The Cancun Trilogy, An Erotic Beach Romance

by Lena Malick

  Convulsive tears came to her eyes. “Oh, God. You’re going to—you’re going to—you’re going to ask me to—”

  “Shhh, stop it,” he said firmly. “You’re not supposed to know.”

  A flood of emotions overcame her. “But I, but I—”

  He shook his head. “Don’t say anything. My whole family is in on this. You can’t let on that you know anything. It’s important to them. Please.”

  “Okay. Okay, I can do that. Oh, God. Nik.” She held his face. “Nik, I love you.”

  Relief flooded his face even as tears welled up in his eyes. “You do? I mean, don’t say anything yet.”

  Terra just nodded her head as tears streamed down her face. She held his face and moved half onto his lap as she kissed him. His hands slid behind her as they fell into a deep kiss. She moved all the way onto his lap, straddling him, her silk dress sliding up to her hips. She cupped his chin in her hand as her tongue moved over his.

  “Oh, Nik,” she whispered between kisses. “Oh, my love.”

  They were both half laughing and half crying, even as desire quickly consumed them, overpowering everything else. Their kissing became hurried and ravenous. Terra tilted her head back as he kissed her throat. She grabbed the back of his head, holding a fist full of hair. She lifted herself off his lap as he undid his belt. She reached below, feeling herself slippery wet. Desperate now, he pulled himself out as she maneuvered herself into position. She felt him pressed to her opening and began to push down.

  The limo came to a heaving stop, throwing her off his lap.

  “Shit,” Nik said, as Terra landed in a heap on the floorboard. “Are you okay?” He leaned down to reach for her.

  “Ouch. I mean, yes. I’m okay.” The car's engine stopped. She heard the driver open his door.

  “Damn, we’re here,” Nik said as he hoisted Terra back up. The driver opened their door just as she sat, pulling her dress back down and trying to compose herself as her heart beat out of her chest. “Okay, good then,” she said, flustered.

  The driver stood next to the open door like a sentry as Nik got out and reached back in for Terra’s hand.

  When they were both out of the limo, the driver whispered something to Nik. “Oh,” Nik said, glancing down and zipping up his pants.

  They were at a boat marina, nestled in a bay. The bay was rimmed with warm lights from colorful waterfront homes that scattered the waterline like jewels on a necklace. Everything from sport boats to yachts were lined up in neat rows, spread out in a fan over the water. The limo driver guided them down to the docks where one of Nik’s brothers took over, escorting them to the step-ramp of a luxury yacht. The opulent boat looked big enough for a hundred people, but only a few other people were on board.

  Terra held her dress as she stepped aboard, holding onto Nik with her other hand. She quickly realized that everyone on board was part of Nik’s family. As was the limo driver. They all seemed to be playing their part in a perfectly choreographed plan. Handed flutes of champagne, they were guided by another family member to the bow of the yacht.

  As they stood at the front rail, the boat powered away, cutting through the water with an agility that belied its size. A salty breeze pushed over them. Terra snuggled close to Nik, nuzzling her face into his neck and breathing him in. A woman came up behind Terra and placed a soft wool sweater over her shoulders. Terra glanced back and realized it was Anna. Before Terra could say anything, Anna slipped back into the shadows with a sly smile.

  About the time they finished their champagne, the boat pulled up to a dock. The area was dark. Terra wasn’t sure if it was an island or a part of the coast. Before she could ask, Nik’s brother, Arteus, guided them off the yacht and onto the dock. They walked toward the beach, Terra’s heels knocking on the wood planks. When they got to the sand, they stopped.

  “Take off shoes,” Arteus said. Nik began taking his shoes off. Terra did the same. When they handed them over, Arteus took them and turned back to the boat without another word.

  Terra wasn’t sure what was going on. She trusted Nik, but she was starting to feel a little unnerved. Away from the light of the boat, she couldn’t see much of anything. Standing in the cool sand, she was anxious for what was going to come next. As if sensing it, Nik turned to her and smiled. She could barely make out his features in the dark, but saw his bright green eyes and could tell from them that he was smiling.

  Terra thought Arteus had gone back to the boat, but he was standing on the dock. He said something to Nik that sounded like “Ready?” “Yes,” Nik said over his shoulder. Terra saw Arteus light something. A flame billowed at the end of a torch. Arteus bent and touched the torch to something. Another torch, this one set in the sand, lit up. He leaned and lit another torch a few feet way.

  Nik put his hand on Terra’s back and motioned her to look forward. Terra hadn’t seen them in the dark, but two long lines of torches had been placed in the sand, forming a path. They were set close enough together so that as one was lit, its flame lit the one next to it. As Nik and Terra stood there, the long lines of torches began lighting in turn, cascading forward, rolling ahead of them like a wave of fire. Terra felt a whoosh of warmth as the flames passed them. The fire lit up the beach, stretching further and further ahead. Nik pulled Terra closer to him.

  Terra could see the beach better now. It was narrow. The sand area was crowded in by high rock formations, now lit by the blazing line of torches.

  It was like something out of a fairy tale. The trail created by the fiery torches stretched ahead and around a curve. After giving her a moment to catch her breath, Nik lead her down the center of the trail, as if they were entering the land of Oz. The heat from the torches clashed with the cool air, flushing Terra with alternating waves of hot air and cool breeze.

  As they got to the bend in the trail, Terra could see the flickering glow of lights up ahead. Once they made it all the way around the bend, the trail of torches stopped.

  Just below them, starting a few steps from where they stood, was a white sand beach that was tucked into a cove. It was lit by thousands of candles set in the sand. An outcropping of rock jutted out high over the sand, dramatically covering the beach like a gothic ceiling. The candles threw dancing light on the rock ceiling, illuminating the beach like a magic lantern.

  In the center of the beach, near the water line, was a table and two chairs. The table was covered with a white tablecloth. Nik lead Terra to the table, guiding her through the candles. Terra held her dress close, picking her way through.

  Nik held her chair for her as she sat. On the table was wine, cheese, olives, and fresh bread—Terra realized at once that it was the exact same thing they’d had on their first day together, when they were on the porch of his house in Cancún.

  A pang went through her as she realized that she had fallen in love with him then—on that first day. Being the sensible sort, she had never admitted it to herself, but now she realized it with total clarity.

  They didn’t touch the food, or the wine. Nik reached across the table and took her hand. A warm flush went through her, just from the touch of his skin. His eyes, warm in the candlelight, danced and flickered as he looked at her, completely absorbed.

  As she fixed on his eyes, amazed again at how beautiful he was, she had a realization. His physical beauty was so overpowering that it could be deceptive. She had more than once questioned herself, secretly wondering if the love she felt for him wasn’t at least partly influenced by his astonishing physical beauty. But now she realized that it was his internal beauty that she had fallen in love with. The real Nik, the Nik she loved, was beautiful on the inside. Maybe his love for her came in part from the fact that she was able to see past the physical, to the real man underneath, and to love him for what she found there.

  Still holding her hand, he slid out of his chair, onto one knee. She stood. Despite herself, the sight of him before her, looking up at her, and everything that it meant, hit her with a wave of emotion
that caused her hand jump to her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.

  He held a ring in his hand.

  “Terra, when you look at me, I feel like I’m being seen for the first time. Other people look at me. You see me. The complete me. And when I look at you, it’s like I’m catching a glimpse of divinity. I see the real you. The beauty that is inside you. I love you. I’ve always loved you. You are—” Despite his efforts, his voice cracked. He took a moment. “You are my truth. Terra, will you marry me?”

  “Yes. Yes. A thousand times, YES!”

  Chapter 4

  The pilot announced they would be arriving at Cancún airport in thirty minutes. Though she hadn’t fallen asleep, it was a lot like waking from a pleasant dream. Terra didn’t want to let go of her reverie. She kept her eyes closed and her head rested back. She could still feel the cool sand in her toes, and see the flickering light of a thousand candles. She could feel Nik’s hand putting the ring on her finger. You are my truth.

  Terra moved her head and realized her neck had stiffened. She opened her eyes and looked at Vicky—still asleep, pen in her hand.

  Lifting the window visor, she realized they had banked out over the ocean. She could see the line of the coast.

  Once the plane landed, things would get hectic. The wedding was tomorrow, and as soon as they got off the plane, Vicky was sure to go into full chaos mode. There was a lot to get done, and no time for delays—the weather forecast said a storm was coming in the day after tomorrow.

  Terra realized that this was her last moment of peace for awhile. She wanted to go back. Just one more time. She wanted to make sure that the week she spent in Athens was firmly burned into her memory. She knew that as an old lady, with grandchildren scampering around her feet, she’d want to be able to remember that time—like a secret you keep in a hidden chamber of your heart.

  She closed the window visor. Just a few more minutes to remember. A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she rested her head back and closed her eyes…

  Chapter 5

  Interruptions. After the proposal, there was just no end to the interruptions. The second she and Nik would find time alone, someone would barge in. Terra was getting desperate. She knew Nik was too. She wanted to have sex with her fiancé—that didn’t seem unreasonable. It had now been over a week since they’d done it. It was amazing for her to think she used to go for months and hardly even think of sex. Now she wanted a long, uninterrupted afternoon, like they had back in Cancún on days when it rained and they had to stay inside all day. Sex in the bathtub. Sex in the bed. Sex on the kitchen table. On the floor. On top of him. On her knees—at this point, she’d take it however she could get it. Even a quickie. Maybe in the bathroom. Or against the wall. However.

  In the days after the proposal, Terra and Nik worked out their schedules. Terra had to leave Athens in a couple days to start her junior year of college. Nik would go back to Cancún to finish building the dive sanctuary. They would get married in Cancún the following year. Carmine had agreed to work on the medical clinic that Terra wanted to build. There was a lot of logistics to figure out. It would mean time away from each other, but Nik insisted that Terra follow through on her dream of medical school and becoming a Pediatrician. All the planning was stressful, and they both needed a release—if they could just get a few minutes together without interruption. They’d be getting on separate planes soon, and Terra wasn’t about to let that happen without consummating her engagement with her fiancé.

  But once engaged, Terra was considered part of Nik’s family, and everyone wanted a piece of her. Which meant she and Nik were never alone.

  Nik’s dad, an intimidating man, insisted on showing Terra the olive oil factory that was the original source of the family’s wealth. He was giving them the tour, leading them down the stairs to the sub-basement where huge vats of fresh olive oil were stored. He had been explaining to Terra, in broken English, the whole process of making olive oil. Nik was interpreting where needed.

  “Cold pressed. We prevented that. Right here,” Nik’s dad said with pride, just as his phone rang.

  “Invented,” Nik wearily corrected.

  Nik’s dad started barking into his phone in Greek. Terra had been studying Greek for the past year and understood some of what he was saying—most of it consisted of curse words. He covered the phone with his meaty hand and turned to them. “I have to do this to take care of,” he said, confusing Terra. He then said something to Nik in Greek.

  Nik nodded and his dad went back to yelling into his phone, bounding up the stairs two at a time. Nik and Terra heard the door at the top of the stairs close. They looked at each other, wide eyed. Silence. Alone. They were alone. Sure, they were in the basement of an olive oil factory, surrounded by large vats of olive oil, but they were actually, finally alone.

  Nik pretended not to notice. “Over here, we have extra, extra, virgin oil,” he said, dipping his finger into the sample cup of oil that sat on a table next to the vat. He turned to Terra and put his finger to her lips. She opened her mouth as he ran his finger over her bottom lip.

  She grabbed his wrist and stepped into him. “Nik, he’ll be back soon. Please. Don’t tease me. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t know how much time we have. Probably not much. Let’s not waste it.” She put her other hand behind his head and pulled him to her. Grabbing him roughly, she spoke as she kissed him. “Please, Nik. Just—just kiss me—until he comes back. We’ll hear him—on the stairs—and stop then.”

  Nik pulled away. “Oh, God,” Terra said in frustration. “Uuugh.”

  “Just a sec,” Nik said, running up the stairs.

  “Nooo, don’t you dare leave me alone down here!”

  He was only gone a moment before coming bounding back down. “My dad told me he had to attend to something and will be back soon, but I locked the door so we can have some privacy. Probably not for long though, because he—”

  “Oh, thank God,” Terra cut him off, throwing herself at him. He was just as ravenous, already pulling his shirt off as she yanked her skirt down. “Forget the foreplay,” she said breathlessly. “I’m ready now. I’ve been ready.” She quickly unbuttoned her blouse as he kissed her and unbuckled his pants at the same time. “Just… just give it to me. Oh, God. Oh, God I want you.” Clothes went flying in a blur of colors.

  Kicking his pants away, Nik got on his knees before her and began pulling her panties down. He had them down to her knees when he lustily pressed his face to her crotch, causing her to double forward and grab his hair. He pulled her panties all the way off as he nuzzled his face deeper, dipping his head back. She was already slippery against his face, heat coming off her like a fever. As he kissed around her crotch, he put his arm against her inner thigh and pulled her leg over his shoulder, pushing her legs apart.

  Reaching up, he spread her and pressed his mouth to her, gorging her exposed opening with his tongue.

  “Oh, God,” she called out, grabbing fists full of hair.

  “Shhhh,” he said.

  “Right. Okay. I can be quiet. I think. Oh-oh, God!” She was standing on one foot, with the other leg over his shoulder. Her weight was pressed down on him as he licked and sucked her.

  Nik knew that what Terra needed right now was an orgasm—as quickly as possible. There would be time later for leisurely lovemaking, but right now she needed relief from the stress that had built up over the last few days. He could feel the tension in her taut body. Keeping his mouth on her, he slid down until he was on his back, with her straddling his face.

  She gripped his hair with both hands as she squatted on him, keeping herself lifted so as not to smother him. As his tongue darted inside her, his hand reached around her upper thigh. His fingers quickly found the spot and began massaging her. He began a steady rhythm, increasing it slowly as she torqued on him. Waves of vibrations began to ripple through her, starting at her groin and going all the way up her spine. She closed her eyes and began making a whining
sound, trying not to yell out.

  “Ahhhh!” She couldn’t help it. Her head dropped back as the orgasm jolted her with hard spasms, one after another. Nik pulled her down harder, cupping her with his whole mouth. He could feel her contractions, quivering against his lips and tongue. Her legs shook against his shoulders. Her orgasm continued to roll through her in fits as he rubbed his hand up her back. Finally, her body began to settle down as the orgasm slowly receded.

  Terra lifted herself off, her breath still heaving, and sat on his chest. As she caught her breath, she ran her fingers over his lips and face, tracing them with her fingertips. He was breathing deep, his chest lifting and lowering her. She turned around and looked. He was enormous—full and ridged, standing straight up. She knew he needed relief as much as she did. She also knew they didn’t have much time.

  Twisting around, she placed both hands at the base of him. It felt thick and heavy. Ropey veins twisted up the shaft. The head strained up, engorged and nearly purple, as if ready to explode. She loved the feeling of holding him like this—like she had the source of all his masculine power contained in her grasp. She ran her hands gently up and down, lightly stroking. His skin was soft, contrasting with the rock hard feeling underneath. She covered the head with her hands, then slowly stroked down with a light touch, until she had one hand around the base and the other cupping his soft balls. She felt him twitch as he arched his back.

  Terra looked up and saw the cup of olive oil on the table. She reached up and put her hand in the cup, wetting it with oil to her wrist. She repositioned herself so she was facing him, crouched between his knees. She could see the strain on his face. His muscles were tense, causing his abdominal muscles to ripple in ridges and waves. His stomach pulled in and out with his quick breathing. Terra realized, with a devious, delicious sense of power, that her man desperately needed to come.

  Nik looked down the length of his body at her. She rubbed her hands together, slathering them in olive oil. Cupping her hands, she squeezed, allowing the oil to drip down his shaft. The oil dribbling all the way down. She slowly slid her hands down his length. She looked up at him as she put her mouth on him. Using both hands, she stroked his shaft up and down as she sucked. She flicked her tongue over and around the head, teasing him with a playful smile before taking him deep in her mouth again. He was so hard she felt him throbbing in her hands. His body started to torque and twist. She’d never felt him progress so quickly.