Silvia

Another fantastic night sleeping in bed by myself. I was the last to get up, but not by much. Triana had made breakfast and, naturally, coffee. I would gain at least five pounds with the way that girl cooked. Everything she makes is delicious, and I look forward to our lunches, and especially dinner.

On the trail again, I kept listening on the app for more birds. I hadn't been as avid a birder as Megan, but with this app, I began to appreciate those little feathered creatures. I think it added to the thrill of spotting them because most were very colorful.

With a few nights' sleep, I feel like I'm acclimated to some degree to the Costa Rican warmth. I can see why people snowbird. Leaving the cold, dreary place, they call home and visiting here in the sun is uplifting. It also feels good to get out, walk around and not worry about anything.

I know Megan is having a blast. Ines is a joy to be around, and she's so knowledgeable. Megan's Spanish is getting better with our guide's help. It's fun to watch them. Ines makes it fun because Megan is usually giggling when they practice. I don't understand everything they are saying, which is fine. It's made me think about trying one of those online language courses. I probably should have done that before we arrived so I could practice too.

We're seeing a few more people on the trail, and everyone is so friendly. Some will stop and talk about birds and other animals they've seen, and some say hello, but everyone seems to smile. So, different from home, where hardly anyone looks you in the eye or says hello.

Under the right circumstances, I could envision buying a place down here. Not a house like we're visiting, but maybe a condo or something small to live in for a few months. Fly down after Thanksgiving or perhaps the end of October, and stay until March or April. That would be nice. Oh well, it's fun to dream.

Oh, the trails are so clean. I haven't seen much trash on them. Tourism is a big part of the economy, so they keep it nice. This is such a change from home, and I can't get over it.

Our hiking was excellent, nothing too strenuous, and our lunch was fabulous. I need to talk with Triana. To thank her for taking care of us.

The sunset viewpoint we ended up at was spectacular, I wasn't sure Ines's minivan would make it up the road, but it did without any problem.

When we returned, Triana was busy making dinner. I asked if we could talk about the meals and lunches she'd made so far when she was free. She beamed, delighted we loved her cooking. She was glad to answer any questions I had. I suggested we talk in the tub tonight if she felt like it. Once again, she smiled and said she'd love to.

Before dinner, Megan gave us another show of her pictures. She's getting better with her 'bird in flight' shots. Bigger birds are much easier than smaller ones, and she started getting many smaller ones, except for the hummers.

Dinner was delicious. If I could afford to hire a personal chef, Triana might just be the one. After eating and a little relaxing, we returned to the hot tub for our evening wine and chats. We started talking about our day. Ines mentioned our next house and tour area, and then we drifted off with Ines and Megan talking birds and Triana and me discussing food. I think the bubbles messed with my hearing or because Triana has such a sweet, quiet voice that I scooted closer as we talked to hear her.

A couple of times, Triana got very enthusiastic about her school and the food that she brushed my arm with her delicate fingers. Each time I got a few goosebumps, I shrugged it off. There was a slight chill in the air. Not that the air was cold, but the water was hotter than the air.

Triana is such a sweetheart. I will miss her cooking, smile, and giggling when we leave

Megan

I woke when I heard someone close their bedroom door. It was light out, so I dressed and headed to the kitchen. Triana had made coffee for us and was finishing cutting some fruit along with the chuppas she had made for our breakfast. She was dressed in shorts, a tee, and barefoot. She smiled, telling me that Ines said she didn't have to dress up. I told her I agreed that she should be comfortable around us. She smiled and thanked me. The coffee smelled terrific, and the chuppas looked delicious. She offered me one after showing me where the mugs were.

If we ate like this for the rest of the trip, I needed to find time to run or do something to work off the calories. I waited for Triana to finish slicing the fruit, then took a bowl and another chuppa to sit and eat in the dining room.

Ines soon joined me with her coffee, and within a couple of minutes, mom arrived holding her mug. Mom teased me, asking what made me so special that I got food first. Ines laughed as Triana walked in with the rest of the breakfast. Triana jokingly told mom I was special because I was the reason we were here.

We were talking as Triana began handing out the goodies. I asked Ines where we were going today, and she said we'd start with a lovely group of trails near El Mirador de San Carlos. We'd end our day from the El Mirador de San Carlos viewpoint. It has some beautiful views, and we'd get a few sunset pictures and then be back here for dinner.

It sounded good to mom and me. We finished eating and packed all our hiking and camera gear in the minivan while Triana made our lunches. We said our goodbyes and then headed off to capture more birds. Once again, we walked stealthily down the trail. This time we encountered a few more people who nodded, smiled, and asked what we'd seen. We heard about an owl perched just off the trail, more Hummingbirds, and a few others I had yet to see.

Mom varied her pace, sometimes ahead of us, sometimes behind. Ines and I continued the little pointing game when mom wasn't in view. Today, the game changed slightly. When Ines whispered, she'd kiss my neck or flick her tongue on my earlobe. It was intermittent, and I never knew when or if she'd do it. It made me blush and tingle inside. I didn't complain because I was enjoying it so much.

Our day went quickly. I took another couple hundred pictures, saw an anteater, and checked more birds off my list. I love Costa Rica.

When mom wasn't within listening distance, I asked Ines how much it cost to attend college here. She smiled, telling me they varied by the university and the degree. If I were serious, I should check online to see. Then she asked if I was thinking about studying here. I grinned and said maybe, but it would be at least a year because I had to graduate from high school.

She added, “You could work with me, chica. Would you like that?”

I blushed, telling her I thought I would.

Ines smiled, “I like hearing that, chica. But don't tell your mother yet, okay?”

I giggled, “I'm just thinking about it. It's a long way off.”

Just then, she spotted a pair of Scarlet Macaws as they flew by. I only got a shot of their rear ends because I wasn't paying attention.

We continued hiking and talking. Mom loved the phone app listening for birds and then spotting them. Triana had made burritos for our lunches, and they were delicious. Mom mentioned she should talk to Triana about making things like this when she returned home. They seemed pretty simple to make, and they were delicious. Finally, around four, we headed up to the viewpoint. It was a rough road, but we made it alright. The weather cooperated, and I got lots of sunset pictures. I like it when a few clouds give character to a big blue sky. As luck would have it, some rolled in and created a lovely sunset.

While at the viewpoint, Ines snuck up to me while I was taking pictures, whispering that she'd love to bring me up here without mom, so we could hold hands and watch the sun go down together. I can't explain it, but my knees sort of buckled, not that someone would notice, but they felt weak. I got goosebumps at the thought of us just being there together.

I knew Ines was trying to seduce me. Before this trip, I was ambivalent about girls. I thought about a couple of my teammates but couldn't see myself being with them. I liked them as friends, and that was about it. Ines was very different, she pursued me, and I felt wanted and special. I knew it would be just here in Costa Rica if we did anything. Like a Summer fling while on vacation, but I had no experience with girls, and I didn't want to do something that would upset Silvia. Somehow, I think she'd understand if not now, then later. She loved me and wanted me to be happy. If being with another girl made me happy, mom would accept it. But I didn't want to cause any drama because we were having such a good time.

The ride home was obviously in the dark. Ines was going slow because the nocturnal creatures were out and about. We didn't see any, but I'm sure they were there.

Back at the house, Triana had more appetizers for us and fixed another perfect dinner. I think it was called Pozole. It was like a stew made from pork, hominy, cilantro, bell peppers, and achiote. I had to google it, but achiote is a spice and coloring agent extracted from the seeds of the evergreen Bixa orellana shrub.

After dinner, we soaked in the tub again, sipping wine and talking. Ines and I played footsie while mom and Triana talked about food. From the smiles and giggles, I think they liked each other.

In the morning, we would move to another location after hiking. Ines said the house we were going to had an in-ground pool and hot tub. Maybe that would be a good place to wear my string bikini before going to a public beach.


Tour Day Three

Silvia

Day three of our vacation started as usual, with coffee and a lovely breakfast. Triana made chorreadas, little corn pancakes. Most of them were sweet, but she made a few that were tangy. She wasn't sure how spicy to make them, so she held back. They were delicious, and I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

We left our luggage by the front door for Triana to transport. Ines didn't think leaving it in the van to tempt someone was wise. We said our goodbyes and headed to Caribbean Slope near Rancho Naturalista in the Central Talamanca mountain range. It wasn't a long drive, and of course, my love and Ines made the most of it by speaking in Spanish as I watched the countryside whiz past.

I hate to say it, but the jungles and trails started looking alike. I had Megan's phone and the app to keep me amused. The walking was pleasant; I hoped I'd burn off enough calories to negate the ones I'd been consuming at dinner.

When we parked, I told Megan and Ines not to worry about me. I'd stroll at my own pace and catch up to them for lunch. They were a little concerned, but I wasn't worried with so many people along the trail.

I did bring a couple of water bottles with me and showed them. With their fears vanquished, they set out ahead of me. I took my time, wandering, pausing, scanning the canopy, and enjoying myself. I caught up with the girls close to lunchtime. They hadn't been waiting very long and were relieved to see me.

We ate, talked about what we'd seen, then continued on the trail and back to the minivan.

On the way to our new residence, I nodded off. The warm air and smooth roads lulled me to sleep. When I woke, we were pulling into the drive of another mansion. This one had five bedrooms, a playroom with a billiards table, giant screen television, an in-ground pool, and a small in-ground hot tub or spa.

Triana had placed our bags in the rooms telling us we were free to switch. She just wanted them in the house. Her snack for us this time was again fresh fruit, which was gone very quickly. Megan saw the pool and immediately changed into her bikini to swim. Ines soon joined her, and they were racing, splashing each other, and generally having a good time. I changed into my suit and lounged in the sun briefly. I'm not that pale, but I do burn. About fifteen minutes is enough for me.

Just before I went back inside, Triana came out to sit with me; she asked if I needed some sunscreen. I thanked her but declined since I wouldn't be out much longer.

We talked a bit, she wished she was in the pool also, but she was cooking and didn't want to burn anything. Just as she said that her watch beeped, telling her something needed to be done. She excused herself and went back into the house. I wanted to see what she was doing but figured I might be in the way. So, I watched the girls a bit more, then headed in.

I went inside and headed to the kitchen. I peeked in and asked Triana what she was making. I saw four green peppers on the counter and something like flour in a bowl. She told me chili rellenos with a semi-sweet sauce, rice with corn, and something 'especial' for dessert. I licked my lips, which made her giggle. Then I told her it sounded delicious and that I couldn't wait. She laughed, telling me I had to.

I pouted, and more giggles ensued. She was just too cute. I left her and headed to the living area, and started reading a book. I could hear Ines and Megan splashing around in the pool from the living room, having a great time. I stopped reading and thought how lovely this was. Life should always be like this.

Then back to my book until Triana called us to dinner.

The chili rellenos were out of this world. I've had them before, but none like this. Jokingly, I told Triana she should come home with us and be our personal chef. Triana blushed deep red while Ines and Megan nearly choked on what they were chewing and then laughed. I apologized while laughing also. Megan gave me a MOM!

Which extended the laughter. When we finished, Triana cleaned up, and the three of us went down to shoot some pool. When Triana arrived, she proceeded to win every game she played. When the sunken hot tub subject came up, Ines and Megan said they'd had enough water for the day, so Triana and I decided to try it out. Ines fired it up for us, then went back to shoot pool with Megan. Triana and I changed into our bikinis and met in the hall. She grabbed towels, and we went out sans wine.

We tested the water first with our toes. I don't know why because we could see whorls of mist rising and vanishing into the night air. I held my hand out, so Triana had an anchor to avoid any slick parts of the bottom. When she was in, she held her hand out to me. We settled on the seat encircling the small pool, sighing simultaneously as the water surrounded our bodies. Our collective sigh made us both smile and giggle.

Triana sat closer to me than she had before. The lights from the pool lit up her dark eyes, and she looked lovely. We started our conversation by discussing how to make rellenos. I'd tried them a couple of times but couldn't get the batter to stick. She explained how to roast the chilis and dip them in the batter. I probably wouldn't remember it all, but I loved listening to her talk. She had the sweetest voice, and her eyes lit up when she was talking about cooking.

She asked me what my favorite food was, and I thought for a second and told her it changes daily with her dinners.

She blushed and then giggled. Then much to my surprise and delight, she quickly kissed my cheek and said thank you.

I smiled, telling her thank you, and that was sweet of her. She said I was welcome and she liked me a lot. I told her I felt the same about her. We were smiling and not talking, which was very awkward.

Triana asked, “Would you hire me to cook for you and Megan in the states?”

I blushed. "Well, if I had the money and you graduated school, I certainly would. You need to finish school first."

She sighed, “I know, but when I finished?”

I was in a spot, "I don't think I have enough money to pay you what you deserve, Triana. You could get a chef job and make more than I could afford."

She replied, “I see, but I would love to work for you and Megan. I like you both.”

I smiled, "We like you too. Maybe when you graduate, we can at least have you visit. Would that be alright?"

I certainly didn't want to lead her on. She's so sweet, and I hadn't thought my comment about hiring her would come to this.

Triana thought momentarily, "I'm sorry. How do you say I jumped too high?"

I smiled, “It's jumped to a conclusion. It's fine. I didn't mean to have you misunderstand me. I do love your cooking, Triana.”

She smiled back, and then with her delicate fingers, she gently brushed my cheek. She leaned in and kissed my lips. I was surprised, to say the least. When she broke our kiss, she said she'd wanted to do that since she first saw me. I have very kissable lips. I was still in a mild state of shock and just thanked her. She smiled and told me I was welcome.

Then it dawned on her, “Oh, you've never kissed a girl like that? I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. It must be a big shock to you. I'm so embarrassed.”

I told her it was okay and that a girl or woman had never kissed me like that before. Also, I still liked her and that it was a lovely kiss, she has very sweet and soft lips.

Triana blushed, thanking me for not being mad and saying that she was glad I liked it. We sat and talked until we saw the playroom lights go out. Then we exited the tub just as the timer for the bubbles quit. We dried off, walked inside then said good night. I got ready for bed, turned out the light, and lay there for a good hour, waiting for my heart to quit beating feverishly so I could fall asleep.


Megan

Our new hiking area wasn't far away. Triana made another yummy breakfast for us. I put a couple of the chorreadas she made in a zip lock for a snack on the trail. Triana was so delighted that I did that she hugged me. I got a little tingly because her perky breasts, which mom glared at, pressed into me just below my own. I think I'm becoming more aware of things happening within me when I touch another female. Before, I never really noticed my body's reaction, or it didn't happen. I'm not sure which.

When we arrived at our new area, mom told us to go ahead because she felt like strolling. Both of us were afraid she might get lost, mugged, or who knows what. She said she'd be fine, she had my phone, there were people around, and not to worry about her. She said to stop someplace for lunch, and she'd get there eventually. We relented, and Ines reassured me it was safe and that we wouldn't be too far ahead.

So, off we went, with me checking behind us now and then until mom was out of sight. Then our games began once more. We practiced our Spanish quietly, so we didn't disturb the birds. When I got a phrase right, I got a quick kiss on the cheek. The pointing and whispering continued intermittently with kisses and slow licks on my neck when no one was around.

After a few cheek kisses and neck licks, I asked Ines what lip gloss flavor she was wearing. She grinned and told me, Mango. I told her I liked it, and she asked if I wanted to taste it. I blushed as I looked around. I didn't see anyone, so I said yes, just a quick kiss.

Ines smiled and then brushed her lips against mine. I shivered as I opened my eyes, enjoying the Mango flavor. Ines asked if I liked it, and I told her I did.

From then on, she switched from my cheek to my lips, teasing me when she saw a bird I didn't see. I thought about telling her I didn't see any so she'd kiss me, but I didn't. This little game with Ines was becoming more fun every day. I was enjoying the sensations coursing through my body, wondering if anything could be better.

We stopped for lunch and waited for mom. She showed up within ten minutes, smiling and happy to see us. We ate, discussed what we'd seen, and then parted again to finish the day.

On the way home, I was going to ask mom a question, but Ines stopped me as I was about to turn to face her. She'd fallen asleep and was smiling. I think she was enjoying the trip.

We pulled into the drive of our next home. It was bigger than the first. Ines gave us a tour after we had eaten all the fruit Triana had for us as our snack. The pool and jacuzzi, or whatever it was called, looked fantastic. I had to swim before dinner, so I changed into my bikini, not the string one, and dove into the pool. Ines soon followed, and we played 'Marco Polo', raced, had a splash fight, and just floated around. Mom came out to sun briefly, and Triana joined her for a few minutes. After a few, Triana went in, closely followed by mom.

I asked Ines if she thought something was happening between mom and Triana.

She laughed, “Well, you never know, chica. There's a first time for everything.”

Then I asked, “Does Triana like girls?”

Ines shrugged her shoulders, “I've heard rumors, nothing more, sweet chica. I think they are both just being friendly, you know?”

That made me wonder. It would be weird, me with new feelings and mom too? I shrugged it off, thinking mom would never do anything like that. She hasn't even dated men in the years since dad's passing. It would be totally out of character.

Then Ines splashed me after giving me a quick kiss. I thought, yes, there's always a first time. So, I climbed out of the pool, waited until Ines got closer, and then did a cannonball soaking her.

We played in the pool until Triana came out and told us dinner was almost ready. We dried off, then went inside and changed into dry clothes. Triana had prepared chili rellenos with a sweet and tangy sauce, Mexican rice, I guess, and purple tortilla chips. We had red wine with dinner for a change, and this time we had a chocolate mousse for dessert.

I was almost hoping mom and Triana were having a thing because if Triana came home with us, I could eat like this every night. But, the reality is usually different.

After dinner, mom, Ines, and I played pool until Triana joined us after doing the kitchen duties. She was a pretty good shot and beat all of us in eight ball. Since we'd gone swimming earlier, Ines and I decided to stay and play pool. Mom and Triana decided the spa was a good idea and asked Ines to turn on the bubbles.

This gave Ines and me time to be alone, and I wanted to talk to her about what I was feeling without mom around. When she returned from setting up the spa, she moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and looking into my eyes. I'd never been held by a girl like that. It was sexy and a little scary. She asked how I was doing. I told her my body was experiencing some different feelings, ones I'd never felt before.

She asked if that was a bad thing. I said no that I was enjoying it. But I didn't want to talk to mom about it. Ines said that maybe what I felt was my body telling me what we were doing together was right. Perhaps I had feelings for girls, and maybe I had never met the right one until now.

I thought about it, and perhaps she was right. I was still very young and inexperienced.

Then I told her I wasn't sure I wanted to act on them further. I liked what we were doing, but I wasn't sure going further than kissing was a good idea.

Ines smiled, "Nothing will happen if you don't want it to, chica. I would never want you to feel bad about what we do. I only do it because you seem to like it, and I like making you smile. If I do something and you're uncomfortable, all you have to do is tell me, and I will stop."

I blushed, “I'm feeling very comfortable in your arms, Ines. Are you still wearing mango?”

She grinned, “Si, chica, want a taste?”

I smiled, "I do; a long taste, please."

“As you wish, chica.”

Ines placed her hand behind my head, drawing my face and lips to hers. I felt a shock inside me when our lips met. We stood kissing for a very long time. I liked her lip gloss but loved her lips against mine more. Her hands roaming my backside and pulling me to her made me shiver. We'd break occasionally, and Ines would use her tongue to tease my lips. She'd kiss me again, and we'd repeat over and over.

I felt a lovely warmth building inside me. My heart raced as we continued making out. Then Ines broke our kiss for the last time. She whispered we should stop because we didn't want to get caught, and it was getting close to bedtime. I reluctantly agreed, then quickly kissed her good night. I went to my room and got ready for bed.

I shut out the light and lay awake, listening to everyone else head to bed. I woke the next morning feeling much better about what was happening between Ines and me. I didn't know how the rest of our trip would go, but I knew this vacation would change my life in more ways than one.