Chapter 5: Are we done talking?

Although I don’t have a watch, I know that Paulo’s time is definitely running out. Paulo must know that too. I do something I would never have thought myself capable of doing in these circumstances; I leave my hiding place.

Paulo bursts into the room with the hot tubs with what can only be seconds of his four minute deadline remaining. He stands by the door in shock.

“What kept you?” I say. “Your four minutes are nearly up. You almost missed enjoying a treat. This water is divine. Not too hot and not too cold.”

Paulo recovers from his shock and joins me in the tub. The tub is only two metres in diameter so we are fairly close together as soon as he enters the water. But he doesn’t immediately touch me as I had expected. He waits on the opposite side of the tub as though waiting for permission to approach me.

“You allowed me to find you when you could have easily hidden in one of these lockers,” says Paulo. “What does that mean?”

“What would you like it to mean?” I say.

“I would like it to mean that you have proved your cleverness and that you are now ready to continue where we left off before.”

“Are you sure you aren’t too tired and wish to go to bed?” I tease.

“I think I could manage to stay awake all night given the right incentive. How about you?”

“The same. Are we done talking?”

“I thought women like to talk,” he says as he wraps me in his arms.

“There’s a time and a place for everything. And talking isn’t what I need right now.”

He kisses me and I melt into his arms. My hands reach down to massage his already solid cock.

Just at that moment the lights go out and we are plunged into pitch darkness. But I don’t care. Paulo’s arms are wrapped around me and I simply don’t care.

Less than a minute later the emergency lighting activates and the room changes from pitch black to something akin to a moonlit night.

“Stay where you are and don’t move,” comes a man’s voice over a hidden speaker.

The warm glow flowing through my entire body makes me wonder why the man would think I would wish to move from this position.

“I think we are about to be arrested or something,” whispers Paulo into my ear.

I don’t care. I just want to hold Paulo like this and feel him pressed against me. The normal lighting comes back on and we break our hold on each other to look around us. I take the opportunity to retrieve my nightie which is floating in the water. I don’t recall whether it was Paulo or me who removed it during our brief interlude. I put it back on with some difficulty. The wet fabric clinging to me in a way it didn’t seem to do just moments before.

Three security guards enter our room accompanied by a man with enough gold braid on his uniform to indicate that he’s somebody important.

“This is most irregular. Most irregular,” grumbles the man. “These facilities are closed for the duration of the Argonaut. I don’t know how you gained entry to this building, but you must leave. It is fortunate you didn’t enter the old school. We would have had to arrest you if you went up there. Now, make yourselves decent and I’ll escort you to the door.”

I look at Paulo and realise that he is as baffled as I am at what is going on. As Paulo and I fetch some towels to dry ourselves it dawns on me that these security guards think we are central city residents who have found a way into this recreation centre. They don’t know we are Argonaut contestants, and have sneaked down here from our respective dormitory.