A good step toward the rest of her life that would definitely include a man.

  “We’re almost to Playa del Carmen.” Jack was talking to her now. She liked his low, sexy voice that resonated through her, shaking her libido free from the suppressive binding of death. “I know a great restaurant there with the best ceviche appetizer in Mexico. Do you like shrimp?”

  “Yes, and I love ceviche. Do they have fresh fish too?”

  “Straight off the boat.” He sounded so proud of that.

  Resolved with her new plan, she felt comfortable enough with Jack to have sex with him. In many ways, it was as if she’d known him for years. Jimmy had talked about his brother so often.

  Jack pulled up in front of a long row of stores and restaurants. It was like a modern little town around the waterfront lined with docks. Boats of every shape and size filled the slips.

  She met Jack at the front of the Jeep and he took her hand. “I’m starved. Let’s eat first while my crews clean the boats.”

  “All day in the sun took more out of me than I thought,” she admitted. “Good plan.” They headed to a waterfront restaurant with a canopy-covered patio on the side.

  Before her eyes could adjust to the inside lighting, Jillian heard the seduction in the hostess's voice. “Glad you could join us tonight, Jack. Inside or out?”

  He dropped her hand, and she felt abandoned. Within a second his arm was at her hip, and he pulled her to him. “We’ve been outside all day, Mandie. How about inside at the windows?”

  The brunette’s eyes shot daggers at Jillian before she turned on a smile that screamed, “What are you doing with that when you have this tonight?”

  On the way to their table, the woman, in her late twenties, added a little extra swing to her steps, accenting the way her blue shorts hugged her small hips and tight butt. She’s never given birth to an eight-pound baby, that’s for sure. And those boobs, so fake.

  Jack pulled out the chair for Jillian before he sat in the one adjacent to her, not the place across the table where Mandie had set the menu. Without wrinkling the linen tablecloth, Jack moved the glasses that stood ready for water and wine next to the bread plate over in front of him, rearranging them expertly.

  “Come here often?” Jillian already knew the answer.

  “Yeah. The food is good, and it’s close to my boats.”

  Jillian perused the menu for minute before she laid it on the table and told him, “You order for me. I trust you.”

  “You trust me?” When his eyes went dark and his gaze dropped to her lips, which suddenly felt dry, she licked them.

  Jack groaned and grabbed for her hand. “You are going to drive me insane, aren’t you?” He leaned toward her, keeping his voice low so no one else heard.

  “What?” She wasn’t sure what she’d done, but if she could figure it out, she’d do it again. She liked it when he touched her.

  “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

  “No.” She really didn’t. But if it meant that he was anywhere near as turned on as she was, she was all for it.

  He slid their joined hands under the tablecloth to his lap, never releasing her gaze. He laid her open palm on his impressive erection, placing his hand over hers.

  On my God.

  The size of his erection startled her.

  She sucked in a quick breath and reflexively her hand squeezed.

  Then she remembered where they were and quickly slid her hand away, but she couldn’t move her eyes from his.

  “Yes, Jillian, I want you.”

  Her whole mouth went dry, lips and tongue and throat. No man had ever made her touch him.

  She liked it.

  “Hi, my name is Brandy, and I’ll be your server tonight.” Jillian jolted at the intrusion, and her gaze flew to the source. Clad in a polo shirt with the restaurant logo and the same style blue shorts Mandie wore, the young girl reached across the table and filled Jillian’s water glass.

  Her mouth too dry to speak, she immediately picked it up and drained it.

  “Good evening, Jack, can I get your usual draft from the bar?” Her demeanor was professionally friendly.

  Jack glanced at the waitress and flashed a quick smile. “That would be great, Brandy. Could we get an order of ceviche, please?”

  “Certainly. And for the lady? What can I get you from the bar?”

  “I’ll have a glass of white wine. A Pinot gris if you have it.” Yes. Alcohol was exactly what Jillian needed right now. Maybe that would help calm her pounding heart and cool her insides.

  The waitress refilled Jillian’s water. “I’ll be right back with those drinks and put in that order for you.”

  Jack’s moist breath warmed her ear. “I want you, but we’re going to eat our supper first then take a walk down to see my boats. Look at me, Jillian.”

  She stopped fingering the stem of her empty wine glass and faced him. His eyes were now a deep sapphire, all hints of green absorbed by the blue.

  “Nothing is going to happen unless you want it to.” He smoothed back one of the many strings of hair that had worked loose from her ponytail. His touch was so light that tingles drifted from her scalp to her clit. She could hardly breathe.

  And did she want to have sex with Jack?

  Hell yes. He was the perfect rebound man.

  Emboldened by her need to get through this, then onto the rest of her life, she slid her hand under the tablecloth and onto his bare knee.

  His pupils dilated.

  She had to bite back a grin. She could get Jack Girard turned on with just a touch. The power in knowing that boosted her bravado.
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  Braver than she’d ever been with any other man on this earth, she glided her hand up his leg, over the edge of his shorts, and to his crotch. She cupped his balls and gently hugged them before she walked her fingers up the length of his extraordinarily long penis.

  The muscle in Jack’s jaw twitched.

  “And how soon can we make this happen if I do want it?”

  Jack’s glance shot to Brandy, approaching with a tray laden with several drinks. Thank goodness he’d seen her coming. Feeling up Jack in a restaurant was the most audacious thing she’d ever done in her whole life and she’d almost gotten caught. She was sure she was fifty shades of pink, and it wasn’t from being in the sun all day.

  He took her hand in his and placed them on the table. “My men are cleaning the boats, and we need to eat. Now behave during supper.”

  “Here you go. A Pinot gris and a draft. I’ll be back with your appetizer in just a second after I deliver the rest of these.”

  “Thank you, Brandy,” Jack said with a smile for the young woman before he turned his attention to Jillian. He opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it as his cell phone buzzed. After a peek at the screen, he started to stand and said to her, “Sorry, I need to take this. Work. I’ll be right back.” Into the phone, his tone was commanding. “Hold on.”

  Jillian smiled up at him. “No problem, but if our food arrives, I’m not waiting for you. I’m hungry.” Fact was she was starved. Not just for food, but for a man. She had been fasting for two years and had been offered a hot steak dinner.

  He was just as imposing from the back as he was from the front. His broad shoulders barely moved as his long legs ate up the space to the front door.

  Mandie escorted an older couple to the table next to theirs. She gave Jillian a sneer and a once-over glare before returning to her post at the front door.

  Dusk had nearly turned into night, and the streetlights flickered on. Jillian watched Jack pace the empty dock, staying to the shadows, looking around constantly as he spoke into the phone.