by Curry, Edna
"A Pina Colada," she threw over her shoulder, heading quickly down the hall towards the bathrooms. She was sure she looked a mess. But though the face which stared back at her from the mirror was flushed, she felt sure no one would be able to tell whether it was from the sun or his kisses.
She combed her hair and put on fresh lipstick, then, her confidence restored, she went back to the lounge.
Jeff danced as divinely as she had known he would. Hadn't he had enough practice with other girls, she thought jealously. Then she pushed the thought away. Tonight was hers to remember. What more could she ask? Wasn't this just as she had always dreamed: dancing in the arms of a handsome man in a lovely tropical setting, with soft, dreamy music playing in the background?
She smiled into his shoulder, remembering her father's favorite comment when she wanted something. ‘If we handed you the moon with a little green fence around it, you'd want the fence painted red!’ That was her, she thought ruefully. Here she was, on a trip she had dreamed about, dancing in a handsome man's arms to romantic music, and all she could think of was what she didn't have. She was never satisfied.
Much later, he kissed her hungrily again at her door, then reached for her key and steered her inside, locking it behind them. She knew immediately his intentions, but was powerless to resist. The sensations had been building all evening within her, and were now throbbing at fever pitch and would not be denied.
His lips and hands explored as he eased her gently down onto her bed, and they both gave in to their desires. His brown eyes questioned as he slowly undressed her, and she couldn't deny him. Tonight was hers; a dream come true.
"You are so beautiful” he exclaimed, tracing her full soft curves with his fingers, then bent his head to allow his tongue to do the same.
Her hands slid under his shirt to explore the soft mat of hair on his chest, then over the ripples of muscles on his abdomen.
He moaned in pleasure and allowed his lips to seek once more the excited peaks of her soft breasts. She allowed her hands to explore everywhere, as she had been wanting to since she'd met him.
A shiver of delight ran over her as her soft fingers encountered his hardness, and he quickly helped her finish undressing him. He paused to take a small packet of protection from the pocket before dropping his pants onto a chair.
She felt a moment of panic then, wondering if her inexperience showed, if she would be able to please him.
Then he took her in his arms again, and as she felt the length of his body on hers, she forgot her fears and was lost in the wonderful sensations his hands and mouth were creating for her. His kisses became more urgent and their breathing faster.
Their sounds of pleasure merged along with their bodies until she was no longer sure which was hers or his, nor cared. Only the feelings of pleasure mattered as time stood still.
A crescendo of emotion built in her in answer to his rhythm, such as she had never imagined existed. With a final thrust, he climaxed, and she thrilled to feel him throb inside her. She knew from his loving murmuring that he was pleased as well.
Then, exhausted, they fell asleep in each others' arms.
Hours later, she awoke, her arm numb beneath his head. Her travel alarm on the night table said four o'clock.
"Jeff, wake up. You must go back to your own room."
She eased him awake, and he opened his eyes, smiled at her. But instead of leaving, he began kissing her, and slowly, deliciously, they made love once more.
Then with a final long kiss, he left her to go down the hall to his own room.
She lay awake for a long time, dreaming an impossible dream. In it he belonged only to her, and they spent day after day together, working and traveling as a team.
What a silly girl she was! He belonged to another world, one where the rich people met together in luxuriously furnished boardrooms and talked of multimillion dollar deals over coffee as they smoked their pipes. Beautiful secretaries like Arlene hovered in the background, ready to play when the meetings were over.
Although, she also remembered that sometimes there was deceit and selling of secrets. Maybe it wasn't all wine and roses. How did Jeff really feel about it? She wished she knew. At last, with a heavy sigh, she slept.
When she went down to breakfast hours later, Jeff, Vince and Arlene were already seated in the little open air restaurant by the pool. She swallowed the jealous pang she felt with an effort and answered their smiles and waves. He was pretending it never happened, of course. And so must she. She loved him, but perhaps she was just another conquest to him. She must get hold of herself. Where's your pride? she scolded herself. Life must go on as usual, whether or not you've given your heart away!
She went through the long buffet line, opting for pineapple juice, a roll and an egg.
"Uno?"
"Si." She watched the young girl deftly pour some fat in the black cast-iron frying pan, swirl it around a bit to heat it to her satisfaction, then crack an egg into it and fry it for her as she watched. Then she slipped it onto a plate and handed it to her with a shy smile.
"Gracias."
Jeff waved her over to sit with them, so she couldn't avoid doing so without being very rude. She avoided his eyes, wondering if her change in feelings showed on her face. Could anyone tell that she was madly in love; that they had been naked in each other's arms only hours before?
Arlene took in her modest blouse and shorts outfit with a satisfied smile. Diane couldn't help noticing that Arlene was in a stunning turquoise colored outfit which had obviously cost a fortune. Arlene made a point of monopolizing the conversation, raving about the delicious lobster supper they'd had the night before, and the lively disco they and the Erringtons had enjoyed.
Vince smiled at her indulgently, agreeing that they'd had a great time.
The waiter brought second cups of coffee, and finally Jeff slipped in a sentence, asking Vince what they were going to do today. Diane was relieved to find that they were going on the boat trip for the day. She definitely did not want to be stuck with the catty Arlene for the day at the pool. Not today, of all days. Not after last night.
"Let's get the bulletin board and info lined up at the tour desk, Diane, then you can spend the day in the sun," Jeff directed, rising from the table. "Have a good day, Dad, and be careful climbing into those tricky canoes."
"I'm not decrepit yet, son," Vince said testily. "Who went to a disco last night?"
"You did, Father," Jeff said, wearily. "I didn't mean it like that, damn it!"
He took Diane's arm almost roughly and walked quickly down the steps and around the patio back into the hotel. Diane dared not say a word; one look at the scowl on his face was enough. Obviously he was very jealous that his father had gone dancing with Arlene last night and they had excluded him. What could she say? Had he and Arlene had a lovers quarrel? Pain shot through her at the thought.
Perhaps he had spent the evening with her last night only because of a quarrel with Arlene? Doubt gnawed at her stomach. Did he care about her at all?
She did her best to keep up with his long legs, but almost tripped at the steps. He reached out quickly and caught her by the arm firmly, slowing down.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to rush," he said noticing her fast breathing. "He just gets under my skin, sometimes. Now you see what I meant about needing a referee." His laugh was hollow.
Diane could think of nothing to say. They went on to the side hallway where their information table had been set up. One of the others had been removed and a new group was obviously coming in soon, as trays of drinks were set out.
They stopped a moment to exchange pleasantries with the tour guide who was waiting there for her new group to appear, then set about updating their bulletin board for the day, the work gradually restoring harmony between them.
At last Jeff was satisfied that they were set for the day.
"I'll make sure the men who are going fishing get off okay with their guide, then I'm off to the bullfights," he said
.
Diane smiled, thinking he sounded like an excited little boy going to his first movie.
"You think you'll like them?" she asked. "It always looks so gory and cruel on TV."
"Perhaps it is. But I've never seen one for real, so I want to go," he said, barely suppressing the excitement in his voice.
She went back to her room to change and find a book to read, then took the beach towel she'd been too late to return the day before and went back to the pool. This time she was careful to cover every inch of herself with sunscreen. She was barely pink from the afternoon before, but she knew she would burn badly if she wasn't careful. She always browned nicely if she could take the sun gradually, but a day in this tropical sun was definitely not gradual.
An hour later, Cathy Jorgensen joined her, and they spent a pleasant day in the sun, occasionally taking a swim in the pool to cool off.
In the middle of the afternoon, Cathy ran out of sunscreen and decided to run up to her room for another bottle.
"Come with me, Diane," she coaxed. "I'm a nervous wreck before I get my door unlocked each time. I can't get the key to work."
Sure enough, it seemed to do no good to turn the key. It worked no better for Diane than for Cathy. Finally they found a maid with her cart down the hall. She had a pass key, and couldn't open it with that either. They called one of the hotel's handymen, who called the manager, who decided they should simply install another lock. So they spent an hour sitting in Cathy's room on her little patio, watching the locksmith put in a new lock. They raided her refrigerator for cokes and talked and giggled like teenagers. It all seemed hilariously funny.
Mrs. Christensen walked by, and seeing the open door and the locksmith, stopped to chat. All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon.
They decided it would be fun to have dinner downtown at the little second-story restaurant where the guide had said Elizabeth Taylor had often eaten while they had been making their movie. It was a free evening, so Diane wasn't on duty. Why not? So they got dressed up and piled into a taxi and went downtown. It seemed very different at night, the streets were crowded with people and vehicles. Everyone evidently came out at night, here. Many of the people were obviously tourists like themselves. The food was excellent, and they had a great time.
Diane fell into bed, exhausted, but happy. She wondered what Jeff had done that evening. Maybe spent it with Arlene if they had made up by now. What did it matter to her, anyway?
She tried to tell herself it didn't matter, but it did. She tried to shut the scenes of their lovemaking the night before out of her mind, but she couldn't. Finally she quit trying to shut them out and merely enjoyed going over each delicious sensation again, reliving each touch of his hands, each caress of his mouth, savoring and enjoying the memories. After all, if Arlene did win Jeff, memories would be all she had. But at least she would have those.
Chapter 11
She awoke to the ringing of the phone.
"Yes?" she murmured into it groggily.
"You awake?" Jeff's gruff voice sounded in her ear.
"I am now," she answered, swinging her slim legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. "What's up?"
"Hangover from the girls' party?" his voice taunted.
"Certainly not! I never have over two drinks and you know it."
"You all looked like you were pretty high when you came back last night. You didn't even see us in the lounge when you came in. Or did you just pretend not to see us?"
"You were in the lounge?" her voice was small in dismay. Not that they had been doing anything wrong, but she remembered how giggly they had been. No wonder he'd thought them all drunk.
"Yes, we were in the lounge," he repeated. "And it is now ten o'clock. You were supposed to help me at our table an hour ago."
"Oh!" Her voice was very small. She rarely overslept, depending on a natural inner alarm clock to wake her at her usual time each morning. "I'm sorry. I'll leave a wake-up call at the desk after this."
"Never mind, I've finished at our table for now, and Lola, our hotel helper, will be available if anyone needs anything. How soon can you come down for breakfast?"
"Give me twenty minutes."
"See you there, then. I've had mine but I'll have coffee with you. We need to discuss plans for the Mexican Fiesta tonight."
She took a shower and dressed in record time, then went down to meet him. There was no line at the breakfast buffet at this late hour, so she filled her plate quickly, and sat down at the table where Jeff was waiting. She couldn't really blame him for being angry with her and she gave him a tentative smile.
He asked about the broken lock problem the day before, and she told him all about it.
Sending her a searching look, he asked, "Did Cathy say anything was missing from their room?"
"Missing? Why, no!" She stared at him.
"Nothing looked disturbed, as though the room had been searched?"
"Why no, although I remember Cathy tucking some of Sandy's underwear back into a drawer, saying he always expected her to wait on him. You think that the lock was broken by a burglar?"
"Maybe. Or maybe just a clumsy fellow member of our group, looking for something."
Diane shivered. Suddenly Jeff's words had cast their gay adventure in a different light.
He reached across the table and put his hand over hers. "Don't look so worried. It may have been only a coincidence."
She smiled gratefully at his changed mood. He seemed to have cooled off since he'd called her earlier, and now he seemed in no hurry at all as she ate her breakfast and listened to him go over the details for the evening. They were to meet at seven o'clock at their table at the side entrance of the hotel, then travel together in vans to the Fiesta. He had already posted the details on the bulletin board at their table. Since everyone knew from the guide letter they had been given the first day that the Fiesta was tonight, they would stop there to check the details.
She drank a second cup of coffee, relaxing at last after her frantic rush to dress after his phone call.
"What are you going to do today, Diane?"
"I really hadn't thought about it yet," she said, looking at him in surprise.
"Since it's Sunday, I thought we might go to church, then take a walk around town a bit. You really haven't looked around yet either, have you?"
"Why, no," she said. "I haven't. That sounds like a nice idea."
"Well, then, if you're finished, shall we go?"
"Like this?" She looked down at her black and white printed cotton sundress doubtfully.
"You look fine, as always. Come on."
He took her arm and they walked back through the hotel lobby and on out the front door. The sun was bright as it had been every day so far, and it was already warm. They walked down the red brick path and the short driveway to the street.
"Do you want to take a taxi?"
"No, let's walk."
He grinned, pleased at her answer. He took her arm and they set out at a brisk pace.
They skirted the road construction, gingerly picking their way across to the sidewalk on the opposite side.
"You'd think they wouldn't do this during the tourist, season," Diane said, stopping to shake some small rocks out of her sandal.
"The only other season is the rainy season." Jeff laughed. "It could hardly be done then. I understand they often get several inches of rain each night."
"Really?" Diane looked at him to see if he was kidding her. Then she remembered the small river they'd driven across on the tour. There had been no bridge, only a rock-bedded path for the cars and trucks to drive across the shallow water. "What about the river? It must get too deep to cross after that much rain! How do they manage without a bridge?"
"I suppose they stay on whichever side of the river they are on until the water goes down." Jeff smiled at her concern. "Anyway, it never rains this time of the year, so we're not likely to find out this trip."
The streets were crowded with people dres
sed for church. As they strolled along, they window-shopped. There seemed to be a shoe shop or an auto-repair shop in every block.
When Diane commented on this fact, Jeff said, "It's probably because of the streets, don't you think? They're so rough they would shake a car to bits in no time. And I'm sure a pair of shoes wouldn't last long on these streets either. And isn't it amazing how the people seem to walk everywhere? They certainly are in better physical shape than most of us."
"Oh, I don't know," she teased, looking him over carefully. "You don't look too bad to me!"
"Don't I?" he asked, and Diane blushed at his serious searching look.
She shook her head and avoided his eyes. They walked on in silence.
When they reached the church a service was in progress so they waited outside the open doors until it was over. A girl, also waiting, told them there had been three masses and a wedding already that morning.
"Oh!" cried Diane in dismay. "I wish we had been here to see the wedding."
"Well, if you hadn't been such a sleepy head," Jeff teased, "we would have."
They realized this one had been a funeral service as a casket was rolled to the doors and then carried down the steps to a waiting hearse. They waited as the mourners left, then followed the others inside and took a pew towards the rear.
The church was beautiful. Diane looked around her in awe as the service began. People had streamed in from all directions until the church was filled. Diane realized with dismay that one old man was kneeling on the marble floor, leaning his head against a pillar. He seemed painfully thin, yet had the callused hands and proud look of a working man. She felt guilty that she, as an outsider, was sitting in a pew while a local person had no seat.
People streamed to the front for communion, and then after another hymn, it was over.
No one seemed to find their presence there odd, and Diane noticed that almost half the people were white. She wondered how many were the "Gringos" the guide had said lived there, and how many were tourists like themselves.
They stopped for lunch, then walked down to the straw-market to roam about while the other shops closed for their siesta time. Jeff bought a huge hat for his little nephew.
