If Only

If Only - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Tsavo West, Mombasa

Julian

There was a faint knock on the door as I turned off the shower. I grabbed a towel from the rack. Quickly, I ran it over my hair. Small droplets of water escaped down my chest and formed a tiny pool in my navel. In a swift motion I tied the towel around my waist and hurried to the door. The person on the other side knocked again and I swung the door open. Had I rushed because I wanted that person to be her? Most definitely. Cora's expression froze and her hand stilled in the air as she was about to knock a third time.

“Hey. What can I do for you?" We were meeting for dinner in less than an hour.

Her hair was damp from the shower and she wore a long dark blue dress that almost skirted the ground. She was stunning and I wanted to drag her with me inside. I wanted to have her where we both knew we finally would end up. Instead I said, "Give me five. I feel rather naked here, princess." She didn't utter a word but raised an eyebrow. "Did I render you speechless with this?" I slowly showed off my body by turning in the doorway.

"You know you do." She took a step forward and pushed me further inside the spacious cabin. Each of our hotel rooms was a cabin facing a waterhole and the bush. The sun hadn't turned in entirely yet and the reddish light cast a warm glow in my room. "I'm cashing in my pass, so get ready, Julian."

She pushed me deeper into the room until the back of my legs bumped into an armchair by the ceiling-to-floor window. I'd sat there for just a minute enjoying the view and a whiskey before jumping into the shower.

I had to hold on to the knot in the towel around my hip. She was indeed on a mission, but what did she have in mind? Cora licked her lips and I couldn't have averted my gaze even if I had wanted to. The fullness of her lips made me think about doing all sorts of things to her until the break of dawn.

"Sit down, Julian,” she commanded. Interestingly enough, I complied even though I preferred to be the one who took charge. There was something different in the way I reacted to her. I enjoyed the game of hunter and prey we had going. Under normal circumstances I was all for instant gratification, but the slow burn wasn't annoying me as it usually would have.

"What do you have in mind, Cora?"

"Well, we didn't agree on the specifics of our individual passes. Here is my interpretation and you're going to like it so much that YOU will be coming back for more." She winked before she sank to her knees in front of me. "Enjoy, baby." A small hand untied the knot of the towel and the air assaulted my heated skin.

I closed my eyes.

She placed a hand right above my aching c**k. My erection was already embarrassingly hard. It had sprung to attention the minute my mind had caught onto her plan. Even before I felt her succulent lips on me, I knew that she was going to blow my mind. I reclined further into the chair and spread my legs for her to make room. "Have I told you how much you turn me on, princess?"

She shook her head and trailed a finger up to my n****e. I groaned loudly and I couldn't help but place my hand softly on her head, willing her down to what she came for. “I need you, Cora." At my words, she took the tip of my hardness between her lips. She looked up at me with her large amber eyes before leisurely licking her way down my erection. I wept precum and pushed my hips up to meet her mouth.

"So impatient, Julian. I can't believe you haven't lost the bet yet, baby. Relax and enjoy the ride. I love to suck."

"f**k, princess, you're killing me here."

"But what a way to go," she whispered before she took all of me into her mouth. Her tongue flattened on my skin as she travelled up the length. At the top she popped me out, only to return and swivel her tongue around the sensitive head.

"f*****g hell, Cora, just f*****g f**k my c**k with your mouth."

"Am I teasing you too much, Julian?" A sneaky hand had found its way to my aching balls and she caressed them tenderly, weighed them lovingly in her hands before she again focused her attention on my hardness. "Hang on, because I will f**k you - as you put it - and you won't know what hit you.

Her head and mouth descended on my erection and she started an uncompromising pace that led me to the climax of the century.

***

Cora rimmed the edge of her wine glass with two fingers. Jabali was telling us about how he - right before dinner - had seen three lionesses hunt down a zebra from a grazing herd outside his cabin. It was nature's call - the circle of life - but every time I witnessed a hunt or heard about one I was struck by awe. This was the raw beauty of nature.

I caught Cora's eyes from across the table, and the temptress licked her lips — first the upper lip and then the lower lip. She had turned the tables completely and I didn't know how to continue without losing the bet. When I'd used my pass on a kiss - and boy what a kiss - last night, I hadn't anticipated that she would use her pass for my pleasure only. Now I was in a predicament. My mantra was ladies first always, and never in my life had I not lived up to it - until tonight. She smiled sweetly and lifted the white wine to her lips and drank with her eyes trained on me.

She had left before I'd returned to mother earth. Before I knew it I was alone in the room, sitting stupefied in the armchair in my birthday suit.

"I think I will turn in for the night. See you at six." Jabali was the first one to excuse himself. We had decided on the early morning game drive in the park before heading to the schools of the day.

"Sleep tight and thank you for driving us safely," Cora answered. I was still lost in my mind trying to conjure what to do about our situation. "Cat got your tongue, baby?" She leaned forward and placed her chin in her hands.

"Or a certain tempting reporter who doesn't play fair?"

"Oh Julian, I never promised fair, did I? I promised fun."

"You were," I sank loudly before I continued, "and amazing." I too leaned forward and ran my thumb over her bottom lip. She gently sank her teeth into the plump flesh of the tip. "Your lips, your tongue…I want to feel you everywhere." I had no control over my words. I blurted all my inner fantasies out while a smile spread across her gorgeous face.

"Are you telling me that you're finally willing to lose the bet and surrender?" she teased.

"No, not just yet, but I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything, Julian, and I love to give as good as I get. It was my pleasure."

"How are you real, princess?"

"You do something to me and I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't even care about you calling me names any longer." The honesty shone from her eyes.

I hope she knew that I wasn't calling her names out of condescension. She brought everything good out of me and I wanted to take care of her, comfort her and let her know she was safe with me. Perhaps I'd come up with the nickname to rile her, but the term of endearment was in fact dear. She was becoming very special to me and I didn't mind it. The question was: what was I to her?

That night I tossed and turned sleeplessly. Knowing she was next door was almost unbearable. Twice I came close to throwing caution to the wind and knocking on her door, but I’d stopped myself. She'd already thrown me for a loop and I might as well play the game a little longer. I also wanted to test her restraint. How much would it take before she succumbed? Using her pass on me like that had been a dirty trick. Now it was my turn to tease her into submission.

***

The sun was rising above the bushland as we drove the characteristic red-soiled roads. We were hoping to catch the big cats before they turned in for the day. Jabali had seen pawprints in the sand and drove slowly while we scouted to the right and the left. Today I'd opted to sit in the back seat next to Cora. I had enough footage of the savannah and the wilderness to last me a lifetime. What I didn't know was how much time I would have with her. Last night we had parted ways outside the path to our cabins. We hadn't touched the subject of her earlier visit, and like two stubborn fools we'd given each other a friendly hug. Cora was currently laser-focused and absorbed in spotting the big felines. I took her hand in mine and squeezed it. She returned the squeeze and held on to my hand. The touch of her skin felt comforting.

"Look, there they are!” she whisper-shouted to us. Jabali immediately killed the motor. Right there before us was family of lions: the lion, his lioness and five little cubs tumbling around their parents. They didn't take notice of us as they were completely enthralled in their world. We could take our time enjoying their display of love and affection.