Chapter Ten
Dalisay listened as Aaron rambled his plan off to her. Her heart sank more with each detail he shared. She slowed her walk, and he adjusted his pace until they were facing each other. The path around Peejong’s property was cleared of branches, and her cousins used it enough that the undergrowth had worn away to a dirt trail. It’d rained a few days ago, but it was dry enough to walk on without getting her shoes or Aaron’s boots muddy.
They had arrived the previous evening to a large gathering and a spread of food that stuffed them all. Roasted pig and chicken, rice, and peppers, along with her aunt’s renowned coconut milk pudding.
Aaron had sampled everything, even the peppers, which he ruefully regretted.
As he talked, he lifted his hat and wiped his brow. The day was warm, but he’d muttered about the humidity only once. They’d walked about half of a mile from Peejong’s house while she showed him the chicken coops and the rice fields. Her uncle even had a few banana trees and several palm trees they harvested coconuts from.
His hair stuck to his head. He towered over her, standing so he blocked the sun. Always considerate.
Except for what he was telling her. Well, he was being thoughtful explaining it all, but it was tearing her up inside.
“So I’ll change my flight to fly out the day after we get back instead of a week after.” He stopped and gauged her reaction. “I’m really sorry,” he said quietly, feathering a finger along her cheek.
She turned her face into his touch, wanting so much more. “I understand. The day was coming where you’d have to leave, but I didn’t think it’d be so disappointing.”
“That’s a good thing then.” His voice had grown husky. Had she moved closer, or had he?
“I want to spend as much time with you as I can. I’ll call in sick the night before you leave, and we can spend the evening together.”
Hope flared in his eyes. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
She shrugged. “I never miss work. One night won’t hurt.”
He skimmed his hand down her neck. For such a warm day, his hot touch should be uncomfortable, but she’d welcome the blanket of his body. Neediness uncoiled in her belly. When was the last time she’d felt like this? With her ex? Sort of. Before? Not really.
She spread her hands on his chest. The rise and fall was steady, like his touch. His gaze dipped to her left hand.
“I can’t tell you what seeing that ring on your finger does to me.” The rumble of his words vibrated through her center, pooling between her legs.
“I know exactly what it does.”
His eyes widened, the stark appreciation written across his face. She glided her hands up his shoulders and buried them in his short hair. She tugged him down to her and he came, slowly, like he was savoring the wait.
Their lips touched for a moment, then parted, and they met each other’s gaze. Heat vibrated between them. Things were going to change. As if it wasn’t real before, it was now. It’d only been superficial before. The getting-to-know-you stage.
And, oh, she wanted to know him. Her eyelids drifted shut as he closed the distance between them again. A soft touch at first, before the spark between them ignited into a raging fire. She opened and invited him in. Their kiss deepened until she didn’t know where she stopped and he began. The buildup between them had come to this.
They’d had to be good for too long. Her family had dominated his time, asking him about Minnesota, the weather, his family. They were genuinely interested and not just ignoring Ina. In fact, Aaron’s presence seemed to deflate the tension Dalisay had expected. That probably won Ina over more than anything else Aaron could’ve done. Her family spoke English as much as possible and Aaron had no problems understanding.
When Peejong learned Aaron farmed, then there was nothing Dalisay could say to stop the interrogation. Aaron pulled out his phone and scrolled through pictures of massive tractors and trucks. Peejong did the same, but much of his equipment was on a smaller scale. Peejong employed several people. They must’ve been bent over the screens for two hours talking about their farms.
But now he was all hers. A low growl escaped from him; she answered with a whimper.
She’d had zero clue that when she’d logged onto a dating site that it could turn out this well.
His hands roamed up and down her back. God help her, she rubbed against him. Anything to ease the ache in her belly only one thing could cure. Both of them naked and alone.
It couldn’t happen now, but she’d get as much in as she could.
He cupped her butt, tightened his hold, released, and skirted a hand up her side as if to cup a breast. He stopped short.
She pulled away from him long enough to whisper, “Yes.”
He grinned, captured her mouth again, and licked inside. She opened, greedy for him. Arching her back as much as she could without breaking their smoldering kiss, she gave him the access he needed.
His large hand scooped under her breast, his finger and thumb seeking her nipple through the thin material of her shirt.
A moan escaped. If it felt this good with clothes on, how would his work-roughened hand feel when they finally had sex?
She wanted to find out. Desperately.
Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders wasn’t possible without losing the ecstasy he was promising, so she gripped his biceps.
Rock hard.
The man worked for a living.
She rocked her pelvis. It wasn’t enough. She tilted her hips again. He answered with the same motion.
Their tongues twined; their breaths mingled. He switched hands, giving much needed attention to her other nipple.
He released her mouth to moan her name.
They undulated against each other. With their height difference, she was safely ensconced in the protection of his body. She rested her head on his chest, smashing his arm between them, her body bowed to rock against him.
He kissed her head, nibbled down to her ear. His hot breath wafted over her sensitive flesh and almost pushed her over the edge.
“Da-li!” a young kid’s voice called.
She pulled back with a gasp. Peejong’s youngest, her little pal, Mark Rio, was looking for her.
Aaron craned to look over his shoulder. “I don’t think he can see us.”
No. And she wasn’t in a state of undress. Neither was Aaron. Although…the impressive bulge in his jeans would give anyone who’d gone through puberty an indication of what was going on.
He followed her gaze. His smile was sheepish but also full of promise. “We need to walk back slowly so I can get myself under control.”
She trailed a finger along his arm. “Are you saying I make you lose control?”
“You make me wanna.” He grinned. His blue eyes sparkled like the river behind them. Taking a breath, he threw his shoulders back and spun them to face the trail back home. “On our leisurely stroll back, you can tell me about the birds I hear. They aren’t the subtle songs of ours back home.”
“Dali!” Mark Rio drew closer, but she still couldn’t see him. At eight, he wouldn’t give up. The look of utter adoration he gave Aaron wouldn’t let him.
“We’re coming,” she called.
Mark Rio started to shout something when a shriek rang out.
Dalisay didn’t wait to spare a look to Aaron. She took off, Aaron close behind her. Within seconds of flying down the path, Mark Rio came into view. He was sprawled on the ground with his bicycle still between his legs, the back wheel spinning.
He was crying and trying to move out from under the bike. Each time he gained an inch, he’d let out a holler.
Blood ran down his leg.
“Wait,” she ordered.
He went still, but each time he peeked at his calf, he whimpered. The bike pedal had lacerated his little leg, and the cut was bleeding freely.
She tried to rip at her shirt for material to press against the wound. Aaron saw what she was doing and yanked off his shirt. Buttons flew in all directions before it was tossed at her. She caught it and dropped to her knees by Mark Rio.
Murmuring encouraging words to him, she motioned to Aaron to move the bike. With the bike out of the way, she tied the shirt around Mark Rio’s lower leg. As she held pressure against it, she raised it in the air.
“Aaron, can you carry him back? I’ll take the bicycle.”
“Absolutely.” He hefted Mark Rio, and she adjusted the boy so his leg wasn’t hanging. Snapping the bicycle up, they trotted back to Peejong’s.
Ina popped out of the house first, like she’d been on the lookout, having been left at the mercy of Sally. Ina called for Sally and ran toward them.
Mark Rio was handed off. Dalisay stayed by his side to tend to the injury. The bleeding slowed and once it was washed, it wasn’t as bad as initially thought. She reassured the family and helped Sally securely bandage it. When he was finally resting, Dalisay left him in his mother’s care and went in search of Aaron.
He was outside of the house with Mark Rio’s teenage brother. They were standing by the chicken coop. Aaron had put on a clean shirt.
She’d missed him shirtless, so intent on her patient that she couldn’t remember registering that Aaron had been bare chested.
Her patient. Dare she get her hopes up?
When he spotted her, he started over. “How is the little man?”
“Resting.”
“Good.” A slow grin formed. “Want to go for another walk?”
Tucking herself back under his arm, they walked back down the same trail they’d come from, and she planned his last night in Manila.
***
Aaron tossed the last article of clothing into his suitcase. Add the last of his toiletries in the morning and he was ready for the long flight home.
A smaller part of him than he’d expected wanted to go home. Back to his bed. Which wasn’t as plush as this one. Back to his truck. It’d be nice to drive where he wanted to go again. Back to the food he was used to. He’d adapted well. In the first few days, he’d sampled enough to know what he liked and what he should stay away from. He missed his steak and potatoes, but it was winter, and he didn’t grill in the frigid temps anyway.
Daisy was arriving soon. To his room. To spend the night.
He rubbed the back of his neck as if it’d stave off the stirring in his manhood. It’d been hard enough to control his body’s reaction to her while they were around her family, then sitting beside her for another six hours on the bus ride back to Manila.
A box of condoms rested in the drawer of the end table. He’d been almost ashamed of himself for packing them. How could things go so far without him feeling like he was taking advantage of the woman he’d met online?
But they had. And Daisy had asked to sleep over. He should’ve been the bigger person and planned to cuddle her all night, but the truth was, he’d waited his whole life for a woman like her. He didn’t want to waste one more second. Add in the months they’d be apart waiting for her visa and his early trip home to his hot mess of a family, and it felt right to spend tonight together.
Spend the night. His mouth went dry. He surveyed the room. The bed was made, and no clothes hung off chairs or were strewn across the floor. He’d have to make more of an effort to keep his house looking this neat.
There was a soft knock at the door.
His breath hitched, and he stared at it. With a quick shake of his head, he jumped to answer.
Daisy waited for him, wearing the same black dress she wore on their boat trip. Her long hair begged for him to run his hands through it. The tint of flush in her cheeks, and the way her eyes licked over his body, made him more certain about tonight.
“Come on in. Hungry?”
“Not yet,” she said breathlessly.
“Me, either.” The click of the door shutting echoed in the room.
“Daisy—”
“Aaron—” She giggled. “You go.”
“I don’t really know what I was going to say. Besides that I think your name is beautiful. Dalisay.” Her family called her Dali, and whenever she’d had to give her name, she used Dalisay.
Her serene smile cut through his nerves. “But I like when you call me Daisy.”
The waiting was over. He pulled her close. Starting at her forehead, he trailed kisses to her mouth.
She didn’t hesitate. While they were in their lip lock, she fisted his shirt and yanked it out of his pants.
Okay then.
He let her set the pace. She drew away from him to eye his chest. He wasn’t as built as some of his cousins, but he was lean, and he liked how she ogled his muscles.
“I missed this last time you had your shirt off.”
“We had more pressing matters. And you were amazing.”
She looked at him through her lashes. “You thought so?”
“I have since I met you.”
She melted into him, her hands splayed on his back. Nuzzling her neck, he lifted the hem of her dress. The higher he lifted it, the more satiny skin of her legs was visible. He raised it until the lace trim of her underwear slammed lust into him so hard he almost dropped her dress.
Drawing it over her head, he stood still. The garment dropped from his fingers.
Whoa. Tiny scraps of fabric blocked him from paradise. A triangle of underwear covered the apex between her legs, and the sheer material of her bra offered no protection against the delicious view underneath.
His mouth watered to taste her.
Lifting his gaze, he met hers. Her lips parted, her breathing shallow. He enclosed her hand in his and raised it to his mouth. Laying a kiss on each knuckle, he took his time.
“Are you ready for this?”
She tightened her hold on him. “With you, yes.”
That was what he needed to hear. He swooped her up. She clung to him as he stretched across the bed with her.
The tiny hook of her bra was nothing. He parted the ends to reveal luminescent skin that begged for his touch. Dusky brown nipples peaked, and he picked one to cover with his mouth, his hand ensconcing the other.
She arched into him, her legs parting to cradle him on either side. He settled in to pleasure her. His fiancée.
She shivered against him as he rolled the tight bud against his tongue. Her hands threaded through his hair. He’d walk proudly around town with messy hair if she was the cause of it.
Switching breasts, he traced his tongue around her nipple before blowing across it.
Her sharp inhale and the tightening of her legs against him made him smile.
She rocked against him. If she was anything like him, she’d been desperately wanting release since their walk in the woods. Both times, they’d done nothing but kiss—a lot—and grope each other through their clothes, but the ache hadn’t left him.
He’d take care of her. As he nuzzled his way down, he hooked his fingers under her underwear and rolled them down.
By the time he reached his goal, she’d parted her legs wider to make room for his shoulders. Her sex glistened for him.
He dropped a kiss on her inner thigh. Her leg twitched.
He lifted his gaze off her sweet folds. “I want to taste you.”
It sounded like a question. And it kind of was. He didn’t want to do anything to ruin the night.
She nodded, catching her pink lower lip between her teeth.
Taking his time, as much as it pained him, he licked and nibbled his way to her sex. Her hands froze in his hair.
“My flower,” he murmured and laved his way to her clit.
She gasped and arched when he hit it. This wouldn’t take long.
He leisurely stroked her with his tongue. Her hips jerked, and her hands left his hair to twist in the comforter. His zipper cut into his erection, but he relished the bite. Her pleasure would be his undoing otherwise.
She relaxed her knees farther, her body growing fluid, her moans punctuating each swipe of his tongue. When she started thrusting her hips like she needed more, he placed a finger at her entrance.
Could he last through this? Heat flowed off of her. He inserted the tip of his digit into her. Tight walls gripped him. Her juices flooded his tongue, a taste that was uniquely Daisy. His flower.
He withdrew his finger and then slid it in farther. Her panting came faster; her hips bucked.
“I’ll take care of you.” He clamped his mouth over her clit and thrust into her sex.
“Aaron!” Her orgasm hit. He didn’t have to move. She writhed and bucked against his face, riding his finger as her walls convulsed around him. The erotic sight she made was enough to make him come, but he forced down every lustful thought, damn near blanking his mind to hold back his own orgasm.
He wanted to come inside of his fiancée.
When she went limp on the bed with a heavy breath, he pulled away. Grabbing a condom from the drawer, he reared up to his knees.
As he worked the fly of his pants open and shoved them down, he let his gaze wander over her. She was spread wantonly beneath him. Her legs open, her sex wet from him, her nipples pointing to the ceiling. The soft curves of her muscles ready to embrace him.
She pushed hair off her face, her gaze glued to his cock. It twitched under her stare. He paused again, giving her time to signal him it was okay to continue.
She met his gaze, stark desire simmering in her eyes. “I liked that.”
The corner of his mouth hitched up. “I did to.”
She rose to her elbows and cocked her head. “You called me your flower.”
“You’re my Daisy.”
Her tongue darted out to lick her lips. His cock twitched again. “Then…I want just you to call me that when I get to the States.”
He nodded once. “Done.” Anything for her.
She sat up and wrapped her hand around his length. He opened the condom and handed it to her.
This was really going to happen. Would he be a disappointment?
He’d never had sex with someone knowing they’d get married. The magnitude of the moment settled around his shoulders like a winter coat. Would their first time set the whole tone of their relationship? What if he came as soon as he entered her?
As soon as she rolled the condom on, need wiped out his worries. She closed her hand around him and pumped her fist.
His head lolled back, and his eyes closed. “Daisy. I’m struggling as it is. This first round might not last long.”
“But there’ll be others.”
His eyes flew open. Did that sultry tone belong to his flower?
She laid back, leading him to her entrance.
Leaning on an elbow, he held himself above her. She released him, and he hovered at her sex.
Steadily, he pushed inside. She rocked along his length as he backed up and slowly thrust in again. Her tight walls didn’t resist, but he worried his girth and her size wouldn’t work together. With patience and gritted teeth, he seated himself fully inside.
Another groan left him, and his eyes drifted shut again.
Glorious. There was nothing more a man could ask for. Heat surrounded him. He strained not to piston like a madman.
She embraced him, and he started his rhythm. Slow at first. She needed time to recover from her first orgasm.
Jaw clenched, he pumped his hips. It wasn’t long before her legs wrapped around him, greedy for more.
Yes. She was going to come again, and he just might last long enough for it.
“My Daisy,” he murmured against her ear. Tremors wracked her body.
He didn’t nibble, just pressed his lips against the base of her neck and picked up the pace.
Their rhythm matched perfectly. He shifted the angle to work his hand between them. Like he had with his mouth, he only rested his finger against her clit. Their movement was enough to push her over the edge.
Thank god, because he didn’t think he could hold back any longer.
His name ripped from her lips again. He pumped once, twice more, and reared up, throwing his head back, growling her name.
His climax hit so hard he went rigid. She shuddered underneath him as he released.
Finally, his orgasm freed him from its hold and he collapsed over Daisy, but ensured he didn’t crush her.
She peppered kisses along his chest as she kneaded her hands over his shoulders and back into his hair.
They stayed like that until their breathing evened out.
He rose to his elbows. Her sex appeal had only grown as she smiled up at him.
She traced his jaw. “Now I’m hungry.”
Just like that, he was hard again. “One more time and then we’ll order room service.”
And after that, he planned to hold her next to him every last minute of their time together.
***
Aaron woke with a start. Shit—did he miss his flight?
Frowning, he looked around the room. It was still nighttime. The lights were off, but with the blinds open and only the sheers covering the window, ambient light from the city showed Daisy reclined in the uncomfortable hotel chair facing out the window.
“What’s wrong?” He rolled up and crossed to stand behind the chair to see what she was seeing. She was still nude, and he’d shed the rest of his clothes within seconds after their first time.
Taillights and headlights streamed through the streets. The buildings around them, other hotels, had scattered lights on throughout each floor. Shadows cast over her face couldn’t hide her serious expression.
“I’m thinking about…leaving. You leaving. Then I’ll be leaving.” She peered up at him. “It’s hard not knowing when.”
“We’ll apply as soon as I get back. Let’s plan for three months so at least we have a goal. If it’s sooner, great. If it’s delayed, we’ll get through it. Together.”
She reached behind her to clasp his hand. “How did we find each other?”
“I don’t care how as long as we did.” And that was the truth.
She released a quiet sigh. “No matter what, I will miss Manila. And will miss Manila with you.”
Her touch had reignited the blood flow.
He released her hand. “I’ll be right back.” Padding to the end table, he snatched another condom.
He rolled it on as he walked back. She peeked over the back of the chair to see what he was doing. “Again?”
Was that anticipation in her tone?
“Yes, only this time, we’re going to create one last memory of Manila together.” He held out his hand. She glanced from it to his straining erection, then accepted the offer.
Once she was standing, he took her place on the chair. Towing her to him, he spun her to face the windows.
“Ah,” she said as he tugged her onto his lap, her back to his chest.
His cock was pressed between them as he gathered her thick hair and bared her neck. She eased into him as he kneaded her breasts and nipped the sensitive area at the base of neck.
Brushing one hand down her flat belly, he continued until he reached her clit. She writhed over him, her hands clutching the arms of the chair.
Now. He lifted her at the waist and positioned her over his cock. She lowered herself onto him, and he hissed as she took his length into her. Keeping his hand at her sex, he worked her clit, using his other hand to massage a nipple between his fingers. All the while, he scraped along her neck with his teeth, soothing with his tongue.
Heat flooded his hand. She jerked into him as she orgasmed. He let her ride it out, milking every drop of pleasure. When she was done, he stood, holding her to him as he was still seated inside.
“This will be our memory of Manila.” He placed her hands on the glass and gripped her hips.
“Yes,” she rasped.
He pumped. He wanted her watching the city, seeing the image of them in the window, of him taking her. His fiancée.
He wanted to fuck her so hard it’d get them through every lonely night until she was back in his arms.
“Daisy.” He thrust harder. “Do you see us in the glass?”
“Yes,” she whimpered, curving her back to open wider for him.
“This is the memory of us I want to leave you with. You and me in Manila. In this room.”
She cried out, bracing herself against the cool surface of the window.
Her sex convulsed around his cock. Hell, she was climaxing already.
That sent him reeling over the peak. His fingers dug into her flesh as he released, bucking, grunting, gritting his teeth. When it was over, he was amazed he could stay standing. From the way Daisy hung against the glass, he was the only thing keeping her upright.
He withdrew and swept her up into his arms. Settling her into bed, he crawled in behind her.
“You and me, flower.”
“You and me,” she murmured before falling asleep in his embrace.