Out of the Darkness

by Juliette Banks

  "More sex, huh? Let me think about that…" I paused, giving him a grin. "Yes, I think I can just about bear that hardship for another ten days."

  Chapter 8

  The last few days of the Australian fashion shoot were to take place in the Outback, on a cattle station. The editor wanted the first edition of the magazine to show as much of the country as possible, with the contrast between the traditional ways of life of, say, the cattle farmer, and the more modern and dynamic world of Australian fashion.

  Robbo came to my bed almost every night for the rest of the shoot, under cover of darkness, and unknown to the rest of the group, but during the day we just smiled and joked, the same as the others. I was fairly sure that no one knew our secret, although the make-up girl gave me a quizzical look once or twice.

  Towards the end of the shoot, as we were lying in my bed, Robbo broached a subject I didn't expect to hear from him—the future.

  "I think you might have wormed your way into my heart, you beautiful girl. How about we take off for a few days together when we get back to Sydney? You said you were planning to stay on for a week."

  I laughed. "So that 'love them and leave them' philosophy you mentioned is just a front. Don't tell me you are a romantic underneath?"

  "It must be you, Marianne, you must have cast a spell on me."

  "So what did you have in mind," I asked.

  "Well, I'm due for a vacation. How about we take a road trip right across to Perth? Could you stretch your trip by another week?"

  I had no job lined up for a couple of weeks after my return home, and Robbo's plan sounded exciting. Having worked since the age of fifteen, I’d never done the normal student gap year travel. Yes, I had travelled extensively, but always staying in expensive hotels and hardly having the time to see the countries I was visiting. I accepted eagerly.

  When we returned to Sydney, I changed my return flight ticket so that I could fly home from Perth a week later than planned, and told the others I was taking off to see something of Australia. Most of the other models were returning straight away and we said our goodbyes with regret, because we’d bonded as a group and it had been great fun.

  Robbo told me he had to spend a day at the magazine offices to finish off some paperwork, but he would collect me from the hotel at nine am the following morning. On the dot of nine, I was waiting in the lobby and saw a rather battered old jeep pull up outside our five-star hotel, and out of it stepped Robbo, windswept hair as usual, and dressed in his normal attire of shorts and t-shirt. Surely he wasn't travelling all that way in this vehicle? I went out to meet him, pulling my usual two large suitcases.

  "Are you sure this thing will survive a journey this long," I asked, not entirely joking.

  Robbo put on a pretend hurt face. "Please don't upset Bertha, she has very sensitive feelings. Ah, I see you have the usual model-sized suitcases? I don't think you will want most of the stuff in here on the trip, but I guess you will need it for the flight back. I think shorts and a t-shirt will be fine. Oh, and you won't be needing any nightwear on this trip either."

  He gave me a lecherous grin after his last statement. I jumped in and off we went. I felt like I was an actress in one of those Hollywood road movies, heading for who knew where, and what adventures.

  Travelling with Robbo was an exhilarating experience. He believed in living life to the fullest and experiencing everything he came across. We set off on the road to Melbourne and then to Adelaide, stopping off at a little motel on the way, and nearly breaking the springs in the bed there. We were so loud that the people in the room next door banged on the wall to tell us to shut up.

  "They're only jealous," said Robbo.

  It took us four days to reach Adelaide, where we again stayed in a motel. At each stop, we had sex like rabbits, hardly able to leave each other alone. It was simple, uncomplicated fucking, to bring it to its basic level, and I loved it. I could forget all the pain that had gone before and just let my hair down and be young and free again. Lily was the only one who knew where I was and what I had been doing. I sent her an e-mail so that she wouldn’t worry when I didn’t arrive on the planned flight.

  Her reply said simply, "You go, girl. Have fun!"

  Robbo even stopped off at a beach and tried to teach me how to surf, but I'm afraid I was a hopeless case, unable to stand on the board, and coming back half drowned. But I loved to watch him, with his sun-tanned, muscled chest, his sun-streaked blond hair, and his sturdy legs that enabled him to stand firmly on the board as he rode the waves.

  After Adelaide we headed for the Eyre Highway, the road that crossed the Nullarbor Plain, which ran straight for mile after mile, and the only thing we saw for hours were kangaroos. Robbo took me on a short detour at a place called Cocklebiddy, where he drove his jeep down a bumpy and sandy track until we reached the ocean. The beach was deserted and had a wild, untamed look, with huge bleached pieces of wood that had been thrown up by the wild storms of the Southern Ocean. “There’s nothing between us and Antarctica at this place” he told me, and I believed him. I had the feeling as we ran down the sand dunes and looked out to sea that we were at the end of the earth. We stopped overnight at a motel at Balladonia, listed as a town but with a population of less than twenty people, most of them travelers who stayed for a while and worked at the motel before continuing their journeys. The end of the Eyre Highway was the mining town of Kalgoorlie, before the long trip to Perth on the west coast of Australia. I felt I had had a real Australian Outback experience. And who better to see it with than my handsome Aussie surfer?

  I met Robbo's parents and sister at their home in Fremantle, near Perth, and they were exactly the same as he, loud but friendly. His mother gave us dinner and then invited us to stay, but Robbo declined.

  "No it's okay, Ma, we're going to head down south for a few days."

  Afterwards, when I asked him why we didn't spend the night at his parents' home, he said, "I can't fuck you in the room next door to my parents and younger sister. It would be too weird."

  Eventually, the day arrived when I was due to fly home. Robbo took me to the airport and the air between us was quiet and reflective. I’d thought hard over the previous few days about what I wanted to happen for the future and, as fond as I was of Robbo, I knew that this was just a summer romance for us and that, as fun as it had been, I didn’t see a future together for us. I sensed that he was thinking the same.

  We sat near the check-in desk at the airport and talked for a few minutes. Robbo was the first to speak. "So I guess this is goodbye, isn't it?"

  "I think it probably is. You've no idea how much I’ve enjoyed our time together. It reminded me that I am still young and free. But I think we both know that we have no long-term future together."

  "Yes, I hear what you're saying, and I think you’re right, but I shall never forget our time together." He reached across and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "You are a beautiful woman, with a beautiful soul. You take care of yourself, and stay in touch."

  He leaned over and kissed me tenderly on the lips, then jumped up and walked quickly away, leaving me on the verge of tears and almost wanting to run after him. But I knew, deep down, that he wasn’t the man for me. Chad had been the man for me, but he was gone, and I didn't know if I would ever feel that strongly about any other man again.

  I returned to my life in London refreshed and more at peace with myself than I had been since losing Chad. My time in Africa and my short fling with Robbo in Australia helped me to feel more positive about the future. I didn’t know if I would ever meet the man of my dreams, but I was content to live my life as best I could, and take any opportunities that might come along. Meeting Chad had made me realize that I didn’t want a relationship as I had experienced with Robbo, as fun as it was. I wanted something deeper. I needed something deeper. I suppose some might say that I was always seeking a father figure, someone who would guide me and take care of me in the way that Chad had done. Chad had introduced me to the D
ominant/submissive lifestyle, but we had barely had the time to mold it to suit ourselves before I lost him. Now I sought a lover with whom I could discover the true rewards that I knew would await me, once I had set off down that path. I was never more certain of the direction in which I must travel.

  And so came the memorable day when William and I met at Heathrow Airport. I didn’t know immediately that he was the man for me, but it wasn’t long before I realized that my life was about to change forever—and for the better, as far as I was concerned.

  As we arrived in New York, William seemed anxious to continue what had been ignited between us. "So where are you staying in New York, Marianne?"

  I gave him a smile, withdrawing from my memories. "My agency has booked me into The Pierre on 5th Avenue. It's where I usually stay when I come over."

  "Ah, that raises an interesting dilemma. I’m booked into the Plaza, the Royal Plaza suite, no less. It's close to yours, but not close enough for me. My suite has three bedrooms. That would be one for me, one for you, and a third, which we could share, could we not? I think we could have a very pleasurable time together, Miss Marianne Delaney. Does that sound an interesting proposition to you?"

  It sounded so much more than an interesting proposition. I wanted to be cool and collected and at least give the pretense that I was mulling it over, but the sheer power of his dominant masculinity was too much for me. I was lost. I didn't need to say anything. William Northcroft already knew that I was his for the taking.

  We checked through Customs and retrieved our luggage, and minutes later we were in the back seat of a limousine, gliding through the traffic from JFK airport towards Manhattan. William spoke to someone, probably his secretary, on his cell phone.

  "Cassandra, can you contact the Pierre Hotel in New York and tell them that one of their guests, a Miss Marianne Delaney, will not be requiring the room she had booked. Would they please cancel the reservation and transfer any calls and enquiries to me at The Plaza. Yes, I have just arrived. Thank you."

  That business taken care of, William then turned his whole attention to me. "You called me 'Sir' on the plane. Was that intentional, or did it just slip out?"

  "I… I suppose it just seemed natural to me," I stammered. I had? I couldn't remember.

  "Good. You can continue to call me Sir if you wish. Or you can call me William. I don't mind."

  My voice was reduced to almost a whisper. "Thank you, Sir."

  He reached over and took my hand. "I take it you’ve been in situations like this before?"

  I refused to give in to the flush of tears, still fresh from my foray into memories. "Well I… yes, I have, but not always with a good end result. I’m a little nervous, Sir."

  "And so you should be, Marianne. But don't worry, you can trust me. I won't take us anywhere you don't want to go. You’ll be safe with me."

  He looked at me with his intense eyes and I felt safe. He was not another Leon.

  "So, you like to play hard, do you? When you said that to me, my cock became rock hard, and it’s still hard now."

  He drew my hand across and placed it on his lap. He hadn’t exaggerated.

  He leaned over and ran the back of his finger lightly down my cheek. "You really are exquisite. Some models look good from a distance, but don't stand the test of close proximity. But you, Marianne, have the looks that could send a man insane. The lovely thing is that I don't think you are even aware of the effect you have on a man, and particularly on his cock."

  He reached for the buttons at his side and immediately the glass panel between the driver and us became opaque.

  "I think that perhaps you might relieve some of the pressure in my cock. Why don't you slide down here between my legs and put those luscious lips of yours around it?”

  I didn't hesitate. I wanted to give myself to this striking, charismatic man. We had only met hours before, yet my body was buzzing with excitement. I was his for the taking. I went down on my knees and gently removed his cock from his pants. It was big and thick and solid as a rock. I licked the tip and then swirled my lips around the end before slipping it into my warm, ready mouth. I heard a sigh from above but I didn’t look up. I was concentrating on giving this man the best blowjob I could give.

  It lasted nearly all the way to the hotel, and I was impressed by William's staying power. He timed it so that, just a block away from the Plaza, he exploded into my mouth and held his cock there until I’d swallowed all his seed. I licked every last trace from his cock, and he then produced a clean handkerchief and bent over and wiped my face until, although a little flushed, my complexion was restored to cleanliness. Just at that moment the car glided to a halt outside the hotel. His timing had been immaculate.

  "Well that is a much more pleasurable way to travel than looking at boring e-mails." He smiled at me, and I knew that I was in for a very interesting few days in New York.

  Chapter 9

  I’d never been in the Plaza before, although I’d heard that it was a lovely hotel, with sophisticated and elegant period décor and beautiful chandeliers. The Royal Plaza suite was amazing, with views over 5th Avenue and Central Park South. A bottle of champagne was waiting for us on our arrival and I didn't know if this was standard or whether it had been ordered.

  When the luggage was delivered, William directed that his be taken to the master bedroom and mine to the bedroom next door.

  "We’ll decide what to do with the third bedroom in due course." His words sent a shiver of expectation through me. "Now, before I ravish your beautiful body, I suggest that we work out our schedules. I’ll be in meetings all day tomorrow, and the next, and tomorrow evening, I’m due to attend a formal dinner. Perhaps you would care to accompany me?"

  I smiled. "Yes, Sir, I would. I don't have any formal gowns with me, but I should be able to borrow a dress from the shoot I’ll be doing. It's due to last two days, starting at ten am tomorrow, and then I have a couple of days spare before I fly back to London."

  It surprised me how quickly I got into the habit of calling William Sir. It seemed natural somehow, even though he’d given me the option of using his name. It also seemed natural to let him make most of the decisions, and I was happy to do as he bid me.

  "So, we have a couple of hours before dinner. I wonder how we should spend that time?" He moved close to me and took my face between his two hands and tilted it up towards him. "Perhaps we should take a look at the third bedroom and see what prospects it offers?"

  I nodded, unable to speak.

  "You must speak to me, Marianne. I cannot risk any misunderstandings between us. Do you understand?"

  "Y-yes, Sir. I'm sorry."

  "I want to take a shower after the flight, and I'm sure you want one too. Suppose we meet in twenty minutes in the third bedroom? I want to see you sitting on the end of the bed when I enter the room, and I want you to be wearing just panties and a pair of high-heeled shoes. Please don’t be late, as I hate unpunctuality. I’d hate to have to punish you so soon."

  A shiver of expectation travelled down my spine. How easily I had slipped back into a submissive mode, for a man I had known for just a few hours.

  I wanted to wash my hair, but I knew I wouldn’t have time to dry it properly, so I tied it up out of the way and jumped into the shower. The hot, power shower was just what I needed to wash away the grime from travelling, and restore a tired mind.

  The pleasure from showering almost made me forget about my time limitation. I jumped out and quickly toweled myself dry, put on a clean pair of black panties and slipped my feet into my shoes. My bottom had barely made contact with the bed when William appeared in the doorway. God, the man looked so hot. He’d changed from his rather austere, navy pin-striped suit, and was now wearing a pair of black sweat pants, sitting on his hips, and a plain white t- shirt. His feet were bare and his dark hair was still damp from the shower. He smiled at me, a lazy, laconic smile that made my pussy contract with desire.

  "Good. I see you’re punctual
."

  He ambled across to me and stopped one foot away. I was very conscious that my face was level with his groin, and I swear I could see his cock twitching beneath his pants. He put out his hand and lifted up my chin and, almost tenderly, stroked my face with the back of his other hand.

  "Such a beautiful face," he murmured.

  He bent and kissed me gently on the lips, then told me to stand. My legs were like jelly, but I managed to pull myself up and stand in front of him, just inches away. I trembled slightly and he picked up on it immediately.

  "You feel it, don't you?" he asked. "We have a connection. I felt it as soon as I saw you in the airport. It's more than just the urge to fuck. It's more than the urge to spank your bottom. It's the urge to reach right down into the core of your being, to connect at a primal level. Do you understand that?"

  I could do nothing more than whisper as I looked into those dark, intense eyes. "Yes Sir."

  "We don't have a lot of time, but I want very much to get inside that pussy you are barely covering with those tiny panties, and see if it is as sweet as the rest of you. Then we must go for dinner. But when we come back, I am going to have you crawl around on all fours and let me feast on that luscious ass. I may spank you and I may not. I haven't decided yet, and that is something you’ll be able to ponder all the time we’re eating our meal. Will he, or won't he?" William was fully confident that he had assessed me correctly. He was clearly very astute, and a good judge of facial expressions and the subtle signals that a woman gives to a man to whom she is sexually attracted, and vice versa. So far, he had taken the lead, and I had followed without complaint.

  He put his arms around my body and rested his hands on my bottom. They were large and firm and I wanted to fall to the floor right there and beg him to spank me now. But the words didn’t come, and even if I begged, I was sure that he would ignore my pleas and follow his own schedule.