Chapter 4

Stephen awoke, refreshed and content, but sweaty after the warm night. He donned trunks and tiptoed down to the pool and relaxed in the warm water as the local birds pried insects or seeds from amongst the plants that filled the garden's borders. That is, until a very female bundle of girl bombshelled him, sending water up his nose and into his eyes.

"Bonjour cheri." She announced as two tanned arms ringed his neck and lips were pressed firmly against his own. A loud sneeze was the only response he could make to get the water out of his nose.

Josette leapt away. "What a way to greet me!" - laughter ringing in her voice. After three or four good sneezes, Stephen was able to take in the view. Josette was dressed in a tiny white bikini that was much more sexy than the nude girl he had seen often before. His trunks tented in an obvious response. What do you think of my bikini she asked demurely, with her head on one side looking at him through one eye half hidden by her black hair. I kept it for a special occasion. I hope you like it.

"C'est magnifique." "Come here so I can see it better." The bikini indeed fitted the slim form of Josette like a glove. Narrow straps held cups in place that just covered her nipples and an S-shaped hook held the bikini closed. As Stephen indicated for her to turn, he noticed the small triangle of white cloth that covered her mons and the strand that passed between her buttocks and up to a waist band that hugged the contours of her hips. He reached round and stroked first one orb then the other in simple wonderment. Josette just held his face between both hands and kissed him lovingly.

As Stephen sat on a step in the pool Josette sat on his lap, being careful to arrange her legs either side of his erection.

She looked at him questioningly as he seemed lost in thought. "What are you thinking my love?"

"Why is the feeling of being with you here so totally different to being with, with those other girls." He said rhetorically, leaving their names unspoken.

The only answer she could give was to kiss him once more as her breasts pushed gently into his chest.

"Come, she said, I want an early breakfast and then we will cycle again before the sun becomes too hot."

Croissant, strawberry confit and scaldingly hot black coffee slipped down well, and they finished feeding each other the last morsels from their plates.

A short detour to complete the morning routine, and they were away with filled water bottles. Josette had kept her bikini on but wore shorts over. White trainers and sunglasses completed her ensemble. Stephen had black shorts over dry trunks and a blue singlet, to match his sunglasses and trainers.

Josette thought she knew where the hidden valley was and cycled on in the expectation of finding it round each corner they came to; but it was only when she got to the point of needing to stop for a drink of water that the valley appeared almost miraculously.

There was a benevolent presence in the valley that bathed them as they jumped from the dry stone wall hand in hand into the vale. Their minds were just embracing the moment. The chuckle of running water below enticed them through the soft grasses to a patch of short dense grass beside the rill. The area was covered by dappled shade from Aspen trees overhead and Asphodel embowered by the creator of this place. Entranced, they lay already aspen. Legs entwined. Arms coiled then enveloped, uncoiled and disrobed. The benevolence that bathed that place sensed the boy, naiadic, slim beautiful and pale, clasped his svelte partner of more a dryadic hue in a moment that encompassed a lifetime, yet took less time than for a resplendent swallowtail butterfly to drink from a neighbouring blossom.