I chewed my too-big bit and fanned my face while I swallowed. “Took photos, enjoyed the pool, tried not to be a bother to the staff.” I cast about for a topic that would keep Meino chatty so I could finish my meal and get the hell out of there, now running in mortification and haste to get Alex back to bed. “What did you see on the safari today?”
That worked a treat. Meino was off on a tangent, telling me about everything they’d spotted. Zebras, hyenas, even the kudu—not the one on my plate, thankfully.
I used my fork to scrape up the last bite of meat and set my napkin on the table next to my plate while I chewed. Alex still had a few bites left, and I reached over to grip his thigh.
Chew faster,don’t choke.
Alex set his fork down, leaving the last few bites. I kicked my foot up, starting to swing over the bench seat to make our escape, only to run directly into Rowena’s stomach. It was a good thing I hit her soft center and not the camera mere millimeters from my head.
“Oh, Nikki, I just have to show you the photos from today. I couldn’t quite get the depth of field you were telling me about yesterday. Could you remind me of the settings?”
Behind her, Alex grimaced.
“Umm…” She looked up at me blinking, her eyes so kind. I remembered the way she’d talked about wanting to preserve her memories.
I stifled a sigh. “Let me see.”
Rowena clicked through her photos, and I checked the data and walked her through the aperture mode again.
Conrad cleared his throat. “Rowena, I think these kids want to get moving.” He nodded his head to where Alex hovered.
I glanced back, and Alex’s cheeks were flushed in the firelight.
“Oh, dear. Right, we can chat tomorrow, maybe during brunch? You’ll be with us tomorrow, won’t you, Nikki?”
“Yes, most definitely.”
She nodded resolutely. “Lovely. We’ll have a lesson then.”
I turned, and Alex grabbed my hand, hurrying me along.
“Have fun, kids!” Conrad bellowed behind us. Alex’s hand squeezed mine, and we raced out into the night.
For safety, we still had to have a guide walk us out to our tent, which felt like an awkward reverse walk of shame. Alex bumped shoulders with me as we tried not to mow down Misola.
Alex and I called goodnight to her and listened while she padded down the boardwalk back to the main lodge. A lone lamp cast shadows around the tent walls.
I glanced at Alex, his dark eyes pools of black in the dark lighting. He took a step toward me, his palm coming up to my cheek. He cupped my face, and I turned into his hand, nuzzling the thin skin at his wrist and feeling his pulse under my lips, the beat fast and strong.
Alex licked his lips before sliding his hand further, tangling his fingers in my hair and gripping the back of my neck, tugging me under him. When I gasped, he slid his lips over mine.
His grip tightened in my hair, the only sign he gave me of tension. His kiss was the opposite: slow embers, teasing and savoring. With one arm banded around my waist, Alex backed me up against the bed.
I broke away, sitting on the edge of the bed, and Alex’s hands came around my waist, pushing me up towards the pillows. He climbed beside me and gently brushed a stray hair away from my lips.
His finger trailed over my skin, around my ears, down the column of my neck, his eyes following the same course.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, so earnest, so tender.
As he traced my collar bone, I slid my hand to his side, gripping his shirt and lightly tugged.
Alex came forward, letting his lips brush mine gently before opening me again to his tongue. Hands lingered, small kisses, nips of teeth. It was all such a slow dance.
Time passed. Hours, days, years. Despite the tenderness, I ached. Alex was pressed against one side, our legs intertwined. My lips were swollen, my tongue tired, and I did not care one whit. I had never kissed anyone like this before. Like kissing was the only thing that mattered, an endgame to itself. Neither of us rushed—the kissing was justtoo good.
And part of me wondered if the rest of it was going to be exponentially better. That just didn’t seem fair. How could one man be so good at kissing, and everything else too? Surely the universe wasn’t that kind. Though I knew that Alex was an overachiever in many things, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was just as good with his hands, his tongue, his cock.
“We should get ready for bed,” Alex murmured in my ear. I hummed, but Alex wasn’t committed to stopping. His lips dropped kisses along my neck, leaving me sighing.
