After a delightful lunch, Alexander led her to a car waiting for them. In twenty minutes they drove over to the iconic Sonoran Desert where they embarked on a guided tour in a 4-person ATV that Alexander had booked only for themselves.
Accompanied by a guide, they traveled through giant Saguaro cacti, and deep canyons carved by flash-flooding rains while learning about the plant life, wildlife, and stories of the Native Americans who lived there. With Alexander’s arm behind her seat, cocooning her, Eva was lost in the experience of a lifetime! She could spend a lifetime in his company if only he would allow her!
They soaked in the breath-taking views of the Agua Fria River and its valley,
“Wow, deer!” gasped Eva, spotting a herd of deer a little further up the creek crossing.
“Yes, ma’am. You can spot coyotes, bobcats, deer, rabbits, quails, and even rattlesnakes here,” informed the driver. True to his words, in the next 3 hours, they spotted almost all of them.
The driver dropped them off for their next trip, a kayak tour through the Salt River.
As they drifted along the calm water surface, listening to the skittering of squirrels and sounds of birdsong, Eva glanced at Alexander as he maneuvered the kayak expertly. She did not know about this adventurous side of his nature. Everything he did was outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Eva?” he asked, aware of her gaze upon him.
“Yes, very much. Thank you,” she breathed when the sound of hooves made her look at the water’s edge. She gasped with wonder at seeing a herd of six wild mustangs, drinking the saline water and munching on the soft grass on the banks. “Wow,” she whispered, stunned to see that their presence hardly affected the wild horses.
“In the night, you can spot Javelina as well. They’re pig-like denizens of the desert,” informed Alexander.
“You love adventure, don’t you? Have you seen them? Have you been on a moonlit kayak tour?”
“Yes, I have seen them on a night adventure, all on my own.” He flashed her a beautiful, heart-stopping smile that took her breath away. “It was very relaxing. How about you? Do you like adventure?” Eva smiled back, gazing at the way his eyes lit up expectantly, the way the sun’s rays played with them to make them look bluer than ever. She knew she could never get over him! She could enjoy anything with him. Didn’t he know she loved him so much? Didn’t he understand she loved whatever he did?
“Yes,” she just said softly, unable to tell him exactly how she felt.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard today. I was tired of traveling alone. From now on, you’ll be my traveling companion. We could go on adventures together, just you and I. Coming to think of it, I’ve never enjoyed myself as much as I did today.” Eva gazed at his excited face and listened to his deep voice as he rambled on excitedly. He really looked happy, and she was glad to cause it.
“Why did you have to travel alone when you could have asked Ashton, Stefan, Alyssa, or your ex-fiancee to accompany you?” she asked, watching him rather than the beautiful landscape all around.
“Lisa hates adventure, and Stefan is busy with his family business. Ashton accompanied me on a trip or two, but he feels it’s a waste of time and money. As for Beatrix, I’ve never asked her, since she hates this type of holiday. For her, traveling on her private jet to some exclusive resort is the ideal vacation. So, we went nowhere together,” said Alexander with a shrug. Eva’s heart sang with joy, knowing that he considered her special!
He paddled along the green riverbanks, marveling at the towering red cliffs all around. A bald eagle swooped low for its prey and they watched it with wonder. The surface of the water glinted a silvery hue under the warm afternoon sun. Eva took a deep breath, as they floated past the rugged cliffs jutting skyward and the iconic Saguaros that lined the hillsides.
“Would you like a dip?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Although Eva wouldn’t have ever thought of it under normal circumstances, the urge to please Alexander was so great that she agreed immediately. He paddled towards a shallow bank and anchored the vessel. Getting down on the grassy banks, he helped her alight.
Eva’s eyes widened at seeing him strip, and she immediately turned her back toward him. She had last seen him in his swimming trunks when he was eighteen before he left for Switzerland, but that was nearly nine years ago.
“Are you planning to swim in those?” His amused question brought her out of her reverie, and she immediately started repenting her decision. How would she strip in front of him? Of course, it wasn’t a big deal for others, but Eva’s nature differed from other girls her age. She wasn’t outgoing and refrained from most of the things other women of her age enjoyed. Her life had been a struggle these past nine years, and she didn’t swim around with guys. The first and last time she did swim was with Alexander! She was just twelve then and he hardly even glanced her way!
“I need to use a washroom first,” she said, looking around.
“There’s one way down at that trailhead,” he said, pointing at one further up the bend of the river tucked behind a cliff. “Do you want me to come along?”
“Yes, please,” she said, her ears flushing with embarrassment.
“Sure.” Thankfully, he had just unbuttoned his shirt and the rest of his clothes were intact. He grabbed her hand and helped her along the trail toward the washroom. While she disappeared inside, he stripped to his swimming trunks and waited for her to emerge.
The door opened after a few minutes and Eva shyly emerged wearing only a blush pink bikini that almost blended with her rosy skin tone. A tremor of need coursed through Alexander at seeing her barely concealed curvaceous body. She took his breath away! He could feel his organ twitching to life and had to turn away abruptly. He didn’t want her to witness his arousal.
“Let’s go. We have an hour to get back before the sun sets.” He marched ahead of her while Eva watched the rippling muscles on his back, his tight and se*y as* contained in a pair of black swimming trunks set her heart racing faster than lightning. The urge to trail her fingers down the hard contours of his body aroused her. She could see how much he had matured from what he was nine years ago.
“Give me your hand. I don’t want you to slip and hurt yourself,” said Alexander, turning to look at her as he held his hand out for her to take. She placed her hand in his and he led her into the water. They dived deep and swam about, but Alexander stayed close to her throughout, careful not to touch any part of her. It was a very intimate experience as they watched each other discreetly, acutely aware of their own desires. The water was warm and fresh and it was a unique experience for them. A coyote’s call echoed around, and Eva shuddered a little. The sun was about to set and it wasn’t safe to be in the water anymore.
“I think we should head back.” Eva nodded, and he helped her to the bank.
“I need to change out of this.” She said, taking the towel out of her backpack and wiping herself. Alexander nodded and led her back to the washroom where she changed out of the wet swimming costume and wore the fresh set of undergarments she brought with her. When she came out, Alexander was already dressed and his damp hair slicked back to give him a freshly showered look. She noticed the dark look in his eyes as he led her back to their kayak. In fact, he had suddenly become reticent since their swimming expedition. Eva didn’t have any idea what went wrong and didn’t prod him at all. He paddled faster this time to get back before the sun set completely. They hitched a ride to the parking area where the car was parked to take them back to the hotel after a tiring day.
“Hungry? We can stop somewhere for dinner,” suggested Alexander, but Eva shook her head.
“We can avail room service if you don’t mind. I’m tired.” It was the truth, since she had never had so much adventure in one day! Alexander looked at her with concern and touched her forehead and cheek to check her body temperature.
“Maybe we overdid it today. We can rest if you don’t want to go anywhere,” he said, but Eva shook her head.
“I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep.” They returned to the hotel and Alexander ordered dinner while she freshened up.
When she emerged from her room, she saw a lavish dinner spread out on the table, but Alexander was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was taking a shower!
“What the f*ck!” cursed Alexander loudly from his room, startling Eva and making her jump up with fear. What happened to him now?