I know that my posts haven't been as quick as they once were, but I've run out of content that just needed editing. I've now got to actually finish this story so I'll do my best to keep up timely posts, but I can't guarantee a schedule of any sort. All I can do is promise to hurry as best as I can and still try to make the ending fit with my original vision.

Thanks for your support, patience and feedback. All are appreciated. Please enjoy this chapter, and all recognisable characters do not belong to me.

23. Waiting is only Half the Fun

I looked at Carlos, who had a wicked grin on his face. I backed into the apartment and walked away from him as he walked toward me. I could tell he was going to do something, but I wasn't going to wait around to find out. As soon as I bumped into the corner of the hallway, I turned and ran into the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind me.

"You can't hide in there all day Babe. Come back out and we can go back up to the pool. I'll forgive you for humiliating me in front of my parents about the board games if you wear a skimpy little bikini for me."

I thought for a moment and decided that a bikini would make sunbathing a little easier. I rummaged around in the basket under the sink where I kept all of my bathing suits. When I say 'all', I simply mean the 4 I own. I have a one piece, a tankini and shorts set, a more modest bikini and a string bikini that I had just bought, with hopes of an opportunity alone with Carlos.

"I'll wear a bikini on one condition Carlos."

"And what is that Babe?"

"You have to ditch your shirt and wear this."

I opened the door and threw out a bathing suit that I had bought for Carlos. When I first saw it, I daydreamed about seeing him in it. It was a pair of fitted shorts that had an aquamarine and white tribal pattern all around them. They were similar to the trunks he was currently wearing, but these were made of a more stretchy material and would be much shorter on the legs. They would show off his powerful thighs and I could easily fantasise about what else they were covering because they were more form fitting.

"You have a deal Babe, but next time you go shopping, maybe you should buy something for yourself."

"Oh don't you worry, I did," I said as I opened the door and walked into the living room.

Carlos was staring at me with a dopey expression on his face, his swim trunks in his hand and long forgotten.

"Are you going to put those on and meet me upstairs, or are you just going to stare at me all day?"

"Both, I'll meet you up there."

I walked upstairs and out onto the deck. I cranked back the sun shade a little and then rearranged the lounge chairs so they were side by side and closer together.

When Carlos joined me several minutes later, it was my turn stare. I had been right, these new swim trunks left little to the imagination. They sat low enough on his hips that I could see the bottom of his oblique abdominal muscles as well as the small patch of hair beneath his belly button, leading down to what I can only assume is a piece of heaven.

"Babe, if you don't stop looking at me like that, I might not be so gentlemanly this afternoon."

I closed my mouth and blushed as I watched him walk closer to me. He was holding a bottle of sunscreen and motioned for me to lie down on the lounge chair. I complied by lying on my stomach and moving my hair around to the front of my neck, and out of his way.

Carlos sat on the lounger beside me and started to squeeze cool drops of sun screen over my back. I inhaled sharply as the first drop landed on my back. My breath quickened as his warm hands spread the cream across my back. When he untied the strings holding my bikini together, a soft moan escaped my throat.

Carlos moved to the backs of my legs, starting with my calves. As he moved higher, I was almost panting. Before he could meet where the skimpy fabric of my bottoms covered my ass, I grabbed his hands before they roamed somewhere that would make me melt. This was the most erotic thing I have ever experienced, and if I let him continue, who knows where we'd end up.

"Babe, roll over. I'll help you with your shoulders and then you can do me." Carlos spoke in a huskier voice than usual, and when I looked up at him, he was wearing a hint of a smile on his face.

Once again, I complied, forgetting that he'd already unfastened my bikini top at my neck. When I rolled, the fabric fell away and I way lying flat on my back with my breasts fully exposed, without really realising it at first. I closed my eyes as I felt the cold cream fall on my shoulders, revelling in Carlos' touch as he gently massaged the cream into my skin, moving lower and lower across my shoulders onto my chest.

My breathing was rapid, and as his left hand moved low enough to cup my left breast, the realisation that I was mostly naked hit me. I sat up covering myself so quickly that the top of my head collided with Carlos' chin and I fell backwards, completely stunned and disorientated.

When I came to my senses a few minutes later, I looked down and saw that my bikini top was pulled back up, but not fastened at the neck. Carlos was also holding something to his mouth. I looked closer and saw that there was blood on the ice-filled cloth.

"Oh my god, are you OK Carlos?"

"Yeah Babe, I'm OK. How about you? You were a bit stunned when your head hit my chin."

"I'm so sorry Carlos. I don't know what came over me. I had a sudden panic attack when I realised that I was so naked." I blushed such a deep shade of red that I bet my tinted lips looked pale in comparison.

Carlos grinned but didn't say anything as he sat down beside me, maintaining eye contact. He put down the ice filled cloth he had pressed against his lip and tied my bikini top before picking up the ice again, never looking away from my eyes.

Both of our attention was drawn towards Carlos' ringing phone, so he walked over to it and answered. I could only hear his half of the conversation, so I wasn't sure who he was talking to straight away.

"Not today."

"Because, I'm busy."

"Does it matter?"

"Stephanie."

"I'm not interested in that and I'm pretty sure Steph might have similar feelings."

"Another time perhaps."

"Yeah, later."

Carlos hung up, looked at me and then laughed heartily as he walked over to sit beside me.

"Who was that? And what did they say to make you laugh so hard?"

"It was Lester. He wanted me to go out with him and the other guys tonight, but when I told him I was with you, he suggested that he join us for a threesome. He was offended when I told him that I wasn't interested."

"I also recall you suggesting I wouldn't be interested. Perhaps you spoke too soon."

This time, I was the one that laughed because my comment caused Carlos to drop his ice. In his haste to pick the ice up, he slipped and fell onto his lounge chair, causing it to tip over and throw him to the ground.

Carlos looked embarrassed when he pulled himself upright, so I confessed, "I was just kidding Carlos. I think sex is a personal and intimate act between two people. I wouldn't consider adding a third person to the mix, especially since there hasn't even been a twosome yet. I didn't mean to make you fall."

I helped him set the lounge chair right and we left the ice to melt as I looked at Carlos' lip.

"I really got you good there didn't I? Why don't you lie down on your stomach and I'll rub some sun screen on your back."

Carlos nodded and stretched out on the lounge chair, providing me with a spectacular view of his luscious ass in the trunks he was wearing. I stood there for a moment, enjoying the view before I picked up the bottle of sun screen and started rubbing it into his back. I worked methodically, starting at his shoulders and working my way down his lithe and muscled back. As I neared the waistband of his trunks, I heard him take in a sharp breath. He was ticklish at the waist, so I left his back and started rubbing lotion on the backs of his legs.

I was careful where I touched from that point on because I knew how his hands affected me, so I finished and said, "All done," as I slapped him on the ass and stood.

Carlos rolled over and stretched on the lounge chair, stretching his arms above his head. I watched his muscles ripple as he stretched and slightly jumped when he said, "Can you help me out and put lotion on my chest Babe? I'm a bit sore from my fall and I don't want to miss any spots."

I looked up and blushed because I knew he caught me staring at his body. He was feigning pain as I looked down at him, but I wasn't about to turn down a chance to run my hands over his body. I went to sit beside him on the lounger, but he grabbed me by the waist and positioned me so I was straddling him. He picked up the bottle of sun screen and deposited some onto his hands before returning it to me.

The confused look on my face at his action prompted him to say, "I missed most of your stomach earlier, so while you're protecting me, I'll finish protecting you Babe."

I nodded my understanding and squeezed some lotion onto his chest as I worked my two arms around his as they rubbed lotion on my stomach. It was trying hard to concentrate on my task as he rubbed his hands along my stomach and up to the bottom of my bikini top. I rubbed lotion along his shoulders, concentrating on the little divot above his collar bone. I then rubbed lotion over his pecks, and as I slipped over his nipples, I felt them harden under my touch.

I felt my heart rate speed up as I moved lower down his chest to his stomach. I rubbed lotion into his skin, feeling the definition between each of his abdominal muscles, lingering longer than was really necessary. I felt Carlos' hands slide up my back as I rubbed lotion around his belly button. As I lowered my hands, I felt him wiggle a little and make eye contact with me. His eyes were darker than I've ever seen them, but that didn't encourage me to take my hands away from his waist, where I was sure he was ticklish.

I grinned as I lightly danced my fingers around his belly button and said, "I think somebody might be a little ticklish."

Instead of grabbing my hands away, Carlos pulled me down on top of my own hands and whispered in my ear. "My older brother used to use my ticklishness as a form of torture when I was younger. I'm pretty immune to it now, but I dare you to continue."

I looked at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was bluffing me or not. He let me sit up again and I decided to call his bluff. I added a new dollop of lotion below his belly button. I stared into his eyes as I gently spread the lotion out, using only fingertips. I watched Carlos try to hold himself still as my fingers moved lower and lower.

I ran one finger along the elastic waist band, and before I was able to move any further, Carlos pulled me towards him with such speed that I felt like I was falling. The next thing I knew, his lips were on mine and he was holding me tight enough that I could barely move my arm. I could wiggle my fingers though, so I moved them, trying to tickle him some more.

"Please stop that Babe, you're driving me crazy."

I leaned back a bit and looked into his gorgeous face and saw such raw emotion that I was at a loss for words. No man had ever treated me the way that Carlos did, and no man had ever got me so hot and bothered, just with a bottle of sun screen. I decided to let my own emotions towards this man flow freely and I leaned back down to kiss him, showing him just how he affected me. I could feel how I affected him and I wanted to explore that a little further.

We were pulled out of our little world by someone banging on the door. I was surprised by the knocking but I had the peace of mind to hastily pull on a t-shirt before answering the door to find Johnny looking distressed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Steph, but it's an emergency. Ricardo has been trying to reach you and Carlos. He thought you might be up at the pool, so I came up with a message for Carlos to call home. There's been some sort of accident."

I watched the colour drain out of Carlos' face as he raced to find his phone. I thanked Johnny and returned to the bedroom where Carlos was on the phone. He agreed to something and said he'd be right there. He hung up and looked at me. "I'm sorry Babe but I need to go home. My Abuela Rosa fell and she has been taken to the hospital. My mother is booked on a flight in 2 hours and my father needs to take her to the airport. I need to go home and stay with the girls."

"Do you want me to come with you? I can be ready in 2 minutes."

Carlos nodded and we hurried to the car. I just pulled on a pair of jeans and fastened a bra and then raced down to the garage with Carlos. While we were driving, Carlos looked over at me and said, "That was some interruption Babe. Who knows what it would have happened if it wasn't for Johnny."

I smiled at Carlos and said, "Maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was the universe's way of telling us that we're not ready. I mean you have a split lip and I have a sore head. We clearly weren't meant to be together today."

Carlos was silent for the rest of the trip. He was lost in his own thoughts and when we arrived at the house, he was a little worked up. His parents greeted him at the door as they rushed to Ricardo's car. I got a quick hug and they were off. Carlos waved as his parents left and then we went into living room where we found the girls playing. We greeted them and they looked at us curiously.

Evie came over and sat beside me and asked, "Is Abuela going to be OK?"

I wasn't sure how to answer so I looked to Carlos for help. He assured his sisters that their Mama would call as soon as she was able to give us any news. He was sure that Abuela would be fine. She fell and probably broke her hip, but that wasn't usually fatal.

In order to take their mind off their grandmother, we ordered Chinese food and played board games until it was time for the girls to go to bed. Once the girls were asleep, Carlos and I curled up on the sofa and watched a film. Ricardo returned when we were part way through the movie and joined us. He was silent until the credits rolled and then he asked to speak to Carlos in the other room.

They returned about 10 minutes later and Carlos offered to drive me home. I wished Ricardo good night and offered to help out any way I could. I knew the next few days would be hard for the Manosos with Maria out of town. Ricardo gave me a quick hug and requested that Carlos not be too late. Carlos dropped me off 15 minutes later, kissing me passionately before he drove away.

Thanks for reading. I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. I apologise in advance if that takes a few days. Cheers and let me know how you're liking things so far. :)