An Awakening Down Under

Regretfully, I owe an explanation to 941 of my readers. They have read a version of this novella before, and gave it, at 4.67, a less than fully deserved applause. Its previous title is Travelling North 03. I tried to delete it from my list of contributions but failed. I have two reasons for offering a reworked version:

Firstly, I had rushed the publication of TN 03, and it was in proofing and polish too much like an unfinished draft. While my readers were generous and mostly forgave, I wish to apologise for these shortcomings.

Secondly, I realised too late that the title Travelling North 03 was a bad choice. It wrongly suggested that it was a continuing chapter in a threateningly unending tale, and not a new and unrelated story.

It would still please me if you sampled Travelling North 01 and Travelling North 02, despite their geographical connotations. As I seem to have a thing about geography, I must point out that 'Down-Under', while naughtily suggestive in the novella's context, does refer to beautiful Australia and not ...

Am I forgiven?

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Instead of the usual hour, it had taken Mark this Sunday morning only forty minutes to clear the city and reach the open road. It was sunny and promised to become a warm December day. With the window open and the breeze in his hair, it would make for a pleasant, relaxed drive up the Hume Highway to Sydney.

In planning his trip to the Hunter Valley, Mark had decided to make his over-night, half-way stop at Yass. When Sue surprisingly rang and invited him to spend two days with her in Sydney, he had good reasons not to change the arrangement. Driving through, he would have arrived late. After twelve hours on the road for the 1,000-kilometre drive, he would be too tired to show Sue how much he appreciated her invitation.

And Mark was both convinced and confident that she would want to be appreciated in detail and at length. They had known each other in the literal sense only briefly. And as her invitation proved, Sue appeared to be eager to progress beyond the few opportunistic little fucks they had enjoyed in Melbourne.

Mark was both sure and pleased that the motive behind her invitation was short-term and amorous. The distance separating them aside, he was married with children. She knew him as a lecturer at Melbourne University but, beyond that, few personal details.

Sue had been one of his mature-age students in a diploma-course at Melbourne University. They only got acquainted and involved with each other by chance, and only after Sue had completed her studies. Meeting at a party, he had driven her home. She had lIngered in the car, they had talked, eventually kissed and, as they were sexually consenting adults, progressed to rather uninhibited petting. After that, they had met twice before Sue returned to Sydney; her family was there, and she had firm plans to work and live in Sydney.

As the kilometres rolled by, Mark thought about how unusual he had found Sue as a lover. Mark, despite his conventional bearing and respectability as a teacher and as an, apparently, solidly married man, had had a somewhat unusual life. During it, he had enjoyed longer, intimate relationships with several women, both before and during his marriage.

He was in his early forties, tall, dark, somewhat stern. When he looked in the mirror and at photos, he assessed himself as passably good-looking but far from being the sort of Marlboro Man women were supposed to fall for.

Sue, he guessed, was in her mid-thirties, had lived and travelled for more than twelve years overseas. She was an interestingly attractive woman who, Mark presumed, was sexually experienced. This was, he had learned, not always the case with mature women. But, judging from what Sue had told him about her life, he was sure that she had had quite a few, possibly more than him, sexual relationships.

When they had started petting in the car, there was no coy hiding of Sue's lively sexual interest. In fact, when Mark first turned to her, and his hand came to rest on her thigh, he could feel her legs parting through the cloth of her skirt. And in Sue's kissing, there was no tentative, at first holding back. Her mouth on his unreservedly promised more than just a 'Maybe'?

It encouraged Mark to forego his usual reserve. When his hand closed over a breast, she sinuously wriggled into a closer embrace. Sue whispered: -

"I'm glad you like me. You know, Mark, I've had a crush on teacher for the whole year! It's been a long wait. Are you shocked?"

They kissed, and her tongue snuck deep into his mouth. She reached down for his hand and moved it onto her knee. And then, under her skirt, she guided it up the silky inside of her thigh. When Mark's hand closed over the soft mound of Sue's pussy, he felt the moist warmth of her panties on the palm of his hand. As her hot-slippery pussy welcomed his probing fingers, Sue's tongue entwined his to suck it into her hungry mouth.

For Mark, it was a revelation. Nothing in the way Sue dressed, spoke and had behaved as his student had suggested such a sexual vitality and daring. In appearance and character, she was the opposite of a flirty, come-hither, promiscuous femme fatale.

By midday, Mark had crossed the border into New South Wales. He stopped for a leisurely lunch before continuing along the Hume Highway at reduced speed. Unlike in Victoria, most of it still awaited an upgrading. Mark did not mind. He enjoyed the leisurely, tension-free drive on his own.

While he and Maria, his wife, still spend the family-holidays with the children together, they had agreed on taking an occasional holiday on their own. Over the years they had progressively grown apart. They no longer particularly enjoyed each other's company, either romantically or socially. The children and the life they had built together kept them in bond. Regarding holiday-choices, Maria enjoyed the beach and the social life and adventure among the holiday crowds. He, Mark, did not.

This holiday he had planned to explore the Hunter Valley, a region interesting for its quality wines as well as for its significance in Australia's history. For him, it ideally combined his intellectual interests with his hedonistic tastes. Regarding the latter, Sue's invitation to stop-over in Sydney had added a further boon to his holiday. Mark looked forward to a renewed engagement with a beautiful, sexually challenging woman

At Yass, arriving late in the afternoon, Mark booked into a motel, then strolled around town and, finally, settled down over a rather bland, country-town Chinese meal. Back at the motel, with nothing of interest on TV, he went to bed and quickly fell asleep. The walls were thin and late arrivals in the unit next to his woke him up two hours later.

If their noise had just been the murmuring of TV and voices, he would have quickly gone back to sleep. But the developing scenario of sounds indicated that his unseen neighbours were a raunchy couple and the thin wall between their bed and his made Mark into a companion in their frolicking.

There was the thumping of their bed against the wall as they fucked, accompanied by the low-voiced grunts of the male. His woman's full-throated love-song, by contrast, really set Mark's mind and cock astir. It never became monotonous. Varying in pitch and volume, the sexy words and lust-filled urgings poured out of her. At times her song lowered to a whisper, Mark could only guess at. But he knew, that with this woman, it would be sensuous, suggestive, demanding, ... arousingly sexy! And her partner served her well!

After their joyous romp, his neighbours fell much more quickly asleep than he did. With an almost painful erection, Mark's thoughts turned automatically to Sue and their reunion tomorrow. While he had ideas and hopes about it, he was not at all sure about what to expect. Their two meetings in Melbourne were, on each occasion, for him, at least, clouded by ambiguity. Sue, in their first time petting in the car, had been enticingly sensual and direct. Her behaviour, however, when they met again and were in bed together, was somewhat contradictory. Or, perhaps, not.

When they got together in the Carlton motel, there was, as before, no sign of shyness or coyness in Sue. But neither was there any show of occasion or of playfulness. It appeared to him that as far as Sue was concerned, they met to fuck, and that was it.

This they did; on this occasion, twice. Sue's attitude discouraged any flirtatious build-up or foreplay. She undeniably wanted sex. She climaxed quickly, more readily than most other women he had known. To Mark her coming seemed almost mechanical, if not onanistic in not involving him. The way she broke away after her solitary orgasms signalled, that for her climaxing after a fuck was her own, private affair.

On the second occasion, he tried to break this pattern of hers of just fucking. Sue initially resisted but eventually began to respond. To Mark, it seemed clear, however, that in Sue's mind his not letting her be, had violated her. The idea that Sue could feel it was rape made him sad and frightened. So, he bade her Good Bye without an apology or explanation. And now it was her that wanted ... what? A new beginning or him doing penance for a sin he had never committed?

On leaving the motel the next morning, Mark's raunchy neighbours left at the same time. They were no longer youngsters. She was, perhaps, in her early thirties, a short, chubby woman. From her plain, everyday appearance, nobody would suspect that her enticing siren's song could rob a listener of his sleep.

Mark had been intrigued by the address Sue had given him. Although he did not know Sydney well and had learned little so far about Sue's family and background, he had not expected her to live in a North-Shore apartment. When he pulled up in the visitor's parking-area of a ten-story high-rise, Mark realised the 812 on the address meant the eight's floor. When he pressed the button and Sue's - "Yes" - sounded from the intercom, he could only mumble a stupid - "Hi Sue, I have arrived." He was almost intimidated by the setting, but the entrance-door clicked open.

He had forgotten to ask which floor she was on but had guessed right. When the lift door opened on the eighth floor, there she stood, with a beaming, welcoming smile. There was no laboured-over embracing and awkward kissing. She hooked her arm into his and asking him whether he had trouble finding the address, led him into her apartment.

Mark's face must have shown his surprise. He was almost awed by the luxury of the apartment: its size, furnishings, floor to ceiling windows, and the views they offered over parkland down to the harbour. It must have shown. Sue, therefore, took his arm and led him, like a tour-guide, through the large living room into the master bedroom. There Sue, with a sweet smile, patted the super-king-size bed appreciatively. But the adjoining bathroom kept Sue silent; as a playroom, it spoke for itself!

Returning to the kitchen, Sue opened the large, almost empty fridge to take out a serving dish. With the appetisingly arranged cold-cuts, cheeses and shrimps came a bottle of Riesling. The bread was already on the set table. Then she turned, put her arms around Mark and offered herself to be kissed. When Sue broke reluctantly free, she said: - "Welcome to Sydney. Do you like our apartment?"

Grinning widely, she continued: -

"As you are only with me for one-and-a-half days and two nights, I wanted to show you how us millionaires live in Sydney."

When they toasted each other with their first sip of Hunter Riesling, Mark had noticed the label with amusement, Sue calmly said: -

"One can always dream."

She explained then that they owed this luxury to her ex-husband. They had stayed friends after their divorce fourteen years ago. He managed now a real-estate firm that had this block of rental apartments on its books. When Sue told him about her affair and the impending visit of her Melbourne lover, he offered his help. Jokingly he dismissed the idea that a woman of class - the only one he would ever have married - would cavort with her lover for days and hot nights in a motel.

Here Sue ould not resist. She grinned mischievously at Mark across the table, without mentioning their tepid Melbourne motel jousts. A few days later Michael had simply given her the address, a set of keys, and told her the flat was vacant for the time Sue wanted it. Until she turned up this morning, she had no idea what Michael had provided her with.

Over their meal, Sue and Mark laughed, chatted, joked about this and that. They dug into their food, repeatedly licking their fingers. And they toasted Michael; especially, as Mark put it, his generosity towards a classy woman that he had, somehow, failed to hold on to.

It was a promising beginning. Sue was in an exuberant mood that was so different from the, at times, almost sullen reserve that had in Mark's judgement marred their love-making in Melbourne. As she cleared the table, the sway of her hips rubbed against him. Mark reached out and pulled Sue on his lap. His hand had accidentally slipped onto her naked thigh, and he left it there. Sue smiled, almost triumphant, as she put her hands around Mark's neck. She offered him her lips, glistening, half-open in expectation. So, he reminded her by murmuring: - "I'm so glad we are kissing today."

And they did, with her lips and tongue confessing a shameless lust and hunger, and her thighs clasping his hand. When she tore herself free, she slid off his lap and pulled him to his feet. As she led him to the bedroom, she said in her everyday voice: -

"Let's not forget, we are going out for dinner tonight."

Then Sue lost control bursting into a fit of giggling.

They undressed in an almost comical hurry; discarding their clothing carelessly on the floor as if they needed to prove that they were no longer orderly, mindful adults. When they were naked, Mark, sitting on the edge of the bed, grabbed Sue. With his hands clasping her buttocks, he pulled her belly against his face. His hasty kisses all over her stomach ventured closer and closer to her mound. After more than a moment's reluctance, Sue stopped his progress. Taking one backward step, she looked down on him and said: -

"I've shown you our shower, it has jets. I've never showered with jets. I'd like to go in and find out what they do. Want to join me? Could be fun!"

This invitation, combined with its promise of sexy playfulness, surprised and delighted Mark. He was not in the slightest dismayed by the fact that this so different Sue was now as much in charge and control as the 'cool' one had wanted to be back in Melbourne.

Once they were in the shower, she abandoned, at first, it seemed in child-like innocence all inhibitions in surrendering her body to the pleasure-inducing titillation of the jets. She turned on all of them and then danced and bent and twisted in their blast, while Mark stood back and leered with growing excitement at her so suggestive contortions. It aroused her, and she wanted him more directly involved than just by staring. So, Sue dragged him into the jets, pressed her back and swaying ass into Mark's embrace and against his growing erection. Then she moved her breasts into one of the jet's powerful stream. Mark cupped them from underneath and let the stream play over them till her nipples stood out dark-brown and pointy. She tilted her face back, and her tongue told him how horny she was becoming.

It was up to him to raise the stakes. With a small step and turn, Mark moved Sue's lower belly and pubes into the stream of a lower jet. With the water cascading down her dark triangle, Mark reached down to lift one of her thighs, and suddenly the powerful jet of water hit Sue's pussy. Her knee buckled and a shrill scream that turned into moaning gasps escaped her. Looking down, he kept her pussy centred on the hotly invading force. She threw her head back onto his shoulder and moaned and whimpered and cried her ecstasy in his ear. Mark held her twisting body, one hand under her thigh the other cupping a breast, into the gush allowing her no escape. As Sue shrilly cried repeatedly her - "Yes!"... "God! What are you doing to me?" ... "Stop it!' ... "No! Don't!"... "God! I'm coming!". Mark felt it was him, not the water, that irresistibly tempested her cunt to whirl her into an uncontrollable climax. And this time, Sue screamed and arched and convulsed clinging to him.

When she eventually slumped forward, Mark gathered her in his arms. He leant her against the tiles so that he could turn off the ravishing jets. Then, under the warm water streaming down from the large shower-head, he hugged her, murmuring to her, kissed her gently, and started to wash her.

He generously laid on the expensive gel provided for the guests. Sue quickly started to respond to the loving attention he bestowed on all parts of her body. When he was done with her, she reciprocated. While her soapy hands washed all over his body, they returned more than once lovingly to Mark's hard, unrelieved rod. Sue's mouth also came enticingly close while her hands caressed Mark's cock and balls. During her ministration, she murmured something that sounded like - "Beautiful. I want ... Let's get into bed."

This they did. With the covers thrown carelessly onto the floor, the expanse of silky sheets and fluffy pillows welcomed their excited bodies., They glowed in the afternoon light flowing in through the window wall. Sue stretched out. However much she luxuriated in the silky touch of the sheets on her back, she relished more Mark's hungering eyes. They were on her beautiful long legs already temptingly half-spread. Sue smiled at him as she raised her knees and spread wide open to show him her pussy, jet-stream-massaged into glowing excitation. As he lowered himself, her hand grasped for his cock, and with a wriggle of her pelvis, she had guided it home. While Sue pressed, Mark held back not entering her fully. Raised on his elbows, he looked at Sue and said: -

"Don't run away from me again. No more secret little orgasms for you and leaving me behind. We are going to make love for a long time. I want you. I am greedy. I want to touch you, feel you, kiss you, taste you, fuck you; hear your voice, your words, your laughter, your moans, your screams, I want us to make love for a long, long time until we climax together. Big! Gushing! But, if we are going to do more than just quickly fuck, we'll have to let each other know what we feel, want, like, need. But, do you want to be loved like that?"

With Mark, trying to control his breath, stammering out this lengthy verbiage, a thinking frown had settled on Sue's face. It eventually changed, however, into a mischievous grin as she replied: -

"God - Yes! I want to make love ... like that! But ... Now ... Stop talking! I really want to fuck!"

She giggled, but it changed to a this time not held back, satisfied moan as Mark's cock pushed deep into her. Just pressing it into the ultimate depth and holding still, it felt as if his cock, hotly taken possession of by her pulsating muscles, grew longer for a deep-in, being swallowed up by Sue's cunt. He sought her lips, and she kissed him in wild abandon, moaning into his mouth. Then, turning her face away, Sue almost shouted: - "Stop doing this! You'll make me come too quickly!"

And he knew that it was not his delusion, Sue wanted to fully share what he felt. He withdrew and lay down on her side. Stroking gently over her face, he told her how close he was too to coming, and how much her beautiful, hot-sexy pussy excited him. He was determined to take a long, long time fucking and pleasuring her pussy beyond the sexiest and wettest dreams she ever had.