Author's note: Thanks to the wonderful DanielleKitten for her encouragement and inspiration, and for her advice about formatting. This chapter has not been edited so any mistakes are purely mine.
John gazed across the table at Sera, wondering if she realised how much he wanted her. Just looking at her almost drove him crazy, and the sexiest thing about her was that she honestly had no idea how beautiful she was. She had dark brown hair with burgundy highlights, which fell in soft waves almost to her waist, and framed her perfect oval face. With her china blue eyes and the cupids bow of her lips, there was something almost fragile and doll like about her. But despite her beauty, years of being bullied at school as a child meant that she was shy and lacked confidence, something John had tried to turn to his own advantage.
He'd known her for about six months now, and he was no further towards getting her into bed than he had been on the first day they met. He'd been out with a group of friends at a bar, and Sera had been there with a couple of other girls. She'd chatted quite pleasantly to him, but had politely refused to give him her number, although she took the business card he'd handed her. Although she didn't call him, a couple of their friends had been dating since that night, and they met up again at a party they had both been invited to.
Again, she chatted with him, and when she told him she wasn't really looking for a boyfriend, he suggested keeping in touch as friends. Slowly, he started to gain her confidence and trust, although he'd made no progress on the romance front. The most they had ever done was hold hands, and even then she'd apologised for leading him on as she was drunk. He told her how much he liked her, and was shocked when she confessed that she was still a virgin at almost nineteen, and had never even kissed anyone. He'd tried to persuade her to change her mind on many occasions, but she told him she was saving herself for the right person.
Today was her nineteenth birthday, and he'd arranged a very special present for her. His family owned a villa on the exclusive Paradise Island, and the previous month, he'd presented her with a flight ticket, inviting her to fly out with him and join his parents for six weeks.
Sera and John were having lunch at a local taverna to celebrate her birthday, but in the afternoon he'd planned something special, not for her, but himself.
Nervously, he felt in his pocket for the powder he'd received from his contact. It was even better that rohypnol, the man had assured him. She would be powerless to refuse him anything, and if she remembered, she would assume she had been drunk or high. Cannabis was easily available on the island, and possession was usually dealt with by no more than a warning. He and Sera had got high a couple of times already, although she was innocent in some ways she was curious in others.
John didn't regard what he planned to do as rape; he was crazy about Sera and would do whatever it took to make her his girlfriend. He was hard now just thinking about touching and kissing every inch of her body, before finally forcing his rock hard erection into her innocent body. Although he wanted a relationship with her, he intended to hurt her a little for making him wait.
"Having a good time?" he asked.
She looked up from her glass of champagne, a slightly worried look on her lightly tanned face.
"Yes, it's just..."
"Oh, not still worrying are you? Look it's your birthday lets forget our differences and enjoy the day."
Paradise Island had recently had a change of government. The old regime had been brutal, treating women as second class citizens, and forcing their extreme religious views on the inhabitants. Now, after a military coup, the new president was a gentle family man, who was loved by most of the islanders. Tourism had begun to flourish under his rule, but there were those who resented the rich foreigners, and wanted a return to the old ways.
Despite being one of the rich foreigners himself, John had been using his cover as a tourist to spy for the rebels. His contact had been helpful, supplying the powder for tonight's treat, as well as vast amounts of money for any information John could obtain for the cause. Stupidly, John had told Sera, who had been horrified. She loved the island and the way of life. The president had seemed so nice when she had met him briefly at a carnival in the capital. He had taken the time to speak to people, and had stopped by her and John. He had been sincere and genuinely interested, and she hated the fact that her friend could be even partly responsible for something happening to this lovely man.
Now as she smiled back at John, she tried to concentrate on the food and wine, but it was difficult. She knew that if John was caught he would face severe penalties, so she felt there was no way she could warn anyone. She'd asked him to stop but he said he was far too deep in now and knew too much. It would be more dangerous for him to stop now than to continue, he had explained.
She sighed, wondering if she had done the right thing by agreeing to this holiday. Although she loved the island, she sometimes felt a little uneasy around John. She knew he wanted more than she was prepared to give, and that she would never change her mind. She realised that it was unusual to be so inexperienced at her age, but she had wanted to wait until she had met someone she really cared about.
"There's a lot wrong with this government, you know," John began. "Look at that lot for instance. Ruffians and they're all armed. They're not even in the army; anyone who the president trusts can carry a gun. A couple of them have even got long hair!"
Sera followed his gaze to the four men in camouflage gear standing around the bar, laughing and drinking.
"I'm sure they're ok," she replied. "Anyway, I like long hair."
John frowned and rubbed his own severely cropped hair. He'd make her pay for that comment later.
The tavern owner came over to the table, smiling. He had got to know the English tourists quite well over the past week.
"How is everything?" he asked Sera.
"It's lovely, thanks."
"Good." He brought a bottle of champagne over to the table.
"I mentioned to the young men at the bar that it was your birthday. One of them sent this over with his compliments."
"Would you thank him for me?" she asked. The people here were so lovely, she thought. She had been shown nothing but kindness since she had arrived.
"Come over and thank him yourself," suggested the owner.
Shyly, she followed him to the bar.
"Sera, this is Carlos."
She gazed up at the man, He appeared to be a few years older than her, and was stunningly handsome. He was about 6 feet tall, with olive skin, high cheekbones and raven black hair tied back from his face. He looked vaguely familiar.
"Thank you for the champagne."
"That's OK. Happy birthday."
Before she realised what he was doing, he bent down and kissed her cheek softly. She blushed, noticing the way his dark eyes looked at her. She wasn't used to being flirted with by such an attractive man.
"Maybe we can get together sometime," he suggested. "I'd love to show you round the island."
"Thanks; that would be lovely."
"Sera, your food's getting cold!" shouted John. Reluctantly, she went back to the table.
"What was that ruffian saying to you?"
"He wasn't a ruffian, he was very polite. He offered to show me the island."
"I bet he did."
