by Maida Malby
Aidan had chosen a corner table. Sitting in the shadows with his back to the wall, he had a view of all entrances and exits. No one could approach them from any side without being seen. Even without a weapon, and in a tropical island paradise, Aidan was locked and loaded, ready for action. Despite the casual t-shirt and swim shorts Blake lent him, Aidan still looked exactly like the decorated warrior he really was.
Blake was instantly on alert when he felt his brother tense beside him. He looked around in search of danger but saw only beauty and grace entering the room. Either one of them could make heads turn anywhere they went, but together, Krista and Maddie were an exceptional sight.
Both tall and beautiful, they were the epitome of the twenty-first-century Filipina. Krista, with her fresh face, round curves, and long black hair tied in a simple ponytail had more traditional looks with the Malay, Spanish, and Chinese influences mixing pleasingly in her features.
Maddie was more a representative of the new reality of global citizens the Filipinos had become; curly light brown hair with blond highlights, which was artfully arranged on top of her head; exotically slanted hazel eyes; and naturally plump lips, enhanced by a deep red lipstick that matched the bikini showing through her filmy cover-up.
While Krista turned him on, he could see how Maddie’s in-your-face sensuality might entice any hot-blooded man. What she lacked in the chest department, which wasn’t much, Maddie more than made up for in the bottom half. As evidenced by the reaction of the server, standing frozen, watching her from behind as she strutted towards the brothers.
Brought up to be gentlemen, they rose from their seats as the women approached. Krista flowed into his arms naturally, as if she was made especially for him. “Hi, baby.” He kissed her on the cheeks, aware of the eyes on them. He wanted to do more, but he was respectful of Krista’s reticence in public.
“Did you have a good chat with Maddie?” He pulled out a chair beside him for her. He preferred having her on his lap, but that, too, would have to wait until they were in private.
“Thank you. Yes, we had a nice morning.” She eyed her friend and Aidan, who stood staring at each other.
“Ms. Duvall,” Aidan said, pulling out a seat for Maddie.
“Thank you, Colonel Ryan.” She nodded, sitting gracefully on the proffered chair. Aidan pushed it in and walked back to his seat.
“I appreciate the promotion, but I’m only a lieutenant colonel,” his brother corrected her rather curtly.
“Oh, I apologize,” Maddie said. Her expression was anything but contrite. Aidan inclined his head in terse acknowledgment.
Blake and Krista looked at each other, amused at the charged back-and-forth.
“Shall we get food?” Blake signaled the server to come and take their order. It was the same young man who couldn’t take his eyes away from Maddie’s rear end. He noted his brother’s dark looks coming from the corner as he stared at the admiring boy, who went straight to Maddie’s side.
“I will have a salad with light balsamic vinaigrette dressing and grilled chicken breast—skinless and boneless, no oil, just salt and pepper. I’ll also have cold bottled water with a wedge of seedless lemon and mint leaves in a glass. No ice. Thank you.”
Blake hoped the awed waiter got all of that. He seemed to be in a trance after Maddie threw a careless smile his way.
Aidan took the boy out of his dream state with a show of clearing his throat. “Ahem. Grilled pork belly, rice, and Coke for me. Thank you.” No muss, no fuss. The poor waiter looked like he was about to salute. He did stand up straighter when he faced Aidan.
“Pancit Canton and iced tea, please. Maraming salamat.” The polite request came from his sweet girlfriend, ever so gracious to the waitstaff.
He reached for her hand, kissed it, and held it on top of the table. Surely that’s a tame enough public display of affection for the locals.
“Sisig plus additional rice, and San Mig Light, please. Thanks, Edwin.”
The waiter bowed his head and left.
Krista turned to her friend as soon as the server was out of earshot. “Maddie!”
“What?” She wore a too-innocent look on her face. “I didn’t do anything.” She knew very well she’d kept the boy tongue-tied.
“I think, Ms. Duvall, all you have to do is breathe and men will fall at your feet to worship you,” Aidan drawled in a deceptively lazy voice.
“Please call me Madeleine, Lieutenant Colonel,” Maddie offered. The zinger came all too swiftly. “How flattering of you to say so. Yet you’re still in your seat. Why is that?”
“And I would like it very much if you would call me Aidan, Madeleine,” he returned silkily. “As to why I’m not kneeling at the altar of your beauty, all I can say is I’m not very religious. The military beat that out of me. It’s hard to follow the Ten Commandments when your main job is to kill the enemy.” His brother’s hard voice was filled with cynicism and weariness.
Before Maddie could respond, Blake cut in.
“Guys, we only have two jet skis, so we have to double up to get to the staging area where the boats and parachutes are parked. We’ll do the same with the parachutes. They can only take a maximum of two people.” He shook his head. “All the guests seem to want to do the same thing as us today. I’ll take Krista, and Aidan will pair up with Maddie.”
He held up his hands when the battling duo tried to protest. “Nope. No objections. It’s for the safety of the equipment. The weights need to be balanced.” He winked at Krista when she pinched his side.
***
Blake stopped the jet ski a few yards from the beach in front of his cottage and lifted Krista off into the knee-deep water. He jumped down behind her in a hurry. Hastily shedding his personal floatation device, he motioned for her to do the same. He hung both vests on the handles, then towed her to the shore at a run.
“Blake, where are we going?” Krista puffed out, lengthening her strides to keep up. “What about Maddie and Aidan?”
“We’re going to take a shower. Aidan will take care of your friend.” He opened the door to his cottage. After a cursory stamp of his feet on a mat, he lifted Krista into his arms and carried her inside.
“Blake, we’re dripping all over the floor.” Krista cupped a hand to her bottom in a failed attempt to catch the water.
“Don’t care. It’ll dry.”
They reached his bedroom and Blake paused to get a condom from his bedside table before taking Krista into the bathroom. He set her down on the countertop, then turned on the water. Once satisfied with the temperature, he tugged Krista back into his arms and into the shower.
He ravaged her mouth as if he was starving and she was a feast. Krista moaned and met his kiss with equal passion. He loved that she was so responsive to his touch. His hands roamed all over her body, tugging the strings of her bikini until it came off. She helped by pulling his shorts down, then she held his aching manhood in her palms. Fuck yes!
He dislodged Krista’s hands from his cock and groped for the condom, putting it on with shaking hands. Wrapping her leg around his waist, Blake dipped two fingers into her heat, to test her readiness. He slid a hand beneath her butt and tilted her hips to receive him.
“I’m sorry, baby. I have to have you now.” He removed his fingers and pushed forward, plunging his hardness into her. They gasped simultaneously, at the moment of complete joining.
“Blake … I can’t …” Krista breathed out, her limbs trembling. Comprehending that her knee couldn’t hold her, he raised her other leg, fully supporting her weight, and anchored her against the wall.
He gripped her hips and set a punishing rhythm, continuing to slide into her slick heat until Krista’s inner muscles clamped on his hard flesh when she came. He followed soon after, becoming rigid, shuddering, and spilling into her.
Reversing their positions, Blake leaned back onto the tiles to catch his breath, his arms still around Krista. When he felt more stable, he separated their bodies so that he coul
d get rid of the rubber. He loved the idea of riding her bareback, but not until Krista was as committed as he was. Soon.
She was still shaking with the aftermath of their passion. He adjusted their positions so the shower wasn’t raining directly down on her. Reaching for the shampoo, he started washing her hair. “Baby, are you all right?”
She nodded and kissed his chest. “I’m great, honey.” Wow, an endearment. That’s a first.
“I’m sorry I had to rush you like that. If I could’ve made love to you in the air, I would have done it during our parasailing experience.” He rinsed her hair and got the towel to dry her. “Your utter joy in the ride turned me on so much; I couldn’t wait for us to get down so we could do exactly what we just did. I hope I wasn’t too rough.” He enfolded her in his arms, towel and all.
“I would have said so if you were,” Krista reassured him, giving him a quick kiss. She took a step back and got another towel to wrap around herself. “I couldn’t decide which I liked better—the diving or the parasailing. Both were equally amazing.” She sat down on the bed to dry her hair more thoroughly.
He laughed and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “That’s what’s great about having a boyfriend who’s a partner in a resort. You can do both, anytime you want.” He strode to his bureau to take out a shirt and shorts for her to wear on the walk back to her cottage.
When he turned to hand them to her, he was immediately concerned to see the expression of unease on her face. He crossed the room to her side and took her in his arms. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“Blake, you know I’m not with you because of your wealth, right?” Her eyes pleaded with him to deny the ugly thought.
“Of course, I know that, Krista. You weren’t aware that I’m a partner at Perlas until you got here. You even have a tough time accepting my gifts, except for the cheap hats.” What could have brought this on? Did Maddie say something?
“It’s just that people will talk, and I don’t want you to think I chose you to become my lover because of what you can give me. I have been providing for myself and for my family for a long time now. I can pay my own way.” She was fierce with pride in her accomplishments. As she should be. They were impressive for someone her age and gender in their industry.
He berated himself for being so careless with his words. He was also learning how to be in a committed relationship. Hugging her again, he said, “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I like giving you things. If it’s in my power to give you something I know will make you happy, I’ll do it. It’s my way of saying I love you.”
Krista touched his face and leaned in for a kiss. “I’m sorry, too, for being such a drama queen about this. It’s a sensitive issue for me, and the gap between our financial stations is something I should work hard to deal with. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. You don’t have to present me with something every day, you know.” She looked at him sternly. “I’ll only allow it because it’s my birthday, but starting tomorrow, no more, okay?”
She smiled when he nodded; to him that meant everything was good with them again. He still had one more present for her. Since it was still technically her birthday, he wasn’t breaking the promise he’d agreed to just now.
Chapter Eighteen
Kaarawan [ka-ah-ra-one] n. – birthday.
Krista sat bemusedly looking up at the festive balloons and banderitas decorating the gazebo at the resort’s outdoor restaurant. Blake had gone all out with the preparations for her and Aidan’s joint celebration. He was like the Santa Claus of birthdays. She shook her head fondly at the childlike delight her boyfriend took in planning and executing this party for the four of them.
He’d arranged for the karitelas again to fetch them from their cottages, more for the benefit of Aidan than hers and Maddie’s, because they had been on them before.
When they arrived, there were two chilled bottles of champagne on the table and the chef had prepared a small Cebu-style lechon especially for them. The highly flavorful roasted pig from the Southern capital of the Philippines was known for its stuffing of spices and herbs, which included lemon grass, leeks, salt, pepper, and garlic. Lechon was a staple in every large celebration throughout the country.
All of them drank the champagne, including Maddie who was concerned about the calories in it at first; Krista cajoled her into taking a few sips until she finished a whole glass.
Krista thought she was going to turn permanently red when Blake kept giving her and the champagne heated looks, reminding her of what they did with it the previous night.
Even Aidan was relaxed in his chair and had lessened the frequency of examining his surroundings like he was waiting for an enemy to attack. What increased were the intense looks he and Maddie exchanged when they thought no one was looking.
She grinned in delight as the waitstaff approached the table with a cake bearing two candles, one for her and one for Aidan. To hers and Aidan’s amusement, Blake and Maddie launched into a tipsy, offkey version of the happy birthday song.
“Thank you, thank you,” Aidan remarked after he and Krista blew the candles out. “That was painful. Please don’t do it again.” He smiled when he said it.
“You’re welcome.” Reaching into a bag that a staff member had given him, Blake declared, “I’ve got gifts!”
Of course he did. Krista groaned. “Blake! I thought we talked about this already.”
“Krista, sweetheart, it’s still your birthday today, so I’m technically allowed to give you a present.” He stared at her with puppy-dog eyes, but with a cheeky smile on his lips.
“Oh okay, but give Aidan’s first.” What else could he give me that he hasn’t already?
Blake handed his brother an orange box with black ribbons bearing the name Hermes, the famous French high-fashion luxury goods manufacturer. Inside were a pair of silver cufflinks and a blue silk twill tie. Her eyes widened. Those are almost as expensive as my shoes. He hadn’t lied when he said giving was his love language.
“Thanks, bro.” Aidan rose from his chair to give his brother a hug. They were an affectionate family, the Ryans. No sooner had he returned to his seat than he made his excuses to take a call.
“Now, for my baby,” Blake announced. He brought out a similar box to last night’s gift of erotic books. He laughed when she raised her eyebrow at him. “It’s not books again, sweetheart. I promise.” He made the Boy Scout sign.
Krista noticed the resort’s name on the box; she made a mental note to check out that boutique tomorrow. She hadn’t bought thank-you gifts for her friends yet. Opening the lid, she caught her breath at the complete set of cranberry freshwater pearls inside—a necklace, bracelet, and earrings. They were nearly the same color as her Louboutins.
She looked at Blake, who had moved to crouch by her side while she was opening the gift box, and pressed a light kiss on his lips. She didn’t care anymore if anybody saw them. “Thank you, Blake. These are lovely.”
He returned her kiss and whispered, “Will you wear them for me soon? Just the pearls?”
She reddened, but nodded. She wished it could be tonight, but they both had guests. They’d have to be satisfied with the quick bout of passion they shared earlier.
“Yoo-hoo, lovebirds,” Maddie interrupted. “I’d say go get a room, but I don’t want to sleep on the couch tonight, so cut it out already, hmmkay?” She had mellowed since returning from the parasailing adventure this afternoon. “I also have a gift; two gifts, actually. Except I’m not sure if you’ll think they’re presents or inconveniences.”
“Oh, Maddie! No, you’ve given me so much already,” Krista objected.
Her best friend had been her biggest benefactress since college. She was an only child with a French father who kept giving her material things to make up for his absence in her life. Clothes, shoes, books, meals, rides, and spa treatments were shared with Krista. All this and unconditional love and support were gifts she could never repay. Maddie was truly the
sister of her heart.
“Krista, truthfully, you’ll be the one doing me a favor if you agree to take these.” She handed her two sets of keys. “For my apartment and my car. Now yours. Temporarily.”
“What? Why?” Krista was stunned. Maddie is leaving? She took the keys automatically, not sure if she wanted to accept them.
“My company is assigning me to Singapore for three years starting in January as part of my promotion.”
Blake whistled when he saw the keys. “We’ll be neighbors, baby. And a Porsche 718 Boxster. Sweet ride. It’s the red convertible, right? Didn’t you just get that last week?”
Maddie nodded at Blake, but addressed Krista. “You don’t look thrilled with my gifts, Krissy.”
Both Blake and Maddie stared at her intently, waiting for her response. Her boyfriend appeared mystified by her lack of enthusiasm. Maddie looked nervously expectant.
Krista gave herself a mental smack in the head. She was being selfish, not wanting her friend to go. Maddie had been working to achieve this plum post for years. In her eyes, Krista could see the pride at the major accomplishment.
Her chair screeched loudly in her rush to stand up. Krista gave her friend a tight hug. “Oh, Mads. I am happy for you. A regional post? You’ve earned this. I’m just sad that we won’t see each other regularly.”
She put a hand over her chest. “And I’m overwhelmed with all these gifts! I’ll take the fabulous apartment, but I’m going to have to decline the ten-million-pesos car.” She stuck her tongue out at Blake when he groaned at the last bit. The playful gesture was met with a wink and a grin.
Krista’s excitement over her friend’s generous present grew. Living in Maddie’s condominium rent-free for three years would enable her to save money for the future and create a tidy nest-egg for herself. Her one-bedroom apartment in Makati, while dinky, still took up twenty percent of her monthly income.
