‘Two birds one stone,’ said Cassian swinging his legs off the side and standing up. He turned around to reveal his rock solid member.
Emilia covered her mouth, looking down at it, then back up into his eyes. She chewed her lip and felt herself shake with excitement.
‘If you’re really quick?’
Cassian nodded with enthusiasm.
She leapt up off the bed and grabbed his hand in hers, tugging him towards the ensuite shower as she laughed.
She turned on the tap and screamed as cold water shot out, leaping back as Cassian followed her in, pushing her up against the wall, her ass facing him.
He parted her legs as the water warmed up, rivulets running down both of their bodies as steam began to rise up from the floor. Then he pushed inside her hard, thrusting her forward.
Quickly he pounded into her, holding her hip with one hand as the other pinned her arms in place above her head. She angled her bottom backwards, so he could thrust more easily, moaning as his thick hard cock slid in and out of her.
It felt urgent and raw, and though she knew it wasn’t true, it was as though he didn’t care about her pleasure, just his own desire to fill her with his seed, to claim her again and again.
To make her his.
She felt him buckle and pulse and then he moaned deeply into her ear as he came, pressing his hard body against her as he kissed her over and over. Then he slipped out and smiled as he caught his breath.
She turned around, sensing the warmth of his love inside her as the shower continued to flow over them both, then she looped her arms under his and cocooned herself in him, relishing in the warmth and love of his body as he leaned into her.
After a few more moments, with Cassian regaining the strength in his legs, they stood up straight and looked at each other and smiled. They didn’t need to say anything, they both knew.
Emilia was first out, wrapped in a thick soft towel, tucked into the little gap between her breasts, her hair wet but already drying in the warmth of the morning.
‘What should we wear?’ she called out to Cassian as he dried off in the steamy little room.
‘I don’t know, maybe ask Mark?’
‘Mark?’ she called out.
‘You okay?’ said Amy, from outside in the corridor. ‘Can I come in?’
‘Yes of course.’
Amy pushed open the door and stepped inside. She was wearing a similar bikini to yesterday, but she’d added a pair of high waisted shorts to the ensemble and a sheer lace shawl. On her head she wore a wide brimmed hat with a flower pattern bow tied around the top. She looked amazing and Emilia smiled as she walked in.
‘That answers my question,’ she laughed.
‘What to wear?’
‘Yep.’
‘Mark wanted today to be a surprise but I don’t think he understands quite how women think yet.’
‘So, the beach?’
‘Not telling you.’
‘A little hint?’
‘This,’ she waved to her clothes. ‘Is all the clues you’re going to get.’
Cassian stepped out of the shower room naked and walked confidently across the room. Emilia giggled as Amy’s eyes looked straight down at his bare crotch.
‘Morning,’ she said, blushing a little. ‘Nice time in the shower?’
‘Great thanks,’ said Cass as he pulled on a pair of boxers.
‘So are we going rafting then?’ he said, looking at her and laughing.
‘How the fuck?’ she said, confused at his apparent prescience.
‘Wet bag,’ he pointed at the rolled over waterproof sack that Amy had stashed in the corridor behind her before coming in. She turned around and sighed.
‘You weren’t meant to see that.’
‘We can keep a secret.’
‘Rafting?’ said Emilia, a look of concern flashing across her face.
‘Kayaking, but that’s all I’m saying.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Cassian, looking over at his wife. ‘You’ve been up and down the Cherwell plenty of times with Alice, it won’t be much different than that.’
‘Maybe a little different,’ winked Amy raising her eyebrows as she turned around.
‘You should call Alice today too,’ he said as Amy left the room. He stepped into a pair of shorts and pulled them up and then reached for a thin button up shirt, doing up just the lower two thirds, before pocketing his phone. Emilia was still standing in her towel, her mouth open.
‘Come on, Em. Let’s go!’
‘What? I’m not ready.’
‘Hurry up then!’
‘Are you kidding me? You wanted a quickie in the shower!’
‘And now I’m dressed and ready to go.’
‘You suck.’
‘I love you too.’
*
The steps down to the gorge were uneven and sloped. They had been hewn into the rock face and gradually worn away by thousands of visitors over many years. At some point someone had hammered large metal pins into the side of the cliff and strung rope between them to create a safety banister of sorts and it was to this that Emilia clung as she made her way down towards the river.
Mark was a few paces in front of her, dressed in cream khaki shorts and a light blue button up shirt. Much to Emilia’s frustration he seemed to take each step in his stride, turning occasionally to ensure that she was okay.
Amy was a few steps behind her, chatting animatedly with Cassian as she concentrated on not stumbling and falling to her death in the ravine below.
As they rounded the corner she was relieved to see that they had finally reached the canyon base and the beauty of the shallow river that carved through it.
All of the kayaks were painted flame red and ice blue with a fiery pattern extending along the length of each. It reminded Emilia of the line drawings she used to paint over as a child, of dragon’s breathing fire onto old English castles.
The beach was shallow and thin and a wooden walkway extended along the shore with around ten boats, some single and some double, each one tied up to the wooden poles that jutted off the jetty.
A young, stunningly pretty instructor bounded along the pier towards them as they stepped off the last part of the track and pressed their feet into the milky sand. She was dressed in a tiny two piece red bikini that left very little to the imagination, surrounded by a sleek looking black life jacket which she’d half unzipped, making her breasts look like something out of a Jane Austen novel.
‘Salut,’ she said, brightly as she waved.
Emilia smiled at her enthusiasm and friendliness, waving back sweetly as the girl bounded and bounced up to them.
‘Mon Dieu, vous êtes tous si beaux,’ she said, admiring them all as they gathered.
‘Je suis désolé je ne comprends pas, je suis anglais,’ said Emilia with a sorrowful expression.
‘She said, you’re all so beautiful,’ said Mark.
‘Tu parles français?’ said the girl, smiling at him in surprise and tilting her head to the side, her ponytail bouncing in the breeze.
‘Oui j'ai étudié à Paris,’ said Mark, smiling as the girl’s eyes widened.
‘Stop flirting, Mark, you’ve already got a wife and a girlfriend,’ said Amy, popping up behind them and grinning at the young girl. ‘Désolé, mon mari est un narcissique trop performant.’
Emilia didn’t have to translate the word narcissique and grinned as the cute girl laughed and clapped her hands together, jumping up and down and then looking across at the boats before continuing. ‘Ce n'est pas un problème, je m'appelle Celeste, es-tu excitée par ton aventure du matin?’
‘Her name is Celeste,’ translated Mark. ‘And she’s asking if we’re excited about our adventure this morning.’
Emilia nodded enthusiastically and clapped, and then felt a little silly as Celeste looked at her with wide eyes and a huge grin.
‘She’s so cute,’ said the little brunette in stuttered English. ‘Ok, il y a quelques règles à suivre.’
/> ‘Down to business, here come the rules,’ said Mark.
‘Portez toujours votre gilet de sauvetage.’
‘Always wear your life jacket.’
‘Ne restez jamais debout dans votre kayak.’
‘Never stand up.’
‘Pas d'alcool.’
’No alcohol.’
‘Et restez à l'écart des rochers en surplomb.’
‘Erm, I think that was stay away from the rocks above your head?’
Celeste nodded and grinned, turning around and bending over for a little too long to collect two life jackets which she then passed to Emilia as Amy rolled her eyes.
Mark took one out of her hands and helped Emilia to put it on, zipping up the chest and tightening the side straps in place so it was secure. He then attached his own as Celeste checked Emilia’s, nodding with satisfaction.
The little French girl then collected another set for Amy and Cassian, passing them over as Mark stepped down towards the shoreline and stretched. The sunshine hadn’t yet reached into the gorge, but it was still warm down here in the shade. Amy couldn’t help noticing the instructor stealing glances at her husband as he peered down river.
‘Lorsque vous arriverez au bout, un autre instructeur vous guidera,’ said Celeste as Amy and Cassian helped each other zip up.
Amy took over translation duties as Mark yawned. ’She said when we get to the other end someone will help guide us in.’
‘Votre trajet devrait durer environ deux heures, allez lentement et profitez de la vue.’
‘It should take us around two hours and we should go slowly and enjoy the views.’
‘Merci beaucoup, Celeste,’ said Emilia.
Mark turned around and delved into his pocket, then stepped toward the young girl, and handed her a fifty euro note with a wink.
‘Oh mon Dieu, si généreux. Thank you, thank you so much.’
‘Flirting again,’ said Amy, shaking her head and walking towards him, she stood on tip toes and kissed him on the lips, her eyes admonishing him but her grin giving her amusement away.
Celeste laughed, a little embarrassed as she tucked the note into a waterproof pouch on her jacket. ‘Ces deux sont vos kayaks,’ she beckoned to them, pointing at a pair of red and blue two seaters nearest to where they stood. ‘Qui va avec qui?’
‘Who do you want to go with?’ said Amy, turning to Emilia who shrugged.
Amy tilted her head to one side, thinking and then grabbed hold of Cassian’s hand and tugged him toward the blue boat. Emilia giggled as Cassian followed, turning to join Mark as he held out his hand to help her into their red one.
‘Oh, échange de femme,’ said Celeste, raising her eyebrows as Amy sat down in her seat in front of Cassian, her bottom between his legs.
‘Something like that,’ said Amy as she leaned back, turning and kissing Emilia’s husband before sitting back down and winking at the shocked Celeste who gasped, frozen in surprise. She looked to Mark to see his reaction and then laughed as he grinned back at her and shrugged.
‘Polyamour?’ she said, with wide eyes.
‘Something like that,’ said Amy again, smiling.
‘Ooh la la,’ said Celeste, fanning her face as she began to glow bright red.
Mark collected his oar, passing another to Emilia and then he started to slide the boat down into the water, pushing away from the shoreline.
Celeste called after them. ‘Have a wonderful time, thank you so much. Please, come back soon.’
Mark waved and began to paddle as Emilia did her best to steer. She looked back to see Cassian and Amy coming up beside them, gliding along through the water and smiling.
‘I think we made her day,’ said Emilia as they came up beside.
‘I think she’d quite like to join us for a night,’ said Amy laughing.
‘I wouldn’t object,’ interjected Mark, dryly.
Amy mock scowled at him and splashed him with her oar.
‘Neither would I,’ whispered Emilia quietly, turning her head to the other two men as they laughed.
Amy’s mouth dropped open in shock.
‘Are we not enough for you Mrs Emilia Black?’
‘Ooh, you’ve been full named, she’s angry now,’ said Mark, guiding them gently around a bend in the gorge.
For a while they drifted along, paddling and chatting as the sun rose higher in the sky, enjoying the sights and sounds and the cool breeze as it swept along the water’s surface from behind, like a smooth hand helping them along.
After a while the canyon opened up into a wide and shallow area, along one side of which was a beautiful waterfall that crashed down into the river from an overhang. It was stunning, like something seen only in nature documentaries.
Emilia stopped rowing, gently gliding along through the quiet waters as she looked up and around them.
Ahead the river narrowed around a wide and flat beach of stones, along the edge of which sat a handful of people, some dressed in swimming costumes, others sunbathing topless. Beyond them the rock face was sheer, extending up two hundred feet or more and topped with a lush canopy of greenery.
‘Shall we explore?’ said Mark.
Emilia nodded and together they began to row for the shoreline, followed by Amy and Cassian. As they approached Mark powered forward, driving the kayak onto the stoney beach, then he stepped out and pushed until it was firmly lodged away from the waters edge. He stood up straight and offered Emilia his hand, helping her up and out of the little boat.
Cassian did the same, docking next to them and Mark offered his other hand to his wife, gently pulling her up and out until she was standing firmly on dry land.
The waterfall was sending a sheen of mist across the valley and the morning sun was creating a shimmering rainbow through it.
‘Can we try and get a photo of all of us?’ said Amy, reaching for her wet bag. She unclipped the waterproof sack and pulled out her phone as they all gathered round, then she flipped the camera to selfie mode as Emilia tucked in, the men standing behind the two girls and looking calmly into the camera.
‘Smile,’ she said as they all posed.
Satisfied, Amy palmed the phone, tucking it into the pocket of her life jacket and then turned to follow Mark as he made his way toward where the waterfall crashed into the river.
The mist was refreshing in the heat and Emilia understood why so many people were gathered here. With Amy and Mark ahead of them, and out of ear shot, she turned to Cassian, taking hold of his hand as she spoke.
‘Have you heard from Alice?’
Cassian looked at her hesitantly and nodded.
‘Is she okay?’
‘She’s good, I think she quite likes staying at ours.’
Emilia grinned. ‘I bet she does. She’s probably sleeping in one of your shirts.’
Cassian leaned down and kissed her. ‘You should call her, talk to her.’
Emilia nodded. ‘I know, I will. It’s just…’
‘What?’
‘Nothing. It doesn’t matter. Is it okay if she stays with us?’ she said as he pulled away. ‘Until she gets something sorted?’
‘Of course,’ said Cassian, grinning and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Emilia shook her head laughing. ‘Not when I’m at home, okay? Do what you like with her when I’m out, but not when I’m at home. I’m sure you’d love to have us both at the same time, but that’s not happening.’
‘Disappointing,’ he said as he pulled her closer to him, her eyes widening as she felt how hard he was through his shorts. Emilia slid her hand between the two of them and squeezed his girth with her fingers, kissing him hard on the lips.
‘You’ll have to wait until later I’m afraid. Maybe you should join Mark for a cold shower,’ she said, nodding towards the muscle bound man, standing waist deep in the river beneath the torrent of water.
‘I might have to,’ said Cassian, looking down at the tent in his shorts. He rearranged himself and stepped back.
‘Shall we go and join them?’ she said.
‘You should call her.’
‘Why don’t we paddle the kayaks over?’ said Emilia, ignoring him. ‘Go pick them up?’
‘Ok,’ he said. ‘Let’s do it,’
Hand in hand they made their way back to where they’d left the boats, pushing them slowly over into the water before climbing on board, drifting in the gentle current.
Emilia got control of hers and paddled over to where Mark and Amy were swimming, followed closely by Cassian. As they approached, Mark turned to watch, raising his hand up to shout.
‘Taxi.’
Emilia laughed and steered her way over, deftly navigating the current generated by the falling water. Mark steadied her as she drifted close and swung the boat around, then he reached out for Cassian’s oar, pulling both in tight either side of him.
Amy gracefully slipped up and onto the front of Cassian’s, righting herself and then settling back down before Mark launched himself behind Emilia, balancing the boat again quickly and collecting his oar, before powering on.
Further up the river deepened and it became harder to see the bottom, either side becoming sheer cliff face. Emilia found it a little scary, and she tried a few times to touch the riverbed with her oar but was unable to do so, almost losing her balance in the process.
Although deep, it was still clear enough to see fish swimming beside them, some small and some large. Occasionally a big one would burst up from the darkness below and make a splash.
After another ten minutes the river widened again and Emilia began to relax, pulling alongside the others and smiling peacefully as they drifted along. As they rounded the next corner, the tall cliffs gave way to the buildings of a town through which the gorge carved.
They were tall and seemed to almost grow out of top of the sheer walls, merged by greenery and the occasional sprouting tree. Above them people sat on the walls and balconies, looking down hundreds of feet into the river below. Emilia waved at a sweet little girl in a flowery dress, excitedly pointing at them as they sailed by. As she waved back, Emilia felt an intense and almost overwhelming sensation in her chest that she immediately tried to subdue. Moments later the girl drifted out of sight and Emilia looked away and ahead, sighing.
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