12 comments/ 9836 views/ 2 favorites Don't Make Me Wait Too Long By: annanova Stepping off the plane, Anna felt her mood lift. The past year had been truly hellish with a promotion, a difficult office move and some really ugly internal politics. Okay, the promotion had been nice. Unfortunately, the same day she went home to celebrate the news, her boyfriend called to tell her he'd been transferred and was relocating to Hungary the following week. Since he didn't see the value in maintaining a relationship over such a distance, and for an unknown period of time, he rather awkwardly broke up with her, and she fled back to her creativity. Her theatre group happily took her back in, and she rediscovered her love of writing. She also fell back on some longtime online friendships, as it was becoming harder to remain active with the friends she had shared with Jarrod. Four months earlier, she had followed through on plans with a young friend to take a road trip through the Appalachians. While the trip was something she'd always wanted to do, it had taken Tina to talk her into actually doing it. What Anna hadn't known was just how devious the younger woman could be. Tina had convinced two of their mutual friends at the chat site to join them. Seeing Brad and Darren outside baggage claim had been startling; at least until she heard Tina's crazy cackle behind her. Knowing the massive crush her friend had on Darren, Anna realized that she shouldn't have been surprised. Suddenly it dawned on her that they had met up in Brad's hometown, and she felt really silly. She pulled Tina aside, hissing, "Did you two set this up?" "Sort of, but, not like that." Tina tried to straighten out her story while Anna glared at her. "Look, it's been a few months since what's-his-face left, and we thought you needed to get out for a while. Is it so bad that you're here with friends?" Before Anna could bite her head off, Tina added, "Besides, you know you've always wanted to chat face-to-face with Brad." With an impish wink at her friend, she added, "You've got that chance now, so take advantage of it and have some fun." Of course, Tina was right, and it really had been a fun trip. The ladies teased Brad about his obsessive need to maintain sole driving responsibilities. Since they weren't going to be doing anything else, they sat in the back seat and sang along with the radio... badly; they fell back on their shared theatre background and recited full scenes from favorite plays; they did what they could to make the guys laugh, and when that failed, they threw raisins at them. That usually managed to get Darren to do something stupid, which would make Brad laugh. Anna loved the sound of his laughter. Things had been interesting for the two of them on that trip. Though she and Brad spent half their time flirting outrageously at the chat site, being in physical proximity they recognized that this was something altogether different; they arrived at an unspoken agreement to relax and use the time to get to know each other. Watching Tina and Darren carry on their own shy flirtation was highly amusing as well. At the same time, the younger woman wasn't sure how far she wanted to take things, so hotel rooms were shared by gender. Anna didn't mind; her own wounds were still healing. While she knew that Brad wouldn't push her, she didn't see any need to add to the temptation they were both already feeling. She was also aware that Tina wasn't ready to share a room with Darren. They'd been on the road for five days -- Tina and Darren still flirting shyly while Anna and Brad continued to grow closer -- and were settling into their latest hotel before a quiet dinner when Anna's phone rang. "Who is it?" Tina asked as Anna checked the caller ID line. "I'm not sure. I don't recognize the number." Accepting the call, she asked, "Hello?" Tina stood by as her friend acknowledged her identity, then listened to rapidly spoken and highly accented English in silence. After several minutes there was a whispered 'good-bye' as Anna turned around, her face beyond pale. She closed her phone and dropped to the floor, shuddering and sobbing. Reacting purely on instinct, Tina found herself holding her friend, trying to console her. When Anna wouldn't stop crying, she reached for the room phone and called the guys. "Brad? I think you need to come here." He could hear the faint sounds of someone crying in the other room. "Tina? What's going on over there?" "I don't know. Someone called Anna, and now she won't stop crying." "I'm on my way." They hung up and Tina opened the door. After slipping the safety latch into position to prevent the door from locking, she returned to Anna. Her sobs had diminished, although she was still weeping. It wasn't long before the door opened and Brad came in, Darren on his heels. The tall man immediately went to one knee, pulling the despondent woman to his chest. Cradling the back of her head in his hand as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he sat down and tried to calm her. He looked up at Darren, communicating to him with a slight movement of his chin. The younger man turned to Tina and suggested, "Tee, maybe we should go ahead and have some dinner." "What if...?" Darren interrupted her question. "I think Brad will be able to take care of things here." He placed an arm gently around her waist, guiding her to the door. "She's in good hands." With a concerned look at her friends, she agreed and allowed Darren to walk her out. When they were gone, Brad tenderly kissed Anna's forehead, her eyes and the tip of her nose. Wiping her tears, he asked, "What happened? Who called, Anna?" Exhaling with a shudder, she snuggled further into his arms. "It was the US Consulate in Hungary. Apparently, Jarrod never took me off his 'In Case of Emergency' contact list." She got up, looking for some tissue, and returned to find Brad had moved from the floor to the small sofa. Slipping back into his arms, she whispered, "I was just told that he was killed in a car accident last night." He felt as though he had been hit in the gut with a sledgehammer. "Oh shit, I'm sorry, Anna," he murmured. All he could think to do was hold her, rocking gently, while caressing her hair and kissing her ear, the back of her neck, anywhere he could reach, really. She was so soft in his arms, yet the niggling thought kept returning, 'I thought they had broken up. Why is she so upset about a guy who left her?' He wanted to understand, having decided months ago that he loved her. "I'm sorry," she murmured into his chest. "You can go get some dinner if you want; I know you're hungry. I'll be okay." He pulled her to him tightly, raising her tear-stained face to his. "I'm not going anywhere, Anna." With a gentle kiss, he added, "I'd be happy to call for room service if you're hungry." "I don't want anything, thanks." They stayed on the sofa, nestled together, without realizing the time. It wasn't until Brad noticed that his arm had fallen asleep that he even tried to look at his watch. The slight movement of his arm jostled her head enough to wake her. "What time is it?" she asked, still in the haze of light sleep. "It's nearly nine." She sat up, confused. "Where's Tina? Are they still at dinner?" "I think so." He stretched when she sat up, trying to encourage the blood to return to his arm. "Do you need anything?" "Just to pee." While she was in the bathroom, he stood and moved around the room. Thinking he had heard a tone on his phone, he checked it to find that Darren had texted him about plans to be out a bit later with Tina. He heard the water running as she brushed her teeth before splashing her face. She emerged from the bathroom with her eyes a little less red. Crossing to her, he took her into his arms and held her for a few minutes before tucking a finger under her chin, bringing her face up to look into her eyes. "Are you sure you don't want to eat anything?" "I'm sure," she whispered as she raised her lips to his, gently kissing him. He looked at her again and chuckled a little, noticing that she had changed into sleepwear. "You weren't kidding about not being hungry," he teased. "No, I'm not, but really, you can go eat if you want to." She hugged him as she sighed, "I'll be fine until Tina gets back." "Anna, I told you, I'm not going anywhere." She looked up at him, a single tear running down her cheek. "Thank you. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to tell you how much I appreciate this. I am really tired, though." She blushed slightly as she asked, "Please, will you just hold me until either I fall asleep again, or they get back?" "I insist on it." He smiled gently as he folded his arms around her and resumed softly rocking her. After a few minutes of the soothing action, she sighed, "Mmm, Brad, this is lovely, but I'm so tired I'm afraid I'm going to sleep right here. Come with me," she said, leading him to the bed. Sitting together, he pulled back the covers and wrapped a blanket around the slender woman's lightly shaking frame. Sighing, she leaned back into his arms. Once they both found a comfortable position, that little suspicion resurfaced in his mind. Knowing that it wouldn't leave him in peace, he took a deep breath and kissed the top of her head. "Anna, I don't want to offend you by asking, so please, take this as me being a concerned friend." "What is it?" She looked up to see that he was torn about whatever he was thinking. "You won't offend me, I promise. Whatever it is, just ask." Swallowing hard, he looked into her soft green eyes and found his voice. "I guess I just don't understand why you would be so upset about Jarrod. I mean, he left you, and...." He saw her eyes darken slightly at that. "I'm not expressing myself well." "I know what you're asking, Brad." She snuggled her head into the junction of his neck and shoulder and took a shuddering breath before answering. "What I hope you'll understand about me is that once I care about someone, I don't stop. If I tell you that I love you, and I believe there are many layers to loving, I will always love you." "Are you saying you love me?" "Yes. Does that surprise you?" He shifted slightly, suddenly feeling unsure of himself. "Well, it isn't like we know each other all that well, Anna. So yeah, I'm kind of surprised." She looked into his eyes and gently pressed the tip of her finger into the slight cleft of his chin. "You're right," she murmured, smiling at him, "there's still a lot that we don't know about each other. Would you feel better if I said there are things about you that I love?" "Yeah, I guess that makes more sense." He kissed her forehead, thinking about what she had said. "Brad, I love easily. Not that I'm easy, mind you, I simply love many people. That's why I say that there are layers to loving, if that makes any sense." He nodded, waiting for her to explain. "I also love Tina and Darren, although not on the same level as you, and unless one of you does something phenomenally stupid and hurtful, that won't stop." "What do you mean something hurtful? Didn't Jarrod hurt you?" For several minutes, there was no response. He could feel her long, graceful fingers tracing a design of some sort over his shirt. Finally she sighed, "Yes, he hurt me. At the same time, we were together for quite a while, so it shouldn't be that surprising that his death would be a shock. "I'm sorry, Brad. If this is hurting you, I hope you'll be able to see that this is part of who I am. While I had fallen out of love with Jarrod, I still wanted him to be happy. Finding out like this that he's dead? I think that would surprise anyone." He sat there, breathing in the clean scent of her hair, holding her body close to his. When he spoke again, his voice was low and soft as he tried to express everything he was feeling for the slim redhead in his arms. "Anna, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. It can't have been easy for you, hearing about Jarrod like this, and now I'm raking you over the coals about it like an ass. "All the time that we've spent flirting and just talking through messenger has meant a lot to me, and I was really hoping that we'd be able to see if we were on the same page during this trip. But now...." He paused, not really wanting to look at her. Then he felt her soft hand on his cheek, bringing him back to look at her. "Brad, I don't think you're an ass," she whispered. "And trust me; we're on the same page." She reached up to kiss him. Their mouths met with a light pressure, nibbling at first, gradually building up to more. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, allowing her to tease his upper lip with her teeth. Knowing she was ready for it, he gently flicked his tongue across her lips then sent it sliding against her own and into her mouth. She sighed as they kissed, almost afraid she was actually dreaming, as she had many times already. His kiss was as close as she had ever experienced to what she considered perfect -- not too wet, not too much tongue, and god, he had amazing lips. Suddenly, he withdrew. Before she could say anything, he moved her up to straddle his lap and resumed their kiss. "Do you know how long they'll be gone?" she murmured. "Not long enough," was his grumbled response. His hands skimmed up her arms, reaching for the straps of her thin camisole and tugging them over her shoulders. As the flimsy garment came down he gasped, "Oh, Anna. You're... you're incredible." Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her to him tightly and dropped a series of soft bites along her collarbones on his way to her breasts. He had dreamed of having her like this... although his dreams had never involved needing to avoid being caught by a pair of younger friends. Knowing their friends were on the way back to the hotel, he decided that he'd have to be happy with kissing and fondling until they could be alone longer. His hands slid to her hips as he bent to kiss across the tops of her swelling breasts and down to take a stiffening nipple into his mouth. As she moaned, his hands moved again -- one to her ass, the other slipping inside her sleep pants to cup her pussy. "Yes, oh please, Brad," she sighed, feeling his nimble fingers play across her lips. She was already incredibly wet to his touch. "Anna," he breathed, sending a finger into her slippery hole. "Oh god, I want you." Her back arched as his hand began pumping lightly. "I want you too." The words came out in a gasped rush. She couldn't believe how skilled his fingers were. "I just don't want it like this," he rumbled, his voice becoming heavy with his desire. "I don't want to feel hurried with you." Almost as if highlighting his words, there were sounds of another couple in the hallway. They stopped, holding their breath, before laughing nervously when the couple continued walking past their door. "If that had been Tina..." he looked at Anna, hoping she would understand. "Beautiful lady, as much as I want to lay you out on this bed right now and make love to you, I'm just not... I don't want to turn it into a circus. I want to treat you the way you deserve to be treated when we finally make love." A gentle smile playing on the corners of her lips, she leaned forward, softly kissing him. "I know what you mean, and I can wait." She tugged on his lower lip with her teeth. "Just don't make me wait too long." "Not if I can help it," he grinned, cupping her face in his hands. They cleaned up a little, and Anna pulled her clothing together before laying back on the bed. It wasn't long before Tina and Darren returned to the room, finding them talking quietly and holding each other in a tender embrace. Two days later, they were all back at the airport, saying their good-byes. Since that time, Anna and Brad had remained in close contact. In fact, he had contacted her to tell her that he'd finally had the chance to meet another of their online friends, Eric. "He's a great guy, Anna, even cooler than he seems online." "What were you doing in his neck of the woods?" "Oh, it was a business trip that my company threw together at the last minute. We had a free night, so Eric and I hit this great seafood place and talked for a couple hours." "Brad, that sounds fantastic. I'm a little jealous you got to meet him." He laughed. "Funny you should mention that. I told him about our little trip, and he was jealous that I finally got to meet you." "What did he say?" Her curiosity was apparent, even over the phone. "Mostly that he hoped you were as much fun as you seem to be online. He also wanted to know if your picture did you justice." "Great," she laughed. "Now I'm really getting nervous." "I told him about the trip, about how we'd all been having a lot of fun together until you heard about Jarrod. How are you doing, by the way?" He asked as gently as he could. Sighing, she told him that she was better. "I actually talked to his mother last week. She's not taking any of it well, which really makes sense." Her voice softened as she added, "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to. Tell me more about meeting Eric, please?" Feeling he was on solid ground, he told her that Eric and his wife, Jane, had purchased a lakefront cabin in Northern California. "Long story short, he's invited us both to come out to see them for a week. I saw some pictures, and I think you'd really like it." "Sounds amazing, Brad. When do you think you'd be able to get away?" They looked over their calendars and found a couple dates that would be good. After checking in at their respective offices, they spoke again and set a firm vacation date. Time passed far too slowly. Standing in front of a bank of computer screens and looking for his arrival information, she felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine. Ever since the evening they nearly made love, Anna dreamed of what might have happened if they had only had the time that night. She had felt him beneath her and knew how hard he had been. There were times that she wished he had opened his pants and sunk his cock into her, fucking her senseless. But he hadn't; he had simply held her, talking to her through a difficult night. When it came right down to the proverbial brass tacks, that was what really mattered. She knew that he'd wanted her, yet he held back in order to comfort her. Walking down the concourse, Brad caught sight of an attractive, lithe redhead checking out flight times. It was strange how frequently that had happened over the last several months, a random woman with long, red hair, catching his eye. After another few steps, he stopped; it was her. "Damn," he thought, "she's even more beautiful than I remembered." She hadn't seen him yet, so he indulged himself by carefully watching her. He could see that she had dressed in anticipation of their meeting that day. Her light green, sleeveless blouse was nicely fitted, without being skintight. The lightweight skirt hit just above her knees, and he couldn't wait to see how it would dance in the breeze once they left the airport. Her thick red hair, which had felt like silk in his hands, had been pulled up into a ponytail that reached her shoulders. He thought about standing there all day, just watching her, until she turned around. She didn't seem to have seen him yet, but appeared to be looking for the gate his flight was expected at. While she was busy looking around, he continued just looking at her. She dropped her purse and carry-on bag to her feet and stretched her arms above her head, easing some of the airline-induced tightness from her shoulders. As she did, he was able to enjoy the view of her swelling breasts, pressing against the fabric of her blouse. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering their weight in his hands and the way her nipples had tightened under the attentions of his tongue. Don't Make Me Wait Too Long "Not now," he thought, feeling his cock twitch at the memory. When he gained control over himself, he opened his eyes, hoping she hadn't disappeared. Anna was picking up her bags, so he decided to try and sneak up on her. For a laugh, he figured he'd see how she'd react to one of the cheesiest pick-up lines he could think of. She was moving cautiously through the crowd, still watching the people around her when he spoke, exaggerating his accent and dropping his voice. "Excuse me, miss, but do you have any German in you?" As she started to turn around, he added, "Would you like to?" Spinning on her heel, she was prepared to tell the stranger off, until she saw Brad's warm smile. "Oh god, it's you!" she cried, launching herself into his arms, immediately pressing her lips to his. He caught her easily and was thrilled to have received the joy shining softly in her eyes. Standing in the middle of the busy concourse, holding her warm, captivating body as they kissed, became the only thing that mattered to him. At first, it was almost a shy, questioning kiss, yet it quickly became deeper as they allowed their tongues to join in a slow, steady dance. She sighed into his mouth, feeling one of his hands slide down to cup her ass. Knowing what he would find, she pulled back slightly and nuzzled his nose. Sure enough, he nearly dropped her and she noticed the beginning of a distinct bulge in his jeans. With a smile and flirtatious tilt of her head, she teased, "Happy to see me?" "Very," he groaned. "Do I need to prove that any further?" "You can do that later." She flashed him a brilliant grin then asked, "Is it safe for you to put me down?" He kissed her again, quickly, and set her on her feet. "Let's get out of here before I do something to get us both arrested." "I doubt they'd put us in the same cell, so yeah, let's go." They made their way to the car rental kiosk where they waited for the agent to confirm their reservation. While the man was pulling up the information, Brad turned to look at Anna, who was busy looking over some file she had taken from her bag. He was struck by how she seemed to be glowing; he hoped he was the reason for some of it. She looked up to see him staring at her. Smiling shyly as a light blush tinted her cheeks, she mouthed, "Stop it." A little flustered, she reached up to brush some loose hair behind her ear, bit her lower lip and returned to looking over the map she had pulled from her bag. Once the papers were signed and the keys handed over, he took her hand for the walk to their rental car. Entering the designated parking area, he raised their clasped hands, kissing her knuckles. "I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this week, Anna." "It was nice of Eric to invite us to stay with them." "He's a good guy." "I still can't believe you were able to meet up with him." She looked around a little and asked, "Which space are we looking for?" "The car's in D-95, and like I said, I met Eric shortly after our trip with Tina and Darren. I was in the area on business, and we hooked up for dinner." They walked a little further to the right to find their car. Brad was smiling almost as much as he had upon seeing Anna when he started loading up their Jeep. "It's always nice when the rental agency is able to give you what you ask for," he joked. "You requested a Jeep?" "Yeah, Eric said the roads up by the lake are pretty bad, so I figured it would be better to have a car that could handle rougher roads." They did a quick visual inspection of the car, making sure everything looked in order. Brad held her door while she climbed in, and before he could close it, she leaned over to give him a soft, lingering kiss. "I'm glad we're doing this." A breeze came up just then, raising her skirt along one side to her hip. He drank in the sight of her bare thigh. Realizing that his hand had correctly felt a lack of panties, his cock twitched again. With a hard swallow, he simply grinned, saying, "I'm glad we're here too." Checking the map he had given her, Anna reached into the center console where they had both placed their phones and picked up the first one she found. "Hello?" A deep voice greeted her. "Eric? Hi, it's Anna. We're about an hour out, and we just wanted to know if we should stop to pick anything up." "Good to hear from you, babe! How was your flight?" "It was fine," she laughed. "And Brad says his was uneventful." "I'm looking forward to finally meeting you, and Jane can't wait until you are both here." "Tell her I'm excited about meeting her too," her voice was warm as she spoke. She giggled impishly and added, "Seriously hon, you haven't said if you need anything. We'd be happy to pick it up." He laughed, "No, we're set for now. If there's anything that you two need, or really want, you're welcome to stop, but we don't need you to get anything." They laughed again and chatted for another few minutes before hanging up. She turned to Brad and let him know that their hosts were good on supplies, so they could head to the cabin. "However, I wouldn't mind stopping. Even with a gift already in my luggage, I still wouldn't mind looking for something else. I mean, maybe we could pick up some fruit, and I'll make dessert tonight." "I know what you mean. Eric told me there's a town about twenty minutes from here where they do a lot of their cabin shopping. We should be able to find something there." After a quick stop in the picturesque little town, where they found fruits that seemed to have been just picked, they were back on the road toward their friends' cabin. Brad found that Anna made an excellent navigator, quickly anticipating turns and not panicking over missed signs. They enjoyed the drive, and felt comfortable talking about spending a week together in close quarters. "This should be it here, just ahead and to the left," she said, spying the small sign pointing the way to the cabin. He turned the car smoothly, expertly navigating the bumpy road. When they pulled up in front of the cabin, both gasped in surprise. They had passed numerous camping sites on the road, yet Eric had managed to find some property which was still fairly remote. Set among beautiful pines and cedars, was a cozy-looking cabin with a smiling couple waving them in. Eric was tall and a little heavyset with a warm smile that reached deep into his eyes. Slightly taller than Anna, Jane had blonde hair which she had pulled back into a braid, and appeared to be a generally happy person. Somehow, given what she knew of Eric from his online persona, they seemed to be a very good fit. Hugs were exchanged in greeting before Jane welcomed her guests into her vacation paradise. The house was larger than it appeared from the driveway and had been decorated simply, in order to be as comfortable as possible. It was obviously supposed to be a place to escape to, and Jane had worked hard to keep it that way She had decided that the visiting couple would be more at ease in separate rooms, since they weren't actually together yet. The two guest rooms were across the hall from each other, and on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom. Each room had a great view, although not quite as panoramic as that from the deck. They also had direct access to the beach, and Eric enjoyed showing off the fire pit he had created in order to fully enjoy quiet nights with his lovely wife. Since it was Sunday, they could hear the noise of departing vacationers. Knowing they would have the lake more or less to themselves that week, they settled in on the deck with a light lunch. After a couple hours of conversation and easy banter, Jane found herself laughing. "What is it?" her husband wondered. "Nothing really, I just realized why you're so fond of these two." He laughed. "Yeah, they're smart, funny, and I'm glad they seem to be getting things moving." Brad choked on his beer as he tried to explain, "Hey, it's not my fault...." Giggling, Anna scooted her chair closer to him and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "No fault-finding here. I'm glad we're all here and can have fun together this week. Now, I don't want to waste this beautiful day, and I could use some refreshing after my flight and the drive up here." She stood and grinned at the group. "Anyone else feel like a swim?" Unanimously agreeing it was a great idea, everyone moved into the house to change into their swimwear and grab towels. Eric had Brad help carry beach chairs with them, and they all hit the water. Once in the cooling water of the lake, the dynamic between the four changed a bit, each person feeling more comfortable about joking with the others, and even adding more flirting to the mix. Anna loved watching Eric and Jane together and thoroughly enjoyed his silliness toward her. To see Jane flirt with Brad was hilarious, since he was so busy trying to hide it from Eric while paying attention to Anna. As far as Anna and Eric were concerned, the funniest part of the afternoon happened when Brad was showing a diving move to Jane. When he brushed against her hip, she glanced down and gasped in mock horror, "What the heck are you packing in those trunks of yours?" His look of shock and embarrassment was priceless. The afternoon passed as they got to know one another. Conversation was wide-ranging and moved quickly. Given their long, odd friendship, Anna, Brad and Eric were able to finish quotes for one another almost as well as Jane and Eric with their twelve-year history. As dusk started falling, Eric stood and invited Brad to help him with the grill. Laughing about "boys and their toys," the ladies headed to the kitchen where Anna mixed up batter for a fruit cobbler while Jane pulled a couple salads together. Once the cobbler was in the oven, Anna helped her hostess dig necessary items from the refrigerator. "Is this what I think it is?" Her voice was muffled from within the fridge, so Jane turned to see her pulling a large, clear pitcher filled with sliced oranges, lemons and a rich, red fluid. "That depends on what you think it might be," the older woman teased. "I think, and hope, it's sangria." Jane laughed and reached for a pair of glasses. "I think we need to make sure it's ready." The women decided the sangria was perfect. They relaxed in the kitchen with their glasses, talking a bit more. "So tell me, Anna," asked Jane, "how long have you and Brad known each other?" "A few years, I guess. About as long as I've known Eric." "You know he's crazy about you, don't you?" Jane sipped at her drink, carefully watching the younger woman. "Frankly, I think Eric loves you too." "I think Eric sees me as a little sister," said Anna, feeling a little bit of panic rising. She wanted to allay any fears her new friend might have. "I'm sure you've seen some of the joking back and forth we've done...." "Don't worry," she laughed. "I know very well what he gets himself into, and you're right; Eric does see you as a sister. He's been telling me for the last year that he hoped you and Brad would finally meet and work things out." "I know he's not the only one," the redhead giggled. "Tina sort of left out the part of our vacation plans that included Brad." The two women laughed, filling the kitchen with the sound. "She may have forgotten to tell you about that, but do you really mind?" "I suppose not. After all," Anna raised her glass, "we're here now, and it feels good." They toasted that and finished their drinks. Jane twisted slightly, looking out the patio door. "Hon, it looks like our boys are just about ready to plate the steaks." "Well, let's get these salads out to them." The women gathered the food and pitcher of drinks on a tray that Jane had given Anna. As they left the house for the deck, the men greeted them with kisses. "I could get used to this," the svelte redhead grinned. After two hours of non-stop laughter and talking, Anna could feel the wine going to her head. At some point during the evening, their group had moved from the deck to the beach, and the ladies had run into the house for something to wear over their swimsuits. She turned to Jane and asked, "So, how's the water this time of day?" "Not bad. Thinking of another swim?" "I am, actually. Join me?" "Sure." It was obvious the men were in another world, talking about gaming. Walking toward the water in the deepening twilight, the women laughed easily. "You know we've lost them now, Anna. Once Eric gets going on gaming, I usually just pack it in." "I'm not sure I want to do that. Still, if we plan on pulling them back, we may have to resort to drastic measures." "You're not thinking of...." "I hope those aren't your good glasses we've been using." "You are." Jane gasped, "Wow, you're a brave woman. No, we don't bring the good glasses to the beach anymore." They stood at the water's edge. Looking out, Anna murmured, "Of course, it'll only work if we both do this." "I think it would work for you, anyway. Eric and I have been together long enough, it's pretty much 'been there, done that'." "Oh, come on, I can't believe he wouldn't react." Jane's laugh rang clear in the evening, "No, I'm pretty sure he'd react, I mean, he is male after all. But this would be new. I can honestly say we've never been skinny-dipping with another couple." Their laughter stirred a bit of curiosity from the men. "What are you two cooking up, Janie?" "Don't worry babe. Why don't you guys just go on with whatever you're discussing?" She turned back to face the water with Anna. "How long has it been since, well, since Jarrod left?" "Six, seven months... I try not to think about it too much." "I know you've probably heard this from a lot of people; I know I did. It does get easier." "Thanks." They were silent for a moment before Jane suddenly spoke. "Okay, the water only seems cold at first. Once you're completely in the water, you'll be surprised at how warm it is." "Are you coming in too?" "I wouldn't miss this for the world." Both women were already shedding their shorts and sweatshirts, and they smiled at each other. Dipping her foot in the water, Anna grimaced. "Ugh. Let's do this before I lose my nerve." Maintaining a light, easy tone, the women talked about trivia as they reached around their backs to untie their suit tops. Casually, they tossed the tops behind them, one landing on the foot of a chaise where the men were sitting. Brad stared at the small collection of string and purple triangles as though he had not seen it on Anna earlier in the day. "Umm," he started to question Eric. Both men looked to the water, seeing only two long, slender, bare backs. As they did so, Anna threw a quick glance over her shoulder, giving the men a peek at the full side of her breast. Giggling, she waved at them and turned back to the water. The women slid their hands in the sides of their bikini bottoms and started edging them over their hips. The sound of breaking glassware came from behind them, causing Jane to laugh. "Well, we've got Brad's attention." "I'm glad you said those aren't your good glasses," Anna giggled again as she skimmed out of her suit and moved into the water. Making their way deeper into the lake, Anna and Jane stopped to see how the men were reacting. Jane was slightly surprised that Eric had already removed his shorts, and was halfway to her. With another couple there, she hadn't expected that from him. Brad, on the other hand, was standing on the shore, just behind where Anna had dropped her bikini bottoms. He was staring at the redhead as though wondering what to do. "The water feels great, you should come in," Anna teased. She found that she loved the feel of the water. Jane had been right; it was just warmer than the night air, as it lapped against her bare skin. "I don't know. It seems a little cold." Jane called out, "I'm just guessing here of course, but based on what I thought I saw earlier, it doesn't seem like you really need to worry about that." Eric laughed as he pulled his wife into his arms, silencing her with a hungry kiss. As Brad blushed, Anna floated a bit further out, watching him staring as her breasts broke the water. "Come on, swim with me please," she called to him softly. Once he made up his mind, he moved to step into the water, but Jane stopped him by calling, "I think you've forgotten something." "Shit," he muttered. Knowing both women were still watching him, he paused for just a moment before dropping his trunks and tossing them on the beach. Taking a deep breath and a few running steps, he dove into the water and swam to where he thought he remembered seeing Anna. When he surfaced, he realized that she must have been watching his progress, because she was carefully treading water inches away from him. "Hi," he said as he wiped the water from his face. "Hi," she murmured, sliding her hands up his chest to his broad shoulders. He slowly pulled her to him, savoring the moment. She teased him, turning in his hands, so he brought her back to his chest as they found their rhythm to treading water. His hands carefully explored along the faint indentations in her ribs, and he bent to nuzzle her neck. "You were right, it does feel great." She smiled shyly, "Me, or the water?" "Both." He turned her to face him again and gently kissed her. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she responded by nibbling at his lips. With their focus changed, they began to slowly sink into the water. Spluttering, they broke the kiss and laughed at the silliness of it all. Maintaining his grip on her, Brad retreated to a spot where he could stand with the water just below his chest. He pulled Anna to him again, and as she finished wiping the water from her eyes, he resumed kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck again, with one hand on the back of his head. His arms were about her torso, one hand moving across her shoulders, the other discovering the soft skin of her shapely ass. Anna used the leverage from her elbows on his shoulders to pull herself slightly higher in his arms. That movement gave him the opportunity to move his caresses along her smooth, lean thighs. He already knew he loved the feel of her skin, and he had missed its warmth. As he continued exploring her back, sides, ass and legs, he allowed a hand to slip between her legs, cupping her pussy from behind. He felt the heat coming from her, a little surprised at its intensity, since they were standing in the lake. Gently brushing his fingers over her lips, he found he could easily distinguish her moisture from the water. He broke the kiss to move along her jaw and down her long, graceful neck. She slowly tilted her head back, allowing him greater access. As he kissed her, he carefully slid a finger into her warm, moist pussy. Drawing in a sharp breath, she pulled his body in to hers, tilting her hips to move with his finger. With Brad kissing her throat and shoulders, Anna took a moment to look across the water for Jane and Eric. She spied them about fifteen feet away, standing waist deep in the water, in very nearly the same position. Jane caught her eye, nodding as though in approval. Returning to Brad, she found him gazing into her eyes. She brought a hand up to caress his cheek, and leaned in to brush her lips across his. They continued watching each other, barely touching their lips together. He rubbed his nose against hers and moved to her ear. "Anna," he whispered in a husky voice, "I want you." Slowly, she tightened her grip on him, feeling his thick, hard cock twitching against her lower belly. "Yes, I know. I've wanted you for so long." Anna suddenly seemed almost fragile to Brad. Slowly, he reached down along her thighs, pulling them up to encircle his waist. She wrapped her arms about him, bending to rest her head in the junction of his neck and shoulder. Don't Make Me Wait Too Long Holding her carefully, he walked from the lake, back to the chaise he had been occupying earlier. "I don't think I can wait to carry you all the way to the house," he whispered. "I don't think anyone will notice at this point," she murmured, gesturing to Eric and Jane, who were still in a tight embrace, kissing in the water. If either Brad or Anna had looked more carefully, they would have realized that Jane was gently riding Eric's cock. "Haven't you ever fantasized about making love under the stars?" Her gaze was soft, open. "I have, and I want you to be the one to live it with me." Brad knelt at the foot of the chaise, placing her upon it. "Is there anything else I should know about you?" She smiled coyly and slid along the chaise to lean back on her elbows. Still on his knees, watching her in wonder, he crept up and kissed her ankles, her knees and her belly while holding the backs of her legs. As Anna closed her eyes, letting her head fall back a bit, he drew a hand skimming up the top of her leg, almost shyly, to rest on her mound. Giving her a gentle squeeze, Brad traced his hand up her body to take the back of her neck. Without moving his gaze from her face, he guided her to a fully reclined position and leaned in, pressing his body to hers, deeply and passionately kissing her. As she responded with an incredible hunger, he positioned himself between her legs. Anna moaned and rose slightly to prolong the kiss. "I love kissing you," she whispered. "Your mouth is so beautiful." "No, you're the beautiful one," he smiled. Pausing, he whispered, "I'm sorry. I suddenly feel like I don't know what I'm doing." She smiled, trying to encourage him. "You're doing everything right so far, Brad." Reaching down, she lightly brushed her fingers over the tip of his growing erection, smearing pre-cum about the large, spongy head. With a devilish grin on her face, she brought her fingers to her mouth, sucking his moisture from them. "Yummy," she purred. With a groan, he rose, pressing her thighs further apart, exposing her warm, glistening pussy. Leaning down to nuzzle along the line of her jaw to her ear, he slowly, carefully pressed his aching cock into her depths. Her cry at his entrance was filled with joy and awe; it had been a long six months for her. Giving them both a moment to adjust while he reveled in her silky warmth, Brad kissed her eyes and brushed a wisp of hair from her face. She saw the wonder in his face as he touched her. Finally, she drew a slightly ragged breath and nodded, letting Brad know she was ready for him to continue. He kissed her as deeply as he could and began moving within her. His movements were gentle and easy as they each allowed hands to roam the other's body. Knowing that Anna had been celibate for the last seven months, Brad used slow, smooth strokes, hoping to prolong her pleasure. She wrapped her legs around him and met his thrusts with a sharp rolling of her hips. She could feel the tip of his cock pressing against her womb and realized how much she had been missing since that night on their road trip. "I need this," she whispered. "I need you, Brad." For the next several minutes, they continued making love. Their soft gasps and moans were heard mixing with the sound of the water lapping at the shore. Eventually, the sound of the water was all that was left. Anna and Brad lay joined on the chaise. Their kisses and caresses were the shy motions of first-time lovers. As they gazed at one another, a large towel was drawn over them. "You two might want to head in before long." Eric's voice held a faint note of amusement. "The mosquitoes around here can get pretty vicious." Twisting her head to watch the other couple walk hand in hand toward the house, Anna heard Jane call back, "We'll move your stuff to her room, Brad. It's more comfortable there." They looked at each other and laughed. Hugging her closer to him, Brad whispered, "He wasn't kidding about these bugs. Shall we head in?" "Yes, soon. Right now, I just want to be here with your arms around me." Lying under the stars, they kissed gently. Knowing the days ahead would be busy, he held her tenderly in his arms, savoring their quiet moment. Nothing else mattered... they were finally together. ~~ Thanks to everyone for their patience in waiting for this story. Vacation takes a lot out of me. I hope you enjoy it. Please, vote, and feel free to leave a comment, or send me one through Lit.