Annie noticed Eyal not taking the same route back to the safe house and wondered where they were driving. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see." Eyal now turning into an open area with paths wandering through a beautiful public garden and stopping the car. "The evening is still young and such a lovely night to pass away with a pretty lady. You want to take a walk? Take in the enchantment Marrakech has to offer."
The setting was quixotic fitting with the ambiance of being in the romantic and intriguing city of Marrakech. The garden filled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and soft glow of gas lighting along the paths. A gentle stream running beside the walkway dancing over the rocks gave a mellow bubbling sound to the stillness of the night. A full creamy silver moon hung over their heads adding a dreamy milieu to the dark sky.
Annie walking close to Eyal felt strangely drawn to him in an unusual way. An emotion she couldn't explain, a feeling she had never experienced with him before. It was as if she was in another universe, just the two of them in an imaginary land of make-believe and the sensation wrapped her in amorous loving sincerity.
The enchanting spell was quickly broken with a quizzical Eyal. "So Neshama, tell me how is your love life?"
"Fine."
"Really? Just fine."
"I don't see where it is any of your business." Annie not looking Eyal, she suspects he knows more than he was letting on. He usually does.
"You've changed Annie, there is something about your manner and it is different." With a playful nudge, "So tell me about the new man in your life. Is he a nice man?"
"Your imagination is running wild and it is all wrong."
"Seldom is it wrong. So you are going to play that game. I thought I was your friend, someone you could confide in."
"There is no game."
"Okay but you know I'm not letting this go." Stopping Annie and turning her toward him with a caring smile of understanding, "You not the same joyfully optimistic Annie I have known. There is a slight melancholy vibe about you and I hate seeing you with any sadness in your lovely eyes."
"Nothing is wrong Eyal." Annie trying to look away for his face. She had a hard time lying to him, to others yes it was second nature but not to Eyal.
He gently touching her face to turn back to look at him. "Is it Auggie? I've heard rumors that you are a couple."
"Not any longer."
Eyal slipping his arm around her in a friendly supportive way, "Ani mitzta'eret Neshama."
"It wasn't meant to be. It was an awkward relationship anyway." She now needing the sympathetic understanding Eyal seems to be offering. "He is seeing someone else and I don't know, maybe I'm feeling a bit lonely."
"Loneness can be more depressing than a break up. You want to talk about it?"
"No, not really... Well maybe." Annie knowing she could always trust Eyal and now she was about to disclose her most personal pain to him. "It was hot and great at first but not for long. Not sure what happened but both of us starting having second guesses about being together until finally I starting avoiding him, not want him to be near me. My guess he felt the same way because our break was more like a mission debriefing and not a lover's squabble."
"Hmmm... So the feeling was mutual."
"Yeah, but it still hurt."
"I'm sure it did." Eyal putting his hand on the back of her neck rubbing with a gentle motion of easing any tension, "You have started dating anybody else yet?"
"Really haven't had the time or the ambition to go looking."
"As pretty as you are I would think men would be lining up to take you out."
"Thanks for the compliment." Annie with an appreciative smile.
"No I mean it. If I'm going start dating you I need to satisfy my ego by snatching you away for a hoard of wanting men."
"Your ego never needs to be satisfied."
"You didn't turn me down on the dating." Eyal lifting her chin toward his face, "I'm now serious Annie. I've been waiting for a long time and you remember my telling you that timing is everything."
"Yes, very well I remember."
"This may not be the sunset but the timing could be now."
"Do you think so?"
"Tell me truthfully Annie, you have never dream of us being together."
Whatever Annie would say at this moment would set the path for a chance to be with Eyal and maybe a future. Would she bend to CIA's rules about being involved with a foreigner or go with her emotional yearning. She wrested with the answer but for a half second.
"You know the answer don't you."
"I want to hear you say it Neshama." Eyal pulling her a little closer to him.
"Yes Eyal, I have had dreams and wonderful dreams they were."
Nothing else needed to be said, he cupping his hand beside her face with a mellow kiss, drew her even closer until she melted in his powerful arms. The kiss moved past sweet and gentle to a deep passionate kiss of sexual desire. Annie returned the kiss with an equal and wanting plea for him to make love to her.
"Shall we take this back to the flat?" Eyal relinquishing his embrace and touching her face with the softness of a rabbit's paw.
With her hand resting on his leg as they drove to the safe house, Annie couldn't help but think how it would be with Eyal. Would he be masterful and demanding or tender and smooth? He is so many things that she couldn't tell but in her dreams, her many dreams he was both, depending on her mood. What was her mood this evening? Happiness.
Holding the door open for Annie to enter first, Eyal pitched his keys on a nearby table, taking off his suit coat. Annie standing in the center of the living room kicked off her shoes and turn to see Eyal remove his leg holster and gun.
"You always carry that?"
"Always Neshama, I may need to fight off wolf hungry adversaries making immoral advances toward you." Gently taking her in his arms, "Would you like some wine?"
"No." Her waiting was over; she twisted, pressing her body against his. Eyal sighed with yearning as her sweet tender body to push against him. His hands fell down to the taper of her waist pulling her hips close to his. One hand finding the top of her skit and his fingers gliding under the tab of the zipper on the back and with ease, the zipper slid down and the skit fell so smoothly to the floor. He framed her face easily between his large powerful yet graceful hands, tangling his fingers in her hair and kissed her lovely. Annie responded instantly, tilting her head back as she struggled with his shirt. Eyal pulled back for a moment, long enough to hear her low scoff. "Damn shirt." Annie was never shy about going after what she wanted.
He moved back a bit, simply stared down into her smoldering brown eyes. His pause gave Annie the opportunity she needed and with ease she had whipped his shirt off and sent it sailing over the back of a nearby chair. She nibbled her way up to his ear as Eyal once more wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
She craving for his touches and longing for his kisses, was already backing him toward the couch, showing little patience when the skillfully agile warrior stumbled over his own two feet. His tall imposing frame falling awkwardly backwards and Eyal falling onto the couch bring Annie with him. He twisted halfway down to avoid crushing Annie and found himself sprawled on his side on the cool buttery soft leather with her frame tucked against his body. Both laughing gaily at the comical clumsy mishap.
"We're off to a good start." Eyal holding her to keep Annie from slipping off the couch. Regaining his control, he carefully moves into a better position with Annie sitting beside him leaning over the reclining Eyal. With a mesmeric smile and lustful eyes, he unbutton her blouse, removed the cold feeling beads from her neck and rose up onto his elbows, grasping the back of her neck with one hand and used the leverage to hold her close as they kissed again.
"What a beautiful woman you are Neshama. Let me look at you my dear." Eyal's eyes roamed enthusiastically over her body. Annie crawled over him and once again found his loving kisses. Eyal's dark eyes giving her permission to have her way and she found his sinful yet loving lips to answer her request.
Annie had been taking the lead but now Eyal slowed the pace down, to take pleasure in each move to find irresistible their first. Gliding his hand over her he moves Annie to a place she rested peacefully, enjoying the deliberate easy caresses of Eyal's hands and lips. She gradually relaxes every inch of her body tingling with electrifying sensations, he slowly finding what pleased her.
Eyal moved gradually to bring them both to that loving state of ecstasy. She calling out his name with delicious shrill of gratification and Eyal with a soft moan of euphoria. Holding her in his arms with tender kisses giving her time to come down from the emotional high and Annie delighted in his thoughtfulness. Eyal waited patiently as Annie's breathing slowed, and a long moment passed before she opened her eyes and peered up with her sigh of happiness at him.
"I hope it was everything you dream of Neshama." With a sweet smile he brushed hair from one side of her face.
"Everything Eyal and more."
Eyal: Sleeping peacefully by his side, Eyal feeling the warmth of her body next to his and toying with mixed emotions. Their love-making was what he had been longing for over the years but was the timing right? He questioned his overwhelming desire for her may have clouded his better judgment and allowed his passion take control. Pressing close to him, her sweet smell filling his nostrils with pleasurable scent and relishing in the pure bliss he had just enjoyed but had he taken advantage of her vulnerability. Possibly indulging on her state of rebound and he was convenient. If the latter be the case, he was happy to be used to bring her out from her blue mood but needs to be watchful about moving forward before he too becomes another ex-lover.
Ani mitzta'eret - Hebrew for "I'm sorry"