Summer Heat 3 [Anthology]

Summer Heat 3

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE Erotic-ahh Digest Vol. 06-19

Summer Heat 3

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE www.midnightshowcase.com

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Summer Heat 3 Published by Midnight Showcase PO Box 300491 Houston, TX 77230 www.midnightshowcase.com The Lesson, Copyright © 2006 by Bridget Midway Fumble & Tackle, Copyright © 2006 by Kristy McCaffrey The Seduction, Copyright © 2006 by Lynne den Hartog Hot Spell, Copyright © 2006 by Bridghid Parkinson Swing By Me, Copyright © 2006 by Skylar Sinclair Gin and Tonic, Copyright © 2006 by Herbert Grosshans Tornado Tory, Copyright © 2006 by Kristy McCaffrey Balls In Her Court, Copyright © 2006 by Ann Cory Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN 1555-5496 Vol. 06-19

Credits Cover Artist: Jinger Heaston Editors: Anne Smith, Bridghid Parkinson, & Anna Fallon Copy Editors: Mae Powers & Jewel Adams Printed in the United States of America

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Summer Heat 3

Summer Heat 3 Erotic-aah Digest ISSN 1555-5496 Vol. 06-19 During one of the hottest months around, passions sizzle to a new high, and romance blooms into a marvelous beauty. Bright days and heated nights engulf us with their warmth, sending our heated senses into an overdrive of sweating bodies, hearts and minds. The Lesson, Bridget Midway Learning something new can be difficult. The hands-on experience has always been a great method. Rob is getting the most out of his education. Fumble & Tackle, Kristy McCaffrey Single mother Maggie Vogel confronts her son's football coach and the attraction she's avoided for months. Can her heart handle a little fumble and tackle? The Seduction, Lynne den Hartog An escape to the sun heralds an unexpected encounter. A younger man, an older woman. Can she teach him to be a truly sensual lover? Hot Spell, Bridghid Parkinson Alison asked for help from her Wiccan friend for an old-fashioned love spell. With magick, she discovers that finding love begins with loving yourself. Swing By Me, Skylar Sinclair When Susan Wyatt goes to her first adults-only party, fate steps in and she finds a sensual awakening she never expected. Gin and Tonic, Herbert Grosshans Ginger wanted to spend some quiet time on her holiday. But then she meets two handsome men and things begin to heat up very quickly. Tornado Tory, Kristy McCaffrey Tory's love life has been interrupted by twisters since she was a girl. But nothing, not even a raging tornado, will keep her from Jake. Balls in her Court, Ann Cory A tennis player finds an instant attraction with the new guy in town, and the humidity isn't the only thing keeping the temperature on high.

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Summer Heat 3

The Lesson By Bridget Midway Learning something new can be difficult. The hands-on experience has always been a great method. Rob is getting the most out of his education.

www.bridgetmidway.com

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Summer Heat 3

The Lesson By Bridget Midway Tamara held Rob’s chin and pulled his face forward to meet her gaze as she straddled his nearly naked body. “You pay attention to me,” she demanded. “Don’t worry about anything else going on in this room.” He nodded. As though undressing down to only a sexy yellow thong wasn’t enough, Tamara pressed her perfect handful-sized breasts against his bare chest. His hand slid up the backs of her smooth thighs until they reached her firm, round ass. The sensations of her silky skin, her hard nipples sweeping against him and feeling his stiff cock brushing the inside of his black silk boxers, Rob felt a release could be eminent at any moment. He held off, wanting to get more of the lesson from this skilled teacher. Tamara took one of Rob’s hands from her ass and brought it around to her tit. His eyes gathered in the visual feast as he massaged it. A moan escaped her mouth as she cocked her head, letting her golden brown hair cascaded down the side of his face. “Make my body yours, Rob. You’re responsible for my pleasure,” she said then kissed the side of his face. Responsible for her pleasure? He swallowed, thinking about that daunting prospect. But then again, shirking back from risks was what got him to this point in the first place, got him to seek her. The touch of her lips made him moan this time. She pushed him back against the red arm of the couch. Moving her torso up, she hovered her other unattended tit over his face, particularly his mouth. Gazing at her cinnamon-colored areola pumped more blood into his cock until it strained against his boxers. He wasted no time latching onto the juicy orb. His tongue swirled around her pebbled 6

Summer Heat 3 nipple making her body tremble with each pass. Without prompting, Rob brought his hand down and hooked a finger onto the side of her panties. In an easy pull, he brought her thong down to her knees that were imbedded into the couch cushions. Tamara took that moment to move back from him, detaching him from suckling her tit as she lay back with her head on the other arm of the couch. Raising her legs in the air, nonverbally she asked him to remove her downed panties. He did so, eliminating them from around her ankles and tossing them to the floor. Her sweet but briny aroma emanated from between her legs and up to his nostrils. Rob took in a deep breath to inhale as much of her intoxicating scent. Even in the darkened room he saw the thin strip of hair covering her cunt. He also spied her pussy juices covering her nether lips. No instructions needed here. Rob turned his body around so that now he was positioned on his belly with his face between her thighs. With his hands pressed against her inner thighs to hold them apart, he licked the length of her, from her bottom of her pussy to her swollen clit. Her body writhed from the connection. Seeing her turned on made him ravenous for her, licking and sucking her pussy as though she contained what he needed to survive. Grabbing a handful of his hair, she shoved him roughly against her mound. God, Rob had never been with a woman this passionate before, this hungry, this needy. Was this what he’d been needing, a woman to take charge, make him feel wanted, desired? Responding to her passion, he covered her clit with his mouth and slid his middle finger into her hot pussy. The thick, slick walls inside of her clamped down around his digit and it made his cock twitch to life again. “Ohh shit, Rob! That’s it. That’s it!” Tamara, keeping one hand fisted in his hair, used her other hand to fondle her tit. Rob had this woman in the palm of his hand. The power of that feeling made him want to fuck her and every woman in Virginia. As though reading his mind, Tamara hooked her big toes into the sides of his underwear and brought them, clumsily, down around his legs. Not worried about them being around his knees, he moved his body up so that his chest hovered over hers. She reached down and took a hold of his shaft. He loved how much she took control, taking 7

Summer Heat 3 as much responsibility for her pleasure as him. Rubbing the tip of his cock up and down between her slick folds, Tamara closed her eyes and purred her enjoyment. The sounds of her juices as he moved around her tensed his body. She provided sensory overload. The sensitive head of his cock thrummed until he could no longer take the teasing. Hooking one of her legs around his arm, he removed her hand from his shaft, taking over control of it himself, and positioned it at the opening. “Remember,” Tamara said nearly breathlessly, “make me want it.” Rob teased her by easing in only the bulbous tip. His body trembled as soon as he popped through the tight fit. Tamara moaned so loud, he knew even with the windows closed that the neighbors must have heard her. The idea that old lady Gerritson across the street may have heard Tamara nearly come spurned him to slide another inch inside of the sun-tanned beauty. Her fingernails clawed his shoulders the deeper he got. Once down to the base, he shook and she screamed. “Goddamnit! You’re fucking better than I thought,” she said, and he noted how her deep chocolate brown eyes were wide and full of lust. “Don’t stop!” Rob thrust in and out of her hot, tight wetness. Lowering his head, he kissed her hungrily, sliding his tongue into her mouth so that she could taste her own juices. She must have liked it. She sucked his tongue like it was his cock. Then when he pulled back she licked around his mouth, taking in the rest of her juices. Rob pumped into her pussy harder and faster. Sweat poured down his face and body until they both became drenched. Tamara brought her hand down between her legs. She spread her index and middle fingers apart and slipped the opened space over Rob’s cock that was inside of her. Then she squeezed her fingers together around him, giving him another sensation like he was fucking two pussies at once. Then she used the heel of her hand to rub her protruding nub. Damn, this woman was good. Tremors overtook Rob’s body. His hot sac burned for a release and soon. “You want to come, baby?” she asked in a low, seductive voice. “Ohh…so…very…close,” he managed to stammer. “Pull out.” 8

Summer Heat 3 Rob kept going, unsure he’d heard what she just asked. “I said pull out!” she demanded. With great reluctance, Rob drew out of her tight pussy. However, Tamara didn’t waste any time. She made him sit on the center of the couch as she scrambled to the floor. Kneeling between his legs, she cradled his balls in one hand and held the base of his cock in the other. With a tight-fisted grasp, she slid her hand up and down his dick. The feeling almost rivaled her sweet cunt, but not quite. Then she covered his tip with her mouth and he nearly sprang from the couch. Her moist mouth moved down to the base and she held him there. On instinct, Rob put his hand to the back of her head as soon as she bobbed it up and down his length. Her tongue snaked around his veiny cock like she wanted to remember every inch of skin covering his shaft. When he felt that familiar burning sensation to shoot his load, he undulated his hips, fucking her mouth. Her hand continued caressing his tight balls. When she moaned, vibrating her full lips around him, he could no longer hold out. “Oh shit!” he exclaimed just as he shot his hot jism into her mouth. She swallowed every drop, careful not to spill any on him or her hand still wrapped around the base. Cutting her eyes upward, she stared at him intensely. Her satisfaction showed through her wide smile. Tamara’s lips popped when she released his cock from her mouth trap. She stood, leaned over and kissed him fully on his lips. Now it was his turn to taste his salty juices. Not as good as hers but just knowing the pleasure she’d given him with just her mouth made him appreciate the flavor. Then she sauntered over to where his wife sat in a chair, watching this entire display with her arms and legs bound and a red ball-gag fixed in her mouth. With one hard tug, Tamara removed the gag from his wife’s mouth and crushed a kiss on her lips. Rob’s cock twitched to attention at the sight. “And that’s how your husband likes to be fucked,” Tamara said. THE END

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Fumble & Tackle By Kristy McCaffrey

Single mother Maggie Vogel confronts her son's football coach and the attraction she's avoided for months. Can her heart handle a little fumble and tackle?

http://www.kristymccaffrey.com/

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Summer Heat 3

Fumble & Tackle By Kristy McCaffrey Heading to the ladies' room—blind date Henry was back at the table vigorously attacking his steak—Maggie Vogel spotted her son's football coach at the bar with one of his assistants. A jolt of adrenaline went through her as she skirted behind them and continued to the restroom. Brian Dorchester looked almost presentable. His usual field attire of t-shirt and shorts had been replaced with a dark polo shirt and jeans, and his sandy-colored hair, usually covered with a baseball hat, was trimmed short. As Maggie washed her hands, a glance in the bathroom mirror showed flushed cheeks and a sparkle in her blue-gray eyes she hadn’t seen in a long time. And it wasn’t from her date. Stunned by this revelation, Maggie paused as she reached to turn the hand-blower on, water dripping onto the floor. Henry didn’t catch her eye. Not the way a man should if a woman was to consider romantic entanglements again. Not the way Dorchester grabbed her attention. God help her. Pushing aside the impossible scenario of her and him, she quickly dried her hands and exited the bathroom. Impulsively she made a decision, knowing now was as good a time as any to discuss her growing concerns about her son. She approached the two coaches and cleared her throat. "Excuse me." The men swiveled on their seats. "Oh hey, Mrs. Vogel," Bobby Carlson said, smiling. During the four-times-a-week practices it was usually Bobby she chatted with about her son's progress, deftly avoiding contact with Dorchester. It didn't bother her to say something stupid about football around the younger man, but it did bother her around the Head 11

Summer Heat 3 Termite Coach. Her solution had been simple—never speak to Brian Dorchester. But never say never had finally caught up to her. "Hi Bobby." She shifted her gaze to the man beside him. "I was wondering if I might talk with you." Dorchester nodded slightly. "Okay." His clear blue eyes indicated the beer in his hand hadn't dulled his senses. Heat shot through her abdomen. She pushed aside the instinct to flee. The stressful whining from her son Peter the past several weeks had worn her patience. "You can have my seat." Bobby stood. "I gotta go anyhow, Kaitlyn's waiting for me." He clapped Dorchester on the back and smiled at Maggie. "Hey, did you see Peter's tackle last night on Carter? He's doin' great." "Yes," Maggie acknowledged. "Thanks." But Peter wasn't doing great and it was past time she worked up the courage to speak with his coach. Bobby departed, threading his way through the crowd of people waiting to get a table at the steakhouse. Dorchester indicated for her to sit. Maggie hesitated, then hooked a heel onto the barstool and quickly sat, rocking back and forth to reposition her hip-hugging skirt. Dorchester glanced at her legs and she had the feeling he disapproved, irritating her. She was on a date, after all. She had every right to dress like a woman who wanted to have a good time. "Can I get you something?" Maggie thought of Henry back at the table—her good time. Okay, maybe her blind date hadn't deserved the skirt. "No, thank you." But he didn't deserve her drinking with another man while the two of them were supposed to be having dinner. She wondered if Dorchester would be worth a skirt and the thought made her stomach do a flip-flop. "I wanted to speak to you about Peter." Her eyes locked with the man she had watched coach her son all of last season and half of this season. Most of what she knew of Dorchester came via gossip from the other moms and her own opinion watching him from the sidelines. "He's been upset about losing his starting position and while I know coaches have to make difficult decisions, I have trouble understanding why he sits the bench even during practices. You have seven coaches—you can certainly work with all the kids in some way." Dorchester leaned his forearms on the bar and took a drink of beer, not looking at her. "Have you talked to your son?" 12

Summer Heat 3 "Yes, of course." "And he's told you he wants to play?" "Yes." Maggie frowned. Dorchester glanced sideways at her and a tendril of sexual awareness snaked down her spine, surprising the hell out of her. "He doesn't." Shock clogged her throat then turned to anger in a flash. How could she be attracted to a man who all but called her child a liar, then in the same breath gave her a once over like some cheap bar fling? The dating scene was rougher than she remembered. It had been at least fifteen years since she’d been in the fray; maybe she just wasn’t cut out for this. "What do you mean?" she choked out. "He's lost his edge, he doesn't want to play. It happens. I can't start him because I don't want him to get hurt, and it's a shame because he showed a lot of promise last year." "He actually told you he doesn't want to play? What about Bobby's comment that Peter made a good tackle last night?" Maggie couldn't believe her eldest son had misrepresented the situation to her these past weeks, all the while complaining about Coach Dorchester and how the man wasn't giving him a fair shake. "Not in so many words. But when he won't stay in his position, when he avoids tackles and won't engage, well…every kid has off days. Occasionally he does all right, like last night, but for the most part Pete's been more off than on since the season began. Is he having trouble in school? At home?" "No." Maggie felt defensive of both her mothering abilities and her female sensibilities. How could she be drawn to Brian Dorchester? She knew the rumors—he'd never settled down and had left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And while she had always wondered over the truth of such talk, she remained smart enough to know he wasn't the kind of man a widow with two boys dated. "Your husband died a few years back…" "Yes, but Peter's been doing fine." She thought she was doing fine as well—at last getting past the heartache of losing Andrew—but perhaps neither she nor her son had actually accomplished that feat. She slid off the barstool and stood. "Look, I'm sorry to have bothered you. Obviously I should speak to my son again." "Wait." Dorchester's hand wrapped around her wrist and Maggie felt the touch shoot straight to her pelvis, stirring warmth and 13

Summer Heat 3 excitement, and a hunger she hadn't felt since her husband. "I'll see if I can talk to him." She nodded, suddenly unable to speak. The smell of Dorchester's aftershave surrounded her and she felt the heat of his body. Against her better judgment, she leaned closer. "Are you here alone? Let me buy you a beer." The quiet timbre of his voice sank into her bones. She almost said yes. Time to flee. "No. I'm with someone." She pulled away from him. "His name is Harold—" She shook her head. "Henry." Her tongue felt like a wet blanket. "I should be getting back. It's a blind date, my first since I've been on my own. I don’t usually date, but the girls at the field, well, they set me up." Was that her rambling? "Bye." She turned and walked away. Maggie had the distinct feeling Dorchester watched her departure. A man looking for a cheap bar fling would, she reminded herself. Despite the red flags in her mind and the voice telling her not to care, she wished she’d worn the black skirt instead of the purple. She looked better in the black, at least she thought she did. She was only thirty-six, she exercised, she ate right, but suddenly anxiety gripped her—maybe her backside wasn't as attractive as it could be. Not when a man like Brian Dorchester was checking it out. This was crazy. Attraction aside, she didn’t even like the man. **** Maggie rushed through the sliding doors of the emergency room entrance and halted at the front desk. "Where is Peter Vogel?" she asked, trying to catch her breath. "I'm his mother." "Room two, down the hall." She nodded and wasted no time locating it. She hastened past the curtain that surrounded the bed and relief flooded her as she saw her son lying back against several pillows, a cast on his right arm. "Oh Peter, are you okay?" She moved to his bedside and stroked the darkblond hair so like his father's. Peter nodded. "It doesn't hurt anymore." Maggie forced a smile and kissed his forehead. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought back tears. "He did fine through it all." Dorchester's voice startled her. Maggie spun around. The man who had invaded her dreams, sleeping and waking, for the past week leaned against the windowsill, arms and feet crossed, wearing his usual coaching attire—blue t-shirt, gray shorts and a faded Pittsburgh Steeler hat. 14

Summer Heat 3 "I didn't realize you were still here," she said. Laura Jackson had called the real estate office, interrupting the house closing that Maggie hoped would finish in record time, to tell her Peter had an injury that required immediate attention. Laura also told her Dorchester had taken Peter to the hospital himself. "Thank you for bringing him. What happened?" "Pete had a good tackle." "You should've seen it, Mom. I pushed Carter straight back." "The other kids piled on top of them and somebody's helmet pinched Pete's wrist." Dorchester appeared more glum and dour than usual. Maggie suddenly realized she'd never seen the man smile, let alone laugh out loud. What would it be like to see that side of him? He pinned her with a dark gaze. "I'm sorry." "Why? What are you apologizing for?" Her son was safe; he'd recover from a broken arm. With the panic subsiding from hearing her child was in danger, a new panic began to emerge that had everything to do with Dorchester's close proximity. Since the encounter at the steakhouse Maggie realized her attraction for the aloof, oddly handsome and completely frustrating football coach had been simmering under the surface for more than a year. "Can we talk in the hall?" he asked. She nodded. "I'll return," she said to Peter. "Are you coming back, Coach?" her son asked hopefully. "You bet." She felt Dorchester's presence behind her as they exited Peter's room. She turned to face him while tugging at the hem of her gray suit jacket. Wearing black pumps put her face mere inches from his, a fact she wished she hadn't noticed. "This is my fault," he said. "After our talk I decided to push Pete. I shouldn't have." Dorchester's admission surprised her. But her conscience wouldn't let him believe it was entirely his fault. "I had a long talk with Peter and I think you were right, he's been afraid. But he really loves to play football. It was something he shared—that both my boys shared—with their father. I think it really came down to the fact that he's been missing his dad. He was afraid to love the thing that had been so important to my husband. But after our talk he seemed ready to give a hundred percent again. It's not your fault, Brian, that some boy's helmet crushed his arm." She said his name, something she'd 15

Summer Heat 3 never done to his face, and certainly not his first name. It sounded strange, and personal. The grapevine at the field had filled in a few gaps during the past week, feeding her hunger to know more about Dorchester. He’d played college ball at Ohio State and had been quite good before moving back to western Pennsylvania to take over his dad’s construction company, and started coaching youth football years ago when his nephews got involved. What she couldn't seem to dig out of anyone was whether he was currently involved with another woman. "He won't be able to finish the season," he said. Her heart sank at the implication. It wasn't just her son's inability to participate in a game he loved that made her feel discouraged, it was that she'd no longer have a way to see Dorchester. "Matt's still playing,” she said, referring to her younger son. “Peter can hang out and watch." She hoped that didn't sound desperate. "He's welcome to sit the bench at the games." Maggie nodded. "I'm sure he'd like that." "Still seeing Henry?" Caught off guard by the change of subject, Maggie answered truthfully. "No. Once was enough." A tentative smile crossed her face. Dorchester’s gaze locked on hers, and her chest tightened. When had she become so crazy about this man? A man who didn’t fit in her life in all the ways that should matter to a single woman with two children. "I'd like to make it up to you and Pete, and Matt, too. Maybe I can bring a pizza by some time, or whatever you all eat." Afraid to sound too eager, Maggie paused. "Sure. What kid doesn't love pizza?" "See you at the field then. I'll say goodbye to Pete before I leave." He brushed by her as he walked back into the hospital room. The touch, despite the barrier of clothing, spread across her skin like static electricity and left her wanting, longing, for more contact. She had never responded to a man like this, not even her husband, although it was hard to remember the inexperienced girl she’d been all those years ago—fumbling through love, marriage and children in a blissfully unaware state of what drove her. But now she understood. She wanted Dorchester in a hungry, primitive, and possessive way, a way that didn’t entail sweet kisses and casual dating, a way that spoke of a future. 16

Summer Heat 3 Did he feel the same? Did it matter? **** Maggie wiped off the counter in the snack bar; the youngster who had just bought a hot dog had squirted ketchup everywhere. She spied Peter kicking a soccer ball around with other siblings who didn't play football, his arm still bound in a cast. Matt was immersed across the field in a rush of blue and red as the Twerp players ran offensive plays. She was too far away to spot his number. Her gaze drifted back to Dorchester, his broad frame easy to spot, her eyes constantly drawn to him. They hadn't spoken much during the last week. It had been awkward and he'd been busy with the kids and she had been busy in the concession stand. "Did you hear what Brian Dorchester did?" Laura asked. Something about her friend's tone of voice made Maggie certain she didn't want to hear it. "What's that?" she asked reluctantly. Laura restocked the candy on the shelf. "I heard he took pizza over to Kari Newburg's. And he stayed until quite late." Maggie's hopes shattered in an instant. Kari was recently divorced and her son Trevor played on Dorchester's team. "So they're dating?" she asked, hearing the hollowness in her voice and hoping Laura wouldn't notice. Why had she let herself get hung up on him? "I don't know. Kari's a little desperate these days. She was after Norm last week. He coaches the older boys." "Isn't he married?" Maggie thought of Kari's bleach-blonde hair, tan complexion and skin-tight jeans. What man wouldn't respond to that? Laura nodded, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "Dorchester deserves her." Laura had never liked the Head Termite Coach, ever since he'd yelled at her son during practice last year for not listening. Maggie knew people had off days, coaches included, but she wondered if she was giving Dorchester too much leeway in her mind—in her heart. She'd imagined that maybe he'd cared a little for her, for her sons, but it would seem their attraction was one-sided and she'd been played the fool. She took a deep breath, hoping it would make her feel better. Maybe if she bleached her brown hair and wore tighter jeans? God, what was wrong with her. Would she really consider changing who she was to get a man who wasn't worth getting? But her mind whispered the traitorous thought—Dorchester was worth it. 17

Summer Heat 3 Man, she was in trouble. She needed to go home and crawl under the covers before she did something stupid, like fight Kari for Dorchester's affections. Did she stand a chance? She was afraid to try. And she was just as afraid not to try, to walk away, never knowing… Andrew wasn't here anymore, but Dorchester was. Right here, right now. With her mind and heart churning the implications of the strong feelings she had developed for the man, she mindlessly manned the stand for the remaining hour of practice. When the last of the players had left, she and Laura cleaned the hot dog machine and wiped off the counters. "Mom, can we go to the Howard's for a little while?" Peter asked, poking his head inside the doorway. "They just got a new puppy and we don't have school tomorrow because of conferences." "Did Mrs. Howard say it was okay?" "Yep. She said Mr. Howard would bring Matt and I back by ten." Maggie smiled. "Sure. Hey, have Matt leave his gear in my car before you go. I don't want to lose any of it." She tossed him her car keys, which he caught with his good arm and raced back out. "You go on," Laura said. "I'll lock up." Maggie paused. "Well, okay." She wondered if Dorchester was still here. Should she try to talk to him? He was probably already gone. It would be eight o'clock when she got home; she'd have two hours to kill before the boys returned. Two hours to think about the man who wouldn't leave her thoughts. Normally time alone was a blessing, but tonight it felt like a death sentence. "Thanks." She forced a smile. "I'll see you Saturday at the game." "Bright and early." Maggie went into the dark parking lot, dragging her feet, and saw that it was nearly empty. The Howard's minivan idled near her car and Peter was stuffing Matt's pads and helmet into the back of her Ford Explorer. "Bye, Mom." Peter shut the back window, waved at her then jumped into the Howard's car, slamming the side door closed. Matt was already inside, chatting with Josh Howard in the backseat. Nothing like a puppy—and best friends—to put mom in her place. "Have fun," she said into the open passenger window. "And behave. Thanks, Betsy." 18

Summer Heat 3 "It's no trouble." Betsy Howard grinned. "Gotta get home before the pup destroys our laundry room." The minivan sped off. Maggie moved slowly to her car. She tried the handle but it was locked. Hadn't Peter returned her keys? She tried the other doors and the back window, all the while scanning the dirt parking lot for her key ring. Nothing. Peter must have put it in his pocket…she hoped. Her purse was inside the car—she didn't like bringing it into the concession stand—so her cell phone was also inside the car. "Problem?" She spun around, rattled by Dorchester's sudden presence, his tall frame outlined in the darkness. Her mind went blank. Dismayed, she tried to shake herself out of it. "The boys went with the Howard's and accidentally took my car keys." Dorchester looked past her at the car. "Want me to break in?" "No. I have an extra set at home." "Then you'll need a ride. My truck's over here. Hop in." "Okay. Thanks." She pushed her hands into her jean pockets and walked beside him to the truck. He opened the passenger door for her and she climbed in. He shut her door, walked around to the driver's side and took his seat. Why did she feel as if she were climbing into the lion's den? Because Brian Dorchester was a very dangerous man. He held the power to hurt her—his tryst with Kari the painful confirmation. Did she dare let him into her life further? A part of her didn't care as a thrill of excitement shot through her. She always felt this way when near him. But if she wasn’t careful, he’d break her heart into pieces. "I live on Walnut Street," she said. "I know." He shifted his baseball cap but didn't remove it. "It's on the way to my sister's house. I've seen you mowing the lawn." He drove the truck onto the main street. "You should've stopped and said hello." He glanced at her and even in the dark she could see the gleam of interest in his gaze. "Maybe I will next time," he said. "Only if you'll let me do the mowing." "Sure. I don't really like it anyway." Maggie's heart pounded and her stomach tensed. She may not have the experience of a divorcée, but her feminine instincts sensed the sexual undercurrent that hung heavy in the truck cab. "Are you 19

Summer Heat 3 dating Kari Newburg?" she blurted out, unable to look at him. "No. Why do you think that?" He turned the truck onto Walnut Street. "The ever-reliable grapevine," she mumbled. She felt edgy, frustrated, restless and damn if it didn't make her angry. "Are you sleeping with her?" What was wrong with her? Embarrassed, she looked away and winced. "Never mind. I didn't mean to ask that," she added. The truck stopped and Dorchester cut the engine. Maggie saw they were in her driveway. He unbuckled his seat belt, leaned his arm on the seat and looked at her. The intensity of his gaze created a heat wave through her body. "I'm good friends with Kari's ex-husband and I'm Trevor's godfather, so I try to spend time with him, especially since his folks broke up. But I don't have any interest in Kari." Maggie couldn't think what to say, not when the full brunt of Dorchester's attention was focused solely on her. "Oh." With no doubt of his interest in her, she knew a moment like this would never come again. She faced him and felt the burning edge of his desire, felt her body respond to him with a fire in her abdomen and a tingling in her breasts. He leaned over and kissed her. His lips were warm and soft, and for a moment Maggie froze. She hadn't kissed a man since her husband, hadn't opened the part of herself that craved a man's body above all else, except in the darkest recesses of her dreams. But fantasies weren't real; she prayed she wouldn't disappoint Brian in the flesh. Dorchester slowly deepened the kiss and Maggie brought her hand to the hat he wore and pushed it off, enjoying the rough texture of his hair. His tongue slid into her mouth and she felt a jolt of arousal so sharp she trembled. He moved closer and unbuckled her seat belt. His hands came around her and she pressed into him, on the brink of an urgent hunger, and inhaled the scent of sweat and football and man. Her lips grazed the stubble around his mouth and her hands explored his shoulders, memorizing muscles and shapes uniquely his, lines she had spent the last few weeks committing to memory every time he walked on the field. His hand came to her neck then slid lower and the sensation made Maggie gasp. This wasn't fantasy. This was real. She'd been celibate long enough. "Let's go inside," she whispered. 20

Summer Heat 3 "You sure?" "Are you?" He laughed, his hand still spread across her lower back—under her shirt and inside the waistband of her jeans. She wanted his hands to touch every inch of her. "Uncharted territory?" he asked. "It usually is." She bit at the underside of his jaw. "But I'm willing to take the leap. With you." "This might get complicated." "I don't care." He kissed her neck and she shivered. "How long until the boys return?" "An hour or so." Her mouth found his again. He broke the kiss. "Then we don’t have much time." They scrambled out of the truck and climbed the steps to her porch two at a time. She retrieved a spare key from beneath a potted plant and they both laughed with impatience when she dropped it three times. As she opened the front door, Dorchester wrapped his arms around her and she twisted to face him as they stumbled into the entryway. With his mouth devouring hers, Maggie surrendered to the desperation filling her soul, kissing him and gasping for breath as he pushed her against a wall. They slid to the floor and Brian rolled atop her, his arousal pressed against her leg. She didn’t want to come before he was inside her, so started unbuttoning her jeans. She didn’t recognize the woman she had become, a woman who would take what she wanted at any cost. But she wanted this, and had every intention of getting it. Brian pushed her shirt up and a warm hand slid underneath her bra and cupped her breast. He kissed her with a wide, pulsating sweep of his tongue. She struggled to shove her jeans and panties down her hips. When she did, Brian moved his hand and slid a finger inside her. She clawed at his shorts until she found him with no barrier, and grasped him firmly, liking the feel of him, the texture, the shape that spoke of how much he wanted her. She kicked the pants from her feet and Brian rolled onto her, and then into her. It felt awkward and strange for split second, and then 21

Summer Heat 3 the tension in her body reminded her of the release that waited. She drove toward it, wrapping her legs around him and splaying her hands on his back. Her orgasm exploded and she clung to the man who’d drawn it from her. “I want you to come,” he whispered, still thrusting. “I already did.” She laughed and hung on while his body continued to drive into her, finally clenching with his own release. As their breathing returned to normal, Maggie held Brian to her, memorizing the feel of him, on her, in her. Her fingers discovered hair on his shoulders. “You’re a Football Neanderthal.” He laughed. “Then that would make you Mrs. Football Neanderthal.” It was true—she’d never felt so wild in her life. **** Maggie opened her eyes and looked out the window of her bedroom as early morning sunlight filtered through the lace curtains. Brian shifted next to her. She rolled onto her back as his hand, large and warm, slid across her stomach. Her body reacted immediately in anticipation of the early morning romp. Football season was over, having ended two months ago, but Brian's presence in her life had only grown. He stayed the night only when the boys were away on a sleepover, otherwise he spent family time with them. They weren't a perfect fit—she'd been married before and had two children; he'd been a bachelor all his life—but when he touched her, such earthly concerns fell away. Life would never be as easy as it was when Andrew had been with them, but Brian brought a fire into her existence, and much needed male influence into Peter and Matt's lives. Maggie didn't know the answers, except that when she was with Dorchester peace and passion went hand in hand. "Do you want pancakes before or after?" he murmured, moving his hand lower on her abdomen. Her breath caught. "After." "I won't kiss you since I have morning breath." "I don't care." "Do you believe in fate, Maggie?" "Why?" "The first time I saw you at practice it kind of freaked me out." "You mean last year?" 22

Summer Heat 3 "Yeah." "Why?" "Because you seemed so familiar to me. Because when I looked at you I saw a woman I wanted, and not for all the obvious reasons." His hand moved north. "And those aren't obvious reasons?" she asked, referring to the breasts he began to explore. "Well, I don't want you to think I have a one-track mind. I do love other parts of you." Her mind hung on the word love and turned it over. She had no idea what direction her relationship with Dorchester would take. What she did know was that he overwhelmed her in every way possible. She didn't expect he would want something permanent with her. She came as part of a package with her children and she wasn't naïve enough to think Brian would embrace instant family life. She rolled into his arms. "Then make love to me and cook me pancakes." She rested her cheek against his chest and listened to his heart beating a fast cadence. "That's the easy part, Maggie." He buried his hands in her hair. "The hard part is when I'm away from you. I just wanted to tell you that I know what a big deal it's been to let me into your life, to let me into your sons' lives, and I'm willing to make an effort to see this through." Maggie closed her eyes. Her husband had died—she no longer believed in guarantees because there was no such thing—but she recognized that Dorchester had just opened his heart to her, in his own way. And it meant the world. "It's a deal, Coach." She rolled atop him. "But all this talk is making me lose the mood. Quit fumbling and make a tackle." She asked for it and he gave it to her. THE END

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Summer Heat 3

The Seduction By Lynne den Hartog An escape to the sun heralds an unexpected encounter. A younger man, an older woman. Can she teach him to be a truly sensual lover?

http://dutchhutch.com

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Summer Heat 3

The Seduction By Lynne den Hartog As I got off the plane the heat hit me full in the face. Having just left the freezing cold of a typical English winter I wasn't exactly dressed for a temperature of 85 degrees. Slipping out of my thick jumper, I pushed it into my traveling bag. I decided a good pair of sun-glasses wouldn't go amiss, as the glare of the sun, reflected from the white-washed airport buildings, made me screw up my eyes in protest. It was the first time I had been on holiday without my husband and kids since I'd been married, and I felt a little apprehensive, but I didn't regret my decision. All my life I'd put home and family first, and this was my last chance to see something of the world. An unexpected legacy provided the funds and, after watching a travel documentary on the BBC, I'd chosen Puerto Rico as my destination. The family hadn't been keen on the idea, but, for once, I stayed adamant. To be honest, I had another reason for wanting to get away. I needed time to consider my marriage. My husband had never been the most romantic of suitors, but these days he hardly seemed to notice me, and I was fed up with being taken for granted. Mind you, I certainly got his attention when I told him of my plan. The last few days before my departure were filled with arguments. His annoyance would have been quite gratifying if I thought it was because he would miss me, but I suspected all he would miss were my services as housewife and mother. It certainly had nothing to do with my services in the bedroom. That part of our life had been sadly lacking for months, though, whether it was sex he lost interest in, or just me, I really didn't know. It certainly didn't do a lot for my self-esteem. After losing count of the times I'd made the first move, only to be rejected, I gave up trying. 25

Summer Heat 3 Was I so undesirable? I'd kept my figure, even after three kids, and, although, at thirty-five, no longer in the first flush of youth, I thought myself still pretty attractive. Obviously, though, not to him. The more I thought about it, the more the idea of getting away appealed to me. Old clichés, like, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,' popped into my head. Perhaps that could be true for both of us. I hoped so. After clearing customs I looked around for a taxi. Listening to the Spanish speaking voices, I wondered if they were really as excited as they sounded. A taxi stopped and the driver helped me in with my bag. He spoke excellent English, and his first comment was to ask what a beautiful woman was doing on holiday without a man beside her? I realized, to my amusement, that he was flirting with me. It wasn't the type of remark you would get from an English taxi driver, who would be too worried about getting a slap in the face, but I wasn't offended. Actually, more flattered. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been called a beautiful woman, and, although I realized that it was just a game to him, I didn't let that spoil my enjoyment. When we arrived I made sure to give him a big tip, my reward being a huge grin and the hope that I would have a great vacation. Opening the cabin door, I inspected the place that would be my home for the next ten days. It wasn't very big, but seemed clean and comfortable enough. Decorated in terracotta and orange, with splashes of azure blue, it looked deliciously foreign. After putting my clothes in the cupboards I popped out to get some groceries. On returning, I felt too tired to cook a proper meal, so placated my growling stomach with a couple of sandwiches. Sitting at the kitchen table, staring out of the window at the sun-drenched garden, planted with large red and yellow flowers, interspersed with huge green cacti, I wondered what to do next. Droplets of sweat pearled on my forehead. Rubbing eyes that felt full of grit, I was uncomfortably aware that my clothes were sticking to my skin. Crinkling up my nose, I thought a shower might be a good idea. Stripping off my clothes, I walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower jet. The strong and powerful water played across my body. Tired as I was, I became incredibly turned on. Reaching for the soap, I massaged the lather into my parched skin. My fingers slipped over my breasts, pausing on the erect nipples. They slid between my fingertips and I sighed in enjoyment. Directing the jet of water onto my pussy, and writhing in pleasure, I held my breath, one hand 26

Summer Heat 3 holding the shower-head, the other now deliciously between my legs, frantically fingering myself to a climax. With thumping heart, yet feeling decidedly more relaxed, I dried myself off and, my legs still shaking, walked to the bedroom and slipped between crisp clean sheets. By the time I woke, the sun was already sinking below the horizon. Dressing quickly in cut off jeans and a halter top, I made my way down to the deserted beach to catch the last moments of the impressive sun-set. I could hardly believe my eyes. The sky was glowing with every possible shade of red and orange. Sitting cross-legged on the white sand, my bare feet washed by the incoming surf, I drank in every moment. I became so engrossed that it was a shock to suddenly hear a voice behind me. Turning, I found myself staring into the most beautiful eyes imaginable, mysteriously gleaming with the reflection of the dying sunset. Their owner spoke in Spanish and probably noticed my puzzled look as he switched to heavily accented English. "Beautiful, isn't it?" His voice, dark and sensuous, sent shivers up my spine. Looking more closely, I discovered him to be a lot younger than I'd first thought, ten years my junior at least. Not handsome in the classical sense of the word, but something about him took my breath away. I didn't know what, but could suddenly feel a pulse beating in my throat, and found myself at a loss for words. "Would it be rude if I asked to sit here?" I shook my head and he crouched down on the sand beside me. We both stared in silence at the brilliant red sun sinking into the emerald green sea. It was a magical moment, neither of us speaking, but joined in thought by the beauty of nature. But all too soon it was over. "Do you come here often?" It wasn't until the words were out of my mouth that I realized how stupid they sounded, but he just smiled. "'I've been here every evening since I arrived." "Oh? You don't live here, then?" "No, I come from San Juan, about one hundred miles down the coast. I'm here to do some studying for my finals." "Ah, you're a student?' "Yes. Let me introduce myself. My name is Amador." "What a beautiful name." "I find it quite embarrassing." 27

Summer Heat 3 In answer to my questioning look, he grinned and said, "You see, Amador means 'lover' in Spanish." "Oh?" To my horror I found myself blushing. He must think me a complete idiot, but, of course, he didn't know about the secret fantasy spawned in my mind the moment I'd looked up and seen his dark figure standing over me. In fact I'd deliberately avoided looking directly into his face since, afraid my eyes would give me away. But who was I kidding? He probably thought of me as he would one of his mother's friends. Suddenly memories of The Graduate flashed into my mind. Just call me Mrs Robinson, I thought, ruefully, surprised that he wasn't already making a move to leave. When he spoke, I couldn't have been more astonished. "Would you like to join me for a drink? There's a little cafeteria further down the beach." "I'd love to!" I hoped I didn't sound too eager. As we walked back together along the beach I became painfully aware of the proximity of our bodies. His generated a heat which overpowered even the warmth of the tropical night. As we passed my cabin on the way to the bar, I impulsively blurted out, "'Look, I'm not really dressed for an evening out, would you mind having a drink here instead?" Somehow I expected him to say no, and he did hesitate, but then nodded, following me into my cabin. Luckily I'd bought a couple of beers and some of the local liqueur, so I did have something to offer him. Actually, I had quite a lot to offer him, but did I dare? Could I handle being unfaithful to my husband? Just because we were going through a bad patch, did that give me the right to break my marriage vows? I had my doubts, even if Amador should be interested and not put off by the difference in our ages. Still, it was a lovely fantasy to fill my dreams with in months to come. Going into the kitchen I poured out drinks and switched on the radio, tuning in to a music station. Our conversation, at first a little awkward, gradually began to flow as we became more comfortable with each other. The alcohol relaxed him, and he started to talk about himself. He told me about his life at university and how he still lived with his parents, quite normal in Latin countries it seemed. The longer I spent with him, the more attracted I felt. My life at home receded into the distance. After all, my husband didn't seem to want me any more, so why shouldn't I enjoy myself now that I could? Time to worry about the consequences when I got back. 28

Summer Heat 3 "These seats are a bit hard, shall we move to the other room?" He agreed and soon we were sitting close together on the plumpcushioned couch. As we talked I couldn't resist touching him occasionally, and even let my hand rest on his leg for a moment. As he didn't turn and run I began to get bolder. I must know if he was available. "Um, don't answer if I'm embarrassing you, but you can't have much privacy with your mum and dad being there when you want to take your girlfriend back home." The silence and blushes greeting my remark made me think I had been too intrusive so I decided to change the subject, but his next words astonished me. "I've never had a girlfriend to take back." Had I heard him correctly? Surely I couldn't be the only female that found his looks and personality so attractive? Perhaps it needed an older woman to see through his shyness to the potential beneath. Then another thought struck me. Could he be gay? His next words put my mind at rest. ''Things don't seem to work out. Girls just seem to see me as a friend." "They must be fools then!" It was out before I could stop myself. How obvious could I get? I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. He stared at me, and, looking up into his eyes, I found myself fighting for breath, the waters of temptation irreversibly closing over my head. "'Do you find me attractive, then?" I almost laughed at the surprise in his voice and decided to be completely honest with him. It would have one of two results, either he would stand up and run, or … Well, the 'or' was what I hoped for right now. "Yes, I do find you attractive. Very attractive. In fact, if I was a few years younger or you a few years older, I probably wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you!" Thinking I could hardly keep my hands off him as it was. He swallowed convulsively. A sinking feeling in my stomach warned me of an imminent farewell and desperate flight from one crazy old lady. However, I almost fell over backwards as he spoke, "Why should age make any difference? I mean…I find you very attractive, too." I couldn't believe my ears. Suddenly my fantasy took a step nearer reality. Plucking up all my courage, I asked, "'Does that mean you'd like to sleep with me?"" 29

Summer Heat 3 He didn't speak, instead he slowly nodded his head. Knowing he would never make the first move I realized I must take the role of seductress, safe in the knowledge that, with him, unlike my husband, my advances wouldn't be rejected. Reaching out, I touched his cheek. Moving closer, I placed my mouth on his. Gently I pushed my tongue against his lips and his mouth opened to accept it. Thrills ran up and down my spine. I realised that something had grown between us in the last few seconds, and, glancing down, I realised it wasn't just in our minds! Taking his hand, I led him into the bedroom and slowly began to undress him. He was trembling, and I murmured reassuring words into his ear. "Don't be nervous. Just follow my lead. I'm going to show you how wonderful sex can be, and teach you how to give the most pleasure possible to a woman." I ran my fingers over his young body, feeling his muscles tense under my touch. "Would you like to see me naked?" He nodded, and I began to do a striptease to the strains of the music on the radio. He couldn't take his eyes off my body, now clad only in black lace panties and bra. I saw his fingers move, almost involuntarily, to his cock. "Wo, lover. You don't have to do that. That's my job!" I began to stroke him gently. He began thrusting himself into my palm, his breath heaving. I knew that if I didn't stop soon he would come in my hand. "Could you undo my bra, please?" Strangely enough, considering our most recent antics, this request seemed to embarrass him the most. Blushing deeply, he reached around my back and, using both hands, undid the clip. My bra fell to the floor, revealing my D cup breasts. As Amador didn't make a move, standing as if frozen, I took his hand and placed it on my right breast, moulding his fingers around my nipple. He hesitated, then began rolling it between fingertips and thumb. I moaned softly. He was a quick learner and his other hand reached out to my left breast and mirrored his efforts. I pressed myself against him, until our bodies were grinding into each other, kissing him again hard on the mouth. This time his tongue entered my mouth first, probing and thrusting in passion and desperation. I led him to the bed, enjoying watching his body so obviously longing for its first experience with a woman, but I wanted him to know how to make a woman enjoy herself, too, so I told him to watch me. I took my breast, bringing my nipple to my mouth. Languidly I licked all around it before taking it in my mouth and sucking on it 30

Summer Heat 3 gently. His hand crept towards his cock, and, although I enjoyed watching him pleasure himself, I shook my head slightly. Almost guiltily, he stopped. Making sure he had a good view, I slipped my middle finger into my pussy, then slid it slowly along the side of my clit. Feeling the arousal building in my belly I quickened my strokes, bringing myself to the brink. When I was almost there I stopped to run my hands along my body, lingering on my stomach and the inside of my thighs, caressing my nipples before returning to my clit. Engrossed in the show he suddenly moved towards me, his hands following my lead, his lips closing over my nipple. Oh my God, that felt so good. What a pupil! I knew it wouldn't be long before I came. Taking him in my hand, I guided him into me. For a second he almost lost it and began to pump into me so quickly that I knew he couldn't help but come in a few seconds. "Slower, darling, you want to make this last, don't you?" I didn't think he would have the willpower, but, he slowed down and I kissed him gently on the lips, exalting in the sensation of our intertwined bodies. I encouraged him to finger my clit as he moved in me, gently squeezing his balls to hold him back until I, too, was ready. "Yes, now! I'm going to cum." His movements quickened and his whole body was trembling as, with a gasp, he came deep inside my body, and I joined him in his climax. Afterwards we lay side by side on the bed, enjoying the aftermath of sex. He kissed my ear and whispered, "Thank you, amor, for teaching me this lesson." "I still have a lot of new and wonderful things to teach you, Amador. This was just the first lesson. What do you feel about completing the course?" A broad grin lit up his face as he said, "I think this will be one course I shall really enjoy." And me? Would I regret my extra curricular activities? I didn't think so. If nothing else, it had done wonders for my self-esteem. Now I knew for certain that our failings in the marital bed were certainly not down to me. If my husband was going to keep me, he'd definitely have to change his attitude. THE END

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Summer Heat 3

Hot Spell By Bridghid Parkinson Alison asked for help from her Wiccan friend for an old-fashioned love spell. With magick, she discovers that finding love begins with loving yourself.

http://bridghidparkinson.blogspirit.com/

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Summer Heat 3

Hot Spell By Bridghid Parkinson “So Mote it be!” “So Mote it be!” Alison echoed. She and her college roommate sat on the floor with the flicker of candles all around the dorm room. Shelly, or Damiana, as she asked to be called in the circle, smiled expectantly but said nothing. “You really think this will work?” Alison asked. “Not if you doubt it like that!” Alison pulled the leather strap around her neck and fastened the clasp. The pendant of this new necklace was a flat stone with an intricate carving of a nude woman on the front. She fingered the pendant and knew it would hang, even covered by her bra. She watched as Damiana finished sewing the wish list into the spell bag with the dried flowers and the wax that spilled from the different candles around the room. When finished, Alison dropped the tiny medicine bag into her purse. “The purpose of making the necklace is to focus on all of those passions churning inside of you. You can wear it all the time to remind you and bring a suitable love to you. You just can’t be fussy because the Gods know things we don’t. You can’t manipulate a specific man or it backfires.” “You explained that part.” “I can’t believe your parents messed with your head about ‘dating seriously’. Don’t they know it’s always ‘serious’… even when you are 10 years old?” “That’s ‘puppy love’… in later years they told me I need to find a nice boy at the church. There was always something they didn’t like about the ones I went out with, even with the boys at the church, and I made the huge mistake of thinking they knew something I didn’t.” 33

Summer Heat 3 “I don’t understand…” Shelly looked perplexed. “It’s going to seem like harsh words, but if he wasn’t a good, church boy, I caught Hell. They were never brazen enough to come out and say it, they would just drop negatives or set restrictions, and if all else failed, I would be grounded at the drop of a hat.” “You didn’t understand…” “I still don’t understand, either… but at my age, I can make up my mind.” “Has there been anyone you have liked?” “Yea… very much so… maybe I will see him this summer.” “You ain’t talkin’…” “Nope… I might not even see him because he’s taking courses at the technical college.” Alison hesitated because she thought of the fellow that she would like to run into over the summer and hoped she didn’t jinx the spell they just did. There were infrequent but pleasant dates with him, but she later felt awkward because of her parents influences that she thought were out of her control. Let it be right… it doesn’t need to be a lifetime… just a beginning. “Now, no discussion about the spell for twenty-four hours! Let it simmer and brew. Save any questions for later,” she said as she closed the circle and blew out the candles. They cleaned the room quietly and brought the area back to the semblance of a dorm room. **** Alison had no questions. Shelly preformed a special ritual for her within the traditions of her Wiccan religion. She created a love spell focusing on drawing energy to Alison rather than binding her to a specific man. Over the past year, Allison read many of the books Shelly had on her bookshelf, but notable among them was a favorite, ‘The Book of Avatars’. The modern storybook featured deep object lessons about Wiccan spirituality, mythology, ethics and sexuality. Much like some of the old myths, these stories described the ‘Summerland’ and the spirits that lived there, sometimes referred to in the stories as the ‘Avatars’, or the ‘Ancestors’. Alison pondered intently on the Avatars from the book until she felt she’d come to know an entire village of people. After spending much of the year reading these books in her spare time, Alison garnered her strength and approached Shelly. “I wonder if you could do a favor for me… a love spell?” Shelly began laughing and hollering. Alison thought she had said 34

Summer Heat 3 something wrong, until Shelly explained, “I was hoping you would ask, because I’m not allowed to offer.” It took almost a week to prepare for the spell that Shelly wanted to do because she wanted a lot of background information and the reasons why Alison wanted to do a ritual. She’d been astonished to hear some of the stories Alison described about the town where she grew up and the perceptions she grew up with about relationships. For the day of the ritual, they stayed in their room at the dorm and talked about all of the mechanics of the ritual and the aspects of the spell. Shelly did explain that she must have the permission to do magic on anyone that might be involved. It meant that she could not do a spell without the full knowledge and consent of anyone affected by the spell, and it was better if they asked for it freely. Shelly hoped that Allison would ask for ritual. They drank special teas and Shelly brought in fancy foods they would eat during the day as part of the special preparation. “Remember, if I mess up, it’s okay to laugh because this isn’t ‘church’, like you are used to when you were growing up. The Gods of Laughter are still Gods!” Shelly smiled. That statement made Alison giggle. Shelly pulled her ‘funny ritual’ items from a drawer to prove her point. Alison laughed at the toys she found, which included a water gun, a whoopee cushion, comic books, neon fuzzy rugs and statues of bug eyed aliens. From another drawer in the bureau, she brought out statues of a naked woman, and a man with an oversized erection, with other symbols and candleholders carved of stone. “Are you cool with all this?” Shelly asked. “Yea! It’s very interesting. I like the way a friend once told me to go out under the stars to pray, and if I want to find God, just look up. You have never told me that I have to stop believing in anything. This is just a different way of doing the same thing.” Shelly nodded emphatically. **** Now that the ritual was over, Alison realized why there had been so much preparation for the ceremony. Alison understood little of the disciplines Shelly learned during her teenage years, so much of the background needed explanation. They cleaned the room all morning as they discussed placement of the candles, the layout of the altar, fresh flowers, dried herbs, and a piece of cloth for the spell sack 35

Summer Heat 3 called a medicine bag. They covered the furnishings they could not put away with sheets, hiding reminders of the mundane world, because they were going to a place ‘Between the Worlds’ and Shelly insisted it had to be special. She took the preparations for granted until after the ritual. Shelly was successful in transforming the small dorm room into a place unlike anything Alison had seen before. Green sheets covered the desks with the computers, but dishes of flowers placed around the room with garlands of silk vines resembled being out in the woods. They talked for hours and as they took a ritual shower to cleanse themselves, Alison felt the difference in the room. During the ritual, noise normally associated with the dorm didn’t intrude. It was as if they had gone out in the woods and found a blissful, quiet grove. **** The day after the ritual was almost disappointing with the return to the routines of college life. Nothing special happened in the world around her. Shelly returned to her perky self, ace sociology student, just as if nothing changed and the otherworldly ritual never happened. When Allison reached up and touched the little pendant, a special feeling lingered that brought a smile to her face. Alison kept thinking about what she hoped to accomplish with the spell. She wanted a partner to take her seriously and she wanted to discover the intimate advantages of a serious relationship. She thought long and hard that this also meant discovery of a sexual relationship and being able to return the support, passion and pleasures. She’d once felt that her indulgences in her sensual side were somehow wrong. Shelly explained that her Taurus nature may prompt her to feel emotions and sensations more acutely than other astrological signs. It wasn’t until Alison had settled that night to watch her favorite show on TV that Shelly asked, “How are you feeling?” “A little odd, to be honest.” “Define odd.” “It’s a good feeling, almost like I’m being daring and brazen, or at least a bit reckless in comparison to the way I was raised.” “Good! You deserve that! Keep focusing on what we talked about in the ritual.” “A healthy sexual expression is essential,” Alison recited some of the precepts they had discussed in ritual. “Nudity is nothing to be ashamed of in a healthy relationship.” 36

Summer Heat 3 “And, Honey, you should be very proud of what you got! Take care of it! I am amazed with the hang ups that you have.” Alison giggled. Alison enjoyed her dance and exercise routines at the gym. That wasn’t going to be a problem. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Her ‘hang-ups’ however were lingering echoes from her past that she tried to escape. “Hey! I could hook you up with…” “No! We are a week away from the end of the school year. Call it ‘old-fashioned’ but I don’t want a fling. I’m going home for the summer and there are a few old friends that I want to see.” “As you wish. You can still enjoy this.” Shelly seemed a little disappointed as she tossed a book across the room. “Keep it.” She tried to catch it, but the book fell to the bed and she reached to pick it up. It was the short story book about the Avatars. Allison traced the design on the cover with her fingers of a naked woman standing with a man who had a crown of antlers. “Ummm… Page 95… Aria is a hot one! It’s flowery, partly from his perspective in the beginning. Maybe you should see yourself that way.” Shelly offered. “Oh, and I’ll be out.” **** P95, Avatar Crossroads, Oro and Aria Oro stepped back from his viewpoint on the woodlands rocky ledge that over looked the river pool where Aria swam. He’d long admired her, and flirted from afar. She always smiled when he was caught staring at her during village events. Since he didn’t live in the main village, he would have liked to see her more. He thought that such a woman would never be interested in a Woodsman, but she sparked his imagination anytime he saw her. He often wondered if she knew of his view while she swam, though he would have been horrified had she caught him. Aria danced in the water like a nymph and the curvatures of her hips and breast were as distracting as her intellect as healer. One of her most tantalizing attributes was that she knew of her blessings and cared for herself well. Her full breasts and large nipples seemed eager for the enthusiastic sucking of babe or lover and Oro often thought of how her slender legs might feel when wrapped about his waist when, like now, he used his hands to relieve the strain of his penis. His breathing became faster and the blood rushed to his engorging organ. The covering of his loincloth was ineffective, while his mind surged with thoughts of satisfying his raging passions for 37

Summer Heat 3 Aria. There was no other woman in the entire village that could captivate him with the way she wiggled her hips or laughed at his jokes. He squeezed his hand on the head and with the mere thought of pushing it into her body his heartbeat began to rise. With the fantasy of a few thrusts, matched with the strokes of his hand, he unloaded his seed into the bushes. He was fearful that Aria might find him ugly because he grew into a Protector of the Woodlands and he was well equipped for his tasks. Antlers of a deer graced his head, while his hands bore claw like fingernails. His strong legs, covered in coarse hair, could carry him through the dense undergrowth of the woods, without the concern for clothing that humans required in other places. The other men in the Village also vied for her attention and Oro was delighted to see her when she came to eat with him in the feasts or dances in the square. Oro knew he could be gentle, but he feared loving a beautiful woman such as Aria because he feared hurting her, and the passions threatened to split his penis when it swelled. The dances around the bale fires in spring would be enough to drive him mad, but other men danced without shame around the fires, many with erections. Oro always managed to escape from other women in the village during the dances. He didn’t find them ugly, but he just didn’t find them as fascinating as Aria. He looked out to the water again only to find Aria left the swimming hole, leaving behind her clothing on the shore. He scanned the distant path for her in hopes that she wasn’t preparing to leave. The rustle of the brush brought Oro from his thoughts. He kept still in this position for fear of discovery and waited for Aria to return. He feared that Aria might never again come to swim in these waters if she knew he was watching. When he didn’t see small animals on the hill below him, he looked to the waters in the river and found Aria gone but her clothing still lay on the shore. His heart sank but his blood still boiled in his loins because he didn’t get much relief. His loincloth hung to the side and was useless. He looked out to the river again, hoping for more than just the brief glimpse he once had. Another twig snapped behind him, closer this time. In his reverie, he had let down his guard and had not been able to determine the origin of the sounds that stirred him from his thoughts. He turned toward the sound slowly and realized his worst nightmare. Aria stood a mere five steps from him in the warm sun, still naked and damp 38

Summer Heat 3 because she had climbed the ledge nearby. He felt certain he was a sight to see, complete with a partly swelled shaft, which would not subside even with the shock of discovery. He stood in silence hoping that the grounds might open and swallow him, but he was unable to move for Aria’s large brown eyes held him captive. Aria spoke first. “Hello, Oro...” Using a monumental act of will, Oro resisted the urge to flee, but could not find the courage to speak. “Why are you afraid? I see you often in the Village.” Her gaze dropped down the length of his body and back up. She smiled when her eyes met his again. Oro recovered his senses only enough to stammer out an apology. He still hoped to fall into the earth, yet resisted the urge to run. She asked, “Would you like to swim with me?” This shock was enough to relieve some of the pressures of his rod and permit his loincloth to cover him again, even if straining. Aria asked the first question of Oro about his heritage as they made their way down to the river’s edge. “My father was a woodsman. I carry antlers, as he did.” “You weren’t born with them?” “No,” he laughed as he thought of his mother attempting to birth a baby with such a crown. “I was a normal boy until the time I started school, the antlers began to grow like my father. Occasionally, a new point develops. My father has twelve points, but I only have six. My sisters weave flowers and put them on the points for the festivals. My brother did not grow them, and he was disappointed but father says not every man has them.” He explained details of his family as the Woodsmen. A mishap injured his father a few years before while he trying to protect the region from the rampages of a large bear. He killed the bear that night, but a claw opened his leg and he did not recover well from the injury. The pelt of the bear now graced Oro’s bed and its warmth comforted him as Oro took over the protection of the woodlands with the guidance of his father. Aria listened intently as they walked down the ledges. It wasn’t a difficult climb but she reached without looking to a large stalky plant for balance. Oro’s reacted by grabbing her hand to steady her step. He cautioned her that this plant’s oily secretion was poisonous- at best, she might get a bad itch, and if she had inadvertently touched her eye, it might have caused permanent vision problems. She knew of the 39

Summer Heat 3 plant, and knew the sap was lethal, but did not know the plant produced a resin that was transferable. Thus, they began to talk freely, which they found easy to do. Oro felt comfortable in removing his loincloth for the swim but he did not feel entirely comfortable fully facing her as he climbed into the water because his penis extended in front of him. Swimming in the warm waters of the river enabled them to relax even further and conversation about the wildlife and plants of the area was easy. He did not hide the fact that he was impressed with her knowledge of the medicinal plants and fascinated by information such as tea made from the bark of a Kardilat tree relieving the headaches and nose congestion that he would get in reaction to some of the flowers of spring. He wasn’t sure if he would like the taste of the tree bark, but Aria explained medical plants were not supposed to taste good or people might eat until sick from the healing oils. In the moment, Oro began to relax most, he startled when he felt Aria brush against him in the warm waters of the river and his mind returned to the fascination he held for her. In waters a bit higher than waist deep, they lounged and floated, all traces of the days labors and stresses washing away until he felt the tender flesh of her leg as she floated near him. **** Aria noticed that he caught his breath, and looked like a frightened animal. She intended to touch him but did not mean to frighten him. Aria reached her hand out and touched his upper arm. Oro, even when educated by the village elders, was very much a man of the Woodlands and his instincts were like those of the animals he protected. She knew he learned to follow those instincts well. Although grown now to her full height, she had never touched a man in this way. The spring festivals were lavish celebrations enabling those of age to meet and court. Oro was the same age but they had not yet attended these festivals together. Desire took over and her pulse quickened in anticipation, but she was careful not to make a sudden move as she allowed her body to drift closer in the water to him. **** Oro felt the primal stirrings again in his loins and he sank down in the waters to disguise the stiffening penis. He knew that if Aria came much closer to him the magic would be maddening. Aria seemed to know this, too. Her touch on his arm brought his flesh to 40

Summer Heat 3 pointy little peaks in spite of the warmer temperatures of the early summer season. Her nipple seemed as hard as his penis, as his eyes found her rounded breasts peeking above the level of the water. They seemed to defy gravity, just as the ends of her hair played in the stream behind her. His voice faltered but she raised a hand to his lips. She came closer, kissed his cheek, and looked at him pleadingly. She resisted, too, looking to him for permission to proceed. As they drew closer together, she looked deep in his eyes, she whispered one word, “Yes,” and his resistance melted. Oro drew her to him feeling her body along his and he bent to taste her lips. The kiss confirmed what Oro already knew, they had danced in flirtation long enough. **** Aria now trembled and all she could do was echo his desire. The touch of his lips to hers and the taste of his tongue fueled her and she became even bolder in reaching to his hair in dark curls at the base of his neck. She drew her arms around his shoulders, his stiffened rod against her hip and the heat of their bodies cooled only by the waters that flowed around them. Buoyed in the water, they locked in a kiss that extended down from their mouths along their bodies to their legs. Oro moved his mouth downward to her nipple where he began sucking against the firm nub. Aria moaned but this was pleasurable and the dark skin around the nipple drew tight as he flicked his tongue against it. The hair of his chest had reminded her of the feel of a silky robe against her breast in the summer. She delighted to the feel of the muscles. Nothing prepared her for the fire of his mouth against each breast, when he began to suck at one nipple and then the other. Warmth spread through her chest and her heart quickened. Aria felt giddy with passion and she brought her hands around his neck and head and began kissing his forehead. She brought her legs around his torso and drew him tight against her. His hands braced her backside and his mouth sucked her breast like an eager baby. She felt engulfed by him but there was nothing that she wanted more. Were it not for his rising rod against her, Aria might have been content to be lost in the embrace. Her legs quivered and the water did nothing to cool her anticipation. She pressed her hips against him. In her desire, she moaned as his beard tickled her chest. 41

Summer Heat 3 Oro continued the explorations with his mouth; then with a small turn, he moved her to float on her back. He kissed down her belly to the sparse hair that covered her opening at the top of her legs and he reached out his tongue to taste the tender folds of skin. Her gentle flesh was sweet and slippery against his tongue and he flicked his tongue out, probing her and getting the most reaction as he tickled the bud as firm as her nipple. He buried his mouth and began to suck. Aria began to moan and squirm. She was in fact beginning to feel the fiery stirrings inside her that indicated there was more to her passions. Her body trembled fiercely. She had to work to relax as his tongue began to reach deeper and then rise, sparking fire against tender skin and making her heart race. She struggled to finally drive home the conjunction or die in the flames. With her heart pounding, she sandwiched his throbbing rod between her cleft and his own belly and she rotated her hips so she caressed the shaft. Her legs were again about his waist and her body trembled in time with her pounding heart. Aria struggled to accommodate the intimidating shaft inside her. Pleasure swept over her as he made the final drive home and slowly buried himself as Aria's grip with her legs tightened around him. The pain of the loss of her maiden head was short lived as it gave way to pleasures beyond her imagination. She wiggled her hips to move and accommodate even more of him. Oro's hands on her hips guided her and she allowed him to withdraw slightly to reenter again. Aria reeled with the pleasures that seized them. She silently begged of The Great One not to let this moment end too soon. She rocked her hips and ripples of pleasure spread through her and her pulse quickened. She found herself moaning again and Oro echoed her pleasure. She drew her arms around his shoulders and she kissed any part of his body her mouth found. Her body moved instinctually and her breath caught in her throat and became raspy as if she were in an exercise. She began to tremble with the first ripples of climax. The world exploded around them but they clung to each other Aria trembled within his arms. She stirred only to face him, kissing his lips as if she were drawing breath from his mouth. He simply held her tightly as they floated back into this realm and lingered wordlessly in the embrace. The setting sun blazed fire against the sky and fireflies blinked like the stars. **** 42

Summer Heat 3 Returning to the real world… In the last days of the semester, Alison enjoyed other stories from the Book of Avatars, that described people in varied relationship situations, who lived in a magical, Wiccan style setting. Alison had been intrigued about the story of Oro and Aria, especially the perspectives from his point of view, but she doubted that she would ever come across any situation like that on her own. Until the fall semester started, she would have to bury the book in odd boxes of her college supplies to keep her parents from seeing it. Once she arrived home, she relished getting a new hairstyle with her favorite hairdresser and a few new cosmetics at the store. Some people hated living in the country, but Alison loved the old house on the hill. Her parents were always happy to see her when she came home for the summer. Her parents needed help around the little farm and Alison enjoyed her work at the pharmacy during the summer when she wasn’t in college. Alison became stronger over her years in college, but she didn’t tell her parents about the things she studied with Shelly. She considered additional study of the practices but was mostly interested in the philosophy. Mr. Dawson at the drugstore seemed delighted to see her again and immediately offered her the same job she worked every summer since high school. Customers young and old always preferred to have her help them take care of the necessities. Alison felt lonely even now that she was home for the summer. She flirted and dated but didn’t have much patience for the city boys that were worried about image. Alison could only think about the tantalizing opportunities she passed over in favor of the unknown. She fingered the little amulet around her neck and thought of Shelly’s admonishment about keeping her attitude positive. She hoped to see Cord Mardello, an old friend that she’d flirted with except they never became deeply involved. Her work seemed to go on endlessly and it was only her second week back at the drugstore with two more months before the start of the new semester. Can I survive this summer? She straightened the beauty aids section during a slow period of work, chatting with the woman working at the cosmetics counter before she returned to the main counter. When Cord walked in, she was shocked because, he held a small cloth with blood streaks and spots on it, and put it in his pocket. 43

Summer Heat 3 Alison was alarmed when saw the blood, “Cord! Are you okay?” “Yea…oh, sorry…,” Cord stopped and stared at Alison. “Ah…yeah…uh, my dog got the top of his head and an ear scraped on some barbed wire while he was dodging a bull. I got the bleeding stopped. He’s in the truck. You know how head wounds can bleed something fierce. It’s actually small, but I want some triple-antibiotic ointment to put on the scratches.” “I can get that for you,” Alison said as she walked to the shelves. “Shouldn’t you go to the vet?” “He doesn’t need stitches. This is the same thing, the generic is cheaper here and I only need a little bit, not something the size of a quart jar.” Alison nodded. His explanation made sense, so she pulled a box of generic ointment from the shelves and led him to the registers. “I was hoping I would run into you. I wasn’t sure when your classes got out for the summer. I finished the electronics program in March, and in September, I start the other course. What are you up to?” “I’m still in the Nursing program. Mama thinks I would do well to work in a walk-in clinic.” “Hey, that sounds like an idea! We could use something like that around here for simple sutures and little problems. Grandma couldn’t sleep the other night and it didn’t occur to her that she had two pots of coffee that day. She went to the doctor, and then fussed and fumed about the money she spent only to have him tell her to switch to decaf.” Alison started laughing but she did try, unsuccessfully, to restrain herself. She just covered her mouth and giggled. He was always good for off-handed comments. She enjoyed Cord’s perspective of life, and the antics of his grandmother were fuel for his observations. In truth, she knew Cord adored his grandmother and likely picked up his sense of humor from her peculiar example. “I meant for that to be funny.” “I know you did.” She smiled to reassure him and fanned her face with her hand. “What are you doing later? When you get off work, I mean.” Cord asked. “I was just going for a swim. I might watch TV.” “Are you going to that spot… by the rock?” Alison startled to hear that he knew about the place by the rock 44

Summer Heat 3 because that was usually where she went skinny-dipping unless she was out there with her friends. She realized his parents property line extended to the river. “Yea, I’ll need to stop by the house and grab my suit, but I’ll be off in about two hours. Can I meet you there?” “Yeah. You don’t have to bring… a swimsuit,” he stammered. “We can grab dinner when the sun goes down. How’s that?” He raised his eyebrows and smiled. Alison was a little astonished but pleased. In all the years she’d known him, he never gave an indication of trouble. She felt safe, so she smiled and nodded her head. She regretted passing on other opportunities, and she was not about to let this one slide by. It wasn’t the first time that Cord had flirted. This was, however, the first time that she didn’t feel the pressure from her parents to avoid ‘getting too serious’. Cord left with his purchase, giving her a quick, “See ya later.” The next hour of work dragged by while she finished dusting the displays behind the counter. Her mind flashed to memories of the spell and the stories in the Book of Avatars. Suddenly, she couldn’t leave the pendant alone when she had a free hand. She rang up the purchases of the customers that straggled into the drugstore. They reached the afternoon slow period and she had time to straighten the displays behind the counter. “Why don’t you head home?” The pharmacist suggested. Mr. Dawson was a man in his fifties, with his hair combed back neatly. “I can’t, Mr. Dawson. Toni won’t be here for another hour.” “I can take care of the few customers we get between now and then! I saw that fellow in here and I know you made plans. Here… you might need these. It’s best to be safe.” The pharmacist put a twelve-pack of condoms on the counter. “Hang on, let me get my purse.” Alison couldn’t pretend to be shocked, because she had the same thought as she cleaned the contraceptive displays behind the counter. He just put them on the counter before she did, although she didn’t expect to need that quantity. She hoped Toni would ring up the purchase when she came in at the shift change. Most girls her age had more experience and she thought she could fake it, at least. “Naw, it’s on me. That’s one of the clinic packs.” Alison said, “Thank you,” gracefully. She looked briefly at one of the displays and found beach towels. “I will get something else…” 45

Summer Heat 3 Alison clocked out and finished the purchase of two beach towels. “All set?” “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” she tried to say casually. “He’s a nice fellow… relax.” Alison didn’t want to say anything. When she climbed into her car, she mused to herself that Mr. Dawson had simply done for her what she knew to do for any of the customers in the drugstore. She drove through the park, onto a paved road that changed to a dirt road, and followed along the river. The gravel used to fill in the holes pinged at the bottom of her car if she traveled to fast. Alison took it slow and soon the dirt road ended in a circular gravel parking area. She put three condoms in her purse, removed the tags on the towels and stepped out of the car. The swimming hole she enjoyed was one hundred and fifty yards ahead. She looked up the hill and realized her mother could see her car from the back porch, so she made a quick phone call. “Mom… I’m off an hour early and going swimming with a friend. Don’t make dinner for me. We’ll grab a burger later tonight. Nah… I won’t be too late but I don’t work again until tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be fine. Love you… bye.” Alison knew she hadn’t lied to her mother. The condoms in her purse may be a fantasy, but Mr. Dawson was right, it’s was better to be safe. When Cord mentioned skipping the swimsuit, it was simply a walk on the wild side. She knew him, well but this whole afternoon may be nothing more than it appears on the surface. After college in the big city, she preferred the freedom of skinnydipping in a quiet section of the river and not worrying about prying eyes. Even on the day she ran topless with the sorority girls through the campus at college, it never held the same thrill or comfort as the old river. She finally approached the trees around the swimming hole but discovered that Cord arrived early. He was already naked and wet, but he was facing away from her as he sat in the shadows, leaned against the rock at the edge of the riverbank. She started to call out to him when she saw he was doing something. She stepped behind a large tree. Alison felt she was spying on him, yet discovered that he had reason for wanting privacy. An erection extended in front of him and 46

Summer Heat 3 she could see the end of his penis as his hand worked the shaft. Because it was only her and her sister in their family, this was the first time she’d caught a man masturbating. Her girlfriends once snickered about overhearing one of their brothers referring to ‘rubbing one out’ before a hot date. Instead of being shocked, she thought it best to leave him alone and it might avoid awkward moments later in the afternoon, but she couldn’t resist peeking around the tree. She saw enough to cause her own heart to race. Alison wondered if his current fantasy involved her and for a moment, panic set in. She knew that the fantasy playing through his mind was better than the reality she saw in the bathroom mirror. She didn’t see herself as attractive when she compared herself to women in magazines and movies. Shelly admonished her sharply for that statement during the ritual. Alison hoped he would not be disappointed once she finally stepped into the water of the river. Fingering the medallion, she stayed behind the tree. It would be best to wait a couple minutes and allow him time to recompose himself. Looking around her, she was thankful to find no one else in the area while she undressed. She stripped off her clothes, and wrapped her towel under her arms. She left the necklace in place and hoped the spell continued its influence. She popped the top of the condoms box, separated the strip of wrappers and put three in a front pocket of her purse, out of sight but easily accessible. She tucked her underwear into the main pocket of the purse over the condom box. The shirt and shorts and the second towel, she draped over her arm. She worried about the way this would look to Cord, but he was already naked and now swimming in the water from the sound of the splashing behind her. As she came around the tree, Cord floated on his back in the river. She didn’t hide her approach to the swimming area but he didn’t hear her because his head was under water. He rolled over, swam upstream and then flipped onto his back while he let himself float lazily with the current again. He looked relaxed. Alison finally approached on the edge of the riverbank and laid her purse and towel with her clothing on the ground near the base of a large cypress tree. Cord startled as he flipped over and discovered her arrival. He stood up in an area where the depth of the river was just below his ribs, although places near the rock were much deeper. He shook his head and asked, “Did you just get here?” 47

Summer Heat 3 “Yeah, I… uh… changed already. Mr. Dawson let me off a little early.” Cord seemed nervous, but she smiled and reached for the top of the towel. “Ooppss…” he spun around to face the rock on the other shore. “You were fine…” “Just being polite,” he answered. “I wouldn’t be here if I was ashamed.” “That makes sense.” Cord kept his back to her like a gentleman. Although Alison didn’t feel ashamed, she wasn’t quite sure what motivated her to say such a statement. She stepped into the water and walked against the current to where he stood. She hadn’t yet fully submerged herself in the water and she made no pretense of hiding her breasts under the water. “I’m fine… what other certifications are you getting this year?” “Oh, uh…” Cord turned and he made no effort to disguise the fact that he did first look her in the eye, before his gaze drifted down. His full reaction caused his jaw and shoulders to slacken. He caught himself, looked up again and said, “Instrument systems…” “What type?” “The controls on the front panel for the pilot and co-pilot, I had to finish the basic course in electronics,” and he worked to keep his head up. “The computer controlled areas are going to be tough, luckily I know something about computers already.” “You should be able to build an aircraft by the time you are done.” “I have thought about that… I like to fly… I have my visual rating. I could have gotten my instrument rating but I decided to take a break over the summer and just set up the fall classes. I missed this crazy town for some reason.” “I sympathize.” “I missed you, too.” This statement caught her off guard and she watched as his mouth curved upward. “That’s sweet.” She wasn’t sure what else she should say, although he appeared to be relieved to have said it. “After the hustle and bustle around campus, this place seemed cozy. There were a lot of people that I missed, or things I wished I had done differently.” “Maybe that is just the way it should be… we’ve both had things we need to do.” “Yes… but there were some problems I look back on that I wish I 48

Summer Heat 3 had stood up to better.” “I hope we’ll have a while this summer so you can tell me about it,” he said. His bright green eyes held her captive. He didn’t often say much in the past, but when he would open his mouth, the words spoke volumes. “What do you say we just swim upstream and float back? We can go up to the waterfall.” Alison nodded because she swam here often and knew this section. She tore herself from his gaze to look upstream. The river wound its way down from the hills, fed by several streams. This section of the river was deep and the current was slow and gentle. They could easily swim as far as the water falls but the terrain was rugged beyond the falls. They swam lazily upstream for a while with a little conversation about school events. Alison even found herself admitting to the topless run on campus. “Argh!” he exclaimed. “That mental image will drive me crazy! We don’t do things like that on a tech school campus.” Alison grinned at him but kept swimming. Once they arrived at the fall, Alison was relieved to discover there was no one around. The water fed into a large pool from tall outcroppings of rocks, splashing noisily over the ledges to a flat rock before bubbling into the pool. Cord stood on a stone in the middle of this pool with the water to his hips and he watched her as she climbed into the ledges near the waterfall. Alison rocked her head back into the water spray and let the current beat over her breasts and legs before coming back out to the open air. She enjoyed the sensuality of the location. She wasn’t concerned about being naked and she enjoyed the feeling of the water as it pelted her from the ledges. Alison leaned her head back to wash the hair out of her face but she saw him dive into the water and swim to her on the rocks. She held her hand out to him as he climbed up on the ledge, but he took it only for balance. Once he stood on the rocks, he didn’t let go, he simply pulled her away from the heaviest stream of the waterfall. “Seeing you in the waterfall was beautiful… it looked like one of the exotic commercials that you see on TV.” Alison caught her breath to keep herself from laughing but mumbled, “Thank you.” 49

Summer Heat 3 “I prayed for a chance with you a couple years ago…” Cord admitted. “I think the answer was ‘not yet’ and I think I know why now.” “We wouldn’t have handled it well back then.” Cord nodded. “I have to try… I want to be certain of something in my life.” “And that might be me?” Cord just nodded. His eyes were holding her captive again as he reached up with his free hand, leaning closer and tilted her chin up to kiss her. It was an eternity before their lips touched. He was hesitant but she did not intend to stop him. She needed to find a way to communicate that without breaking the enchantment of the water and woods around them by speaking. The first brushes from his mouth were gentle. To Alison, it seemed like Cord was searching for permission, but she met him halfway. She finally dared to breathe when he pulled her closer with his hand. His mouth felt like fire and her heartbeat began ringing in her ears. She moved closer to him but his penis was starting to rise again against her hip. “Ignore that— please— he has a mind of his own.” “He seems to approve.” She stepped nearer and simply sandwiched his penis between their bodies before returning to his mouth. She let her tongue dart out to flick against his lower lip and he smiled before he drew her closer by wrapping his arm around her waist. She relished the intimate contact of their bare skin from their legs up to their searching mouths. Cord leaned his head up and took a deep breath. He let go of her hand and shifted his penis between their bellies. “He’s going to get me in trouble…” “Not with me.” That was slick, she thought. When it comes to sexual prowess, I am as dumb as a bag of hair! Cord turned, leaning against a rock, a gentle stream of water flowed down his back and around his hips. He pulled Alison closer, drawing her hand to his chest, and pressing it flat against his sternum. His heart was racing, too, but he was tense. “Yes, it can… I was hoping to come here to talk, but I feel like I’m on fire.” Alison raised her hand from his chest to his mouth. “I know. Trust me.” Cord was nervous, even while her fingers traced along his jaw and neck. 50

Summer Heat 3 She started kissing him again. She feared she might be too forward until his hands rubbed upward from her hips, up her back, to near her shoulder blades. She enjoyed the many different sensations of the water on her legs, the light hair of his chest on her nipples, her lips tingling against his, the hands on her back, and his stiff penis against her belly. She had no condom here, but reached her hand around instead and wrapped her fingers around the tip. He inhaled sharply as he nibbled along her neck and shoulder. Based on his reactions, she focused her hand on the head. Her fingers enjoyed the feel of the ridge and skin. Blood vessels stood out against her fingertips and she liked the feel of his pulse. He turned to face her again and she melted into another kiss with him. Cord broke the kiss long enough to take a deep breath and say, “Dear God…” Alison reached around his back with her free hand when the kissing resumed. He started rolling his hips gently in rhythm with the movement of her hand and she gave silent thanks for seeing this reaction. Her own heartbeat was getting rapid and her mouth tingled. “Easy…I…” “Good.” Alison used her hand on the head, pulling the skin back gently and focusing on him. She used her hand with a faster hand motion, using her thumb against the ridge at the top. Cord’s abdominal muscles tightened and he began to get small shudders. His breathing came in ragged gasps and he nibbled along her neck. He rubbed his hands against her hips and then tried to push her backward. “No,” she whispered and kissed him again. His hands finally dared to reach up to her breasts. His fingers against the nipples sent electricity through her and she moaned her appreciation. Cord drew in a sharp breath, but looked down at her breasts and her motions with her hands before his body stiffened and trembled. She felt the first surge and used her hand along the full length to draw out every drop. The eruption spurted against the skin, and her hand slowed to cradle him. His breathing had not even settled when he turned to kiss her again. Sticky or not, he brought his arms around her and pulled her close, as a shiver went through him. The episode left Alison very aroused, yet she enjoyed the sensations and the scenery. She loved way his skin felt against hers 51

Summer Heat 3 that she could get lost in but for the first time, she focused on nothing but the sensuality, with no fears. Let him relax… He soon calmed and took a deep breath, “I guess nurses have special knowledge.” “Knowing how something works doesn’t mean I have first hand experience.” Cord looked at her incredulously as he giggled. “I’m just not a wild woman or vixen. My roommate was amused by that, too.” “I’m not a wild man, either. But I think you have the heart of a vixen in there and I’m determined to find it, and make you squirm.” “I think we still have some time tonight…,” I don’t believe I just said that! Cord nodded. “We can head back down… let’s get cleaned up.” He stood and pulled her into the waterfall again. She turned in the water several times. The force of the waterfall was better than the dorm showers and she loved the feeling of this much water beating over her body. She rubbed the water over her belly and over her breasts. She had no reservations about it but when she came out of the spray of water, Cord just stared at her, smiling. “Great Gods…” You don’t hear that every day! She asked, “Excuse me?” Cord stammered, “That was beautiful.” “No. Not many people refer to ‘God’ in the plural…” “Yea, umm, one of the guys I’m in school with gets into some stuff…” Cord hung his head and stammered, “I may have picked up some habits from him…” “Oh, would that ‘weird stuff’ be called Wicca?” “Yeah.” Cord stared at her as if he didn’t quite believe what he was hearing. “I know about it. Read about it last year… my new roommate practiced since she was twelve and her mother is Wiccan.” “No, shit! It’s interesting. I like the idea of God as male and female and it gave me a completely new perspective of you today. Mick dragged me to a festival in May, which is part of the reason I took the summer off. We are going to another one in June. The dress code was clothing optional, which he neglected to tell me at first, but when I got there, it was amazing. In a few hours, I was naked, too, and it wasn’t sexual.” “I thought being sky-clad was just something about rituals…?” 52

Summer Heat 3 Alison used her hands on Cord’s chest. “Not necessarily. In the festival, clothing was a comfort item, or functional… or decoration. It didn’t matter if they were eighteen years old, or eighty. I thought about the artists that could be inspired even by the people running around in little gauzy dresses, or absolutely nothing. Some looked like fairies with flowers in their hair.” “Which is why this waterfall has made such an impression…?” “Yep…” “Let’s float back downstream, if you want, we can always come back another day.” Cord nodded and they both lowered themselves into the main pool and let the current pull them downstream. “Are you thinking of studying anything more about Wicca?” “I might… fascinating concepts.” “Would you care to join me for the festival in July?” To Alison, it felt like grabbing a live electrical wire. “Yes. I’d like to… but I need to get permission from Mr. Dawson for the time off.” “I thought you were going to say you needed your parent’s permission.” Cord laughed nervously. “I’d just tell them I was going camping. I won’t lie to them but they don’t need to know why I am going. I don’t think they would even understand anything beyond a regular ‘ghost stories and roasted marshmallows’ camping trip.” “It’s a great festival. They will have merchant areas and a big food court with workshops and demonstrations, dancing, chants, fires, parties and concerts. Mick said this group is bigger than the one we attended in May, and that astonished me.” “Sounds great.” The description intrigued her because she thought Wicca had been a solitary practice or small familial groups or covens. “Do you think you could call your old room mate and see if she wants to go?” The question took her by surprise but it sounded like a wonderful idea. “Mick hasn’t hooked up with anyone recently.” Allison laughed because of the way Shelly had tried to arrange a date with a fellow she knew before the end of the year. “I’ll get in touch with her in the morning and see if she wants to go, but we won’t tell her about Mick.” 53

Summer Heat 3 “Tell her you have a friend with a friend… but nothing more. I’ll tell Mick the same and if they get together, more power to them.” Cord raised his eyebrow. “But we don’t interfere… Harm None.” Cord nodded. “That’s fair.” **** The towels were welcome once they reached the bank of the river. After drying off they spread the towels out side by side. Cord laughed, “All my stuff is on the other side of the river. I came here from the other side of the corn fields.” “We aren’t going anywhere just yet.” She knelt on the towel. “Oh, are you holding me captive?” Cord laughed as he sat comfortably on the towels, crossing his legs. He took her hand and used his thumb to rub the back of her hand. Alison admired the fact that they were both naked, but he seemed as comfortable anyone that was fully clothed. “No, I’ll tie you up if I need to do that,” she snickered. “Rats!” Cord snapped his fingers. “I’ll have to try harder.” “Are you hungry?” she asked. The sun was still hours from setting. “Not for food,” Cord admitted. He stared at her and brushed wet tendrils of hair away from her face. “Do you think this is the way it’s meant to be?” “What… us?” Cord looked toward the river and then back to Alison. “Yes, I do. We can finish school and take our time.” Alison felt the fingers of a chill extend up her back, and his answer felt right. Looking into his eyes, she relaxed. Cord leaned over to kiss her but stopped. Alison leaned forward and closed the gap between them. In the instant that she prayed he wouldn’t see her as forward, she heard a moan escape from his chest that reminded her of a cat’s purr. He seemed to enjoy what she was doing and the evidence of his desire made her bolder. She didn’t want to stop when the feelings surged from her mouth through her body like a jolt. She slowly lay on the towels and pulled him closer. His mouth felt soft and warm and she liked the feeling of his arms, tight around her ribs as he eased her down. “I could get lost in that,” Cord said. “As tempting as it might be, my pack is on the other side of the river. I don’t have any…” “I have one,” she finished. She reached over her head to the 54

Summer Heat 3 pocket of her purse, pulled out one of the condoms, and laid it on the towel. “It’s here if we need it.” “We need it.” Cord rolled the condom over his rod, but he sighed heavily and hesitated. “What’s wrong?” “Oh… nothing!” Cord struggled with the words. “Too fast?” Alison asked. “No.” “But?” she prompted him for more. “No ‘buts’… I just can’t get enough right now.” “Then don’t stop,” Alison pleaded. Please don’t stop! Cord’s kiss made any remaining thoughts vanish. Her heart beat inside her chest like a battering ram. Her thoughts about their school years drifted out with a thankful prayer for the time with him as more than a friend. Her skin tingled when he touched her or kissed her. Alison didn’t want to think about anything. There were no people in this secluded area and no sounds other than the flow of the water and the rustle of the tree branches in the breeze. When she looked up and saw Cord kneeling over her with a backdrop of tree branches, she could almost believe he bore the antlers of a deer. He held her gently and she stroked the smooth skin of his shoulders. She felt his mouth moving down her neck to her breasts and taught nipples. His head dipped down to her legs and his tongue found the tender folds and the tip of her clit, spreading fire through her body as he alternated with a firm stroke against the tender skin. The moan that escaped her lips surprised her but her foggy thoughts of surrender nudged her to relax. Gentle flicks of his tongue increased her longing to feel his shaft wedged inside her body. The fire from a lingering sucking of her clit quickly threatened to send her over the edge. A shudder escaped her and she pleaded, “Now.” Cord balanced himself on his knees when he leaned over her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he slowly pushed his shaft into her body, watching her. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Yes,” when he reached a tender place deep inside. His movements were slow and deliberate, but desire threatened to drive her mad. Through half open eyes, she realized he watched her the way she watched his reactions in the waterfall. The thought gave her a unique thrill and she moaned again. It felt like an eternity that they slowly rocked together and began 55

Summer Heat 3 to learn each other’s pleasures through moans and gasps. The fire began to build inside her body and she raised her upper body to try slowing the pace. “I’ve got you,” Cord stopped her. She answered with a whimper. “Take me with you,” he asked, panting against her cheek. His tempo quickened. Alison had no chance of stopping the explosion that was building so she rocked against him with the ring of her own heartbeat in her ears. Her body stiffened when she exploded. “Yes, my lady,” he said with his final strokes. They floated back into the real world and the words my lady echoed in her thoughts. She became concerned when his arms started shaking and looked up again to see him blush. He pulled himself upward but never took his eyes off her. Cord just snickered. “Who’d have thought the best aspect of being a man is to be on your knees, weak, sweaty, and out of breath?” Alison couldn’t restrain her giggle. She passed him a napkin from her purse and stretched out on her side on the towels. Cord cuddled next to her and traced her cheekbone with a finger. “Make a wish,” he said without explanation. “Why?” “Your leather necklace is turned around,” he explained as he put his finger on the little metal clasp. “Oh… it must have turned,” Alison froze when her hand reached the leather of the lace. She franticly felt around the length of the strap but her heart sank. “The medallion… it’s gone!” “What medallion?” “A little stone, it had a carving on the front… my roommate gave it to me about a month ago when we did…” Her voice trailed off because she didn’t want to utter the words love spell. “A ritual?” Cord focused on her. “Yeah,” she let her eyes drop as she turned the catch of the strap around to the back of her neck. “That just means you don’t need the influence any more. You accomplished what you set out to do in the ritual.” Alison still felt saddened by the loss of the medallion. “Hey… if it’s any consolation… I lost one today, too. It was a wrist strap, made of some kind of fiber with a couple beads.” “Did you loose it while you were out in the fields?” 56

Summer Heat 3 “No, when I went in the drugstore this afternoon.” The description wasn’t lost on Alison. “So, it means you don’t need it any more?” she asked. Cord nodded. “When we went on the camping trip, Mick helped me out because I went through a breakup with a girl in school. He made some enchantment about finding a Goddess and tied it on me. I thought it looked a little silly, but I quit thinking about it, except certain times I’d see it.” “I didn’t see it when you were in the store.” “I remember seeing it when I cleaned up and put the rag back in my pocket. When I got back in the truck and put the ointment on Sparky, I noticed it was gone.” “I had my pendant when I undressed.” Alison said. “It’s in the river, then, it returned to the Earth. Mission accomplished. Do you want to look?” “No. If you find it, I don’t want to know,” Alison answered. The first flashes of fireflies blinked in the low bushes as they made their way back into the water for a swim before dinner.

THE END

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Summer Heat 3

Swing By Me By Skylar Sinclair

When Susan Wyatt goes to her first adults-only party, fate steps in and she finds a sensual awakening she never expected.

www.skylarsinclair.com

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Summer Heat 3

Swing By Me By Skylar Sinclair Staring long and hard at her reflection in a tall standing mirror situated in the far corner of her bedroom, she giggled in anticipation. Susan Wyatt felt totally jazzed about going to her first swinger’s party. Boldly running her hands down her full, yet slimmed down hips, pinching an inch - okay, two inches, she thought, I have never done anything remotely like this in my life, and why the hell not? Taking another look at her altered, yet very sexy figure, her eyebrows raised and lowered quickly, over and over again. She gave herself a suggestive, naughty, do you want to have sex look? Dancing and spinning around, jiggling and a wiggling, turning her ass to the mirror, bending over and shaking her booty, she snuck peeks over her shoulder at her bouncing behind. She could not stop admiring herself, nor thinking about the swinger’s party tonight. She looked forward to letting loose, experiencing the sexual freedoms she’d always thought to be out of her reach. It’s not like I’m getting any younger. Thirty-nine years old and almost six feet tall, plus overweight, her confidence level would go up and not down, she’d kept telling herself. Her dry spell went on too long and she was determined to change that - by God! She may not be what one would call ‘petite’, but sexy is as sexy does. She always tried to pound that into her brain, and felt now was the time to strut her stuff. Susan again smiled at her reflection, while chanting her new mantra, again and again. “Damn I am good, and momma needs a new toy, and not the ones you have to buy batteries for!” Working out all winter to lose weight, the old saying, ‘feel the burn’ was just that, a burning pain in the ass! She wasn’t sure that it was worth it, the tired and achy muscles; the ones that made her feel ancient. But twenty-five pounds lighter made her a slimming size eighteen. And with a totally astonishing makeover, she felt 59

Summer Heat 3 invigorated and ready to face new challenges, and the men that might come into her life. Susan gazed back at her reflection, admiring her soft curves and full, large breasts. She was looking forward to the days of summer and, hopefully, creating her own brand of sweltering and sizzling carnal activities. She raised her fists, reaffirming her new look and attitude, and then, blowing a kiss at her mirrored reflection, just adding to her frisky new persona, “Watch out world, because ‘Sexy Susan’ is stepping out!” Latisha, a friend at work, had talked-up this great swinger’s party to Susan. “Girl…you don’t know heaven until you’ve experienced the swinging life. The men are hotter than all get out, plus protection is the name of the game. All the bases are covered. What do you say?” Latisha laughed, poking fun at Susan’s unsure facial expressions, her friend had lost her mind – no, make that her marbles. “I will need to think about it, so stop pestering me…you sex fiend!” Susan playfully barked in a louder than normal voice while rolling her eyes at her outrageous friend. Later on, Susan thought to herself, Could I really do it, have sex with a complete stranger? Why not? It is time to take the next step forward in my life and try something utterly new and hedonistic. Well, that is if I can find someone interesting or interested in me. **** The night of the party Susan apprehensively gave herself one last quick glance in the mirror before leaving. She’d bought a red silk dress with a deep, plunging neckline, to show off her ample twins. A long legged slit ran the front of her dress to just below her matching, red thong panties, showing off her trimmed-down thighs and calves. With her toe pointed and heel slanted up; she turned her leg this way and that, flashing her tanned and firmed legs. I bet these babies would look good wrapped around a man’s hips, riding him for all he’s worth! Susan mentally smiled, giving herself a sexual boost up. She even had her shoulder-length brown hair highlighted and styled into a sophisticated French twist. With her sky-blue eyes and pouty red lips, she loved her sensuous and stylish new look. She pulled her shoulders back, turning her head one way and then another, taking in her full and ample figure, wanting to make sure all angles were covered, as she proudly displayed her thirty-eight double F sized breasts. She was also wearing three-inch stiletto heels; the overall effect made Susan feel sexy and ready to meet whatever might 60

Summer Heat 3 be in her future. One last wink at her reflection and she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. With nervous excitement making her heart race and her palms sweat, Susan walked up to the understated, yet very, large home, using the doorbell to announce her arrival. A smartly dressed, middleaged woman, with a friendly and open smile, greeted Susan. “Hello, my name is Julie Summers, I am the hostess for this evening. Welcome and make yourself comfortable,” she said as she led Susan into the crowded great room. “Refreshments and other necessities are arranged around the room. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.” With a mental head scratch Susan thought, “What kind of necessities is Julie taking about?” There was a sign above one of the tables that said, “Names are optional, but condoms are a must, follow the rules or your privates might get more than rust!” Susan’s curiosity took over and she started to explore the different containers that were set on the table under that sign. They contained condoms of every texture, size, and color. Who knew there were so many different kinds of condoms, and which one is the right one? You cannot exactly open them up and check them out for shits and giggles. Rolling her eyes at the thought she nonchalantly picked up some of the condoms, turning them over to read which one was used for what. Holy heaven, this one is good for stimulating the inner walls of your vagina, causing ripples of orgasmic explosions! “That sounds more painful than pleasurable. No thanks!” Susan muttered under her breath. She quickly discarded the rest of the condoms in her hand, feeling foolish and just a little naïve. Maybe I’m out of my league in this group of swingers, she silently wondered. Susan walked over, getting a drink off the refreshment table before slowly wandering around and feeling out of place in this very adult forum of swingers. What the hell was I thinking? She shook her head in unsure contemplation. **** Marcus Tremaine glimpsed a tall beauty across the crowded room as she entered the large area where all the other swingers were gathered, whether paired up or single. He became immediately attracted to the woman’s fuller figure, and to the shy, innocent allure she conveyed. He kept his eyes trained and focused only on her, 61

Summer Heat 3 feeling her energy and vibrancy down to his very soul, and his need grew. As Marcus moved across the crowded room, he kept his eyes glued to this stranger who’d peaked his interest. As he did so, he could feel his body harden and quicken with sexual attraction. He observed her examining the bowls of condoms. Her expressions changed from wonder to embarrassment, while a red flush worked its way up over her luscious and large breasts and past her neck, toward her rosy cheeks. Marcus smiled, finding another element of this voluptuous woman that fascinated him. “Damn, I love a woman with meat on her bones.” Curling his upper lip, snarling softly under his breath, he felt it time to make his move. **** Susan felt the world narrow in and stop as she examined the man from across the room. His appearance, like that of a predatorily lion, with his thick, sun-streaked blond hair fell past his shoulders in an unruly fashion, and his light, golden eyes, fringed with thick, long eyelashes drew her in. At near six and half foot tall and built of solid muscle, he was a man women would admire and lust over. Women’s eyes, even now, followed this impressive and alpha-type male, as he stalked across the room with a definite agenda in mind. He had on skintight black jeans that molded to his long, lean legs and fit tightly over the impressive bulge at the apex of his legs. The jeans looked delicious on him, especially paired up with his button-up, black silk shirt, opened at the neck exposing a few wisps of crisp blond chest hairs. Expensive, black leather boots completed his outfit. The combination of his dark clothing and his golden, god-like features were striking and fierce. She turned back around to the table as she saw him coming her way. He walked up quietly for such a large man. Positioning himself behind Susan he pressed the lower half of his body just close enough for her to feel his impressive erection while at the same time lightly ran his fingers up her spine. The caressing fingertips transmitted shockwaves of sexual heat throughout her entire body, causing her insides to tighten in primal wantonness. He leaned forward to whisper into her ear, “Hello Princess, how are you tonight?” Susan was startled by the gravelly, deep voice and warm breath that drifted across her ear and cheek. It caressed her senses like a 62

Summer Heat 3 lover’s hand stroking down her body. It felt intimate and arousing. Turning around suddenly and almost losing her balance, Susan tittered unsteadily on her three-inch stiletto heels. The man quickly steadied her by firmly grasping her forearms. Susan took a deep breath, and looked up into the most handsome and masculine face she’d ever seen. Wow...what a stud! He looks even more incredible up close. Susan rarely met man taller than her, especially with heels on. Usually she looked down at the men she met. What a refreshing change. “H-Hello,” Susan managed to squeak out. Her mouth, suddenly dry, she licked her lips, and then took a deep swallow. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from his face. His stare became hypnotic as he slowly tilted his head from one side to the other, reminding Susan of a beast who was deciding whether you were his prey or his intended mate. Susan felt her sex clench and release with excitement. She had trouble standing still while he observed her. The intensity of his lingering gaze made Susan’s nipples hardened and puckered in arousal. She saw he took immediate notice, for his nostrils flared and his eyes grew sexually hooded and glazed over with intensified passion. He’s like a stallion scenting a mare in heat. The hairs on the back of Susan’s neck and arms rose, warning her of something dark and dangerous about to happen. Susan shook her head, breaking eye contact, trying to clear her fuzzy senses. No one ever affected her like this man. It frightened and yet, also thrilled her. “Hey, hey, hey, calm down. I won’t hurt you. Please, come with me and let’s talk, what do you say?” the man reassured Susan with a gentle touch to her arm and his soft-spoken words. Susan looked at his hand on her arm. His fingers were tanned, with blond hairs lightly ferruled and thickening as they moved past his large-boned wrist. She then looked back up into his face. She saw the gentling of his features, and the muscles in her body relaxed and melted. Taking his outstretched hand, he and Susan walked down a deserted hallway until they came upon an open door. He stepped aside and she entered the large, spacious bedroom. There were candles lit all round the well-appointed room giving it a flickering glow of romanticism and sexual things to come. He shut the bedroom door and locked it, walking over to Susan. She stood in the middle of the room, feeling like a lost child, not 63

Summer Heat 3 knowing what to do next. She noticed that for such a large, heavily muscled man, he walked with a quiet grace and step. Susan nervously looked around, unable to look him in the face. He must have studied her uneasy stance and wringing hands, because he reached over and lightly stroked her hair and wrapped a strand around his fingers. He then leaned forward, cupping Susan’s face in his large hands—lightly kissing her lips, worshiping and gently nipping at them. “What can I do to help calm your racing heart and give you comfort, Princess?” he whispered in a hushed, low-ebbed growl against Susan’s trembling lips. Susan answered back by voicing a strangled whimper and pressing her lips tightly to his mouth. His tongue glided along the seam of her lips. The sensuality surrounding this kiss made her feel hungry and primal. Susan felt like she was drowning as she leaned into him. She needed to have complete and total contact with every part of his hard body. What was happening to her? Why did she so suddenly feel the need to become aggressive with this stranger whose name she didn’t even know? **** They slowly worked their way to the massive canopy bed that dominated the room, while still clutched in a lover’s embrace. Feeding off one another, with writhing tongues masterfully working at the other’s mouth, fighting for domination, sipping upon what seemed like their very souls. Marcus pulled back; his eyes felt glazed over and darkened with heated, internal passions that were fighting to surface and roar. With sure and steady hands, he started to undress the luscious beauty. First unzipping her dress, letting it slither and flow around her feet. She carefully stepped out of it and nudged it out of the way with the toe of her shoe. Leaving her only in a red silk throng and matching bra. Marcus stepped back to take in the overall appearance of the fullbodied female. Standing tall in her stiletto heels and vibrant, red silk lingerie, she looked like the ‘princess’ he called her, awaiting to be adored for her loveliness, size and strength. With careful precision, he pulled out the pins holding his princess’ French twist in place, before running his fingers through her silky, soft brown hair.

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Summer Heat 3 Marcus sucked in his breath. “You are so gorgeous and desirable, do you know that Princess? When I look at you, you take my breath away.” “No, but keep telling me. I cannot believe someone as good looking as you, finds my size and appearance, attractive and sexy.” “Oh, I find you more that just attractive and sexy, Princess. I have an overpowering need to be inside of you, to become one with you.” **** Those spoken words sent arousing tingles coursing down the back of Susan’s spine, causing her breathing to accelerate into shallow pants. Her hand went to her throat. She felt like she was about to be eaten alive – devoured by this dynamic and highly aggressive man. With a masterful ease, he picked Susan up, cradling her within his steely embrace. He held her as if he was holding a small girl, and not a woman who was a good size eighteen and well over two hundred pounds. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think of ever having a man pick her up and embrace her statuesque figure. This was heady and exhilarating for her. Lying her upon the bed with overpowering reverence, he slid down next to Susan still fully clothed. With the mannerisms of a possessive lover, he worked his lips and tongue along and under the straps of her bra, using his teeth to pull them off her shoulders, growling as he did. He gently teethed her nipples through the silk covering, causing her to squirm and moan with illicit pleasure. With the flick of his wrist, the bra hooks were undone and it’s quickly discarded. She noted his eyes held a look of pure unadulterated pleasure as he stared down at her rosy tipped breasts in fascinating. Her nipples were hardened and swollen from the tonguing her Adonis gave them. He buried his head between her lush mounds, licking and gently nipping at the skin as he worked his way down south. Susan’s stomach muscles quivered and jumped as he passed over them, working his way down and across to her hipbones. As he reached the top of her thong panties, he rubbed his nose down between the wet outlines of her nether lips, marking his territory on her. Susan gasped as he took in a deep breath of her spicy essence, seeming to forever memorize her scent. 65

Summer Heat 3 She arched her back and opened her legs wider for his new and decedent assault. Hooking his thumbs beneath either side of her thong, he eased them down over her hips and thighs. Inch by inch, kiss by kiss he moved them down until they were off. He flung the thong across the bed, before settling back between Susan’s sexy lush thighs. **** Marcus became enthralled by the potent image of her lying upon the bed only wearing her red stiletto heels and nothing else. He gritted his teeth trying to contain his growing desire, while staring at the beauty spread out before him. Her jaws were clenched, but he watched her as her passions threatening to overcome her despite the deep breaths inhaled through her nose. He felt her shiver beneath him and meant to ease any fear she had growing within her. “Easy, Princess,” Marcus verbalized in dusky tones in between his licks and sucks, as he buried his face nose-deep amid her slick and glistening fur-covered sex. He worked her clit with his back of his tongue, lavishing it with his warm mouth and wicked tongue. Marcus moaned in ultimate male contentment. “God, you taste damn good, Princess. So sweet, so delicious.” He could feel her body tighten as her impending orgasm started, causing her body to siege up and her thighs to lock around his head— riding his face—she pushed her pussy up against his mouth and arched her back humping and grinding her hips as her passion exploded. As she started to scream out, Marcus reached up, placing his hand over her mouth to muffle her imminent cries of ecstasy. He growled loudly like a predator claiming its mate – knowing he was satisfying his woman. Luscious cream filled his mouth and coated his tongue. Marcus slowly brought down the rhythm of his flickering tongue to soothe and comfort his Princess. Trickles of tears ran from the corners of her eyes and down the side of her face from the force of her explosive orgasm. He took one last, long lick, before working his way back up her body to give her a deep, succulent kiss. “I can taste you on my lips and tongue,” Marcus commented against her lips. “Your cunt is so pink and puffy, and it tastes like an exotic honey.” A sultry purr showed her contentment. Rolling over and getting on her hands and knees, she crawled in a cat-like manner over Marcus’ body and straddled his lean hips, rubbing her drenched slit 66

Summer Heat 3 against his huge bulge. Her eyelids open wide in an owl-like expression of awe at his abundant sized cock. She began to unbutton his black silk shirt, working each button free, trying to keep her hands from shaking as she slowly exposed his well-defined and muscled chest. Pulling his shirt back and down over his wide shoulders. Marcus rose up slightly so that she could get the shirt free of his body. He had an unusual tattoo that wrapped around his upper left bicep, ending with what looked like a claw imbedded within the top of his shoulder. She drew closer, examining it carefully. “Is that some type of animal’s paw tattooed on your arm?” She asked with curiosity entwined within her sexually subdued voice. “Yes, it is a lion’s front leg and paw.” Marcus did not add anything else but that short reply. She descended further down his body, running her fingertips over his big bulge, and then slowly worked the zipper down over his erection. His cock sprang free the moment the zipper cleared a path, since he had gone commando, deciding to forgo underwear that night. Marcus sucked in his breath sharply as the cool air surrounded his heated and hard manhood. His cock was wide and thick, with a sinfully fully mushroom head that begged to be sucked. She now worked fast and ferociously to remove his shoes and socks, the last vestige of clothing that kept the view of his nude body from her. Marcus could see hot desire flare in her eyes as she drank in his nude form. She ran her tongue in a suggestive manner along her bottom lip and her eyes slit in drowsy desire. Leaning over him, with one hand sliding up and down his cock and the other rolling his balls gently between her fingers, using her one hand, she then lured the engrossed mushroom head between her waiting lips. She moaned in approval as his salty tang and warmth met and mingled with her tongue. With her neck arched and throat open, she took as much of his cock as she could, all the way to the back of her throat. Going down on him, taking him as deep as her mouth and throat could take of his large rod. Marcus watched in sexual fascination as his glistening cocked slide in and out from between her puffy lips as she tooled it with ardent zest. The sight was heady and very arousing. Before long, Marcus could not lie still, wanting to thrust up and into her mouth. “Princess you do not know what kind of animal you got your mouth on.” And with that, Marcus forcefully flipped her unto her back, 67

Summer Heat 3 slipping one of his muscled thigh between her legs, separating and spreading her wider to take his full, thickened cock. He worked his way deep inside her, with easy in and out thrusts. With each deepening and piercing drive, Marcus had to hold tightly to her generous hips, keeping her close and the pressure centered on her swollen clit. He worked her pussy hard until the sweat trickled down onto his brow, running into his eyes, creating a clouded vision of him pounding into her. Pulling out and with effortlessness, Marcus rolled and flipped her, positioning her onto her hands and knees. Taking her from behind in a primitive and symbolism of ownership, he drove into to her over and over again, feeling the need to permanently bond their flesh as one. Branding her with his body. Marcus’ lovemaking was aggressive and animalistic, taking her body and devastating it—overtaking it with his full being, thrust after thrust, commanding and possessing it as his own. He could sense that the sensations and stimulations that his body was creating within hers was more than she could handle as her sex clamped and sucked at his cock like a tight wet fist. Her body started to shake as the orgasm built and broke over her whole body. Within minutes, Marcus roared his pleasure, the vibrations ran through his body transferring to hers, “Holy hell, I am coming.” Endless groans and deep growls merged with his orgasm. Emptying his warm seed within her, forever tying them together, as their chemistry mixed and evolved. They both fall away from each other, panting and sweaty. Marcus reached over and lightly stroked her thigh, needing to stay connected to her as they enjoyed their blissful afterglow. “Do you know how amazingly beautiful and desirable you are, Princess?” Marcus said in-between winded breaths. She took on a new glow from his compliments and replied, “Only with you, my proud beast.” “Humm, I like that, “he leaned over and gently nipped at the skin on her neck, and then kissed and licked the pink tinted flesh, savoring her taste. **** Later, after they both cooled down, Marcus turned toward her and leaned over her, drawing her into his arms, he brushed his lips against her throat—nuzzling her. Needing to take her scent once again into his body—reaffirming their shared passions. 68

Summer Heat 3 “By the way,” Marcus whispered against her throat as he held her in his arms. “My name is Marcus…Marcus Tremaine, and I would love to get to know you and take you somewhere else other than here, and talk. I am not from around here, I am just visiting with my friends, the Summers, they are the ones hosting this party, but I would very much like for you to think about coming home with me—back to Langdon. I will show you a life that few can only dream of.” He waited for a second before continuing. “Would you think about that? This was more than sex and I know you could feel that between us as much as I.” “Langdon, where is that?” she asked. “Langdon, South Africa,” “I live near a private game reserve, and the animals are magnificent. You would love it there, it is beautiful and magical” Marcus added. She answered with a big smile upon her face, lighting it up. “It might be doable, let’s go back to my place and see what we can come up with.” She winked suggestively at Marcus. “And you can call me Susan. My full name is Susan Wyatt, but I really love the name Princess.” Marcus could feel the animal in him wanting to take over. He knew he needed to control his predatory nature or he would scare her off before they could take this relationship where it needed to go-she was his mate and nothing was going to stand in his way, not even himself. He took a deep calming breath and his inner beast was recalled at once and the desire to change was gone and he could now speak clearly without an animalistic growl shading his voice. “You will always be my Princess to me.” He tilted his head down for one last lip-locking kiss before they had to get ready to leave. God he would never tire of her taste, smell or damn fine body, a body that would soon be all his. They quietly got dressed, lovingly touching and kissing the whole time—totally had forgotten that they were at a swinger’s party, and there’s still a house full of people—unable to keep their hands off of one another. Together they left the bedroom and then quickly and quietly exited through a back door, leaving the party and strolling into the cooling summer night, hand-in-hand. Closing the door on one chapter of their lives, to only beginning another… THE END 69

Summer Heat 3

Gin and Tonic By Herbert Grosshans

Ginger wanted to spend some quiet time on her holiday. But then she meets two handsome men and things begin to heat up very quickly.

http://www.hegro.blogspot.com/

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Summer Heat 3

Gin and Tonic By Herbert Grosshans “Well, have a good time, Gin.” Wendy gave Ginger a hug and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll try.” Ginger returned the hug and padded Wendy on the back. “Don’t worry so much about me. I’m a grown girl.” “You’ll always be my little sister.” Wendy let go and handed her a small package. “Here, I got you something to keep yourself busy with. And forget about Joe. He can’t touch you now. I hope they’ll put him away forever.” Ginger smiled bravely. “He’s hurt me badly, but I’ve forgiven him. I’ll be turning over a new page and start a fresh chapter in my life.” Wendy laughed. “Always the writer, little sister.” “Unpublished,” Ginger said, smiling. “Doesn’t matter. I love your stuff. You’ll get there.” She gave her sister another hug. “Now you better hurry. You don’t want the plane to leave without you.” Ginger walked slowly toward to check-in counter, turned and waved. Wendy blew her a kiss, then turned and walked away. Ginger watched her until she disappeared through the exit-doors. Shaking her head, she moved toward the counter. Wendy was ten years her senior. At 42, she was already a grandmother to a one year old little boy, Jason. Ginger smiled, thinking of him. Little Jason! She and Joe never had any children, which was probably a blessing, with him going to jail and all. The Son-of-a-bitch! Seven years of marriage, and here she was—divorced, alone, settled with huge lawyer bills and a crummy job. And not much of a future, unless she miraculously found a publisher who believed in her 71

Summer Heat 3 and gave her a chance. She knew, she was a talented writer, and with the right guidance she might just make it in the publishing world. “Miss?” She turned around to look at the woman behind her. “Are you going to check your luggage or are you just standing here taking up space?” the woman asked. “Sorry.” Ginger smiled apologetically. “I was daydreaming.” The plane wouldn’t take off for another couple of hours, so she walked over to the only open concession stand. She was not a morning-person, and five o’clock in the morning demanded a cup of coffee. The coffee wasn’t great, but it helped her to stay awake—at least until she was in the plane. “Mind if I sit at your table?” She looked at the speaker. He was tall, well dressed, goodlooking, in a rough sort of way. “Sure, if you don’t mind sharing it with a person who wants to be left alone right now.” “Not at all.” He smiled disarmingly. “I’m not much for talking in the morning, either.” “Good, then we don’t have a problem.” She turned her attention back to her coffee. Her eyes fell on the small package Wendy had given her. Just something covered with red gift wrap. And a tiny bow stuck to it. Might as well open it now, she thought and sliced the thin paper with her fingernail. A book. The Lonely Hearts Hunter. Ginger almost laughed out loud. Wendy and her strange sense of humor, she thought, she knows darn well I don't read these wishywashy romance novels. I prefer something with a bit more spice, and some adventure. Shrugging, she stowed it away in her handbag. If boredom struck her she might just decide to read it. She pulled out the book she had been reading and lost herself in the adventure of a heroine she wouldn’t mind being right now. Flight Sixteen to Puerto Plata now boarding at Gate B “Oh, that’s my flight,” she exclaimed. “Mine, too.” The man across from her said. “What a coincidence.” “That’s nice,” she said and got up. When she finally took her seat on the plane, Ginger leaned back and sighed. At last I’m getting away from all of this, she thought. All 72

Summer Heat 3 these damn reporters! My picture in the papers, on TV. I was getting sick of it. Damn you, Joe, for dragging me into this! She ran her fingers through her short hair, missing the feeling of the thick, luxurious mane she used to have. She had changed the color, also. Instead of being a blonde, she now was a brunette. She pulled a small mirror out of her handbag, studied her image and smiled at herself. Not too bad. Even her own sister hadn’t recognized her at first. The only one who would was in police custody—Joe, her exhusband. But he was safely tucked away and she had nothing to worry about. She had worn this disguise once at a party, a few years ago. Then it had been a wig, now it was real. She opened her eyes when she heard someone take the empty seat beside her and turned her head to look at the man. “Couldn’t stand the seat they gave me,” he said and smiled. “Right above the wings. Can’t see the ground anymore.” “You don’t like flying?” she asked. “Not particularly. I prefer four wheels underneath me.” “So why do you fly?” He chuckled. “They haven’t built a bridge yet to the Dominican Republic.” “You could go to Mexico on vacation.” “I could, but my friends suggested the Dominican. Obviously, you’re heading that way?” She smiled. “Obviously.” “The name’s Donald,” he said. “Donald Greene. Thirty-six years old. Bachelor. Not necessarily by choice.” Against her will, she had to laugh. Her instinct told her to ignore him, but he seemed like a nice guy and, she had to admit, quite handsome. “I’m Ginger,” she said. “Just Ginger?” She smiled. “Just Ginger.” “Well, Ginger with no last name, pleased to meet you. And now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a little snooze.” With that he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Wow, Ginger thought. Talk about being abrupt! But then she shrugged. Just as well. Might as well read. Got nothing better to do, anyway. 73

Summer Heat 3 **** She waited until the luggage carrier stowed away her suitcase, then she climbed into the little bus. She was surprised when she saw Donald in one of the seats. “Hi.” He smiled at her. “Small world.” “Indeed.” There was only one seat left in the back. She walked down the short isle. A woman in the third row nodded to her, smiled. Ginger recognized her as the lady who had been behind her at the check-in counter. She nodded back, just to be polite. When she sat down, she got another surprise. “If it isn’t the lady who doesn’t like to talk in the morning!” a man’s familiar voice said. “Hello, again.” She stared at him. “I still don’t!” she almost snapped, irritated by his intimate tone. “Relax, lady. You’re supposed to be on holiday.” “Sorry,” she said and made herself comfortable, “but I’ve had a rough time lately.” “Double reason to relax. By the way, the name is Toni Malone.” “Ginger,” she said. “First time in the Dominican?” “Why, does it show?” He laughed. “No, but it’s a good line to start a conversation.” “You think so?” “It’s working, isn’t it?” She had to laugh and looked past him out of the window. His assumption had been correct. She had never been anywhere. The landscape looked different from what she was used to seeing. It was actually quite bleak, a lot of sand and stunted vegetation. “I guess it’s not working?” She realized her thoughts had been drifting. “What?” she asked, turning her attention back to the man beside her. “Our conversation isn’t going anywhere,” he said and chuckled. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m really not in the mood for talking. Nothing personal. You may be a nice guy, but I didn’t come here looking for romance.” “Wow! Is that what you think I was doing? Coming on to you?” “I don’t know what I thought.” She lifted her hand in a defensive gesture. “No offence, but I’d rather not talk right now.” “Okay, I respect that.” She felt him lean back in his seat. When she glanced at him, she 74

Summer Heat 3 saw he had his eyes closed. Sighing, she stared out the window. There were buildings along the road, poorly constructed. People sat outside, watching the bus go by. She had always lived in luxury. That was one thing she had to give Joe. He had been a good provider, and she had been happy— until she walked in on him screwing his secretary. Right on top of his desk. He sworn it was the first time, and it would never happen again. She might have forgiven him, but somehow she didn’t trust him anymore. She hired a detective to follow Joe around for a while and found out more than she really wanted to know. More than she should have known. She found out how her husband made his money. He was involved in things she’d only seen and heard about on television, in crime stories. Murder, drugs, gun-running, prostitution. You name it, Joe was involved in it. When her PI turned up dead, with a bullet hole to the back of his head, and when Joe beat her unconscious, she went to the FBI. The people at the Bureau had been quite helpful. They assisted her getting a divorce, quickly, so she could testify against her husband. Suddenly, she was a star. On the front page of every newspaper. The wife of a mobster. Had she known about her husband’s activities? How could she not? Nobody could be that ignorant—or stupid! The papers condemned her and found her as guilty as her infamous husband Joseph Romano. They offered to put her into the witness protection program, but she refused. Joe would go to jail for the rest of his natural life. He would never hurt her again. She’d changed her appearance and her last name, back to the one she was born with. A new face, a new passport. Would it be enough to escape the public and the reporters? Would she be able to slide back into obscurity? Be safe? **** The sun burned hot on her skin; even the strong wind that blew in from the ocean didn’t cool it down. It was a perfect day for windsurfing. She watched the many multicolored sails skimming the high waves, like giant butterfly wings. 75

Summer Heat 3 Only a few people braved the surf, but they seemed to have a great time as they let themselves be carried back to shore when a wave lifted them up. It looked like fun and Ginger decided to join them. She had bought herself a new bikini. Maybe it was a little skimpy, but she didn’t care. It felt strange to wear only a thong; she’d never been this bold. The water was warm. The first wave was stronger than she had anticipated and it slammed her face down into the rough sand and beneath the water. Rolling, she tried to get up and almost managed, then a second wave bowled her over. She felt strong hands grabbing her and pulling her to her feet. “Hang on!” a man’s voice said, “here comes another one.” He held her when she almost lost her balance again. “Too dangerous to be in the water right now,” he said. “Didn’t you see the red flag?” He walked with her back to shore, still holding on to her. “Thank you,” she said. “I feel real stupid.” She looked at him, recognizing him. “It’s Donald, right?” “I’m flattered. You remembered my name.” He flashed her a smile. He looked good in his small trunks, like one of those covermodels from a men’s magazine. Narrow hips, broad shoulders, marvelous looking chest and great biceps. “I’ve possibly saved your life,” he said and grinned. “Now I’m responsible for you. You owe me your company at dinner tonight.” She laughed, still embarrassed. “Alright. If you insist.” “Come, I’ll buy you a drink,” he said. She didn’t bother covering herself up, and neither did he. When they slowly walked to the beach bar, they drew stares from men and women, alike. He must have noticed it, also, because he chuckled. “I think we make a good-looking couple,” he said and looked at her. “You have a nice ass.” He grinned. She felt heat rise to her cheeks and thought My God, I’m actually blushing. I can’t remember when that happened to me the last time. “Was that a compliment?” she asked. “A little crude, I know.” He was still grinning. “But it’s true— you do have a nice ass.” “Enough,” she said and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. After the fourth drink she felt giddy. “I think I’ve had enough.” She stumbled over the words. 76

Summer Heat 3 “You’re on holiday,” he said. “Live a little.” She looked into his eyes. They were dark blue. She hadn’t noticed it before. A lock of black curly hair partially covered his forehead. He sure is good-looking, she thought and giggled. She felt like a teenager on her first date. For Heaven’s sake, Ginger, you’re thirtytwo years old, get a hold of yourself. “What’s so funny?” he asked. “You have kind eyes,” she said and giggled again. “And that’s funny?” “No, no.” She slipped off her barstool and had to hold on to the counter for balance. “I’m just silly—and a little drunk.” She put a finger on his lips. “I’m going back to my room to put on some makeup. And to sober up. I’ll see you for dinner tonight.” “I’ll pick you up at eight,” he called after her as she stumbled past the tables. Fortunately, there weren’t many people around to see her this way. She’d never been able to hold her liquor very well. Her head was spinning and she felt a headache coming on. **** He knocked on her door at exactly eight o’clock. When she opened the door he stood there, smiling, a red rose in his hand. It never occurred to her to ask him how he had known which room she was in. “Wow!” he said. “You sure are beautiful.” “You don’t look so bad yourself.” She smiled, looking him over. He did look quite handsome in his light colored pants and his darker sports jacket. His collar was open to display a gold chain and a pendant. “May I come in?” he asked, handing her the flower. “Sure.” She took the rose from his hand. “I better put it in some water.” Five minutes later they walked down a garden path toward the restaurant. She had her arm hooked into his. He ordered a bottle of wine for dinner. Take it easy, a voice said inside her head, but she ignored it. He was charming, a wonderful storyteller and when he reached across the table to touch her hand, she trembled. A strange tingling between her legs reminded her how long it had been since a man had put his strong arms around her to hold her in a tight embrace, and how long it had been since she felt the hard cock of a man inside her. 77

Summer Heat 3 When they got up she knew she had drunk too much, again, but she didn’t care. “Let’s go swimming, Donald,” she said impulsively. “Now?” He laughed. “I didn’t bring my bathing trunks.” “Neither did I.” Laughing and holding hands, they walked to the beach, away from the lights. They took off their shoes and stepped into the water. The ocean had calmed down and the waves lapped gently around their feet. He stopped and pulled her into his arms, kissing her. She returned his kiss, then pushed him away. “We want to go swimming, remember?” They both stripped, and, naked, they ran into the waves. The water seemed even warmer in the chill of the evening, as Ginger swam toward the darkness. The pale light of the full moon danced on the surface of the gently rolling surf, like tiny silver fairies. “Don’t swim out too far,” Donald called. “Come and rescue me, then.” She slowed down and turned onto her back, enjoying the sensation the water created on her bare breasts and exposed pussy. Warm spider-fingers massaging her skin, caressing tender parts of her body, searching…searching… She felt so alive, so daring, reckless even. She squealed when hands touched her thighs. Donald pulled her toward him, her pussy scraped along his hard belly. One of his hands touched her breast. His lips crushed hers; she opened her mouth to let him in. Picking her up in his strong arms, he carried her back to shore. He put her down into the soft sand and stood above her, his muscular body silhouetted against the bright disk of the moon. She lifted her arms, beckoned. He sank to his knees, knelt between her opening thighs. With strong hands he pushed against them, until her knees touched the wet sand. “Are you sure you want this?” he asked with a soft voice. “I’m sure.” She could feel her heart beating in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. “I’m very sure.” Boldly, she reached for him, found his manhood. Hard. Solid like a thick tree branch. Pulling, she guided him. But he was not in a hurry. He bent forward to kiss her belly. With agonizing slowness, he let his tongue travel up her belly, her breasts. Taking each hardened nipple into his mouth, he sucked gently. “Do it!” she moaned, writhing beneath him. “I can’t wait any longer.” 78

Summer Heat 3 He kissed her with sudden fierceness, exploring the cavity of her mouth. And then she felt his hardness separate her inflamed labia, felt him slowly enter her sopping wet sheath. With a loud moan, she pushed up against him. He began to move inside her, filling her completely. She let herself go, slammed her hips against his hard body. All the pent-up heartaches and pain exploded out of her when she experienced her first orgasm. Crying out, she clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably as the unbelievable pleasure surged through her body. He held her tight, waiting until she calmed down. Kissing her gently, he began to move faster in and out of her. It wasn’t long before she felt the rush of another orgasm. She let it built up, embraced the climax when it reached a peak. It was almost better than the first one. “No man has ever made me come like this before,” she sobbed, riding the crest of pleasure, a crest she hadn’t known existed. His thrusts became more forceful, and before her orgasm subsided completely, another one shook her body. Digging her fingers into his lean buttocks, she felt him shudder; he stiffened in her embrace and then, with a series of loud grunts, he came inside her. His warm liquid shot into her with the force of a geyser, and squeezing her inner muscles, she milked him until the throbbing of his penis stopped. He relaxed into her arms; his hard body flattened her breasts against her chest. She was suddenly aware of the gritty sand in her back and on her buttocks. “You’re getting heavy,” she said softly. “Sorry.” He lifted himself up on his elbows and grinned down at her. “This is the best fuck I’ve had in a long time,” he said, trying to catch his breath. She pouted. ”Fuck? I would prefer lovemaking.” “Sorry,” he said for a second time. “Best lovemaking I’ve had in a long time.” He chuckled. “Some women like it when a man talks dirty.” “I know,” she said, “but it does nothing for me.” “I guess you’re just a classy lady.” He pulled out of her and rose to his feet. Holding out his hand, he said, “Come, let’s go have a drink and…” he smiled. “The night is still young.” **** She’d turned off the air-conditioning and opened the window to let in the fresh cool air. It caressed her naked skin as she writhed lazily on top of Donald. He lay on his back in her bed, watching her. 79

Summer Heat 3 His hands were holding on to her hips, guiding her, slowing her down when she moved too fast. The light of the moon fell through the open window, illuminating his muscular chest and part of her body. When she turned her head, she noticed her shadow on the wall, could see her buttocks moving slowly back and forth. It was like watching a porn movie. She closed her eyes, listened to the surf outside. It sounded loud, as if a sudden storm had come up. But she knew it was just an illusion; the strong winds wouldn’t start until morning. She loved the dark, had always loved it. It was full of mysteries and secrets. Her fertile imagination conjured up all kinds of sexual creatures who lurked in the dark, waiting until she called them to become her slaves and to fulfill her darkest desires. Donald moved his hands up her body. His fingers curled around her breasts. Inside her belly, his hard penis felt warm and delicious. She heard laughter outside. Music from a nearby disco filtered through the sounds of the ocean. I must be dreaming, she thought, this can’t be real! Deep inside her, a tingling began to vibrate slowly, signaling the beginning of another eternal moment of heavenly pleasure. Increasing the movements of her pelvis, she concentrated on that flow of gentle electric current, rode it until it reached its peak. Slamming down hard, she sucked Donald’s suddenly throbbing organ deep into her burning pussy. She heard him shout, felt his hot fluid gushing into her and doused him with her own warm discharge. A woman’s sobbing cries filled her ears, until she realized they were her own. Then it was over. Sagging, she sat on top of Donald, unable to move, her limbs suddenly weak, her breath coming in great gasps. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better,” Donald said, his voice hoarse. “You’re quite something.” She lifted up, felt him slip out of her, leaving her empty. “I wish I could keep that beautiful cock of yours inside me all the time,” she said huskily. He chuckled. “Now, look who’s talking dirty.” Giggling, she snuggled up against him. “I feel so naughty,” she said, stroking his chest. “I think this will turn out to be my dreamvacation. I’m so glad I met you and that you were so persistent.” 80

Summer Heat 3 His hand glided over her hip, stroked it gently, moved to her buttock and squeezed it. “There is something you need to know about me,” he said and pushed her onto her back. “When I want something I go after it.” Lying on top of her, he parted her thighs with his hand, rubbed his finger across her clit. She shuddered and lifted her hips. “Don’t tell me you’ve recovered already?” He grinned. His teeth flashed white in the shadow of his face. Gasping, she took him back into her, sheathing his hard organ with ease. She moaned into his mouth when he kissed her. Paradise couldn’t be any better than this. **** She didn’t find him in bed beside her in the morning. There was a note on the dresser Thanks for a wonderful night. See you tonight. Donald. PS: Didn’t have the heart to wake you. You looked so peaceful in your sleep. Smiling, she put the note into a drawer. I guess I was out of it, she thought and giggled. After the workout I got last night—no wonder! After breakfast she took a stroll along the beach, but it was too windy, so she decided to spend the day by the pool. She swam a couple of lapses, then chose an empty lounge chair under one of the palm trees and lay down. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Opening her eyes, she saw a woman standing beside her, looking down at her. She squinted against the sun. “I’m Lizzy,” the woman said. “The Impatient One at the check-in counter. Remember?” “Hi,” Ginger said. “Hi, yourself. I didn’t get your name.” “It’s Ginger.” “Hi, Ginger. How’s the water?” “It’s fine. Almost too warm. I wish it weren’t so windy at the beach. I like the ocean better.” Lizzy sank onto the chair beside Ginger’s. “I hate the wind myself. I’m a little scared to go into the ocean, though. I saw a woman almost drown yesterday. If it hadn’t been for the guy who pulled her out…” Ginger laughed. “That was me.” “No kidding! You were lucky that guy came along.” Lizzy chuckled. “Quite a hunk, I couldn’t help but notice. What happened to 81

Summer Heat 3 him?” Ginger sighed and blushed a little. “I was hoping to spend some time with him today,” she said. “I have no idea where he is.” “Men!” Lizzy snorted contemptuously. “They’re all the same. Who needs them!” “They’re handy to have around,” Ginger said, blushing again. Her pussy was suddenly itching, and she wished it were Donald on the chair beside her. “I’m doing just fine without a man,” Lizzy was saying. “Maybe you and I can get together some time.” She leaned over and whispered. “I brought a whole bunch of dildos I’m dying to try out.” Ginger broke into a fit of laughter. Lizzy joined in. When they calmed down, she asked, “Tonight, maybe?” “I don’t think so,” Ginger said, still laughing. “I’m not into dildos, no offence.” “You don’t know what you’re missing, sweetheart.” Lizzy smiled. “They’re more dependable than a man’s cock. Always stiff and ready.” She got up. “Come, at least swim with me.” **** She expected Donald to show up at her door in the evening, but when she looked at her watch and it was already after eight, she knew, he wouldn’t come. Disappointed with the prospect of spending an evening by herself, she went to have something to eat. Sitting alone at a table for dinner didn’t help her mood much; she had secretly hoped he would at least meet her in the restaurant. When she was still alone at 9:30 she felt let down and even a little angry. Well, she shrugged, furious and ashamed at the same time. He got what he wanted—a good fuck. I’m the sucker. Again. She stormed back to her room, changed into a sexy outfit and decided to go dancing in the disco. Maybe that would cheer her up. The music was loud and the place packed with mostly young people. She chose a stool at the bar and ordered a drink. “Hello, Ginger,” said a male voice beside her. “Are you still not in the mood to talk?” She turned her head to look at the man. “Hi, Toni,” she said, and smiled. “I guess I must have left a little bit of an impression, since you didn’t forget my name.” He sat down on the empty stool to her right. “I have a good memory for faces and names,” she said. 82

Summer Heat 3 “That’s good. I can remember faces, but names, well—that’s another story. I hear them, next thing I know—they’re gone. Forgotten.” “You seem to have no trouble remembering mine.” He smiled. “Looks like you left an impression on me, doesn’t it?” She sipped her drink, gave him a long look over the rim of her glass. Somehow she hadn’t remembered the small mustache adorning his upper lip. It made him look kind of old-fashioned, but also interesting and intriguing. “What are you drinking?” he asked. “Gin and Tonic.” “That’s uncanny. So am I. It’s almost eerie. Gin and Tonic. Get it? Ginger and Toni. My friends call me Tonic. I bet yours call you Gin. Do you believe in fate?” “Not really. My sister calls me Gin.” He turned to the bartender. “Dos Gin and Tonic, por favor.” “Thank you,” Ginger said, “but I can order my own drinks.” “Too late, already ordered.” He chuckled. “I’m still not trying to come on to you. I just saw you sitting here, lonely and gloomy looking. So I thought you might need some cheering up.” He bent closer. “Actually, I was hoping you would keep me company. I feel kinda lonesome and a bit out-of-place with all these young kids.” She tried to stay serious, but had to laugh. He looked like a little puppy with his sad brown eyes. He’s actually quite handsome, she thought. And funny. Downing her drink, she said, “Order me another one. You’re right, I need some cheering up.” “Let me ask you a stereo-type question. What’s a beautiful woman like you doing all by herself in a place like this?” “And what’s a handsome guy like you doing in a place like this?” she countered. “All by yourself, too.” “I just got divorced. And you?” She put the glass to her lips and swallowed from the strong drink. Her third glass. Better slow down, she told herself. “I also just got divorced,” she said after a while. “But I don’t want to talk about it, if you don’t mind.” Emptying his glass, he looked at her. “Wanna dance?” She hesitated a moment. What if Donald walked in? To hell with Donald! she thought. He’s probably screwing another woman right now. Maybe one of the local chicas. She remembered seeing him talking to a girl at the counter shortly after arriving at the resort. They 83

Summer Heat 3 had looked pretty chummy. She’d even kissed him on the cheek. It hadn’t bothered her at the time, but now she began to wonder. Slipping off the stool, she moved toward the crowded dance floor, her hips swaying to the music. She looked back over her shoulder at Toni. “Coming?” He laughed and followed her. He turned out to be quite a good dancer. “You dance a lot?” she asked, but he just smiled, shook his head and pointed to his ears. Moving into his arms, she pulled down his head and put her mouth to his ear. “I said, do you dance a lot?” His lips were suddenly on hers and his hands dug into her buttocks. She could feel something hard pressing into her belly. My god, she thought, he’s big. She let him kiss her, even opened her mouth to let him in. Then she pushed him away, gently. “You’re moving a little too fast,” she gasped. He pulled her close against him again. “I’m totally turned on by you,” his voice sounded hoarse in her ear. They moved together to the sounds of the Salsa, their bodies grinding into each other. She became acutely aware of his hard cock between them and of her body’s response. Her pussy was tingling, crying for attention. She felt his hand sliding into her skirt from the top, felt it warm on her naked skin. She almost cried out when his fingers found her clit and began rubbing it. She knew she was wet. The sensuous music and his nearness had its effect on her and suddenly she wanted him inside her. “Let’s get out of here,” she gasped. His finger had slipped into her wet cleft and she almost had an orgasm. “Not here,” she said and shook her head. He grinned, pulling out his hand. Grabbing his arm, she dragged him to the exit. Outside, he kissed her again, then they almost ran down one of the garden paths, toward the darkness of the shrubbery and trees. She stumbled and fell forward, into the soft grass. Laughing, he fell on top of her. He lifted her skirt from behind and hooked his finger into the waistband of her tiny lacy panties. He pulled them down with agonizing slowness, exposing her buttocks. “Take them off already!” she gasped, wiggling her bottom. Something warm and wet touched the crease between her buttocks, and then she felt his tongue licking her skin. He put a finger 84

Summer Heat 3 into her, moving it slowly in and out. “You’re wet,” he said and chuckled. “Wet and ready,” she moaned. “Don’t wait too much longer. Put it into me—now!” He cupped her body from behind. The tip of his hard penis touched her buttocks, slipped between them. At first, she thought he was going to push it into her anus, but he moved it down to her dripping pussy, entering it. With a forceful movement he thrust it into her. His penis was hard and thick, and the sudden and unexpected full entry into her made her cry out with surprise. She adjusted quickly and molded her inner muscles around the giant intruder. She came almost immediately; her need had been too great. His hands pushed up her blouse, cupped her naked breasts. They were not very large, but solid and firm. She seldom wore a bra and she didn’t mind displaying them. His hips slammed into her buttocks; he was not as gentle as Donald had been, and his big cock stretched her pussy to its limits, but she didn’t mind. He felt good inside her and brought her to another heavenly climax. One of his hands took hold of her hair and pulled back her head. “You know, Ginger,” he whispered into her ear, “you should be more careful. It’s not too smart to let a strange man fuck you like this, from behind. If I were so inclined, I could cut your throat right now.” “What?” she almost screamed, as an icy hand touched her brain. His other hand was on her throat, caressing it gently. His breath came in great gasps and from his throat escaped deep grunts as his penis jumped inside her, filling her with its hot discharge. Bucking wildly beneath him, she managed to dislodge him. He toppled over, like a rabbit-buck after covering a doe, and lay in the grass on his side, breathing hard. Getting to her feet, she pushed down her blouse and skirt, didn’t bother searching for her panties. “What the hell was that all about?” she screamed. “Who sent you?” “Nobody sent me. I was just babbling.” “The hell you were!” She kicked him in the side. “You’re freaking me out!” He tried to sit up. “Come one, Ginger—Gin.” He groaned, holding his side. “It meant nothing.” She was ready to kick him again, but changed her mind. “I 85

Summer Heat 3 thought you were a nice guy. I guess I was wrong. From now on— stay away from me, you creep! I’m warning you, I know martial arts!” She stormed away, back to the lights, back to people. She almost bumped into someone coming down the path. “Sorry,” she said. “Ginger?” It was Lizzy. “What’s the problem? I heard shouting.” “Nothing,” Ginger said. “Just some creep, that’s all.” “Want to talk about it?” “No. I just want to go back to my room and be left alone.” **** She had a late breakfast and spent the rest of the morning by the pool. Her migraine was threatening to flare up and she felt generally miserable. This was turning into a nightmare vacation. Donald was still nowhere to be seen, and, luckily, neither was Toni. At noon she went back to her room, took a pill and got ready go for lunch. Just before she opened her door, someone knocked. “Who is it?” “It’s me—Donald.” She threw open the door and flung herself into his arms, kissing him feverishly. “Where have you been?” “Visiting my cousin. Why?” “Your cousin?” She stepped back. “You have a cousin here?” He moved past her into the room. “Yes. More than one. My family comes originally from the Dominican Republic.” “You don’t look Hispanic.” He laughed. “Actually, I’m only half Hispanic, from my mother’s side. I guess I got the Caucasian looks from my father.” For some reason she seemed relieved. “And here I thought you were shacking it up with some local dark-eyed, hot-blooded beauty.” Taking her into his arms, he kissed her gently. “I wouldn’t cheat on you.” She gave him a crooked smile, feeling guilty. “You don’t owe me any loyalty, Donald. It’s not like we were married—or lovers.” “We’re not? You mean we just fucked? It meant nothing to you?” He sounded hurt. “Sorry, that’s not what I meant.” She put her arms around his neck. “I missed you, you know.” “And I missed you. Now—I’m starved. Let’s go and get something to eat.” 86

Summer Heat 3 They walked hand in hand, like two lovers, and she felt suddenly very happy. “You want to go into town this afternoon for a little shopping?” he asked her after they finished eating. “That would be nice. I want to change, though. I don’t feel comfortable walking into a shop wearing a mini-dress. I’d like to put on some slacks.” “Alright, meet you in the lobby in, say, fifteen minutes?” She hurried back to her room, humming to herself. The happenings of the previous night seemed to vanish like a bad dream. Donald was back and everything would be alright now. She slowed her walk when she saw two uniformed men standing in front of her door. One held a machinegun. They watched her approach. “Can I help you?” she asked. “Are you Señora Ginger Winters?” one of them asked her. He spoke with a heavy Spanish accent. “Yes, I am.” “Would you, please, come with us?” “Why? What is this all about?” “Just come, Señora. We will explain at the police station.” “Are you arresting me?” She tried to think of anything she might have done to break any laws. She was in a foreign country, things she took for granted in her own country didn’t necessarily apply in this one. “No, you’re not. Please, come.” They walked on either side of her, a fact that didn’t give her much comfort. When they walked through the lobby, Donald was already there, waiting for her. “What’s going on?” he asked her and said something in Spanish to one of the policemen. The officer answered him back, then he took Ginger’s arm, gently, but with a firm grip. “What did he say, Donald?” “Not much. They want to question you.” Donald followed them. “I’m scared, Donald. If I’m not back by tomorrow night, call the American Embassy, please.” “I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Donald tried to calm her down. “Don’t worry.” The trip took over half an hour. Ginger tried to talk with the policemen, but neither one answered her. She was close to hysteria by 87

Summer Heat 3 now. Stories of people being kidnapped by rebels and held for ransom, maybe even killed or thrown in prison in these so-called third world countries, popped into her head. Maybe these two weren’t even police? “Can I see your badges?” she asked. “We’re almost there, Señora.” The man actually smiled. “You will not be harmed.” She breathed a sigh of relief when the car stopped in front of a building with a sign that said Policia. She was taken into a room and told to wait. This whole thing gave her a big headache and she groped in her purse for an aspirin. She swallowed it without water and almost choked on it. The door to the room opened just as she was coughing her lungs out. An older woman, wearing a uniform, walked in and waited until she finished coughing. “Are you alright?” she asked in an almost accent free English. “No, I’m not!” Ginger burst out angrily. “I have a fucking headache, I’m choking to death, and I’d like to know what the hell is going on. I am an American citizen and you can’t just arrest me like that!” She coughed again. “Would you like a glass of water?” The woman smiled. “No, thank you. I don’t feel like puking for the rest of my vacation. I want to know if I’m under arrest?” “You are not under arrest, Señora Winters. I apologize for this inconvenience. Please, follow me. Everything will be explained to you now.” Ginger followed her with reluctance, not at all feeling safe, despite the woman’s assurances. They entered a small office. Behind a large desk sat a portly gray-haired man with a large, bushy mustache. “This is Chief of Police Gonzales,” the woman introduced the man. “Buenos Diás, Señora Winters,” the police chief greeted her. “Tomar asiento, por favor.” Ginger didn’t understand him, but when he gestured to a chair, she sat down. He pushed an object across the desk and asked something in Spanish. “Do you know this woman?” the female officer translated. Ginger looked in surprise at the object. It was a passport. The picture on the opened page looked familiar. “Her name is Lizzy. 88

Summer Heat 3 That’s all I know. She stays in the same resort as I. Why do you have her passport?” She looked at the chief, then at the woman. “She was found dead this morning in one of the banana plantations. Someone raped her from behind, and then cut her throat.” “I can’t believe this. I just spoke to her last night.” Ginger wiped her hand across her suddenly perspiring forehead. Her heart thudded in her chest and an icy finger of fear seemed to hold it in its grip. A name popped into her head with sudden ferocity. “How did you connect me with her?” she asked. “She had your picture and your name on her person.” “I don’t understand.” “Her name is Lisbet Cannon. She is a private investigator. Why would she investigate you, Señora Winters?” Ginger shrugged. “I just went through a messy divorce. Maybe my ex-husband hired her. But then again, why would he? He shouldn’t even know that I am here. Can I see the picture she carried?” The chief handed her a sheet of paper. It had a small picture taped into one corner, with some notes in Spanish beside it. “Your name and the address of the resort is on the back of the picture.” Ginger gasped. “Nobody should even have this picture of me. It is a recent one.” “Explain.” The woman translator looked at her anxiously. So did Chief Gonzales. “I’ve changed my appearance a little because of my husband and other reasons. My normal hair color is blond.” “Ah, blond.” The chief smiled a little. He said something in Spanish to the police woman. She chuckled. I bet it was dumb-blond joke, Ginger thought. I should have studied Spanish. “Gracias, Señora Winters.” Chief Gonzales rose and held out his hand. “Buenas vacaciones!” “He says Have a good holiday,” the woman translated. “Thank you. Gracias.” Ginger rose and looked at the chief. “Sorry, I couldn’t be of more help, but I didn’t really know Lizzy.” The chief said something to the woman. “Oh, one more thing. Were you the last person to see Señora Cannon alive?” “No, I wasn’t. I’m sure I wasn’t.” 89

Summer Heat 3 “Who else saw her?” That finger of fear touched her again when she remembered. “A man called Toni Malone. He stays at the same resort as I am.” She hesitated. “Please, don’t tell him I gave you his name.” “Don’t worry, Señora Winters. Your name won’t even be mentioned.” **** It was almost four o’clock when the police car dropped her off at the resort. She went to her room, determined to enjoy the rest of the day. “Buenas vacaciones!” she mimicked Chief Gonzales. Somehow that sentence kept repeating itself in her head. Have a good holiday! So far it had been nothing but a roller coaster ride. She was angry at everybody, especially at Donald. Had he not left her alone, she would have fucked him instead of Toni Malone. Maybe she should have spent a night with Lizzy, trying out her collection of dildos. The poor woman might still be alive. She changed her clothes, put on a pair of tight slacks and a blouse. No bra. No panties. Admiring herself in the mirror, she noticed with satisfaction that her ass was showing off nicely. No tiny lines panties would have created. She’d fuck Donald tonight. All night. Just thinking about his cock made her wet already. After last night’s experience and today’s waste of her time she needed him badly. She found him sitting at the bar. “Gin and Tonic, por favor,” she said to the bartender and took the seat next to Donald. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “How did it go?” “A woman named Lizzy Cannon got raped and murdered last night,” Ginger said. “So why would they question you? Did you have anything to do with it?” She gave him an annoyed look. “Don’t even go there, Donald! I barely knew her. I spent an afternoon by the pool with her. Yesterday, when you were gone.” She didn’t tell him about the picture Lizzy had carried. No need to burden him with her problems. Emptying her glass, she ordered another, then looked at Donald. “Come, walk down the beach with me.” He chuckled. “I’m not dressed for it.” “You mean undressed?” She smiled. “Neither am I. We’ll take 90

Summer Heat 3 off our shoes.” The wind was strong again and the waves washed high onto the shore, filling the footprints in the sand with foamy water, which was sucked into the coarse sand as soon as the waves pulled back into the ocean. Ginger bent down to pick up one of the shells the waves had deposited in the sand, balanced it on her free hand. “Beautiful, isn’t it? This was once a creature’s home.” She handed it to Donald. “Here, listen to it. You can hear the sound of the ocean trapped inside. Maybe even the music of the whole universe.” He laughed. “That sounds almost poetic. You should be a writer.” “Actually, I am a writer, she laughed. “Unpublished.” “Really? There is much I don’t know about you.” He took the shell, put it against his ear. “You’re right, that does sound like the ocean. Wait a minute, I think I just heard a foghorn.” She laughed and slapped him playfully on the arm. “Now you’re making fun of me.” Putting his arm around her waist, he pulled her close. “I’ve made you laugh. I love to hear you laugh.” She leaned against him. “I’m really glad we met. You make me feel so alive and safe.” **** “Hey! I just realized something. You’re making me do all the work.” Ginger wriggled her bottom, watching him gasp when he felt her inner muscles squeezing his hard cock. “I’m saving my strength for later,” he moaned. “You’re doing a fine job.” She began a slow bump and grind in his lap, giggled when he let out a deep groan. “You’re going to make me come prematurely,” he said, grabbing her hips. “You don’t like what I’m doing?” she asked, pumping her pelvis. “I love what you’re doing, that’s why I don’t want it to be over too soon.” He pulled her down and kissed her. “You know, I have an idea. Let’s make it more interesting tonight.” “Alright. What do you have in mind?” Turning with a sudden movement, he rolled her onto her back. She gasped when he pushed deep into her, but only for a moment, then he pulled out, leaving her empty. He slipped from the bed and opened a small backpack he had brought with him. Pulling out a few 91

Summer Heat 3 strips of cloth, he smiled at her. “Have you ever been tied to the bed while a man makes love to you?” She shook her head. “I hear it’s a great turn-on. Want to try it?” She could only nod, while a multitude of emotions rushed through her. Anticipation and excitement, but also fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of feeling helpless while at the mercy of someone she hardly knew. “Don’t hurt me, please,” she whispered when he tied one of her wrists to the headboard. He laughed. “A little bit of pain might just add to the pleasure.” “I don’t like pain. Maybe this is not such a good idea.” Tying her other wrist, he leaned over her and whispered into her ear. “Are you scared? Good. It’s all part of the fun. You’ll see.” Pulling her legs apart, he tied first one of her ankles and then the other. When he knelt between her spread legs, he held up a black piece of cloth. “And now for the final touch. The Blindfold.” She panicked a little when the dark cloth shut off her vision. She felt Donald get off the bed. It was suddenly very quiet. She strained to hear him move around, but it seemed as if he had vanished. “Donald!” she called out, pulling on her restraints. To no avail, they were tight. “Come on, Donald, this isn’t funny! You’re scaring me.” The feathery touch of something being pulled across her belly made her cry out in surprise. It moved up her body, tickled the soft skin between her breasts, touched her breasts, her nipples, then it was gone. After a few agonizing moments a soft object scraped along the underside of her thigh, moved around her Venus mound, down her other thigh. Her skin was beginning to tingle and she waited with anticipation for the soft feather to reach her pussy. When it caressed her clit, she moaned and lifted her hips off the bed, tried to capture the feathery thing inside her pussy. Just when she thought she had it, it disappeared. By now all her senses had reached a high state of arousal and when she became aware of a weight on the bed, between her spread legs, she almost went crazy with lust. A deep moan escaped her lips when something touched her pussy, something round and warm. Opening her up, it slid easily into her quivering dripping sheath. She 92

Summer Heat 3 wanted to hammer her hips against the man above her, wanted to take this big cock deep into her, but her movements were limited. It only added to the exquisite pleasure she was experiencing. “Do you like it?” Donald whispered into her ear. “Oh, yes…Oh yes…That is the best,” she moaned. “Do what ever you want. Just fuck me hard!” Chuckling low in his throat, he moved slowly on top of her, his body barely touching hers, the only connection between their bodies, his cock inside her pussy. “Now!” he called out hoarsely. His hard rod seemed to swell as he pumped his load into her, and she let her own orgasm wash through her body. Letting his weight rest on her, he lay gasping for air between her spread legs. After awhile he pulled out and left her. She just lay there, her whole body still tingling, and listened to him moving around in the bathroom. What an experience! She had never done stuff like this with Joe. Maybe it was a good thing she had finally divorced him. There was a whole world of pleasure waiting for her to sample. Donald’s bare feet made little sucking noises as he walked across the tiled floor. “I guess I better untie you,” he said and laughed. “Who knows, someone else might just take advantage of you.” “That was beautiful,” she told him after he had taken off her blindfold. “You are an amazing lover.” **** When Ginger stepped onto the balcony the next morning she noticed that the winds had died down over night. The ocean was still in turmoil with high waves crashing onto the beach, but they should calm down by afternoon. Maybe she would be able to go swimming again in the ocean. Feeling tired, she smiled, remembering the night. When Donald finally left, it was already three o’clock in the morning. That man sure had a lot of stamina! She was actually a little sore this morning. Looking at her wrists, she discovered red marks. No wonder, the way she’d been thrashing around! Tied down like that had scared her at first, but later she found, to her own amazement, that it turned her on tremendously. Donald wasn’t there at breakfast, but that was alright. She needed some time to herself. He joined her for lunch. 93

Summer Heat 3 “They arrested an American this morning,” he told her. “It was the guy you sat next to in the bus.” “His name is Toni Malone,” Ginger said. “I’m not surprised. He is an asshole.” He gave her a questioning look. “You know him?” How much should I tell Donald? Best, he knows as little as possible. She shrugged. “I’ve talked to him. He’s a freak, a jerk. Forget it.” He scared the hell out her, but she had to admit to herself, she loved that huge cock of his when he screwed her from behind. Then the image of Lizzy popped into her head. Even though she hadn’t seen her body, she could imagine how the woman must have looked. Naked and bloody. Her throat cut. She shuddered. That could have been her. She looked at Donald. “If he’s guilty, I hope they keep him rotting in one of the local jails. They don’t treat their prisoners the way they do at home. All that human-rights shit.” He chuckled. “You’re sure getting yourself worked up over this. It’s not like that woman was a friend of yours. Or was she? Why would she carry your picture?” Ginger looked at him sharply. “How do you know about the picture?” “You told me yourself.” “No. I didn’t. I didn’t want to pile all of my problems on you.” “Well, you must have changed your mind, because you told me last night.” He smiled. “You did have quite a few drinks. My memory suffers too when my mind is befuddled with alcohol.” “Oh you, always making fun of me,” she chided him. “My mind was never befuddled.” She put her hand on his. “Sorry, I know you’re trying your best to keep me in a cheery mood. But it’s not easy to stay happy. Too much has happened lately.” She sighed. “I was hoping to find some peace here, but things are still happening. I guess that’s just life.” “You have to take the bad with the good. Be optimistic.” He took her hand. “I have an idea. Let’s do that shopping this afternoon. It’ll take your mind off things.” **** They had spread one of the blankets from the bed on the floor, but it was still hard on her knees as she knelt in front of Donald. Holding her hips, he drove into her with steady, powerful strokes. 94

Summer Heat 3 She gripped a handful of blanket and arching her back, she pushed back against him. He felt so good inside her. Married seven years to Joe, who only wanted to make love in the missionary position, she missed out on a lot of fun and pleasure. Why couldn’t she have met a guy like Donald before she got involved with Joe? Why not even Donald himself? Life was so cruel. She whimpered when a powerful orgasm shook her body and jerked her pelvis back and forth, squeezing that hard rod inside her pussy with a fierce grip. Donald pulled out of her when she stopped shaking. She turned onto her back, looked up at him expectantly. “I want to tie you up again,” he said and smiled. “Okay.” After she was securely tied to the bed and blindfolded, he left her. She waited with anticipation for his next move. His warm breath was suddenly washing over her ear. “I want to try something different today.” “Alright.” Her pussy was already wet and tingling. “Do you trust me, Ginger?” “Yes, I do.” She sensed him moving between her legs, felt his penis touching the entrance to her pussy. She cried out in surprise when he shoved his hard pole into her with a powerful thrust. Her cry was cut off as something soft and fluffy was put over her face. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Shaking her head from side to side, she tried to dislodge the object, but it was pressed even tighter against her face. Donald moved like a berserker between her spread legs. She struggled to get free, but his weight pushed her down. She was loosing consciousness. Then the soft object slipped off her face. She gasped for air, hearing someone screaming, and realized it was her own voice. Beside her ear, Donald whispered, “Did you enjoy this?” “No!” she screamed. “What are you trying to do? Untie me now! I don’t enjoy this anymore.” He was still inside her, still hard. “You know,” he whispered, “he was right. You are a marvelous peace of ass.” His voice sounded strange, tight, almost hoarse. “What? Who told you that?” He started moving again. His breath was coming in little gasps. By the way, Joe says hello.” 95

Summer Heat 3 She bucked and screamed. The pillow shut off her air supply again. Just when she thought she was going to black out, she heard muffled voices. The pillow was ripped off her face. “Who the hell are you? How dare you come into this room?” she heard Donald yelling. “Get that son-of-a-bitch off her.” She knew that voice, but now it was hard and angry. Someone pulled Donald off. Then she felt fingers on her face. She was still struggling for air, when the blindfold was removed from her eyes. She looked into the face of the man leaning over her. “Toni,” she managed to gasp. “Take it easy,” he said, his eyes and voice concerned. “Are you okay?” “Of course I’m not okay!” She tried to sit up, realized she was still tied to the bed. There were other people in the room. Uniformed people. Men. She was suddenly aware of her position. “Untie me, please, and get me a blanket so I can cover myself up.” One of the uniformed men, police, she realized, produced a knife and cut her bonds. Toni picked up the blanket from the floor and draped it across her shoulders. She saw Donald struggling in the grip of two of the policemen. Watching it with a curious sense of detachment, the whole universe suddenly seemed to crash around her. Tears burst from her eyes and she had to sit down on the bed for fear of collapsing. Toni sat down beside her, put his arm around her waist. “I think he tried to kill me,” she said between sobs. “I don’t understand any of this. Who is he? Who are you?” “I’m Special Agent Toni Malone,” he said gently. “FBI?” He nodded. “What are you doing here?” She managed to calm herself, wiped the tears from her eyes. “My boss was worried about you. We received information that your ex-husband had hired an assassin.” “Donald? An assassin?” She stared at the man she had almost come to love. “Joe hired him to kill me?” “I’m afraid so. He also murdered Lisbet Cannon. She was a PI, working for the District Attorney.” 96

Summer Heat 3 “Why would the DA have a Private Eye follow me?” Toni smiled. “You’re still a suspect. They didn’t trust you.” She got off the bed, wrapped the blanket tightly around her. Then she walked up to Donald who gave her a defiant look. “I was falling in love with you. I thought you loved me, too.” He shrugged and chuckled. “I like you and I gave you a good fuck, didn’t I. But I had a contract to fulfill. Business is business, nothing personal.” She pulled back her fist and punched him in the face. “Nothing personal,” she said calmly. Toni said something in Spanish to the policemen. They nodded and escorted Donald out of the door. “You saved my life.” Ginger said to Toni. “How did you manage to appear at the right time?” He grinned and pointed at the light fixture on the wall. “We’ve had a surveillance camera installed in your room. These things are so tiny these days. Isn’t technology wonderful?” **** She sat at the table, nursing a drink, when someone approached. She looked up, noticed it was the bartender. He put a glass in front of her. “Gracias.” She took a sip and sputtered. “Whew, this is pure gin.” The waiter smiled. “Señor say, You Gin, need Tonic.” He pointed at another table. Toni Malone grinned at her and waved. “Tell the señor to come over here and bring me some tonic,” she told the bartender. He nodded and walked away. She smiled and watched Toni come closer. Gin and Tonic. Maybe not all was lost. THE END

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Tornado Tory By Kristy McCaffrey

Tory's love life has been interrupted by twisters since she was a girl. But nothing, not even a raging tornado, will keep her from Jake.

http://www.kristymccaffrey.com/

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Tornado Tory By Kristy McCaffrey When I was nine years old a tornado struck our house. Dark, mean and fierce, it blew out all the windows and toppled our refrigerator. I was in the basement on the verge of getting my very first kiss from my one true love when the walls shook and all my hopes turned to dust. The boy of my dreams dove for cover while I stood, dumbfounded, covered in soot, my lips still puckered, my heart beating in anticipation. That kiss never came my way again, but as my mom would say, “God answers all prayers.” This time, to her satisfaction, the answer was no. When I was twelve a second tornado struck during my best friend’s birthday party, the biggest bash of the year at an indoor pool in Oklahoma City. The annoying funnel cloud robbed me yet again of my next true love, Roger. As he touched my arm and smiled at me, all the mothers shrieked. A look of horror crossed Roger’s pimpled face and for a split second I wondered if my new bikini had somehow fallen off. But a deafening rumble signaled the falling sky and I knew the heavens were out to get me yet again. Still, I couldn’t help giggling when a wallop of wind plastered a cupcake to each of Roger’s eyes. As a side note—butter cream icing is quite difficult to remove from eyelashes. Roger’s family abruptly moved a few weeks later, apparently due to the recent bout of bad weather. When I was eighteen a tornado struck for the third time, as I made out with true love number three in the bed of his pick-up truck. You might think we would have noticed the worsening weather, but after all the interruptions that occurred in my love life, I felt determined to see this one through. The tornado, however, won again. The truck flew onto its side and my bid to lose my virginity officially ended. Jimmy broke his nose, two fingers and his left foot. Me? Physically I walked away unscathed, but my heart wearied of the 99

Summer Heat 3 constant battle with the weather. I’m older now and haven’t experienced a twister in eight years, but funnel clouds did make an impression on me—I work as an Aviation Meteorologist at a regional airport in Dayton, Ohio. I study glorious, unpredictable, life-threatening weather and Mother Earth is my office. I’ve never wanted to do anything else, except maybe be a rock star. Tory Redmond—chart topper! A young girl has to have daydreams. A grown woman does, too. My current fantasy involves Jake Howard, owner of JH Airlines, based at the same airport where I work. Jake recently dumped my good friend Sue. A group of us girls commiserated with her over margaritas and chips, and it was clear she thought he was nothing more than a rich, good-looking asshole. To say I’m conflicted about my attraction to the man is putting it mildly, not that he’s ever given any indication of noticing… **** “Tory, what the hell are you doing?” Tory’s pen slipped and left a large mark in the center of her notebook. She took a deep breath, bit back a smart remark and looked up at her co-worker, Kurt. “The plane’s been waiting for ten minutes.” He shook his balding head in disappointment then waved her on. “Get your head out of the clouds. I went out of my way to get you this ride, so try not to embarrass me.” Tory stowed her personal journal into a carry-on bag, slung it onto her shoulder then walked out of the terminal and onto the tarmac. Headed to Pittsburgh for a meteorological convention, Kurt finagled a free ride on Jake’s airline for her. She’d tried to say no—becoming indebted to the object of her crush seemed a bad idea—but Kurt wore her down with his imagined power-base among the small airport staff. If he could control a situation, however insignificant, he usually tried, and most times it wasn’t worth the effort to resist. Tory reassured herself repeatedly the unlikelihood of crossing paths with Jake, since he rarely flew his own planes. She adjusted her basic black suit jacket and smoothed her skirt. The dark pumps on her feet were professionally low and her shoulderlength hair swung in a simple, unencumbered style. Normally she would fly in jeans and tennis shoes—a plane crash was easier to escape in casual attire rather than heels, and she was ever practical— 100

Summer Heat 3 but vanity overtook her today. She knew Jake wouldn’t show, but what if… Guilt swamped her. What would Sue think? Tory wondered what kind of woman she was, lusting after a man who’d broken her friend’s heart. A late-afternoon breeze blew from the east, whipping strands of brown hair into her eyes. She forgot to check the weather, but then she wasn’t on duty. As annoying as Kurt was, he did his job well. And, darn it, she was on vacation. There would be seminars to attend, but she also planned to loaf in her hotel room, munch popcorn and watch movies. As she approached the mid-sized turbo-prop marked with a JH emblem, a man circled the fuselage with his back to her. The unmistakable broad shoulders tripped her heartbeat, as did the neatly trimmed black hair and the stance of casual authority. Jake! Tory stumbled on one of her heels, wobbled then flailed her arms to remain upright. Wanting to see him and actually seeing him were two different things entirely. Her mind raced. What should she say? How should she act? “Maybe you should lose the heels.” A half smile graced his sexy lips as he shook his head and returned his focus to the aircraft. Tory’s face burned from embarrassment. Damn this stupid attraction. Jake couldn’t care less about looking twice at her; he only looked once to notice her klutziness. In the puddle that passed for her brain she strained for air and something coherent to say. Her mind went annoyingly blank. Oh hell, when nerves attacked she usually channeled her mother. “I’d like to thank you for giving me a ride to Pittsburgh. Will the pilot be here soon?” “I’m the pilot.” “Really?” Inwardly she winced from the squeak in her voice as she attempted to maintain a composure she didn’t feel. “You can get on board. We’ll be off shortly.” She nodded and waited. Only a few seconds passed before she realized he wouldn’t help with her bag. Maybe Sue was right—he was an asshole. She clung to the thought as she navigated the five narrow steps onto the plane, haunted by a vision of toppling sideways and sustaining a concussion. She moved to the rear of the plane, passing four rows of empty seats, and stowed her bag. She sat down, buckled 101

Summer Heat 3 her lap belt and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, shocked at how the man rattled her. He came aboard and glanced in her direction. “You don’t have to sit so far back. Worried I’ll keep the windows down and mess your hair?” He pulled the door into place and secured the latch. “Aren’t there any other passengers?” Good, her voice sounded normal. “Nope, just you. I’m taking the plane to Pitt for repairs and to visit my sister. Kurt said you needed a ride. I could sell you a ticket, if you like?” She laughed and shook her head. “How’s Sue?” He paused and rested a large, tan hand on one of the seat backs. “Fine. Eating lots of guacamole and dating some monkey named George,” she smiled, wondering what the hell she just said. “Guacamole and monkeys, huh? I’m glad to hear she’s moved on.” He turned and settled into the cockpit. He left the curtain open—Tory watched as he put on a radio headset and performed his pre-flight check. She looked out the window but her gaze kept returning to the man flying the plane. Soon they were in the air. Forty minutes later, strong turbulence jolted the plane. Tory’s stomach dropped and her fingers clutched the armrests. “Hey, Tory!” Jake’s voice boomed back at her. “What’s with this weather?” She shrugged. Kurt was a putz, but she didn’t think he would’ve missed anything huge. Maybe she should’ve checked the weather readouts anyway. “We’re gonna have to land!” Jake said loudly. Sounded good to her. Her stomach felt ready to unload, and she really, really didn’t want to barf in Jake’s plane. He landed in a stiff crosswind—maybe forty knots, Tory guessed—at a small airport with only one landing strip and no tower. He taxied to a hangar that no doubt housed private aircraft, cut the engines and left the cockpit. Tory started to stand, then sat again when a gust of wind rocked the plane. Jake’s large hand grabbed the back of the seat in front of her. “Something nasty’s headed our way. I thought I was safe with a meteorologist on board.” “I don’t control the weather. I’m just a glorified guesser.” What 102

Summer Heat 3 was wrong with her? Now she was dumbing-down her job, an occupation she worked hard at and enjoyed. “I think we should get out of the plane. A high wind could flip it. We’ll see if we can take shelter in that hangar.” They left the aircraft and Tory helped Jake tie it down. Then, they approached a doorway secured with a padlock. Jake pulled a hammer from the bag he carried, broke the lock and ushered her quickly into the darkened building. “I think we’re breaking and entering,” she whispered. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.” “I promise to send them a new lock,” Jake replied, placing a hand at the small of her back to gently move her aside. The touch, the most personal interaction he’d ever initiated, made her acutely aware of their isolation. He flipped a switch on the wall and fluorescent light illuminated half the building. Aircraft filled the hangar, stored side by side and nose to tail to maximize the available space. “If we lose my plane maybe we can fly one of these out.” “I think I have to draw the line at theft,” she replied. But Jake didn’t belong to Sue any longer; it wasn’t theft if Tory wanted to pursue him. Was it? He led the way toward a card table and pulled a chair for her to sit. He set his green duffel bag atop the wobbly piece of furniture and unzipped the top. Wind howled outside and the cloudy panes revealed a blackening sky. The storm moved fast. Tory pulled her suit jacket across her chest and rubbed her arms. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she moved toward the man of her dreams, the very man she needed to stay away from. If she didn’t, Sue would never forgive her. Jake retrieved a sandwich, a large bag of potato chips and a bottle of water from his gear. “Hungry?” He sat down. “I’m willing to share.” His long fingers assembled the food. “Sure, thanks.” Tory sat across from him. Eating probably wasn’t a good idea after her queasiness on the flight, but she wanted something to do other than stare at the man’s angled face, dark eyes, and lean, muscular build. He was, in Tory’s highly prejudiced mind, the epitome of everything she found attractive in a man. “Can I ask you something?” he asked around a mouthful of sandwich. She nodded. 103

Summer Heat 3 “Why do you dislike me so much?” Tory’s eyes flew to his face. “Why would you think that?” “You avoid me like the plague. You seem very uncomfortable around me.” “No, not at all. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” Boy, that sounded less than convincing. “You’re not rude.” He unscrewed the lid from the bottle of water and took a swig, then held it out for her. The tension between them went into sudden overdrive. Stunned, Tory stared at the bottle. When her eyes shifted to Jake, a thrill of excitement shot straight to her toes. He’s interested. And he knew she was, too. She took the water and drank, acutely aware her lips touched where his just did. “Would you go to dinner with me?” Her throat tightened as the liquid attempted to slide down. “Sue’s my friend,” she choked out. “At one time she was mine, too. But things change. Is she our obstacle?” “Our obstacle?” She set the drink down on the table. Her hands shook and her heart pounded. “Aren’t we moving a little fast?” “I’ve tried moving slow, but every time I round a corner in the terminal you ran off before I could make small talk.” She looked into his eyes, saw the predatory determination focused solely on her, and knew she would never be able to resist it. She didn’t want to resist it. But he would change her life and not necessarily for the better. “When you were with Sue,” she said, staring at the table, “I kept my feelings to myself.” “And now? Why avoid me now?” “I’d lose her friendship. She’d be angry if she even suspected that I…” Rain thudded heavily on the roof. “Suspected what? That you feel something for me?” The electric current running between them charged the atmosphere. Tory barely noticed the wet odor of the storm and the moisture that coated her skin. She raised her eyes to his. “Yes.” Her breath caught. “But I’m not sure I trust you.” “Because of her?” His eyes gleamed and her defenses weakened further. Damn. He’d tell her a nice story now, about Sue’s misunderstanding of everything. Tory trembled and knew she’d fall 104

Summer Heat 3 for it. Why couldn’t she think straight around this man? “Sue deserved better than me,” he started. “I’ll be the first to admit that. We fought a lot, but in the beginning it wasn’t so bad. I can be difficult, I won’t lie to you. But I want you, not her, and I’m done waiting, Tory. I arranged to fly you today so we could be alone.” “Did you approach the storm on purpose?” “No,” he laughed. “I think the heavens conspired to help me.” A nervous excitement thrummed through her. She’d never wanted a man so much, lack of promises and all. She hoped this wouldn’t be a mistake. “Then my answer is yes,” she whispered. “Yes to dinner?” She held his gaze. “Yes to everything.” For a moment, he watched her, searching for the truth in her words, his expression darkening with need. Then he stood, walked around the table and stopped behind her. Tory’s heart pounded inside her ears. She should stand and meet him face to face, but her legs were quite useless. His large hands curled around the edge of her jacket and pulled it from her shoulders. She closed her eyes and rode the wave of desire that shot through her, warmth filling her abdomen with a delicious promise of what was to come. He removed the jacket and ran his hands down her arms as his breath, hot and compelling, blew at the nape of her neck. He knelt behind the chair, ran his hands along her hips to the top of her thighs then nuzzled her ear with his nose. Her body exploded and her breath escaped in short gasps. Taut nipples strained against the silky material of her blouse and her legs parted without thought, accepting him, enticing him, begging him. Every nerve vibrated in rhythm to the coupling that lay before them. His hand slid to her stomach, pressing firmly below the swell of her breasts, and Tory fought the clawing need building in speed and intensity. Jake’s other hand deftly undid the pearl buttons on the blouse and the flimsy garment slid from her shoulders. Tory gripped the cool metal of the folding chair as her skin tingled from exposure. A quick snap unhooked her bra and Jake lost no time cupping her breasts with his hands. Tory turned her face to meet his, their lips meeting at an awkward angle, but it didn’t matter. Her body arched to reach him as a frenzy of need overtook her. He stood, pulled her to him and kissed her hard, his tongue filling her mouth with his taste and texture. 105

Summer Heat 3 A loud crash startled Tory, diverting her attention. She watched as a large piece of roof flew off, smacking into something in the distance. In a daze, she hoped it wasn’t Jake’s plane. The tornado, white and unmistakable against the black clouds in the distance, descended toward them. No. How was this possible? Another twister to ruin her love life. “There’s no way in hell that’s keeping me from you.” Jake lifted her into his arms and moved across the hangar to an office located in the corner. Skirting a desk and rolling chair he entered another room—a bathroom—and kicked the door shut. He backed her against a wall, between the sink and toilet, and Tory kissed him frantically as her feet hit the floor. She tore at his shirt and trousers, her fingers itching to touch skin. They didn’t have much time. He pushed up her skirt and dragged the nylons down her hips, then her panties. She wriggled her knees to get both free from her legs, kicking off her shoes in the process. As he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around him, and he filled her with one thrust. She savored the moment before a terrible noise crashed in the hangar. She clung to him, squeezing tighter and tighter, and came with violent convulsions as the tornado tore apart the structure around them. Jake drove into her without mercy, signaling his own fierce completion. She dug fingers into his scalp and Jake’s chest heaved from the exertion of their lovemaking. They took a terrible, stupid risk and could be killed any moment, but he felt so damn good Tory didn’t care. Maybe she deserved to die for the sin of taking her friend’s exlover, for enjoying it so thoroughly. Silence. The tornado moved on, as it always had in the past. But Jake succeeded where the others hadn’t. And what success! Her satisfied body brought tears to her eyes. More than great sex had occurred, but she wouldn’t sully the moment by saying so. “You alright?” He gently shifted her legs to the floor. He left her and a groan escaped her lips. She wanted him back. He reached for a wad of toilet paper and handed it to her. “Yes, I’m fine.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; she didn’t want him to see her cry. His hands firmly took her face and he kissed her—a wanting kiss, a desperate kiss. “I had a feeling you might blow my world apart.” He smiled against her lips. 106

Summer Heat 3 She was a goner, that was for sure. Sue would never speak to her again, Jake would probably dump her in a month, but until then she would satisfy her appetite for this man as often as possible. Hopefully the memories would last a lifetime. “I’m thinking it’s the last time my world’s blown apart,” she said. True love finally surpassed Mother Nature. Her lips found his. **** When I was twenty-six I experienced my last tornado, a level five, the most fearsome and devastating of all. At the time, however, Jake Howard represented a far more dangerous force in my life. The twister paled in comparison to the passion in Jake’s eyes, in his hands when he touched me, in his determination to have me. A girl can’t resist such things and the tornado never stood a chance—nothing would have kept Jake and I apart, not even my friendship with Sue, which turned out to be not much of a friendship at all. She urged me to avoid the “Jake mistake,” as she put it, but it was the best mistake I ever made. If a girl is lucky, she finds a man who rips her life apart at least once. I managed to traverse the chop of the storm and find my way into the calm center of Jake’s heart. During the last fifty-two years we married, had three children and seven grandchildren. While the passion that flowed so strong in the beginning transformed into a deeper bond, the desperate need for one another never truly left us. We’ve weathered disappointments and fears, but also joys and sweet solitude. And, always, waiting on the fringes, is the chaotic passion, accessible when we long to step outside our mundane world, when we want each other more than anything else. Jake is the man of my heart, the key to my soul— “Time to fly, Tory.” Tory smiled at her husband and stashed the journal into their bag. Jake hoisted the luggage onto his shoulder, still strong, still a presence to be reckoned with. He took her hand as they walked out of the terminal and onto the tarmac. She glanced to the sky, a wisp of gray hair blowing across her vision. “Look like a tornado?” he asked, a sparkle in his gaze. She grinned. “I hope so.” THE END

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Summer Heat 3

Balls in her Court By Ann Cory

A tennis player finds an instant attraction with the new guy in town, and the humidity isn't the only thing keeping the temperature on high.

http://www.anncory.com

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Balls in her Court By Ann Cory CHAPTER ONE Misty raised her racket to hit the oncoming ball when a man, more like a god, walked onto the court with a movie star aura. It wasn’t just his bleached white shirt tucked into a crisp white pair of shorts showing off a gorgeous sun kissed tan, or the wild mop of dark hair she’d love to run her fingers through, no, it was his smile and the way it radiated sophisticated charm, sultry sex, and cool confidence. She watched him reach up to brush away a strand of hair from his eyes and got knocked hard in the head by an oncoming ball. How embarrassing! That would teach her to lose focus. She motioned to a teenage boy dressed in a navy polo and khaki shorts and he ran out and stopped the automatic ball machine. The good-looking stranger made a beeline right toward her, his forehead creased in genuine concern. “Wow, looks like it got you good. Are you okay?” She rubbed her forehead and shrugged. “I’ll live.” “I’ve been watching you and I must say, I’m impressed. You have a mean backhand.” Misty’s lips curled into a polite smile. “I’m a professional, what can I say.” His eyes, a stunning shade of turquoise, locked on hers. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy made her nervous, especially on her own court. Intimidation had always been her forte. He reached out his hand; a sleek gold watch cinched loosely around his wrist, made a clinking sound. She didn’t dare touch him. 109

Summer Heat 3 “I’m Clay Monnaco,” his deep, sultry voice made her right eye twitch. “Mm hm,” she’d meant to sound impartial, but a hint of interest popped in there unexpectedly. “I thought maybe your coach might have mentioned me. I’m here to play in the doubles tournament. I’ve been instructed to help a Misty Valence with her style and performance. Seems she has a difficult time being a team player.” Misty felt the anger rise from the pit of her stomach. The nerve of her overpriced coach going behind her back and setting something up, as if she didn’t have a say in her own damn career. If her parents hadn’t been such good friends with Brolin Masters, she would have fired him ages ago and taken up with someone more down-to-earth. “Do you happen to know where I can find Ms. Valence?” She spread her arms wide and did a full three-sixty. “You’re looking at her. But you already knew that, didn’t you.” Clay chuckled and took in a panoramic view of the tennis courts before looking her square in the eye. “You strike me as someone very…independent, shall we say.” “Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.” He looked her up and down and then gestured toward the ball machine. “Please, don’t let me stop you from your practice.” Her eyes squinted. Was he trying to suggest something, or did he always act cocky. His eyebrows were deceiving, she decided. They were full and showed his emotion depending on how he positioned them. He had them set in a challenge and she vowed to show him. “Don’t mind if I do. Not like I need the practice, mind you, but I like to stay fit.” His eyes once again traveled up and down her figure and lingered at her legs. “You don’t have to worry about your body, trust me.” She smiled and motioned at the ball boy to start up the machine again. A tennis ball came at her and she met it with a strong backhand. The next one she did a short and swift volley. Twice she winced as the balls came faster, some high, others low and off to the right. Her forearm and wrist had been giving her some trouble for weeks and today the pain seared. If she mentioned it to her coach he’d have a fit. It was bad enough he had a set ideal about women athletes and their weaknesses. She didn’t need to point hers out and listen to the “tough it out” speech. 110

Summer Heat 3 Misty sensed Clay analyzing her every move and she faltered on the next three balls. Like a beginner she even ducked as one flew straight for her face. Whatever grace she once held, disappeared. Humiliated she decided it was enough for one day. “Excuse me, ball boy? Could you put that thing on pause?” The pimple-faced teenager nodded and pushed the button. “Thanks.” Clay clapped his hands together and she considered giving him the bird. She wasn’t about to let him get the better of her. “So I lost focus for a minute. Big deal. Happens to even the greatest.” She felt conscious of how much she sweated, and hoped she didn’t look as bad as her imagination portrayed. “You have great form and it’s easy to see you’ll have a long career in tennis. However, the way you hold your racket impacts how you hit the ball. You’re holding it at an awkward angle, and it will only cause you problems later on. Would you like me to show you a better way to minimize injuries?” Her mouth gaped open. She was one of the best tennis players in the state, soon to be known worldwide with recognition and endorsement deals, and he – mister intruder on the courts – had the nerve to ask such a brainless question? Misty propped a hand on her hip. “No. I know exactly what I’m doing, thank you very much.” “You’re going to keep missing balls if you hold it the way you are, and cause yourself a lot of pain in the process.” She snorted and straightened the strings of her racket. “I have enough people who tell me what to do. Why don’t you find someone else to harass? You think you know everything but you haven’t a clue as to who I am. We’ve only just met.” “I know enough.” “What, from five minutes of watching me?” “Most of you hot-headed women are about the same.” Boy did he make her blood boil. “I don’t need to stand around here and deal with the likes of you.” “Did you take lessons from bad boy John McEnroe or something? Geez, lighten up. No wonder your coach called in for reinforcements.” She clicked her tongue and mentally visualized beating him over the head with her racket. Only, she cared about the racket too much. 111

Summer Heat 3 “No one’s ever complained, until you. I’ve never even heard of you, so you can’t be much of a threat. I, on the other hand, am destined for great things. Now please, if you’d be so kind, leave me to finish my court time.” “I’d gladly do so, however I’m up next to practice.” Oh no he wasn’t. She wouldn’t let her sore wrist or tired legs be the deciding factor. There was still time to prove her talent. “Since you interrupted me, I’m going to take another fifteen to twenty minutes to practice. I do pay for my court time.” “Take all the time you need.” “I will, thank you.” Misty waited while the machine got warmed up and then started nailing the balls with a fierce intensity. She imagined each one was Clay’s smug face coming at her. Mister thinks he knows everything was pissing her off and in her damn court! Well…the one she grew up learning to play on. She planned to have a nice long talk with her coach. **** Ten minutes later she was breathing heavy and soaked in sweat. Misty found herself missing more balls than usual and couldn’t find her rhythm. She could hardly concentrate knowing full well Clay watched her every move. Enough was enough. She’d wanted to show off, but instead she made a fool of herself. Her lips were dry and she needed water. Worse still, her forearm and wrist ached from the intensity of her hits. With the tournament coming up, she couldn’t risk injuring herself further. She leaned over, her hands on her knees, and tried to catch her breath. “I guess I’ll call it quits for the day. Too parched to keep playing.” “Are you sure you don’t want me to show you a better way to hold the racket?” She straightened back up and frowned. “There’s nothing wrong with how I play. I’m thirsty and besides, I doubt very much you could show me anything that could improve on perfection.” “You’re welcome to stick around and watch me. You might learn a few things.” Misty grabbed a towel and thrust it around her neck, using the ends to soak up a thick layer of sweat on her forehead. With a final charged glare she turned on her heel and left the court. 112

Summer Heat 3 She stormed into the locker room of the country club and plopped down on a wooden bench. It figured something was wrong with him. Men like Clay were too gorgeous to be flawless. He sure as hell didn’t fit the bill as someone she could ever be with. Any man who wanted to rival her on the courts had bad news written all over his forehead. It was unfortunate, considering underneath his tennis attire she was certain he had a hot body worth seeing. She wondered if he had an all over tan. Her mind wandered as she downed a bottle of lukewarm water. Had he kept his mouth shut, she could have let her mind wander further. Still, his shapely calves, strong thighs, and firm butt were nice to look at. They probably felt heavenly. The heat between her thighs reminded her how long she’d gone without sex. She shook her head and groaned, “Come on girl, get a hold of yourself. The only balls you want in your court are the ones you hit with your racket!”

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CHAPTER TWO Clay had no idea what was up Misty’s ass, but he admired the way hers wiggled provocatively as she walked away. A little shorter and her skirt would give him a nice image to revisit later in the evening. Even her sultry green eyes turned him on; all cat like with dark lashes and a speck of freckles along the bridge of her nose. He had a new record on how fast to get a woman to hate him. This time he managed only twenty minutes. Damn. If they gave out trophies, he’d have a sizeable amount. He didn’t meant to imply anything by her performance or that she wasn’t a pro. Clearly she was confident and strong-willed, and with good reason. The woman had talent and she owned the court. From the way her coach talked, she sounded like a spoiled young woman with a razor-sharp attitude. He wondered if her coach was too hard on her. Then again, what did he care? He’d been invited to play in a doubles tournament, and pissed off his partner. Clay started hitting balls and watching them soar to the other side. Misty’s beautiful face kept flashing in his mind. He’d never been good at talking with women, always stumbling his words or sounding insensitive, but his comments to her were out of genuine concern. Why didn’t her coach notice she was favoring her wrist? The woman was a deadly combination of stubborn and feisty. Not the best traits to look for in a woman, but somehow they looked good on her. Tomorrow he’d try harder. If they were expected to play together, then they needed to have better communication. Tennis came naturally to him. Women did not. He watched Brolin flip shut his cell phone and wave at him. Great. He’d be expected to give a progress report and he didn’t have anything to report. “Nice to meet you in person,” the coach said, extending his hand out. 114

Summer Heat 3 Clay took it and admired the firm shake. “Thank you for inviting me. Gorgeous facility you have here. I don’t often play at a country club.” “Have you had a chance to meet Misty?” “Oh, I’ve met her. Seems like a…real peach.” “She’s actually a very nice girl once you get beyond her competitive streak and stubbornness. I’ve known her family forever. She has a lot of potential if she would just channel her attitude on technique.” Clay was uncomfortable talking about Misty behind her back. Her coach made her sound like a precocious five-year-old rather than a young woman. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine.” “I apologize for such short notice in contacting you. A day of practicing with a partner before a tournament hardly seems fair, but I’ve heard you are a phenomenal player.” “Nothing to it. It’s more of a hobby than anything else. I haven’t competed in about six months, but I’m out on the courts everyday.” “Just keep Misty in line and play a good game. Can’t ask for anything more than that. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He watched Mr. Masters walk over to a blonde woman and give her a hug. The guy certainly didn’t give his star tennis player much credit. His stomach grumbled and he decided to grab a bite to eat before heading home. Things were going to get interesting tomorrow and he wanted to have plenty of rest.

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CHAPTER THREE Misty was ready to pull all her hair out. Practice wasn’t going well. Her wrist and forearm were in excruciating pain, like a million daggers poking away at her flesh. Earlier she’d had a one on one with her coach and he’d pointed out every little thing to the point she wanted to quit. Now her anger was directed at the ball machine and the concern she wouldn’t be able to play tennis much longer. She noticed Clay coming out from the building and decided practice was over. There was no way she’d let him see her fighting back tears. If she had to listen to one more lecture today, it would send her over the edge. As she watched him approach, her fantasies from the night popped into her head. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken herself up in the middle of an orgasm. Clay looked more handsome than before wearing a green polo shirt with tan shorts. On purpose she’d worn a short tennis skirt with a halter-top to show off the curves of her breasts. She didn’t really know why, it wasn’t as if she liked him. When his eyes grazed along her form, goose bumps lined her golden skin. “Ah, my partner-to-be. We meet again.” This time she decided to be less of a bitch, unless provoked. “I appreciate you waiting until the end of my practice this time. Less of a distraction.” “Then you better be on your way because you’re definitely messing with my focus.” She scooted off with a big grin and an extra sway to her hips. Inside the locker room, Misty wanted to scream and throw things. How could she have the hots for a man who was frustrating and threw her game? Yesterday she hadn’t even heard of the guy and now today she was flirting with him, and soaking her panties within a minute of being in his presence. She pulled off her clothes and jumped into the shower. The water felt good and helped ease some of her tension. She let the water run along her wrist and forearm, even though it hurt like hell. 116

Summer Heat 3 Afterwards, she freshened up her make up and took her hair out of the tight ponytail. She looked in the mirror, pleased with the way her brunette locks fell to her shoulders and cradled around her face. Dressed in a short denim skirt and white cotton blouse, she was ready to deal with the rest of the day. On her way out of the locker room, she ran into her boss. “Are you having a gender confusion day,” she asked with a laugh. “No, I was looking for you. I’d like for you and Clay to play Ginger and myself in about half an hour.” “But…I just showered and stuff.” “And? The tournament is tomorrow, or have you forgotten? Your performance has been poor lately. Do I need to remind you that by forfeiting you are taking a loss?” “Who said I wasn’t going to show? So I’ve had a couple bad practices, come on, you know how good I am. Besides, I never asked to be in the stupid doubles tournament. I prefer to do my own thing.” “You need to get out there and compete with others instead of pretending you are the queen of the court. Right now your reputation is on the line. Everyone thinks you are a prima donna and it will be your downfall in getting where you want. Got it?” He had a way of making her feel like a toddler. “Yes. Sorry. I’ll be there.” Her coach looked at his watch and started to leave when he turned back around. “Oh, hey, would you let Clay know? I have some calls I need to make. See you on the courts in thirty.” Misty watched him walk away, furious with the way he’d spoken to her. She was twenty-four years old, when would people leave her alone? She tossed her tote bag into a locker and did up the lock. Clay was probably in the men’s locker room, which meant she had to go in there. Her coach was such an ass, he could have walked in there and found Clay himself. Slowly she entered and slinked along the wall. It looked the same as the women’s, or at least of what she saw. On tiptoes she continued inside, looking behind her every few seconds in case someone walked in. As she got closer, she noticed a pile of clothes on a bench with Clay’s gold watch resting on top. He was a trusting sort. Misty took another step and then she couldn’t move. In front of her was a gorgeous naked body surrounded by a mist of water. She 117

Summer Heat 3 couldn’t believe it, Clay was in the shower, and he indeed had an all over tan. A moment of guilt swept through her but vanished as he turned around, his eyes closed and lips pressed together as he hummed. She ran to the other side of the wall where she wouldn’t be seen easily and watched. Water slid down along his chin, chiseled chest, tight abs, and…oh she didn’t dare go further. She squeezed her legs together tight. His nakedness stirred a strong desire. He turned back around and again she saw his tight ass. Slick with water. As he reached for the shower knob, Misty realized she needed to get the hell out of there. How would it look if he found her staring like he was a piece of meat? She turned to leave, but curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to take one last peek.

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CHAPTER FOUR “Why, hello pretty lady.” Misty jumped. In his luminous form with a dripping wet body and dark hair in ringlets, Clay bowed. He was all man. She liked the way his lashes were thick from the water, framing his amazing turquoise eyes. She swallowed hard and heard herself stutter. “I-I w-was…” He pulled the towel he was wearing from around his waist and used it to dry his hair. Misty wanted to die. Keep your eyes on his. Don’t you dare look down. Don’t do it. It drove her crazy to know his exposed cock was only an inch or two away from her. When he smiled his eyes crinkled in the corners, and the whole room lit up. “Did you need something?” Need? What did she need? The line between her wants and needs blurred together and fused with her racing hormones. She needed to get laid and she wanted it to be with him. It was an awkward position to be in but she couldn’t bring herself to walk away. Misty could tell he liked putting her on the spot. He didn’t bother to cover up or ask her to turn away. “Is it usual practice for you to come into the men’s locker room?” “Uh, no. No, I have a reason for being here.” He shifted his weight and then threw the towel down to the floor. “Really? I’d love to hear it.” Clay took a step closer. She could smell a combination of mango and musk. “Yes, well. It’s a little trickier than that.” “Explain away.” His hand brushed along her arm. Where was her mind? Misty stood still like a complete idiot. She’d be pissed if someone peeked in on her while taking a shower. Unless…unless it was Clay. He moved 119

Summer Heat 3 closer. His tight body, perfect lips, and dazzling eyes. The entire hunky package. Words fumbled around in her head. “See, I was looking for…” “Were you looking for a kiss?” Why was the room spinning? The blood drained from her face. She parted her lips and tilted her head. All her attention was on his mouth and how he continued to close the gap between them. “Did you want me to kiss you?” Her head bobbed up and down like a puppet master was manipulating her. “I thought as much.” Misty closed her eyes right as his lips pressed against hers. She reached for his body to steady herself and he drew her in closer. The moist kisses awakened everything in her body at once. This wasn’t the way to act around a perfect stranger, but then the idea of it made it exciting. What was her policy on sex with a man she hardly knew? She hoped a right answer would magically make itself known. No such luck. The kisses went deeper, lasted longer. Her body buzzed. Maybe she couldn’t talk, but her hormones were saying plenty. If there was a policy on sex with a stranger, it went out the window with her voice. Clay pulled her into him. His cock pressed against her upper thigh. Misty laced her arms behind his neck and let the hunger of her kisses be the guide. An urgency took over. She didn’t want to think or analyze the situation. For once she wanted to ditch the right thing to do and take a chance. After the tournament was over, she’d probably never see him again, so why let this opportunity pass her by? She was a grown woman and capable of being as irresponsible as she wanted. Clay pulled his lips from her mouth to her ear and whispered softly. “I can hardly control myself here. Unless I’m reading your signals wrong here, should we continue? I need you to tell me to stop if that’s what you want.” The word stop frightened her. It sounded harsh and intrusive. It was like a father telling her not to touch something, or a coach yelling at her to pay attention. Nothing good came from stopping. She pulled back and looked straight into his eyes. “No. Don’t stop. I beg you.” He grasped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head. His fingers traced her collarbone and swept across the curve of her breasts. Her heart pounded. Misty reached behind and unhooked her 120

Summer Heat 3 cream colored bra. It slipped to the floor, along with her denim skirt. She pushed her panties down until they slid to her ankles and then kicked them off. Naked and exposed she moved in and enjoyed how her nipples felt against his chest. “You’ve been on my mind all night,” he whispered. “Whatever else you had in mind, is fine by me.” He leaned in and kissed her neck, his nose nuzzling against her chin. His hands caressed her breasts until his lips made their way down. When his lips enveloped her nipples and suckled, she groaned. **** Clay was thrilled she hadn’t wanted him to stop. Her tight body and curves sent his pulse soaring. The feel of her tits against his fingers made his cock twitch hard. Heat from her body burned against his and the smell of her sex wafted up his nose, switching his hormones into high gear. Sighs of pleasure rang out from her juicy lips. He looked around and realized there weren’t many places to have sex in a locker room. “How do you want it, sugar?” Misty turned and walked over to a bench. She put her hands down and raised her ass high, her legs spread wide. “If you want it, come and get it.” Clay’s eyes grew big as he lingered over her beautiful pink pussy, and was over in a flash. His cock throbbed hard in response. At this point if someone were to walk in, he wouldn’t even care. He stroked her pussy, his fingers going deeper each time. Doused with her wetness he couldn’t hold out much longer. Between his fingers he jiggled her clit and felt her body buck. “You like that?” “Mm. Yes.” “Then you’ll like this even better.” He parted her drenched lips and slid his cock in, taking his sweet time. His legs quivered at the thrill of his shaft inching within her supple walls. Wet and warm. He gripped her hips tight as he pushed in further. She moved back into him and wiggled her ass. She was tight but very accommodating. “So there is a soft side to you.” “Mm. And there’s a nice, hard side of you,” she groaned. He tried to slow his pace as he stroked his cock between her pussy. Tight, wet, warm. Her legs spread wide apart and he pushed in further. His head was buzzing and his pulse was off the charts. Clay 121

Summer Heat 3 worried she wasn’t near an orgasm and reached down to massage her clit. He knew he must be doing something right when her head swayed as she whimpered. “Yes, right there, just like that.” Her legs trembled and made it all the more difficult for him to wait. “Almost, almost,” she panted. He focused on the muscles of her back while his fingers worked their magic on her clit. His fingers were drenched in her juices. “Yes, yes…I’m so close…please don’t stop.” He wanted to hurry her along. Before he lost all control she let out a deep moan and buckled her legs. Clay pounded into her a few more times while her inner muscles clenched around him. He could feel her orgasm and he let loose inside her. His leg muscles cramped up, but he didn’t care. The relief quickly alleviated any discomfort. Misty raised up and turned to him, planting a long, sensuous kiss on his lips. Her heartbeat pounded against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “That was fantastic,” she said in a hoarse voice. His hands smoothed their way down her sides and kneaded her bottom. “You are amazing. I could barely hang in there.” She chuckled and rubbed her nose against his. “I’m glad you waited.” “I never expected to be standing here like this with you. I thought you hated me.” “Same here.” Clay laughed. “Thanks for your honesty.” “No problem.” She bent down and started picking her clothes up off the floor. He watched her put her clothes on before he realized he needed to get dressed as well. “You’re a strange and amazing woman. Whatever your reason for coming in here was, I’d like to say thank you,” he teased. Misty put her hand to her lips and chuckled. “Oh my gosh, I completely forgot. Coach wants us out on the court to play a few rounds of doubles. He wants to see us play together.” “Interesting. Guess I’ll put some clothes on. I don’t suppose you’ll consider playing in the buff?” Her cheeks shone bright red. She was adorable. “You wish.” 122

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CHAPTER FIVE Clay walked onto the court with a sheepish grin on his face. Sex in a locker room. A first for him, but he hoped not the last. Misty came out a few moments afterwards, refreshed and dressed. Her cheeks had a rosy glow and eyes were lit up like the Milky Way. Her lips were set in a sensuous smile. It wouldn’t be easy to separate their relationship on the court with what happened between them, but he would do his best to make it work. Their coach stood on the other side with a tall, lanky blonde. “What took you two so long? You’re late and I have an appointment soon.” Misty pleaded with her eyes at Clay to come up with something. He cleared his throat and came up with his best excuse. “It’s my fault, sir, really. I had my headphones on and was reading a magazine in the locker room. Thought I had some time to kill and was contemplating a soak in the hot tub.” “I see. Now that you’re both here, we’re going to do a practice game, maybe ten minutes worth? I’d hoped for longer but I’m expected elsewhere. I want to see how you play together. Ready?” Clay wanted to answer that together they sizzled, but he didn’t imagine her coach would get it. “I think we’re up for it.” They exchanged knowing smiles and walked to their side of the court. Clay would do his best to accommodate Misty, if for nothing else but to make her look good in front of her coach. She started out with an amazing serve, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. The next time he looked at her he noticed a dramatic change. Her face was pale and her eyes were brimmed with tears. She started to hit the balls lighter and soon they weren’t going over the net. Clay didn’t want to put her on the spot, but he couldn’t stand to see her in pain. 123

Summer Heat 3 “Did you need a break?” If she heard, he couldn’t tell. She continued hitting the balls into the net until she dropped her racket. He rushed over. “Okay, enough. I’ll tell your coach you’re dehydrated or something, but stop trying to prove yourself.” Her eyes were sad as she looked at him and it nearly broke his heart. She nodded and walked off the court. Clay motioned to Brolin and he jogged up to the net. “I take it we’re done?” “Yeah.” “You two work pretty well together, though Misty’s performance was a little weak. You need to remind her to pick up the pace and ask her what the hell happened to her backhand.” “Will do. She was feeling dehydrated and needed to get some water.” “Well…don’t let her fool you. Often times she’s just trying to push her luck and see how far she can push others. She has a mind of her own and it doesn’t mesh with what we’re trying to do here.” “Are you sure she wants to play in the tournament tomorrow?” “Of course she does. She’s driven to compete and win. It’s her life. If she quit now, she’d have nothing to fall back on. Anyhow, I’m expected in a meeting. I’m real glad you’re here. You two keep practicing. We want to win this baby.” **** Misty watched her coach sprint off the courts and she swaggered over to Clay. She could still feel the trail between her legs that he’d blazed with his cock. “I take it he was pissed?” “Nope.” “Disappointed.” “Not really. He said we worked well together but should keep practicing.” Misty rubbed her wrist. “I’m done practicing for the day.” “Let me take a look, please.” She held out her arm and rotated it so he could see it in all angles. Tiny charged currents ran along her skin wherever his fingers touched. “It’s pretty swollen, did you want me to get some ice?” “No. I’ll be fine.” “You’re so damn stubborn. You realize this will only get worse.” 124

Summer Heat 3 The thought of surgery freaked her out. Maybe it was serious. “I promise I’ll get it looked at after the tournament.” Clay crossed his arms and sighed. “I know you think I’m lecturing you, but hear me out a second. You should start wearing a brace when you practice. It will help.” “Oh that will look good,” she said with a snort. He shook his head and gave her solemn eyes. “Tennis is a sport, not a fashion show.” “Well, duh. I know. Now look who needs to lighten up.” “I just care about you. I don’t know why wearing a brace is a big deal.” Her smile faded. One minute he was Prince Charming and the next he was Father Figure. She had enough of those. “You’re taking stuff too far. I don’t like to display my flaws, especially when it comes to tennis. If I wear one, it will only draw attention to the problem.” “So?” “My coach has this issue with women being too fragile to be good athletes. If I complain about an ache or pain he turns right around and makes me feel like I’m not good enough. Like I’m a loser. You don’t get it. You think you’re being helpful, but you aren’t. Just leave me alone.” “I’m only trying to help you.” She covered her ears. “Stop saying that. I never asked you to care.” Tired of defending herself to everyone, Misty stormed over to her car and drove home.

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CHAPTER SIX Clay was stuck in the middle of trying to look out for her best interests and fumbling through all her stubborn layers. On the other side, the coach wanted him to be hard on her, but he had a feeling Misty needed someone to lean on more. Even he could see that people put a lot of pressure on her. She wasn’t having fun. He was treading in an area where he had no formal training. He’d met complex women before, but none held a candle to the likes of Misty Valence. The scene in the locker room played out in his mind all the way home. Her tight, tone body, luscious curves, the heat of her sex, all played havoc with his mind and body. His cock throbbed beneath his shorts every time he thought of her perfect little bottom, and the way he fit safe and snug. He needed to set things right, one way or another. She was headed for a breakdown. If no one else would make her care about herself, than he would. There was more to her than being number one and perfect. Clay had a feeling she didn’t even know herself anymore. He parked the car in his driveway and walked inside his house, flopping on the big leather couch. The night was still young and he couldn’t let his last moment of the day with Misty be one that ended in her walking away. From his wallet he pulled out her phone number that the coach had given him, and dialed. Time to turn on the charm. **** Misty paced around her living room, a glass of red wine in her hand. Tears streaked down the sides of her face. She was tired of feeling inadequate around people. They rubbed it in her face all the time. Poor little Misty can’t take care of herself. What did they know? It wasn’t like anyone took the time to get to know her. They only thought they knew her. Yes, she’d grown up with money, things, and parents who knew very important people. Somewhere along the way people didn’t see that she had become a young woman. They looked at her as if she were still a little girl on clumsy legs who was thrust from one instructor to another with the order to turn her into someone 126

Summer Heat 3 famous. Whether it was a dancer, singer, actress, athlete, no one cared, and no one asked what she really wanted to do. She sloshed the drink around and took another sip. Of all the nights to drink, but she needed something to help quiet the confusion in her head. Tournament day loomed before her like an unwelcome zit. She would have to do her best to look good no matter what. Her parents would expect a perfect performance with the amount of money they spent, and her coach would make life hell if she didn’t cooperate. Misty hated to admit how deeply she felt for Clay. If there’d ever been a bad time to get involved with someone, it was now. Smack dab in the middle of deciding what she really wanted out of life. The phone startled her and she nearly dropped her drink. She carefully set her glass down and ran to answer it. “Hello?” “Hi, beautiful. Is there a way we can start over? At least in the conversation part?” Misty let out a deep sigh. There was no way she could hide the excitement of hearing his voice. “I-I was thinking about you a moment ago.” “Yeah? Good thoughts, I hope.” His voice was soft, thoughtful. “Sort of.” He chuckled. Damn, it was music to her ears. “What do you say to going out with me for a night on the town?” “Tonight?” Misty glanced in the mirror and saw a blotchy face with red, puffy eyes. Who would want to take her out looking like this?” “I-I really should go to be early, with the tournament tomorrow.” “Do you think it will help your performance? You know, to get to bed early? I can never sleep before a competition.” She sighed and wound the phone cord around her fingers. “Not really. I probably won’t even sleep.” “Then, let’s go out and let off some steam before tomorrow. Come on, I can’t stand to be this restless. How about you?” Misty thought it over and couldn’t come up with any excuse that sounded good. “Nah. Sounds like fun, what do you want to do?” “What interests you?” “Um, I’m not sure. No one’s ever asked me that. I’m not really into the bar scene. Maybe, a movie.” “If you don’t mind, I’d rather go where we can talk. I feel like I 127

Summer Heat 3 need to prove that I can be an understanding guy and not an ass.” “I’ve mentally called you a lot of names, but ass wasn’t one of them.” More laughter erupted from the earpiece. “Good. I’m making progress. Is there any where downtown that you’d like to grab a bite to eat?” “Oh, sure. Near the waterfront there’s a quaint little place called Cairos with delicious food and wine. How does that sound?” “You name it and we’ll do it. I really want to see you tonight.” “Sounds like a plan. Should we meet or will you be picking me up.” “I’d like to pick you up. I’ll be there in half an hour. See you.” “Okay.” Misty hung up the phone and twirled around until she was dizzy. She would have to work some magic to look good tonight.

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CHAPTER SEVEN After choosing a short red silk dress and matching heels, she stood at the window to wait. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and she applied her makeup with a steady hand. When she looked in the mirror, her face looked flawless. She felt sixteen again. Misty shuddered at the memory of sixteen when she’d finally been given the okay to go on her first date. It had been a school dance, and even though her date was a member of the country club and had fierce ambitions, she found him stuffy. Wayne Meyers. Misty gasped. How did she remember his name? She imagined he ran some ritzy job that allowed him to roll around in a billion dollar salary. He’d been groomed for the job from his wealthy parents. Nice, but stiff. Misty laughed. Speaking of stiff, she liked how hard Clay got whenever she brushed up against him. Lights bounced off the window and she watched as a fancy black Porsche pulled up in her driveway. She snatched up her red beaded bag and opened the door. Clay was half out of his car when she ran up and opened the door. “Hey, wait a minute now…close that door!” In shock, she closed the door and took a step back, her brows furrowed deep. Before she could ask, he came to her side and opened the car door. With his hand extended out he helped her inside. “Thank you.” She smiled and sucked in her lower lip. The guy knew how to treat a lady. He hurried back to his side and got in. “You gotta give a guy a chance to be gentlemanly. Okay? I didn’t sit through countless lectures by my father on how to treat women to not use it once in awhile.” He winked and then rested his hand on the back of her headrest as he turned to check before pulling out into the street. “By the way, you look stunning in that dress.” 129

Summer Heat 3 The guy had a wonderful way of making her feel like a million bucks. “Oh, this old thing? I just closed my eyes and picked something.” “Well, it’s good to know that when your eyesight goes you’ll still have impeccable taste.” She admired his slacks and nice fitting sweater, a classic look, but couldn’t help lingering at the bulge between his legs. Yeah, he liked her dress. “You’re dressed pretty dashing yourself.” “Now see, I took hours getting ready. Shampooed my hair twice, got a manicure, and went through everything in my closet three times. I had to look perfect for my beautiful date.” Misty started to cry from laughing so hard. She loved how comfortable she was around him, like they’d known one another for years. There weren’t a lot of cars out, which made the drive relaxing. As they hit downtown she started to pay attention to where they were. “Okay, so I’m on Ninth, let me know when I’m close to the place.” “Not far now.” She watched several boutiques and salons pass by. So many places she’d never been in, but she’d lived nearby all her life. “You’ll want to turn right at the next street, it’s on the corner so go slow. At this time of night there should be plenty of parking.” Clay turned and eased into a parking space between two classic vintages. “You wait right there until I come around.” She nodded and waited. Her door opened and he held out his hand. The guy was a dream come true. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her inside. The sound of clinking glasses, murmuring voices, and soft violin music rushed at her as they stepped in, along with various mouthwatering aromas. “Hey, this looks nice. Excellent choice.” She smiled and looked around. It was still as beautiful as she remembered. Classy décor in red and black with gold sconces along the walls. Soft piano music played. A kindly gentleman met them with leather bound menus. “Two for the evening?” Misty nodded and followed the man to a small table in the corner. A rosy glow shone on the table from a small candle lit in a reddish globe. Clay pulled out her chair first and then sat across from her. 130

Summer Heat 3 They turned their attention to their server and listened intently. “Our specials this evening include fire baked Dungeness crab cakes served with green mango tomato salsa, pork columbo with banana coconut chutney, and New York steak with wild mushroom vin rouge.” “Wow, everything sounds delicious.” “If you need more time, I can come back.” Misty looked over at Clay. “I think I’m ready, how about you? Do you need more time?” “I’m good. You first.” “I think I’m going to go with something lighter. What do you have in the way of salads?” “Ah, we have a tasty fire grilled salmon salad served with a lime dressing and toasted almonds.” “Sounds perfect.” Clay glanced over the menu quickly and then closed it. “I’m a steak boy. Medium rare, please. Also, can we get a couple glasses of wine. Pinot would be preferable.” “I know just the one to work with both salmon and steak. I’ll be back in a moment.” “Thanks.” Clay turned to her, his eyes lit bright. “I can’t believe how incredible it smells. I think I’ve found my new favorite place to eat.” “It has always been a favorite of mine, though I haven’t been here for over a year.” “Why is that?” She shrugged. “I’m not sure, too busy I guess. I haven’t really had time to hang out with friends, or anything really. Life has become all about tennis. I’m not complaining, mind you, but it hasn’t left a lot of time for a social life.” “When you did have time, what kinds of things did you do?” Misty thought the question over for several minutes and realized she hadn’t ever gone out much. “You know, aside from a string of bad dates and social functions with my folks, I can’t say I’ve really done much. I used to come here alone for lunch, just to get away from everyone.” She tapped her fingers along the water glass and inspected her silverware. “Do you want to be a professional tennis player?” Her first instinct was to answer the question with a “sir, yes sir” but found herself hesitating. She looked up at him through a fringe of 131

Summer Heat 3 bangs and bit her lip. He offered a warm smile that somehow opened up a dam of pent up issues. “I love to play tennis. I love it best when I’m not competing. There are other things I want to try…but no one cares about those things. It’s tennis or nothing.” “What would you like to try?” “Skiing. I’d love to learn how to ski, but my parents never let me. They said I’d break my arm or leg and wouldn’t be able to play tennis. Oh, and horseback riding. What I wouldn’t give to take a day and ride on a horse underneath the afternoon sun in a meadow of wildflowers.” “I love to ride myself.” Envy tapped away at her. “You do? It must be fascinating.” “It’s very peaceful, allows one time to reflect.” “What do you like to do?” “I’m into hiking, camping, mountain climbing, anything outdoors really. My parents bought me a horse when I was young and I fell in love with horseback riding. Tennis was sort of a side thing I did. Mom sent me to tennis camp every year, more for the social part of it than the sport itself, but I’ve kept it up and here I am. I can stop playing any time without regret.” “I wish I could.” “Tell me something. Do you play because you think you have to? I mean, how much do your parents really push you to do it? Have they come out and said they expect you to be the best tennis player in the world, or what?” “Not exactly in those words. They don’t come right out and push me, but I can see it in their faces when I don’t win. I can see the disappointment and resentment. All the money they put into the coaches, outfits, lessons…” “Money aside, how much pressure do they put on you?” Misty was thankful the food arrived, her head was buzzing. Had she been misreading the situation with her parents this whole time? She picked up her fork and toyed with the salad. “I don’t really remember. I guess the only one pushing me…is me. How is it I am only now realizing this?” “Sometimes it takes someone who isn’t close to the situation to ask the right questions.” Stunned, she couldn’t figure out what to say next. Here she’d been harboring all these disappointments, and blaming her parents 132

Summer Heat 3 when she was the one getting in the way of her sense of adventure. “How come you know so much?” “I don’t. I only pretend to,” he said with a big grin. Misty took a bite of salad and thoughtfully chewed her food. “I’ve probably been mistaking a lot of things in my life.” “Wouldn’t doubt it. When you grow up with money you don’t always realize how much it motivates you in your decisions.” “Exactly.” She rested her fork on the plate and took a sip of wine. It was good to talk this way with someone who understood. “Life was the country club, functions, socializing with people who were like us. Praise was given to those who had money and those who didn’t weren’t mentioned. I guess since I was small I’ve seen how important it is to have prestige, money, a reputation, and to be the best.” “There you go. You do what you know. Now you know differently.” He winked and years of stress melted from her shoulders. Misty chewed another bite of food and wiped the corners of her mouth. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” “Nah. I’m confident in my partner.” “I’m not sure why.” “Because I think she’s fantastic. How’s the wrist doing?” “It’s okay.” “I’m concerned.” “Yeah, yeah. It wouldn’t surprise me if you also wanted to be a doctor.” “Actually, a veterinarian. I have an affection for animals. Especially wild ones.” She narrowed her eyes. “Oh really? I’d say I’m much too wild for you.” Clay tossed his head back and laughed. It was an infectious laugh and she chimed in. Misty wanted to bathe in these good feelings going through her, for weeks. Why had she been so scared to try anything, or get to know others? The cocoon she’d built around herself broke and she wanted to breathe the new air. **** The night had been a success. Clay could see a renewed spirit growing inside her. She didn’t look like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. They were on her driveway, walking up the flowered path. “I had a nice time with you.” 133

Summer Heat 3 She sashayed next to him, her arm looped around his. “Same here.” “It’s a nice feeling, to be relaxed and able to enjoy the good things around us. Don’t you think?” “Mm hmm. I don’t do it often enough.” “There’s never a wrong time to start.” She stopped and cocked her head to the side, giving him a sideways glance. “Are you going to give me another one of your speeches?” Clay stuck out his lip. “I’m hurt. You think I have a hidden motive in everything I say?” “No, it’s just you’re usually pointing out something that you think I’m doing wrong. I may not do things your way, but it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.” “I honestly wasn’t going there. I don’t always think about what I’m saying. Stuff spills out of my mouth and then hangs there in the air. I think I get it from my dad. He always did the same thing to my mom.” “Actually, I think it’s kind of endearing.” Clay stopped in front of her door and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I hope you get some rest.” “What? You’re not going to come in?” He shook his head. “No way. If I come in, I’ll get all worked up and never get any sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.” “Night.” He waited for her to go in and close the door behind her. Clay gave himself a pat on the back. His score tonight was love.

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CHAPTER EIGHT The morning started out warm and humid. Misty stared at the crowd of people and wished she could be anywhere else. Her wrist was swollen and hurt to touch. The tournament wasn’t going to go well. Right now this was the last place she wanted to be. She looked over at her parents. Such expectant looks on their faces. They’d be disappointed if she backed out. Even if she put more pressure on herself than they did, she figured they would be embarrassed to call her their daughter. Quitters didn’t exist in their world, and especially not in the family. Clay pulled up in his car and she watched him get out and saunter towards her, a charming smile spread on his handsome face. “Fancy meeting you here.” His lips turned downward as he looked at her wrist. “You can’t play like that.” Misty put her arms around him and tilted her head up to talk to him quietly. “I don’t know what to do. It hurts bad. I think I slept on it wrong, or something. It’s never been this swollen.” He inspected her fingers and palm. “We need to call off the competition.” “No!” She pulled back from him and wiped away a fresh tear. “My parents would never forgive me.” “They aren’t going to care once they see how bad your wrist is. I promise you, no matter what you’ve got going on in that head of yours, they would not want to see you in pain. No tournament is worth that. Trust me.” “It’s not fair to you.” “I only came here because I was asked by your coach to play as your partner. Tennis isn’t a big deal to me. I stayed because…I fell in love with you. Whether we play or not won’t change how I feel. I want you to be more than my tennis partner, I want you to be my life partner.” Misty blinked back the surprise. “You fell in love with me?” The 135

Summer Heat 3 words alone worked like a painkiller. She was so swept away by his words she flung herself into his arms and cried. “You’ve made me so happy.” “Yeah, well, it’s that animal in you. I can’t help myself. I want to take care of you.” “You mean, you want to be my vet?” His laughter drowned out the sounds of the crowd. “Oh I’ll give your body a thorough inspection, don’t you worry. First things first. We need to let your coach know that we won’t be competing.” It was the last thing she wanted to do. “Will you tell him for me. I don’t think I can.” “No. We’ll do it together. We’re a team, on and off the courts.” Misty fought back the panic. “All these people are going to be disappointed.” “For the first time in your life, you need to put yourself first.” “Okay.” “We’re going to get a doctor to look at your wrist and then I’m going to pamper you.” She smiled. “I like where you’re going with this.” “I guarantee you’ll feel too good to notice any pain. Do you trust me to take care of you?” Misty put her hand in his. “The ball’s in your court.” THE END

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