Chapter 3

Stephanie's POV

Carlos and I have spent every day and night together since we met on Monday. The first two days, we hung out as a group. Then, on Thursday, we split up from the guys and girls. Rose met a guy on Wednesday night that she was attracted to, and Bobby met a girl. Dani and Lester drove up to Disney and stayed in Orlando overnight. Lisa spent her days alone on the balcony of our cheap hotel room reading and would only eat meals with us. We spent Thursday on a local beach, far from the crowds, where we talked and did some other activities, especially after the sunset. We haven't had sex yet, but I've given Carlos a blow job, and he went down on me. Tonight is our last night in Miami. The girls and I have a one o'clock flight into Newark, which is closer to our dorms at Douglass College. Lisa is flying into JFK since it's closer to her school in NY. Her flight leaves an hour before ours. Carlos told me that he wants to take me out to a fancy dinner, and then he wants to spend that night with me. I am a little hesitant, but hey, you only live once, right? Besides, I'm so attracted to Carlos. I decided to pack all my clothes, except for what I'll need for tomorrow. Carlos surprised me on Tuesday morning with a new bottle of my perfume, and last night, with a monogrammed Coach overnight bag. I can't believe he got this for me. He's so sweet.

Tonight, I'm wearing the only fancy dress I brought with me here. It's a white, strapless sundress with purple flowers along the skirt's hem, which flares a little along with a pair of white sandals with a modest heel. Carlos is picking me up from my room at five-thirty.

"Wow, Steph, you clean up nice. I can't believe you are getting your curls to behave in this humidity! I look like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket."

"I told you, you need Mr. Alexander's secret serum. It's a godsend."

"I think I must try it." Rose commented.

"Wow, Steph, that dress looks awesome on you, especially since you got a tan. I thought you said you didn't tan." Dani states as she comes into the room.

"I said I tend to burn before I tan, but it seems that I did a great job applying sunblock at the correct intervals."

"I'm sure it helped to have a hottie like Carlos there to assist," Rose responded with a knowing smile.

"It didn't hurt."

"Okay, now here's the important part. What bag are you taking with you?"

"Well, I'm bringing my beach tote with my change of clothes and my wristlet."

"You need to put these in your wristlet, Stephanie," Rose says, handing me a sleeve of five condoms.

Lisa, who has been sitting in the corner rolling her eyes, says, "I doubt she'll need that many. Most guys can't get it up again after two times."

Now, it was Rose's turn to be exasperated. "Trust me, Steph, a man who looks as good as Carlos, who eats and works out the way he does and is a self-proclaimed man-whore knows how to use it, and I'm sure will be able to fuck you multiple times. Take them. You can never have too many condoms."

I take the condoms, feel all the blood rush to my face as I flush. "Thanks, Rose."

"Good luck tonight, Babe. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Rose, you'd do almost anything."

"Exactly. Go get your man."

I can't help the smile that forms on my face. I glance at the time on the clock radio in the room, seeing that Carlos should be here any minute now. Before I can work myself up into a panic, there is a knock on the door. Dani, who's closest, answers the door. When I get a glimpse of Carlos, I feel my legs go weak. Now, I've spent most of my time with Carlos on the beach, with him practically naked, but seeing Carlos wearing black dress pants and a white dress shirt is a sight to behold, especially since the pants have the perfect crease that would make my mother proud if I were able to pull it off.

"Babe."

"Carlos."

"You look spectacular," he tells me while I watch his eyes run up and down my body, taking in every inch of exposed and covered skin. I see Rose and Dani fanning themselves in my periphery.

"You look pretty spectacular yourself."

Carlos reaches out and grabs my hand, kissing the back of it. He takes my beach bag from me, and I place my wristlet around my wrist. I say goodnight to my friends, following Carlos to the elevator.

Once we are alone in the elevator, Carlos pulls me against his chest and kisses me senselessly. I swear, if his arms weren't around my waist, I'd be a puddle of goo on the floor. "Dios, Babe, there's a part of me that wants to skip dinner and just have dessert, but you deserve everything I can give you and more."

"Being here with you, meeting you, Carlos, is something I never expected nor anticipated. I can't imagine this week turning out any other way."

"Me neither. To think I didn't even want to come to Miami."

"Same here. I can't imagine not having the opportunity to get to know you."

By this point, the elevator opens in the lobby. We go out the doors, and I find a black Mustang convertible parked near the entrance. It takes me a moment to realize that Carlos is walking us towards that sexy car.

"The 'Stang is yours?"

"No, it belongs to my godfather. He's lending it to me for the night." Carlos places my tote in the trunk of the car before opening the passenger door for me. He helps me in the car and proceeds to buckle me in after placing another kiss on my lips. I don't know how much more of these kisses I can take until I self-combust.

"You're providing the enemy with information on your weaknesses."

"In this case, I don't care," I respond.

About twenty minutes later, we're pulling up in front of a fancy restaurant specializing in steak and seafood. We are seated within minutes of arriving, settle into an easy conversation. Since neither one of us is twenty-one yet, we don't drink. Instead, we talk about anything and everything. The conversation always flows so effortlessly between us. When we leave the restaurant, Carlos drives towards a fancy part of Miami. Soon, we arrive at a swank, upscale hotel about four blocks from our hotel.

Carlos checks us in under a reservation he made a few days ago. Once that task is finished, he again takes my hand and walks to our room on the twentieth floor. The view from the windows in our room is sensational, overlook the Atlantic Ocean. I feel so at peace looking out to the ocean. A moment later, I feel Carlos's arms wrap around my waist from behind while gentle kisses are peppered down my neck. I feel heat flowing through my body.

I turn my head to meet his lips with mine, but he tells me to look at the ocean. Since his voice is husky with a hint of an accent, I comply. Now, his hands are wandering up my stomach towards my chest. I start to feel self-conscious, but I try to relax and allow Carlos to pleasure me.

"Babe, you are gorgeous, on the inside and out. Your eyes are the most intriguing, so much so that it feels as though you can read my mind and my thoughts. This dress, it simply highlights all the wonderful parts of your body that I want to touch, kiss, and pleasure." I involuntarily stiffen.

"Listen, Stephanie, if at any time you are uncomfortable and want to stop, just say the word, and I'll stop. I'd rather go without making love to you than to make you feel used or abused."

"Carlos, my track record with members of the opposite sex isn't great. I'm afraid to trust because too many times that trust has been broken."

"Babe, look at me." Carlos turns me around, so I am facing him. "If I wanted to fuck you and walk away, I would have done so Monday night. If I was only interested in adding another notch to my belt, I would have flirted with Rachel and gotten in her pants before you even arrived at Mirage. That's not what I want. I want you, Stephanie. Dios, Babe, this past week has been amazing. I never, for lack of a better word, dated a girl before. It was always about 'wham bam, thank you, ma'am.' Stephanie, I want you to remember tonight for the rest of your life because I know I will."

My nerves melt away at Carlos' words as my heart tells me that I can trust him and that he won't hurt me. After Joe raped me, I've had difficulty being intimate with someone because I get flashbacks. I'm hoping that doesn't happen tonight. Then again, my other wannabe lovers were aggressive and domineering. They were selfish, wanting only their pleasure. I hope Carlos is different. Maybe he can show me how good sex can be.

"Okay, I trust you."

Carlos' POV

From the bits and pieces Stephanie has told me about herself, I can see that she carries emotional scars. It kills me inside that someone as caring, kind, and loving as Stephanie could have been treated so poorly. I never had someone tense up from simply putting my arms around her waist. So I know that I must show her how she should be treated.

Once Stephanie told me that she trusted me, I kissed her. I wanted our kiss to be frenzied, but instead, I keep myself controlled, keeping our kiss passionate but soft. I move my arms so that both hands are under Steph's ass as I lift her. She automatically wraps her legs around my waist. Dios! If only we didn't have clothes on, I'd be buried inside her. While walking towards the king-sized bed, I let my hand slip under her skirt, where I discover that she's wearing a thong. Shit, I feel myself get harder. When I'm almost against the bed, I place Steph on her feet while lifting the dress over her head.

I glance at the woman standing before me. Now, Stephanie has worn fairly revealing bikinis this week, but that didn't prepare me for the sight in front of me. She was wearing a white lacy bra that barely covered her breasts with a thong that could hardly qualify as underwear.

"Hermosa, tu eres hermosa, Babe."

Steph tilts her head to the side and looks at me curiously. "I said beautiful, you are beautiful." She blushed at my announcement as I gently nudge her onto the bed. I remove my shirt, my belt, and my socks, leaving only my dress pants on. As much as I want to unfasten the button and pull down the zipper, I don't. I know once I release my cock from the confines of my pants, I won't be able to worship Steph the way I want to.

I lean over Stephanie, leaving a trail of soft kisses down her neck from under her left ears. I slowly work my way to her breast, kissing and sucking on her small, round nipple, which quickly hardens at my touch. I hear Steph's breath hitch as I feel her heart rate increase. I move to her other breast, quickly working my magic there. I finally start to feel Steph relax underneath me, and I'm ready to progress further down. As my mouth moves over her stomach to her belly button, I admire her softness. She is by no means heavy or overweight, but she's not too skinny either. She has the perfect figure in my eyes. When I finally reach between her legs, I can smell her arousal. The scent has me even more turned on. I slowly remove her thong, bringing it down her long legs, to look at her glistening pussy. I bring my tongue down to taste her, and she almost orgasms.

"Not yet, Babe. Hold off." I bring my tongue around her bundle of nerves, trying to prevent her from cuming just yet. I want it to be explosive. When I feel that she's calmed down enough, I return to her clit, licking and sucking it. I place two fingers inside her and can feel that she's tight. I know that I need to prep her further, or I'll hurt her. I continue to pump into her, adding a third finger. Once I can easily move my three fingers inside her, I know she's ready for the main attraction.

I reach into my pocket, pulling out the sleeve of four condoms I took with me. I open up the first packet, placing the rubber over my throbbing cock that I finally freed from my pants. I see Stephanie look at me and watch as her eyes grow wide.

"Holy shit, will that even fit?"

"Yes, Babe, it will. I'm going to go slow, it may hurt a little initially, but I promise it will be good."

She nods her head, showing me that she still trusts me. I rub myself along her center, trying to lubricate myself with her natural juices. Once I feel that I'm good, I slowly push the tip inside her. Dios, she's so tight. I see Steph's eyes squint slightly, so I know it's painful to her. I gently enter her, not rushing. Once I'm fully sheathed, I wait a moment for her body to adjust. Once I feel that she's ready, I start to gently rock my hips. Within minutes, she's bucking against me, then she wraps her long legs around me, encouraging me to go faster. I pick up the pace, kissing her breasts, neck, and mouth while I feel us both reaching our orgasm. Our eyes lock on each other, and we both reach the crescendo, with her spasming against my cock, draining every ounce from me. I pull out, removing the condom and disposing of it, before lying next to Stephanie.

"Oh my God, Carlos, that was amazing."

"Yeah, Babe, it was," I reply while tracing circles on her arm.

"That was the best orgasm of my life, but I want more. I've never wanted more before."

"You want to go again?" I ask, hoping that I'm hearing her correctly.

I watch as she bites her lower lip and looks away, "yes, but I guess you're done. It's okay. I don't really need more."

I can't believe she thinks I don't want her anymore. I take her hand and place it on my cock, which is starting to harden once again. "Babe, I still want you. I wasn't sure if you wanted me."

"Carlos, make love to me, slow and tender, please."

"Your wish is my command."

Stephanie's POV

"What time do you have to leave?"

"We need to be on the road by eleven to make sure we are back on base on time. We want to be back early."

"I can't believe that we won't see each other again."

"Babe, we will see each other again. I promise you. I gave you the address of my friend, Parker, who lives near the base and will collect my mail. Just address it to PFC Manoso. When I get back from my tour, I'll come and visit you. We usually get some R and R after we're active. I'll be in Jersey anyway to visit my family."

"I never imaged meeting someone on spring break."

"Me neither."

We both sit silently for a moment, not wanting our time to end. The last twelve or so hours were terrific, for I never had sex so much in one night. We went through eight condoms! Right now, we have one left, but our time is running short. I also need to leave to make our flight back home.

"I guess we should take our showers."

"You can go first, Babe. I'll only need ten minutes."

I stand up and walk to Carlos. I kiss him, then rest my head on his shoulder. After a moment, I walk into the bathroom. As I'm brushing my teeth, Carlos walks into the bathroom. He stands behind me, capturing me between him and the counter. He kisses me on my neck.

"We have one condom left. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

I don't know how I'm still horny. I move my ass back to push against Carlos. His arms move in opposite directions, one to my center and one to my breast. Watching him touch me in the mirror is erotic, and I'm feeling heat rush through my body. I see Carlos open the condom and roll it on. He pushes into me from behind, and I feel him deep inside me. The sensation is too wonderful for words. I've never allowed anyone to take me this way, but I think this might be my new favorite position.

All too soon, I feel myself reaching a climax. Before I can fall over the cliff, though, Carlos pulls out, turns me around, and sets me on the counter before he enters me again. He's kissing my mouth, neck, breasts, sucking on my nipple, and slamming inside me. I run my nails down his back, trying to kiss wherever I can reach with my mouth. What seems like seconds later, we are both orgasming once again. When Carlos pulls out, he pauses.

"Shit."

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"The condom broke."

"Oh. It's okay. I'm on the pill," I tell Carlos.

"You better take your shower, or I'm liable to take you again without a condom."

I smile, then quickly get into the shower. A half-hour later, I'm heading into the main room as Carlos takes his shower. I'm barely done dressing when he exits in his camis. He looks even hotter in a uniform.

"Babe, I think I'm falling in love with you."

"Me too."

We kiss one more time before we check that our belongings are packed in the bags we took. We head back to our original hotel, where we part in the lobby. Carlos' friends are waiting for him, as mine is for me. We all say goodbye, as we had a great time this week, well, all except for Lisa. Carlos and I kiss once again, and I promise to write him often. I'm so glad Rose convinced me to go on spring break with her.

Carlos' POV – 7 months later

It's great to be home, back on US soil. While being on our first deployment was exhilarating, it was also a lot scarier than any of us wanted to admit. We are relieved to have all made it home with no scars, physical or emotional. Our flight lands at 0500, and we immediately head back to base, where we collapse from exhaustion.

We we finally got up for the day at 1600, I know that I need to go find Parker to get my mail. The whole way home I couldn't think about anything but reading Stephanie's letters. I hope that my Babe is okay, and that she is indeed my Babe. Les and I are about to drive to Parker's house when one of the officers on the base approaches us, with our mail.

"Manoso, Santos, I understand the Mr. Parker was receiving your mail while you were overseas, is that correct?"

"Yes, Sir," we respond.

"Well, he returned home almost six months ago, and dropped off your correspondence. Here they are. Next time, use the base as your address. Everything will be stored in the mail room until your return."

"Thank you, Sir," we reply, taking out stacks of mail. I quickly walk over to the nearest table, shuffling through the stake, looking for letters from Stephanie. I get through everything, and find nothing. I look at Lester, wondering if it got mixed up with his, only to discover she didn't even write.

"Carlos, you okay?"

"No, she didn't write. I thought she was special, I thought we had something special."

"Is that what your blew your cash on, stuff for her?"

I nod, feeling like an idiot.

"Maybe she did write, but after Parker moved."

"If she didn't write within the first month, than she never wrote me. I'm going back to the barracks. I'm done. Tell the guys I'll see them tomorrow."

"Carlos…we can find her, we can go to Trenton and look for her."

"No, I will not. I should have known better. From now on, I'll only use woment to scratch an inch. I'm never letting another woman into my heart."

"But."

"No, Lester, I'm not changing my mind." I take the mail from my family and walk back to the barracks. I put it in my trunk, then collapse on the bed, letting all the dreams I had of a future with Stephanie run through my mind one last time. After tonight, she will be nothing but a lesson as to why I shouldn't get involved with women.