See part 1 for all of the disclaimers

Lost Paradise 4

By WolfDragon.

Nicole was sitting in the kitchen with Alex and her Aunt Michelle. The cut on her lip wasn't that bad and would heal fairly quickly. What bothered Nicole the most was the cheek that McGrail had hit violently. A bruise had already started to appear on her tender cheek. Robert had gone into a rage after seeing what his brother had done to Nicole. Driving his niece to his house, Robert had left with the car's tires screeching, probably to go 'visit' her father, Nicole thought.

Nearly two hours had passed since her father had gone crazy. The sudden ring from the doorbell made everybody jump in surprise. It took a moment before Michelle stood up from the table and carefully walked towards the door. Looking out the side window, she sighed in relief to see that it wasn't her brother-in-law but Nicole's friend, Kristina. She unlocked the door and opened it for the tall Austrian to enter.

"How's Nicole?" Kris asked as she walked in and unzipped her leather jacket, her backpack still secured on her back.

Michelle took the stuntwoman's motorcycle helmet and gloves. " She's terrified that her father will come after her. Alex is in there with her." She said as she indicated the kitchen.

Kris marched into the room and came face to face with an angry looking Alex, her hand hovering above the hilt of a baseball bat on the kitchen table. Alex was shielding someone with her body. The angry look was quickly replaced by one of relief as she recognized the Austrian stuntwoman.

"Are you planning to use this on me?" Kris asked as she spied the bat still within Alex's grasp.

"No!" Alex quickly took her hand away from the 'weapon'. "I'm sorry!"

"Kris!" Nicole exclaimed from behind her cousin and ran into Kris' arms. "I'm so glad to see you!" she said as a new wave of tears came pouring out again.

Kris held the smaller woman tightly, not wanting to let her go. "I'm here now. Shhh…everything's gonna be okay." She softly said as she brushed her fingers through Nicole's hair. Kris was faintly aware of people walking out of the kitchen before she opened her eyes and looked down at her smaller companion. She noticed for the first time the cut lip and the bruise that had started to form on Nicole's cheek. "Your father did that?" Kris asked anger growing in her voice. "The bastard! I'll…" she started but Nicole reached a hand up to caress Kris' cheek.

"Please! Don't!" Nicole softly said, looking up into Kris' stormy eyes. "I had enough of my father's temper and then my uncle going after him. I don't need you going off like a ticking bomb too…please?" Nicole watched the jaw muscles dance under the bronze skin before the tense features on Kris' face slowly relaxed under Nicole's soft touch and voice.

The realization hit Kris in the face dead on. Nicole really didn't need to share her life with another bad tempered person. Kris' temper was famous among the stunt people and crew. She didn't lose it often, but when she did, it was mostly to defend somebody in need, never to attack or play the diva on a movie set. Kris usually calmed down fairly quick, but never as fast as Nicole’s presence enabled her to do! The smaller woman had a magic touch on Kris. She looked into the green eyes watching her and took a deep breath. Kris half smiled and nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"But I know you'd never hit me." She smiled at Kris then winced as her lip hurt. "You're not like my father."

Kris lifted her fingers to trace Nicole's lips gently. "I would never hurt you." She said as she slowly let her eyes roam over Nicole's beautiful face. Kris wanted to kiss her so much, but she was afraid to due to her split lip. "But I'd love five minutes alone with your father though." she smiled.

"I know." Nicole reached up and gently kissed Kris, wrapping both of her arms around the taller woman's neck. Nicole had waited all weekend to do this, and she wasn’t going to let a cut lip keep her away from Kris’ soft kisses. She could feel the slight hesitation coming from Kris before she gave up and kissed Nicole back.

"I took care of it Kris." A voice from the doorway startled both women. "I 'visited' my brother. He won't be bothering Nicole for some time." Robert said as he quickly hid his bruised hand behind his back. "I'm sorry I interrupted." He said with a grin. Obviously Nicole was feeling better. He had been right all along; something was definitely going on between those two. Now he knew why Nicole was looking so happy.

Kris smiled at Robert and gave Nicole a hug, keeping the younger woman in her arms. "Thanks for the help Robert. I really appreciate it."

"Hey! It was the least I could do." He winked at the dark-haired woman. "Why don't you let us take Nicole's stuff to your place while you take good care of my favorite niece? Of course, I see you've already started doing that." He grinned at seeing Nicole blush and bury her face into Kris' chest.

"Uncle! I'm your only niece." Nicole mumbled, making Kris and Robert laugh.

"It doesn't matter. You're still my favorite." He chuckled. "Oh! Before I forget, we're doing a Barbecue tomorrow. We'd like to invite the both of you."

Kris looked down and saw Nicole watching her with hope in her eyes. "We'd love to Robert."

"Great!" they heard two other voices exclaim outside the kitchen and turned to see Alex and her mother grinning in the doorway.

"Don't forget your bathing suits!" Alex chipped in.

"We won't." Nicole said as she rubbed Kris' stomach. "Can we go now?"

"Sure." Kris smiled at her young companion and grabbed the travel bag, handing it to Nicole. As the blonde woman slung the bag across her body, Kris saw a small booklet that was about to fall out of the bag's pocket. Reaching towards it, Kris saw that it was a Canadian passport. Opening it while Nicole gave Robert a hug, Kris noticed that not one single stamp graced the passport pages. She showed the official document to Nicole. "It's brand new."

Nicole nodded and looked at her uncle. "It's the first thing Robert insists his crew have." Nicole explained. "If we ever have to go outside Canada to film or something, everybody's ready."

"Wise decision." Kris smiled at the organized director.

"I do my best." Robert grinned. "Okay, everybody out and help me get Nicole settled."

The small group quickly filed out of the kitchen and each grabbed a box or item to put back into Robert's car and then drove to Kris' place. He watched as Kris helped Nicole sit behind her on the beautiful Harley and saw them make their own way towards the house. Robert was glad to see that both women were so happy together. Their relationship wasn't bothering him at all. He had seen his own daughter go from one woman to another, looking for a partner that would be willing to share her life with. He only wished that Alex would find a relationship like Nicole and Kris had.

******************************

The small party had been going on for some time now and everybody was enjoying themselves immensely. Robert was cooking the hamburgers on the grill while his wife Michelle fussed about, making sure that everybody had plenty to drink. Nicole sat on the edge of the pool, soaking her legs into the cold water, watching Kris and Alex play water volleyball in the deep end. Alex's girlfriend had gotten out of the pool some time ago and was now tanning herself, away from the splashing swimmers. It was fun to see Kris' playful side with other people. Usually Kris reserved that for Nicole only. She smiled as she saw Kris slap the volleyball in Alex's direction, causing the brunette to dive in a hurry to avoid getting hit by the incredibly speeding ball.

Nicole heard someone padding towards her and smiled as Neilson sat beside her, his legs dangling into the water. "Hey Neil, you're not joining in the fun?" she asked her childhood friend, indicating the two women in the water.

"Huh huh." He shook his head. "They play too rough for me." He grinned as he took a sip of his beer. Nicole kept watching Kris, her eyes never leaving the tall woman. "She's something isn't she?" Neilson asked gently. Nicole looked so happy. He was glad that his friend had found someone to love and be loved.

Nicole smiled at her friend and patted his leg. "She's great. I can't explain how I feel when I'm with her. She means everything to me, Neil."

Back home from Los Angeles, Neilson had heard about what happened between Nicole and her father from a message Alex had left on his answering machine. He had wished that he could've been there for Nicole, offering any help he could for her. Neilson never liked Nicole's father. That man gave him the creeps. He remembered with a shudder a conversation Neilson had once had with him. McGrail had insisted that Nicole would make him a very nice wife. Her father was talking as if he was trying to sell a horse, or some kind of servant. The idea had crossed his mind. If he married Nicole, he knew that her father would be out of the picture, leaving her alone. But that marriage would have been only to take Nicole out of harm's way. Neilson loved Nicole, but like a brother loves his little sister. Any other kind of love between them would have felt like incest to Neil. They weren't part of the same family, but Nicole was like the sister he never had.

Watching her now, smiling and giggling like a schoolgirl, he knew that Nicole had found the one person for her. He had been happy to see that his friend had fallen head over heels in love, but what surprised him the most had been to hear that it had been with another woman. He had seen the both of them together before he had to leave for Los Angeles, but their relationship had been one of friendship then. Only Alex saw something more between them.

Neilson saw Nicole's smile grow even bigger and he turned to look in the same direction that Nicole was looking in. Kris had stopped playing volleyball and was swimming closer to the both of them. Alex had gone to join her girlfriend on the chaise lounges.

"Are you coming in for a swim?" Kris asked Nicole, putting both hands on each side of the blonde woman and pulled herself out of the water, giving Nicole a quick kiss before letting herself fall back into the pool.

"Go on, I'll see you later." Neilson smiled as he stood up and joined the others.

"Robert is cooking the burgers. We're about to eat." Nicole smiled at Kris who was playfully splashing her.

"We can swim until it's ready then. Come on!" she invited her friend, opening her arms.

Nicole didn't waste a second and pushed herself into the water and into Kris' arms. She loosely locked her hands behind the taller woman's head and let herself be towed away from the edge of the pool. "This is nice." Nicole grinned. She could feel Kris' hands slowly crawling up her body and closed her eyes as the strong hands gently rubbed against Nicole's breasts. "Ohhh!" she smiled even more. "This is really nice. Hmmm." She felt Kris' soft lips against hers and slowly opened her mouth, letting Kris' tongue enter. Nicole knew that people were watching but she didn't care. She was in heaven and nobody would take that away from her. Nicole had started to let her hands roam all over Kris' muscular body and she could hear the stuntwoman's breathing become erratic.

Kris slowly pulled away from Nicole and smiled. "I think we'd better stop." She said as she gave a quick look at the smiling crowd.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Nicole said as she looked down. Two fingers slowly lifted her chin and she looked into sparkling blue eyes.

"I said we'd better stop or else I won't be responsible for my actions." She grinned at the smaller woman, making Nicole smile. "I don't think you'd want that kind of a show for your family and friends, right?"

"I don't think so." Nicole shook her head as she started to blush. "Kris?"

"Hmmm?"

"I want to thank you for not rushing me." Nicole started keeping her voice down so people wouldn't hear their conversation. It was hard enough to say without having an audience too. "I mean, you've been so patient with me and…"

"Nick, what are you talking about?" Kris asked softly.

"Well, I know that you've been with women before and that I haven't and…" she sighed, she wasn't making herself clear.

"Nick, I love you." Kris suddenly said, surprised by the words that came rushing out of her mouth. "I'm not hiding the fact that I would love to make love to you, but I once told you that there would be no rush, no pressure. We'll know when the time is right, okay?"

"I love you too." Nicole said with tears in her eyes. She buried her face in Kris' neck and held on tight. "You've been so good to me."

"Lunch is ready!!!" they heard Robert holler.

Kris gave them a few more minutes to get their emotions under control and then looked into Nicole's green eyes. "Are you hungry?" she asked with a grin.

"What do you think?" she laughed. "But you know what I'd love to eat?"

"What would that be?"

"Real Mexican food!" she stated. "People say that what we have here is not as good as the real deal." Nicole explained as they slowly made their way out of the pool.

"You never had the 'real deal'?" Kris asked.

Nicole shook her head. "No. I only had the stuff from here. I'd love to be able to go to Mexico one day and be able to experience the atmosphere, walk through the streets smelling all the foods cooking, and hearing the music." Nicole explained dreamily. "They say the beaches are incredible in Cancun. Have you ever been there?" she asked the older woman.

"No I haven't. The only places I've been to in the Americas, aside from the United States and Canada is in Argentina.

"Hey you guys!" Alex called them. "Are you gonna chat in there all night or you're coming out to eat?"

"We're coming! We're coming!" Nicole laughed and stepped out of the pool with Kris trailing behind her.

Now that had just given Kris the best idea ever. She had a few days left before she was due to start teaching at the Canadian Stunt School and she knew that if she asked Robert, he would give Nicole a few days vacation. A little trip was all Nicole needed right now. Kris smiled to herself as she started making plans. First thing tomorrow morning she would stop by a travel agency and get everything underway. First, she'd have a little talk with Robert.

******************************

Kris had been awake since 4am. Her plan was about to get underway and she felt like a little kid. She gently nudged Nicole who tightened her hold on Kris and mumbled half-awake. It had been difficult for Kris not to let Nicole know about her plans, but she wanted this trip to be the most exciting thing to happen to Nicole. The very next day after the barbecue at Robert's, Kris had bought two plane tickets for Cancun and had made all the needed reservations for their five-day trip. She knew it wasn't long, but it was the best she could do before starting to work at the school on Monday.

It had been an interesting exercise to have Nicole pack her own bag for the next few days. Kris had tried to be as vague about their destination as possible. She smiled as she remembered sneaking Nicole's bathing suit into her luggage without her friend catching her.

She gently shook Nicole until the younger woman finally opened her eyes and blinked at Kris. "Kris, it's only 5 in the morning!" she said after looking at the clock on the desk.

"I know. Robert will be arriving soon." Kris smiled as she gave Nicole a gentle kiss on the lips. "Good morning."

"Hmmm, good morning." She smiled as she lazily stretched in bed. Nicole watched as Kris got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. She heard the shower be turned on and reluctantly got out of bed herself. "What is it again that Robert wants us to check out?" she called out to Kris to be sure the tall woman heard her over the noise of the water.

Poking her head out of the bathroom, "Some location or something. I won't take long." She said and went back into the bathroom and into the shower. Kris had better find something to talk about if she didn't want Nicole to start asking too many questions again.

Robert arrived at the house twenty minutes after both women had taken their showers and had gotten dressed. To have Nicole talk about the job Robert had found her was the best idea Kris came up with. They couldn't stop the younger woman from talking, which was fine with Kris. As long as she kept talking, she wouldn't ask questions about where they were going.

Nicole had been listening to Robert and Kris talk about the movie that was almost finished, enjoying their light banter between them as she looked outside the windows. Noticing that they were approaching the airport, Nicole frowned slightly. She had assumed that Robert was driving them to a car rental company. "Ah Kris?" she asked, looking at the buildings and planes. "I didn't know we were taking a plane."

"I didn't tell you?" Kris asked innocently. "I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind." Kris saw Robert bite his lip, trying not to laugh.

Looking into the rearview mirror, Robert winked at Kris and parked the car in front of the airline company door. Everybody stepped out of the car, taking the travel bags out of the trunk and placing them on a cart. "Well, have a nice trip you guys." Robert smiled and gave Nicole a kiss on the cheek. "Try to have some fun okay?" he grinned at Kris as he shook her hand.

"I'll make sure we do that. Thanks for the lift." She grinned back. Nicole was totally clueless and was content to just follow Kris.

"See you Monday." Nicole waved at her uncle before Robert got into his car and drove off. She turned towards a smiling Kris and started walking alongside her friend. "So, where are we going that we need to take a plane?" she asked as she looked at all the people walking past them, trying to guess where they could all be going.

"You'll see." She smiled at her companion. She knew it was just a matter of time before Nicole would start questioning her again.

Nicole looked up at the different airline company names lining the halls. She followed Kris as she headed towards the Air Canada desk and frowned as she saw the destination of this particular booth. "Ah Kris?"

"Hmmm?" she looked innocently at Nicole.

"This is the line up for Can…" Nicole suddenly stopped. Looked around them and up at the board indicating the final destination. She quickly looked back at Kris, her eyes big as saucers. "But Kris! This is a flight for Cancun!" she exclaimed, not sure of what was going on.

"Are you sure?" Kris asked, not moving from their place in the line-up.

"Yes! I think we have the wrong…" then realization hit her. Cancun, Mexico. She had mentioned it to Kris at her uncle's barbecue. 'No, this couldn't be!' Nicole thought as she stared at Kris who was now smiling from ear to ear. "Don't tell me…that I…that we…this is not a joke, right?" she could feel her heart beating in her throat, this felt like a dream.

"It's not a joke Nick." Kris grinned at seeing Nicole speechless. She watched as she stood still for a moment and then threw herself at Kris, hugging the taller woman tight.

"I don't believe this!" she exclaimed. "Are we really going to Cancun?" she asked, feeling tears start to form in her eyes.

Kris held two airplane tickets along with two passports in her hand; hers from Austria and Nicole's Canadian passport. "Yes we are." She grinned.

"Oh god!" Nicole said as she bit her lip. "I don't know what to say!" she whispered, still holding on to Kris' arms.

"Say thank you." Kris said as she smiled at a bewildered Nicole. "I want this to be the most beautiful time you ever had."

Nicole raised a shaky hand to her face and wiped the tears away. "Tha…thank you." She closed her eyes as Kris wrapped her arms around her. "But…why?" she asked in a soft voice. What did she ever do to deserve all this? Nicole thought to herself.

Still holding the smaller woman, Kris bent slightly to whisper in her ear. "Because you deserve to be happy. Because I want you to relax and have some fun and…because I love you."

"I love you too." Nicole smiled and hugged Kris, oblivious to the stares the two women were getting.

******************************

Cancun, just an hour by air from Miami, nestled on the eastern coast of the vast, mysterious Yucatan Peninsula. The star jewel of the Mexican Caribbean, studded with luxury hotels, stunning beaches, jungles and unfathomable ancient Mayan ruins.

Coming out of the gate at the airport, Kris guided Nicole through the throng of people, pushing their cart with luggage until they were clear of the human sea. Kris hated crowds and she was looking forward to sit in the car and on their way to their next destination. Nicole, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy herself immensely. She was walking on autopilot, looking everywhere, and absorbing the scenes playing around them with a childlike wonder. "Where do we go now?" Nicole asked, stopping briefly to look and listen to a Mariachis band.

"We try to find…" Kris started and looked above the crowd to find what she was looking for. "…I found it. Follow me." The tall woman said as they continued making their way through the crowd. She was heading towards the area reserved for limousine drivers waiting for their passengers. One of them was holding up a sign with: 'K.V. Deering' on it.

The man looked at the two women approaching him and smiled as Kristina showed him her passport, identifying her as his client. He quickly took the two bags and started walking towards the exit.

"Wow." Nicole grinned at Kris. "It's nice to have somebody waiting for us. We don't have to go taxi hunting."

"Not if I can help it." she smiled. "Oh! I almost forgot." Kris opened her leather travel bag and took out a medium sized gift wrapped box, handing it to Nicole. "You can't go on vacation without one of these!"

Nicole slowly took the box and frowned at Kris. "You are spoiling me rotten Kris!"

"You don't want it? Okay!" she teased and reached to take the gift away from Nicole. It was quickly put out of Kris' hand.

"Don't you…" Nicole smiled and started unwrapping the box as they kept walking. "Oh!" she exclaimed as the young woman saw the 35-mm camera. "I'll be able to take pictures!!" she quickly looked up as Kris gently pulled at her arm. They were now out of the airport and Nicole was heading directly against a palm tree.

"Careful!" Kris chuckled as she put her sunglasses on.

"Oh wow!" Nicole exclaimed as she reached the tree to touch it. "It's a real one!"

"I don't think they grow plastic palm trees around here Nicole." She laughed. It was so wonderful to see Nicole this way. Every little thing was a wonder to her. From her first ever plane ride to the sight of a tree. Kris waited patiently beside the driver who was holding the limousine door open. This was Nicole's trip and small vacation. They would go at Nicole's own pace. If it meant that they would stop at every little thing that caught Nicole's attention, then that's what they would do.

"This is so…" Nicole started as she turned around to look at Kris and saw the car for the first time. "Oh boy! A limousine?" she smiled as she approached the vehicle and climbed into it with Kris right behind her. "You know, I must sound like a real tourist." Nicole laughed as she sat and gently took Kris' hand in hers.

"But we are tourists." Kris winked at her companion and looked out the window. They were on their way and soon would be closer to Nicole's next surprise.

"I know that, but you don't react the same way as I do." Nicole said as she looked at the passing scenery. "You're so calm and quiet, it looks like you've been here many times before." Nicole explained.

"Just because I don't say anything doesn't mean I don't enjoy it." Kris said. "To tell you the truth, I'm having fun just watching you."

Nicole turned to look at Kris. "I must look like a child." She said softly.

"No." Kris shook her head. "You make me smile because I see all the joy you're feeling, it shows on your face." Reaching to Nicole, Kris put her arm around the smaller woman and pulled her against her. "You're showing me that life can be fun too. It doesn't have to be so serious all the time." She admitted. "I've forgotten what it is to enjoy the simplest things in life." She gently kissed the blonde head under her chin. "Don't you ever change Nick."

Nicole smiled and closed her eyes briefly. Here she was, worried that she was acting too childlike and Kris was worried about being too serious. 'One thing's for sure,' Nicole thought to herself, 'We're both going to have the best time of our lives.' "I won't change Kris, I promise."

**********

A gentle nudge woke Nicole up. She sleepily opened her eyes and saw that the car had stopped at a marina. "Are we at the hotel already?" Nicole said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Not quite. We still have some distance to go, but I think you'll like it." She said as she stepped out of the limousine and held a hand out to help Nicole. A member of the marina crew had taken the bags from the driver and was making his way towards a speedboat that was moored not too far away. A beautiful sailboat caught Kris' attention and she smiled. So many things to do and so little time. They would just have to make the best of it, Kris thought.

"Are we going for a boat ride?" Nicole asked all excited.

"Not just a ride, but this will bring us to our place for the next few days." She said as she climbed aboard and helped Nicole in. "We're going to Isla Mujeres. It's about 25 minutes by boat North-East of Cancun." Kris explained as the boat slowly navigated out of the dock and towards the sea. "It's a small island, about five miles long and less than a mile wide. I'm sure you'll love it."

"I can't wait to see it!" Once out of the dock, the small boat quickly gathered speed and headed east into the Caribbean Sea.

 They arrived at Puerto Isla Mujeres, an exclusive and intimate resort as well as a deluxe yachting club. Sailboats, yachts and boats of all kind and sizes offered a beautiful sight. "This is incredible!" Nicole exclaimed as they walked up to the registration desk.

"Why don't you take a look around while I get the keys for the villa okay?" Kris said as she watched the resort employee handle their bags. "It shouldn't take long."

"A villa? You mean we don't have a hotel room?" Nicole shook her head. She knew that Kris had money, but this was getting ridiculous. "The next thing you'll tell me is that you bought a boat for us to sail around." She chuckled and stopped, seeing Kris' grin. "No, this can't be true!"

Kris laughed at seeing her companion's expression. "Don't worry, I didn't buy it…I just charted it for two days." She winked at Nicole.

"Kris, don't you think…" Nicole started but stopped as Kris put a finger on the blonde's lips.

"Nick, I can't remember the last time I had a real vacation. All the travel I do is work related, I never get a chance to enjoy the places I visit." Kris explained softly. "Let me do this okay?" she smiled as Nicole silently nodded and took her hand in hers. "How often do you get a chance to go on vacation and would not have to worry about money?" she grinned at Nicole and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll be back."

Nicole watched the tall woman walk away. She was really excited to be here in this paradise with the most beautiful woman that she had ever met. Nicole was really thankful for it, but she had felt a little awkward about it all. Not the fact of being with Kris, but at seeing the small fortune it must be costing her friend. Yes, Kris had said not too worry and enjoy it, but Nicole had always been so careful in saving her hard-earned money that it simply boggled her mind to see all the things Kris had done for her.

In the past month, Kris had opened up a lot more with Nicole. She had been surprised to find out that Kris had very few friends. Of course she knew a lot of people, but nobody was close enough to the stuntwoman to merit that title, nobody until Nicole. She had been proud to hear that Kris trusted her enough to let her get that close to her, but she was also saddened by the fact that most of Kris' days had been spent working, with very few people in her life. Things would change, Nicole thought. She would make sure that Kris would really enjoy herself and that this little trip would be the best ever.

She looked out at the emerald water, the boats slowly bobbing with the gentle waves and a little farther at the people tanning themselves on the white beach or playing and swimming in the sea. Nicole had dreamed of finding herself in a place like this, but to actually live it and with such a loving person as Kris, all this felt like a dream. Just thinking about the tall, dark-haired woman caused Nicole's heart to beat wildly against her chest. She had thought for some time that the reason why she was reacting to Kris this way was because it had been the first time that anybody had shown so much attention to her. Now she knew exactly why; she was madly in love with Kris. There were no other reasons for it. A slight jingle of keys broke Nicole out of her reverie and she turned to look at a smiling Kris.

"Are you coming?" Kris asked. "Our bags are already there. Let's get our bathing suits on and go for a swim."

"Great idea!" Nicole replied and joined her friend. 'Yes,' Nicole thought, 'This will be a vacation to remember.' She hooked her arm on Kris' and smiled.

******************************

As the sun was slowly making its way down, Kris and Nicole were strolling on the quiet beach. Most of the swimmers had left to get ready for the evening. Kris enjoyed this time of day as much as she enjoyed the early mornings. It was the best time to stop and think about what had happened so far and what needed to be done. Right now, all she could think about was her young companion walking beside her. They had been quiet for some time, but it was a comfortable silence. It had been a very long day traveling from Montreal, but Nicole had seemed to be in fine shape. Maybe the small nap she had taken in the limousine had done wonders for her.

After eating, both women had opted for a nice walk, wanting to enjoy the peace and quiet that the island offered once the day crowd had left. Without a sound, Nicole had reached for Kris' hand and gently held it in her own, giving it a little squeeze. The simple touch had warmed Kris greatly. She couldn't get over the fact that a squeeze, a hug or the simplest of touch from Nicole could make her breath catch in her throat and get her heart beating so hard it hurt. She had gotten so used to Nicole's presence that she had trouble imagining life without her. There must be something she could do about that, Kris thought, someway, somehow she would find it.

They had walked back to the villa and Kris slowed down a little to enjoy the view and looked down as Nicole gently tugged on her hand, smiling.

"Why don't we sit for a little while?" Nicole said as she found a nice spot and sat down. She smiled and waved to the house girl assigned to them, watching her wave back and then head towards their villa. Nicole had spoken briefly to the young maid and had explained what she wanted done. Now all she had to do was give the young girl enough time to do it. She couldn't wait to see Kris' face when they entered their villa.

Kris smiled and joined her friend. What was so special about Nicole, Kris thought was the fact that she seemed to know what Kris wanted before she knew herself. She had found that out the very first time Nicole had been assigned as her assistant. She was so unlike the other men and women Kris had met before. Nicole never asked personal questions that pried deep into her life, even though Kris knew she longed to know more about her life in Innsbruck. Everything Nicole gave was out of pure goodness, never with a hidden agenda. She gave and expected nothing in return. Maybe that's why Kris was so willing to treat Nicole to all sorts of things.

Kris sat down behind the smaller woman and Nicole quickly shifted so she would be sitting between Kris' legs and leaned back against her chest. Kris wrapped her arms around the petite blonde and rested her chin on Nicole's shoulder. "Did you have a nice day?" Kris asked, speaking softly in her ear. "Are you tired?"

Gliding both of her hands on Kris' arms, she made the taller woman hug her tighter and closed her eyes, enjoying Kris' voice vibrating through her body. "It was wonderful Kris." She smiled, "And no, I'm not tired. I feel just fine. I could stay like this forever. How about you?"

"I feel the same." She said close to Nicole's ear and kissed it softly. "All this would be worth nothing if you weren't here with me Nick." They continued watching the sun as the last colors slowly passed from orange, to red, and then to purple, watching as the sun disappeared into the sea.

Nicole slowly turned in Kris' arms and knelt before her. "This is so incredible. Finding myself here, with you." She said as she softly raised her hands to brush them against Kris' jaw. "It feels like a dream." Ever so slowly, Nicole bent forward and softly kissed her. "Come on, I've got something for you." She smiled as she stood up and helped Kris to her feet. She tugged on the taller woman's hand, wanting her to hurry and headed towards their villa's private terrace and slid the door open.

Kris entered and then suddenly stopped. Everywhere you looked were lit candles floating in water filled glass bowls. Soft music was playing in the background and Kris turned to look at a smiling Nicole as she closed the door behind her and slid the curtains shut. A smile slowly played on Kris' lips. 'So that's what Nicole was planning!' Kris thought. She remembered seeing her young companion talking to the housemaid earlier in the day, making the young girl smile and nod excitedly at something Nicole was saying. "I see that you've been very busy." She smiled. Walking towards the bed, Kris noticed that it was ready for the night. She turned to see Nicole walk up to her and wrap her arms around her neck.

"I wanted tonight to be a very special night." Nicole softly said as she kissed Kris. She felt Kris' arms wrap themselves around her small waist and smiled. Bringing her hands down on Kris' shoulders, Nicole gently pushed on them and made Kris slowly sit and then lean back on the bed and laid her small body on top of the muscular one. "Did I tell you that I love you?" Nicole softly said, kissing her way from Kris' lips, stopping to nibble at her ear and continuing kissing her way down her throat and neck.

Nicole could feel and hear Kris' rapid breathing. She smiled as her hands slowly undid Kris' blouse and bent once more, kissing the soft flesh under her roving hands. Nicole had expected to be nervous when the time finally came, but it wasn't the case now. Everything seemed so natural to her, so…right. She closed her eyes as she felt Kris' hands slowly pull her T-shirt out of her shorts and slowly glide under, caressing her back and then as Nicole knelt on the bed straddling Kris' thighs, the hands continued their way up front to gently stroke Nicole's breasts. A small moan escaped her lips and she leaned into Kris' hands, causing the older woman to fondle them even more. "Kris…" she said, her breathing out of control, "…Make love to me." she whispered.

Kris' heart nearly stopped. Did she hear what Nicole just asked? Or was it just wishful thinking? She looked at Nicole and heard her whisper: "Please." Kris briefly closed her eyes before opening them again, looked at her soon to be lover and smiled. How she loved this woman, so gentle, so passionate. Kris sat back up and reached for Nicole's Tee and slowly pulled it off, then ever so gently wrapped her arms around the blonde and kissed her. "I love you Nicole." She whispered, as she looked at her lover and gently turned Nicole to lay her on her back. "You mean everything to me." Kris said as she brushed blonde hair away from Nicole's face and kissed her again.

Kris looked at Nicole, trying to see any signs that the younger woman was nervous. The last thing Kris wanted to do was to scare her. She knew that it was Nicole's first sexual experience and to tell the truth, it scared her more than Nicole seemed to be. She slowly caressed the young blonde's face and kissed her again, softly. Kris let her hand work its way down Nicole's braless chest and slowly cupping one of her breasts, gently teasing her nipple with her fingers. She smiled as she felt it become hard under her touch. Nicole's soft moans were getting Kris excited. She had to take it slow, had to make sure that Nicole was really ready for this. Leaving a trail of kisses all over Nicole's slim body, Kris softly kissed the other breast before taking the nipple in her mouth and softly sucking on it.

Nicole tried to let her eyes stay open, she wanted to see Kris make love to her, but the sensations running rampant through her body made it impossible. She reached her hands to Kris' head and softly ran her fingers through the raven hair, guiding her, urging her. Her heart was beating wildly, her breathing ragged and erratic. Nicole thought her heart would stop when she felt her breast being gently sucked and then when Kris' tongue flicked at the hardened nipple she had to bite her lip not to moan louder.

Looking up to look at Nicole, Kris noticed her reaction and quickly stopped. "Are you okay Nicole? Do you want me to stop?" she asked worriedly. She saw green eyes open and blink a couple of times, confusion on Nicole's face.

"Why did you st…" Nicole said, out of breath. "Why do you say that?"

"I though that…you looked like…" Kris started, searching for her words. A soft hand gently caressed Kris' cheek and she looked at Nicole who was smiling at her.

"I was biting my lip because I didn't want to make a sound." She explained and laughed as she saw Kris relax a little bit.

"We can make all the noise we want Nick." Kris reassured the smaller woman. "In fact, I'd really like it if you wouldn't hold back."

Nicole hesitated a little and bit her lip shyly. "You would huh?"

"Yes, I would." Kris smiled. "Are you sure you want to do this Nick, I mean I…" a finger on Kris' lips quickly made her stop and she looked down at the beautiful young blonde smiling back at her.

"This is my first time, I'm the one supposed to be nervous. What's your excuse?" she teased the taller woman.

"I don't…" Kris stopped and swallowed nervously. 'What's wrong with me?' She asked herself. "I guess I don't want to scare or hurt you." She explained softly.

"I know." Nicole smiled. "Kris, there's nothing I want more than this."

Kris took a deep breath and gently brushed her hand on Nicole's cheek, feeling a little less nervous. "But you've never…I mean it will hurt a little when…what I'm trying to say is…"

Nicole reached for Kris' head and brought it down and kissed her lips, silencing the older woman. "Be gentle about it." Nicole whispered with a smile. She knew what Kris meant and she was a little nervous, having heard horror stories, but she also knew that Kris would be as gentle as possible. She trusted her with all of her heart. She slowly reached for Kris' opened blouse and pulled it off of her shoulders then blindly reached for the bra and unclipped it, letting it fall on the bed.

Kris smiled and completely relaxed. Kris bent down again and kissed Nicole, letting her tongue slowly glide on the soft lips before entering her mouth and starting to play with Nicole's. Kris let her hand caress Nicole's naked chest and brushed against a breast, softly teasing the excited nipple. She could feel Nicole's heart beating against her and felt it beat even faster as she let her hand wander lower, slowly letting her fingers glide under the elastic band holding Nicole's shorts. She lingered a few moments longer, wanting to make sure that Nicole knew what she intended to do and also to give her the chance to say something if she ever changed her mind. The only reaction she got was a slight lift of Nicole's hips, urging Kris on.

Nicole wanted to scream, to tell Kris to hurry, wanting to feel Kris inside her but she also wanted her to take her time, to make this moment last forever. She could hear the sound of the waves coming through the terrace door crashing on the beach mixed with the low buzz of her blood rushing to her brain. She had never felt anything quite like this before and she was sure that this was only the beginning. Nicole held her breath as she felt Kris' fingers slowly glide under the top of her shorts and linger there for a moment. The gentle touch was driving her insane. She lifted her hips slightly, urging Kris. She reached for the dark-haired woman's hand and put hers on top and slowly guided it lower, giving Kris silent permission to go on.

The simple gesture caught Kris by surprise. She looked at Nicole and saw so much love on the smaller woman's face. "I love you." She whispered and smiled as Nicole mouthed the words, "Me too." Kris slowly lowered her hand and softly brushed her fingers through the curly hair and ever so gently let her middle finger slowly slide between Nicole's lips. The feel of Nicole's wetness on her finger made Kris even more excited and she could feel her own juices flowing. She slowly brushed against Nicole's clit and felt the younger woman's body jump at the new sensation. She briefly looked at Nicole to make sure that she was all right, but Nicole's hand was still resting on top of Kris', following its every move, adding pressure to it.

Nicole didn't want to let Kris' hand go. Holding her hand this way made Nicole feel like the both of them were taking an active part in the lovemaking. Matching her fingers on top of Kris', Nicole could feel her every moves, finding out exactly what was pleasing and where. She couldn't stand it anymore and urged Kris' exploring finger to enter her, guiding her with her own hand. The sensation was incredible, the smooth movement caused her body to shiver in excitement and she suddenly wished that she was completely naked. She started pulling her shorts down with her free hand but was quickly stopped by Kris.

"Let me." Kris softly said as she pulled her hand out of Nicole's shorts and started lowering them along with her underwear and then took them off completely. She slowly trailed her hand all over Nicole's now naked body, enjoying the shapely form. Kris' hand found its way back to its previous exploring and the dark-haired woman gave all her attention to the small, firm breasts calling her. She heard the young woman moan breathlessly with every movement Kris' fingers made and gradually moved faster, brushing against Nicole's excited clit. With every stroke, Kris slowly pushed her finger deeper and as she felt Nicole's orgasm building, seeing her body tense she pushed in, breaking through the thin wall as Nicole let out a cry.

Nicole reached for Kris' shoulders and held on tight "Oh…Kris!" she screamed her lover's name as her body shuddered with intense spasms, riding the wave of passion until she climaxed in an explosion of pleasure.

Already highly aroused by the look of ecstasy on her young lover's face was enough to push Kris over the edge herself and she came, along with her young lover. Kris' fingers slowed their movement and then completely stopped. She waited until Nicole's body had calmed down before gently pulling her soaked fingers out and then wrapped her arms around Nicole's body and held her tight. To her surprise, Nicole began to cry softly. "Shhh, it's okay." She whispered, worried that she had hurt the younger woman. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Nicole hugged the taller woman closer, leaning her head on Kris' shoulder and quickly shook her head. "You didn't hurt me." Nicole softly said. "I didn't expect it to be so…incredible." She said as she took a deep breath to calm her shaking body. She looked up at Kris and smiled, "I love you."

All the fears and worries flew away at those simple words. Kris hugged the smaller woman even tighter and felt her own tears start to fall. "I love you so much Nick."

******************************

Nicole stirred slightly and opened her eyes. It was morning already and it looked like another beautiful day was waiting for them. She gave a light squeeze to the naked body under her and smiled. What an incredible night last night had been. Kris had been so gentle and loving, it was a side Nicole loved in her lover. She smiled even more as she repeated the word in her mind, lover. Nicole had been a little hesitant, wanting to please Kris but not exactly sure of what to do. But Kris had made it clear that last night would be for Nicole's pleasure. She grinned as she remembered how every little touch or kiss felt. With Kris showing the way, Nicole was sure she would be able to please Kris as much as she did last night, or at least she hoped to.

With her head leaning in the crook of Kris' shoulder, Nicole let her hand slowly wander all over the warm skin and felt Kris' breath catch as it slowly moved lower. She lifted her head and saw a pair of blue eyes looking back at her and smiled. "Good morning."

"Hmmm, morning." Kris smiled as she hugged the younger woman. "Sleep well?"

"Oh yeah." Nicole grinned. "I had the most incredible dream," Nicole said as she laid her head back down and continued roaming her hand all over the taut stomach. "I dreamt that I had the most beautiful woman making love to me all night and…" she said as she slowly brushed her thumb over a hardened nipple. "Oh! That's right," she smiled, "It wasn't a dream!" Nicole could feel Kris' heart beating faster.

"Nick…" Kris warned as she put her own hand on top of the smaller one. "We have less than an hour before we get aboard the sailboat." Kris smiled as she gently turned Nicole on her back and leaned down to kiss her. "Get a shower, eat breakfast. We also have a lot to visit today."

"But I want to stay in bed with you." Nicole said as she put a lock of raven hair behind Kris' ear. "I'd rather have you for breakfast." She blushed as soon as she said that, causing Kris to laugh.

"You can have me as a late night snack then." Kris grinned and kissed Nicole once more. "You want to join me for a shower?"

Nicole nodded vigorously, got out of bed and followed the taller woman to the bathroom. She couldn't believe what she had said to Kris. She didn't expect being able to tease Kris this way, especially with one-liners filled with sexual innuendo. It was fun, especially since it made her friend laugh. Nicole was a fast learner, and she had learned a lot last night. Now she couldn't wait to put everything into practice. Nicole smiled as she began making plans for later in the day.

The sailboat Kris had charted was a 41 feet long Beneteau 411. A real beauty, Nicole thought as she swung her backpack over her shoulder and got onboard. The Captain, a woman named Isabella Lopez who had been highly recommended by a friend of Kris', greeted both women with a firm handshake and a smile. Isabella was a beautiful woman, 5'6" and looked so petite, but if someone looked closer, they could see the body of a marathon runner with lean and muscled limbs. The Captain wore her short brown hair brushed back with her sunglasses sitting on top of her head. She wore a pair of white shorts with a light green polo shirt and sockless feet in white running shoes.

"Welcome aboard the Chalchiuhtlicue." Isabella said as she took the two travel bags from Kris and led the way towards their cabin.

"What does Chalchi…huh, Chal…" Nicole tried to pronounce the name and shook her head, making the Captain smile.

"Chalchiuhtlicue is the Aztec goddess of running and fertility water." She said, "But I often refer to the sailboat as just plain 'Chal'."

"Makes it much easier for us tourists." Nicole grinned as Kris chuckled and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

Isabella proceeded to give Kris and Nicole a tour of the sailboat. The non-skid deck surface gave an extra sense of security. The extra wide aft swim platform, walk-through transom, and cockpit shower made Nicole smile, thinking of Kris in her bathing suit. A swim in the Caribbean Sea was a must for when they would drop anchor.

Kris was amazed by the spacious and efficient layout below deck, making use of every nook and cranny. Many deck hatches, portholes and dorade vents provided an abundance of natural light and ventilation which flooded the interior and accented the rich, handcrafted cherry stained mahogany woodwork. Roomy companionways, large aft cabins and plenty of storage were found throughout the boat. The spacious salon area had up to 6'4" headroom and the salon table could easily seat up to eight people.

Both Kris and Nicole looked at each other with a smile as they walked into the deluxe forward "owners" stateroom. A large double berth graced the area, the upholstered port settee was perfect for reading and relaxing. There was a private access to the spacious forward head, which was well ventilated, fully lined with sink and shower unit. The gourmet galley was equipped with wide countertops, big double stainless sinks and loads of storage.

Nicole tugged on Kris' shirt and whispered in the taller woman's ear, "This thing looks like a floating house!"

"Chal is my pride and joy." Isabella smiled, having heard the blonde woman, and put the two travel bags in compartments then turned to make her way back on deck. "Just enjoy yourselves and be sure to let me know if you need anything." the Captain said with a smile over her shoulder and left her two guests alone in the privacy of their own room.

"So you like it?" Kris asked as she put both backpacks on the bed and gently pulled her young lover into her arms.

Nicole leaned her head against Kris' chest and closed her eyes, wrapping both of her arms around the taller woman's waist. "I love it." She smiled and gave Kris a squeeze. "We're actually going to spend the night onboard?"

"Hmm mm." Kris smiled. "This way we can sail about, go to Xcaret to visit the nature preserve then come back to the boat for some more sailing and a swim." She looked at Nicole's sparkling eyes and chuckled. "Then maybe later we can watch the sun set then come back here for a very nice evening, just you and I."

"Oh, I love your plan." Nicole said as she brought both of her hands up along Kris' chest and locked them behind the dark-haired woman's neck. "Especially the evening part." Nicole slowly guided Kris' head lower and softly kissed her. 'In fact, I could spend the whole day like this.'

Kris' heart nearly stopped at Nicole's kiss. The younger woman seemed to be even more comfortable with their newfound intimacy and it warmed Kris on many levels. Nicole seemed more bold also, which Kris didn't mind one bit. Last night had been a very good example. Nicole was still a bit hesitant in her gestures, but Kris could see that it would only be a matter of time before Nicole would be completely relaxed. A slight movement of the boat told Kris that they were on their way. "How about if we go on deck and enjoy the ride?" Kris said as she put a lock of hair behind Nicole's ear. "We could sit up front and get some sun." she saw Nicole hesitate a bit before silently nodding. "What is it Nick?"

"Nothing. It's just silly, that's all." She gave Kris a half smile before reaching for her backpack. Nicole was quickly stopped and made to look back at Kris. A pair of blue eyes were looking back at her, one perfect eyebrow lifted in question. "It's just that…well, I…" Nicole sighed and could feel the heat of a blush crawling over her face. "I can't seem to be able to keep from touching you all the time." Nicole shyly admitted. "I mean, I want to hug you and hold your hand and I want you to hold me and…"

"And the problem with that is…?" Kris teased. "You know that I feel the same Nick."

Nicole looked up at Kris in surprise. Not only did Kris not mind all the physical contacts coming from her, she just admitted to wanting to do the same. "But, the problem is once we're out there, in public. I wish we could walk around like lovers do, just holding hands and stuff."

"What's stopping us?" Kris wanted to know.

"But, what will happen if a photographer sees you and takes pictures? They might end up in magazines or newspapers or something!" a booming laugh escaped Kris and she found herself in a tight hug. "What?" Nicole asked, confused.

"Nick, that wouldn't be the first time." Kris smiled. "I'm just worried about you. Are you ready to let everybody know about us? It might not happen here but I know it will eventually end up in the news. What about what people might say seeing us hold hands?" Kris knew that it was a poor excuse because she didn't care what people though or said. It was her life and she was going to live it the way that she wanted. She wanted to give Nicole a chance to really think it over. The young woman was new to this lifestyle and hadn't met any homophobic people yet, well maybe Nicole's father, but he didn't know about the two of them together yet. The last thing Kris wanted to do was to see Nicole get hurt by stupid remarks from ignorant people.

"I can deal with comments or looks. I don't care what they say." Nicole stated. "If you don't mind holding hands in public, I'm all for it too." She smiled and gave Kris a quick kiss. "The same goes for the Captain on deck." She reached for her backpack and took her brand new camera out of the bag.

Kris chuckled at thinking about Isabella. "I wouldn't worry about her." She said as she opened their cabin door. "Remember I told you she was recommended by a friend?" She waited until Nicole nodded before continuing. "Well, Isabella and Suzan have been lovers for eight years."

"Oh!" Nicole exclaimed then smiled. "Oh, that's good."

"Come on." Kris laughed and climbed the stairs to go on deck with Nicole following close behind her.

It was such a beautiful day. It was late morning and the temperature was slowly getting hotter, but the wind blowing at them made it very comfortable. The sea was fairly calm and it made for a very nice sailing trip. Nicole was taking pictures of Isla Mujeres as they slowly sailed away from the small island and took a few more of the boat and then of Kris who was looking out at the retreating shoreline. The taller woman wore a pair of khaki shorts with a beige tank top, making Kris look more tanned than she already was. Nicole chuckled at seeing Kris' low cut hiking boots. No matter if she wore shorts or pants, Kris always wore boots. Nicole just stood there, watching Kris. It wasn't often that she could do that. Somehow, Kris always knew when Nicole was watching her. But this time, Kris was completely unaware. She seemed lost in her thoughts but the smile on the dark-haired woman's face indicated that Kris was happy.

Nicole moved slightly and crouched to get a better shot of Kris, getting a full-length picture of her lover. She smiled as Kris tilted her head in Nicole's direction and winked. Another picture was taken.

"You might want to keep a few pictures for later." Kris teased as she left her spot by the railing and walked back to Nicole. Kris briefly lifted her eyes to look at the smiling Captain and nodded at a sign she just made. Kris watched as Isabella made her way towards them. "Why don't you hand over the camera to Isabella," Kris said to Nicole. "She'll take a picture of us."

"Oh! That's a great idea!" Nicole exclaimed enthusiastically and handed Isabella the camera.

"Why don't you stand right over here," the Captain said, indicating a spot near the leather-covered steering wheel. "This way you'll have a good view of the boat." She explained.

Nicole smiled as Kris' strong arms gently wrapped themselves around her waist and she felt Kris' chin rest on top of her head. The wind was blowing their hair back, mixing the gold with the raven locks. 'Oh, this is paradise!' Nicole thought as she leaned fully against Kris after the Captain took the picture. She looked up at Kris and saw her leaning her head down. Just as they were about to kiss, Isabella took another picture.

"Oh, that'll be a very nice one!" the Captain said, handing the camera back to a blushing Nicole. "You make a very nice couple." She smiled and went back to steering the sailboat.

"Thanks." Kris said then grinned at Nicole. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're incredibly cute when you blush?" she laughed as Nicole backhanded Kris in the stomach and started laughing herself.

**********

Xcaret counts as one of the best nature preserve in Mexico. The wild Bird Breeding Aviary is a nursery and attraction, housing more than 30 different bird species from southeast Mexico, many in danger of extinction. Among visitor's favorites are macaws, toucans and flamingos. Nicole had a lot of fun taking pictures, especially when dealing with the very colorful birds. Right after the aviary, Kris and Nicole visited the horse stables, the orchid farm and botanical garden. Nicole was already working on her third roll of film when they arrived at the caves.

All rivers in the Yucatan peninsula are underground. The gentle current carried people through the crystalline waters of the 1,590-foot underground waterway, allowing them to peacefully drift along the river, letting them relax and enjoy the magical sky-lit caves. Nicole was amazed at learning that this subterranean world, dating back to millions of years ago, formed part of the ocean floor.

After a quick snack, they had come upon the area of the preserve that handled dolphins. Kris and Nicole had walked through the educational section, hearing an audiocassette talking about the dolphin's world and learning about social and physical characteristics of bottlenose dolphins.

But the best part for Kris had been to watch Nicole's reactions. The young blonde loved dolphins and it showed on her face. Nicole was so captivated by the swimming dolphins that the camera was quickly forgotten in her hand. So much so that she didn't realize it was missing even when Kris took it away from her and started taking pictures. Kris slowly guided Nicole closer to the tanks.

The interactive programs of the preserve consisted of the visitors standing on underwater platforms and participating in social interactive games with the dolphins. This activity allowed the visitor to discover the various abilities of the dolphins and how they swim, breathe, eat and sleep. Nicole nearly went out of her mind when she was offered to step on one of the platforms and meet the dolphins, touch and pet them.

Kris could have spent hours just watching Nicole play. She looked so happy, Kris didn't want to intrude and so she stepped away from the tank and took pictures. Nicole would be thrilled to have such photographs as souvenirs. Already in her one-piece bathing suit, having taken off her shorts and T-shirt, Nicole was invited to swim with the dolphins, letting her be dragged by them and getting a thrill as the dolphins jumped over her.

Getting out of the water, Nicole nearly ran to sit beside Kris. "Oh my God, that was so cool!!" she exclaimed, so excited her voice cracked. "I can't believe this! They're so smooth, so gentle! I…this was…oh…Wow!"

Kris started laughing at seeing Nicole so excited. She loosely laid her arm across Nicole's shoulder and gave her a quick hug. "I'm so glad you're having fun Nick." She honestly said.

"Oh! I am!" she grinned, green eyes shinning, then started all over again with her excited impressions of the latest events.

Kris just sat there and smiled, listening to her younger lover. The older woman couldn't remember when she herself had been that excited over something or if she ever had been at all in her life. It was refreshing to see such unguarded emotions coming from someone, especially Nicole. The young blonde eventually calmed herself and once her bathing suit had dried, slipped into her shorts and T-shirt once again.

"It's nearly dinner time. Are you hungry?" Kris asked with a grin.

"You bet!" Nicole replied as she slipped into her running shoes. "I saw on the map that there's a Mayan village that way," Nicole said, indicating the direction with her hand. "I'm sure we'll find something there."

"Okay," Kris smiled as she got up. "Lead the way."

The sound of a band could be heard at the entrance to the museum. A "fiesta" of music and color began at the Mayan Ball Game court. This legendary game found a place to spring up again in Xcaret. The last construction of a Ball Game court in the Mayan culture was in the year AD 590. No other court had been built until now. The type of game played was called Ulama. Played with a 9-pound ball using only hips. The ball court was 48-yd. long and 39.3 yd. wide. Two teams of 6 players struggle for the points. What Kris found most interesting was that the game was more than 2,000 years old.

After this introduction to the Mayan, Kris and Nicole began a mystical journey into the past, winding through underground passageways and visited the Maya Village, with a live performance of the New Fire ceremony. The common people lived in houses built of wood and cord whose elliptical shape kept their interior fresh all year round. Their roofs (palapa) were thatched with palm fronds, which must be cut by the light of the full moon so the sap reaches the tip of the frond making the roof waterproof for between 20-25 years. Penetrating the jungle that pulsated to the rhythm of pre-Hispanic drums, they reached pyramids built by the ancients and gleamed with the light of candles, where ceremonies that evoke ancient gods and past conquests were held.

They soon arrived to the open-air, hand-carved theater to watch one of the most beautiful folkloric shows in Mexico. Dancers and musicians gave the theater a festive air. Restaurants from traditional Mayan and Mexican foods to the internationally known 'American' foods lined the ways some distance away outside the theater. Remembering Nicole's comment at her uncle's place concerning real Mexican food, Kris headed towards a restaurant where a Mariachi band played and the staff was dressed in traditional Mexican garb.

Nicole had been happy to see where they were heading to eat. It smelled so good and the plates looked so colorful. Both women were happy to sit down and finally relax after such a long day of walking. Once served, Kris watched with amusement as Nicole attacked her food mercilessly, eating as if she hadn't done so in days. The first thing Kris had ordered besides food had been a shot or two of Tequila and Mexican beer.

Both women continued chatting, reliving the day's events with laughter. Some noise in one of the restaurant's corner attracted Nicole's attention and she watched with a smile as a group of people surrounded an elderly woman as she tried to hit a Piñata with a stick while blindfolded encouraged with the laughter and cheers of the patrons. Once hit, the colorful toy broke apart, sending a shower of small toys and candy on the floor, which were quickly picked up by the waiting children.

"Do you want to try?" Kris asked Nicole and saw her hesitate a little bit. "Come on, it'll be fun." She said as she got up and handed a few bills to a young waiter, indicating the remains of the toy with her hand. The young man nodded vigorously at Kris, smiling from ear to ear at seeing all the money given to him and proceeded to attach a new Piñata at the end of the rope.

Kris stepped back and took Nicole's camera out of her backpack and watched as the young waiter put a blindfold on Nicole's eyes and handed her a long stick. Her spun her around a couple of times and with his hands on her hips, guided her in the right direction. Kris frowned at the boy's gesture, a sudden flash of jealousy coursed through her body. 'Whoa there, he's only helping her out!' Kris told herself and took a deep breath. She took some pictures of Nicole who had started to swing the stick, trying to hit the toy but only managed to hit everything else but that.

The young waiter, trying to keep a low profile so he wouldn't get hit by the flying stick, approached Nicole and guided her in the right direction again, causing her to successfully hit the toy and rewarding the children with more surprises. Kris was slowly walking towards the young man, glaring at him, as she saw that one of his hands was still resting on the small of Nicole's back. At the same time, Nicole quickly took her blindfold off to see the children and caught sight of her angry lover and watched as the young waiter's face quickly turned white in fear and let go of Nicole.

He quickly stepped back and turned in the opposite direction, doing his best not to start running. Nicole caught the light smirk on Kris' face and bit her lip so she wouldn't start laughing. "Protecting your territory?" Nicole asked with a grin, as she took her backpack from Kris and both women walked out of the open-air restaurant.

"If anyone's going to play with your butt, it's gonna be me." She grinned back, causing Nicole to laugh.

"I don't know about you but how about we head back to the boat and just relax?" Nicole asked and smiled as Kris agreed. They headed towards the parking lot and climbed aboard a taxi, which drove them to the marina.

**********

Getting out of the car, Kris slightly twisted as she slipped and quickly recovered, masking the sudden wince with a cough. Her back was giving her problems again and she didn't want Nicole to worry about the old injury. Kris had learned to live with pain, having suffered through many broken bones at one point in her life and there wasn't much people could do to help her. She gave a quick glance at Nicole as she stepped out of the taxi and saw that she hadn't noticed her wince or at least didn't show that she did. After paying the driver, they made their way back to the end of the dock where the sailboat was moored.

Waving hello to the Captain, Nicole took Kris' backpack and stepped down the stairs to drop them into their cabin. Kris smiled at Isabella and continued to walk on the deck to the front of the boat and sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the mast. She took a deep breath to try to calm her aching back and closed her eyes. Images of Nicole playing with the dolphins kept going through her mind. Kris smiled as she thought of the young blonde's sparkling green eyes and laughter. The sound of soft steps coming closer made Kris open her eyes and look up at a smiling Nicole.

"You okay?" Nicole asked. She hadn't been sure, but she had thought that she heard a soft grunt coming from Kris as she stepped out of the taxi. Nicole held the hand that Kris offered and sat down between Kris' legs on the deck. She gently leaned against the taller woman's chest and smiled as the long, strong arms surrounded her slim waist. Nicole offered her a sip of water from her bottle and felt Kris shake her head no. She twisted the cap off and took one long swallow.

"I'm fine." Kris whispered in her ear. "Just look at those colors." Kris said as she watched the sun set. She also hoped that Nicole would accept her answer and leave it at that. They watched as the sky changed from one tint of orange to deeper in color as the sun made its way down. The seagulls flying nearby and the sight of the surrounding boats made for a perfect picture. Kris watched as Nicole took another sip again and put the bottle on the deck, but the angle was too steep and Kris saw that the bottle risked rolling off the deck and into the water. She quickly reached for it and grabbed it before it could slip away from her fingers. 'That was a bad idea!' Kris told herself as another small painful jab in her back made her hold her breath with an intake of air.

The sudden hiss from Kris made Nicole turn around and look at her friend. "You told me you were okay!" Nicole accused her lover. "Is it your back?"

Kris sighed and then nodded. It was useless to lie to Nicole. Either she fibbed about the intensity of her pain and risk having Nicole be angry at her if she finds out the truth, or be honest and have Nicole pamper her all evening long. Kris had never been one to let herself be nursed back to health by anyone, but she had to admit that the thought of Nicole doing that was very pleasant. Besides, the last thing Kris wanted to do was to lie to Nicole. "I must have pulled a muscle or something. It's not that serious."

"But it causes you pain." Nicole stated as she stood up and held a hand out to Kris. "Come on, let's go to our cabin so you can lie down for a while."

"I'm just sore Nick. I'm okay, really." Kris smiled.

"I'll give you a massage." Nicole drawled and watched the smile on Kris' face become a grin.

"Now that's an offer I simply cannot refuse." She said as she gingerly stood up and followed Nicole. Kris couldn't see Isabella, who was probably already in her own cabin and so both women climbed down the stairs to go into their stateroom. Kris sat on the edge of the berth and watched as Nicole locked the door and then rummaged through her travel bag and took out a small bottle. "Do you always carry massage oil everywhere you go?" she asked with a chuckle as she took her boots off then pulled her tank top off.

"You never know when it'll come in handy." Nicole grinned, slowly roaming her eyes over the naked bronze body before her. "My shoulders give me trouble sometimes," she said more seriously. "I find it easier to rub the pain away with the oil." Nicole took a few steps towards her lover who was still sitting on the edge of the bed. "A full body massage is prescribed for you my friend." She smiled, "Off with the shorts too."

A raised eyebrow was Nicole's reply, but Kris readily complied with a smile of her own. She took off her shorts and underwear and last, pulled her socks off before lying down on her stomach fully naked, her head resting against a pillow. Nicole had turned on the radio, choosing soft music to play in the background and sat down beside Kris.

"Has your back been giving you a lot of trouble?" Nicole asked as she poured a portion of oil in her hands and started gliding her hands across Kris' back, massaging the tense muscles. 'This feels so nice!' Nicole thought as she felt Kris' warm flesh under her hands. She only wished that Kris would ask her for a massage more often. But then again, she could just offer like she just did.

"I've had trouble ever since the big accident a few months ago." Kris explained as she closed her eyes and started to relax under Nicole's gentle touch. "You know, the one where I wrapped a car around a tree?"

"Ew! That must have hurt." Nicole sympatically said as she slowly began to loosen the shoulder muscles.

"Hmmm, that feels so good."

Nicole smiled as she felt Kris relax. How she loved to be able to glide her hands all over Kris' broad back. Kris was always so relaxed and at peace when she gave her massages. Under normal times, the tall woman always seemed to be on guard when dealing with people she didn't know, but Nicole had been pleased to find out that Kris was able to let her walls go down when she was alone with her. Those times were so precious to Nicole.

Slowly moving her hands down, Nicole lightly brushed them over Kris' butt cheeks and playfully gave them a light squeeze. She grinned as she saw her lover slightly jump in surprise and caught Kris' smile. Nicole took her time, making the older woman relax. She continued on her way down, massaging the muscled leg all the way down to Kris' foot while her eyes kept wandering all over the beautiful woman's body, committing to memory every little detail. After rubbing her foot, Nicole slowly brought her hands up, one on each side of Kris' leg, over her calf and then all the way up until her hands reached the middle thigh. She saw a small shiver pass over Kris' body and saw the smile tugging at the dark-haired woman's lips. Nicole brought her hands down the same leg again and did the same thing with the other foot and leg, but this time she let her hands climb even higher, barely touching Kris' center.

The stuntwoman's reaction was amazing to Nicole. She watched as Kris' breathing slowly deepened and became uneven, and saw her swallow convulsingly. She had never expected to have this kind of effect on Kris and to see her reacting this way made Nicole get aroused. Kris had been so patient with her, letting her approach their relationship in her own way and own time. But even though she didn't have any experience in how to make love, Nicole was determined to learn. She figured the best way to learn what pleased Kris the most was to give her a massage and let her hands do the exploring. By watching Kris' reactions, Nicole would find out what was pleasing to her lover and what didn't have any effect on her. It had been the best idea Nicole had come up with short of asking Kris. "Everything okay?" Nicole softly asked as she lingered her hand a moment longer before going back down Kris' leg.

"Hmmm." Satisfaction and desire mixed into one exclamation was the only thing Kris could utter. Her heart was beating furiously against her chest as she tried to calm her breathing down to a normal level. She couldn't get enough of Nicole. The gentle hands all over her body was something Kris had quickly become addicted to. She felt her young lover's hands slowly go up, one on each leg again, glide over her buttocks and then climb up her back and shoulders to finally go down each arm at the same time. Kris' heart nearly stopped as she felt Nicole softly kiss both shoulder blades. She tried her best not to turn over and take Nicole in her arms. She was determined to let Nicole do this her own way, even if the slow touches were driving her insane with desire.

Nicole remembered in every detail the loving attention Kris had lavished on her the night before. She longed to be able to make love to Kris the same way she had done to her and with Kris' patience and understanding, she knew that it wouldn't be a long wait. Nicole slowly took her T-shirt off, thankful that she had taken the time to take her bathing suit off as soon as she came back to their cabin, and gently shifted Kris' hair on one side. Nicole bent down and kissed her lover's neck, gently nibbling at her ear. The young blonde's naked breasts softly brushed against Kris' back and she felt the breath catch in the taller woman's throat.

This new sensation was too much for Kris and she slowly turned to lean on her back. Nicole was kneeling beside her on the bed, dressed only in her light green shorts. Kris took a moment to look at her lover's naked chest and smiled. She slowly reached for Nicole but the younger woman backed away slightly with a grin and a shake of her head. Kris frowned at the sudden move.

"Nah ah," Nicole wagged her finger at the confused woman. "I want you to relax. Just put your hands above your head and enjoy." She smiled as she straddled Kris' legs at the thigh level. Taking the massage oil from the little table beside the bed, Nicole poured a little more oil into her hand and continued her massage by gently rubbing Kris' taut abdomen. She watched as Kris slowly closed her eyes and sighed, a beautiful smile on her lips. 'Guess I'm doing better than I thought!' she smiled and brought her hands up on each side of Kris' muscular body. Nicole could see her lover breathing faster now and a sudden image crossed her mind. This felt like she had lived this scene before. The décor, the situation, Kris' reaction to her touch, then she remembered a dream she once had concerning her making love to Kris. She smiled as the details of that dream came rushing back to her. 'Why not?' she leaned down to kiss Kris' stomach and saw Kris reach for her again.

"Do I need to tie you up?" Nicole teased Kris and leaned down to give her a long and passionate kiss.

"But I just want to hold you." Kris explained with a puppy dog expression, making Nicole laugh. "So you want to tie me up huh? I didn't know you were into B&D!" she grinned at a now confused Nicole.

"B&D? What's that?" she asked.

Kris chuckled slightly. "Bondage & Dominance." She grinned as Nicole processed this new information.

"Oh." Nicole said, then Kris started laughing as recognition flashed across Nicole's face. "Oh!!" she exclaimed, feeling a blush crawl over her cheeks. Breathing deep a couple of times to give her body time to get back under control, Nicole smiled and leaned back down to whisper in Kris' ear. "I'll tell you what. I may not be into B&D, but if you'll promise to behave, I'll give you a reward." She smiled as she watched Kris' blue eyes become bigger.

"I'll behave." Kris softly said as she put her hands back above her head once again.

Nicole smiled as she saw Kris watching her now, following her every move. Nicole slowly leaned her head down again, keeping her green eyes locked on Kris' blue and softly kissed a nipple, noticing in fascination as it became erect. Encouraged by her dream and the memory of Kris' love making, Nicole became more bold as time went by and let her tongue slowly circle the hardened nipple and gently sucked on it, causing Kris to moan. She slowly glided her hand across Kris' stomach and let her fingers brush against the other breast, teasing the nipple between them.

Kris took a handful of the bed spread and clutched it in her hands, trying so hard not to move. She never thought that this kind of teasing could be so arousing. Kris closed her eyes briefly trying to relax and opened them again as she felt Nicole's hand slowly make its way down along her body as she continued to lick and suck at her nipple. Kris swallowed a few times as Nicole's fingers reached the dark pubic hair and felt the young blonde hesitate slightly. Kris prayed that Nicole would continue, wanting to urge her on but she chose to encourage her by slowly pulling her legs apart, giving a silent permission to Nicole to continue.

Nicole didn't know if the reason why she was shaking so much was because she was nervous, scared or extremely excited. She knew the latter to be true if she judged by her reaction to Kris' naked body and soft moans. Nicole was thrilled to be able to touch Kris this way, but she could only have Kris stay this way for so long. Besides, she wanted Kris to hold her and make love to her desperately, but not before she finally did what she always dreamed of doing, making love to Kris. Nicole kissed her way down the muscled stomach and ever so slowly reached her hand lower and touched Kris' center, softly gliding a finger inside, doing exactly what Kris had done to her the night before. Nicole was amazed to feel how wet Kris was and smiled, thinking that she was the cause of it. She remembered how good it had felt and was sure that Kris would feel the same.

"Oh Nicole," Kris managed to moan, lifting her hips slightly off the bed, trying to get the younger woman to put more pressure. "Please," she urged her young lover.

"Tell me what you want Kris," she asked in a low voice as she slowly explored Kris' wetness.

"Yes," Kris moaned as Nicole touched a sensitive spot. "Harder," she gasped as she held the bed covers even tighter in her hands. She had waited such a long time for this. Ever since she had met Nicole, she had dreamed of this moment. Just holding the younger woman in her arms was a thrill, but to have Nicole slowly explore her body like she was doing was enough to drive her over the edge in ecstasy. Kris kept her eyes locked on Nicole's and the smile the young blonde gave her went straight to her heart. Her body started to shake, building pressure from the orgasm that was about to make her lose control.

Guided by Kris, Nicole watched as the tall woman's body shuddered and saw the muscles begin to tense. She continued her finger movements, going deeper and faster until Nicole felt Kris' inner muscles tighten around her fingers and felt her lover's body shake with an incredible orgasm. Leaning down, she kissed Kris passionately once more and this time didn't say anything when Kris' strong arms wrapped themselves around her and held her tight.

"Oh God, I love you so much." Kris whispered as her body calmed somewhat and she started breathing more normally. She gently turned Nicole on her back and kissed her softly. She looked into the young woman's eyes and smiled.

"Was I okay?" Nicole asked tentatively, causing Kris to chuckle. She wanted to please Kris so much.

"You were more than okay Nicole." She assured the younger woman and kissed her again. "You were great." This seemed to appease Nicole as she felt her relax under her. "I love you."

Nicole smiled and locked her hands behind her lover's neck. "I love you too Kris."

'That definitely went better than I thought!' Nicole told herself as she looked into Kris' blue eyes. She didn't know why she had been so nervous. Kris had been more patient than she had hoped and Nicole was so thankful that she had given her plenty of time to get her nervousness and lack of confidence under control. She smiled as she brushed her hand through the long, raven hair and brushed her thumb lightly against Kris' cheek. There was so much love on her lover's face it nearly made Nicole stop breathing. Nobody had ever cared or loved her this much. Nicole wasn't sure anymore how she would deal with Kris' departure for Austria.

She gently guided the taller woman's head down towards her lips and closed her eyes as Kris slowly began her own exploration of the petite body under her. Nicole knew that this would be another sleepless night, but she didn't care. All she wanted was to find herself wrapped in her lover's arms and loved. She knew that she would get both and plenty more.

 Continues in Part 5

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