The Player. Akhona Bota

given the fact that whenever he kissed and touched her, it seemed as if an animal had been unleashed. She could hardly imagine what it would be like when they made love for the first time.

      “Hlobo, where are you?” she heard Sizwe calling her.

      “Over here, Sizwe. In the bathroom,” she responded.

      Moments later, he appeared at the door. For a moment he uttered no word as he looked at her in the bubble bath. His eyes seemed to be doing all the talking. Her cheeks went pink with embarrassment at what she imagined he was thinking.

      “I see you’ve made yourself at home already. I brought us some snacks and red wine,” he said, holding up an open bottle of wine and two glasses.

      “Please pour me some. I’m dying for a drop,” she said.

      He smiled and half-filled the glasses.

      “Coming to join me?” she asked, her eyes fixed on him. He gave her a glass of wine and put his down next to the tub.

      “You sure?” he asked.

      She nodded, enjoying his slight discomfort mixed with obvious eagerness. Hlobo watched him as he stripped off his clothes, exposing his powerful body: his huge chest and broad shoulders, at least triple the size of his waist. His bulging and rock-hard abs clearly belonged to a rugby player.

      “I’ll leave these on,” he announced, referring to his tight briefs. Hlobo had almost lost the air in her lungs when she thought he was going to take off the last remaining piece of clothing.

      Hlobo eyed his rod, hard and full under the underwear, pushing to get free.

      She sighed.

      Sizwe stood there: tall, dark and compelling like a majestic horse. His legs were long and rose to strong thighs of rippling muscle. He sank into the bathtub next to her. His legs lightly brushed against her body under the water, causing Hlobo to register a thrilling sensation.

      “Have you been to this place before?” she asked, taking a sip from her wine and forcing herself to keep a level head.

      “Believe it or not, it’s my first time here,” he replied. “And I’m glad it’s with you.”

      She smiled helplessly. His words were like honey, with a sweetness that flowed right into her ears.

      “You make me happy, Hlobo. I want you to know that,” he said, looking serious.

      She could see his words were from the heart. They made her own heart race.

      He searched for her hand under the water and when he found it, he held it up in the air delicately. “You’re beautiful,” he said, beginning to brush Hlobo’s hand against his clean-shaven face.

      Her hand felt like a brush of fire and he closed his eyes, continuing to feel it. Sizwe simply let the moment be, just thinking how blessed he was. He had everything a man could possibly want now that this wonderful woman was by his side. Pretty soon he was going to make her his wife.

      “I want to get to know you better, Hlobo.”

      “I want to get to know you better too,” Hlobo told him, but there was one thing she had not asked him yet. “How do you play with those things on your head, anyway?” she asked him. Her eyes were looking at his dreadlocks. Each plait was thin, dark and long, giving him a clean and neat look. He had a habit of swaying them off his face when they blocked his vision.

      “I tie them up. Very tightly,” he added, enjoying the disbelief on her face. “How about you?” he asked and she frowned.

      “What about me?”

      “Have you ever tried to use contact lenses instead of glasses?”

      Honestly, the answer was a flat no. During all her years of wearing glasses she had never once thought of getting lenses. “What’s wrong with my glasses?” she asked defensively.

      “I didn’t say there was anything wrong. I just think con­tacts would be much better for you,” he remarked with a smile.

      Hlobo rolled her eyes. “Maybe,” she said for the sake of not arguing with him.

      Sizwe poured himself more wine and kept quiet. The silence began to expand between them.

      “Accountants aren’t into much talking, are they?” he teased her after a while. “What are people like you really good at?” he suddenly asked, challenging her.

      But then he started to chuckle, his face breaking into those cute dimples she found so irresistible.

      “Accounting, I guess,” she said, shrugging.

      “How about this?” he asked.

      For a moment she didn’t know what he was talking about, until she felt his foot moving up between her open legs. She jolted up and giggled girlishly as his cheeky foot arrived at her most sensitive area, brushing and feeling its walls with its toes!

      “What are you doing?” she laughed, moving his foot aside.

      “What? I didn’t do anything,” he denied with a grin.

      He slowly moved right up close to her, settling himself between her legs. Hlobo watched him closely as his wet hand cupped her face, dripping water on her. He closed his eyes and gently kissed her. Hlobo’s hand went behind his head, making sure this time his mouth stayed on hers.

      He was indeed a good kisser, seeing how her body was responding to him. Her most sensitive and moist area opened up with desire for him to enter her. She got up slightly and eased herself onto his lap, without letting go of his mouth. Her hands were all over his masculine wet body and she could feel his hard maleness underneath his tight briefs since she was sitting on it. His hands were all over her body too, stroking her gently in turn. Hlobo’s tight breasts kept brushing against his chest.

      “How about some more wine?” he suddenly asked, breaking away from her and reaching for the bottle of wine.

      She nodded her head slowly. Her mouth was dry. She took the glass he had filled and quenched her thirst.

      “You’re such a beautiful woman,” he remarked, eyeing her as she drank.

      “You’re not too bad yourself,” she returned the compliment.

      * * *

      When Hlobo woke up the next day, the African sun had already risen outside. The rays coming through the windows almost blinded her.

      She rubbed her eyes, trying to adjust to the light. It seemed someone had already opened the curtains. She guessed it must have been Sizwe, because when she looked next to her, he wasn’t there.

      Last night had been most interesting. It had been the first time they slept in the same bed. They had not made love yet, but Hlobo knew the right time was coming. Sleeping close to his incredibly strong and warm body had been very, very tempting. Intense feelings of lust and curiosity had fought inside her like the waves of an ocean.

      Hlobo yawned and lazily got out of bed. She grabbed the pink gown hanging over the chair and wrapped it around herself. Just then the door opened. It was Sizwe. When he saw her out of bed, standing there and looking at him, he protested.

      “No, no, Hlobo. Go back to bed, my lady,” he ordered. “Breakfast will be served in bed this morning.” He was carrying a tray complete with food, juice and tea.

      Since she wasn’t much of a talker, Hlobo simply broke into a smile at this unexpected surprise. She couldn’t possibly argue with him.

      “Okay then,” she replied, quickly taking off the gown. She jumped back into bed.

      “Here you go.” He put the tray on Hlobo’s lap. Their eyes met and she couldn’t help but kiss him.

      “Thank you,” she said.

      Sizwe raised his eyebrows, grinning. “For the kiss or the breakfast?”

      So that was what