Read Online The Cancun Trilogy, An Erotic Beach Romance by Lena Malick - Free Book Online Page B

friendly, greeting Terra with warm smiles
and friendly handshakes, going out of their way to include
her.
    It was nice to see Nik in a group of
people. She could tell everybody liked and respected him. His easy
laugh and comfortable charm seemed to bring out the best in
everyone. It didn’t take long before Terra felt like she was part
of the group. It was the only time in her life she felt a real
sense of belonging, like she just naturally fit in.
    Terra loaded up with all she could
carry and followed the others outside while Red gossiped with her
about Soren, a Swedish hunk that was methodically seducing all the
women. “Including you?” Terra whispered. Red gave her a knowing
smile. “Well, he’s quite persuasive. I’d say watch yourself, but I
think you’re the one girl here that’s safe.”
    Stepping off the deck, Terra was
surprised to see an enormous beach fire going. There were more
people she hadn’t met, setting things up. A couple was just coming
in from the water, walking up to the fire as someone threw them a
towel. Terra placed her plates on the table along with the
others.
    It was a dizzying amount of food.
There was fresh caught fish, mounds of pasta and rice, and large
loafs of fresh baked bread. The bald guy, who Terra now knew as
Allan, who used to be a banker in Boston, was roasting whole onions
with some elaborate method using sticks and foil. There was a whole
table of just fruits and vegetables that Terra later learned came
mostly from Carmine’s garden and greenhouse.
    As soon as the plates were set down,
everyone grabbed one and started piling on the food. Someone set
the portable stereo on the end of the table and turned it up. They
ate while sitting on the sand in circles or standing up, mixing and
mingling. Everyone seemed to have the big appetites that come after
a long day of hard work.
    Smelling and seeing all the delicious
food, Terra suddenly realized she was famished. She had skipped the
iffy looking plane food, so she hadn’t eaten since the day before.
Everything tasted so delicious she had to force herself to slow
down. After a steady diet of bland dorm food, her taste buds were
screaming for joy.
    Terra was eventually introduced to
everyone, trying hard to learn their names. Nik stayed at her side
the whole time, giving her a needed sense of security. After
eating, they walked down the beach together.
    Settling on a driftwood log, they
could still hear the music and laughter drifting down the beach,
and could see the soft glow of the fire.
    “I’ve never in my life had food that
good,” Terra said. Nik smiled.
    “It’s become competitive. Everyone try
to outdo the other with what they cook best. But I guess we all
benefit, yeah?”
    “Yeah. Was it a special occasion
tonight?”
    “No occasion. We do that every
night.”
    “Really? With the fire and
everything?”
    “Well, sure. Unless it rains, then we
all cram into the house.”
    Terra playfully pushed her feet
through the wet sand as the waves lapped the shore just a few feet
away. “Everybody here is so… nice,” she said.
    “Yes. Everybody really wants to be
here. I think they all feel they be a part of something
special.”
    “Because of you,” she said.
    “No. I just started it, but once more
people came, it became… something different. More than I ever
imagined. It’s becoming a real… ah, what is the word?”
    “Community.”
    “Yes,” he said, looking at her. “A
community.”
    “You’ve done a great job,” she said,
touching the back of his head and stroking his hair.
    Down the beach, the fire grew as
someone added more wood, illuminating Nik’s face in soft strokes.
He looked at her in the same way he did in the taxi, as if he was
trying to find the words to say something important.
    Terra looked into his eyes, glowing in
the firelight. Tension pulled at his face. She leaned closer to
him.
    “I…” he said, struggling.
    “Shhh,” she said, tracing her fingers
over his lips. “Later.