Chapter 56

There was relief and delight not just at finally opening the two huge front doors of the house, but with the fact that everything appeared to have been left undisturbed. In their month away, Jamie found that the lounge windows had been boarded up and the woodwork surround had been replaced and painted, probably in preparation for new glass.

"Looks like the landlord has been and done a few repairs." he announced passing through the kitchen. While Julie, Juan and Peter slowly followed them around, the children explored, checking that their respective rooms had been left alone. Satisfied that almost everything was normal, they gathered in the kitchen.

"The pool's been patched up, but the pump sounds like it's going to explode. Water's clear, though."

"Ahh!" cried Lauren as she opened the fridge. The smell crept out, nauseating the group in seconds.

"Jesus, what the hell was in there?" asked Peter.

"I've no idea, but I bet it could walk out on it's own. Jeeze, what a stink!" smiled Jamie, handing her a cloth.

It took most of the evening to clear up, make beds and move the food out of the spare room and into the utility area. Jamie and Lauren would stay in their separate rooms while Julie would stay in Emma's room on a mattress. Peter agreed to stay the night on the sofa which pulled out to make a reasonable queen-sized bed. Everyone took turns using the phone, reporting to the embassy that they were safe. Although the line was crackly, Lauren was overjoyed to hear that they had her name on the register, and the embassy staff sounded truly pleased that she was safe, well and at home. She was almost certain too that they said they would get a message to her parents in the next couple of days. After ringing off, she tried to phone them herself, but despite dialing five or six times, received no ringing tone from Switzerland.

Jamie, helped by Peter, brought the air conditioning back on and watched carefully as the gas boiler roared into life to provide hot water. Just before bed, they wandered out into the grounds, checking the fences and making sure there were no dead bodies or other inconveniences lurking in the shadows. Emma came running back from the stables to report with unconcealed delight that the horses had gone.

Lauren waved goodnight to her friends and shut her door quietly. Her bed beckoned, the silk bedspread shining in the gloom of the evening. She fell, face down on top if it, hugging it's coolness, smiling and bubbling at the thought of having escaped so successfully. She was sorely tempted to strip and fall asleep on the spot, but pushed herself to wander through into her bathroom and wash. She tore off her T-Shirt and threw it in the corner, deciding that the best thing would be simply to throw it away in the morning. She slipped off the remains of her jeans, and peeled her filthy knickers off down her legs. Four days of sweat and grime had blackened them to a state that she had not thought possible. Naked, she stretched above her head, turning to look at herself in the mirror.

Her face was definitely blotchy, her cheeks red, almost swollen by the sun and rough living. Great black streaks seemed to have channeled into her face where sweat had coursed down during their trek. Her tan remained intact, but her hips seemed more pronounced, not because she had put weight on, but because she had lost it, sweated it all away during their one hundred mile sauna through the country. Admittedly, a large part had been in the bus, but that had been hot if not strenuous. She grabbed her buttocks, squeezing them, parting her cheeks as the cool air flowed around her legs. A hand cupped her pussy, grinding against the thick mat of her pubic hair. She scratched in the most unladylike fashion, bringing her fingers up to her nose. It was quite apparent that tired or not, she desperately needed to wash.

The shower water was luke warm at best, but that scarcely mattered as she pulled the curtain around and stepped under the jet. Raising her arms, she let the water pummel her body, massaging her back into life. The water flowed down her legs, still clean to her surprise. However, once the soap took effect, great black streams of dirt appeared, and every time she rubbed her skin, the water changed colour. Ten minutes later, she stepped out, dripping and incredulous that there had been so much dirt and moreover, that she could have even considered going to bed without washing.

In her lounge, she slumped on the sofa and flicked on the TV. The rerun of a western that she had seen when she first arrived made her smile. Still naked and dripping water, she absently rested her right foot on the arm of the sofa and laid back to watch the film. Her fingers found her pussy, reawakening her with feelings that had been absent for almost a week. The message said 'play with me' but reality beckoned. She turned off the TV, and slid into bed, hugging the pillow as she drifted into her dreamworld.

Lauren woke at seven, and even though her clock agreed, she distrusted it enough to get up, wash and dress in her father's great white shirt and clean (oh joy!) knickers before making her way to the kitchen. Passing the lounge, she spied Peter, flat on his stomach on the sofabed. Her breathed heavily, his frame pushing up the thin sheet that covered him. She leant against the doorway, watching. He was broad-shouldered, strong, and tall. His clothes lay scattered around the room just as though they had been ripped from his body the night before. Alarm bells rang briefly in her head. Julie, Emma? Surely not. She tip- toed into the kitchen, made coffee as quickly as possible and returned to sit on the side of his bed.

"Hey, wakey wakey! Another thirty miles to do!" The lack of five days shaving was apparent, stubble beginning to lay evenly over his face.

"Ohh!" he grumbled, rolling onto his back with a broad smile. She sat facing him, offering the coffee as he looked around for another pillow to help him sit upright. "Jeeze, I really ache"

"Yeah, so do I. You should use the pool today, relax in the sun a bit." He nodded, pushing the pillow behind him as he gathered the sheet around his waist. He had a hairy chest, muscular with rounded shoulders and strong arms. His eyes wandered over Lauren, dwelling momentarily on her long legs as he sipped his coffee. Lauren recalled her thoughts about Peter, how he had tied for first place with Julie. She knew it would end up like his tale of his past girlfriend, probably even worse until she herself returned to Switzerland. After the uprising, and assuming that everything settled down, he was unlikely to return to San Falino on business.

"I must call work, tell them I'll be out of contact for a couple of days."

"Ohh, right!"

"Oh, sorry, if that's OK. I mean, well... you know." Lauren nodded, smiling assent. She shifted slightly, facing him.

"I can show you round. The car's still here, and we could go into Boquette. In fact, we could all go out for lunch. I've got the housekeeping credit card!" He smiled, leaning over to find somewhere to put his coffee. Lauren took it from him, placing it safely by the fireplace.

"You look nice and cool. How hot is it today?"

She shrugged. "My father's." she said, posing to show off the shirt.

"Suits you." His eyes probed beneath the shirt tails. "Didn't Jamie say the pool was working?"

"Yep. You'd have to borrow some of his Dad's swimming trunks. You're much too big for his." said Lauren innocently. As the words sank in she smiled, shaking her with embarrassment, shifting closer to him. He toured her body again with his gaze, pleasure in his eyes quite apparent as he leaned back against his pillow, his movement and body inviting, casual. Lauren leaned across him, placing her left hand the other side of his legs, still not touching but confirming interest. Her legs shifted once again, the tanned highway in line with his head.

"Hey!" exclaimed Lauren as though discovering something revolutionary, "do you want a bath? You can use mine if you want?" Her mind told that the offer was as far as she wanted to go at that moment. If he had pulled her down and kissed her, she would have reciprocated willingly. And perhaps there was a short future in a relationship with him, by way of thanks rather than anything else, but sex in the lounge had been tried before and was definitely too risky.