Longmont

Premise of the roleplay:
Longmont is small resort town that could be anyplace in the USA. There is a lake, a campground, a resort or two, a handful of cafes, stores and taverns. It is too inconsequential to have been discovered by big boxes, fast food chains or practically any trappings of modern America. The locals like things the way they are and have been for as long as anyone can remember.

Change, in Longmont, is a four letter word and maybe that is why Josh Arrowwood bought the old Masters place and moved in – not because he was ever intimidated by change, but because where ever he’d put roots down things had a way of never being the same again.

Josh is a character with an affinity for used cars, patched jeans, and making things grow – yeah, there’ll be pot in the garden. He has no visible means of support, yet once the townsfolk look beyond the façade of his hippy lifestyle it becomes obvious that he isn’t troubled by a lack of resources.

I don't expect or want happiness and light from this SRP. We all have a little darker side than what we let other people see when we first meet and so does Josh Arrowwood.

Longmont

A two lane county road winds through the foothills for 9 miles, drops into a broad valley where it becomes Longmont’s Main Street for 6 blocks and then leaves town following the railroad tracks into the next county.

Longmont had seen its heyday, but it was still a place that a thousand or so souls called home. The town’s streets were narrow and shaded by oaks and maples. There was a right side of the tracks – between Main Street and Millers Lake. A marina and three resorts were built on the lake that the town had grown up around when the river was dammed and the lake created in the 1930s. As a town, Longmont had at least one of everything, except that it had never been on any developer’s radar screen for a fast food joint or a big box anything.

Josh Arrowwood was traveling cross country and turned off the state highway at the road to Longmont on a whim. He filled his tank at the Mobil station and decided to take a break from driving and see the lake. Before he knew it, the sun was going down and he’d decided to spend the night. The next morning, instead of hitting the road, Josh paid in advance for another week where he’d stayed then spent that day in a rented canoe on the lake.

There was something about Longmont, or maybe a lot of somethings, that spoke to him. That may seem funny, because Josh didn’t look or talk or act like he was from anywhere around there. Somehow he fit in and impulsively chose to stay.

Of the few who might know how he came to be the owner of the old Masters place in Longmont by the end of that week, no one has said anything. Masters was long gone and the place was boarded up. It was built on a large lot in the lodge style, but like the town it had seen better days. When Josh first moved in he furnished it with the camping gear out of his Jeep.

The real estate agent

Josh had walked every street in Longmont, some streets many times, before he knew what he was actually doing – looking for his own place. There was one house in particular that he kept coming back to. It was boarded up and the lawn hadn’t been mowed in months but Josh was drawn to it. Whoever the designer was must have been inspired by the early days of Longmont. It looked like a lodge at a summer camp. The front entrance was oversized double doors. Judging from the number of plywood panels nailed up, both sides of the house had more glass than siding.

The first time he went to the real estate office in town to ask about it, the broker sized him up – patched jeans and sandals, dark brown hair tied in a pony tail – and squinting up at Josh’s 6’3” frame informed him that the house was not for sale therefore she could not help him. Having put Josh in his place, she proceeded to ignore him until he finally left, but he didn’t go far.

Josh took a seat on a park bench across from the real estate office where he could see the people who came and went. A smartly dressed woman caught his eye. She pulled up in front in a newer model SUV. There was a sign on the driver’s door identifying her as a real estate agent. Her cell number was right under her name. Josh called and made an appointment to meet her at the house address.

When the agent, Terry Simmons, kept the appointment that evening, Josh was waiting in slacks and a sport shirt. His beard was trimmed. His hair was braided and hung down the middle of his back. They sat in Terry’s SUV and negotiated her services. She would find the owner, present an offer and negotiate if she needed to, to a maximum amount. Josh laid a thousand dollars cash on the bench seat between them as her retainer. Terry bit her lip as she slipped the bills into her clutch. They had agreed that her broker would be cut out of the deal. That and a few other things that Josh and Terry did over the next few days would be outside of the law.

Josh thanked her for meeting him late, to which Terry said that she really didn’t have anyplace to be. It was a polite response, but Josh sensed that it was meant as an invitation. “Would you like to watch the sunset?” he asked.

The look in her eyes told Josh that he’d guessed right.

They left Longmont in the same car, turned down a country lane and parked beside the remains of a barn, long out of use. Josh didn’t know if there was a Mr. Simon and just then he didn’t much care. Terry’s full, soft lips gave him all the permission he needed to unbutton, unclasp, unzip… in the last light of day, she lay naked and panting across the car seat as Josh’s hard cock filled her inch by big round inch.

Alexandra Ava-Marie Williams

Changeable hazel eyes squint in thought as the woman gazed at her reflection in the full length mirror. Slim fingers unconsciously twist the thick braid of rich brown hair, and wrapped it around one hand several times before unwinding it. Taking in a deep breathe, she closed her eyes tight, counted up to ten in her head, and tried to release more than air when she exhaled.

First, she looked into her eyes. She watched her eyes grow darker and set as the color of storm clouds. A brief flash of pain flickered across her expressive face, and her rosy skin grew a shade paler. Her whole body tensed as she forced her shoulders to uncurl, she lifted her head to look straight at the mirror and truly take into account at what was in front of her.

Dark brown hair gathered in a simple braid, straight brows, shadowed blue-grey eyes, a little snubbed nose, and rosebud lips on a heart shaped face. The only flaw may be the way her ears stuck out a bit from the sides. A small frame with slender shoulders, prominent bones made clearly defined contours against rosy skin and a tiny waist leading to the flare of softly curving hips. From head to toe, she stood a few inches over five feet.

She looked at the black scissors on the counter, looked at herself, glared at her hair, twisted the braid some more, squinted her eyes shut again, growled in frustration and threw the braid down. It swung down her body and the tail end brushed against her ankles. Relief released the overall tension from her body, but a wiggle of conflict crawled over her shoulders and they fell into a familiar inward curl.

Having made her choice, the slender brunette put the scissors away and grabbed her Android smartphone. She set the phone to dial her best friend and put it on speaker phone. She quickly pulled on a teal sports bra, simple cotton underwear, faded blue jean shorts and a cut up Avengers t-shirt.

“Did you do it? Did you wack it off? Ohmygod IT'S NOT EVEN SIX AM! Are you trying to kill me?” A grumpy female voice grumbled from the speaker.

“No. I couldn't do it. I know I said I'm going to lots of new things but I can't make myself chop my hair off.” She paused to set the camera strap over her shoulder and set it to lay across her torso. “Good morning, Tori. You told me to call you when I woke up. I woke up.” She didn't mention that she's had been awake since 4 am.

“Alex, you're worse than a damn alarm clock.” Whatever Tori said next was muffled by a long yawn. She grumbled, “God, I need coffee. Are you serious about moving?”

“Yeah. Yeah I am. I've only been here for a few days and it doesn't make any sense but I want to live here. There's something about this place that makes me feel… like I should be here.” The petite woman grabbed a warm thermos full of hot coffee, picked up her keys and latched it to a belt loop. “I'm going for a walk. I'll call you later. You can help me figure out details for the move. Bye, Tori.”

“Wait. Hey. Are you okay?” A weighted silence settled over them.

The woman paused and started to nibble on her bottom lip. She looked out the kitchen window and saw how the sunrise streaked brilliant colors across the clouds. A lightness settled over her heart and she smiled. “Yeah. Yeah I am. I'm okay.”

Tori could hear the smile in her voice and it made her smile too. “Okay. Talk to you later. BUT no more calls before 6 am unless it's a damn emergency!”

They both laughed and ended the call.

“Alright Alexandra Ave-Marie Williams. It's time to do something new.” She stepped into her flip flops, tucked away the smartphone in a small backpack and left the house to explore Longmont. The first few days, she had explored the lake and main street. This time, she decided to follow a vague path that meandered out from behind the cottage she was renting. She took her time to explore the woods, enjoyed the fresh scent of wild things growing, and took shots of whatever caught her curious eyes.

The path ended at a rundown house with windows boarded over. Contrary to how it look, something about the house appealed to her and she started to wander around the house to take shots of it.

Hello there

One thing Josh knew was that if he had an idea seemingly out of the blue or felt an unusual affinity with something, he was probably not alone. If the idea or feeling was important enough, the key was to act on it. He felt that getting Simmons to bend the rules and work outside of her sanctioned role for him was a good first move. She came across as capable and professionally hungry to make her mark. The way Josh saw it, they were helping each other

with benefits on the side.

Although he fell asleep feeling good about things, early the next morning Josh was wide awake and his mind was on the house. He rolled out of bed while it was still dark and slipped on running shoes. It was cool and quiet outside. Josh walked out into the deserted street. Somewhere in the town a dog barked. After half a block he lengthened his stride and by the time he rounded the corner Josh was running. He followed Lakeshore Drive out into the country. While most of Longmont slept, the fresh air and exercise was what he needed to clear his mind.

It was daylight before he headed back. He’d planned to run past the house… Yup, it was still there… still boarded up… still—

Josh stopped in his tracks. Someone was looking at ‘his’ house. He took a second to catch his breath then walked up the drive.

It was a woman – young and very petite. As Josh got closer he saw that she had an amazingly long braid of hair which as he regarded it seemed like it could almost be mistaken as a tail, making her a very exotic, beguiling creature. For some reason the sight of her made Josh smile. Before he got too close, he cleared his throat and called out, “Hello there”.

For the first time in days, it wasn’t the house that was on his mind.

A Stranger

Alexandra was so focused on shooting the abandoned house that she didn't know anyone else was there. The sudden greeting startled her, she dropped the expensive camera and felt it hit her sternum as she hastily turned to face whoever greeted her.

A splash of color stained her cheeks and the flush spread down to her neck. A stranger stood closer to her than she expected and she unconsciously stepped back. He was so tall that she had to tilt her head back to look at his face. A vague impression of shorts and shirt crossed her mind but her thoughts came to a halt when their eyes meet. He had the brightest blue eyes she has ever seen. It felt as though he could see straight through her. She's never seen him before and yet something about him felt familiar.

The edge of fear that was her constant companion faded beneath a strong desire to connect with the dark hair stranger. A layer of sweat gleamed on his body and caused the clothes to cling to his strong frame. A bead of sweat fell down the side of his cheek, partway down his jaw to his neck and was absorbed in the sweat stained shirt.

Disparate desires suddenly sparked in her mind. She wanted to lick the trail of the sweat bead. She wondered what lay beneath the shirt. She wanted to touch the stranger's arms and feel if they were as strong as they looked. She wanted--

Alexandra's green eyes blinked rapidly as she came to realize that she's been staring at him for a long time, that she had stepped closer to him and a hand was raised to reach out to touch his arm.

What am I doing?

The light blush that was starting to fade away came back with a vengeance and spread from the top of her head to her toes. She was so embarrassed that she quickly dropped her hand and tried to step back. Alexandra stumbled, stepped on the end of her long braid, tripped and ended up sprawled on the grass.

His first impulse was to pick her up bodily and cradle her in his arms to make sure she was OK. He could have done that easily. She – whoever ‘she’ was – looked as light as a feather. Josh felt attracted even though they’d only met and so far the meeting wasn’t going great…

Josh hadn’t meant to startle her, even though he had and now he was ultimately responsible for her ending up on her backside, possibly injured, definitely embarrassed. Without thinking about it, Josh knelt close and took her hand. “I’m sorry, are you hurt?” he asked.

The hand was delicate, but not fragile. Josh felt as if he could have been in the presence of a mythical forest creature – a shard from his imagination that he’d carried from childhood. He was surprised that it had chosen to come to the surface now as he looked at the woman’s facial features… beautiful, even under the circumstances. He’d looked into her eyes before the fall. They were perfect pools of jade that he would have gladly delved into deeper. “My name is Josh,” he said, still holding her hand, “That was a bad fall. Can I help you sit up?”

The forest creature from his childhood imagination wasn’t animal or human. It was wounded and in pain, but whenever Josh got close, the creature would run further into the forest. It didn’t understand that he only wanted to help – it was more afraid of being discovered for what it was than of suffering as it was. Josh held his breath. He didn’t know who this rare woman was or why his path had crossed with hers and he desperately didn’t want her to run away.

Feelings of discomfort and embarrassment have been constant companions for so long that it took Alexandra a moment to understand the tangle of emotions that rioted inside her. Her instinct to run was trampled by the pull to draw closer to the stranger. Her fingers fluttered in his hold. He felt strong and, somehow, the direct way he looked at her made her feel grounded. He was so close. But she didn't want to pull away.

“My name is Josh. That was a bad fall. Can I help you sit up?”

Looking into his blue eyes, something in her unwound, the unconscious curling of her shoulders eased and she thought, I have to stop being afraid of everything. I have to work to be me again.

"I- uhm..." She hesitated, took a deep breathe and asked as she released, "Please." Alexandra drew on his hand and pulled herself up. Even though they were both sitting on the ground, she still had to tilt her head up a bit to look at him. His form made her feel absurdly small. "I'm Alexandra. Is this your place? I didn't mean to intrude. There was something about the house that made me want to take shots of it. It looks like it could use a touch up but I bet it'll be beautiful with a little TLC."

Josh smiled. His mind still hadn’t returned to the Masters place. “We could all use a little TLC, couldn’t we,” he said. Alexandra’s beauty and stature fascinated him. Considering his height, Josh had always been taller than any girl he’d been interested in. Surprisingly he remembered one or two smaller women fondly, mostly because the physical match up proved to be a mutually good fit. Alex was smaller still and Josh couldn’t help but wonder….

“So, you’re a photographer?” When he realized that his mind had begun to wander in a direction that would put Alexandra off if she knew, Josh grasped at the obvious, “That is a professional grade camera, isn’t it?” he asked, “Do you freelance?”

His mind was catching up with the information she’d shared. Alexandra obviously wasn’t the owner and her interest seemed to be in the aesthetics of the Masters place – which he completely understood. She probably wasn’t a competing buyer… at least right now. He wasn’t sure about divulging what his interest in the property really was. In fact until he heard back from the realtor… what was her name… ? Simmons – Terry Simmons. Until he heard back from her that the place was under contract, there was really nothing to share. “This place caught my eye too,” Josh said, “Its character is undeniable.”

Alexandra’s hand was still in his own. It felt natural. Neither made a move to break that point of touch. Josh found himself looking into her eyes again. Yeah, he’d been checking her out and hoped she didn’t notice – or mind too much if she'd caught him at it. Sometimes what was on Josh's mind was just too obvious. He didn’t know if this chance meeting was going to lead to anything, but if he never saw Alexandra again he knew he’d want to remember her eyes.

“We could all use a little TLC, couldn’t we,” he said. His thumb lightly circled over Alexandra's palm and she wasn't sure if she wanted to pull her hand away or keep still to make sure he didn't stop. She realized that he waited for a response and nodded.

The day promised to be another gorgeous day full of bright sunlight and cool breezes. The thick, curly clouds promised weather at some point but not right then. The heat from the sun didn't quite explain why Alexandra felt so warm. It was a relief to feel the wind blow capriciously over her skin and her nipples tightened in response and protruded through the sports bra and t-shirt.

“So, you’re a photographer? That is a professional grade camera, isn’t it?” he asked, “Do you freelance?”

Laughter burst out from Alexandra! She was so surprised by it that she blushed and ducked her chin down. "Oh, no no. I'm not a pro. I used to take photos for fun when I was in college and I haven't done it in a long time. I thought it would be fun to take it back up. It..." She stopped using her other hand to prop her up, leaned unconsciously closer to Josh and patted the SLR. "Taking shots helps me to try new things."

Silence settled between them but it didn't feel awkward or forced. Alexandra didn't feel as though she had to fill it with words or actions. It did last long enough that she felt like she should say something. She looked up to find him staring at her. She could see that his blue eyes had a dark blue halo. It made his eyes look more rich and mysterious at the same time. The way he looked at her made her shiver. Oh! I... I'm attracted to him.

“This place caught my eye too,” Josh said, “Its character is undeniable.”

"I think it would make a really interesting home. It's like the architect couldn't decide if it was going to be modern or more like a log cabin and ended up with a strange but appealing mix." Alexandra turned to look at the house. "I can imagine having meals by those tall windows. To plant some flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables on this side. Maybe have a gazebo for shade and--"

A gurgling rumble rolled over her words. It continued to growl for a full minute after she stopped. A rueful grin brightened her face, Alexandra's head tilted back as she laughed at herself. "Do you know where I can get breakfast? I think my body is trying to tell me I need to eat. I don't know the area well yet. I'm renting a cottage back along this path."

"How would you like to see what it looks like on the inside?"

Josh imagined walking back on the path with Alexandra to her cottage…

The idea had a lot of appeal, but what she’d really asked for was breakfast, wasn’t it? “Allow me, Alexandra,” Josh said, “To be honest, I’ve only been in Longmont for a few days myself, but I do know where to get a good breakfast in town. May I join you?”

Josh got to his feet, never letting go of Alexandra’s hand, gently helping her up too. He noticed the imprint of her nipples showing through the fabric of her t-shirt and tried not to stare, but was only partially successful. He would have loved to have brushed his fingertips over them – even “accidentally”, but breakfast was on Alexandra’s mind, not fooling around, so he let that be - for now. They walked down the driveway to the front of the house. The café was on Main Street, just two blocks up. Josh knew he really wasn’t dressed to have a meal out, but he really wanted to find out more about Alex.

The morning rush had come and gone. They took a table in the sunlight and ordered. Josh was explaining the unlikely chain of events that had led him to Longmont. He was beginning to wonder if there was something more than chance involved in them both being there at the same time. Nonetheless, Josh still gave chance the credit. “It was pure chance,” he said, “that I decided to turn off the highway at the road to Longmont. I had no idea what was here – now I’m falling in love with it.”

Josh shared that he’d had a traditional upbringing in the east – at least until the last year of high school when ”there was an incident” that made it necessary for him to leave school one morning and never return. He didn’t share that the incident involved his first period teacher who was discovered naked, bound and well used in a storage room. All the more he said was that “no charges were brought”. Small wonder, the teacher was more than complicit in her situation than Josh ever was - he just pushed everything over the top.

His diploma came from an alternative school.

He had a sister, Sadie, who he was very close to. When he enlisted in the service, she was the family member who took him to the bus station and she was the only family member he really spent time with on leave. Even after she married, they would go away together between deployments. Josh was sure he wouldn’t have made it without her.

They still saw each other -- sometimes.

After the military, Josh never actually held a regular job. He worked for himself. Started a couple of businesses. Bought and sold some. Invested. And once in a while there was a really nice payday for a piece of work that not that many other people would or could do. It had been over a decade. He still needed to work, but he had enough financial cushion that sometimes he could just check out for awhile. That was what he’d been doing for a little over two weeks when he turned off the highway onto the road to Longmont – meandering across the country, vaguely intending to end up on the California coast.

A customer came in as they talked. Neither paid attention until it was obvious from the sound of hard soled footsteps that someone was coming straight over to their table.

“Mr. Arrowwood?” It was the real estate agent. Josh looked up. “Excuse me for interrupting you, but I have good news.”

Even as the bearer of good news, Terry Simmons was obviously not happy to see Josh with another woman. It hadn’t been that long since she’d been with him herself. She sat for a moment and quietly, professionally informed Josh that she’d found the owner of the Masters place and that he’d signed a contract for less than Josh’s authorized maximum amount – thereby increasing her own under the table commission. Josh was thrilled. As he thanked her, Terry kicked him HARD under the table, completely keeping her composure from the table top up.

She and Josh made an appointment to sign papers later that morning.

After Simmons left them, Josh turned to Alexandra, "You know that place we were looking at this morning?" he said, "How would you like to see what it looks like on the inside?"

Terry Simmons

Terry couldn't remember the last time she made out in car. Let alone have sex in a car! Just remembering the carnal acts she had with Josh Arrowwood made her face turn redder than a fire hydrant! No one would say that Terry Simmons would be the type to be rash or do anything provocative. She had to work hard to get to where she's gotten, and she would be damned before she let anyone take that away from her.

When her good for nothing husband died in a choking fluke, Terry's world crashed around her ears. Roger had been a talented high school quarterback with contracts to go pro. She had been the second most popular girl and thrilled to pieces when Roger asked her to marry. It was her dream come true. Roger made it big as a college athlete, and she became a very busy house wife with two kids to raise. During his first year as a pro, Roger choked on a bone while he was out of state for a game. She thought she had dealt with the worst when she forgave him for cheating on her in every town outside of Longmont. She was wrong because the worst part of all was finding out that they had been living in huge debt. She didn't have any skills to get a job that could cover the bills and selling their huge house only made the debt table clear.

Terry's about to turn thirty-nine this year. She's spent the last fifteen years working her ass off to make sure she made enough money to provide for her kids. She's proud of doing a good enough job that Henry and Allison were off to college and making their own way in the world. She hasn't had time for a vacation or casually date in years. She doesn't know if she knows how...

Memories of the night before and her past flooded her mind as she walked into Sunny's Bright Cafe for her usual cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich. "Good morning, Sunny. How are you?" she asked the owner of the cafe, Sunny Moon.

Sunny flashed Terry a smile and waved her off to sit. "I have your order coming up soon, Terry. Go ahead and sit yourself down."

Terry smiled at the busy Asian woman and went to sit down when she saw Josh. She paused as her stomach clenched at the memories of their night together. She wondered about her appearance. Will he like her pale blue dress suit with the fitted bolero jacket? She grinned. He liked her well enough to have sex with her for hours, and she had good news to share. She couldn't wait to see if he wanted to celebrate.

She was about to call out his name when she realized that Josh wasn't alone. He was sitting across from a petite woman with the longest brown hair Terry has ever seen. The woman was laughing at something he said. They looked very engrossed in each other. Like they were the only people in the cafe. A streak of anger flared in Terry.

Painting on her polished sales persona, Terry walked up to the table with a warm smile.


Alexandra

Bemused and happy to have Josh's company, Alexandra was keenly aware of his much larger hand holding her smaller one as they walked a few blocks to a cafe off of Main Street. It was on the end of a small business strip. There were tall windows alongside half of the building and wooden double doors with the cafe logo painted in gold leaf: Sunny's Bright Cafe. The walls were a cheerful red bricks, the furniture was the same dark brown polished wood of the front doors, stain glass lamps hung from wooden beams overhead and a long bar with open coolers and display separated the customers from the kitchen and prep area.

Everything on the chalkboard menu sounded delicious to Alexandra. Josh had already ordered and he was quietly waiting on her. The tall, Asian woman that took Josh's order came back. She flashed a smile at Alexandra. "Are you ready to order?"

Alexandra shook her head no. "Everything sounds tasty and I'm so hungry, I kinda want to eat it all!" She laughed at herself. The other woman laughed with her.

"You must be new to town. I'm Sunny Moon, the owner of the cafe. My family and I usually run this place on our own but our kids just left for college and we're a little short handed. Everything is great but I really recommend the specials. Those are my favorites! My husband is the cook and he likes to come up with interesting food combinations to keep me on my toes! Today's special is Veggie Delight Omelet with Sweet Potato Dollars and side of Crispy Belly Strips aka Bacon."

"That sounds great! I'm Alexandra Williams and I am new. Just came in a few days ago for a break but I think I may move to Longmont. It's... there's something about this place that makes me feel happy. Oh! Yes, I'd love to have the special. Could I also get a large mocha cappuccino and the Berry Blast smoothie?" Alexandra blushed as she rambled and rushed to make her order.

Sunny flashed a grin and winked at her. "You're orders will be ready soon. Go on and have a seat. I'll bring it out to you two."

Alexandra grinned back at her. Longmont seems to be full of great people. It made her love the town more. Josh picked out a corner table in the sunlight. It's like he read her mind. That's what she would have picked too. Time flew by as they talked over breakfast. He told her about how he wandered into Longmont as he was heading west and a bit of his past. She wandered what really happened between Josh and his teacher. She thought it was great that he loved his sister and kept in touch with her.

"I'm an editor. I specialize on working with up and coming authors who are trying to make it. I came to Longmont for a break. To get away from the places I knew, explore somewhere new and have time to myself. The town is charming. I love the way it looks and feels. The cottage I am renting is open for an extension but I'm thinking about getting a place of my own."

“Mr. Arrowwood?” A curvy woman in a pale blue dress suit and white heels walked up to their table. “Excuse me for interrupting you, but I have good news.”

Terry introduced herself and sat down at the table across from them. She shared some news with Josh. Alexandra watched Terry as the two talked business. She was a very pretty woman with a full, curvy figure. She wore her hair blonde hair up in a classic French twist and spoke with ease and confidence. But her light blue eyes were only smiling when Terry looked at Josh. Whenever she looked at Alexandra, Terry's eyes hardened and seem to cut her. It was very strange because she didn't know her at all.

Josh held her hand the whole time and his thumb ran little circles over her palm. She felt little tingles run up her arm and down her spine each time he did that.

"Oh, there's my order. I need to run. I'll see you in a few hours to sign the papers. Come by the office to sign the papers and get the keys. Congratulations, Josh." Terry kicked Josh hard before she got up to get her breakfast and left the cafe.

Josh turned to Alexandra, "You know that place we were looking at this morning?" he said, "How would you like to see what it looks like on the inside?"

"Can we?" she asked excitedly. "How can we get in? Do you know the owners?"

“Better than that, Alex,” Josh said, trying to sound matter of fact, “within a couple of weeks, I’ll be the owner.” He looked across the table, interested to see what her reaction would be.

He hadn’t seen the encounter in the coffee shop with Terry coming at all. His shin still hurt plenty, but he couldn’t say he blamed her. Josh thought he might’ve got off easy, in fact. She made her point and put him in his place without making a scene. Pretty classy – in a way. He had to see Terry again later that morning to sign papers. It would only be the two of them and he wasn’t sure how it would go, except that they were beholden to each other now to see the house deal through.

‘Too bad,’ Josh thought. He was really taken with Alexandra, but until this morning he’d really been looking forward to seeing Terry again. ‘…too damn bad….’ The sex had been just what they both needed.

Josh noticed that Alexandra preferred to use her full given name. He was interested to see if she minded being called Alex. There was something about the shortened version that appealed to him – a little bit of androgyny attributed to a woman who was anything but. He filled her in now on how it was that they happened to meet that morning. With his offer accepted, he’d be entitled to inspect the property – would she like to see it with him?

He realized that he was cutting it close to meet with Terry and he didn’t want to give her any more reasons to be miffed with him. Since she was working for him under the table, they couldn’t meet at the real estate office. Josh settled for breakfast at the till and before they went separate ways, he asked Alexandra if he could see her that afternoon.

Alexandra

"I... haven't made any plans. Sure! Uhm. Here. I'll give you my number. Give me a call and I'll meet up with you later." Alexandra grinned up at Josh and felt full of curiosity to see what would happen. She asked Sunny for a piece of paper and a pen to write down her number. She gave it to Josh. A bout of shyness hit and she ducked her head. "Thanks for treating me to breakfast. It was lovely. Congrats on the house."

She waved at Josh as he left and took a moment to take stock. Alexandra sipped on the smoothie, watched the other customers inside and noted the variety of personalities. Usually, there's a commonality of what people wear in smaller towns. Most people will shop at Walmart or Target. Maybe a few things from online shops but there's usually a trend to the kind of things people wear. Yet there was an interesting variety here in Longmont and it made her fingers itch to jot down the ideas that bloomed in her head. It's been a while since she's felt this kind of inspiration to write.

Alexandra pulled out her smartphone and writing journal. She sent Tori a quick text.

[To Tori] I'm definitely moving to Longmont. Going to figure out if I want to rent or buy a place. I may have a lead on that! I can't remember the last time so many ideas filled my head. More later =)

Instead of going out to explore the town as she had planned, Alexandra got lost in writing at the cafe. Once in a while, Sunny would come by to check on her and chat for a bit. Alexandra took full advantage of the cafe's delicious coffees and snacks while she wrote down ideas and started the beginning of new stories.


Terry Simmons

Vbbbbrrrrb

Terry checked her phone and read the text message from Josh Arrowwood. He asked her if she could meet him at the Master's place with the contract. She couldn't help but feel a zing of anticipation. Her body ached in all the right ways and she hasn't felt that kind of satisfaction in a long time. Annoyance and jealousy entwined with her awakened sensuality when she recalled the diminutive brunette with the absurdly long hair.

He just got into town a few days ago.
Is he seeing her too?
Do I care?
...
WHY do I care?

Flashes of what happened in the car drove a searing wave of need right to her nipples and between her legs. She remembered the commanding ways he moved her to do what he wanted. How he ordered her to take his large cock into her hands and mouth. The way he had been able to see right into her darkest desires and make them come true. Terry didn't even realize how much she missed sex until this morning. Until it had happened with Josh.

Terry squeezed her legs together and swallowed a moan as she inadvertently amped up her lust. Before she can change her mind, Terry texted Josh that she would meet him in an hour at the Master's place.

"Mrs. Simmons? I have the contracts and files you wanted." Evan Franklin, the summer hire, barged into Terry's office without knocking. He was busy looking down at the pile of papers and folders. He looked up after he banged is elbow on the door. A grimace of pain twisted his lips as he looked up and saw Terry. Her face was flushed and her blue eyes seem to shine with something that made Evan's body tense and come to full attention. His unrepentant cock filled and pushed against his skinny blue jeans. Lately, everything turned him on and nothing but a quick hand job would make his cock calm down.

Dammit! I just took care of this! I gotta go again! God I want to fuck her. She doesn't even look like Mom's age. She's so hot. She looks like she needs to fuck. Shit! What am I doing? She's my boss! Shit!

Evan coughed, pushed his thick black glasses up and had to juggle the pile in his hands when he forgot he was holding them. Awkwardly bending over to keep the papers and folders made him squeeze his needy cock and he groaned lightly when his eyes came even with Mrs. Simmon's chest. Her nipples were so hard that they pushed the lacy bra against the blue dress and poked out.

He coughed and straightened up. Praying to God that she didn't see how hard he was...

Evan's entrance startled Terry so much that she almost screamed. She barely noticed him as she tried to get herself together. "Thank you, Evan. Put them here on the desk. I'll need extra copies of the standard contract for later this afternoon. Can you make those for me and file these away?"

Evan rushed to do as Terry asked and left the office in a hurry. Terry's eyes were caught and glued to Evan's waistline. His erection was large enough to be really evident in his skinny jeans and it made her mouth water. She ended up watching him until he closed the office door.

"Oh my..." she whispered. Her body heated up more by the unexpected sight. I have to see Josh. Maybe... maybe the other woman doesn't mean anything? I can't believe how turned on I am!?! And that's Evan! He's younger than my son!

Terry shook her head and got herself together to meet Josh. She took extra care to check her light makeup and touched up her lipstick. She took in a deep breathe, ordered herself to keep it to business, gathered the necessary papers and drove to the Master's place.

She found Josh standing in the front yard and looking at the rundown house. Personally, she didn't see why he would want to buy the property. No one has lived in that house for over twenty-five years and everything will need to be repaired.

"Josh? I have the contracts and keys. Are you ready to own your new home?"

Leaving Alex for the moment, Josh was both anxious to do business with Terry and apprehensive about the fact that he’d just been busted by her. The other night could have been one night stand, but to be honest, until that very morning Josh was interested in seeing her again. He couldn’t shake the memory of the animalistic passion that they brought out in each other.

As he showered back at the resort to get ready to see her about the house, Josh saw that he still bore the marks of Terry’s fingernails on his chest and shoulders. No doubt his back was even more marked up. Of course, Josh’s shin bore Terry’s mark too. It was still painful from her kick and he could tell that there would be a deep, dark bruise. Josh wasn’t surprised to be aroused. Sometimes sex and pain went together for him.

He borrowed a crowbar from the folks who ran the resort and drove his Jeep over to the Masters place. He’d have to pry off the plywood sheet that was nailed over the front door once he signed the purchase agreement. When Terry pulled up, Josh got in with her and they went through the papers one by one. Using his phone, he made arrangements for earnest money to be wired. By the agreement, he now had two weeks to inspect the house and title.

There was an extended silence after Terry handed over the house keys. It seemed like she would have listened to an explanation for that morning – if Josh had only had one. He wondered himself if he was making the right move. In the end, Josh didn’t explain – he thanked Terry and told her how much he appreciated how she’d found the owner and negotiated the deal. He understood as he got out of her car that he was closing the door on anything personal ever happening between them and as she drove away he was a little sick about it.

Evan groaned. That hadn’t been the first time there’d been a close call involving having a boner around his boss, it was just the first time he hadn’t been able to conceal it. His cock was so hard it ached and looking down now, out of her office it was obvious – impossible to miss. ‘Ugghhh! What am I going to do?’ he thought, ‘This is not working and one of these times….’ He couldn’t even finish the thought. It was too humiliating and horrible to contemplate.

Fortunately, Terry had given him an assignment. Evan put his mind to it and was relieved as the pressure against his zipper eased. His boss came out of her office with a folder under her arm and told him that she didn’t know if she’d be back before the close of business.

The afternoon turned out to be one of those days when time seems to come to a standstill. He checked the clock repeatedly, thinking that half an hour or maybe three quarters had passed only to discover that it had only been five or ten minutes. When he finished his assigned work, it was still two hours before he could lock up and go home.

He straightened up the office - 1 hour & 50 minutes to go…
He got out his own study material for the real estate agents’ exam - there was a question that stumped him with 1 hour & 30 minutes to go…
At 1 hour and 20 minutes, he wondered if Terry might have something in her office that might help him find the answer…
While he was looking through her bookcase he noticed a gym bag on the floor beside it – 1 hour and 15 minutes to go…
Evan checked the outer office, then opened the bag – it held clothing, shoes and Evan, inhaling, recognized his boss’s scent. He checked the outer office again. Nothing. He took something personal from the bag. His erection came back at 1 hour & 14 minutes to go…

Evan put the bag back where he found it and slipped into the supply room. He kicked the door closed with his foot, undid his belt with one hand, popped the button on his jeans and zipped the fly open. His cock came out with his fingers closing around it. It wasn’t the first time he’d used the storage room for jacking off, but it was the first time he had something with Terry’s personal scent on it to.

Evan shuddered as he began to stroke.

Josh took the crowbar to the back of the house. Plywood panels were nailed over every window and entry. They were well weathered, but still firmly attached. There were no signs that anyone had been inside the Masters Place for … decades? He went to work with the crowbar, wedging it between the plywood sheet over the backdoor and the door frame. The nails gave way grudgingly – quarter inch by quarter inch, all the way around the door… and then again, gaining a little more until

kkkraaggggggggkkkk!!

one nail pulled completely free. And then another. And then another. By the time Josh was finally able to pull the panel completely off he’d worked up a sweat. He fished in his pocket for the key. It slid in and clicked. Josh turned the knob. The door swung easily on heavy hinges. He walked in on the shaft of daylight created on the hardwood floor by the open door. It was warm, dusty. There was a screened in back porch, kitchen with a wood cook stove and appliances from another era…. He could tell that the next room was large and open, but the light was exceedingly dim. He waited for his eyes to adjust.

Gradually, Josh began to discern tiny shafts and pinholes of light coming into the great room through the walls. It wasn’t nearly enough to see by, but he felt comfortable in the room – as if he was welcomed to be there. He needed to pry more plywood off the windows around the place to get a good look inside. As Josh turned to go back out the way he came in he walked right into someone… something???

Instinctively, Josh put out his hand. There was nothing there. He hadn’t heard anyone come in behind him, but he’d definitely felt something…

Oddly, he wasn’t alarmed. He felt warmth on the back of his neck as if someone was breathing right behind him. And then he felt it again. A form – female – right behind him… touching… caressing… groping… and then there was another form – Josh was caught between them…

As soon as that thought registered in Josh’s mind, he was suddenly all alone in the room again. He broke out in a cold sweat and got a fix on the way back out.

Even though it was getting hot and there were plenty of shade trees on the property, Josh preferred the full sun once he was out of the house. He was trying to figure out what had happened in there. It was disconcerting, although he never quite felt threatened. The one thing that he knew was that he had to let a lot more daylight into that place before he went in again – much less showed it to Alex.

Alex!

Josh texted: Hi Alex—Opening up the house. You’ll never believe what just happened here. Not sure I believe it myself. I was thinking… care to go for a swim this afternoon?

Alexandra - Terry & Even - Alexandra

Alexandra

"If you don't mind sharing, what are you working on? You've been here for half the day." Sunny asked, her voice full of warmth and curiosity.

Lost in the collision and tangles of ideas piling up in her head, Alexandra lost all sense of time as she let her imagination soar and worked to get the ideas down as fast as she could. She finished the note about an idea that just sparked before answering Sunny. Her fingers ached from writing for several hours. Alexandra absentmindedly massaged her right hand as she grinned bashfully at Sunny. "I got lost in my head. It's been a while since I've had an idea take over so strongly that I had to write it all down before I lost them."

"Oh? Are you a writer? It's after the lunch rush so I have time to be nosy and ask questions." Sunny quipped as she sat down at the table with a sandwich and drink. "Don't mind me. I'm going to enjoy my lunch and talk for a bit."

"I'm an editor and I have a few writing projects waiting to be released. It's been a long time since I've written anything worth printing. It..." Alexandra's hazel eyes lost focus as she remembered something and they turned a cloudy gray-blue. Consciously blinking, she brought herself to the present. "It's been a while since I wanted to write. It's nice. I feel like it's this place. Longmont feels... it feels like home. Like, I didn't know that I was looking for a place until I came here and now I feel like I found something I was always meant to find."

Alexandra laughed self-consciously. "Silly right?"

Brown eyes clear with acceptance and understanding, Sunny responded immediately in a matter-of-fact tone, "No. That doesn't sound silly at all. You would be surprised to find out how many of the locals aren't originally from this town but end up here for one reason or another and stay. I'm one. Does that mean you're looking to move here?"

Alexandra fiddled with her pen and paused for a moment before replying. She hasn't interacted with new people in a long time and it was oddly satisfying and scary to talk so easily with strangers. She girded herself with a deep intake of air and gave a firm nod. "Yes. Totally impulsive but I'm going to do it. I... I'm renting a cottage right now but I would like my own place. Do you have any ideas?"

Sunny's head tilted to the side as she took a sip of her drink. "Hmmmm..." She watched people walk by outside of the cafe as she thought. "What kind of place are you looking for? An apartment, cabin or house?"

Alexandra wrote down the different options and felt herself yearning for her own place. "I think I want to buy a place. The cottage is nice. Maybe something like that?"

"My friend is a real estate agent. In fact, you may have met her this morning. Terry Simmons. She's great! She's been an agent for years and does a good job of trying to get people what they are looking for. You should talk to her." Sunny pulled Alexandra's journal over and wrote down a phone number. "Here you go. Give her a call. Back to work! With our kids gone, there's more work than I can handle. I need to put another Help Wanted ad out."

Alexandra wrote Terry Simmons by the phone number and doodled on the page as she thought. New adventures. Right? I'm suppose to try new things. What could be more different than living here and seeing where that will take me?

She smiled. So many things felt oddly familiar and right here. Alexandra pulled her smartphone over and saw that she had new text messages.

[10:15 AM Tori] I think I need to come see this place. Not sure how I feel about you moving but I'm glad you're excited. Call me later
[11:02 AM Tori] I don't want you to worry but he's been coming around and asking about you. I told him to fuck off.
[11:03 AM Tori] Changed my mind.
[11:04 AM Tori] Move to Longmont. BUT I want to see the place and give my OK 1st.

[01:13 PM 555-834-5932] Hi Alex—Opening up the house. You’ll never believe what just happened here. Not sure I believe it myself. I was thinking… care to go for a swim this afternoon?

"Wow, it's almost 2!"

[01:55 PM To Josh] Yes. Where should I meet you?

Alexandra added Josh and Terry to her contacts list. Looked at Terry's number and decided to give her a call before heading back to the cottage to change and meet Josh.

--Rrriinnnng Rrriiiiinnng Rrrrrinnnnnng--


Terry

Terry sighed as she got back into her car and drove back to the office. She had hoped that there would be something more with Josh, but he kept everything business like and kept a respectful distance. The closeness she had seen that morning between the woman and him wasn't a figment of her imagination. Life was so strange that she could have such an amazing encounter in the middle of her own town, and then be completely upset like a child because she couldn't do it again.

"I'm a grown woman. I can't go around time having sex like a teenager!" she scolded herself. She parked the car in her spot and checked the time. The meeting with Josh had taken a little more time than she had planned. The office closes at 5 o'clock but most of the staff get off around 3 due to the low call volume in the afternoon. There was more work to be done. She'll have to ask Evan to stay till close to make sure it gets all done.

She dropped off her suitcase, purse and papers at her desk. She didn't see Evan anywhere. The office personal was light for the time being because her partners were out. Oscar would be gone for a month due to back surgery, and Patty was out of town on vacation for two weeks. Thankfully, everything was intentionally planned to happen during the slow season or Terry would have been swamped.

Time passed as she checked her phone and email messages. Still no sign of Evan. Terry grew somewhat concerned. He didn't leave a message and it's not like him to leave the office unoccupied. Evan may be young but he was very responsible and intelligent. He easily picked up the routines of the office and became interested enough in real estate that he started studying to take the exam.

"Where could he be?" she wondered out loud as she started to look for him. She had already checked Oscar and Patty's offices. No one was in the bathroom, kitchen or dining area. She was about to go check the back when she heard a noise from the supply room.

"Evan, are you in there?"

Terry opened the door and walked in. The harsh white light lite the small room with absolute clarity. There was no mistaking what was happening in front of her. Evan was standing in the middle of the room with his skinny jeans pushed down, his eyes were scrunched close behind his glasses, one hand clenched something white by his nose, and the other hand rapidly pumped a hard cock.

The noises that Terry had heard was Evan's moaning groans as he masturbated in the supply room! She wasn't sure what to do. It was like she was paralyzed. Her eyes were glued to the young man's eager cock that was being quickly manipulated. She could tell that he was close by the way his chest heaved, his body seemed to bow inwards, straining to find release and the grimace of concentration on his face.

"Gah--uh... Terry... god you're so fucking hot!"

Terry wondered if her eyes were going to pop out of her head. Her eyes were so wide with shock and instant craving that she didn't know what to do with herself. It was like she was right back to high school and just getting into sex. She used to be insatiable! All she wanted to do was make out and explore the wicked side of sex.

Now, her breathing was choppy, her fingernails digging into her clenched fists as she tried to find some sort of control and she had to squeeze her legs together as her muscles clenched uselessly. Because there wasn't anything there to hold on to.

"Evan, what's going on here?" She had to repeat herself before what she said got through to Evan. When he realized that he wasn't imagining it, his eyes flew open and he groaned loudly when he saw her.

--Rrriinnnng Rrriiiiinnng Rrrrrinnnnnng--

Habit driven, Terry pulled her phone and answered the call. Her eyes were zeroed in on Evan's masturbation. "Terry Simmons, Longmont Real Estate. How may I help you?"

"Uh, hi. I hope I'm not calling at a bad time. I got your number from Sunny at the cafe."

"No problem. How can I help you?" Terry leaned against the door frame as she continued to watch Evan. Despite being found out, his erection didn't relax. If anything, it looked like he was larger now. His frantic pace slowed to an uncertain and hesitant strokes.

"I don't know if you remember me, but this is Alexandra Williams. We met this morning. You're the agent working for Josh Arrowwood."

A frown flashed across Terry's face but voice was completely relaxed and welcoming when she spoke. "Hello, Alexandra. Yes, I remember. Are you looking for a new home?"

There was a pause. Long enough of a pause for Terry to hit the mute button and command Evan, "Keep going. You may as well finish what you started."

"I.. yes. Yes. I do. I want to look at what's available to buy in Longmont. Sunny said you are the best in town and would be able to help me find a perfect place." Alexandra said.

Terry unmuted the phone. "Sunny is right. I am the best. I'm sure I can help you find what you need. Can you stop by the office tomorrow? Let's say, 9:30am?"

"Yes. 9:30am. I'll be there. Where is the office?" asked Alexandra.

Evan released a muffled moan as his climax grew closer. His face reddened even more.

Terry raised a finger to her lips. The command for Evan to be quiet evident. "The office is across the street from the cafe on Main Street. You can't miss it. Just look for the Longmont Real Estate sign and come on in. I'll see you at 9:30am tomorrow."

"Okay. See you then. Thank you, Ms. Simmons." said Alexandra.

"Oh, please call me Terry. Goodbye, Alexandra. See you in the morning." Terry ended the call and took the few steps to Evan. With heels on, Terry was the same height as Evan. She looked into his soft brown eyes. His jagged pants landed on her lips.

"Are you fantasizing about me, Evan? Did you get aroused because of me?" she softly asked him. Perhaps she's lost it. Maybe she's gone crazy because Terry accepted that she couldn't ignore what was going on. She couldn't deny the way her body reacted to this boy moaning her name. It made her feel sexy and desirable. Things that she thought were long dead in her past. But after last night and now--

"Evan, do you want help with that?"

Now, she's definitely lost it and gone crazy. Crazy enough to take an insane chance.


Alexandra

A big smile grew on Alexandra's face as she looked up the real estate office on her phone and marked it on Google Maps. She entered the appointment on her calendar. It felt good to be doing things instead of just thinking about doing them.

She gathered her used dishes and took them up to the counter. "I have an appointment with Terry tomorrow." Alexandra told Sunny with a grin.

"Oh good! She'll be great." Sunny flashed her a smile as she worked.

Alexandra looked over the menu. "Can I order food to go? I don't really have any food at the cottage and I'm meeting Josh later. I think I will surprise him with a picnic."

Sunny laughed! "I'm not going to say no to a paying customer! What do you want?"

Alexandra ordered several sandwiches, a salad, two desserts, couple bottles of water and a bottle of juice. "Oh, can I get another coffee to go?"

"No problem. You can have it on the house. It'll take about 45 minutes for your order to be ready. Here's the total." Sunny rung up the order, yelled it to her husband in the kitchen and gave Alexandra the order ticket.

"Let me pay now. I'm going to run home to change and come back to pick up the food." Sunny took Alexandra's credit card and settled the bill. Alexandra signed it and waved as she left the cafe.

It was only a short walk to get back to the cottage from Main Street. She took a different way home than she had taken before. She enjoyed taking in all the sights and getting more familiar with the town. At the house, Alexandra realized that she didn't bring her swimsuit. She dug through her clothes and looked at her findings on the bed.

• Skimpy sleeping clothes: thin tank tops and matching cotton shorts
• Exercise halter styled tank top with built in padding
• Couple of bright sports bras
• Khaki shorts
• Jean shorts
• Capris

Alexandra put different options up to her chest and looked in the mirror. She could go shopping for a swimsuit but that would take more time. She finally decided on the halter tank top and another pair of jean shorts. She changed into them and pulled the Avengers T-shirt back on over the tank top. A towel and spare clothes went into the backpack. She checked the camera battery and checked the time.

--beep--

"Oh! I should get the food." Alexandra smiled when she saw that she had a new text message from Josh. It told her where to meet him. She jogged back to the cafe, picked up her order, blushed when Sunny teased her about Josh, and went to meet him for an afternoon swim.

At the Masters place:
Taking all the boards off the windows and doors was more than Josh needed to do, but the more he saw of the Masters place his mind was flooded with ideas about modernizing its classic looks. He was determined to close the deal early and restore the place to its former stature in the small town. By the middle of the afternoon, he was hot, tired, dirty and ready for a break. He texted Alex:

There’s a beach up the lake from Longmont. If you’ll meet me at the Oaks Marina, we can get a boat for the afternoon and check it out.

Josh locked up the Masters place without going back inside. Even with boards off the windows and daylight pouring in, he was still trying to make sense of the experience he had – it wasn’t threatening, it was just… … well, that was the part he didn’t know. Maybe if he got his mind off it for awhile the missing puzzle piece would fall into place later. Right now he wanted a shower, clean clothes and company – he'd been thinking a lot about that woman he’d met, Alexandra. He wondered how she'd been getting on.

At the real estate office:
"Evan, do you want help with that?"

Evan rolled his eyes. It had finally happened. He’d been caught right in the middle of jacking off. And of all people to walk in on him, it was Terry - his real life boss and sex fantasy lover. Was this really happening?

Masturbation had never been just about relieving pent up sexual energy with Evan. Especially when he had to slip away during the day, there was always a secret thrill present when he knew he might be discovered. The more daring he was in choosing where and when, the more addicting it became. Evan had actually jacked off practically right under Terry’s nose on his first day of work. Being an assistant to the stylish, attractive, older woman had made masturbation an occupational hazard.

OK, so maybe he had a little problem….

"Evan, do you want help with that?" It was Terry’s voice. A cold sweat broke out up and down his spine. He knew he was so fired. For a second he felt sick… then like he might pass out, but Terry wasn’t screaming at him or stomping out in disgust… "Evan, do you want help with that?" Slowly it sunk in. She wasn’t leaving. She was watching. "Evan, do you want help with that?" …and she wanted more than just to watch.

Evan’s free hand closed on Terry's wrist, bringing her close. He dared himself to look up, face to face, as he took Terry’s hand and wrapped her fingers around his rigid cock with his hand over the top of Terry’s, mimicked stroking. She got it. Evan took his hand away and managed to close the supply room door behind them.

He'd been close to cumming when Terry walked in and the only thing that kept Evan from climaxing now was that her rhythm was far different then his own. She’d obviously done this before and Evan responded to the knowing touch. Gradually his hips began to rock back and forth in unison with Terry. Evan moaned softly as his body responded to her down strokes.

It seemed that he’d been staring at the top button of Terry’s dress for a long time before he actually undid it. She could have stopped him. There was a glance between them - nothing more. Evan’s fingers went to the next button and the next and when it was open as far down as the buttons went, she was bare underneath except for a low cut brassiere. He felt for the hooks and wasn’t completely artless about unfastening…

In the great room at the Masters place:
"You know he'll be back..."

"Yes. They'll both be back. Neither one of them is leaving Longmont."

At the Oaks Marina:
Josh rented a runabout that was in a slip on the dock. He'd taken it out before on his own and found that even though he'd canoed and kayaked solo and enjoyed it, in the power boat he would have preferred company.

The Oaks Marina was named after two huge and ancient trees on the lakefront. Josh had only just got there and was standing in the shade in sunglasses, swim trunks, Hawaiian shirt and sneakers. It was going to be a perfect day to be on the lake and take a dip. He smiled as he saw Alex coming.

"Do you need help, Alex?"

Alexandra - Terry & Evan

Alexandra

The Oaks Marina wasn't that far from Main Street, but then nothing seemed to be far from anything in Longmont. Everything was rather close together and yet had a sense of sprawling space going in every direction. A light sheen of sweat coated her skin from jogging to the cafe. The end of her braid swayed with her steps as she kept one eye on Google Maps and the other on the scenery.

Alexandra hitched the bookbag farther up on her shoulder, changed hands for the large bag full of take out and looked for Josh. He had messaged her about waiting for her near the oak trees.

Josh had changed into a colorful Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sneakers. He was fiddling with sunglasses and she took a moment to observe him. Alexandra wasn't sure why she felt as comfortable with him as she did. It's been a long time since she's made new friends. Yet... her nerves hummed when he's close. She wasn't sure if she was excited about being attracted to him or frightened. Probably both. Definitely both.

The past year has been about taking things slow, reaffirming herself and figuring out new routines. Just a month ago, she decided that it wasn't enough to reclaim herself and her life. She needed to add to it. That's when she decided that she should try to do new things as much as she could. To push herself outside of the comfortable space she's carved out for herself.

He caught her staring at him. Alexandra blushed bright red and wished her feelings weren't so obvious. Abashed, she joined Josh in the shade of the trees and lifted the large bag of take out.

"I brought us a picnic of food to eat from the cafe. Sunny's been great. I hope you like sandwiches, juice and salad." Her gaze lowered to the ground. "I think I'm going to buy a place in Longmont. Sunny recommended Terry Simmons and I have an appointment with her tomorrow..."

Alexandra blushed more as she realized she's been rambling out. One of these days, she will learn to be quiet when she's nervous.


Terry & Evan

Evan took Terry's hand and wrapped her fingers around his turgid hardness. She couldn't help but be fascinated by the feel of him throbbing in her hand. She didn't even want to think about the last time she had helped someone masturbate. She didn't want to think about how it had been another young man...

It's so strange how soft an engorged cock can feel silky, hard and giving. It was like a creature by itself in how it reacted to her touch and moved eagerly towards completion. No words had to be exchanged for them to find a mutually satisfying pattern.

She could feel his ragged pants on her chest. The air brushing down over her skin and causing ripples of desire to fan down to her nipples and arrow down to her melting center.

It was a relief when Evan started to unbutton her dress. To feel the cool air slick over her heated skin. Her skin flushed with amoral desires. She didn't want him to stop. She didn't want him to come yet. Terry lightened her grip and slowed down the strokes.

She was captivated by the glassy fog of sexual need clouding Evan's eyes. The way he touched her with reverence. He seemed to devour her with his eyes. As though his body had a mind of it's own and he couldn't do anything but give in.

Terry stopped stroking Evan and let her bra fall off her arms to the floor. She cupped the large, lightly veined globes with her hands and lifted them towards Evan.

Hearing Terry Simmons name again so soon and from Alexandra, Josh’s face felt suddenly hot. Terry was a temptation – even after he decided to be cool toward her after the chance meeting with Alex that morning – a part of him was still interested in Terry. Why – why – why couldn’t he just move on with Alex?

Now wasn’t the time to get into a funk over that. Alex was dressed for fun on the lake and looking at Josh expectantly. He didn’t realize until he saw all that she brought for the picnic, how hungry he’d gotten after working on the house. “Hey,” Josh said, rebounding from second thoughts about Terry, “Thanks for coming down and bringing such a great picnic. That was really considerate. Can I help you with anything?”

Although it was too early for a hello kiss, Josh had higher hopes for the end of the date. They walked down the wood planking of the marina’s dock to a wooden runabout with a canvas top. Josh helped Alex down into it, stowed their gear and released the mooring lines. The outboard started on the first try and Josh pulled slowly away with Alex sitting beside him in the cockpit. The water was clear enough to see down to the lake bottom.

Ten minutes out on the water, Josh steered the boat around a point and Longmont disappeared. Outside of town, most of the lake was undeveloped. Century old hardwoods and conifer trees grew along the shores and in the uplands. Occasionally along the shoreline, there was a break in the trees where a stream flowed into the lake or where there was an unexpected sandy beach.

Josh cut the engine and let the boat slow to a standstill about 100’ off a sunlit beach. He dropped the anchor and hung a ladder over the side. “How’s your swimming, Alex?” It was an honest question. They didn’t have to swim to the beach, but the day was hot and the water would be refreshingly cool. He’d been to this spot before and hadn’t bothered with swimming trunks. A couple of ladies came by in a canoe while he was swimming and visited for what Josh thought was a rather long time as he treaded water. No need to go there today – he wanted to get to know Alex, not scare her away.

It's strange how the buzz of the motor seems like the loudest thing ever and eventually becomes an insistent hum that looms over everything instead. Alexandra looped her long braid around her waist and tucked the end into itself. Having such long hair wasn't the best idea when you're on a boat or any other transportation device. She lifted her face towards the sky, closed her eyes and felt her cheeks start to ache from smiling so much. She loved the way the velocity of movement made the air thrust over and around her! She wanted to whoop for joy just because she could! That made her grin even more.

Josh eased down the speed and let them come to a stop. They weren't close to land but they weren't that far either. The water was amazingly clear and she could see the aquatic life beneath the surface, rocks, green growing things and reflections of the sky. She dug into the large bag of takeout food and pulled out the sandwiches, salad, two desserts and plastic utensils.

"Are you ready to eat? I think I want a bite before swimming. I got a little bit of everything: a club sandwich, Philly cheesesteak, turkey delight, a large garden salad with vinaigrette, mini pecan pie, large slice of carrot cake, water and mango juice."

She took half of the Philly cheesesteak and took a large bite. "Mmmmmmmmm! This is awesome!"

“How’s your swimming, Alex?”

She chewed happily and swallowed before she replied, "I swim like a fish! Or that's what my Dad said when I was a kid. Apparently, I knew how to swim before I knew how to crawl or walk. How about you?"

Do you believe in ghosts?

"What a great picnic, Alex," Josh said, "Thanks. After working on the house this morning, this hits the spot. I've always loved to swim - more so in a lake than in a pool, but I worked in a sawmill on the coast one summer where the some of the swing shift crew would take a dip in the fire pond over the lunch hour. Since I was the only one who went back out later, so I just skinny dipped. With all the mill machinery running it was a little surreal... and just a little bit bad to be out there alone."

Josh chose a sandwich and a couple of other things from Alex's bag and for the first time that day, just kicked back to relax and enjoy Alex's company. Occasionally the boat rocked slightly, just adding to the perfect afternoon. He asked about Alex's day and wasn't surprised that her interactions with the townsfolk were so positive. "There's a little bit of Stepford going on here, isn't there?" he teased, but once he'd vocalized the thought, it made him wonder why they both really liked Longford so much.

When he started to share what he found at the house, the memory of feeling that he was not alone in there came rushing back. "You know, Alex," Josh said, "the funniest thing happened in the house today...." When she turned her head inquisitively, Josh had to ask, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

The supply room

Evan wasn’t a virgin by any means, but with Terry he might as well have been. In his imagined fantasies about her, he was never put to the test as she now did. After being with Evan in the small enclosed space for a few minutes, at first watching, then ‘helping’, Terry was very much in the moment with him and chose to make that known in a way that was impossible to misinterpret or ignore.

He swallowed hard. Terry’s breasts were full, round, gorgeous… irresistible. His fingertips brushed over her soft, warm flesh and his lips followed… kissing… sucking, gently… passionately… and then something happened…

Even lost it.

Warm semen gushed uncontrollably onto Terry’s bare skin. She tried to get a hold of his cock again to stop it somehow, but only succeeded in having her hand drenched in warm, slippery cum. Evan was beside himself with embarrassment. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her or even say a single word.

“Probably not what you had in mind, huh?” Terry said quietly after Evans spurts subsided, “It happens. But now we’ve got a situation.” Terry held her palm up to Evan. There was a full spurt or more in it. “Lick it,” she told him and when he didn’t move, she told him again in a stronger voice, “Go ahead – lick it.” Evan did as he was told and when he finished, she added, “All of it Evan.” He knew what she meant – every streak, every splatter anywhere on Terry’s body, and after everything that had gone on he didn’t have the strength to resist or refuse.

It wasn’t like he’d never swallowed before. Quietly, respectfully, submissively, Evan obeyed Terry’s command. By the time she was satisfied, he was on his knees with Terry standing over him, dressing. “Evan,” she said, managing a formal tone, “I have to talk with you about today.”

“I’m disappointed in you and I want you to think about whether you want to continue in my employment. If you do, there are certain expectations which you must follow:
No more masturbation in my office.
You will stay out of my gym bag and personal items.
What happened today will ever happen again and it is our strict secret for all time.
I’ll be getting dressed now and leaving for the day. Do you have anything to say?”

He didn’t.

“See me in the morning,” she said, “or leave your keys in the mail slot if you’re done.” Terry was still pretty much a mess when she left the office. Her hair was a disaster and the scent of Evan’s semen seemed to be all over her body. She slunk down low behind the wheel and drove straight home. While she was waiting for the shower to get hot, she went to the kitchen and made a cocktail – a double. A lot had gone on for one day, but the thing she couldn’t get out of her mind was the picture of Evan. Not all men are handsome with their clothes off, but Evan…?? Evan was really something. Terry wasn’t ready to admit it, but she wasn’t done with the young man.

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The next morning, Evan was at the real estate office early. His shirt and trousers were pressed and he looked like the professional that he aspired to be. He was determined to put yesterday in the past and made double sure that the supply room was spotless. When Terry came in later, all she said was, "I'm glad to see you." They talked about Terry's business that day until it was time for her go to her first appointment. She was half out the door when she turned and said, "You know you owe me, don't you?"

The question rattled Evan a little, but he nodded and replied, "Yes" without actually knowing what it was that he owed her.

Alexandra and Josh

She tried to not be so obvious if that was possible. She watched Josh more than anything else and she kept noticing something new each time her eyes drifted back to him. The way his hair was getting tangled up by the wind. It was pulled here and there and topsy-turvy by the brisk breeze. It made his hair looked like a crazed crown of sorts. She wanted to laugh but she held back.

When he smiled, while thinking about something else, one side of his lips lifted up higher than the other. The way he wore his clothes showed that he didn't really care what he wore or how properly a button shirt was buttoned. He only had a few buttons near the center of the Hawaiian shirt buttoned. She could see more than a glimpse of his chest, how musculature sculpted his tanned skin and a desire to touch those shapes for herself grew in her.

It made her happy see him enjoy the food and that she was able to pick out a nice meal for them to share. His question about ghosts came out of no where. The easy going atmosphere became more dense with the feeling that someone was watching or listening closely.

Alexandra fruitlessly brushed back little pieces of flyaway hair from her face. She took a long sip of water before she replied to him. "I don't know. I want to believe that they're real. I also want to believe that dragons exist and guardian angels watch over us. What happened?"

What do you think?

Dragons and guardian angels? What an interesting person Alex was turning out to be. Josh never wondered about guardian angels – he’d witnessed enough life to believe in various spirits, including guardian angels watching over us all. There’d been certain times when he’d caught barely a glimpse of other beings… angels for all he knew, but only for a fraction of a second before his rational mind intervened and refused to allow him to see what it was. Josh was already open to the notion that there was more life in the world than what is merely biological, so why not dragons? He’d never really thought about it, but particularly after this morning, why not?

“I still don’t know what to make of it, Alex,” Josh said, thinking back to the encounter, “I started at the back door, prying the plywood covering off with a crowbar. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, so when I finally got it off I was eager to see inside the place. The trouble was that, with everything else still boarded up, the daylight from the back door only went so far into the interior. It took awhile for my eyes to adjust to the blackness and then I wouldn’t even say that I was actually seeing.”

“But while I was there, I could have sworn that I felt someone with me,” the memory of it made Josh’s hair stand up on the back of his neck, “I physically felt another body so close behind me that I could feel her body pressing against me and her arms encircling…” he realized how the experience must sound to Alex and vocalizing it for the first time, Josh found it hard to believe it himself. He kept the part about being groped to himself and the fact that he’d found it arousing. Seconds lapsed before Josh realized that he’d left the conversation hanging. Alex was looking at him expectantly. “There was another being too,” he said, “I felt him in the same way. It was like they were embracing with me in between. I kinda liked it… and then, ‘poof!’ – it was over and I was all alone in the house, feeling my way along the walls to get back into the daylight.”

Josh looked away. He realized, after he told her almost everything, that he‘d probably over-shared. Alex could very well think he was either delusional or making up a story for some sick purpose. They didn’t really know each other well enough for that kind of information. “So that’s why I asked,” Josh said, “It wasn’t scary, but I don’t know what to make of it.”

The only sound was of the boat rocking easily in small, random waves.

“What do you think?”