Ghungroo - The Siren Call of Lovers (#1 - Completed)

Chapter 40 - Road-Tripping

Chapter 40

"Come, let's go," he says, clicking his phone off.

I stare at him.

"There's a business meeting that's come up and I need to be in Mossel Bay today."

He looks at the time on his phone. "Are you coming with me? I could do with the company on the drive down there."

I grin. A road trip. That sounds wonderful.

And I'm not working at Don Jose's this weekend. I needed a break from studying and exams and had asked for some leave this weekend.

I had planned on eating ice cream and popcorn in bed, and watching movies all weekend long, but a road trip to Mossel Bay sounds so much better.

"What? No private jet being fueled up as we speak to whisk us away? I am disappointed, Mr Zietman."

He laughs again. I love this playful mood that we are in.

"No such luck, unfortunately. You going to have do with my trusty old car. I'm a bit behind on your billionaire-romance-novel-type of guy, I'm afraid."

Trusty old car! It's a Porsche/Ferrari thingie.

"Says the man who owns this house and another in Hermanus, if I heard you right a moment ago."

"I own four homes actually. The two you speak of, as well as one in London and an apartment in Paris. On the River Seine to be precise. Walking distance to the Louvre. You will love it. We'll arrange a trip there soon, if you'd like."

My jaw drops open. I can't talk. He's neighbors with the Mona Lisa? What I wouldn't do to visit the Louvre and browse and explore the works of such great artists as Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Michelangelo. And those are just the names that come to me.

"I'd love that...Wait, are you tempting me into a trip with you to France? Do I strike you as that fickle, Mr Zietman? Is that how you charm women into bed?"

"Well, is it working?" he asks, laughing. "You can visit the Louvre in the day time and enjoy the the sight of naked Greek Gods, as long as I get to enjoy your perfectly naked body under mine at night. Deal?"

I grin at him. I cannot help it. His arrogance and self- assuredness is somehow charming.

"I do believe you just might be the devil himself, Riaan. You are impossible."

He is still laughing and I join him.

"Let me go change. Won't be more than fifteen minutes."

With that he turns and bounds up the stairs, two at a time.

I like this side of Riaan. He is both intelligent and witty and apart from the great sex we've had, he's proving to be great company too.

While he's upstairs changing, I take a few minutes to wash up the breakfast things and then browse through the living area downstairs. The open plan space with the tall rafters and glass windows gives the house a light, beach-house feel. It is beautifully furnished with tasteful pieces of art hanging on the wall.

All local artworks ranging from large weaved Xhosa baskets to beautifully carved, wooden Zulu meat platters, are placed strategically in all corners of the room. An entire wall is covered with the trophy heads of springbok. Not the real, stuffed kind but beautiful arty ones made from recycled metal oil cans, paper mache and wire.

Charcoal drawings on white paper are immaculately framed in understated beechwood and depict Marabi musicians, those township jazz musicians of the fifties and sixties, who fueled a music revolution in South Africa.