Boracay Vows (Carpe Diem Chronicles 1) Read online

  Pangako [pang-ah-ko] n. – vow.

  The sneaky minx dealt from the bottom of the deck, Blake thought with amusement and a whole lot of approval for her daring. There are no losers here. We’re both winners from her machinations.

  Unfortunately for her, he had to wrest back the control. Had she succeeded in her intent to go beyond the petting from the night before, there was no doubt he would have embarrassed himself. I haven’t been Five-Minute Blake in years; I don’t plan to reclaim the title ever again, thank you very much.

  “Settle down, you little wildcat. I ought to punish you for that trick you just played.” Blake trapped her hips between his thighs and held both of her hands to curtail her squirming. He made sure not to rest his full weight on her. And grinding into her would guarantee his premature explosion.

  “But I won’t, since I enjoyed your idea of winning,” he continued. He would build her up again in a minute, but for now, he needed to slow down his pulse. He went from zero to sixty when she took off her dress and revealed her miniscule thong panties. She is Eve personified, a temptation I can’t resist.

  It was her right to choose the time and setting of their intimate act. Her kubo, her rules. If this was the night she had chosen to give herself to him, he would live up to the trust and confidence she bestowed on him. He’d take care of her. She wouldn’t regret honoring him with the gift of her innocence.

  “I give you an ‘A’ for that performance,” he said, “but it’s time to move the lessons from intermediate to advanced. Are you ready?” At Krista’s nod, Blake released her hands and stood up, pulling a condom from his shorts’ pocket as he did.

  He lifted her from the sofa and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down gently on to the bed. Moving to turn on the bedside lamp, he placed the condom on the bedside table, aware that Krista was watching his every move.

  “Are you on the pill, sweetheart?” he asked, joining her on the bed. He ran his hands up and down her arms, making up for the no-touching restrictions of her dare.

  “Yes, to regulate my period.” He was relieved for the extra layer of protection.

  “Well, then we’re ready to resume the lessons. As you were.” He lay flat on his back and reassumed his earlier pose, his hands clasped behind his head.

  Krista moved on top of him. Once she’d settled, she reached for his arms and placed his hands on the curve of her waist. He looked into her eyes and understood that they would do this together—this act of mutual desire.

  He raised his head to meet her halfway when she leaned down to fuse her mouth to his. This kiss was hotter than any they had shared, because this time it was a meeting of equals. She truly was a quick learner.

  She continued to map his body with open-mouthed kisses, but paused when she reached the waistband of his briefs.

  He rolled Krista gently to her back to reverse their positions. He stayed on his side, to have access to her whole body. She tensed as he put his hands on her hips where the panties rode low. He waited until her tension eased, then he pulled the tiny piece of cloth down from her body and onto the floor. He took his fill of her curvaceous figure from her toes to the top of her head and back again.

  “You’re exquisite, Krista.” His mouth took hers once more in a searing kiss. His hand roamed freely over her soft skin, touching everywhere but at the place where they would be joined soon. He needed to prepare her, to make her relaxed and loose.

  Taking her hands, he brought them down to the waistband of his briefs as an invitation to rid him of the last barrier to their closeness. She made quick work of it, impatient in her haste.

  Once fully naked, he pulled Krista close to align their bodies together, until not even air could fit in between them. “See how well we match, love? Like pieces of a puzzle.” He took her hands in his. “Touch me where you want to be touched, baby. Show me what you want so I can give it to you.”

  Taking him at his word, she reached between their bodies and held his hardness in a steady grip. He groaned as the dreamt-of scenario finally happened. He reciprocated by parting her legs and pressing his fingers inside her where she was hot and wet for him. She was tight, but slick and ready. So very ready.

  Blake took Krista’s hands off him and reached for the latex, to put it on his erection. His breath caught as she opened her thighs wider, inviting him to take the next step in this dance. She was so sensuous, his virgin. He vowed to take his time, even if it killed him.

  “Look at me, baby,” he urged as he positioned himself. “I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll try to be gentle, but I might not be entirely successful. If it gets too much, let me know and I’ll stop.” He would probably regret making that promise, but he’d do it. For her.

  Krista reached up to touch his face. “Blake, I want this. I want us. I hurt that you’re hesitating. Please, come to me.”

  Staggered by her bravery, he closed the small distance between them and kissed her with a tenderness that belied the heat. Lowering his body, he carefully parted the entrance to her depths with his manhood, sliding it inch by inch, until he was all the way in. He heard her gasp of pain and regretted causing it, but he couldn’t undo it now. He could only try to make it better for her from this point on.

  He stayed still, letting her adjust to his size and get used to the unfamiliar feeling of fullness. The pleasure of being inside her was intense—almost unbearable— and he had to grit his teeth to keep from groaning out loud. He watched her for signs of discomfort or regret, but found none. “How do you feel, baby?”

  She opened her tear-filled eyes and nodded. “I feel wonderful, Blake. Please make love with me.” His heart ached with tenderness at her show of equal strength and vulnerability. He caught her mouth in a deep kiss and started to move his hips in slow but deep thrusts.

  Her pants and whimpers fueled his desire even more. “So soft, so sweet,” he crooned as he lavished her breasts with open-mouthed kisses. She raised her legs to clamp behind him, angling her hips in such a way that his every thrust ground against her clit.

  When her inner muscles tightened around him and her moans got louder, he increased his pace and held her even closer. “Let go, Krista. I’ll catch you. I promise. Let go,” he urged, sensing his own orgasm close to eruption. And she did; her spasms triggered Blake’s own prolonged climax.

  ***

  So, that’s what it was all about. Krista sighed as she watched Blake walk to the bathroom, unashamed of his nudity. Why would he be? His body was magnificent, whether clothed or bare. Not as comfortable, she grabbed the blanket to cover her own nakedness.

  Closing her eyes, she considered the wonder of her new knowledge. It was one thing to read about it but another to experience the ecstasy for herself. No wonder people do it all the time, she thought with amazement. What she felt the other night was nothing compared to tonight’s fulfillment. There was something more to having Blake move inside her that kissing and touching alone could not equal.

  She opened her eyes when the bed dipped, signaling his return. He held a wet cloth in his hand. “What’s that for?” she asked.

  “I was afraid there would be some blood.”

  She took the washcloth from his hand and put it on top of the bedside table. There was no need for it—she had already checked. She was a little sore down there, and tender in other unused muscles, but she felt great. Scooting closer, she gave him a hug. He is so sweet. “Thank you, Blake,” she whispered, nuzzling his neck.

  “For what, sweetheart?” She lifted her face to look at him and sighed when he swept her hair away from her face and brushed a soft kiss on her lips.

  “For being gentle with me, for making it good for me on my first time; for fulfilling your promise to catch me,” she explained solemnly. “Is it always like that?”

  “First, you’re welcome. You deserve to be cherished, and it’s an honor for me to give you pleasure.” He punctuated the statement with another kiss. “Second, is it always mind-blowingly good? Not really. Sometimes it
’s just a physical release.” It was slight, but she felt his hesitation before he added, “Between the two of us? I hope it will always be as good as tonight, or maybe even better.”

  Even better? Wow! Striving for a light tone, she poked him on the chest. “Well, big guy, we have to put that to the test another time because I’m a bit sore right now.”

  He tensed and sat up to hold her at arm’s length, looking her over as if searching for injury. “I thought you said you’re all right.”

  “Sssh, relax. I said I didn’t bleed,” she assured him, calming him down. She pulled him back down on the bed and cuddled in his arms once more. “And I’m really, perfectly fine. I know you tried not to crush me, but you still outweigh me by at least forty pounds. These muscles are hard, you know.” She said the last while patting his chest.

  He smacked her butt lightly and she let out a squeal. “Aray! What was that for?” She glared up at him. It didn’t hurt, but she liked to tease him, anyway.

  “Aww, poor little baby. Did it hurt? Want me to kiss it better?” He moved as if to do just that; she wrestled with him until he was flat on his back again. The loon laughed so hard that she pinched his side, which made him hoot even more as he tried to evade her fingers.

  Krista erupted in a fit of giggles herself when he found a sensitive spot at the back of her knees and proceeded to tickle her mercilessly.

  “Stop! Stop! I have to pee.” She ran to the bathroom, still laughing. She abruptly came to a stop in front of the mirror and caught her breath, seeing the image of the sensuous woman with her mouth opened in shock.

  The woman in the mirror had sparkling brown eyes and sexy, tousled bed hair. Her fair skin was aglow with a pink blush that no cosmetic could reproduce. Her naked body was lush and blooming. She’s beautiful! I’m beautiful. Krista reached out a finger to touch her reflection.

  You’re a woman now, Maria Krista Lopez, and you look damned good! Shaking her head at her conceit, Krista freshened up and put on her nightclothes — another sexy ensemble provided by her friends.

  Is Blake staying the night? She was racking up her firsts with him. First kiss, first orgasm, first lover, and the first man she’d sleep with. She yawned. By sleep, she meant literally to slumber. This had been an eventful day with the diving and the sex. She needed her beauty rest.

  When she returned to the bedroom, she found Blake still on the bed. He had turned down the light, put his boxer briefs back on, and—darn it—was reading her romance novel. Busted.

  “So, this is where you got the inspiration for that seduction scene.” His eyes twinkled with laughter. “Can I tell you I heartily approve?” Of course, he would. It was for his benefit, after all.

  Flushing, Krista wordlessly took the book from his hand and returned it to the bedside table. She forgot she had put it there after she came in to get ready for dinner.

  She got onto the bed and arranged the blankets around her before she replied. “I like to read. I learn a lot from books.” Books were her refuge. She felt deeply hurt when people made fun of her for reading them. They might not have been rocket science, but they made her happy.

  Blake must have sensed her changed mood; he moved to close the distance between them, and he took her in his arms once more. “I like reading, too. And I wasn’t ridiculing you when I said I like your book. I really do.” He kissed her forehead.

  Getting out of the bed, he added, “We may even try page 117 tomorrow, if you like.” The odious man then strode across the room as if he owned it. Which, of course, he sort-of does.

  Making sure Blake could not see from the bathroom, Krista quickly opened the book to the page he’d mentioned. She blushed again when she read what was going on there. Hmmm. Oh yeah, I like. Blake bringing her to orgasm with his tongue was something she looked forward to trying, now that she knew how good making love could be.

  She closed the book and smiled. She did it. Congratulations to me. I’ve fulfilled my Turning-Thirty Vow. I did it!

  TUESDAY

  Chapter Twelve

  Pagkain [pag-ka-een] n. – food.

  She’s still sleeping. Blake shook his head, smiling at the sight of Krista sprawled across the king-sized bed.

  Even on the island he woke up at six in the morning. His body clock demanded it naturally. He had gone back to his cottage, drank coffee, had a run, showered and changed into fresh clothes, ordered breakfast to be delivered to Krista’s kubo, and returned. All within the two hours since getting out of the bed they had shared.

  Blake sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating the significance of that. He had never literally slept with anyone. Not once had he invited anybody to his condo; he preferred to go to a woman’s place or a hotel so he could leave after having sex. Krista had broken every rule in his book, and he let her get away with it.

  When she asked if “it” was always good, his heart stuttered within his chest. A lot of times in the past it was just a quick fuck. He always made sure his partner reached pleasure first, but every single time it was so he could orgasm himself. No, until Krista, I have never made love with a woman before.

  A moan from the bed broke him out of his thoughts. Princess Slugabed is waking up. He decided to aid the process by walking his fingers leisurely along one foot then caressing a shapely calf. He stopped to linger at the back of her knee, which he found to be extra-sensitive last night.

  She moaned again, and the sexy sound went straight to his groin. Oh, that would not do. She was still very sore. No way would he sport a boner the whole day long without satisfaction.

  He climbed on the bed, pulled the blankets off her, and loudly called out, “Wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty.”

  She woke up with an indignant squeal. “Noooooo! Go away.” She curled up on her side and put the pillow over her head, attempting in vain to go back to sleep.

  He laughed at her childlike behavior and moved closer to take her in his arms. “Come on, sweetie. It’s beautiful outside. The sun is bright, and the birds are chirping.” He sang out, “Whatever happened to Ms. Carpe Diem? We miss her.”

  That brought her out of hiding. “Ugh. I don’t like you anymore.” She pouted. Her actions belied her words, because she snuggled closer to him, pillowing her head on his shoulder.

  “Why? Don’t you like my singing voice? Tralalala.” He enjoyed teasing her and making her laugh.

  “No. Why are you super cheerful so early in the morning? It’s unnatural.” She stretched, and he noticed her wince when she straightened her legs. Poor baby needs a massage. He would arrange it for later today; maybe get one himself.

  They’d take it easy this day, and save the jet skiing and parasailing for tomorrow with Aidan and Maddie. That should be a fun way to celebrate her birthday.

  And Aidan’s, too. He’d forgotten tomorrow was his brother’s birthday as well. He was so focused on Krista, he hadn’t realized the significance of his brother’s desire to come down to Boracay on that date. But that wasn’t until tomorrow; today was still for Krista. And although last night’s events advanced the timeline slightly, he still planned to get her into his bed and wake up with her the day she turned thirty.

  Obviously waiting for his answer to her question, Krista poked him on his chin dimple. He held her hand and gave it a kiss. Bringing her face up close to his, he said, “How can I not be happy? I have a gorgeous woman in my arms.”

  He bent to kiss her, but she shook her head and covered her mouth. At his puzzled look, she said in a muffled voice, “Morning breath.” She disentangled herself from his hold and took off for the bathroom.

  Blake laughed after her retreating back, but he truly didn’t mind. To him, she smelled sweet and felt soft and warm.

  He’d woken up with a hard-on. It wasn’t helped by the sensation of her supple bottom cheeks cradling his erection so perfectly. That was what drove him out of bed and into a vigorous run at the beach.

  He heard a knock at the door and got up to let the servers in to set up their breakfast at
the cabana. He hadn’t exaggerated when he told Krista it was a beautiful day. Yesterday’s rains made everything glisten and shine.

  After tipping the waiters generously, he made coffee from the single-serve machine that was part of the amenities in all the rooms at Perlas. The cottages had more advanced brewing systems and a larger variety of flavored pods. He noted that Krista’s pod container held flavored creamers, so he prepared a mug for her, guessing on the combination.

  He smiled in amusement when she headed straight to the coffee maker as soon as she came out of the bedroom. My Krista is not a morning person, he grinned into his cup.

  She seemed momentarily confused that there was coffee ready for her; she sipped cautiously and sighed to find it to her taste. Giving him a smile of gratitude, she mouthed, “Thanks.”

  He led her out to the garden where their breakfast waited. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the food spread out over two tables. There was pork tocino, longganisa, beef tapa, bagnet, corned beef, danggit, garlic fried rice, and sunny-side up eggs. Also included in the spread were ensaymada, pan de sal, bagels, pancakes, and waffles. To drink, there were juices and icy water.

  She looked at him, her eyes wide in wonder. “Is anybody else joining us? This can feed an entire army.” She picked up a plate and got a little of everything.

  “It’s just us, but I noticed you haven’t had a good breakfast since you arrived in Boracay. Saturday was too late, on Sunday we went to church early, and yesterday was rushed because of the scuba diving lessons.” He struggled to keep his balance when she set her plate down, rushed up to him, and gave him a hug.

  She peppered his face with kisses, saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  He laughed and patted her on the back. He loved her appreciation of his simple gifts and couldn’t wait to give her the rest of his presents. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s eat.”