Chapter 2
When Carmelita entered the department store, the shop owner immediately recognized her and greeted her enthusiastically. "Mademoiselle, you've returned! How may I help you?"
She waved the discount coupon before him. "Could you show me your swimsuits?"
Finding a pair of swim trunks for Travis was easy. She already knew his size and selected a blue pair with stripes along the sides. However, locating something for herself was difficult. Sure, they had plenty in her size, but the styles were another matter entirely.
She gathered a bundle of bikini tops and bottoms, carried them to a changing room, and dumped them on the small bench inside. She removed her own clothes, putting them on a hanger attached to the door, and stood there in the nude, examining herself in the full-length mirror across from the door.
When was the last time she shopped for anything like this? Perhaps for one of her undercover assignments, but that was a dress for a fancy party. Not for a vacation like this.
She selected one of the tops and held it up to her chest. It was too small, barely covering her dark nipples. No doubt Travis would like that, she thought, tossing it to the side as the start of a little discard pile. I'd like to be able to breath though.
The next one was a twist top that was akin to a sports bra. She tried it on and found it very roomy, offering plenty of coverage. A sensible choice for her assets. And yet, she hesitated. She didn't necessarily want to completely cover up. Not if it was going to be just Travis and herself.
That's ridiculous. Just get the thing. It's perfectly fine. Yet she pulled it off and tossed it into the pile, then grabbed the next one.
Carmelita went through several tops before finding a strapless blue one that she quite liked. She turned in front of the mirror, admiring it from all angles. It was comfortable and showed the amount of cleavage that she preferred. Certainly Travis would enjoy the sight of it.
She smiled at the thought as she dug through the bottoms. She hoped he liked it. This was all for him after all. She could see his reaction now when they went this weekend. It'd be about the same as the usual gawking stares she received from men whenever she wore an outfit that showed off her well-developed figure. She fully expected Travis' eyes on her, his eyes roaming her body, growing aroused, fucking her in his mind.
She paused and realized her face was warm. Where had all that come from? This was a trip for his birthday. They weren't going off for a weekend romp.
Once the thought entered her mind though, she couldn't shake it off. Especially when she tried on a high-waisted bottom that displayed a generous amount of leg. In the mirror, she almost saw Travis in front of her and her finger slipped under the thin fabric, lifting it aside. Her core was exposed to him and—
"Mademoiselle?" the owner called out from the other side of the door. "Are you all right in there?"
Carmelita fumbled with the bikini bottom, pulling it back into place and double-checking that the door was locked. "Yes!" she said a bit too loudly, then calmed down. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Very well. Let me know if you need help."
"I'm almost done, thank you." When he walked away, she rubbed her forehead and sat on the bench. "What's wrong with me?" she muttered, slumping forward. She couldn't stop thinking about Travis and her together at the beach. Or in other, more private places, doing things couples would do.
She hadn't felt like this since that damn thief had up and disappeared. Always taking her on an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows, stringing her along via flirtatious quips and promises that he could really change. It had been a long time since she felt like this and now Travis, well, she was starting to recognize the familiar sensations once again. But they were stable now, more consistent since he was by her side.
Carmelita snatched up one of the bottoms and balled it in her fist. "This is ridiculous!" She hurled the clothing at the wall. Travis was leaving in a few short weeks. Seemed like every man in her life that she grew close to had a fatal flaw that ensured it wouldn't work out. She couldn't afford to let herself grow attached to Travis, not like this.
And I don't even know how he feels! She glanced at her dwindling pile and spotted a splash of red. She lifted the top and bottom out from the rest and her eyes widened. It was eye-catching, to put it mildly. There was no way she'd wear this.
Yet she modeled it in the mirror all the same, examining it from all angles. She shouldn't buy it. The voice of reason told her emphatically to leave it alone.
However, the convincing voice of desire spoke soft little whispers to her. What harm was there in buying a bikini that revealed a little extra? And if she did, she'd find her answer to how Travis felt. Which in turn would definitely show her the clear choice.
Debating it for a minute to herself, she stripped off the bikini, dressed, and scooped it up along with Travis' swimwear. She marched to the front, where the owner gladly rang her up. "Find everything you were looking for?" he asked.
She smiled in response and said under her breath, "I hope so."
Despite the chief promising not to disturb her vacation time, she hadn't even left the office before he saddled her with weekend work. "I'm sorry about this," he said, slapping the folder on her desk while she packed up. "It just came in and since you'll be in the area…" Her laser-focused glare cut through even his tough exterior and he held up his hands. "I've already got approval for all your expenses. Hotel, car, whatever you need."
"Damn decent of you," she said, flipping open the folder. Some local weapons dealer who frequented a beach-side dance club. All the local police were well-known to the club employees, so if the employees got a whiff of trouble, they'd warn the dealer and he'd flee. It was near where Carmelita had picked out for her and Travis' weekend getaway, but this town was an upgrade. A little coastal place right on the beach. Normally, it cost a sizable chunk of change to stay in one of the hotels for a single night.
Therefore, she agreed to the assignment and within hours, she was nursing a drink on the second floor of the dance club. Travis sat across from her, a baseball cap pulled low over his brow to hide his otherworldly nature from the crowd. The last thing they needed was to draw attention.
The open-air club looked out onto the beach a short walk away, letting the cool breeze waft up from the shoreline and provide a natural air conditioning. It didn't help the patrons much, as the mass of dancers went crazy on the translucent floor below with each song. Under the multi-colored lights that dimmed and brightened, they sweated nonstop, endlessly writhing, gyrating, hip-thrusting, bouncing off one another.
Carmelita turned to her drink and downed the rest. It didn't help. Neither did glancing at Travis, who sipped some water. The tight shirt across his chest showed off his lean frame and she was glad she settled on some baggy trunks for him.
The club welcomed beach attire, but she didn't want to expose herself to Travis now. Not in this atmosphere. So she'd grabbed a beach dress wrap, hiding herself and the walkie-talkie on her hip.
"This guy's a bird?" Travis asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. Pretty tall, so he should be easy to spot. Then once we do, we radio the local uniforms, they grab him, and we can get out of here."
"I don't mind it." He bobbed his head to a new song playing. "Haven't been to a club like this before." He checked the dance floor again. "We could probably get a better view from down there if he comes in. Care to dance?"
"No thanks," she politely declined. "Last time I got caught up dancing on a mission, I missed out on someone I was chasing."
"Too bad," he said. "I wouldn't mind dancing with you."
Her chest rose at the idea of them in the orgy of grinding bodies below. She tried to drown the feelings down with her glass. When she realized her drink was empty, she signaled for the waitress walking around. "A refill, please. And another water for him."
As the waitress went to fetch their orders, Travis tapped her arm and pointed. "Is that him?"
She pushed his arm down to his side. "Not so obvious," she whispered.
"Sorry. By the front door, near the bar."
She followed his directions and spied their quarry, flanked on either side by a pair of bodyguards. In the neon lights of bar, his face was blurry, but it appeared to be the weapons dealer. She pulled the walkie-talkie off her hip and radioed into the teams waiting outside. "Possible contact at the bar. Stand by, over."
Carmelita stuffed the walkie-talkie back into her wrap as the waitress approached. She carried three drinks, setting the extra in front of Carmelita. "Compliments of the man down there," she said, pointing to a table by the stairs. The tiger raised his glass at her and winked.
"Thanks," she said and slipped the woman a tip. Then she set the glass far from her and sipped her own drink.
The waitress thanked her and once out of sight, they turned back to the weapons dealer. He turned from the bar and glided across the room, pushing through the dancers. As he neared Carmelita, she saw his face clearly and nodded to Travis. "That's him all right."
She called the teams. "He's here. Free to move in."
"Roger. Thanks for the assist."
Down below, shadowy figures moved along the sidewalks and up the beach, entering the club in plain clothes. However, Carmelita didn't plan to stick around. She grabbed Travis and headed for the stairs, hoping to avoid getting caught up in the local raid.
Unfortunately, the tiger from earlier blocked their way, situating his bulk in front of the stairs. "Hey, cutie. If you're heading to the dance floor, mind if I join you?"
"No, I got somewhere to be," she said, trying to scooch past him.
However, he was persistent and hopped up from his chair, cutting her off. "Is that anyway to thank me for the drink? What's the harm in one dance?"
Travis stepped up beside her, squaring his shoulders. Despite his willingness to fight, it did little to intimidate anyone. "Hey, she said 'No' so back off. Are you too stupid to understand?"
The tiger rounded on him, baring his teeth. Then he did a double take and raised his eyebrows. "What kind of furless freak are you?" He laughed and turned to Carmelita, "You keep that thing on a leash or what?"
Something in her core snapped right there and she shoved the tiger against the wall. "Say that again. It's been a while since I've beat someone's ass, así que te reto a decirlo una vez más. Romperé cada una de esas pequeñas garras de gatito y te patearé por estas escaleras." She stood up on her toes, pushing her face into his. While he didn't understand her words exactly, he caught the intent easily. His eyes widened, the pupils dilating in fear. Exactly what she wanted to see.
"Now move," she said through gritted teeth.
He scrambled out of the way as fast as his legs could take him. Carmelita grabbed Travis' hand and yanked him along. "C'mon," she said, stomping down the stairs.
In the dance area, the police converged on the weapons dealer. Carmelita wished she was part of their takedown. Furious energy surged through her bones and she needed to take it out on something. She had half-hoped the tiger held his ground and gave her the excuse to beat him black and blue.
Once they were in the cool night air, Travis asked, "You all right?"
She nodded at him and took a deep breath of the salty evening air. It was a little calming.
"What did you say to him? I only caught a few words."
She chuckled and jerked a thumb to a food shack along the beach. "C'mon. Let's get some food and I'll fill you in on some good insults."
After a quick burger that they joked about as a "mini date," the pair decided to stroll along the beach, enjoying the last traces of the setting sun. Carmelita took the opportunity to remove her wrap, exposing her bikini to Travis. The red top tied into a knot at the front, supporting her chest, but providing an eyeful of what they covered. The bottoms were thin, barely covering her front and putting her rear on full display.
All in all, it wasn't her style and was more akin to supermodels on the front of a swimsuit magazine. Travis didn't seem to mind. Like she suspected, he couldn't take his eyes off of it and stumbled alongside her in a daze. It was immensely satisfying to Carmelita and she wondered if Sly experienced the same when he strung her or the rest of his heartbreaks along.
She reveled in it for a while, stretching her arms above her head or bending over to check a shell in the sand, pushing her hips out toward him. Travis' face glowed like a sunburn and she noticed with amusement his limp as he hunched over, his hands jammed into his pockets.
They made small talk about recent cases or where else in Europe they would like to visit. Each of them avoided the obvious topic of his impending departure. All the while, the beach gradually emptied and the moon rose in the sky. They walked along the shoreline, letting the rolling waves push and pull the sand under their feet.
The previous thoughts from the fitting room nagged Carmelita, despite her attempts to shoo them away. Should she tell Travis her feelings? How would he react? And what did she expect, that he would abandon any chance to return to his world?
"Never thought I'd be able to be a cop," Travis said, intruding on her thoughts. "I'm glad you found me."
"Me too," she said, grateful for the darkness. She wasn't sure what expression she made, but she felt too exposed. "You've been a good partner."
"Maybe I'll be able to repay you someday if you showed up in my world."
She chuckled. "Maybe."
The conversation lulled for a few minutes, the waves lapping at their toes. "I really enjoyed spending time with you." He was quiet, almost drowned out by the ocean. "I wish it didn't have to end."
That was all the confirmation she needed to take the plunge. To hell with the future. They could have this night at least. She spied one of several swimsuit changing tents up ahead and snatched his hand. "Come with me."
She dragged him inside the tent, buttoned the flaps shut, and checked the inside. Empty. Then she turned to Travis, whose eyes widened in the darkness. Carmelita licked her lips and pulled him to her. Without a word, she held him against her chest and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.
Travis flailed at first, but she was the stronger of the two. He eventually calmed down and returned it. Like she assumed, he wanted it as much as she did. They weren't going to deny themselves any longer.
In the darkness, she ripped off his trunks and he stood before her in the nude. As she expected, he was fully erect, with a decent size for a human. "Is that all for me?" she asked teasingly and leaned over, her chest pressed into his face. His warm breath was nice on her fur and she reached for his hand, guiding it to the knot on the bikini top. "Go on," she pushed her nose against his, "I'll let you unwrap them."
With trembling fingers, Travis tugged on the knot, loosening it and the bikini fell away to either side. Her chest finally free, Travis' breathing quickened and his jaw hung slack like he'd been tasered. "First time you've seen any?" she asked. He nodded his head dumbly, much to her amusement.
A few cheap chairs lined the walls of the tent and she sat in the nearest one, pulling Travis along with her. "Come here," she said, patting her thigh. He awkwardly crawled into her lap, unsure how to sit, and she ended up cradling him close to her, one of her breasts mashed against his cheek. "Go ahead," she encouraged him, lifting the round breast up to him. "Do what you'd like and I'll," her fingers slid down his stomach and gripped his hardness, "do the same."
He tensed up as her hand moved along his length to the base, then back up. The tip was already slick and ready for her. But she had been dwelling on this for a good while, so she intended to take her time.
Travis hovered his mouth over her nipple, his tongue lazily hanging out, and dragged it along the edge. A shiver shot through her spine and Carmelita murred softly, pressing her thumb against his head. "Yes, just like that. Do it for Mami."
"Okay," he said, kissing the rising nipple. He reached out for her other breast, kneading it in spread fingers. "Mami." He buried his face in her chest, marveling at the sensation. "You're so soft."
She grinned and propped his head higher against her. His shaft was hot to the touch and very needy, much like him. Between his kissing and suckling on her breast, he moaned into her fur. He was being carried away on a sexual high and so was she. Her inner thighs were dripping and the thin bottoms she wore were soaked through.
He wouldn't last much longer. Not an inexperienced young man like him and not in her hands. His hips twitched, slapping against her legs. "Ca- Uh, Mami. I'm not gonna last!"
She let go of his shaft and his eyes popped open, staring at her. He was panting nonstop and she was sure he was red as a cherry. Before he protested, she placed her finger on his lips, then traced it along the underside of his chin, tilting it up. "You're not the only one who needs to be pleasured. You don't cum until I say so. Got that?"
"Yes," he said obediently, taking deep gulps of air and calming himself. "I got it." He was submissive before her, limp and malleable for her enjoyment.
That was an intoxicating high to her. "Good boy."
She pecked his lips and picked him up. Then she placed him in the chair while she lorded over him, her groin inches from his nose. He took a whiff of it and in a stray strand of moonlight in the tent, she smiled at him. "I think you know this needs attention too."
He pushed aside the thin fabric covering her entrance and took a tentative lick. It was cool in the humid night air, making her shiver. Faint smells of salt and sea spray drifted through the air, immediately overwhelmed by the sensual scent permeating the tent.
As he grew used to her sex, his tongue probed deeper, greedily lapping up the trails of juices oozing out before they dropped onto the sand. He grabbed her rear, pulling her closer. She stumbled on unsteady legs until his face was buried in her. Travis didn't stop, hungering only for her. She dug her fingers into his hair, firmly clinging to him to stay upright.
This had been coming for a long time now and she wanted to savor every second. She cursed herself for not realizing her desire sooner. All the wasted chances to engage in such throes of passion. The wealth of possibilities alone made her hips jerk, pushing Travis deeper into her. She felt alive, all her senses screaming out for more, more, never to stop.
He tapped her thigh and she quickly realized he had been prodding her depths without air for a long while. She bent back from him and he took a deep breath, his jaw smeared in her love. Otherwise, he was none the worse for wear and still raring to continue.
Carmelita softly kicked his legs apart and straddled him. Holding the back of the chair, she lowered herself down, letting his head kiss her enlarged opening. She shifted herself back and forth, running the slit around the tip and teasing him. Travis groaned, reaching for her, but she lightly slapped his hands away.
"Do you think you've been good for Mami?" she asked, leaning in and nibbling his earlobe.
"Yes, I have."
"Tell Mami what you want." She sat on his lap, pushing the underside of his shaft against her. No doubt it would slide in easy with how slick they both were. She almost couldn't hold back either, desperate to have him inside her.
"I-I-I want you, Mami," he said, slumping forward and placing his head on her chest.
"What do you say?"
"Please, Mami?"
She lifted her hips and lowered onto his trembling length, filling her and warming her from head to toe. "That's my boy. Now, follow my lead."
Slowly, tantalizingly so, up, then back down. Up again and gliding down. Each time, Travis let loose an agonized moan of pleasure. It was music to her ears and only heightened Carmelita's own enjoyment. Clearly, he wanted so badly to fuck her senseless, to experience that sweet release. So did she. But if this was their one and only time, it needed to count.
Still, she felt sorry for him and feathered his collar with kisses. He wrapped his arms around her, holding tight. Her bushy tail curled around him, pressing them together. Fur to skin, breast to chest, heart to heart.
After a while, Carmelita decided to speed things along. Travis had suffered enough and she grew tired of prolonging the inevitable too. Beneath her, Travis' hips pushed up into her, hitting deeper. She adjusted herself slightly, ensuring it reached a perfect spot, and it was like stars exploded behind her eyes. "Oh, just like that!" she hissed in his ear.
He only answered with another moan. He was lost in the pleasure and she was following fast. The long-unseen, familiar pressure was steadily rising, rising, shooting to the top of her spine.
She bounced hard on him, aggressively slapping her pelvis against him. The climax was upon her and she pulled Travis' head into her chest, crying out loud as she lifted off of him. Her body shuddered and jumped with the sensation, electrifying shocks jolting through her one after the other.
Although muffled against her, Travis yelled and hot strands of his release splashed against her, coating her thighs. When he finished, he sank into the chair, a dried-out mess like her.
Neither moved for a good while, enjoying the heat between them. Carmelita's heart hammered against her ribs and she slowly came down from the absolute bliss. That really happened. They actually did that.
Travis mumbled something in her fur. "What was that?" she asked.
He raised his head, eyes poking up around her breasts. "I said, 'I love you.' "
Her mouth dropped. He loved her? Truly? But there was no lie in his eyes, only the same affection she had for him. "I love you too." She kissed him, no sexual intentions behind this one. Only pure care and love for him. "And consider us even now. No repayment needed."
He nodded and leaned against her. They sat together, cuddling and bestowing smooches here and there. At one point, his stomach pressed against her and she was reminded of the mess between them.
"We better get cleaned up," she said. In the stray moonlight, there was much more than she expected. Their groins were soaked in the effects of their love-making. "C'mon. We'll head into the water. Have some fun and kill two birds with one stone."
"Sounds good to me," he said, taking her hand.
Together, the new couple stole down to the water and enjoyed themselves. Tomorrow and their inevitable separation could wait. For now, it was only Carmelita, Travis, and the moon shining down on them.