“So, when are you going to show me around?”
“Whenever you want.”
“Now?”
“Let’s go,” he said as he offered his hand and helped her up. They continued to walk hand in hand up the beach.
She looked out into the water and asked, “Do you see Krystal and Michelle out there? They rented wave runners and it would be just like Krystal to get out there and end up in the middle of the ocean, lost and out of gas.”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to make out who’s who, but I know they are given a boundary as to how far they can go with the ship’s wave runners. Hopefully they listened.”
“Yeah, I think Krystal will since she’s with Michelle. She’s seems to be a by the book person.”
“Here, let’s go this way,” Miguel told her as he pulled her away from the ocean and toward some trees.
“Sure, as long as there aren’t any restless natives in these trees, or scary animals.”
Miguel laughed and shook his head. “No, nothing like that I assure you, the island is completely safe. I’ve searched it many, many times. Actually, the crew frowns upon people getting off the beach and coming back here. Lucky for them, not many people are as adventurous as I am.”
After hiking up a few sand dunes and sea grape beds, Justus noticed how the topography changed from the manicured white sand beach the two of them had been on to a more stable ground covered with lush green foliage. Her heart lurched into her throat when she heard the unmistakable sound of water. It became louder and louder with each step. Suddenly they stepped through a small clearing and Justus gasped at what she saw in front of her.
“Oh my God, a waterfall!” Justus squealed as she looked at Miguel and smiled.
There was a small group of rocks, no more than ten feet high, and in the middle was a miniature waterfall and a lagoon the size of a small swimming pool. Justus couldn’t believe that a secluded and primitive spot like this could exist several hundred yards away from the populated beach.
“It’s picture perfect,” she breathed.
“Ready to get in?”
Without waiting for her to reply, he took off his sandals and T-shirt and jumped into the water.
“How deep is it?” Justus asked cautiously.
“Not very. Look, I’m standing,” he said, showing her the water hit him mid-chest meaning it would be about shoulder deep for her. Without hesitating Justus kicked off her flip-flops and got in. The water was surprisingly cool and felt very refreshing against her suntanned skin.
“There aren’t snakes or anything like that in here, is there?” She asked as she made her way toward him.
“Not that I’ve ever seen,” Miguel said as his hand grabbed her calve.
She cried out and splashed water in his face. He laughed and splashed back and soon there was an all-out war. They tired of playing soon enough and Miguel wasted no time.
“Come here,” he said urgently as he seized both of her hands.
He planted a kiss on her full lips as he sunk his hands into her hair. He tilted her head back farther, so he could reach the deeper recesses of her mouth. Miguel kissed her more thoroughly than she had ever been kissed before.
When at last he released her, he told her breathlessly, “Let’s check out the waterfall.”
They waded over together, hand in hand. Justus was first to test out the waterfall, she stuck her head under the spray and enjoyed the feel of the cool water swishing by her head. Miguel followed suit, and then shook his head, which caused droplets of water to hit Justus in the face.
She squealed with laugher and pretended to be upset by it. However, once she looked into his green eyes, she forgot all about horseplay and was once again overcome by desire. This time she took the initiative, and moved closer and started kissing Miguel.
She placed her hands on his chest, and pushed him back, out of the spray, and against the flat rocks that made a wall behind the waterfall. This was the first time she had displayed this type of aggression. Her lips found Miguel’s and she began to suck on them softly, as if she were trying to extract all of the sweet nectar she tasted out of his lips. She moaned.
As the kiss deepened, it became clear it simply wasn’t enough. Miguel broke the suction of her mouth and slowly trailed his lips across her jaw line. He worked his way down to her neck and collarbone. Justus rolled her head around her shoulders, and her hands moved up along his hard, bare chest.
A soft moan escaped his lips and Justus matched it with a sigh of pleasure. When his lips began to move further south; she let her hands follow the same track on his body. When his mouth reached the top curve of her breast, he paused briefly. Justus was virtually panting at this point, and Miguel must have realized that was a sign that she wanted him to continue. He slowly walked the two of them toward the waterfall again. Her hands were hovering above the waistband of his shorts, gently massaging his navel. She felt herself getting lost while massaging the hair that grew in a swirling pattern around it.
While his lips were busily nibbling on her chest, Miguel nudged her tankini top apart with his nose. It took some time, but he finally managed to set one breast free. His mouth began a slow rhythmic sucking. When his lips and tongue were mere inches from her nipple he stopped to look at her. It was obvious that Justus was aroused. Her nipple was bright pink, flushed, and hard. She watched as his eyes flickered over her rounded flesh, the center of each iris large and black. Justus was becoming restless with desire. She shoved her hands into the back of Miguel’s shorts and squeezed his taut cheeks.
He grunted with pleasure and pushed one cup of her bathing suit top completely aside with his hand, and then he moved the other cup to one side as well. Miguel stared at both breasts. He locked eyes with Justus before taking one into his mouth, the other in his hand. That nearly sent Justus over the edge. She moaned and released her hold on his buttocks. She wrapped her legs around him and began moving against him out of sheer instinct. She felt him through their thin bathing suits. He was large, thick and very hard.
Suddenly, Miguel moved them back farther, so they were both under the spray. Water was pouring down her face and spilling onto her bare breasts. Justus didn’t realize what the frigid liquid was doing to her body. All she could focus on was what Miguel was doing to her, and the ecstasy he was making her feel. After feeling the spray on her chest for a few moments she understood why Miguel had placed them directly under the water.
The rushing liquid was cold enough to cause a response from her nipples, she watched him look at her with what appeared to be fascination as the nubby pieces of flesh became even harder. His eyes took on a mysterious, mischievous color, green and gold, shining like a cat’s. He looked her in the eyes, leaned down, and took her breasts into his mouth again.
He continued to stare at her, as his mouth worked its sweet torment on her. The difference between the temperature of the water and his mouth alone was enough to drive Justus crazy. The way he continued to look her in the eyes as he touched her did something to her.
No one had ever looked at her like that before, and no one had ever made her feel such an illicit craving. She felt more alive than she could remember and with a sudden realization she knew. She knew she could trust this man with her secrets and with her soul. Justus had never wanted anyone more in her entire life as she did Miguel at this very moment.
As she began moving her hands back to the front of his shorts, she heard something in the distance, a bird maybe. It was hard to tell over the roar of water rushing by her head, so she dismissed it. Justus rubbed her hands along the trail of hair above his waistband and was positioning her hand to place it inside his shorts, when she realized it was no bird. She clearly heard conversation and peals of laughter. People.
Miguel heard it too, and reluctantly raised his head from her breasts. He took a step back from the waterfall, toward the rocks, and listened again. They looked at each other with supreme disappointment in their eyes. It was people, there was no doubt
about it, and they were very close to finding them.
Damn, she thought.
Miguel helped Justus with her top, and she slowly eased her legs from around his waist. She tried to slow her breathing a bit and attempt to look like she wasn’t just engaged in one of the most erotic experiences of her life.
He kissed her forehead and said, “I don’t think we should continue here, believe me I want to, but it wouldn’t be best.” He kissed her eyebrow and said, “And I do have every intention of continuing, as long as you do, too.” She nodded dumbly and kissed his lips once, twice.
“I guess I can handle that. But please, don’t make a habit out of starting something you can’t finish,” she whispered into his ear as she kissed his lobe softly.
He smiled and removed her from his ear. “Come on, there’s really more that I want to show you.”
Justus lifted her eyebrows suggestively. “Don’t hold back on my account.”
“Of the island, you naughty girl,” he said as he squeezed her rear. She let him take her by the hand and lead her out of the water and onto the shore.
CHAPTER SIX
“Well, well, well where have you two been?” Krystal asked.
Justus shook her head while laughing at her suggestive tone. She quickly told Krystal about her tour of the island, but omitted the waterfall, and everything that had happened there. Krystal seemed to read between the lines. She gave Justus a mischievous look, and Miguel a knowing one.
“I guess you kids have been behaving yourselves. Michelle and I had a very lovely time, not that either of you care,” she said with mock huffiness.
“So, how was your little adventure?”
“Great. Those things make you feel like you’re flying right over the top of the water.”
“Does anyone mind if we hit the shade? I don’t want to burn,” Michelle said as she examined her shoulders.
“No, actually I was thinking that myself,” Krystal said. “Not that either one of you two need to worry, but some of us burn in the sun, instead of getting nice and toasty brown.”
Justus smirked at Krystal and said, “I could rest my legs after that long hike around the island.” When no one was looking Justus stuck her tongue out at Krystal. Krystal rolled her eyes at her friend’s display of immaturity.
They chose a semi-shaded area, a little further back from the ocean than they had previously sat. Miguel grabbed all of their things and volunteered to carry them. Justus reached over and squeezed his butt when no one was looking, causing him to let out a small yelp of surprise and drop a couple of items.
“What’s wrong, did you step on a shell?” Krystal asked.
“Uh, I think so,” Miguel said.
As he bent down and picked up the items off the ground he looked at Justus, who gave him a devilish look in return. As she looked at him, she couldn’t help but feel Miguel was the kind of person who would be very easy to love.
Suddenly she stopped, literally, but began walking just as quickly as she had halted. What had she meant by that? Was she merely making an observation, or did she sincerely feel that way?
She really hoped it was the former and not the latter. Out of all of the times for her to feel this for Miguel, why did it have to be now? She was hoping their fling would be an act first and ask questions later type of situation. Much later, she hoped. Perhaps after she had been back in St. Louis for a couple of months and wanted to reflect on her vacation.
“Here we go,” Miguel said as he laid all three of their towels out on the sand.
“Wow, such a gentleman,” Michelle said.
“We can share my towel,” Justus said. Krystal bobbed her eyebrows up and down and Justus added, “We’ll both sit on it rather than lie.”
Miguel sat down stretching his legs out in front of him and spread them apart. He reached for Justus and positioned her between them. She let him guide her down to the towel and reveled in the feel of his hard, masculine thighs bordering hers. She leaned back against the wall of his chest, loving the broadness of it, and strength she felt it provided for her.
She also felt strength of a different kind, against her lower back. Evidently their romp under the waterfall wasn’t so easily forgotten for him either. She turned her head to try to search his face for any details. He looked Justus in the eyes and the blatant sexuality she found there made her stomach flutter. Miguel leaned his head down and rested it on her shoulder, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
She sighed to herself. Why did this have to end? Maybe there was a way for the two of them to be together, once the cruise was over. Immediately after the thought entered her mind, Justus almost laughed at her own foolishness. There wouldn’t be a way for them to be together, the ship would pull into Miami and she and Miguel would go on with their lives. Their relationship would have an end, but they would always have their memories.
Justus tried to console herself with the fact that it would end, because all things eventually end, in one way or another, but maybe their ending wouldn’t feel as terrible as she anticipated. Yes, even though this thing with Miguel was ending, it wasn’t ending today. Therefore, she shouldn’t think about anything but the present. As the foursome sat and talked, Justus felt her heart betray her mind.
It kept telling her how great this was, how for the first time in years she felt wonderful. She fully realized how truly beautiful and special Miguel was on the inside as well as out. It also kept telling her she didn’t want to lose him, and in just a few short days that was indeed what she would be doing.
***
“Mmm, I love s’mores,” Justus said as she licked the gooey marshmallow and chocolate concoction off of her lower lip. She had no idea she was being watched closely by Miguel. She looked up at him and smiled and began making herself another s’more.
He sighed to himself quietly. She was so completely beautiful, but yet totally unaware of the fact. She was such a switch from the ‘I’m-gorgeous-and-I-know-it’ types that infiltrated Miami. Her modesty intrigued him and at the same time, made him wonder if the entire male population in St. Louis was deaf, dumb and blind.
How was such an attractive, intelligent and talented woman single? For the second time that day he found himself asking the same question. His blood quickened as he watched her bending over the fire to melt a few marshmallows. His mouth turned up in a slow smile as he looked at the tautly stretched fabric of her jean shorts across her butt.
This woman created a desire in him like he’d never known before. Something about her was different, no not something, everything. Her wit, charm and personality were so different from other women he’d known before. Yet every part of her fit every part of him so perfectly.
That was precisely his problem. This wasn’t someone whom he wanted simply to date, or just sleep with. Justus was a rare jewel he wanted to admire and cherish for as long as she would let him. She was a keeper, the type of girl he’d be proud to bring home and meet his mami. The kind of girl his abuelita had always told him to marry.
Justus walked back over and sat down, crossed-legged in front of Miguel. “I made one for you,” she said as she offered it to him. When he politely refused she said, “Oh good, because I was secretly hoping I could eat this one, too,” and laughed.
Her eyes looked almost black in the darkness, and Miguel could see orange pools from the fire reflecting in them. Everyone was supposed to be boarding the ship within the hour. This was the ship’s last port, after tonight they were heading back to the U.S.
“Do you want to stay until the party wraps up?” Miguel asked.
“Why, do you have another tour of the island planned?” Justus asked with a smirk. He watched as her smile disappeared and she wrinkled her nose when someone nearby started playing chords on a guitar. “Oh, Lord, let’s get out of here before they start singing around the bonfire.”
She and Miguel laughed as he helped her to her feet. Miguel watched Justus as she scanned the circle around the fire for Krystal and locked eye
s with her. Krystal gave Justus a knowing and also approving look. Miguel led their way back to the ship and as they walked he held his arm around her waist.
“Do you mind if we look at the water once more before we get on the ship?”
“Sure.”
They stood together side by side looking at the water and listening to the waves, neither of them speaking. When Justus finally spoke, her voice was hoarse with emotion.
“This is the last time I’m going to be able to see the ocean for…a while. I’m going to miss it, the sounds, the smell, its beauty. I know it may sound strange, but now that I’ve spent these past few days at sea, I can’t imagine my life without it. I’ve really grown to love it.”
Neither of them were looking at the ocean, they were staring into each other’s eyes. He wasn’t so sure she was only talking about the ocean. Miguel drew her to him suddenly. Their kiss quickly grew in intensity and soon resembled those they had shared earlier in the afternoon, under the waterfall.
Justus rubbed her palms across Miguel’s back, then up and down his shoulders and biceps. Miguel felt Justus freeze suddenly. Miguel broke away from her and with genuine concern asked, “What’s the matter? You didn’t get bit by something, did you?” He asked as he took in the pained look on her face.
“No, no it’s…my stomach,” she said as she looked down. “I think I need to go back to my room. I guess I got a little carried away with the s’mores, and now they’re catching up with me. I’m sorry.”
“Do you want me to stop and get something for your stomach at the ship’s convenience store?” He asked, his green eyes wide with concern.
“No, no. I can always get Krystal to run out for me, besides I think we brought some stuff like that along. Right now, I’d just like to be in my room.”
***
Finding Justus Page 9
