Zara's Safari

Chapter 22

I’ve tossed my clothes on the floor many a time before. On one occasion a lacey panty landed up on a chandelier. I’ve even taken them off in public once- not my finest moment I admit. But the point is, that taking clothes off has never bothered me before. I probably would have taken great pleasure in the act, knowing that I had just secured the man right under my thumb, but now…

Well, this was a different story entirely. It had a lot to do with that glint in his eye, that naughty glint that said, “I’m in control now”.  I was always the one who was in control, but it seemed the tables had turned on me and I was over come with nerves and stage fright.

Riaan had turned on a lantern and everything was suddenly bathed in a warm glow, he was also busy pulling apart one of the wooden chairs. Very impressive- ripping off the legs and snapping them with muscular moves.

“I’m going to light a fire and I suggest we try and dry our clothes by in and get warm,” His plan made sense. It was sound. It was just executing it that was causing the problems.

“Okay, turn around,” I said to him.

“Of course,” And he turned. The consummate gentleman that he was, despite the little glint.

I pulled my clothes off and wrapped myself in the blanket, it was freezing and the storm didn’t look like it was abating any time soon, in fact it seemed to be getting worse.

Riaan had pulled some thatch from the high roof and was using it to light the fire, soon small hot flames were dancing around before me. I ran for it and settled in close, it was giving off heat, but not nearly enough to satisfy.

“Try dry your hair as quickly as you can,” Riaan adviced.

I nodded and leant forward, letting my hair hang at a safe distance from the flames.

While my head was down, I caught a glimpse of him peeling off his clothes, I even got a tiny, fast, glimpse of bum, which I must say was to my satisfaction- exceeding my expectations actually.

He picked all our clothes off the floor and started hanging them on another chair which he'd puled closer to the fire, I saw his pause when he had my lacey underwear in his hands.

When he was done, he came up behind me and sat down with his blanket on. He huddled up close and wrapped his arms around me. I leaned back to take him in. We sat in silence for a while, watching the flames dance and flicker. It was all very romantic actually. Stranded in a storm, with nothing but each other to keep us warm. And the fact that I knew he was completely naked under that blanket, and just behind me, made the whole thing even more intense.

“You know I planned this whole thing?” Riaan finally said, his head leaning on my shoulder.

“Really?”

“Mmm, this was all just an elaborate rouse to get you alone and to myself,”

“I don’t think you can take credit for the rain though,”

“Who says? Maybe I have powers that you don’t know about,”

I tisked sarcastically and turned to face. “You have super powers now too do you?”

“Cooks, cleans up after himself, rescues wounded birds and damsels in distress and in possession of super powers. I’m a great catch.”

I smiled at him, he was a great catch. And I couldn’t quite believe that I had caught him. He was nothing like the egotistical guys I was used to that didn’t treat you with respect and much care and compassion. I wondered if I actually deserved him.

“What are you thinking,” He asked with a slightly worried look in his eye.

I took a deep breath, “I was thinking that you’re such a good guy. Really, the best. And I don’t exactly have the best track record for being, well, the most behaved person around. I was thinking that I’m not sure I deserve someone like you,”

Riaan sat upright and looked at me intently, “Zara, I can’t believe you think that.”

“Well, I’m not exactly good girl material, I want to be, but…” I trailed off.

“I don’t think you see what I see.”

“What do you see?”

“I see someone who is kind and caring and funny and sweet and really, really pretty when she doesn’t wear too much make-up. I see you Zara. You.”

“But what if you’re wrong? What if I'm not all those things and I’m just like her…your ex?”

He shook his head, “You’re nothing like her. I see so much more in you. I have since the moment we met,”

I sighed. I hoped he was right. I wanted to be a better person, I did. I wanted to be the kind of person who could have someone like Riaan on her arm, but could I really change that much? Could I really turn my life around completely, do a 360 and be someone different. As if he was reading my mind he said.

“It wouldn’t be about being a completely different person Zara, it would be about being who you truly are,’

I was so touched that he saw all of this in me. I don’t think anyone had ever looked below the surface, I don’t think I had looked below the surface even.

His hand came up to my face again and his eyes met mine with such intensity that they caused a slight irregular heartbeat, as if it had jumped from one side of my chest to the other.

I was falling in love. It was so clear to me in that moment. I was totally falling in love with this guy. And while it felt amazing, it also felt frightening. I wondered if he was too, I certainly wasn’t going to be the first person to say it, but the look that was passing between us seemed to hint to it.

I looked at his lips, willing them to open, willing the words to come out. But they didn’t, instead he kissed me. You could tell immediately that this was the kind of kiss that was going places. It wasn't just going to stay a kiss, and I wondered if we would sleep together tonight...here in the storm, in the light of the fire, in the middle of nowhere with the rain pelting down. It did seem like the perfect time and place- especially since we both needed to get warm anyway.

I was right about the kiss leading somewhere though, within minutes both blankets were off and naked bodies were pressed up against each other. But it never actually got to the point of sex, it went everywhere else though. And not in that hungry, desperate, sexual way, but in a way that was completely different, and that I’d never experienced before.

It really felt like I was doing everything for the first time again. I was even nervous, and at one point Riaan had to whisper “Just relax” in my ear- which was a first for me. He controlled everything too, he even controlled the moment that he allowed me to touch him. It was all about me- for ages. The rain drowned out my literal screams of pleasure every time he made me come. Which was several times. He was definitely skilled with his fingers and mouth and eventually it actually got too much and I had to ask him too stop. The pleasure was almost too intense to bare.

When it was eventually his turn, he crumbled. I took my time and the opportunity to explore every millimeter of his body; it was beautiful, especially in that warm light. He begged me to end it eventually, and when I did he said my name over and over again- which was the sexiest thing that had ever happened to me. He whimpered my name and it became breathier and breathier until he pulled me close and wrapped his body around me.

We held each other tightly, as the rain and the warmth lulled us to sleep. I felt more connected to him than any other person alive. I also felt that I had just been more intimate with him than anyone who had come before. In the act, it felt like we were baring our souls to each other. This wasn’t just sexual, this was something else entirely.