"Victor, why don't we stop for a while"
Nikki groaned as she wiped the sweat of her forehead, and climbed a bit further up.
Victor adjusted the camping gear on his back. "Alright, although we're not that far off", he said reassuringly.
Nikki leaned against the hot rock that was the side of the mountain. "We've been walking, no, correction, climbing on that mountain for three hours, and I'm tired. You are the one with the map, how long till we get to the top", she complained.
Victor has insisted that they climb this ridicules Mountain today, and even though the view was great, in the last hour she was beginning to feel it just wasn't worth it.
The climb just seemed to last forever. Every little muscle in Nikki's body was aching for a long, warm bath and a comfortable bed.
She was beginning to regret she went along with Victor's idea to do something a bit more adventuresome. It's not that she minded adventures, just not that kind.
Victor chuckled as he passed the short distance from where he stood to where Nikki leaned on the side of the mountain.
Nikki pouted as she looked up at him coming to her direction, and listlessly took the bottle of water he offered her.
Victor laughed heartily at her expression. "We've barely been married for three days and you have complaints already"
Nikki glared at him. "One more hour of this and you're gonna have to carry me up"
Victor leaned to kiss his wife."Sweetheart, we're very close"
Nikki said, skeptic. "That's what you said 45 minutes ago"
Victor moved his hand through his moist hair sheepishly. "Well... now we are close"
Nikki shook her head at him, smiling. "You are such a bad liar"
Victor laughed. "I'm not lying, I don't think there's more than 25 minute, if we go up in a reasonable pace. Plus, think how nice it would be to watch the sunset from up the mountain"
Nikki looked around her, at the unbelievable beauty of Australia, and smiled. "Yes, that would be wonderful...this country is so beautiful"
Victor pulled her into his arms as they watched the view together.
Victor
inhaled deeply. "It is, isn't it? So quiet and serene"
They
stood like that for a moment, enjoying the soft breeze.
Nikki leaned her head on his shoulder"It's amazing, and it is definitely one of the only places left that we haven't been in together".
She glanced up at him. "I just wish there was a faster way to the top"
Victor chuckled. He kissed the side of his wife's head and said "Well, Are you coming? Or am I leaving you here to be eaten alive by wild Kangaroos"
Nikki moaned"Ugh, Okay..."
She looked at him and smiled sweetly. "But only if you give me a hand, I wasn't kidding when I said I was exhausted, you didn't exactly let me sleep and regain my strength last night"
Victor looked at her with a naughty spark in her eyes, and kissed the tip of her nose.
He gave her a hand and said "Lets go, I don't want to get stuck here in the dark..."
Nikki smiled at him "Okay..."
20 minutes later, they arrived to the top.
As soon as her foot touched even surface, Nikki collapsed on the last stair, out of breath. "Oh... my gosh...I can't believe you talked me into climbing all that"
Victor
dropped the camping gear to the ground and warned her "Sweetheart,
Don't sit right now, your whole body will be tied in knots
tomorrow"
Nikki
laughed wearily "Like it hasn't already"
Victor was almost as relieved as Nikki was that they got to the top. The mountain was higher and steeper than he first estimated, and the climb up was definitely not easy. Especially not while carrying water and camping gear for two.
Victor was getting tired himself and it has occurred to him that should the climb last much longer, his marriage would be the shortest marriage in history. Even for him.
But there was a reason he dragged his wife here up here.
Although on second thought, he would have gotten a helicopter.
A mischievous smile touched his lips as he looked at his wife.
He
thought looked so adorable standing there; taking moment to look down
the mountain she has just finished climbing.
He could almost see
her giving herself a mental pat on the back that she made it up
there.
God. She looked so good. Big straw hat tied loosely on the back of her neck. Her braided hair tangled across her face. Shorts revealing a fair share of a shapely, tanned legs...
Nikki, catching his eyes resting on her, stretched slowly and seductively "Lovely view from up here, isn't it"
Victor smiled as he moved toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist "Beautiful view, but I think I'd like a closer look, come here"
Nikki laughed as she let self be swapped into his arms. "After hours and hours of walking and climbing? I'm going to take this as a very big compliment"
Her
giggling faltered as Victor pulled her in for a soft kiss, capturing
her lips with his own.
His hands slowly caressed her back and
moved up to the back of her head head, pulling her closer to him.
A moment or two later Victor pulled very slowly back; Nikki let out a soft moan of frustration and pouted "Hey, that's not fair"
Victor smiled and said earnestly "I hate to break this up, but we need to set up a camp for the night. I want it all ready before I take you somewhere"
Nikki raised an eyebrow"Would getting to that place require any more climbing"
Victor
laughed"Nope, and I know you would love it. I think we should
get settled first, get this fire going so we would be able to do some
sight-seeing"
Nikki
nodded "Oh, that sounds like a good plan. I'll put up the
tent, and you go looking for woods"
Victor nodded and they parted with a kiss on the lips…
To be continued.
