If Only

If Only - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mombasa, Kenya

Cora

We took a right turn away from the main road. The drive was bumpy and the vegetation became dense. Mango trees and coconut palms surrounded the path the way was carved through. The area had a wet and dry tropical climate that made the soil fertile. I liked Mombasa a lot because there was only a slight variation in the temperatures from the high twenties to low thirties. It was never too warm nor too cold. However, it could pour down rain like nowhere I'd ever been.

"Bwana, I need to park the car here. The road is muddy and slippery. You will have to walk the last 300 meters." Jabali, our driver, interrupted the silence in the car.

"Can you walk? I didn't see what you were wearing when we left." Julian looked with concern over his shoulder.

"I'm fine. I always wear practical shoes for work," I winked and opened the door. "Don't worry about me."

Julian was around the car in no time, but as he reached me I was already closing the door behind me.

"Such a gentleman," I teased. I could see how it frustrated him that I not only took care of myself but also teased him about it.

"You are one frustrating woman." He groaned, opened the trunk and reached for the rest of his equipment.

"Are you regretting our deal?" I was by no means insecure, so where did that come from?

"No chance in hell. You're not getting out of our ‘deal,’ as you put it. Five days and you're mine. The clock is already ticking." He shut the door and slung another camera bag over his shoulder. "Why don't we add a wager to the deal?" I loved the way his T-shirt stretched over his torso and dipped into the khaki-colored shorts at his narrow waist. His body was a work of art and even fully clothed he couldn't hide it.

"You're having too much fun with this, aren't you?" We started walking down the road to the school, and I desperately needed to get in work-mode. This flirting banter between us was too cozy, and my thoughts were in the gutter...all the effing time.

"Yes, and I won't be the first to break, Cora. Let's bet on who succumbs first. He or she owes the other one a..."

"A weekend at a luxury lodge?" I answered before he had finished the sentence.

"I didn't think you took time off, Cora Green.”

"Well, if I can get you in my bed for an entire weekend, I can make an exception. We're here." We'd stopped right in front of the school. There was an open space with two white buildings facing each other. In the middle was a well. A small individual building held the kitchen where they could cook over an open fire.

"If I get into your bed, Miss Cora, you will never want me to leave."

"Is that a promise or a threat, Mr. Dexter?" I poked him in the chest. "Can you be discrete and take some photos, maybe a small film? No people, just the location,” I whispered close to his ear. “I will find the headmaster. In case they don't want to talk, I'd like to have a little footage.”

"Sure, babe." I saw him flinch as soon as the word had left his mouth. "Sorry, it's a bad habit."

"No worries.” I smiled. I now knew it didn't mean anything. There wasn't any condescension in Julian's way of being around me; if anything, he did what I told him to. I went in search of the headmaster's office or a teacher.

***

"I can't believe you managed to talk a whole class into posing for you at the second school."

We'd just returned to the resort from our day away. I hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary, but I'd talked to two headmasters. At the third school they'd only allowed us to take pictures. They didn't want to get involved without prior approval, which was fair enough.

"I know how to charm the ladies." We were having dinner together at the buffet and Julian had just returned to our table with a second helping.

"You sure do.” I leaned back in my chair and let my gaze wander over him. He had charmed the female teacher who hadn't stood a chance when he’d smiled. I licked my lips.

"Cora, you're doing it again."

"I know, and I don't care unless you mind.”

"If you keep undressing me with your eyes I will lose this bet." He dried his hands on the napkin.

"What a chore. If we lose the bet neither of us really loses, right? We're taking each other to the luxury lodge, aren't we?"

"Hmm, you're right. It's not a good wager if the loser doesn't have something to lose. What is the worst thing you can think of doing?"

"Skydiving," I answered way too quickly, giving away my innermost fear.

"Interesting." He scratched the scruff on his cheek and I followed his hand's movement. I wanted to be the one to feel the roughness of his five o'clock shadow.

"How about you? Anything that scares the big bad Mr. Dexter?" That earned me a laugh and he leaned in towards me as though he wanted to tell me a secret.

"I'm not so fond of reptiles, but don't tell anyone. My reputation as a knight in shining armor will be entirely ruined."

"Your secret’s safe with me,” I mouthed.

“So, we have skydiving and snakes. How do you propose we mix the two into the bet?”

"I would hate to have to go skydiving; that's for sure,” I returned.

"And I would very much like to have nothing to do with snakes in this lifetime if I can help it."

"What if the winner comes up with a nice version of how the loser can face his or her fears?"

I angled my head to the side and watched him curiously. "What you're saying is that you already know me well enough to trust me with your worst fear?"

"Yup. I've seen your work ethic and that says a lot about a person. I enjoy being around you and you're not too bad on the eyes either." He winked.

"So you trust me not to go Indiana Jones on you and dump you onto a train full of snakes?"

"That would be a yes, Cora. You want this as much as I do, and the only thing holding us back right now is that we're loyal to our word and trustworthy people. It means something to us not to break a promise."

"And it's fun," I added. I was having a great time in his company and I knew as soon as we fell in bed together, it would all change. It always did.