Love Around the World 24: Xanthi

"What we want to see are lots and lots of pictures of you having the best time," my grandmother stated.

"And no doubt he's going to visit someone special on the way," Mum stated.

Mike gave me a knowing look before he added, "Mum is always asking after him whenever we talk. Knowing that he's going to head off and start travelling, she's been asking more and more if he's going to Greece."

Mike wasn't coming travelling with me due to the fact he was dating my younger sister. There was no need to do the 'big brother chat' with him because he was my best friend, and I could see they were absolutely head over heels in love with each other. It was so sickeningly sweet, our older sister was insanely jealous though it wasn't helped by the fact her last boyfriend was a complete fuckwit and needed sorting out by her little brother.

I wasn't planning on going for travelling months on end. I was going to visit the usual places most people would visit though intended to visit perhaps a few places not exactly visited by hordes of tourists. I did intend on Greece being my last stop as getting flights out of Athens heading back towards Sydney was easy enough.

Given the sum of money I was given, any plans to head out and work for one or two years were shelved immediately. Mum agreed with my grandparents though did hope that I wouldn't spend every cent and would return home with enough money to perhaps have a deposit to buy an apartment or something.

I bought a one-way ticket to London Heathrow and planned to just make my way from there. I was young enough to fit in with the hostel crowd though I'd probably be able to do it more comfortably than many, aware many backpackers did have a limited budget.

Spending a few months crisscrossing Europe, it was early autumn by the time my flight landed in Athens. I'd kept Daphne up to date with my travels, and as I'd taken an internal European Union flight, all I needed to do was collect my backpack and walk out into the Arrivals Hall.

"Mark!" I heard a voice call out. I came to a stop as Daphne appeared. And she looked absolutely fantastic. Dumping my backpack, I leaned down as she ran up towards me, making me laugh. She didn't hesitate when leaping into my arms, feeling her legs wrap around me as I squeezed her tightly. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, "I can't believe you're finally here."

That first kiss we shared was one of lovers, I knew that immediately. By the time she pulled back enough to meet my eyes, I was definitely blushing while she looked nothing but aroused. "You look beautiful, Daphne," I stated softly.

"The Greek way of living has certainly agreed with me," she stated as I lowered her feet to the ground, "You're looking handsome as always. Are you even stronger?"

"Well, even when I'm backpacking around Europe, I find time to visit the gym. Eat as well as I can and don't go overboard when it comes to drinking. I want to remember my holiday in the end. Anyway, how long are you in Athens for?"

"I've got a little surprise, Mark. I'm going to stay with you. A friend is looking after the café until I return. We're going to spend a few days in Athens, including a trip over to Olympia. Definitely have to go to Delphi. Maybe we'll speak to the Oracle?"

Running my fingers up and down her back, I met her blue eyes and asked, "I do wonder what she would tell us, hmmm?"

Resting her hand on my chest, she whispered, "Wouldn't you like to know? Anyway, we'd then have to head north to Meteora. So much history there. Then we'll head up to Thessaloniki, and from there Xanthi isn't too far away. To be honest, my hometown isn't exactly interesting, but it's where my family is from..."

"Therefore, it's interesting to me."

That earned me another soft kiss. "After Xanthi, we can visit a Greek Island or two before we head to Naxos. And then you can stay with me for as long as you want."

"Are you with anyone?"

The question seemed to amuse her. "I don't know what it is, but it's obvious any man who hits on me is after only one thing. So no, I'm still very single after all this time. I've got lots of wonderful friends, I love owning my own little business, and I've been living such a wonderful life since I got here."

"Are you sure it's okay that I've left everything for you to organise?"

"Mark, all I've wanted for the last three years is to see you again." Resting both of her hands on my chest this time, she gazed up at me with a lovely smile. "You're now twenty-one, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I'm thirty-eight. You know I was still a teenager when I had Mike. I've only ever been with one man. I don't intend on being with more than one other man in my life." I felt my jaw drop as she raised one of her hands to my cheek. "I had many, many thoughts about you too, Mark. But I had to repress them. I was still married, you were my son's best friend, and then when everything went wrong, I just needed to leave. I always hoped..."

"The age gap?"

"Don't care. But I want to take this slowly. I can't leap into something with you just because we might be experiencing a healthy dose of lust and desire. I want to know that... I need to know that we're in love. I know you had a massive crush, but you're now an adult yet still maturing. I need us both to be sure before we contemplate anything. That means I can't be intimate too soon."

"Daphne, we spent time sharing a bed..."

"True, but that was at your house, and I'd just left my husband. I was vulnerable but you showed me nothing but love and affection the entire time I was there."

Getting to the centre of Athens involved taking the metro, which was built for the 2004 Olympic Games, Daphne having organised for us to stay at a small hotel in the shadow of the Acropolis. Having someone who could speak fluent Greek probably helped me in the grand scheme of things, and the room wasn't particularly big, but had a renovated ensuite bathroom, and when I noticed the double bed, I had to glance at Daphne.

"Mark, you are not, I repeat NOT, sleeping anywhere else except with me the entire time you are here," she stated in a tone that suggested I don't even think about arguing.

Checking my watch, I asked, "You hungry? It is after dinner time."

"We'll avoid the overly touristy areas. I've been to Athens a couple of times since I flew in a few years back. I've learned of a few places that will serve us some lovely traditional Greek dishes and not rip us off like the tourist hotspots. Given that I speak Greek..."

"I tried to learn a few words..."

"Don't worry about it. I can translate for you."

It was a traditional Greek taverna. We found a small table, learning rather quickly it was owned by a rather exuberant couple, their two daughters helping as servers. Daphne selected a series of small dishes for us to sample, and she made sure that it would all be washed down by a snifter of ouzo at the end of the meal. We sipped some Greek wine while we were eating, having learned to like the drink during my time in France, Spain and Italy.

The jetlag hit me big time while we were eating, Daphne taking me by the hand as soon as we settled the bill and suggested we just head back to get some sleep. I did have a shower first before walking out into the room to find Daphne lying back on the bed in just a bra and panties. Good thing I'd put my underwear on already, otherwise she'd have noticed me nursing one hell of an erection at the sight.

"Fucking hell, Daphne. You look sensational."

That made her smile, lifting herself up onto her hands and knees as she crawled across the bed to where I was standing. Lifting herself up onto her knees, she pulled me down and kissed me like never before. When I slid my tongue into her mouth, the whimper of desire she made had my hands moving down her back towards her pert little bottom.

"I know I'm teasing you," she said softly once we broke the kiss, "I know it might be difficult for you at times."

"Is it okay if we just make out like horny teenagers all the time?"

"I'd love to do that whenever you want, Mark. I knew you'd be a great kisser."

"And can I run my hands all over your body?"

"Yes. But I won't be taking off my bra and panties any night for the time being." She paused to give me a soft kiss. "I'd love to be naked for you, Mark, but I know as soon as I am, I'll give into temptation. I can't rush this. I just can't..."

"So lots of kissing and cuddling?"

"Can you handle that?"

"Daphne, I'm living out my fantasy right now. I've got you semi-naked in a hotel room. There's no-one around who knows us. You can be my girlfriend."

"I'd love to be your girlfriend while you're here."

Getting into bed, she knew I was exhausted as I could barely keep my eyes open as soon as my head hit the pillow, feeling her cuddle into my side. Wrapping my arm around her, I turned my head to see her gazing at me, and it was the look of a woman falling in love. Or that's what I hoped it was as I knew how I felt about her. My feelings for her had never dimmed. Yes, I'd been with other women since she'd left. I had never lied whenever we communicated, keeping in mind what she said about going to live my life.

Now that I was with her, I knew I'd never want to let her go. If she'd let me...

We spent three days taking in as much as Athens had to offer, Daphne taking on the role of tour guide though we did end up joining a couple of walking tours that could explain certain things in depth. I'd found Rome simply astounding to know I was in a city with over two thousand years of history. Athens had at least double that, knowing I was walking on the same streets as Plato, Socrates, Aristotle...

Daphne couldn't stop smiling at my reactions to everything. I was born in a country that's not even two hundred and fifty years old, at least regarding the arrival of white convicts and settlers. If you count Australia as existing at Federation, then we're less than one hundred and fifty years old. The oldest buildings in Sydney are barely two hundred years old. To Greeks, two hundred years old would be laughed at...

We spent every night in a taverna, sometimes sharing dinner by candlelight. She would always wear light-coloured clothing, whether it was a lovely dress that showed off her legs, or a blouse and skirt... that would show off her legs... Her hair was a little longer, usually up in a ponytail. She'd taken to wearing glasses as she had always worn contacts as that's what her ex-husband had demanded.

When it came to sleeping, Daphne was never hesitant about wanting to spend time kissing and cuddling before we went to sleep. She knew I was aroused to hell as I couldn't help poking her all the time. My hands explored her body, and she allowed me to feel her breasts though I was not allowed to touch her pussy. Not yet anyway. She would whisper into my ear how turned on she was, admitting she would daydream about me just taking her, sliding my cock inside her, finally making her mine...

And when I'd wake up with her spooning back against me, she would eventually wake up, turn her head and smile at me, then giggle as she'd wiggle her bum against my crotch and I'd groan. Knowing I was aroused, she knew I masturbated in the shower, not trusting herself to shower with me, as she knew as soon as we were both naked, we'd be making love.

"Did you cum a lot?" she asked the third morning of our stay in Athens.

"I could have filled a pint glass."

"Think about me?"

"Daphne, you've been my dream girl for years. The object of my fantasies whenever I jerk off. Trust me, the number of things I dream about doing with you could fill an encyclopaedia."

She was silent before whispering, "That's so fucking hot, Mark."

"What about you whenever you masturbate?"

That question made her snort. "There's been only one man I've thought about for far too long. I'd do it next to my ex-husband and I definitely wasn't thinking about that arsehole."

We ended up doing day trips to Olympia and Delphi instead of leaving Athens for good though eventually had to leave, choosing to stay in Larissa for a couple of nights to make visiting Meteora far easier for us. After stopping in Thessaloniki for a couple of nights, we headed further east along the coast and eventually arrived in Xanthi.

Arriving by train, Daphne advised me to temper my expectations. It did have a lovely little old town and enough things to keep us amused for perhaps a day or two. She mentioned we were there at the wrong time of year as she had been in the city for the Xanthi Carnival / Thracian Folk Festival which occurs in early February, and we'd just missed the 'Old Town Festival' that happens in early September.

Staying at a gorgeous hotel that came with a deck and pool, the room provided some wonderful views of the coast and surrounding area. Dumping our luggage near the bed, I walked out onto the balcony where Daphne was taking everything in, wrapping an arm around her chest, and leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, Daphne," I whispered, "I know you're at home here, so I thought I should tell you that here."

"I love you too, Mark. I've loved you for a long time. I loved you as a young man, more a maternal love than anything. But now? Now I love you as the man you have become." Turning around to face me, the kiss we shared was an expression of the love we now shared. Walking together back into the room, I think Daphne wasn't planning on waiting any longer as my t-shirt ended up on the floor while her t-shirt joined it. When she started to undo the clasp of her bra while we were still kissing, I didn't have to ask if she was sure. As soon as her bra hit the floor, her hands were eagerly working to undo the button of my shorts as I unzipped her skirt.

We were naked seconds later, her hand immediately wrapping around my cock, unable to stop my groan as she smiled, gazing up into my eyes. "I've thought about this since you arrived," she stated quietly, "I can't wait any longer, Mark. I just can't."

"I think we've both waited long enough for this. Why don't you get your pretty butt onto the bed as there's something I've wanted to do for years."

Lying together on the bed, her breasts were spectacular. She told me she was a C-cup. Her nipples were quite brown, darker than her tanned, olive skin. Running my fingers over her smooth skin, she shuddered more than once, admitting to being so aroused that her entire body felt sensitive. Running my fingers down over her toned little tummy, she spread her legs to show she kept her pubic hair relatively short, and running my fingers over her pussy for the first time earned a moan of approval and one hell of a kiss.

Rolling onto her back, I moved down to take one of her nipples in my mouth, Daphne moaning loudly as I felt her fingers caress the back of my head.

"That's it, baby," she cooed, "Suck my tits. Been so long since anyone else touched them."

She was moaning constantly as I suckled and nibbled at her breasts, feeling her body moving underneath me as it was obvious to me that she was completely and utterly turned on that she'd probably orgasm as soon as I started licking her pussy. I was left thinking that she might even orgasm just from breast play. She didn't exactly, but as I kissed down her body towards her pussy, she started to squeeze and twist her nipples as she spread her legs wider.

"My god, Daphne," I groaned, "Your scent is wonderful. I mean, I love the scent of pussy anyway, but yours is something else..."

"Are you going to lick my pussy, Mark?" she asked ever so innocently, gazing up to see her grinning at me.

"I'm going to do it until we need to go out for dinner. I mean, pussy is the breakfast of champions, but we're going to need actual food."

Her pussy was a work of art. I'd seen a few in my time since losing my virginity, and I guess I'd seen plenty on the internet though I'm aware of things like Photoshop. Her labia looked delicious, and as my tongue got to work on pleasing her, she was flowing almost immediately, her excitement building quickly as I kept my eyes on her face and what she was doing with her breasts. I knew that was sending waves of pleasure to her core, her moans growing louder and louder, her body moving almost involuntarily.

"Mark," she whimpered, "Oh my god... So good, baby... So good..."

"Got to please the women I love," I murmured as my tongue licked up down her slit, taking note of which parts were the most sensitive, "I want to have you on my arm later looking like you've just had your pussy eaten better than ever."

She wasn't shy about telling me what she wanted. I preferred that in a woman. Tell me what you really want, and I'll do it to the best of my ability. When she wanted me to touch her clit, I did it. And after she explained how to really do it well, I made her cum as hard as she ever did. She told me that later as she wasn't really capable of saying anything during and after her first climax.

Now that I had her clit figured out, I slid two fingers inside her. The whimper that escaped her made me smile as she knew what I was trying to do.

"Find it, baby. Find my spot. Make me cum harder than ever. Make me pass out from feeling so loved."

Once I found it, Daphne didn't stand a chance. She squeezed my fingers like a vice when her orgasm hit her. What surprised me was that she begged me to keep going. Even I could sense how powerful the orgasm was, but as soon as she told me to keep going, I made her cry out as I doubled down on everything I was doing.

I only stopped when it was obvious that she simply couldn't handle anymore, removing my fingers from inside her and lifting myself up, rolling her onto her side and cuddling her against me. When she started to giggle and lifted her head to look at me, her eyes now spoke only of her love for me.

"Wow," she whispered, "I should have packed you into my suitcase when I left Australia."

"If it meant spending the last few years living with you..."

"Mark... Would you consider staying with me?"

"In a heartbeat. All you need to do is ask."

She remained quiet for a few minutes, just stroking her back as I knew she was thinking. It was obvious what she was thinking about. I wanted to stay with her. I loved her more than nearly anyone. The only people I probably loved more would be my mother and sisters.

"Can you stay with me, Mark?" she finally whispered, lifting her chin with my finger so she could meet my eyes, seeing hers glisten though she was smiling, "I don't want you to go. I love you. I don't want to be alone any longer. I want to be with the man I love."

"And I want to be with the woman I've loved for a long time. When we get home..." That made her smile, that I called where she lived my home already, "I'll give Mum a call and explain what's going on."

"She'll be happy for both of us. She knew how you felt about me."

"Guess we'll have to tell Mike too."

That statement made her laugh. "Please, he's never been oblivious to your feelings for me. And considering I talked about you all the time when I lived back there, and still talk about you all the time whenever he calls, he won't be surprised that you'll be staying with me."

Getting dressed and wandering downstairs, the old town of Xanthi was full of pubs and restaurants. We filled ourselves with plenty of delicious food before we walked hand in hand, stopping at the occasional place to enjoy a drink. It was late by the time we returned to the hotel, Daphne having had a wonderful time as she'd received numerous questions about our relationship. She held my hand tighter and explained I was her boyfriend. The looks I received suggested that I was a very lucky man indeed.

Slowly undressing each other once we were back in our room, I didn't expect her to lower herself to her knees once my cock was free. I wasn't someone who expected blowjobs. Don't get me wrong, I find them enjoyable, but I prefer eating pussy and making love.