Chapter 13
The sand shifted under their bare feet as they trudged back to the hotel. Silence except the crashing waves along the private beach. She glanced up at him nervously. What was he thinking? He hadn't said a thing since their kiss on the Ferris Wheel. Their kiss! Her cheeks burned hot just thinking about it. It was amazing. Indescribably amazing. She smiled slightly. It was.right. Her first kiss, and it was from Luis. Luis caught her smile out of the corner of his brown eyes. "What are you smiling about?" he asked. Brown eyes twinkling in the starlight. She blushed furiously under his attention, and he grinned at her. "Sherry," he teased. Taking the sandals from her hands and dropping them to the sand below by his own shoes. "Tell me," he said. Grabbing her other hand and threading his fingers through hers. "Look at me, Sheridan," he told her. And Sheridan raised shining blue eyes to his face. "Our.Luis." "Yes?" he prodded gently. "You kissed me," she whispered in wonder. "I did," he smiled back at her. Running the back of his knuckles across her cheek gently. "Luis." she sighed. Leaning into his touch. "Luis? Where are you?" she cried. Feeling bereft when she realized.he wasn't there. "Out here," he called. Her eyes searched. Finding him. Knee-deep in the waves. "What are you waiting for? The water feels great."
The water lapped at her ankles, and her laughter made him smile. "I can't, Luis. I don't have my suit on." "So," he shrugged his shoulders. Wading toward her. "Luis.Luis.don't!" she shrieked as he grabbed her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. When the water was waist-deep, he finally let her down. "Luis!" she pushed at his chest. "Now what am I going to do? I'm soaking wet." "Swim," Luis waggled his eyebrows at her. "Ugh!" she groaned. Slapping the water beside her, and drenching him. "You'll pay for that," Luis promised. Blinking his eyes against the stinging salt water. And Sheridan's blue eyes grew wide as he gave chase. Catching her and dunking her underneath the gently breaking waves. "That was SO mean, Luigi," she sputtered. Pretending to pout. "Alright, Sherry," he teased. "Seriously.you know I hate that name. Of all the fake names you could have come up with.why that one?" "I don't know," Sheridan said slyly. "Maybe it's because." "Because what?" he questioned. Brushing her wet blond locks from her eyes. Sheridan sucked in a deep breath. "Because," she said. A mischievous smile playing on her pink lips as she backed up. Slowly putting distance between her and Luis. "Because you look like one of the Super Mario Brothers," she giggled. Then turned and ran. Luis grabbed his chest in mock hurt. "You slay me."
Luis dropped to the sand beside her and wiped his face with the tee-shirt he'd abandoned earlier. Sheridan bit her lip as the droplets of water gleamed on his bronzed skin, and she crossed her arms across her chest self- consciously. Shivering at the breeze blowing off the ocean. "Cold?" Luis asked. Pulling her into his arms and rubbing her arms briskly with his warm hands. Sheridan closed her eyes and leaned back against him. "Luis?" "Yeah," he said quietly. "Do you miss it?" He rested his chin on her shoulder with a sigh. "Do you miss Harmony? Your family?" Luis slid his arms around her waist and hugged her close. "Do you?" he evaded her question. "I miss Juliet," she tried to smile. Luis chuckled. "And Ethan. And Ivy. And your mother," she finished in a choked voice. "Me too," Luis admitted. Sheridan shifted in his arms to face him. "It's my fault. I took you away from her. And your brother and sisters. Luis.you should just forget about me and go home," she cried. Chin quivering. "Pilar must miss you so. You have people who love you and are concerned." He brushed her tears away with a gentle hand. "You have people that care about you, too," he whispered. But love, she wondered. Sure, Ivy and Ethan CARED about her. Pilar CARED about her. But did ANYONE.least of all her father.LOVE her? "It's not the same," she said in a tremulous voice. "I made my choice," he said. Staring deeply into her blue eyes. "And I don't regret it. Not for a second."
"Thank you," she whispered. Twining her arms tightly about his neck. Luis hands rubbed her back in soothing circles. "Shh," he murmured into her ear. "You're going to be okay. You have me. We have each other," he whispered. Pulling back to kiss her forehead. He traced her lips with the pads of his thumbs. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise," he vowed. Leaning close to brush his lips across her brow. Her damp cheeks. And the tears fell faster. "Shh. Don't cry," he pleaded. Sheridan looked at him with sad blue eyes. "Kiss me again, Luis. Please," she said. Her hands rested on his shoulders, and her eyes darted back and forth from his eyes to his mouth. He groaned when she shifted in his lap and crushed her to him before granting her request. His lips lingering sweetly on hers. Sheridan stared back at him with hooded blue eyes. Heart pounding furiously in her chest as she ran her hands up and down his muscled chest. Luis slid his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her again. A slow, deep, drugging kiss that had her mind whirling. She pulled back in surprise when she realized they were falling. To the sand beneath them.
Luis stared up at her with eyes dark. Dark with desire, she realized with just a twinge of anxiety. Things were moving a little too fast. At a breakneck speed. But she was powerless to resist when he reached for her. He slipped his tongue past her parted lips and started the furious rush of feelings within her again. His hands were everywhere. Caressing her bare thighs. Just above her knee. Slipping beneath the hem of her tank. Burning the skin of her back with its heat. She felt.happy. Alive. In a dream-like state. Her body ached for his touch. But her heart, her mind."Luis." His hand slid around and cupped her rib cage, and her breath stopped in her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed once more when he touched her, and she felt her body respond. It was all too much. She was scared. Frightened beyond belief. "Luis.stop," she cried weakly as he kissed her neck. His hot breath on her skin making her shiver. "Luis," she pushed against his chest. Hot tears of humiliation springing to her blue eyes. "I said STOP!" she yelled. Pushing him away more violently and scrambling away. Watching the reassuring surge of the waves as she propped her chin on her raised knee.
Luis pulled his tee-shirt back over his head. And just watched her in silence for a few moments. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered. Turning her teary gaze upon him. "There's something wrong with me, isn't there? I don't know what I want, Luis. I asked you to kiss me. I wanted you to. But then.I don't know what happened." "It's not your fault," he told her. Running a gentle hand through her soft damp curls and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "It's mine. I knew.I know you've never.I should have stopped. I shouldn't have.it was too much too soon," he said softly. Wiping her tears from her cheeks carefully. "I'm just not.ready for all that," she admitted with extreme embarrassment. Ducking her head. "Hey," he said. Making her look at him. "I understand. And I promise.from now on.we take things more slowly." "You really understand? You're not just saying that to make me feel better? You're not disappointed?" she asked in a breathless rush. Blue eyes bright with hope. He understood! "Yes. No. And yes and no," he grinned. "But only a tiny bit disappointed," he said quickly when her beautiful face fell. "I'll wait for you, Princess. When you're ready." He laughed as she threw her arms around his neck joyfully. "Thank you, Luis! You're amazing!" No, he thought as he held her in his arms. YOU'RE the amazing one. "Come on," he nodded his head in the direction of their hotel. "I think it's time we went back. Don't you?" She took his hand with a smile. And they disappeared down the sandy beach. Together.
The sand shifted under their bare feet as they trudged back to the hotel. Silence except the crashing waves along the private beach. She glanced up at him nervously. What was he thinking? He hadn't said a thing since their kiss on the Ferris Wheel. Their kiss! Her cheeks burned hot just thinking about it. It was amazing. Indescribably amazing. She smiled slightly. It was.right. Her first kiss, and it was from Luis. Luis caught her smile out of the corner of his brown eyes. "What are you smiling about?" he asked. Brown eyes twinkling in the starlight. She blushed furiously under his attention, and he grinned at her. "Sherry," he teased. Taking the sandals from her hands and dropping them to the sand below by his own shoes. "Tell me," he said. Grabbing her other hand and threading his fingers through hers. "Look at me, Sheridan," he told her. And Sheridan raised shining blue eyes to his face. "Our.Luis." "Yes?" he prodded gently. "You kissed me," she whispered in wonder. "I did," he smiled back at her. Running the back of his knuckles across her cheek gently. "Luis." she sighed. Leaning into his touch. "Luis? Where are you?" she cried. Feeling bereft when she realized.he wasn't there. "Out here," he called. Her eyes searched. Finding him. Knee-deep in the waves. "What are you waiting for? The water feels great."
The water lapped at her ankles, and her laughter made him smile. "I can't, Luis. I don't have my suit on." "So," he shrugged his shoulders. Wading toward her. "Luis.Luis.don't!" she shrieked as he grabbed her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. When the water was waist-deep, he finally let her down. "Luis!" she pushed at his chest. "Now what am I going to do? I'm soaking wet." "Swim," Luis waggled his eyebrows at her. "Ugh!" she groaned. Slapping the water beside her, and drenching him. "You'll pay for that," Luis promised. Blinking his eyes against the stinging salt water. And Sheridan's blue eyes grew wide as he gave chase. Catching her and dunking her underneath the gently breaking waves. "That was SO mean, Luigi," she sputtered. Pretending to pout. "Alright, Sherry," he teased. "Seriously.you know I hate that name. Of all the fake names you could have come up with.why that one?" "I don't know," Sheridan said slyly. "Maybe it's because." "Because what?" he questioned. Brushing her wet blond locks from her eyes. Sheridan sucked in a deep breath. "Because," she said. A mischievous smile playing on her pink lips as she backed up. Slowly putting distance between her and Luis. "Because you look like one of the Super Mario Brothers," she giggled. Then turned and ran. Luis grabbed his chest in mock hurt. "You slay me."
Luis dropped to the sand beside her and wiped his face with the tee-shirt he'd abandoned earlier. Sheridan bit her lip as the droplets of water gleamed on his bronzed skin, and she crossed her arms across her chest self- consciously. Shivering at the breeze blowing off the ocean. "Cold?" Luis asked. Pulling her into his arms and rubbing her arms briskly with his warm hands. Sheridan closed her eyes and leaned back against him. "Luis?" "Yeah," he said quietly. "Do you miss it?" He rested his chin on her shoulder with a sigh. "Do you miss Harmony? Your family?" Luis slid his arms around her waist and hugged her close. "Do you?" he evaded her question. "I miss Juliet," she tried to smile. Luis chuckled. "And Ethan. And Ivy. And your mother," she finished in a choked voice. "Me too," Luis admitted. Sheridan shifted in his arms to face him. "It's my fault. I took you away from her. And your brother and sisters. Luis.you should just forget about me and go home," she cried. Chin quivering. "Pilar must miss you so. You have people who love you and are concerned." He brushed her tears away with a gentle hand. "You have people that care about you, too," he whispered. But love, she wondered. Sure, Ivy and Ethan CARED about her. Pilar CARED about her. But did ANYONE.least of all her father.LOVE her? "It's not the same," she said in a tremulous voice. "I made my choice," he said. Staring deeply into her blue eyes. "And I don't regret it. Not for a second."
"Thank you," she whispered. Twining her arms tightly about his neck. Luis hands rubbed her back in soothing circles. "Shh," he murmured into her ear. "You're going to be okay. You have me. We have each other," he whispered. Pulling back to kiss her forehead. He traced her lips with the pads of his thumbs. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise," he vowed. Leaning close to brush his lips across her brow. Her damp cheeks. And the tears fell faster. "Shh. Don't cry," he pleaded. Sheridan looked at him with sad blue eyes. "Kiss me again, Luis. Please," she said. Her hands rested on his shoulders, and her eyes darted back and forth from his eyes to his mouth. He groaned when she shifted in his lap and crushed her to him before granting her request. His lips lingering sweetly on hers. Sheridan stared back at him with hooded blue eyes. Heart pounding furiously in her chest as she ran her hands up and down his muscled chest. Luis slid his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her again. A slow, deep, drugging kiss that had her mind whirling. She pulled back in surprise when she realized they were falling. To the sand beneath them.
Luis stared up at her with eyes dark. Dark with desire, she realized with just a twinge of anxiety. Things were moving a little too fast. At a breakneck speed. But she was powerless to resist when he reached for her. He slipped his tongue past her parted lips and started the furious rush of feelings within her again. His hands were everywhere. Caressing her bare thighs. Just above her knee. Slipping beneath the hem of her tank. Burning the skin of her back with its heat. She felt.happy. Alive. In a dream-like state. Her body ached for his touch. But her heart, her mind."Luis." His hand slid around and cupped her rib cage, and her breath stopped in her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed once more when he touched her, and she felt her body respond. It was all too much. She was scared. Frightened beyond belief. "Luis.stop," she cried weakly as he kissed her neck. His hot breath on her skin making her shiver. "Luis," she pushed against his chest. Hot tears of humiliation springing to her blue eyes. "I said STOP!" she yelled. Pushing him away more violently and scrambling away. Watching the reassuring surge of the waves as she propped her chin on her raised knee.
Luis pulled his tee-shirt back over his head. And just watched her in silence for a few moments. "I'm sorry," she finally whispered. Turning her teary gaze upon him. "There's something wrong with me, isn't there? I don't know what I want, Luis. I asked you to kiss me. I wanted you to. But then.I don't know what happened." "It's not your fault," he told her. Running a gentle hand through her soft damp curls and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "It's mine. I knew.I know you've never.I should have stopped. I shouldn't have.it was too much too soon," he said softly. Wiping her tears from her cheeks carefully. "I'm just not.ready for all that," she admitted with extreme embarrassment. Ducking her head. "Hey," he said. Making her look at him. "I understand. And I promise.from now on.we take things more slowly." "You really understand? You're not just saying that to make me feel better? You're not disappointed?" she asked in a breathless rush. Blue eyes bright with hope. He understood! "Yes. No. And yes and no," he grinned. "But only a tiny bit disappointed," he said quickly when her beautiful face fell. "I'll wait for you, Princess. When you're ready." He laughed as she threw her arms around his neck joyfully. "Thank you, Luis! You're amazing!" No, he thought as he held her in his arms. YOU'RE the amazing one. "Come on," he nodded his head in the direction of their hotel. "I think it's time we went back. Don't you?" She took his hand with a smile. And they disappeared down the sandy beach. Together.