10 comments/ 48345 views/ 8 favorites The Bequest Ch. 01 By: VacationWriter This story is slow to start. Hang in there. Or, not. But, just a word of warning about the pace. All characters are over 18. I'd found The Bequest in my Dad's safe shortly after his death. Dad died in his mid-sixties. We had not had a lot of contact for most of my adult life. Dad, like many of his contemporaries, couldn't manage the whole monogamy thing. Well, to be frank, many folks – his age, gender, and class or otherwise- had the same problem. Sometimes it's tricky to stay married to the same person. In his case, he divorced my Mom when I was a young teen, and though we kept a type of relationship for a few years, eventually I decided that it was too tough to keep up. He probably tried his best, but he was often a disappointment as a father. Still, in recent years, I'd come to forgive him, if not always to respect him. His death hit me harder than I had expected. Sure, I'm over 40 now, but that doesn't mean that the loss of a father hurts any less. And, in our case, the long troubled relationship made it tougher. But here I was, the only son of this man I barely knew. After his death, Dad's current girlfriend called and said that while his will had been specific about the house going to her – in the end, he did look after his attachments financially – there had been a bequest which she was charged with executing. The contents of his safe were to go to me, and only me. I'd been to the funeral, sure, but I hadn't realized that there was anything special to the will. Dad had left me a small amount of money and the rest of his possessions went to Jessica, the current flame. I figured that the Old Man must have kept mementos of my childhood or maybe of his marriage to my Mom, that he thought would be appropriate for me. So, one Saturday afternoon about a month after his passing, I showed up at what was now Jessica's home. She heard me pulling up on the gravel driveway – Dad was never wealthy, and certainly preferred the isolated rural over the crowded urban – and met me as I got out of my car. For once, Dad had chosen a reasonable mate, I had to agree. Jessica was just barely 60 and seemed to have her head on straight. She was physically fit and financially secure. Attractive and amusing. Her spiky red hair was always just so, but she was always charming and relaxed with me. Most times that I had seen Dad in the last few years, Jess was the saving grace against awkward silences. "Oh, Mike – So, good to see you" she sang out as she scooped me up in a hug. "Good to see you, too, Jess. You're looking great as always." "You know me, just trying to fight off the inevitable... which seems all the more important lately, of course." She said, as she stepped back and directed me towards the house. "Did you bring a bag? Can you stay for a bit?" "I hadn't planned to Jess. You know, it's still a little awkward for me. Not with you of course, but it's been a bit of a jar losing Dad." "Oh, honey, I know. I don't mean to push. I just want you to feel welcome here. This is your house as much as mine." Jessica opened the front door and held it for me as I stepped into the living room. "Have a seat, dear. I'll get us a couple of cold drinks. I just got back from the morning tennis and I'm a bit beat." Jessica stepped into the kitchen, as I took a seat in a comfortable upholstered chair. The drive had been a bit longer than was pleasant, but I didn't want to seem anxious about my errand. Jessica stepped back in carrying two bottles of root beer – never one for the ostentatious, was Jessica. I took one and thanked her for the thoughtfulness. "Now listen, honey" she said with a characteristic Southern candor. "I know things weren't perfect with your father. Lord knows, they weren't perfect between him and me, either. Still, he was a decent sort in the end, and I loved him. I think you did, too, despite everything." "I think you're right, Jess. And that is why it hurts now. Seems a shame to have wasted all those years, but it wasn't easy to love Dad." "Truer words, dear... truer words. But, here's the thing. I'm not your Mom. I'm not even your Step-Mom. I'm just a friend, I hope." "Of course, you're a friend Jess. You know that." We drank our root beer silently for a few minutes. "Well, at any rate, I'm a friend, and I want you to know a couple of things. First off, this is your place as much as mine. You're father left it to me in the will, but my will leaves it, the property it sits on, and whatever little all I have, to you. Now, hush," she shushed as I started to protest. "I don't have any kids of my own, and though I'm glad to have the benefits of your dad's will, I'm not planning to do much with it except pass it on to you when I move along – which, God willing, will be when I'm 175 or so." Her good natured grin was infectious and I chuckled along with her. "So, that out of the way, there was a bequest that your dad left for you which wasn't in the lawyer's version of the will. Your dad wanted you to have a few personal items and didn't really want them to leave the house. So, he left me a note with the will, that spelled out how I should proceed." Jessica lifted an envelope off the coffee table and handed to me. It was plain white, sealed, and only had "Michael" written across the front. I took the envelope and finished my root beer as I replaced it on the coffee table. "Now, I don't know exactly what's in there, honey, but I can tell you that your dad made me promise to pass it along as soon as I could, and that you were the only one to open it." Strange. I mean, it was just a simple white business envelope. Why all the hubbub? I ripped it open and removed the single sheet of printer paper. Blank printer paper. Hmmm. I held it up and turned it over. Nothing. Then, I remembered. Dad very rarely called me Michael. I was always Mike or Mikey or on rare occasion Mick. Michael was what he called me when he wanted me to pay close attention to something... following distance on the highway for example, or when he was teaching me to play poker and I kept drawing to an inside straight. "Michael" meant that there was more than met the eye here. "Ahh" I said. "What, honey? Looks like the old fart forgot to put the right piece of paper in the envelope. Probably left the other one sitting on the printer or something." "Nope, Jess. I'm afraid it's his little attempt at playfulness. When I was a kid we would pass notes from time to time. You know, codes and hidden inks. That sort of thing. Dad had a thing for the Bond films and I thought it was a nice Father-Son bonding thing. My guess is – lemon juice." "Huh?" "You know, lemon juice. Write the message in lemon juice and let it dry. It's invisible. Heat it up and suddenly the writing reappears. That sort of thing." "Well, help yourself to the oven, dear." "Oh no need for that Jess. Actually, this lamp will be warm enough to do the trick." I stood up and held the blank piece of paper over the light bulb in the tableside lamp. As I had guessed, the lettering slowly made itself visible. Well, Mike, I guess this means I'm gone. Sorry about that. It's a terrible habit of mine, but I guess this one is probably not as much my fault as earlier escapes. It's a bit more permanent, though, and for that I'm sorry. Jess has probably told you that in addition to what I've left you in the will, I've included a few items just for you in the safe. Most of them are simple memorabilia. Nothing fancy. One is special. You'll know it when you see it. I hope you'll understand me better and forgive me more easily as the years pass. The safe code is between us. Try not to jimmy the lock. My word is... As to what I'd like you to hear from me... Learn to trust. Let yourself love. Try not to hurt people in the way that I have. I recommend at least 90% honesty and 100% kindness. I suppose that's all the advice that an old man can give his dearest son. Truly all my love, Dad I'm afraid there were a few extra blots on the paper. The silly old fuck. Why'd he go and make me cry. I hate that. Wiping my eyes with a tissue that Jess handed to me, I looked up and said, "Well, let's get to this. I should probably see what's in the safe." Jess put one arm around my waist and led me into the master bedroom. Apparently Dad had kept a small safe in the closet. Nothing fancy. Certainly wouldn't stop a burglar from just picking up the whole thing and walking out, but I suppose it was fireproof. There was a simple digital keypad on the front. "Honey, I thought he'd put the keycode in your letter. I'm afraid I don't have the foggiest what he'd use." Jessica said, as she comfortingly stroked my shoulder. "He was weird about passwords. Never used the same one twice." "Sokay, Jess. This one will be easy, actually." I reached up and tapped in the three digit code that I guessed would do the trick. Sure enough, it clicked right open. I smiled and felt a bit better. "Huh. How'd you guess it? Your birthday?" "Nope. I just jimmied the word. Bond, James Bond." I paused to give her a second to figure it out. "Ahhhh, 007. Silly boy. Well, silly boys it seems. So I guess it works out for you, then. Should I start making up the martinis?" I chuckled, "actually that doesn't sound half bad. Shaken. Not stirred." Jess grinned, and bobbed a faux curtsy. She headed out the bedroom door and presumably went to the kitchen to increase my blood alcohol content. Thank goodness. I pulled open the safe door and removed the large manilla envelope inside. It was addressed to me – as Mike, this time – and when I opened it up there seemed to be just a few bits inside. Photos from my childhood. A graduation certificate from sixth grade. My goodness, why would he keep that. A tooth in a little velvet box – presumably my first tooth. Kinda weird, but kinda sweet. Oh, and there's a Father's Day card I sent to him when I'd just learned to spell my name. Nice. And, then... well, it was his ring. It was a simple silver band. It wasn't his wedding ring... any of them... but I do remember him wearing it when I was a kid. Not later on, honestly. I remember it from when I was maybe 6 or 7. It struck me as strange, since he was already wearing a gold ring on his left hand. The silver ring on his right seemed somehow out of place. I guess I even asked him about it once and he told me that I would have it one day. I guess he kept that promise. Well, whaddyaknow? I picked up the ring and slipped it onto my right hand. My relationships had never really lasted long enough to get to the ring stage, I guess. I had loved, sure. But I had never truly trusted. My father's longer term legacy I guess. But, here, he had remembered a silly promise to a tiny kid. That was remarkably sweet. The ring seemed gigantic on my finger. I twirled it around on my finger and looked at it in the light. "Well, I haven't seen that in years." Jessica entered with two martini glasses. No olives, but a lemon twist. Nice. She extended one to me and I reached out for it with my left hand, closing my fingers so that the ring didn't slip off my right. "Me neither. He promised it to me as a kid. It's nice that he remembered." "Well, he hasn't worn it around here for... oh, ages. I guess he wore it the first year we were together or so. I kind of made fun of him, I have to admit, for wearing jewelry. I mean, it never really bothered me, but you don't see a lot of men wearing rings if they aren't married." We sipped our martinis. Nice. Just enough vermouth. And a nice vodka. Nothing flavored, or silly. A real drink. I'd always liked Jessica. I was glad that she'd been with Dad in his final years. "So, let's see ... do you mind if I see what he saved for you? I'd understand if it's private." "Not at all. I was going to show it to you anyway." "Thank you, hon." She said, as she tossed the photos across to the other side of the bed and then sat her glass down on the bedside table. She crawled onto the bed and laid down on her stomach as she spread the photos out in front of her. A king sized bed made for a decent table, I supposed. Stretched out as she was I took notice of what Jess was wearing, really for the first time. She kept her hair short, red, and spiky. She was tanned in a way that looked warm and glowing rather than leathery. She was wearing a red, I think they call them, cami top under a thin white blouse that was worn open like a jacket. And she was wearing a pair of white Capri pants. They were a bit tight on her, I noticed, and really accentuated the shape of her ass. And it was a nice ass, at that. Round, firm... and why in the world am I noticing her ass? I mean, yeah, she's an attractive woman and all, but this isn't the time, the place, or the person for me to notice that sort of thing. I've dated a lot of women in my time, but I've never really thought of Jess as anything other than my Old Man's girlfriend. Still... it was a nice behind. Suddenly, it seemed to be getting warm in here... Was it really warming up in here? Maybe I shouldn't have had that drink. Jessica squirmed a little and pointed to one of the photos, "Weren't you the cutest? What was that... maybe 3rd grade? You played soccer? How sweet." "Yeah. I was terrible, but everyone was, of course. At that age it's just about showing up and the pizza party afterwards. Actually, come to think of it I could describe my college years the same way." Jessica chuckled a bit and then shrugged out of the blouse top she was wearing over her cami. "Is it warm in here, hon?" "I was just going to ask you that. Seemed a bit warm to me, too." "Oh, and look at this one. This is darling. You must have hated that suit. Look at that tie. And that look on your face." She ran a finger over the truly awful tie that my parents had put me in at age 8 for some portrait day with a photographer. "Yeah, I admit it" I laughed. "That suit was much hated. And soon destroyed in a terrible 'accident." "Oh, I bet, dear. I'd want to get out of that thing too. Speaking of which, when was this one taken?" She pointed to a photo taken my sophomore year of college. It was on one of the few reconciliation trips I took with the Old Man. It was a lake cabin visit. We'd ended up screaming at each other as I recall. I stormed out of there. But for the first day it was actually kind of fun. The picture was of me jumping into the lake with my friend Johnny. We were running off the end of the pier and Dad had caught us in mid-leap into the lake. Great view of the lake. A few small waves. A warm day in the sun. A good memory. Unfortunately, the photo featured a slightly blurry and distant view of my hairy, white ass. Johnny and I had just stripped out of our gear and "Last one in"-ed ourselves toward the lake. Dad must have had a camera handy. Didn't know he had kept that one. Still, it was a carefree, fun time. Of course, I hadn't imagined I'd be looking at it with Jess, later. "Oh that was in college, I think." I finished my martini and sat the glass down next to Jessica's as she picked up the lake photo. I felt the strangest sensation. I felt a stirring. I hate to admit it, but it was akin to that first flush of arousal. I should be sad to see these old photos in my father's house. And I should certainly not be feeling that stirring deep inside that says my body knows something that I don't know. But then I realized that it wasn't a typical stirring. It was like the echo of arousal. I could sense the excitement without feeling it deeply. It was as if I was hearing singing from another room. It was a song I knew, metaphorically speaking, but I wasn't singing it. I was hearing it. "Mikey, dear, you sure were a handsome kid. I bet you had the girls beating down your door." I felt the echo grow louder. The stirring was stronger. And then I felt the ring on my right hand warm up and quickly contract. I jumped slightly at the strange sensation, but tried not to worry Jess. I mean, that was so strange. I'm feeling sensations that I can't identify and now my ring is changing size? Really? C'mon. "Well, I'm not sure that's the best photo to judge by Jess." And then... I'm not sure why... My flirty side struck out on its own. "Of course, I always liked my girlfriends a bit older. They just seemed to... get me... a bit more." "Really?" Jess replied and then looked over her shoulder at me. The echo of emotion. That feeling that wasn't mine but was very familiar began to rise in intensity. I could feel that sense of desire escalate. And, it became clear that I was feeling that sense from Jessica. Something about this ring, then? This was the real bequest from my Dad. The ring could read the sense of desire in a person? How odd. And now, I was all too aware that Jess was aroused by me – at least in part based on that photo – an attention that was stronger and more personal than I would have guessed. "Yeah, Jessica. I suppose I just like to know that the women I'm with know what they want." Jessica rolled over on her back and stared at me while propped up on her elbows. Her breasts seemed to strain against the fabric of that cami. Were those her nipples? Were her nipples hard? Damn, yes, they were. And more so by the second. It really did seem to be getting warmer in here. I think I was blushing. "Uh... well, Jess, I guess I'll toss those in the car and head back." "Excuse me?" she said, eyes darting toward her chest. Laughing I said, "The photos you dirty old cougar, you." "Oh, those. Fine." Jessica gathered up the photos and slid them back into the envelope. "Well, I'm glad that your dad left you something that would mean something to you. He did miss you, you know." "I know. I missed him, too." "Hey, Mikey. Have you been out to the South Pond recently?" Dad's ... now Jessica's... property had 3 significant ponds. The East Pond was closest to the house and the South Pond furthest away. The property itself was about 230 acres so the South Pond was a long walk or a short drive. "Not recently, why?" "Well, your dad and I did some work out that way. We've cleared out a lot of brush, opened up some space, cleared the pond itself, and really created a nice spot out there. You should come take a look. Who knows when you'll get back out here again?" We walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Leaning against the cabinetry, I tossed the envelope onto the counter. "Sure, why not? I'm not in a big rush, anyway. Don't have to be at work til Monday and it'll be nice to see the old place." "And you can catch up with the old dame, too, hon. I'm not bad company, you know." I reached out and scooped Jessica up into a big bear hug. "I know it Jess. I know it. Thanks so much for making me feel at home." It was a good hug. A friendly hug. Then I felt the ring tingle against my finger and realized that my right hand (and thus the ring) was touching Jessica's bare upper arm. "Anytime, Mike. You know, you're family. Now, I'm going to put a few things together for a picnic basket." She paused for moment remembering something, "You still doing the photography thing?" "Sure, nothing fancy, but I do still like to snap a few pictures." "Well," she said as bread and cheese and wine seemed to appear from nowhere... though, of course, I think the pantry might actually be to blame. "The old place is nice back there, and I think you'll like some of the additions. Might be worth taking the camera." "I'll grab it. Are we walking or driving?" "We'll take the 4-wheeler, dear. Faster than a walk and a bit more fun than the truck. If you're up for it." "Sure thing." I turned, grabbed the photos off the counter, and said lightly, "You should let me take some photos of you out there as well. You're quite the model, you know." The Bequest Ch. 01 The ring sent a mild tingle through my finger and as I reached the front door, I heard Jessica call out "You snap 'em, I'll pose for 'em. But Au Natural will cost you extra, Mister." And I could hear her hearty laughter. But, I could also feel the distinctive echo of arousal through the ring. Through my ring. What are you hiding in there, ring. What did Dad know? What had Dad done? And what did it mean for me? I opened my car door, tossed my photos inside and retrieved my camera from the backseat. Full charge on the battery. Empty memory card. Good. I turned around and leaned against side of my car and looked through the viewfinder. I scanned the front yard, the trees, and then back to the house. I snapped a couple of pictures of the house. I had no idea what this ring was meant for, or what it could do, but clearly Dad had thought it important for me to have it. I guess if he could read the emotions in other people... if he could have some sort of empathic link to them... then that might be a useful skill. I suppose you could read a person lying. Know if they were sincere. Just makes for interesting possibilities. Of course, if you could do more than read... if you could influence someone with the ring. Well, that could open up a whole new world well beyond that. I mean, who knows what that could turn into. I looked toward the house, thought about the ring, and then concentrated on Jessica... wondered what she was doing, what she was feeling. There was a tingle from the ring and I had a very clear sense of confidence, contentment, a hint of curiosity, and just a smidge of arousal. That sense of arousal seemed, somehow, linked to me, sure... but also to the ring itself. It was almost like the ring recognized Jess. Knew her. Well, that was interesting. I could even feel a sort of localizing of the emotions. I didn't so much see the emotions, as feel roughly where they were centered, and therefore where Jessica was in relation to me. Cool. Now, could I push... or pull... those emotions? I thought of Jessica gathering things in the kitchen. Then I could feel the sense of confidence that she exuded. I stoked that just a bit. I thought of it like a fire in a grate. Blow on the embers and the flames heat up. I wasn't quite sure, but it seemed to have some effect. I felt her confidence, her sense of control, jump... just a bit. I'm definitely going to have to give this some attention. Stepping away from the car, I re-entered the house and called out, "Got it. I'm ready if you are?" Jessica stepped into the living room, basket in hand, and said, "Nice, Mr. Kodak. I'm just going to change into some shorts. It's a little warmer today than I thought it would be. You mind?" "Of course not, Jessica. Make yourself comfortable. I'll just have a seat." "Oh, no need to do that. Here" she handed the basket (which was a bit heavier than I had expected) to me and walked into the bedroom. She stepped back out almost immediately, holding a pair of khaki shorts. She kicked off her shoes and said, "I'm not shy, hon. You should know that by now." I stood there holding a picnic basket and felt, through the ring, her sense of confidence unwavering as she quickly unzipped her capris, slid them down and stepped out of them. She was wearing a pair of beige panties. Nothing, fancy. Everyday wear. Without skipping a beat she picked up the shorts, stepped into them, buttoning and zipping as she went. Slipping her shoes back on, she looked up at me and without seeming to feel that anything unusual had just happened she took the basket from me. Well... that was new. And, though clearly her demeanor was simply a person changing clothes, her emotional echo had shifted just a bit. That confidence level was still high, but the arousal echo... well, that had just moved. Eversoslightly... but there was definitely something moving in Jess. And in me. Dad, what the hell did you give me. In this ring. And possibly in this woman. The Bequest Ch. 02 This story is a bit slow. Hang in there. Or, not. But, just a word of warning about the pace. All characters are over 18. Jessica and I climbed onto the ATV and headed back to the South Pond on my dad's... well, now her... property. The picnic basket was strapped onto the rear rack and my camera, wrapped in a couple of blankets was tied down to the front. Jessica encouraged me to drive, arranging herself behind me once the engine was fired up and I was comfortable. This was a newer model ATV than I had been used to, but I managed to get comfortable with it fairly quickly. Getting comfortable with Jess was a different matter. Sure, I was a grown man – not easily embarrassed or made uncomfortable- but, Jessica was certainly acting a bit strangely on this visit. She'd given me the envelope of my dad's possessions, sure. And nothing particularly definitive had happened. Still, my dad's ring was clearly something strange. It had changed size to fit my finger. What kind of jewelry does that? And, it had clearly let me read Jess's emotional states. I think it had even let me adjust them – not flipping a switch or anything – more a fanning the flames. I could sense her emotions, reading them as faint ... echoes I suppose... of what she was feeling. Some were stronger than others, but it was such a strange experience. And just wearing the ring seemed to have... I don't know, maybe, keyed something in her that reacted to me much more familiarly than I would have expected. Maybe something in her recognized the ring's presence? Who knows? What I did know was that I needed to find a way to concentrate on driving this damned four wheeler without plowing into a tree. That would have been a lot easier if I wasn't so aware of Jessica's arms wrapped around my waist as her body was flat against mine. Sure she was in her sixties. So? I was in my forties. But, she was also my recently deceased father's girlfriend. That had to put her far off limits in everyone's book, right? Then, why was she acting so much more... familiar... with me. And I wasn't just imagining it – the ring was echoing her emotions and I could feel the arousal. It wasn't a raging out of control arousal or anything... I AM a forty year old man with no discernable Brad Pitt-like qualities... but there was something there. Of course, I admit that putting faith in what might be my delusion of this ring's abilities might indicate a whole host of other issues. Well... let's just work on the assumption that I'm not openly crazy... and if so, it's a nice crazy so why not go with it til the meds kick in, right? The drive to the South Pond wasn't hard. It was mostly a well worn dirt path that wasn't quite a road. You could make it in a truck, but probably not a lower sitting sedan. The walk was straight forward enough, but on the ATV it was a breeze. We headed through the main pastures down to the spring fed creek that ran through most of the property crossing at the shallowest point. The creek was really just a glorified damp spot there, but would gather depth and volume as it went further along. On the other side of the creek, the road began a climb, which would take us up to the South Field. It wasn't a particularly steep climb, but the road was fairly rutty, which meant that there were more than a couple of places that dipped and bumped us toward the top. "Unless you've grated all this flat, Jess, this next bit is going to be a bit bumpier than average" I called back over my shoulder. "Sure is, hon. I'll just hang on tighter. Don't you worry about me," she said closely in my ear. I could certainly hear her clearly, but I could also feel her lean in against my neck, breath on my ear. Jessica gripped me firmly around the waist in a tight hug. I admit, it felt nice. We hit a small dip and Jess seemed to loosen her hold on me slightly, only to move in tighter, laying her palms flat against my body. The climbing road evened out, but Jessica didn't loosen her grip. I gave myself a moment to focus on reading her through the ring. It seemed that I could get a general feel for her without much effort, but I was curious what was really going on in her head. That seemed to require an intentional act of will. Focusing on Jess' presence behind me I could feel her emotional states very clearly... really, so much more clearly than before. Possibly it was the proximity, or maybe I was better able to read now that I'd tried it a time or two. It wasn't easy to tell, but it was easy to read Jess. She was clearly, feeling... alive... a sense of confident well-being... there was the confidence I'd felt earlier... relief seemed to be present... that was a little strange... contentment... and a low thrumming of arousal. That hadn't gone away. In fact, it was slightly stronger now than before. Not the foremost thing on her mind, I thought, but something she was aware of. Interesting. "Wake up, sleepy head, I'd like to not hit that tree if you don't mind," she said as I drifted a bit off the center of the path. "Oh, don't tell me you're scared of a little wreck, woman." I called back to her. "I thought you were tougher than that." "Oh I'm tough all right, kid. I just don't want to drag your sorry ass all the way home when you crack your noggin." "Well, I'll bear that in mind." We crested the hill and the road flattened out into open pasture. When we kept cattle out here, this pasture had seen a lot more use. Nowadays, it was just open land. I think dad would hunt out here from time to time, but otherwise it went mostly unused. Still, it looks like they had, in fact, done a good bit of work with it, as Jessica had said. Interesting. The grass in the field was probably knee deep throughout most of the open area. They had probably sent someone up here to bush hog it, not all that long ago. And, I could see that the pathway had been flattened down a bit more completely than that. They hadn't graveled it or anything, but clearly they kept it under control. Looking down the path, I could clearly see that they had done some construction out here. Wow. When I had last been on solid terms with my dad, we had talked about putting a horse barn out this way. He had had a (in my humble opinion) wackadoodle notion of raising horses as some sort of side business. I knew enough about business and enough about horses and (frankly) enough about my dad to know that this was a disastrously bad idea. Still, he had been pretty sold on it for a while. And with that, he planned to put a whole facility out on the South pasture. I think he'd talked about a barn, a corral, grazing space, and possibly living quarters for a full time trainer. Seemed a bit wacky to me given the financial commitment, but then again, dad had always been impulsive... also, quick to get distracted... which is probably why he had clearly gotten started out here but not finished. Jessica saw me taking it in and said in my ear, "Yeah, it was always a silly idea to do the horse thing out here. But, he'd done some of the prep work already, so I got him to work on some other options out here. I like it, myself. There was a ... what is the term? Summer house? Folly? Gazebo? Well whatever it was supposed to be, there was a small open sided decorative shelter sitting about 5 yards from the pond's bank. The pond itself was clearly being maintained with freshly mown grass around the banks extending back some 30 yards. Though, I had remembered seeing stumps and grown up places throughout the pond, it seems that dad had removed those. It was a fairly uniform body of water now. I could see that they had installed a small boat dock and a two person rowboat was tied up to it. And on the far side of the pond at the edge of the mown area was a free-standing cabin of some sort. It was smallish, probably two rooms. There were flower beds planted around it. Even though it was quite small, there was a small porch on the front with two rocking chairs. Very picturesque I suppose. We pulled up to the cabin and I killed the engine. "What do you think, Mikey." "It's actually pretty nice, Jessica. I'm a little surprised. I wasn't enthusiastic about the whole horse thing." "Oh me neither, hon. That was a boondoggle waiting to happen, but your dad had already started clearing some of this. He put in the cabin and ran water and sewer out here before I could pull him away from the notion. So, I thought it'd be nice to use the investment without losing everything to horse training." We unstrapped our things from the ATV and walked over to the porch. Jessica opened the door, which apparently didn't have a lock, and stepped inside. "See here, we put in a daybed and a chair. There's a small bathroom. 'Course if you want to get cleaned up more than washing your hands you'd have to step out back to the outdoor shower. I figured, what the hell, it's not like there are folks wandering by. I wanted to get clean if we stayed out this way for long, but I didn't want to expand the cabin more than we had to." Jessica set the basket down and turned to see what I thought. "I think it looks really neat, Jess. Looks like a nice place to spend an afternoon or evening. You've really done it up nice." I could sense the swelling of pride. "Thanks hon, that's nice of you. I really enjoy it. You can spend a day out here and not see a soul. Watch the sun go down and then count the stars. It's a nice little spot. No cell service, of course, and no other distractions, but all the amenities that you need, really. There's even a small window unit to cool the place down if the summer heat gets to be too much." "Thanks for sharing it with me, Jessica. It really is lovely. So, let's take a look around. I'll just grab my camera and see what's to see." I grinned at Jessica and stooped down to unwrap my camera from the picnic blankets. I powered it on and removed the lens cap, stowing it in my pocket. "Okedoke. I'm all set. Let's take a look at the homestead." Jessica led the way and stepped out on the porch. We walked around to the flower beds, which were obviously well tended. "Are you keeping all this up yourself?" I asked. "Oh, no hun. I do the flower beds, yes, but the grass is kept down by the Johnson boy. He comes around from time to time – every two weeks, or when he needs beer money – and takes care of clearing the road and cleaning up the grass. It's not exactly landscaping, but he does a nice enough job and he's cheap." I squatted down and shot a couple of photos of the flowers that were blooming. I've no idea which ones they were... red... blooming... that's the extent of my botanical expertise. Standing up I stepped around to the back of the house and saw that there was, indeed, an outdoor shower area. It was essentially a concrete pad which had been poured off the back of the house. A shower nozzle seemed to come up out of the concrete and was aimed straight down onto the pad. I'd guess no hot water, but still, a nice addition. "I'd bet that's pretty chilly water, Jess, unless you've got a hot water heater out here too." "Oh no, dear, it'll freeze your tits off on a cold day. Well, mine anyway." She smirked and I could feel that her naughtiness was intentional. There had been nothing accidental about that remark. What the hell. "Well, that would be quite a loss, there Jess. They seem to be very fine tits, after all." I chuckled a bit to soften the remark. "Hey there, kiddo... watch yourself, gettin' all forward," she laughed. "Though, truth be told they ain't half bad, now that you're mentioning it." And she cupped them in each hand, briefly hefting them as if to appreciate their weight. She looked up at me and guffawed. And, of course, I blushed. Well, she was old enough to be my mother. But, damned attractive. Still, old enough to be my mother. And, had been seeing my dad before his death. So, she might as well have been a step-mother. So, I suddenly took an interest the gazebo on the other side of the pond. "Oh, now, hon. Don't be embarrassed. Shame and I haven't been introduced. So, I tend to say what's on my mind." She followed along as I stepped over to the gazebo camera in hand. "But, then again, I think that's what your old man loved about me. My straight talk. Not my tits. Well, yeah, he liked those too, as a matter of fact, but ... well... you know... I'll just shut up now and you can stop blushing whenever you like." I chuckled and stepped into the gazebo. "Oh, Jessica, I have a feeling you're gonna keep me blushing for a while. But, don't worry, I've never been shy about being shy." I felt Jess step up into the gazebo behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Well that's a good thing, Mike. I like having you around and I'd hate to run you off." I could feel that she really meant that. Both from the sincerity in her voice and from the echo in the ring. How odd. I could really feel that sincerity. That contentment in having me near. I used my camera to snap a picture of the cabin from this vantage point and then turned around to snap a shot of Jessica in the gazebo. "Oh now, dear, you don't want to waste a picture on me, I'm sure I look a mess." I decided to really focus on her with the ring. I wanted to see how clear a picture I could get of her. There was a little surprise, sure, but she was actually enjoying the notion that I would take her picture. I couldn't read exactly what she was thinking but there was certainly contentment, pride, a bit of excitement. I snapped another, and then changed my position a little to get a different angle. "Well, you said you'd be my model, didn't you?" The camera allowed me to look directly at her, to stare even, without seeming unnatural. I used the opportunity to channel my attention through the ring. I wanted to see what I could read, but also if I could actually use it to alter the emotions I was sensing. "Now, I didn't exactly say that, did I? I said, you might find something up here to take pictures of" Her modesty was mostly false. It was clear that she was flattered. And, it was equally clear that she didn't want me to stop, at all. "And, I did didn't I... I took pictures of the cabin..." Snap. "Of the flower beds" Moving to a lower angle "of the gazebo" Snap. "And of the lovely lady in of the meadow... so, looks like I'm doing exactly what I said, I'd do" Jessica was genuinely delighted. I could read affection for me and more than a little pride that I thought she was worth photographing. How nice. I stepped out of the gazebo and then framed my shot to capture her standing in the door of the structure backed by the pond and the cabin. "That's nice. Now, give me a profile and lean against one side of that door." I could read that pride shifting toward excitement. Something about the situation was keying on her in a way that I didn't quite see. Sure she was happy about being perceived as attractive. Hell, she was beautiful, but regardless she was enjoying the impromptu photo shoot in a way that seemed to be connected to a memory. Hmm. "Oh, that's nice," snap "You're good at this... okay, now lift your arms over your head and grab the woodwork behind you... just relaxing against the frame." Snap. "That's great, Jess. You've done this before haven't you?" I could feel a spike in the excitement and real stirring in the arousal. Well, that hit something alright. "Oh, once or twice, Mikey. Your dad had a camera. He liked to take photos from time to time." Ahhh, so that was it. The old man had snapped her photos before and that excited her. Well, I'm guessing that knowing him the way I did, those photos were a little more risqué than I was shooting. But, she seemed to get a kick out of playing around with the posing. I wonder. Could I use the ring to push things a bit? I mean, what's the harm of trying. I'm supposed to be looking at her through this viewfinder and concentrating anyway... she'll never notice. I focused in on her sense of excitement and mentally blew on the embers. I stirred that emotional reservoir. I could feel a tingle in the ring and saw Jessica take a deep breath as she pulled out of the pose. "Okay, Jess, now the other side of the doorway. Same pose, but lift your left foot and put it against the woodwork behind you as well... just one foot on the ground... and then look up a bit at the top of the door frame. That's it." Snap. I stirred a bit more reaching out to her arousal reservoir... that echo of emotion... that pool that seemed to be churning and stirred it a bit. I wasn't sure what the right move was for this but I started by mentally stirring the figurative cauldron of lust that seemed to be bubbling away in there somewhere. I could tell from her reactions that she and my dad had likely done just this sort of thing out here, and I was getting the impression that it was a fond memory. It didn't take much to feel her arousal growing. "Okay now, let's have you turn around... face the cabin... now, look over your right shoulder at me." I stoked that arousal reservoir a bit more and snapped the pic. "Hon, are you just trying to snap a picture of my ass?" she joked. "Oh, Jess... I thought it was a nice shot of you in silhouette against the cabin..., but it IS a nice ass... so, if you'd like I could just zoom in on that." I smiled broadly. Her lust was growing on its own now. I could feel the arousal climbing quickly and steadily without my direct influence. Where was this going? Jess reached back and slapped her ass with her right hand and said, "Well, snap that picture, Mikey. This ass isn't getting any younger." I knelt in the grass and snapped that photo. "Well, if we're doing that, you might as well give me something to work with. Bend over and stick that thing back this way... I need to get a good shot of it." "I'd say you were being a smart ass, kid, but in the circumstances I guess I'll just take you at your word." And she bet forward slightly at the waist. Her ass was well rounded, full without being flabby, and in a pair of shorts that seemed to be riding up, just a tad. I took the shot. "Okay, now let's get it in profile... never let it be said, I neglected all the angles on my photographic subject." Her arousal was now at a level that told me things were going to progress. I wasn't going to offend her at this stage with anything other than indifference. That was something we were in no danger of coming across. Jessica turned and, in profile, reached out to hold the woodwork of the doorway with both hands over her head as she leaned her ass back to the other side of the doorway. Her back was straight. Her breasts full against the shelf bra of the tanktop/cami top that she was wearing. I snapped the pictures. Lots of them. She shifted to the opposite side. And I snapped more photos. She wasn't waiting for direction any more. "How about this pose, Mikey?" Jessica turned completely away from me, spread her feet out to touch each side of the doorframe. She bent forward at the waist and touched the floor with her fingertips. She looked back through her legs, and said "Does that work for you, hon?" "You know it does, Jess. That pose would wake the dead." I reached out this time through the ring... found what I thought might be a sense of inhibition. It was at the edge of the growing arousal reservoir. I imagined that pool of emotion being covered in a blanket... contained... and I felt it slowly start to shrink... to pull away. As I felt that shift, I called out... "Well, I think you said something about modeling "au natural" didn't you?" Her echo of arousal rang out... grew... it was beginning to overshadow everything else she was feeling... I blew on that flame just a bit more through the ring and said, "Seems a shame to waste this lovely light ... I think you'd look pretty amazing without that top on." The Bequest Ch. 02 The fires of arousal caught. Inhibition was gone. Lust was in ascendance. Jessica reached to her waist and gripped the hem of her shirt. She whipped it off and tossed it at me with one motion. "You mean like this, Mike?" Her voice seemed to have gotten deeper... breathier... And she was beautiful. Sure she was in her sixties, but she was fit and fantastic. She was clearly in shape. Those tennis matches were paying off. Her breasts were full, round, and crowned with sweet pink nipples. The fullness of her breasts rested against her body more than they probably did when she was twenty, but she was still stunning. And I was not immune to those charms. My body reacted immediately and firmly. "Yes, ma'am, that's what I meant alright. You are just gorgeous." I could feel the lust spike. So excited. So eager. I wondered if I could not only stir her emotions rationally... I wondered if I could echo my own feelings back to her- let her feel what I was feeling. Might be worth a try. I started by focus on the feelings of pleasure, the feelings of arousal. Jessica shivered. "Well, I'm glad you like what you see hon. I try." "You succeed. Give me a couple of more poses." "How about I give you these first?" Jessica reached down and unzipped her shorts. In one motion she skinned out of her shorts and her panties. She reached down and picked them up with one hand, spun them around on a finger and then tossed them to me. "I'd say that sounds like a great idea." As I fed her my arousal, I felt her arousal grow and expand. The air between us seemed warmer. I felt her heat feeding my heat, which fed hers in return. We were creating an emotional circuit... a link. Jessica stood there as I snapped photos. She was rippling with sexual arousal. Her full bush was darker than I would have guessed. Her thighs firm and strong. Her belly curvy and beautiful. I could feel ... yes... I could feel the arousal that I had been spying on building... not to an orgasm, but I could feel where that orgasm would be... the geography of arousal. And I began to use the ring to stroke that space. It grew. I saw Jessica's nipples perk up and a brief shiver run through her. "So, Mr. Photographer Man... it seems unfair for me to be out here all naked. I told you that I might be Au Natural, but it would cost you." "I remember... and what's it going to cost me, Ms. Model Girl?" "C'mere." I stood up and let the camera drop around my neck on its strap. I stepped closer to her and could feel the heat between us grow. It was tangible. I could feel the arousal reservoir warp and shift closer to orgasm. How was that even possible? I hadn't laid a finger on her. She hadn't touched herself. How was she that close? Was she just prone to orgasm through anticipation? It seemed unlikely... and I could figure that out later. Right now, I was standing directly in front of a beautiful woman, as she was naked, and shivering with anticipation. "Right hand please." "My right hand is your price?" "Right hand." I lifted my hand and she grabbed it by the wrist. She brought my hand to her face and reached out to engulf my first and second fingers in her mouth. She slid down to my palm and ran her tongue along the underside of my fingers. Her tongue swirled around my fingers and her lips slid back down to the tip. I was wet with her saliva. She looked me in the eye and as we held each other's gaze she pushed my hand down to her waist... and then flattened my palm against her belly. It was warm and soft and I was as erect as I'd ever been in my life. Our mutual arousal was cycling back in a loop, creating a synthesis stronger than either of us could experience alone. She slid my hand through her pubic hair, over her mound, and to her wetness. She was soaking. I felt her body quake. Her arousal spiked and it was clear that she was moments away from an orgasm. I reached out with my free hand, wrapped it around the small of her back, and stepped into an embrace. I leaned in towards her neck and kissed her at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Then I turned my head to her ear as I stroked along the length of her labia, working my way slowly from rear to forward toward her hood. As my finger reached her clit, I used the ring to focus exclusively on the orgasm point that I had sensed in her arousal. I could feel it there and I stoked it. Pushed it. Felt the ring throb. It seemed to burn on my finger. And, I whispered into Jessica's ear, "Come for me, Jessica. Come now." It felt like I had touched a live electrical wire. She seemed to explode with orgasmic energy. I could feel it through the ring and my arousal cycled back to her and between us her orgasm erupted. Her whole body seemed to quaver and convulse. Her knees buckled, and I caught her... one hand holding her closely in an embrace.... One hand cupping her pussy... feeling her clit seemingly jump in my hand. I eased her back in the gazebo, laying her down gently. Jessica's body seemed to quake and quiver caught in the rapture of an intense orgasm. I began to worry, but then she just cried out, "Sweet Fucking Jesus, Mike! Unnnnnnnnnnnnn. Damn you! I ... unnnnnnnnnnnnghhhhhh... Fuck!" And I took that as a good sign. As the quaking subsided, I slid my hand along her body tracing a wet line along her belly, under her breasts, over her nipples and along her throat. Jessica moved her head and took my fingers back in her mouth, slurping her wetness from my hand. "Okay, kiddo... you're definitely staying the weekend." I nodded. I think I would stay, at that. This ring... and that body... held mysteries that I needed to uncover. The Bequest Ch. 03 This is part of a series of stories, obviously. You'll definitely want to back up and take a look at the earlier parts of the series if you want to follow along. All characters are over 18. * Jessica's orgasm... well, that would be an inadequate way to describe it... still... Jessica's orgasm took a lot out of her. We were both a little shocked at the intensity of the moment. Sure, I'd been a part of, or in some cases witness to, women's orgasms, but this was different. Sure, part of the excitement had come from our connection. She was my dad's girlfriend so that counted, of course. She was considerably older than me, so there was something naughty about that, naturally. And, we were basically doing this in an open field, which gave it a bit of the exhibitionist thrill. But, I certainly could tell this was more than any of those factors. It had something to do with the bequest, the ring. Jess was still shuddering as I touched her. Mini-quakes ran across her flesh. These were clearly the aftershocks of a fantastic orgasm. I was kinda proud of myself, truth be told. Sure I didn't deserve it, but there's nothing quite like having a woman erupt in your arms. That didn't happen every day, so why not take a little bit of credit after all. "Mikey, that was... well... I guess you saw what that was... Wow." She breathed. "I did see a lot there Jess, and I'm damn glad to have been here for it. You are really something, you know." "Oh, I am something darlin', but nothing like that. Wow. I haven't come like that since... well... since your pop and I, rest his soul, were first together. I mean, it was always good, but not like that in the last year or so. Did I say, Wow, already?" "No, I don't think you did, Jess. What was that you were saying...?" I grinned. "Wow, ya little bastard. Wow." She laughed and rolled to face away from me spooning in close to my body as we lay on the floor of the gazebo. The ring's power let me read the thorough, overwhelming sense of contentment radiating off of Jessica. Of course, I could have read that with my eyes... and my hands... as I held her. She didn't need the ring to read my level of arousal either. It was poking her fairly obviously in the back. We lay there together breathing heavily and recouping from the explosion. I felt Jess stir, pushing her full ass back against me. "I've missed that," she whispered. "What? Chaste and loving hugs?" "Yes, dear. That's exactly what I meant. Not a hard cock poking my ass begging for a taste. Not that at all." I twitched. I didn't need any special insight to know where this was going. "Well, Jess, I am afraid that you've found me out. I suffer from the terrible affliction 'red-blooded male.' It's probably a terminal case. Can you forgive me?" I mock whimpered and cupped her breast in my hand. "Oh, dear. I can go you one better. I can cure you. Of the symptoms anyway. The disease is chronic." Jessica rolled over on the floor of the gazebo and faced me. With one hand, she cupped my chin in her hand and looked me in the eye. She whispered, "Boy, I don't know what's gotten into me... but I'm going to get that..." she shifted her gaze to the obvious tent in my trousers, " into me right now. So, get out of that shirt." I always try to do what my elders ask of me. I skinned out of my shirt as quickly as I could. I had to half sit up, to do it. As the shirt cleared my head, I felt Jessica's movement along my body. She ran a hand up my stomach and to my chest as her body slid down mine. She pushed gently and I laid back flat. Jess laid against me straddling my legs and placing her cheek against the firmness that strained towards her. I could feel her arousal purr along the wavelength the ring seemed to be reading. And, it was clearly evident in her movement. Her hands came together, meeting at my belt buckle. She quickly unfastened it and unbuttoned my trousers. Pausing for just a moment, she ran her fingernails along the exposed skin as she peeled my unbuttoned pants open. It tickled and it thrilled. She used both hands and slid them under the waistband of my boxers. Her teeth gripped my zipper and slowly slid it down as she looked along my body meeting my eyes. I've never been that ready to explode. I didn't want to ... do anything... too soon... but this was killing me. Releasing the zipper, Jess nuzzled my dick by sliding her nose down the length of my erection... grinning the whole time. I twitched. I jerked. I prayed for endurance. I could feel her literally purring against the underside of my straining prick. And, then, I felt a surge of arousal and mischievous glee through the ring's connection. I had a second to wonder what that was about, when I felt the tip of my cock slip out of the top of my boxers as Jessica eased them down. She hovered over the glistening head. I could feel her breath on my skin. By now I was so sensitive it was all I could do to contain myself. Jessica leaned in even closer. She was so close, but not touching me. She was up on all fours now and doing everything she could to drive me absolutely mad without actually touching me. I couldn't stand it. I thrust my cock straight up towards her lips. In one movement, Jessica caught my bouncing erection firmly in her lips and pulled my pants straight down my body. I was arched up begging for a little oral attention and she had just stripped me bare. That was quite a trick. I kicked the pants from around my ankles and slowly sank back down to the ground. Thank god, Jessica followed, never breaking contact. When I was once again flat on my back, Jess kissed the head and gripped me firmly in her left hand. Heaven. I was having trouble concentrating on much of anything, but I thought it only fair to give Jessica a little of what I was experiencing. I began to channel my pleasure through the ring. I sensed that arousal reservoir in her and fed it with the feelings of pleasure that were overwhelming me. She arched her back, flicked her tongue across the slit and then sank down all the way to the base of my cock. Amazing. I was wrapped in her hot, wet mouth seconds from an orgasm of epic proportions. I spotted her orgasm point in my mind's eye. I stoked Jessica's arousal and began to pour every ounce of my joy into that flame of orgasm. Jess slid down my length and let out an animalistic growl. I thought she might take a hunk out of my flesh. I didn't mind as much as I should have. Clearly this ring was intoxicating. I met her eyes and said, "I can't last much longer, my little cocksucker. Take me in your mouth and drink me down." I poured everything I had into her arousal well and spiked her burgeoning orgasm. This ring seemed to know what it was doing all by itself. With the slightest nudge, I knew that this would overwhelm us. Jessica began to shiver. Her nipples were bursting from her full, swaying breasts. She cupped my balls with one hand, grabbed the base of my cock with the other and took me deeply into her mouth. I convulsed and sprayed cum into her mouth. My body bucked and jumped but neither of us would let our connection be broken. I sent the intensity of my orgasm through the ring to Jessica and felt her go over the cliff into another dramatic climax. A climax triggered without touching her clit. How the hell does that happen? I couldn't really answer that, I'm afraid. All I could do was feel the wave upon wave of orgasm roll over me as I bucked madly into Jess' mouth. She swallowed and swallowed, but as her own orgasm struck her she completely lost control. By the time we settled down from the crest, we were both covered in my semen. It was everywhere. Christ. I've never done anything like that in 40 something years. I couldn't speak. I could barely move. Jessica had fallen on top of me. Her body pressed firmly into mine. We were relishing the skin to skin contact. She was snuggled in under my chin. The smells of sex were blossoming all around us. I could read utter joy in Jessica's emotional reservoirs. I was spent. All I could think was, "And I didn't even get to fuck her yet." Well, I hadn't. And I'm only human... more or less, apparently. This ring was amazing. And, clearly it had some connection that Jessica recognized. Obviously, Dad had used it with her. Hell, he must have used it with all of his women. So many questions. So much to discover. And, yet, all I wanted right now was to hold this woman and sleep... maybe for just a little while. As the poet says, perchance to dream.