Chapter 2 – The First Time
Alice woke before him. The South African sun radiated almost directly above them. Her head was resting precariously on Danny's bare chest, their modesty saved only by an old tartan picnic blanket, that she had no recollection of obtaining. Around them, their clothes lay where they had been dropped. Alice smiled as she remembered unbuttoning his pale blue cotton shirt, peeling away his white t-shirt, unzipping his jeans…... She tingled all over as she recalled him deftly removing her marl grey vest and black, lacy bra. They had made love for the first time under the early-morning sky, oblivious to anyone and anything around them, their bodies joined in their mutual desire.
Danny opened his eyes slowly and stared down at the figure lying on him. Alice, she was so beautiful with her silken, brunette hair and those glacier blue eyes. How could someone so stunning fall for someone so ordinary like him? Danny had not felt this happy for a very, very long time. In fact, he'd not felt like this since before that dreadful day when Sarah had died. ……….Sarah………… Guilt began to course through his veins. Surely she would forgive him? Surely she would want him to be happy again? It wasn't that he didn't love Sarah anymore, he did, but he also loved Alice. She had come to him in his darkest hour and had rescued him from the emptiness and loneliness he had felt during those long months following his wife's untimely death.
"Hello Mr Trevanion," Alice whispered provocatively as she turned to meet his gaze.
"Hello Miss Collins," Danny replied, softly kissing her tousled hair and breathing in her scent.
Alice looked at him, a mischievous smile lighting her face. She began to trace her finger up and down Danny's naked chest.
"Who'd have thought……….?" he murmured whilst running his fingers tenderly down the side of her face.
Alice pulled herself up and kissed him on the lips, gently at first and then more forcefully as he started to respond.
"Danny? Alice? Are you okay?"
A familiar Africaan voice crackled out from the radio, which was hidden somewhere under a pile of discarded clothes. Danny reached out, fumbling around blindly, trying to find the dammed object that had spoiled what could have been. The last thing they both wanted now was a search party!
"Sorry Dup. It's been quite difficult finding the giraffe herd," he lied. "It's taken longer than we thought as they weren't in the place Alice thought they would be. We've found them now and Alice's giraffe seems to be settling in well. We'll be back at Leopard's Den in about fifteen/twenty minutes."
Without saying a word, Alice sat up and began to dress quickly. The magic of their first hours as a couple was now well and truly over. She tied her dark hair loosely into a pony-tail. Danny was by now also fully clothed
"Sorry, love, but we ought to get back," Danny stated sadly, "You know I'd rather stay here, with you."
Danny began to brush the ochre dust from Alice's clothes, incriminating evidence of the previous hours' activities.
"Do you mind if we keep this under our hats for a bit longer?" he continued, "It's just Evan - I don't think he'll mind, but I'd rather choose the moment I tell him"
"Of course I don't mind, Danny," Alice replied kissing him chastely on the lips, "I also need to tell Charlotte, though I'm sure she'll be more than pleased! It'll be our secret…….for now."
Danny and Alice walked hand-in hand towards their abandoned vehicles. When they reached the jeeps, they turned and gave each other one final, lingering kiss before going their separate ways.
"I love you, Alice. You know that now, don't you?"
"I know", she replied, "I love you, too!"