SandSinandTequila

by Bebe Balocca

  The nozzle turned on with a faint squeal. Lukewarm water gushed from the showerhead. There was no temperature control, so tepid it would remain, but the flow was gentle and soothing. Arden held her face under the spray. She reached into her bag for toothbrush and toothpaste and gave her teeth a thorough scrub, then pulled out the shampoo.

  She directed an ample squirt into her palm and rubbed her hands together. Closing her eyes, Arden worked the grapefruit-scented suds through her hair. The ocean breeze wasn’t warm, but pleasant enough to make the lukewarm shower bearable.

  Arden began to rinse out the shampoo, eyes squeezed shut to keep out the soap, when she felt a delicate pressure at her back. “Ramsay?” she asked, temporarily blinded by citrusy froth dripping over her eyelids.

  “Nope,” a familiar voice answered, “not Ram. Just somebody who wanted to see you before you go.”

  Soft breasts, crowned by cold metal adornments, pressed against Arden’s back, and slender hands reached up to rinse the shampoo lather from her hair. Arden leaned into her. “I’m so glad you did, Jess.”

  Jess poured a glob of rich conditioner into her hands and then smoothed it through Arden’s long hair. Carefully easing out the snarls, she kissed Arden’s tanned shoulder. “Wish you didn’t have to go,” Jess said quietly. “I’m here for another few days. We could have fun.”

  Ram appeared beside them with a strained expression. “Arden, Jess, I’m so sorry, but we just can’t miss our flight. It would cost a lot to rebook it, and I have a client meeting in the morning that’s really important.”

  “Ah, well, too bad,” Jess said with a shrug. “Can I at least give her back a quick wash? We’ll let you watch, right, Arden?” Jess lathered her hands with a bar of soap.

  Ramsay did watch. “Ladies,” he said softly, “I don’t know what I’ve ever seen that could be possibly be more beautiful than the two of you at just this moment.” Jess stroked her sudsy hands over Arden’s bare back and then turned her so she could reach her pebbled breasts and the cleft between her legs. Arden closed her eyes, dizzy with the sweet pleasure of Jess’ soapy fingers tracing over her sensitive flesh.

  Arden sighed as Jess cupped water in her hands and gently rinsed the suds from between her thighs. Arden turned her body under the shower nozzle to rinse away the last of the soap and conditioner and then shut off the spray. Ramsay handed her a towel and Arden hurriedly dried herself.

  “Thanks for sharing her with me,” Jess told Ramsay. She gave him an easy grin, completely comfortable in her nudity and bed head, and leaned forward to give him a chaste kiss on his cheek. “She’s a real treasure, you know.”

  “I’d love to share her with you again any time,” Ram answered. “Any time at all.”

  Jess looked from Arden to Ram, then back to Arden. “Y’all are really special,” she said softly. “It was great to meet you both.” Jess turned toward the undulating slate-gray sea. Water ran down her bare skin in rivulets and goose bumps popped up over her arms. Arden wrapped her towel around Jess’ shoulders. Her eyes were drawn again to the silver hoops that graced Jess’ breasts. So pretty. I’ll have to look into piercing parlors in Nashville when Ram and I return home.

  Jess returned the towel to Arden and accepted her tie-dyed bikini from Ramsay. She put it on with brisk ease. The moon glimmered on the dark water like a promise. “I don’t believe in goodbyes,” Jess told them. She leaned forward to give Arden a soft kiss on her lips. “So, I’ll be seeing you.”

  Jess turned abruptly and sprinted toward the ocean. She jogged over the powdery sand and left little sprays of sand in her wake. Arden watched in dismay as she splashed through the shallow waves and dove down into the water. Ramsay pulled Arden’s sundress over her head and eased her hands through the armholes. “Think she’ll be okay?” Arden asked, her voice muffled through the sunny-yellow fabric of her dress. “It’s pretty dark out there.”

  Ramsay pushed Arden’s sandals in front of her feet and held Arden’s elbow while she slipped them on. Jess’ head and shoulders crested above a pearly moonlit wave. She waved broadly and then dove back under the surface, as nimble as a dolphin in the waves.

  “Yes, I’m sure she will,” Ramsay answered. “And we really do have to go, Arden. I wish we didn’t, but I’ve just got to get back tomorrow. The shuttle is waiting on us. We need to run.”

  Arden took her duffle bag from Ram and turned away from the beach. She hustled down the path behind him, past manicured plantings of bougainvilleas dripping with fuchsia blooms, yellow-trumpeted copa de oros and frangipani plants sparkling with sweet pink-and-yellow starred blossoms. Arden hated to leave the lush paradise, where every need was quickly and lavishly met, and hated even more to leave Jess. It was completely unfair that she and Ram hadn’t met her until their last night at Aventura. Arden was immensely grateful for the heady pleasures of last night, but she wanted more. More decadent exploring, more plush, gorgeous femininity, more Jess.

  Ram hurried her through the lobby. Lavish crystal chandeliers, framed by ornate, curving stairways, hung from the soaring ceilings. Arden wished she had one more day to appreciate the gorgeous frescoes on the walls and extravagant floral arrangements. But she knew what would happen at the end of that one day. She’d want another, and another, and another…

  The shuttle driver stood outside the front doors of the resort next to the shuttle van. He whisked the bags away from Ramsay and placed them in the back of the shuttle, and then urged them to enter through the van’s sliding side door. “Time to go,” he said, flashing a tense smile. “Airplanes won’t wait, señor.”

  Ram slid his arm around Arden and nestled her against him. “What a great vacation, Arden,” he said, planting a kiss on her wet head. “I’m so glad you’re my wife.”

  The shuttle bumped over cobblestone streets and veered around parked cars. Arden saw the seafood restaurant they’d visited on their trip into town flash by. This holiday is ending way too soon, she thought sadly. Just when it was getting good. They eased onto the highway and Arden spied a green sign with the words CANCUN, an arrow and the white outline of an airplane. “I can’t believe we didn’t get her contact information,” she murmured. “We’ll never find her again.”

  Their fellow shuttle passengers, all six of them, rode silently in the gloomy predawn stillness. They’d all been on sleep-late vacation time for at least a few days, and it was just after five in the morning. Arden squinted and turned her head from side to side. “That’s the German flotation team!” she whispered softly in Ram’s ear. “Right in front of us, Ramsay. Brunhilde, Hedwig and Magda. And in the front row are those Brazilians.” Ram craned his head from side to side and then nodded in acknowledgement.

  The shuttle pulled off the highway and jostled over speed bumps. Arden heard the roar of an airplane overhead and gave Ram’s hand a squeeze. “Happy birthday, baby,” she said. “I hope it was a fabulous one, although your present was for me at least as much as it was for you.”

  Ramsay gave her a light kiss on her lips. The whiskers around his mouth felt jarring after Jess’ soft skin, but in a pleasant way. Arden opened her lips and kissed him more deeply, savoring his strong lips and wiry stubble. Ram pulled away and rubbed his chin apologetically. “Sorry, Arden, I didn’t have time to shave.”

  “No, I like it,” Arden assured him. “It’s nice, baby.” She kissed the corner of his mouth and flicked her tongue on his skin, feeling the sharp edges of his whiskers. “It’s different. Feeling someone more like me reminded me how much I love someone who’s not like me. Kind of like how sampling other cuisines from time to time can make your regular food taste that much sweeter.” She breathed in his scent—earthy, warm and definitely masculine. “You’re my meat and potatoes, Ram,” Arden breathed into his ear, “and you always will be.”

  The airport came into sight. The low brick building looked solid and unassuming enough, but Arden felt a flash of hatred toward it because it was about to direct her toward the airplane that would jet her
away from Jess forever. The shuttle halted, waiting its turn to pull up in front of the airport’s main entrance.

  “And who knows,” Ram breathed resignedly. “Maybe we’ll run into Jess again someday.”

  At that, Brunhilde turned her steel-gray-curled head around. “Oh, zat Jess. Such a nice girl, she.” Hedwig and Magda, seated at her right and left, nodded their heads in agreement.

  Arden’s heart ka-thumped. “Do you know Jess? Jess with the long blonde hair?”

  The shuttle inched forward, intent on depositing its passengers at the wide glass doors.

  “Yah, yah, Jess. Goot girl, Jess. We talk with her at pool yesterday morning,” Brunhilde stated emphatically. Hedwig and Magda bobbed their heads in unison.

  “Do you,” Arden asked, daring to hope, “know her last name? What town she’s from?” She wished she could slam on the brakes now that the shuttle was just two cars behind the pedestrian entrance to the airport.

  “Achhh, nein,” Brunhilde shook her head. She spoke in German to Magda and Hedwing, who shook their heads. “Es tut mir Leid,” Magda added.

  Arden wanted to beat her head on the shuttle’s window. The shuttle driver pulled to a stop and hopped out to retrieve the bags and open the passenger door. Brunhilde, Magda and Hedwig piled out, identically attired in gaudy floral muumuus and white orthopedic shoes. In the front seat, Yasmin scooted to the edge of her seat as she prepared to step out onto the asphalt. “We know Jess, too,” she said in a heavy Portuguese accent. “Lots of fun. She likes to party, yes.” Yasmin waved her hands in the air and gave a little whoop as she exited the shuttle. Her short black sundress caught the breeze and lifted from her round thighs.

  “But do you know her last name?” Arden asked desperately, “or where in Alabama she’s from?”

  Maria slid over in the seat to join Yasmin at the curb. “Jess is free spirit,” Maria answered. “Travel a lot. Just know first name, so sorry.” Maria took Yasmin’s hand and joined her next to the shuttle. Her bright-green shorts, rumpled from the shuttle ride, barely covered her derrière.

  With all the bags unloaded, the driver walked around the side of the van and waited at the open door next to the curb. Gabriel eased over to the edge of the seat. He began to exit, but then turned and slid his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose. His coal-black eyes gleamed as he spoke. “Don’t know the last name, but Jess tell me she stay at her parents’ apartment at Aventura. They own resort apartment and rent it out for most of year. Jess say she comes same time every year, as gift from parents.”

  Gabriel planted his feet on the running board of the van. The German trio disappeared into the airport lobby, and Yasmin and Maria stood just outside. “This same date, every year? Really, Gabriel?”

  “Yes, sempre, same day,” Gabriel nodded. He stepped onto the ground, pushed his dark sunglasses back up, and straightened the collar of his white guayabara shirt. He gave the shuttle driver a tip and took two massive pieces of luggage from him. Glancing back to Arden as he made his way toward Yasmin and Maria, Gabriel added, “Same week, few days before today, few days after today. Always this date in the middle of her trip, she say.” He shrugged and grinned. “Today is Jess’ birthday, you know.”

  Arden turned to Ram and grabbed his biceps. “Hear that, Ram? Next year, we can do it all again.”

  The shuttle driver cleared his throat.

  Arden and Ramsay exited the shuttle, tipped the driver, and made their way inside the airport. As they joined the line of passengers to check their bags, Arden felt as though she were walking on a cloud. “Happy birthday, Ramsay,” she whispered. “My main-course man.” Ramsay raised her hand and kissed it, and then lifted their bags to move them with the shortening line. Arden thought about how much she adored him and about how he provided all of the love and support she needed, day after day after day.

  And she thought about exotic, unusual flavors like tequila and Caribbean ocean water.

  Arden looked back through the glass doors of the airport at the lightening sky. Happy birthday, Jess. Thank you for the most amazing first time ever. Maybe we’ll be seeing you next year.

  About Bebe Balocca

  Erotic romance is an escape, a blush-inducing mini-vacation. You might not know where the path will lead, but you can be sure there will be loads of pulse-pounding surprises along the way. I'm a romantic, and as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more satisfying than romance in action—the hotter, the better.

  In addition to erotic romance, I'm a big fan of sci-fi, fantasy, humor and horror, so expect the unexpected in a Bebe Balocca book—and enjoy the ride.

  Bebe welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Sand, Sin and Tequila

  ISBN 9781419943775

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Sand, Sin and Tequila Copyright © 2013 Bebe Balocca

  Edited by Elizabeth London

  Cover design by Dar Albert

  Photos: Smitry Ersler and Yuri Acurs/Fotolia.com

  Electronic book publication February 2013

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