Smut Alfresco

by Lucy Felthouse

  When she regained control of her body, she pulled her hand from between her legs and wiped her wet fingers on her trousers with a shrug. What did it matter if they got a cum stain on them? They’d be going straight into the wash when she got home.

  Relaxing against the tree for a few minutes more, Violet watched as the rain gradually slowed to a stop. Only then did she move out of the gloom of her shelter, across the wet grass and back onto the path. She looked up. The sky still looked grey, so there was a chance that this respite was only temporary. With that, she began to skip - such was her lightness of heart - along Broad Walk in the direction she’d been going before she’d had to take sanctuary from the weather.

  She felt - and probably looked - like a child as she lolloped along, but she didn’t really care. What were the chances she’d meet anyone, much less someone she knew? And if she did, well then, they’d get over it. She was skipping, not streaking.

  She was almost at South Lodge when she spotted someone coming towards her. The thought passed through her mind that she should probably start behaving like a normal person - before the aforementioned burly policeman dragged her off for a different reason altogether. Insanity, perhaps. The next thought was - fuck it. Skipping and being happy wasn’t illegal, as far as she knew, so she carried on what she was doing, growing rapidly closer to the other person - a man.

  Soon, they were mere feet away, and she realised that the man looked startled by her huge grin - particularly as he’d probably noticed that she was soaked to the skin. She gave him a little wave, giggled and continued skipping down the path which would lead out of the park and to the Tube station. When she got home, she was going to jump into a hot shower, then bundle up in her dressing gown with a hot chocolate and her laptop. Then she was going to open up Microsoft Word and draft her resignation letter. And, far from being worried about ditching a job she needed, she couldn’t possibly have been happier. The new, light-hearted, smiling Violet would find another job in no time. No time at all. Her selfish, disorganised boss would have to find some other mug to dump his shit on. She was free.

  When the Rains Come

  By Nicole Gestalt

  Pulling the Jeep up to the side of the house, Kim stood and looked over as the dust settled. Matt stood on the covered veranda, a hand shielding his eyes as he gazed at something just past her sight. Even from this distance she could see his shirt was already soaked in sweat due to the heat, and it was only very early in the morning. Glancing a short distance beyond him, she watched the men, from one of the tribes that lived upon the land the reserve was on, work on something. At this distance she couldn’t quite see what it was and decided to get closer.

  With one hand holding her hat she jumped down. Grabbing hold of her medical bag, she walked over to Matt.

  “Do you think it will work?” She said in a hushed voice as she moved next to him, dumping her bag down on a chair behind him.

  “I don’t know, but I’d rather try this than do nothing at all. We need this water.”

  Kim’s stomach knotted. She didn’t want to know the answer to what she was about to ask, but she had to find out.

  “How much do we have left in reserves?”

  “Enough for three, maybe four more days. A week at most if we’re really frugal.”

  A sigh escaped from him, and Kim reached out to touch his arm.

  “We’ll make it last, we’ll have to. Priority will be given to those animals that need it the most, and then we’ll have to see what other measures we can put into place. Have you heard anything from Davies?”

  Matt shook his head, his gaze not moving away from the men who seemed to be clearing an area of ground and flattening it off.

  “I’ll go and try calling again.”

  Grabbing her bag once more she wished her clothes weren’t sticking to her, and was thankful when she ducked into their office. Since it wasn’t in direct sunlight it wasn’t as hot here, though it was still uncomfortably warm. However it provided the most relief she was going to get anywhere on the reserve at present. There had been no water for months now, though that wasn’t particularly unusual, and wouldn’t have been a problem if it hadn’t been for the low rainfall earlier in the year and the abnormally hot temperatures. The inescapable result was that they were now in a drought.

  A book was open by the phone. Calling the number circled in it she attempted to get hold of Davies. He ran a smaller park a two-day drive away, one of the few places their animals could go if things got even worse. There was no answer.

  “Damn it!” She hissed and slammed down the phone before taking a deep breath. In this weather it was very easy to lose your temper, and that was the last thing she needed.

  A small carriage clock pinged on the desk and in response Matt’s head popped in.

  “Want me to go or you?”

  Kim slumped down on the chair exhausted.

  “Can you go? I’m going to keep trying the number.”

  With her back to him she didn’t see Matt’s mock salute but knew he had done something. Although the heat tired them both out quickly, no matter what happened Matt still managed to keep his sense of humour, using it to great effect, especially when she was in a dark mood. He wasn’t unaffected by the situation, she knew that, though the worse it got the more jovial he seemed to become.

  “Go! They’ll be getting hungry.” She called out without turning around, attempting to sound stern. She failed and laughed a little. As she did so she cast a glance over the desk, her eyes falling on a simple wooden picture frame. They crouched happily, a cheetah between them both; Matt grinned, looking out from under his bright green baseball cap, emblazoned with his lucky clover.

  It was taken the day they had both arrived, when it was still comparatively cool and wet. She found it hard to think back to the time but there they were. A frozen reminder of the happiness and thrill they both shared at being on the reserve for the first time. For her the thrill was still there but the happiness had long since faded, replaced only with worry. It would not be long before the animals began to perish from the lack of water. In fact it was only by a miracle that none had yet.

  In the larger part of the reserve, special rangers had been employed to guard the water supplies, whilst in the section both she and Matt headed up they were able to take more of a hands-on approach. Here, they cared for the sick and young animals that were found and brought in to them. When working with such endangered animals every one counted, so every resource was used to nurse the creatures, all with the hope of being able to release them back into the wild.

  Focusing back to the job in hand she picked up the phone once more and dialled.

  “All done for the moment. The cheetah was a bit reluctant to take her medicine but a little coaxing and some fresh meat persuaded her to do so in the end.” Matt’s voice cut through the silence of the room. Sitting up with a start Kim blinked, phone still in her hand. Matt’s laughter reached her.

  “You fell asleep didn’t you?”

  Her thoughts were muggy as she tried to think. Dream and reality mixed as she straightened her hat. Her whole body felt like a bolt of electricity had been shot through it. Her trembling increased as more of the dream she had been having become clear.

  “I closed my eyes for a moment. Still no reply from Davies. I haven’t been asleep for long I don’t think.” She kept her back to him as images of her dream hit her one after another.

  “Dream anything interesting?”

  Inwardly she groaned; he knew her too well.

  “Oh, just of water, swimming pools, vast lakes and cool, crystal clear seas.”

  And both of us naked writhing with one another. She stopped herself before she spoke those words. She didn’t want to tell him the full nature of it. Not that she was ashamed, but she didn’t want to upset the working relationship they had.

  “Sounds nice, pity I wasn’t there to join you. I’m going to go check that the enclosure perimeters are secure.” Matt replied.

/>   She nodded, catching his reflection in a mirror as he moved away. The dream now fresh in her mind she couldn’t think of anything else, nor could she tear her eyes away from his body as he left. His shirtsleeves were now pushed up, showing off his tanned, toned arms. His trousers had become somewhat figure-hugging in the heat, and called out for her to watch as he walked away.

  Letting go of a sigh she pulled her hat off and ran her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, and as she did, for a second she was right back into the dream.

  They both dove into the warm water, their clothes falling away the moment they touched the surface.

  Laughter filled the air as they surfaced together, facing one another. Seeing him slick and glistening so close to her she couldn’t hide the desire she felt for him any longer. His hand reached out for her, drawing her closer until their lips met. Taking a deep breath she wrapped her legs around him kissing him back, a wanton lust burning her up.

  Now, sat back in the creaking wooden chair, she wished that for once something would happen between them. Something that would stop her body aching for him. The space they worked in meant there was no escaping one another, and part of her had worried that they would just end up getting on each other’s nerves. As it had turned out her fears had been unfounded and they had become close to one another, and now her want for him was all-consuming.

  Pushing the dream to the back of her mind she decided to leave the phone call and went to check the perimeters. Placing her hat firmly on her head she stood up and strode out. The perimeters of the pens needed to be constantly checked to prevent any escapes, and to stop any poachers or other creatures from gaining entry. Although they had others to do the checks it had long since become a habit of theirs to check each day themselves too.

  Knowing which direction Matt would have headed in she went the opposite way, checking the integrity of the fencing. Eyes watched her from the shade, the cats laid there flicking their tails very occasionally.

  She walked slowly past all the pens, gazing in at the various creatures. She knew each by the secret name she had given them, and knew all their history from the moment they’d arrived at the medical centre. She knew she shouldn’t get attached but had never been able to stop herself from finding endearing traits and naming them. She never told Matt, though she was sure he probably did something similar. Familiarity, for both themselves and the animals, could quickly become an issue, with the animals becoming more domesticated and then harder to release back into the wild, but even knowing that it was hard not to become attached.

  Not finding any problems she continued on, finally meeting Matt halfway round. Smiling, she watched him bend down and check over one of the fences. The cat in the pen protested loudly at his presence, though he was still a good distance away. The heat didn’t only make humans short-tempered.

  Kim couldn’t help but laugh when, once he finished checking the wires, he stood up with his hands raised in a mock surrender. The noise from the cat increased until he moved away. Finally, she approached.

  “Fences all done?” He asked looking over to her as she reached him. She felt nervous under his gaze but her body tingled with excitement.

  She nodded.

  “Yes, everything’s fine.”

  He smiled slightly but she saw that it failed to reach his eyes.

  “Good, wouldn’t want any escaping into the bush. Heaven forbid they might find water.” His voice dripped with sarcasm but she could tell he was hurting.

  It was all she could do not to hug him tightly and tell him it would be okay. Her heart ached and tears prickled in her eyes.

  “Matt, you know their chance of survival is greater here with us than out there. Most of these can’t run, let alone manage to travel the great distances to hunt, at least not yet. Setting them loose would be turning our backs on them and signing their death certificates. Here at least they have a chance.”

  She realised after she stopped talking her tone was harsher then she had meant it to be and immediately felt guilty as he blinked, looking as if he had just been slapped.

  After what seemed an age he spoke, breaking the tension that had built up.

  “Damn it Kim, you should know when I’m joking. But even so, what chance do they have here when the water finally runs out? At what point do we stop being rescuers and helpers, and turn into jailers that are just prolonging their suffering with our misplaced kindness?”

  He shouted the words out; cold, hard anger evident, his body shaking with the passion behind the words. Before she could reply he turned and stalked off, leaving her standing open-mouthed, the sound of the animals joining in the disagreement rising around her. Letting tears fall she watched him until he was out of sight, shocked by his outburst.

  Standing on the veranda she took a deep breath. The sun’s final rays warmed her as a surprisingly cool flutter of wind wound around her. In the far distance she could hear noise from the people who had finally finished getting organised for the ceremony. A wooden board creaked behind her but she didn’t turn, her focus on the land around them.

  A deep, earthy scent hit her and she realised it was Matt standing behind her. She had not spoken to him since his outburst, and didn’t want to be the first to speak. Showing no indication that she had heard him she forced her focus back to the horizon, trying to ignore the wanting ache in her body and the way her heart raced with the expectation of hearing his deep voice.

  His hand touched her shoulder and she jumped, only just stopping herself from crying out. Warmth spread from his hand through her thin top.

  “Kim, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I was…I didn’t mean…I mean…” His voice was hesitant and soft, sounding so lost and confused. She trembled, desperate to hug him and, unable to take it any longer, turned to face him.

  “It’s okay, really, it is. I understand, we’ve both been under a lot of pressure lately, especially with the heat and the water issue. I know deep down you didn’t mean it. I…” she was wanted to say more but lost her train of thought completely when he reached out and gently brushed his thumb over her cheek.

  Her heart hammered faster, her breath caught. She gazed up at him as he looked down, his deep hazel eyes filled with a burning intensity. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think beyond how much she wanted him. His thumb was still brushing over her skin very slowly, and her knees weakened.

  “Eyelash.” Matt said finally in explanation. He began to move away when she acted.

  Reaching up, she took hold of his wrist. Silence seemed to explode around them, time coming to a halt as they gazed at one another. Matt’s other hand brushed up against her arm, sending a shiver through her.

  His eyes sparked with desire, reflecting her feelings. Her face became warm under his intense gaze, a blush blooming. As she leaned forward slightly, standing on tiptoes, she could hear the blood pounding through her.

  “Kim…I…” Matt began to speak before falling silent, leaning down to her.

  She could feel him, smell him… her body tingled, desire coursing through her. Her nose brushed up against his, sparks flying between them. She ran her tongue nervously over her lips, aware that this one, yearned for act would change their friendship forever.

  “They’re ready!” One of their helpers came out, shouting. Their response was instantaneous, both jumping away from one another as if hit by a bolt of lighting. Kim turned, trying to look anywhere but at Matt.

  “Thank you, we’ll be there in a moment.” She said, her face burning. A quick glance at Matt told her he was feeling exactly the same. Smiling awkwardly, she fiddled with her hair as she moved to the door, the moment having passed.

  She couldn’t pay attention to the rain-making ceremony, her eyes constantly being drawn over to Matt who looked away each time she caught his eye. Though she tried to work out exactly what was going on in the ceremony, in the end she gave up. Every time she thought she understood what was being said or was happening, her mind returned to Matt and
she couldn’t help but glance at him, wishing they hadn’t been interrupted.

  Their eyes met for a moment and everyone else seemed to fade away. She saw only him, and felt her body react as if he was next to her. Looking away, she glanced at everyone, could they tell? She hoped it wasn’t that obvious.

  Someone nudged her and she pulled her attention back to the ceremony, only then realising it was over. Feeling a little guilty at missing all their hard work she went over, smiling broadly.

  “Thank you so much, it was wonderful to experience.” She shook their hands enthusiastically, finding herself right next to Matt once more.

  Imagined or otherwise she felt his warmth surrounding her, her body aching to be held. A blush rushed up and bloomed once more upon her face as she tried to avoid all eye contact with Matt, unsure if she would be able to stop herself from kissing him. She yearned to feel his lips upon hers. He shifted slightly, his hand accidentally brushing against her arm. Kim bit her lip trying to stop herself from crying out.

  Realising she was still shaking the man’s hand she stopped, and continued to focus upon him as Matt moved off. The elderly face wrinkled more than Kim thought possible, his eyes sparkling with understanding. With his free hand he patted the top of the hand that held his and nodded behind her.

  “When the rains come.” His laugh was a dry rattle that sent shivers and a chill through Kim. Letting go of his hand she smiled weakly to him and moved away. As she did he doubled over with a fit of coughing and was taken to a waiting truck by his helpers.

  The wind was beginning to pick up as she stepped onto the veranda. Hesitating, she wondered if she should go and speak to Matt. Wrapping a blanket around herself she decided that she would leave it until the morning when she was more awake.

  The sound of splashing woke her. Looking over in confusion, she saw by the clock that she had only been asleep a few hours. At first she couldn’t place the noise, but after a few moments the realisation pushed its way into her sleep-fogged mind - it was the steady drumming of rain. Jumping out of the bed she pushed the mosquito net out of the way and, still wrapped in the blanket from earlier, she ran out.