She slipped her arms around my neck and leaned back so she could look in my eyes.
“I’m ready,” she said. “I’ll miss this paradise. I’ll miss the food and the people, but I’m happy to be going home.”
We kissed once more and then went to work.
For our last night in Nairobi, I’d made reservations at the Hemingway so we could leave Kenya the way we arrived. After a long day of supervising the movers, and dropping off the keys with our real estate agent Jan, we drove to the hotel and after getting settled, we ordered in supper. We had a different suite but it was almost identical to the one we had the first time we stayed. I’d arranged for someone from the car dealer to pick up the BMW. In the morning, Jomo would pick us up and drive us to the airport so we could catch our flight.
After we ate, we sat on lawn chairs on the lanai and watched the sun set and the stars appear one by one.
Kate turned to me and took my hand. “I wish you and I could have gone to the lodge and slept under the stars.”
I kissed her knuckles. “We can come back anytime we want, when the semester’s over or next summer when you’re off.”
“Good,” she said and turned back to the sky. “It’s something I wanted to do ever since I first came to Africa. Plus, you and I didn’t get to go on safari. I saw a lot of animals on the art safari, but I’d like to do it all with you. Maybe go on an archaeological dig.”
“One day we will,” I replied. “We have our whole life ahead of us. Besides, I don’t want Sefton’s painting to be your main memory of safari. I want a chance to make some with you.”
She smiled and turned back to the horizon, which showed a rising moon. “I don’t like the idea of delaying things too long. None of us know what can happen at any time. Think of my mother.”
I squeezed her hand and nodded. “And my father,” I said ruefully. “I’d meant to come to Africa and spend time with him and then he died.”
I heard a heavy sigh from her and felt the same deep sadness. Despite my father being absent a lot of my childhood due to his career and involvements, he was the central figure in my life. Kate was very close to her mother and I’m sure, like me, she still felt her loss every day.
“You’re right,” I said, determined to never take anything for granted again. “As soon as we can, we’ll come back to Africa. We’ll go on safari, go to a dig in Oldupai, and sleep under the stars.”
She turned to me and met my eyes, smiling. “I love you,” she said softly.
I leaned over the gap between us and kissed her gently. “I love you.”
The next morning came all too soon and I yawned when my cell’s alarm went off. Kate was nestled in the covers beside me, her cheek pushed into her pillow, her hair covering her face.
I rolled over and put my arm around her, kissing her forehead. “Time to get up, sleepyhead.”
She frowned and covered her face with her hand. “Already?” She cracked one eye open and stared at me. “You kept me up late with your dirty mind and wicked tongue.”
“I did, didn’t I?” I said with a laugh. After getting out of bed, I strode to the bathroom and started the sho
wer. “I let us sleep in a few extra minutes because I’m such a benevolent dictator.”
I glanced back in the bedroom and Kate now sat on the edge of the bed, her skimpy nightgown barely containing her delicious curves. She’d smoothed her hair, but her eyes were still sleepy and she looked completely ravishing. I planned on ravishing her before our flight and had made sure we had enough time for a quickie before we left for the airport. When we were first together, I didn’t want to start something I couldn’t finish, and preferred to wait until we had lots of time for a lengthy session of B&D. Now, I wanted her anytime, anywhere.
“Stop looking so desirable,” I said with a smile. “We have customs to get through and a plane to catch.”
“You better have your own shower. Who knows if you might not be able to control yourself and we’ll miss the plane?”
“Me, not control myself?” I said, and quirked an eyebrow. “Never. Self-control is my thang, baby.” I waved to her. “Now, come and share the shower with me so we get this done faster.”
“If you insist,” she said. She stripped off her nightgown and stepped into the shower, turning her back to me and pushing her face in the stream of water.
I took soap and lathered my hands and then started soaping her up. After I finished her back, I turned her around and washed her breasts, taking time on her nipples, which puckered under my touch.
“I thought you said we have a plane to catch?” Kate said, raising one eyebrow.
“We do.” I ran my soapy hands down her belly to her pussy and slipped my fingers between her thighs to wash her there. Of course by then, my erection was hard as granite and jutting out at the ready. When I bent down and took one of her nipples in my mouth, she gasped.
“Won’t we be late?” she said breathlessly.
“Shush,” I replied and sucked on the other nipple. Finally satisfied that I’d given each breast its due, I knelt down and tapped her thigh. “Over my shoulder and do it fast,” I said. “We’ve got a plane to catch.”