This was the second time he kissed her in the water, and it was wonderful. So very different from the first. It was still wet, but it wasn’t hard. This one was soft and gentle and somehow cherishing. Mika sighed into him and wondered if she would always compare his kisses to that first one. If she would always compare all kisses to that special first one. Stop thinking, just let go and feel!
Ale was tender, holding her like a precious gift. His mouth was a warm oasis that made her forget the coolness of the water. He balanced them both, treading water as their bodies swayed together. He seemed to be in no hurry as he learned her body, coaxing pleasure from her that she didn’t know she craved.
“Come, let’s go over this way,” he said, moving away from her mouth and pulling her out of a trance.
Her cheeks burned.
“You are so beautiful when you blush.”
This only made her face hotter. “I told you, I don’t blush.”
“Oh, yes you do. You get the most beautiful rosy glow under that brown skin of yours when you’re embarrassed—and when you’ve been completely and thoroughly kissed.”
She raised a dark brow at him. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
He grinned, taking her hand and turning it over to kiss the inside of her wrist. It sent a delicious ripple of delight to each and every erogenous zone she had. Then he stuck out his tongue and traced a lazy figure eight, causing her breasts to tingle.
She pulled her arm away. “Yes, you do think you’re smart. Way too smug for your own good, but as you know, I don’t like not having the upper hand.” She pushed at his chest and swam away to the shallow water trailing lazily across the rocks. She hauled herself up and took a seat on a ledge, leaning back and letting the water flow over her body.
*
Ale stared at her. She was enjoying every moment of this, the little minx. Well, good for her. He’d never seen her like this and honestly, it was fun. He ducked under the water and swam toward her. Mika let out a playful shriek as his hands trailed from her foot up her leg to her thigh. He wanted to hear it again. And again.
Ale stepped forward between her legs. He fit so well and it felt good. So right. “I love it when you laugh. You don’t do it enough.”
Mika’s eyes got darker, clouding over as she looked at him.
“Hey, where did you go just now?”
“Just back to reality for a moment.”
He ran his fingers across her brow. “Well, I don’t want you going there if it brings that kind of sadness to your eyes. Should I not bring up laughter?”
Mika looked up at him and smiled. “No, of course you can. And you’re right. I don’t laugh enough.” She reached out to him, running her hand down his chest to his shorts. “Though this,” she started, eyeing him suggestively, “is not funny at all.”
He could tell she was trying her best to bring them back to where they were. She wiggled against him, and he groaned. “Now you’re teasing me.”
“It’s only fair. Isn’t that what you were trying to do to me?” she asked, all sultry and un-Mika-like.
He quirked his head to the side. “Maybe just a bit.”
“Well, I’m leveling the playing field,” she said, pulling him forward by his shorts and causing a groan to escape his lips.
“Why, Ms. Walters, who are you? You are turning positively wicked.”
She put a hand to her chest and batted her eyes to feign innocence. “Oh, thank you ever so much for noticing.”
He leaned in close to her ear and gave the sensitive outer edge a flick with his tongue. “Oh, I’ve noticed. And don’t think this is the first time.”
“I guess we both have our tendencies then,” Mika said, pulling him in close and tightening her thighs around his hips. She leaned in and kissed his collarbone, his shoulder, his jaw.
He licked his lips. The combination of her warm skin and the cool water created the perfect balance. He leaned back and looked into her eyes. There were such depths there, and he wanted to sink into each and every one. “Kiss me, Mika, please.”
She looked at him, a question in her eyes. “I’m surprised to hear you asking.”
“Do I have to ask again, or will you make me beg?”
“You never beg for anything.” As her lips touched his, thunder roared overhead. Mika jumped in his arms. “Was that you?”
“I don’t think so.”
A moment later, lightning flashed across the sky and the rain began before they could say another word.
“Our clothes. The cameras!” Mika yelled, pulling from his grasp.
“Don’t worry, they should be fine in that tree for the moment.” Alejandro looked behind Mika to the cave behind the waterfall. “We can go in there and wait out the storm.”
Mika turned and looked behind the falls to the cave, shivering. “Please say you’re not serious. Anything could be in there.”
“Beauty, are we going there again? You know I don’t kid. It took us a long time to get here, and we’d probably get lost or maybe worse, hurt, trying to make our way back in this storm. I don’t want to risk it. I say let’s wait it out a bit and see how long this storm lasts. Maybe it won’t be long and we can still get some work in after.” Without giving her a chance to protest, he pulled her gently but firmly by the arm and walked through the falls. With both hands on her shoulders, he looked her in the eye and placed her at the mouth of the cave. “You stay put a sec, and let me go up and get the packs,” he said before she could get out a proper protest.
“I’m scared,” he heard her say, her voice sounding small over his shoulder as he left to go and check on the packs.
He turned and smiled. “Don’t be, love. I’ll be back before you know it. Consider this part of the adventure.”
Chapter 8
Love. It was just an expression and she knew it, but still Mika held it close to her heart like a lifeline as she waited for Ale to secure the equipment.
She shivered, wrapping her arms around her body. So an adventure, huh? She ran her hands through her hair. Well, she was starting to have enough of adventures. She must look like a wet, shivering rat right now. That was about as far from sultry seductress as she could get.
There was a small snap and she stilled, her ears perking up. Why did she have to think of rats? Mika spun around. Who knew what was in this cave? She leaned over and peered inside the deep shadows. The more she looked, the darker they seemed to grow as the rain pelted down in the background behind the rushing water. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Where was Ale? He could’ve slipped on a rock on the way up and hurt himself. How would she even know? She’d give him five more minutes and then rain or not, she was going after him.
She tapped her toes and tried to do what Ale would—focus on the adventure instead of fear. He’d be back any moment. Of course he would. He had to. She leaned further into the cave and heard another knock from deep inside that caused her to jump. At the same time, a hand clasped her shoulder. She squealed.
“Calm down. It’s just me,” Alejandro said, a concerned look in his eyes.
Damn, she was turning into a whiny little thing out here alone with him. “Well you practically scared the pee out of me.”
“Sorry, I thought you heard me coming.”
She waved a hand. “It’s fine. I guess I was distracted. I think I heard something in there.”
Ale frowned and looked deeper into the cave. He squeezed her hand. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but you want to stay here while I check it out?”
“Hell no, Scooby Doo. You’re not leaving me behind to get snatched. Didn’t you watch Saturday morning cartoons as a kid?”
He turned and gave her a grin. “Very funny.” He took off the backpack he was wearing and took out a small lantern Tong had smartly supplied. “I have light.”
“Thank goodness for the little things. Tong must’ve been a Boy Scout to have learned to pack so well.”
With light, the cave was much less scary than Mika
thought. Nowhere near as dark, with a small pool of water in the corner. Small rock windows in back also let in soft natural light. Thankfully, their inspection turned up no creatures big or small, at least as far as she could see. It was obviously a well-used place among the islanders, judging by the carvings on the walls and what looked like a small fire pit in a back corner.
Mika shivered, and Ale walked her to a ledge, sat her down, then reached for the backpack and pulled out a small blanket and a towel.
“Here, dry off.” He rubbed her arms briskly. “I’m glad we came prepared today. I put our clothes and the other pack further in the tree and covered it. It should stay pretty dry there. I just brought the essentials—and the cameras, of course.”
She wrapped herself in the layers and looked up at him. “Of course. Thanks.”
“If I’m so smart, why are you giving me that look?”
She shrugged. “I’m just cold is all. Right now even New York in winter sounds welcoming.” She shivered and Ale frowned, staring at the pool of water. He reached down and ran his hand through the water. Getting up, he took her hand and gave a tug.
“Come on out of the blanket.”
“Why? I’m freezing here.”
“Don’t argue with me right now, Mika. This is a hot spring. I know you’re cold, but haven’t you noticed it’s warm over here? And that there is steam rising from the water. So come on. It’s into the water with you.”
She looked down at the water and didn’t see the bottom. “Yeah, but how do you know what’s in there?”
Once again, Alejandro led the way. He eased into the pool, which came to the middle of his chest. “See, it’s not even so deep. But it’s warm. Heavenly.”
Mika frowned at him but shrugged off the blanket. “If we stayed on the mainland at the resort it would be warm there, too, I bet.”
He tugged her hand as she slipped into the water. Delicious warmth surrounded her body and then Ale was there, his body right next to hers, sliding against her. “Yes, but it wouldn’t be nearly as hot at this.” he said, as he picked her up and pulled her against his chest.
He was so right. Not nearly as hot. Nothing could be. He was all fire, and she burned under his touch. Damn. She’d been so busy shivering and complaining that she didn’t see the erotic potential here. Silly woman. She was almost ashamed of her lack of observation. But Ale’s talented wandering hands had her getting over it quickly.
She let go and focused on him. Breathed him in. His warm, clean scent mingled with the slightly acrid saltiness in the air. She ran her hands along his smooth, muscled back. Where she was once cold, now she was in grave danger of overheating as a fine sheen of moisture covered her face. She pulled back, searching for air. For space. But there was no escape, just Ale’s dark eyes, all seeing, as his mouth came down on hers.
Slowly, languidly, he tasted and explored her mouth with his strong tongue. His lips went from soft and teasing to hard and demanding, as his hands pulled her in closer to his hardening erection. The steam between them rose and her breathing became shallower. How was it she ever thought this cave was cold? Where was the air? She pulled back, blinking her eyes open. He was still looking down at her. Mika planted her feet on the bottom of the pool, reached up and kissed Ale’s lids, closing them. No matter what he was really thinking, those eyes of his were making it hard to separate reality and the fantasy.
She moved down to his jaw, teasing with her tongue the hint of stubble then moving to the corded muscle in his neck. She longed to bite him, mark him as her own. But she stopped. Resisted. This would only last one day more. There would be no marking him because he would never be hers.
She shook the thought off and moved lower to tease one of his tight brown nipples with her tongue. The deep groan of desire gave her a surge of power. She reached out and cupped his erection before slipping her hands inside his shorts, running her fingers from base to tip, stroking, playing, watching as Ale’s head rolled back as he fought to keep control.
Suddenly he stilled her hands, grumbling, “Slow down, beauty. You’ll be the death of me.”
She looked up at him with a ready grin but paused at seeing her own raw fears echoed back at her.
*
Ale stared at Mika. She was hiding. He couldn’t put his finger on what or how, but somehow here she was, right in front of him, yet she wasn’t. This wasn’t her. Most of the day, and especially for the past half hour, she had been putting on an act. This wasn’t his no-nonsense keep-it-all-together working Mika, and it wasn’t his vulnerable beauty from under their tree either. This seductress was something else. She was guarded, too much so, and he didn’t like it one bit. He wanted the true woman—either the fighting tiger or his emotional dove—but not this. This creature he didn’t understand.
It would be all or nothing for him. Somehow he’d break down that wall and get his Mika back. Let her know she could trust all parts of herself to him.
She bit her bottom lip.
“Let me do that for you.” He took her full lip between his teeth and gave it a gentle bite. He did it again, adding more pressure and getting a short gasp as a reply. “Was that a good sound or a bad one?”
She looked up at him with glassy eyes. “Definitely good,” she murmured and looked to the side.
He took her chin in his hand and turned her back to him, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “Don’t look away from me. In my eyes, I want you to see yourself. To see how I feel about you.”
And there they were, staring at each other, hard and defiant. One heartbeat then another passed in silence while each tried to read the other’s thoughts, answer the other’s unanswered questions.
His hands itched to pull her closer still. Her hips fit perfectly in his palms, and he knew he wanted so much more than even this moment. He wanted this to last. He saw the myriad emotions at play as Mika’s expressions ran the gamut and was just about to coax her into talking to him when her mouth came crashing into his.
It was like their first kiss, but in reverse. Like she wanted to shut him up, shut the world out. She was demanding and rough. Coming at him like a lion, breaking his lips apart and forcing her tongue in before he could speak.
He thought about giving as good as he got and biting her tongue, but instead gently pushed her back and looked at her. “What are you doing?”
*
Mika pulled back, breathless. What was she doing? She didn’t know. The blood was coursing through her body so fast she could hear it rushing in her ears. Or maybe it was the sound of the water. Hell, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was them. The two of them and that moment. The moment they would never get back and never have again. The moment that would be lost once everyone arrived and she was nothing once again. She looked at Alejandro, her arms wrapped around him. Her chest pressed against his. His dark skin, those deep eyes that saw so much, that held everything. All she wanted, all she needed in that second, was to take another much needed breath to move on. “I’m just enjoying this moment. For once, I’m just letting go.”
*
“I think the rain has stopped.” Alejandro’s gravelly voice brought Mika from her state of not-quite sleep, her liquid dreaminess.
“That’s a bummer.”
He groaned. “I was thinking the same thing.”
They were on the pool ledge, wrapped in each other’s arms.
“I was just starting to like this little cave,” Mika said, snuggling deeper against his body.
“So was I, but it will soon be dark. And we forgot about lunch. There are some sandwiches in the bag. I meant to tell you earlier but got pleasantly distracted.”
“It was a good excuse not to eat, but now I am hungry.” She went to get up, then remembered she was nude and stopped. “Um, do you mind getting the food and my suit?”
He gave her a sideways look. “So we’re back to that.”
She sighed. “Hey, some of us are not in the stellar shape that you are. My boss has been keeping me busy. No time
for the gym.”
“Stop it, Beauty, you’re perfect,” he said, kissing her shoulder and rubbing his hand across her slightly rounded belly. She quivered, aroused but more uncomfortable.
She eased his hand away. “Cut it out. And the ‘beauty’ thing is not much better than ‘honey.’ Now hand me my suit, please. I’m starving, and as you said, we should get going.”
“And there’s the girl I know,” Ale said, pushing back and sitting up. He got up and walked to get their suits but turned back to her. “You’re right about the ‘honey’ deal. I’ll give you that. But you can’t stop me from calling you ‘beauty.’ Because you are beautiful. And if no one has told it to you before, well then, I’m not sorry for them being asses. Their loss is my gain.” He punched his legs angrily and unselfconsciously into his shorts.
Mika wished she could be so free, but suddenly she felt exposed. Without the haze of passion in Ale’s eyes, she felt too raw.
He walked back over to her. “Care to let me put it on you?” he asked, handing over her suit, some calmness back in his voice.
“That’s okay, I can handle it,” she said, taking the suit and doing her best to change while under the blanket. Heat flooded her body.
She pretended to ignore Ale’s head shake.
*
The sun was starting to set as they made their way back to the village.
“You two do know how to give a fright,” Tai said, running out to them. “Did you get stuck in the storm? What about the walkie-talkie Tong gave you? We were about to send out a search party.”
Mika and Ale looked at each other, and Tai narrowed her eyes on them. They both squirmed like two teens.
“I guess you’re too busy working to think of it,” Tai said, waving a hand. “Well, no matter. Go. I will have dinner brought up to you soon.”
Mika started to protest then looked at Ale, who nodded. “Really, Tai, please don’t. It’s getting late. We’ll be fine. You’ve done enough.”
“Nonsense. You must eat.”
But Ale insisted and, instead of having dinner brought over, Tai gave in and let them follow her to her home, where she handed them a basket with warm stew in a clay pot, some bread, and a couple of bowls. “Fine, take this. I’ll pick it up tomorrow. You two do look tired.” She said by way of one last dig that had Mika blushing and Ale giving her a sideways I-told-you-that-you-blush look. She couldn’t wait to escape the older woman’s presence. Tai’s first declaration upon their arrival came back to haunt Mika at every turn. Even little Sunee looked up at her with wide, seemingly knowing eyes. Jeez, how would she hide her feelings from the crew once they arrived the day after tomorrow?
Through The Lens (Creative Hearts Book 1) Page 9
