by Jenny Rose
My eyes felt heavy and in my slightly inebriated state, I soon fell asleep to the sounds of British accents. I’m not sure if it was the chill on my skin or the moans radiating down the hall that woke me up but I soon found myself freezing, on top of my bed, half-drunk and half-dressed. Hopping from the bed, I rushed to the doors and closed them then turned off the television and the sheer volume of the woman in my stepbrother’s bed was impressive. I can’t recall myself having ever been that loud, even at sporting events or concerts. If he’d told her there was someone else in the house, she either forgot or didn’t care because she was making no attempts to stifle her screams of sexual bliss. Rolling my eyes, I went to close the door but before I shut it, I stood in the doorway for a moment and listened to the sounds blaring from his room. Between my thighs, I felt a familiar tingle that confirmed that I was aroused and the quickening of my breath was also a sure sign. Deciding against blocking out the sound, I left the door open and returned to my bed. I almost felt guilty for what I was about to do but not quite enough to stop me from removing my panties and swimsuit cover then crawling underneath the covers to find that I would need no lubrication to take care of the ache between my legs.
Chapter Seven
Lance walked into the kitchen to find that I’d prepared omelets, cut fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juice to go with his regular coffee and banana. He wore only boxer shorts and my eyes wandered the entire length of his body and checked out his thick, muscular thighs and rock hard calves as his legs flexed and relaxed with each step. Feeling my face flush with thoughts about my late night, solo rendezvous, I turned to grab a towel to wipe down the counter. Lance poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the table so that he could see the beach. He had never been a talker first thing in the morning so I knew not to take his silence as a sign of distress, so I waited for him to wake up good before attempting conversation. After he’d had a few sips and the dumbfounded look his face wore when he was still getting his bearings in the mornings had been replaced by his more natural gaze.
“Will the waitress be joining us?” I asked as I sipped grapefruit juice. He looked at me, flipped me off with his left hand and grabbed his nuts with the right.
“I got your waitress right here.” He said before taking his hand from his lap and placing it on his coffee cup. “That bitch had to go.” I only shook my head with a crooked grin and replied,
“I don’t remember you being such a whore.” He smiled and said,
“I don’t remember you ever caring so much about my cock.” The words hit me with so much truth that I felt myself blush because I had, indeed, been guilty of what he’d just said and I tilted my head away from him.
“I don’t give a shit about you and your”, I paused because I didn’t want to acknowledge that he had a cock and that I ever thought about it, not even once. I continued with, “business down there. What I do care about is my sleep. I like my sleep a lot and you and the waitress woke me up and I don’t appreciate that.” I tossed the towel at him and he caught it midair. Swirling it around his head, he grinned and said,
“Yeah, she was a bit loud.” He winked and finished with, “sorry about that.” He released the towel and sent it sailing in my direction, falling to the floor at my feet. “Get a bag ready. Pack for the weekend and be ready in an hour. I made plans.” He finished off the last bit of coffee in his cup and got up to put it in the sink.
“The weekend? Where are we going?” As he passed me by on the way to his room, he replied,
“Just pack the damn bag.” His feet shuffled along the floor and he scratched the back of his leg as he turned the corner toward his bedroom. I was suddenly intrigued and a bit excited by the adventure in my future and since he wouldn’t tell me where we were going, I didn’t know what to pack so I walked to his room and pushed the door open as I asked,
“What do I need to bring?” He was stepping into a pair of jeans and I waited as he pulled them up and buttoned them.
“It’s summer, Ray, bring summer shit. I don’t know what you women do when you pack.”
“Will I need a damn swimsuit, jerk?” I asked as I put my hands on my hips. He looked at me with a dull stare and shooed me out of his room.
“Yes. Go pack.” I turned on my heels and walked to my room filled with curiosity but did as I was told, nonetheless. I hated being bossed around but I would also hate it if he left for some wild weekend and left me home. I tossed a few things into a small suitcase and put on a pair of denim shorts and a small shirt with no back that tied at the neck and fell loosely on my stomach. Without knowing where I was going, I couldn’t exactly dress for the occasion so I dressed for the weather. I ran a brush through my hair and applied a small amount of makeup because even though it was so hot I would sweat off any foundation, I still wanted definition to my eyes and lips.
I brought my packed bag into the living room and sat it beside the front door as I waited for my stepbrother to finish getting ready and within minutes, he joined me with a bag of his own. Picking up mine, he turned his head and said,
“Five minutes.” It had not been an hour since he told me to be ready but if he was ready to leave then I was ready, as well. I walked around the house and gathered a few items that I thought I may need and stuffed them into my purse and when he returned from downstairs, I was just waiting on him. He made sure that he wasn’t forgetting anything then the two of us went to his Jaguar and I asked him once more where we were going.
“The airport.” My eyes widened and he looked to me and asked, “You have a passport, right?”
Cautiously, I nodded slowly and watched as the grin on his face widened. I punched him lightly in the arm and insisted once more that he tell me where we are going.
“You hit like a girl and I’m not telling you shit. Just wait until we get there.” Since I needed my passport, I knew that he was planning to take me out of the country and since he told me to pack “summer shit”, I was really beginning to get excited now. We cruised down Seawall Blvd then turned onto I 45 towards Houston and I reached up to sync my phone to the car radio.
“What are you doing, shotgun? Driver picks the music, you know that.” I was aware of his stupid rule but since he never let me drive anywhere, I never paid much attention to it.
“I don’t give a damn about your stupid rules.” I rolled my eyes and tapped in the code, navigated to my music app and began playing an upbeat song from the nineties.
“Are you kidding me? The stupid song about pissing the night away? You know I hate that crap.” I only smiled and said,
“Yep. Sure do.” I turned it up and said, “Almost as much as I know that I hate not knowing where we’re going.” He turned his face to me and said,
“Don’t be a brat, just let me do something nice with you for a change without all the “nyah nyah” crap you always give me.” He sneakily used his thumbs to utilize the radio controls on the steering wheel and we were soon listening to one of today’s hottest top ten hits playing from a local radio station.
I rolled my window down and stuck my arm out as we cruised down the interstate and he told me that he bought a car that had air conditioning for a reason but my reply was simple.
“So.”
Leaning my head towards the open window, I closed my eyes as the rush of air hit my face and I realized that we were going faster than I’d originally thought. Turning to look at the speedometer, my mouth dropped and I shrieked,
“Are you crazy? You are going over a hundred miles per hour.” He looked at me with an innocent smile and said,
“Shut your face and make sure your seatbelt is fastened.” He slammed down his clutch and dropped a gear, lurching the luxury automobile forward with ease and pushing me backwards in my seat. My hand reached for the door handle and I felt my stomach tighten with fear and I wanted to slap him because he knew that I had a fear of dying in a horrible car accident caused by someone else. Not being in control of the vehicle made me uncomfortable at such speeds eve
n though I felt fine when I was behind the wheel. Of course, the rusty Nissan wasn’t about to go anywhere near as fast as the Jaguar.
“Please, Lance. Come on, man.” I pleaded with him to slow down, even though he wasn’t driving erratically and the lane was completely open in front of him. I had visions of a car darting in front of us or something falling off of one of the overpasses, landing in the road with no time to stop. He saw that I was uneasy and raised his foot from the accelerator a bit and placed his hand on my knee.
“I’m sorry, Ray. I forgot you get weird.” His fingers tightened and he gave my leg a slight squeeze and my head snapped to the side.
“I do NOT get weird, thank you very much. I’m merely asking you to respect the fact that my life is in your hands and I’m not ready to die yet or that there are sometimes things that happen that aren’t our fault and that accidents happen, asshole.” He shook his head and placed both hands on the wheel at ten and two then stared straight ahead, back straight and a serious look on his face. He slowly turned his head to me and said,
“Like I said. Weird.”
He darted in and out of traffic and soon we were pulling into the long-term parking area at Bush International Airport, grabbing our bags and heading to catch a flight. I was still unaware of our destination as we walked through the crowded airport but I simply followed him and tried to keep up with his long strides. He was almost a full foot taller than me and with his extra length, I often had trouble maintain a matching pace with him. Lance turned toward the Ares Air terminal and flashed his winning smile at the young woman behind the counter. Her blond ponytail bounced and her big blue eyes widened as she perked up her shoulders and threw her amazing smile back at him.
“Lance Burke. I have two tickets reserved.” I sighed as I felt the disappointment when she didn’t state our destination. She clacked away on the keyboard then looked to him with a nod, indicating that she was busy working on his request and would have his tickets ready in just a moment. He tapped the counter with a wink and a nod of his own then reached out his foot to kick me lightly in the leg.
“Curious yet?” He asked.
“Bite me.” I answered. The blond behind the counter smiled and said,
“Two tickets to Aruba, first class. Here you go, Mr. Burke and have a wonderful flight.” Taking the tickets with a smile and courteous thank you, he turned to me and fanned his face with the tickets to my dreamland.
I practically thanked him the whole flight and when we landed and made arrangements to get to the hotel, which was located on Eagle Beach, the most beautiful place in the world. I’d dreamed of the white sand beaches and crystal waters of Aruba since I was a child and there I was, entering one of the most beautiful resorts I’d ever seen and soaking up the Caribbean sun without a care in the world. We checked into our suite; a large, two bedroom, two bathroom slice of heaven with scenic views of the island, since it was also the penthouse. I claimed the room with the light blue décor, leaving the darker blue and nautical theme for Lance. After I dropped my bags and opened the window dressings, I took in the beautiful sights of the sea outside and let the fragrant air fill my lungs before returning to the living area where I found Lance getting ready to leave.
“Where are you headed?” His face seemed to freeze in time and he tried his best to look innocent as he slowly turned to me.
“I haven’t been completely honest as to why we are actually here.” Since he hadn’t really told me anything about the reason for the trip, I didn’t really know what to expect him to say but then he just blurted out, “I have to pretty much work the entire time we’re here.” My heart sank a bit because I foolishly thought that he and I would get to spend some quality time together on the most beautiful beach in the world. “Knowing that I was going to be gone on your birthday kind of bummed me out a little and I thought that if you were going to be alone, you might as well be in Aruba.”
It hadn’t even occurred to me that my birthday was so close but it was still a week away.
“You told me to pack for the weekend, Lance. I only brought a few outfits and some flip flops and shit.” He rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket, pulled out a gold card and handed it to me.
“I had you added to the account yesterday so go ahead and get whatever you need. When I get done signing my life away, I’ll never have to think about money for as long as I live.” He kissed me on the forehead and placed his hand on my shoulder as I stood with my mouth slightly agape and a look of what I’m sure complete befuddlement must look like smeared across my face as I heard him say, “But I’ve got to get going right now. I’m taking a boat to the other side of the island to my associate’s office and I don’t have much time. Spend whatever you want, I’ll be late so eat without me and all that.” He waved his hand up as he strolled out the door, leaving me clutching the hard plastic in my hand with a racing pulse and mind that was already thinking in overdrive.
There was so much that I had wanted to do with Lance that would have been fun with someone else but the plan had to be rearranged and I was left with a head full of options. I loved snorkeling and scuba but also wanted to spend some time on the beach drinking drinks served in pineapple and coconut shells, preferably with tiny umbrellas. Shopping was a must and I realized that as soon as we arrived in the resort and I noticed the house restaurant. If I wanted to dine in the swanky eatery I would definitely need something that covers more skin and preferably in the formal section. This was the type of place where one dresses to the nines for dinner and nothing I brought would even qualify me for the sixes. Shoes and a gown were a must.
I tossed on a green bikini, which went excellent with the red in my hair and the deep tone of my tan, then found a skirt and flowing top to throw on over it before sliding into some sandals and grabbing my purse. Securely depositing Lance’s card into my wallet, I then slung the leather strap over my shoulder and picked up my room key from the table beside the door. It took the duration of the elevator ride to the lobby for me to realize that my first order of business would be to find something to eat. Deciding against the in-house cuisine for now, my sights were set on a place that I’d seen not too far from the hotel and I headed up the sidewalk as soon as my face was hit with the strong, island sun. The café was less than a mile from the hotel, so I opted out of getting a cab and made my way past the fragrant tropical flowers that lined the streets. I felt light as a feather floating on a breeze and almost seemed to be skipping with a smile plastered to my face, so I slowed my pace a bit and took in the open space and tried to take in as much of my surroundings as possible.
The walk to the restaurant was quick and I soaked up as much of the sights as I could between there and my hotel and I couldn’t help but notice a large, floral display in a park that was filled with numerous types of tropical flowers and didn’t deserve to be ignored. The fragrant air of the Caribbean was almost intoxicating as I felt it fill and leave my lungs with a smile on my face and a look of wonderment that just screamed, “I’m a tourist”. I could smell the grilled seafood in the air as I neared the open-faced eatery and felt my stomach give a bit of a rumble. I was greeted by a smiling woman with a thick, island accent who told me to sit wherever I liked and since I was dining alone, the bar seemed appropriate. I walked to the bar and gazed past it, to the ocean behind the structure and since the place was more like a large hut than a building, I was able to see most of the surrounding areas and sat with a grin.
“First time on the island?” The bartender asked me as he noticed my obvious expression of wonder and delight.
“Yes, it’s absolutely beautiful here. I don’t think I ever want to leave.” He chuckled and replied,
“Believe it or not, that’s exactly what happened to me.” I gave a light laugh and said,
“Well, I can see why.” The tall, tanned and toned tender reached under the bar and grabbed a menu then placed it down in front of me.
“Anything while you wait?” He asked and I had no idea what I wa
nted so I just told him to surprise me with something “islandy”.
“I know just the thing.” With a wink, he turned to the myriad assortment of liquor bottles and mixers and I spun around on my stool and looked outside towards the street. There was no telling what kind of trouble I could get into if I just went searching for someone but I had decided that I wouldn’t overfill my coconut or have one too many delicious, fruity yet surprisingly strong shots that the place had to offer. I still planned to go shopping afterwards if something else didn’t catch my eye between here and there.
Chapter Eight
I returned to the hotel carrying bags in various sizes and shapes and wished that I hadn’t spent so much on foolish things like beaded necklines and satin hems but I couldn’t help myself. If ever I had felt like a kid in a candy store, it was shopping on Lance’s dime. Never before could I have walked into an island boutique and been treated like royalty simply because I let them know that I meant to do some serious shopping. Money talks to these business owners and my own bank account doesn’t say that much but Lance’s balance is soon to be envied by the heavens and that was something that I still couldn’t believe. Yet, we were in Aruba, signing those T’s and dotting the last few I’s so that he could become rich beyond my wildest dreams.
I threw my bounty on the bed and sighed as the bags fell open in a wild disarray on the top of the bedspread and placing my hands on my hips, I tried to decide what I was going to try on first. Beginning to unpack each box and place its contents aside, I took the empty bags and boxes and placed them on the floor. Holding a silk blouse to my chest, I turned towards the mirror to find Lance standing in the open doorway, leaning against the frame, arms folded with a smile on his face.
“I see you found some things you like.” He walked into the room and I couldn’t help but run to him and hug him tightly.
