A Pearl of Great Price

Chapter Twenty-one - Peaks and Valleys

San Francisco, Earth

20 August 2263

Selek

He got a short break mid-morning and went straight to his office to call her. She grinned madly at him and informed him that the Mexican restaurant they had visited before was having a special luncheon buffet today, all you could eat, with nachos. The look on his face made her bright laughter peal out. Their luncheon plans were set just that easily. And she told him of her choice of museum for that afternoon, one full of carvings and statues, and bas-reliefs and all manner of other objects of that type, one which he heartily approved of. So he told her he would find a restaurant close to that museum and then asked her to select a movie and she dimpled and grinned and wiggled at him before blowing him a kiss as she ended the call.

He floated through the remainder of the morning's meeting, hardly caring what was said or done. When they were let out, he went briefly back to his office to research restaurants, choosing very carefully this time. And then quickly to his room to change his clothing, choosing navy slacks with a matching vee-neck sweater over a lighter blue shirt. Dressy enough for what they had planned, but not severe. He found himself paying more and more attention to his clothing, wanting to look nice for her, and with her. She attracted much more attention than she knew.

She was ready when he got there, coming right out into the hall, disappointing him, as he had hoped for a more intimate greeting, but when they reached the restaurant he understood, for it was already crowded, and became more so the longer they were there. But the food was delicious and she did not even protest when he when back for a third plate of nachos, only giggling at him, her dimple flashing next to her mouth, making him hunger for her.

The flight to the art museum was not long enough for him to put the flitter on auto-pilot, so there was no opportunity to kiss her there, although the desire was building so strongly in him now that it was hard to suppress. They moved through the galleries slowly, walking around each piece, examining it high and low. She would squat down and point to delicate and elaborate details hidden on the bottom of draperies that another would have missed entirely. Half the time he just watched her enjoying the pieces. She was certainly the best piece there, the loveliest work of art in that entire museum.

When they were told politely that the museum was closing, and they must leave, it was only a short walk to the restaurant he had chosen, and this one was so different from the previous one that he heaved a great sigh of relief. While they waited for their food, he asked what she had been doing while he had been so tied up in the meetings.

"Well, I went and had lunch again with my friend Sally, the librarian. And I took some walks. I found the loveliest little park, only two blocks from my hotel. There are lovely broad green fields, with great trees offering shade here and there. There are some benches, for those who wish to sit, and a nice stone wall all along one side, where you can lean over and watch the sun on the water far below. A very nice place to walk and think."

"And have you been doing a lot of thinking, then?" He watched her face, seeing the expressions flitting there.

"Yes, I have. Thinking about a lot of things." She dropped her eyes to the table, her fingers close to his. "Making some comparisons. Wondering." She did not elaborate further, but he had hopes that he knew what sort of comparisons she had been making. All of the things they had been discussing surely figured in those contemplative walks.

And then the food was there, and they were quieter for a while, savoring the lovely tastes and textures. And then the trip back to her hotel in the sky full of streaks of color. She sat there beside him, making small noises of pleasure at the colorful sky.

When they were finally in her room, she went straight to the controls for the viewscreen and pulled up the movie she had selected, setting it on pause and putting the controller down on the bedstand. Then she started setting up the pillows. He was burning with the need to touch her, to hold her against him. She turned back to the dresser, bringing out those soft silken drawers and handing them to him. He swallowed and headed for the bathroom to change. When he returned, she was kneeling on the side of the bed, wearing only brief scraps of silk and lace, in a lovely soft rose pink. He was so hard it was almost painful. He carefully situated himself in the center of the bed, bending the knee furthest from her, planting his foot on the bed far enough out that he created a space for her. He was almost shaking now with the need to feel her against him.

And then there she was, settling down, pressing her lovely round bottom against him, leaning back, her hair brushing against his chin, wiggling until he gasped with the sensations it caused, pulling his arms around her. "Durra." He could barely talk, he was so full of her, so full of need, of want.

"Hmm?"

"Durra." He drug her name out, his voice so husky, vibrant with desire. And she rolled over, her breasts crushed against his chest, and lifted her face to him. He groaned and took her mouth in his, his tongue sliding across hers, brushing the roof of her mouth, his hands busy on her back, touching, stroking, pulling her closer.

She moaned, her hands twined in the short hairs at the nape of his neck, brushing next against his ears, making him growl at her, shaking. She moved against him and he could feel her nipples, hard against his chest. He was burning, his nerves blazing, and she rubbed herself against him, making wetness bloom between them. He could smell her, smell the lovely scent of her arousal and he was flailing for control, finding it slipping fast. He needed something more, more skin, more more!

His fingers slid under the back of her bra and found the small clasps there. Without thinking, he undid them, and the bra slid apart, hanging from her shoulders. She sighed against him, not protesting. With shaking hands, he slid the straps down her arms and she bent her elbows and let him slide them all the way down off her hands. And then she was lifting herself, just the smallest amount, and he slid that scrap of silk and lace completely off her body, feeling her breasts, soft and glorious against his chest. With a great groan, he bent again, capturing her mouth, making her move against him. It was so glorious, so wonderful. He slid his hands up her arms, down her sides, around, cupping her breasts, hearing her gasp and moan.

And then he was rolling her over, pressing her down into the bed, hovering over her, hands and mouth eager on her body, tasting, touching, pulling on her nipples, sucking them into his mouth, growling at her as she moaned and pushed herself up at him. And her hands were all over him, touching, stroking, clutching at his buttocks, pulling him hard against her. He closed his mouth over the entire aureola of one breast, almost biting, growling, beyond control, and she pushed up against him again, the wetness of her panties rubbing against his lok, and bit his shoulder, so hard, and he convulsed as she did, flooding them both with his hot semen.

They lay there, shaking and shuddering, for long moments, holding each other close. And then he began to rain tiny, soft kisses over her face, breathing softly on her, treasuring her. And he called her his ashayam, his k'diwa, and she sighed, her hands brushing against his ears, his neck and then she buried her face against his neck, breathing on him, sighing his name against his flesh.

When her breathing seemed to be normal again, he carefully lifted himself from her, brushing her face gently with his fingers. "I will go and cleanse myself." She nodded, her eyes closed. He went into the bathroom and removed the soaked garment he wore, putting it into the sink to rinse. And then he took a cloth and the soap she had there for him and washed his body, using a small towel to dry off. He rinsed the drawers, wrung them out and hung them over the towel bar. And then realized that he had nothing to wear now. He was not going to put on the clothing he needed to wear back to the Embassy, not yet. They had not even started the movie yet. There was still the possibility of more touching, more tasting. He reached for one of the clean towels and draped it about his hips, tucking the ends in securely.

He returned to the bedroom and reached out, helping her to rise. Her breasts swung free, tantalizing him, but the entire front of her body was wet with his semen. She did not seem to notice that he was wrapped only in a towel, but headed straight for the bathroom. He watched her walk, her lovely bottom swinging back and forth. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. After several minutes, listening to her move around, the water running and then stopping and then running again, she called out. "Selek?"

"Yes, Durra, what do you need?"

"Can you hand me my kimono, please?"

"Certainly." He went to the closet and took the kimono from the hanger, carrying it to the door of the bathroom, which stood slightly ajar. He slipped his hand through the opening and she plucked the kimono from him. In only a moment, she opened the door. This time he knew that there was nothing under that little silk kimono.

"Are you ready to watch the movie now?"

"I would be delighted."

She grinned at him and pointed to the bed. He went and replaced the pillows in the original configuration and once more settled himself down, leaning back against the pillows. She settled down between his legs, snuggling down against him, pulling his arms around her. "Are you warm enough?"

He speculated for a moment, then tugged his hands free and reached to the sides, pulling the heavy comforter over from the sides, tucking it about them while she sighed and nestled closer. When they were covered, he handed her the controller and put his arms back around her, relaxing in perfect contentment. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, relishing his warmth.

After a few minutes, the controller slipped from her hand. He retrieved it and laid it to the side. She turned slightly within his arms, nestling her face against his neck, breathing softly on him. He stayed as still as he could, filled with tenderness and joy, and watched her sleep for the first time.

It was with great reluctance that he woke her later, slipping from beneath her, lifting her and laying her between the sheets, covering her again, kissing her face softly as she made small noises, rooting down into the pillows. He dressed quickly, then stole back to the bed to kiss her again, murmuring soft declarations to her, knowing she would probably not remember them, but unable not to say what was in his heart. He could feel the silver cord between them, pulsing strongly now, and his heart swelled, so full of joy.

The day after tomorrow they would walk in that park she had found, and he would tell her everything.