Through the Sandstorm

by Raina Ash

  They remained in silence for a while, enjoying each other’s comfort. She took a breath and inhaled the scent of his skin. It was no longer tainted with the must of the desert and the gritty, earthy aroma of the sand. He was warm and held her firmly and it was like their ordeal the past few days was a dream she finally woke from.

  Tiredness crept back into her body. “Hey,” she said, pulling away to look in his eyes. “I want to tell you something before I fall asleep. I’m sorry for how I acted. For being drunk and coming onto you. I guess I was attracted to you earlier than I realized and the alcohol lowered my restraints. And I’m sorry for focusing too much on Noah and not thinking about what you might be feeling.”

  “You don’t have to-”

  “I want to. I want to let you know that I’m thinking of your perspective. And there are a lot of unknowns about the future. We’ve both experienced crappy past relationships. You said you traveled, but your girlfriends never wanted to go with you and then betrayed your trust. My experience was the exact opposite. My ex never invited me to travel and then he betrayed my trust while on business trips. So it’s hard to find someone you can rely on and I get that.”

  Paul nodded, giving her his full attention.

  “So, anyway, what I’m saying is, I want you to know about me. I’m not someone who likes one-night stands and I keep feeling pressured like it’s something I’m supposed to do, but I hate it. I want someone by my side who wants me around. I crave that stability. I don’t mind traveling, but I’ve always shied away from it because it makes me lonely. Even when I traveled to Mexico once with my friend, I felt lonely. On this trip, I was lonely at first, but it went away the more time we spent together. If someone invited me, I’d be delighted to travel the world. To reasonable destinations.”

  Paul smiled.

  “I’m not trying to make a plea or force something to happen,” she continued. “Because you said you’re not looking for a relationship right now. Just know those things about me before we part ways. I’m happy I got lost with you and not someone else. I could rely on you and we made a good team and got back to safety together. Thank you for that.”

  Paul nodded and pulled her back into a hug. “Thank you for saying those words. Do you need to rest?”

  Her arms and legs were heavy. “Not yet. Are you staying here or leaving soon? If you’re leaving, I want to stay awake to say goodbye.”

  He exhaled, releasing all the tension he held in his body waiting for Allison to return safely. “I’m not leaving. I had a lot of time to think about you and to worry. And what you said makes sense. I’ve been unreasonable, haven’t I? We’re still learning about each other, but I know I can rely on you in difficult situations. And I’ve enjoyed your company more than I’ve enjoyed anyone’s in a long time.” He gave her a squeeze. “I don’t know what will happen in the future. I really don’t know if things will work out, but I’m hopeful. I’m was being emotional and basing my decision on unfortunate events that happened in the past.”

  “Can I kiss you then?”

  He smiled and brought her chin up. He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “I was terrified of something happening to you. I care about you more than I wanted to admit. And the past is the past. I’d rather have your company now and worry about tomorrow later. But I’d like your company tomorrow, too.”

  “So you like me and you want to hook up more. Is that what you’re saying?”

  He laughed. “Yes, I suppose that’s the summary of what I’m saying.”

  She bit her lip. “Well, now I’m not sure. Maybe what you said before was right. We live in different states and you’re terrible at trivia...” She smiled at him playfully.

  He shook his head and kissed her. “After we fly back to the States, I was thinking I could rent a place in L.A. next month and take you on a few dates. If you want.”

  “No pressure?”

  “None.”

  She put her head back on his shoulder. “Okay, I can agree to a two hundred dollar steak dinner with you.”

  “That’s too expensive for steak.”

  “Or sushi. I’ve always wanted to try sushi. Two hundred dollar sushi.”

  He laughed. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of the bandages carefully. “We survived and made it back. That’s something to celebrate.”

  She beamed, excited to see where the rest of the trip would take them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  THEY SPENT ANOTHER DAY in the village regaining their strength before making the journey back to Marrakech. Noah left to attend to other tour groups while Paul and Allison spent one final night together in a riad.

  “What time does your flight leave tomorrow?” Allison asked Paul, sprawled out on the bed, full from dinner.

  He was at the window looking out at the shallow pool in the middle of the riad’s courtyard. “Eight. So I need to leave here early. Yours is in the afternoon?”

  “Yeah. I’ll hang around here and read an ebook. I’m done with exploring.”

  “What about Cairo? No exploring there?”

  Allison rolled onto her side, scratching at her hands that were still sunburned and covered with bandages. “I guess I mean exploring by myself. With Summer as my guide, I’ll be okay. Sucks you can’t join us and see the Bent pyramid.”

  Paul shrugged. “Another time. I’ve been absent from work too long. Time to get back.”

  “And you’re sure I’ll see you again and you won’t ghost me?”

  “You’ll absolutely see me again.” He lay next to her on the bed. “I’m supposed to help you win trivia.”

  “Right. That will be perfect.” Allison made a victory sign.

  Paul laughed. Then his expression turned serious.

  She touched his cheek. “Something on your mind?”

  “Yeah.”

  She waited for him to share more, but instead he rolled her onto her back. He leaned in for a kiss. She smiled and pulled him closer, playing with the bottom of his shirt. He was much less rushed and greedy this time, hands touching her stomach and sides, lips grazing the skin of her neck. He pulled off his shirt, and she squeezed his biceps, ready to pounce from touching his strong muscles.

  “It’s hard taking it slow,” she said.

  “Well,” he responded, moving his hand to her pants. He slipped his fingers past the top of her jeans, down to her wet lips. He pushed two fingers inside her. “I can help with that.”

  She bit her lip, tempted. “I want you. Don’t tease me with fingers.”

  He smirked. “You’re a little bushy.”

  She pushed him up and away. “Excuse me. I have been stranded in the desert for several days. Sans razor. There were other things on my mind.”

  He continued to let his fingers roam around between her legs. He pressed down on top of her, kissing her deeply. She touched the bulge in his pants, rolling it up and down. She was happy to let things progress, but he stood up.

  "What is it?" she said.

  With swift hands, he undid her jeans and yanked them off and onto the floor. She gasped and tried to curl up on her side. He wrestled her back into position and climbed over her for a kiss. As she relaxed from the warmth of his lips, he nimbly slid her panties off and stood back up.

  “I’m very exposed here,” she said. “Can we at least dim the lights or something?” She got a glimpse of how bushy she was and felt embarrassed. She was normally much more trimmed.

  “There's no need for that.” He undid his belt buckle and pants button, letting his jeans fall to the floor, exposing plain black boxers. Then he slipped those down his hips. He was fully hard and the tip of his cock glistened with pre-cum. He looked over Allison and her splayed out position. Her shirt and bra were still on, but the rest was wide open and in full view. He stopped to stroke himself a few times.

  He got on his knees and pulled her hips closer to the edge of the bed. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. I’ve told you you’re a beautiful woman and I’m quite
enjoying this view.”

  She covered her face with the inside of her elbow, cheeks flushing.

  He kissed the inside of her thighs, running a hand over her stomach. He pushed her legs down into a butterfly position and brought his tongue to her available clit, making soft circles.

  She finally raised her head to look when he stuck two fingers inside her, combined with the steady motions of his tongue. He made eye contact, sending a wave of emotion through her body.

  She squirmed, even more eager to have him inside her. “God, stop teasing me,” she called out.

  He let out a soft hum and she could tell he was smiling against her pussy lips. He pulled back and wiped his chin. “You should enjoy this.”

  “I’m trying to. You’re making me feel so vulnerable.”

  Without warning, he climbed on top of her and pressed the head of his cock against her opening. He leaned close to her ear and spoke in a low voice. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ve got time. Relax and feel good.”

  His deep voice against her ear wasn’t helping the fever running through her body. She needed him to fuck her more than ever. She grabbed his hips and tried to thrust up, but he pulled away and returned to his position on the floor. He pushed two fingers inside her while his tongue continued moving, licking in circles and then flicking up and down. He grabbed the tender areas on her inner thighs with his free hand, causing the sensations to intensify. He shoved a third finger in, pushing his face hard against her.

  She threw her head back. “Paul, will you come fuck me? Please.”

  He slid his fingers in and out. “Why can’t you get off with this?”

  She let out a frustrated moan. “I can. It feels good, I just-” The rest of her sentence fell into nonsensical sounds as he continued to pound her with his fingers.

  “Okay,” he said, and moved his torso over hers. The playful expression left his face, and he pulled her shirt up over her head. He kissed down her neck all the way to her bra line. She grabbed his shoulders and kneaded while he pulled her bra straps down enough to scoop each breast out and over the top of each cup. Her nipples puckered in the air.

  As he moved his mouth down to suck each puckered mound, she reached the end of her patience. She wrapped her legs around his hips and twisted him over onto his back. While he was caught off guard, she sat down, forcing his cock deep inside her. She let out a primal groan and pushed her pelvis against his.

  He sat up halfway and grabbed her ass to steady the motion. She pressed her face into the crook of his neck, bouncing and grinding, and held on tight to his back while their hips fell into sync. He nibbled her skin and then brought their lips together for a passionate kiss. He came first, moaning against her ear as he came, pushing as deep as he could inside her. The delicious sounds escaping his throat pushed her over the edge. She dug fingernails into his back as her body shook. Without her needing to ask, he rubbed her clit, extending the pleasure rippling through her. She kissed him deeply as the waves subsided.

  They both fell back on the bed and she found a comfortable spot next to him with her head resting on the inside of his shoulder. His chest rose and fell as he caught his breath.

  Neither of them had any words to say, content with each other’s warmth. He pulled a blanket over them as she closed her eyes. She could almost hear the wind grazing the tops of the sand dunes at night - a light, airy sound that carried grains of sand, one by one, into the distance.

  Life is fleeting, it reminded her. Savor your moments.

  Chapter Fifteen

  TEN MONTHS LATER

  Allison was sitting outside enjoying the warm breeze and typing on her laptop when her phone started to vibrate. She picked it up off the table and accepted the Skype call.

  Summer’s face popped on screen. “Hey, girl. Whatcha doing?”

  “Oh, getting some work done.” She rubbed her neck. All the laptop work was straining her muscles. She was debating whether or not to get a portable standing desk, if those even existed. “What are you up to? How’s the new studio?” She adjusted the sheer coverup she had on over her bikini.

  “Oh my god, amazing.” Summer spun in a circle so Allison could see behind her. She was in a large room with windows on one wall and lots of nature paintings on the other walls. Allison glimpsed a small corner table with a desk waterfall and several lit candles.

  “I’m so at home here,” Summer said. “I finished teaching a pilates class and I’ve got yoga in an hour. Then I’ll make my daily workout video for YouTube. It’s been nice not having to get on planes all the time and get jet lagged. I think I’ll chill here a few years and see where having my own studio takes me.”

  “I don’t know how you exercise so much in one day. I’d pass out after a half hour.”

  “Oh, I’m used to it by now. I’ve got thighs that can crack a walnut.”

  Allison laughed.

  “So where are you now? Show me.”

  Allison flipped her phone camera so Summer could see the beach that was several feet away. She and Paul had rented a small beach house in Hawaii for a month before they made a trip to China, so Paul could meet with a business partner. A few people were surfing, and Allison watched them ride a small wave close to shore.

  “It sucks that I finally come to L.A. and then you leave,” Summer said, tossing her hair and glaring at Allison through the phone.

  “It is an interesting change of events. But I’ll be back in a few months to see you. Promise.”

  “Fine. Well, how is your new venture going?”

  Allison stood to stretch her legs. “Really good, actually.” Paul came out of the house wearing swim trunks and a cotton shirt. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Really good?” he said. “How about great? She landed a huge client in New York that wants her to build out a full campaign for a new company launch.”

  Allison touched Paul’s arm with her free hand. “Yes, it’s great and also stressful. I may have to form an actual business, like my own marketing agency, and hire someone to help with the workload. I was going to freelance for a while, but things are moving fast. It’s a little scary.”

  “That’s amazing,” Summer said. “Congrats, Ally Cat. I’m so proud of you. I felt the same when my channel started taking off. My advice is to focus on one step at a time or you’ll get overwhelmed. Let the universe take care of it and provide.” She waved. “Hi, Paul. Are we finally going to meet soon in person?”

  Paul smiled. “Yes. We’ll be back there in a few months.”

  “Perfect. Oh, Allison, I called to tell you something.” Summer looked hesitant. “I’ve been keeping something from you. Don’t be mad, please.”

  “What could you possibly be keeping from me? We talk about everything.”

  “Well,” Summer sat on the floor and held the phone out high above her. “So I’ve been dating this guy and-”

  “What? For how long? When have you ever dated a guy since Jason? What do you mean by dating? Like hanging out or serious dating?”

  “It’s Noah.”

  Paul laughed. “That guy - can’t get rid of him.”

  “Noah?” Allison sat back down. “When did you two even seen each other?”

  “After you and I met in Cairo and then you flew back, Noah sent me a message saying he was also in Cairo and wanted to meet. I was going to stay an extra day to shoot a video, so I figured why not go say hi and catch up? We clicked before so it seemed like a good idea. I was open to having some fun, so we met at a café. I forgot how seriously hot he was and you know me. I couldn’t resist, Allison. He’s like a god with all those muscles and that accent makes me want to melt all over. So anyway, we met and had some fun, like a lot of fun, like oh my god I was so sore the next day kind of fun. This was all in Cairo and he helped me shoot the video and then he was free so he came with me to Ireland and then we kept hanging out after that and we were texting and meeting all over the place and now we’re engaged.”

  Allison almost dropped the p
hone. “I’m sorry, what? You were rambling, and I thought you said you two were engaged.”

  “Yeah. We are.” Summer held up her hand to show the sparkling engagement ring. She fell back onto the floor. “I love him so much, Allison. We connect so well and he’s so fun to be with and positive and we have similar life values. He gets me. I mean, him coming back into my life is destiny. It’s a sign that I’m ready to slow down and have a home base.”

  Allison glanced up at Paul. He shrugged.

  “Well, congratulations,” Paul said, leaning closer to the screen so Summer could see him.

  “Thanks, Paul. And you’re both coming to the wedding next year, right? Ally, you’re my maid of honor.”

  Allison was still shocked. “Okay. I mean, that’s wonderful. Yes, we’ll be there and I’m happy for you and I’ll be the best maid of honor ever. I need a moment to process, but Noah is a great guy, and I wish you two the best. I really am happy for you, just surprised.”

  “Oh, I get it,” Summer said, beaming. “I know I threw this at you all at once. I’m so looking forward to seeing you soon so I can gush in person, but that’s all I wanted to tell you. I’ll let you get back to work.”

  “Okay, well, miss you and see you soon.”

  They waved at each other and then Summer ended the call.

  Allison set her phone on the table and leaned back in the chair. She crossed her arms and exhaled, concentrating on the ocean.

  “Is it that concerning?” Paul said, grabbing a chair across from her.

  “No, well, yeah. Not in that way. I’m happy for them.” Allison looked out at the water and listened to the waves lapping against the sand. “It’s just that I thought I’d be getting married first since she’s so carefree. I was the one always dating and trying to have a long-term relationship. I guess I’ve felt behind in comparison. She traveled the world first, found happiness first. She’s had an amazing life, so marriage was my thing. Or was going to be. I was sure I’d get married first. I know it’s not a competition, I feel left out. Left out and behind in life. Now I’m finally taking the lead and exploring the world, and she’s already moving on to the next chapter, again. I envisioned my life somewhere different at this age. I’m only now starting a business in my mid-30’s and don’t even know if it will succeed. I’m always playing catch up.”