Fall of '69

Soon we were at the Sand Bridge park entrance.

"We'll make a pit stop here. There are no bathrooms where we're headed."

"Where's that?"

I pointed to a dirt road. "That way to Naked Mountain."

She laughed. "Very funny."

"No, really." I pulled out my topographical map and opened it on the seat between us. "See. We're here." Drawing an imaginary circle, I explained, "This is the Bald Eagle State Forest." I dragged my finger along the dotted line representing the road, "and we are going there, Naked Mountain. There's an amazing view of the Susquehanna Valley up there."

"Will we see any Bald Eagles?"

"Maybe. If we're naked."

She slapped my shoulder. "You wish."

I did.

The bathrooms were nothing more than plywood boxes with no amenities other than china fixtures and cold water. As I washed my hands, I clearly heard Becky call my name.

"Need some help in there?"

"There's no toilet paper."

"Wait a minute."

I swiped a half roll from the men's room and took it next door. "Is everyone decent in here?"

A hand appeared under the only stall door. Faintly, I could see sneakers, with jeans and pink panties piled on top.

I placed the roll in the hand, but then wouldn't let go. "What's it worth to you?"

"Don! Give it!"

"Okay, okay." I resisted the urge to peek through the door crack, and went back outside to wait.

At 10:30 AM there were no other vehicles around. As far as I knew, we had the entire mountain to ourselves. The fragrant air invigorated the senses and filled my head with memories from last night and hopes for things to come. Soon, other people would arrive, but past experience told me no one ventured higher than the paved parking lot this late in the year.

Becky came out of the bathroom grinning. "You are so bad!"

I got the impression she was beginning to enjoy my badness. "But not all the time."

"That's true. You have a couple of redeeming qualities."

I didn't ask what they were and she didn't offer.

"Let's rock-n-roll."

Even with four-wheel drive, my truck struggled to make the climb up the dirt trail. Becky laughed and screamed with excitement, as the cab bounced and tipped. She seemed in her element, carefree and animated.

By the time we reached the end of the ruts, my arms were tired from wrestling with the wheel. "It's a 30 minute hike from here to the top. Are you up for it?"

"It'll feel good to walk for a while."

"Cool. Let's pack up some food to take." I climbed into the truck bed, untied the cooler, and slid it to the tailgate. "I hope you like ham and cheese. That's all I have."

Becky flipped up the lid, saying, "I'm a vegetarian."

My heart sank. "Really?"

Her hand went deep into the cooler. She withdrew it quickly, and flicked ice water at me. "No. Just kidding."

"Oh, so that's the way it's going to be?" Dipping my hand into the icy depths, I said, "Remember, you started it."

She laughed, and turned to run.

Grabbing her around the waist with one arm, I pulled her against my chest and rubbed my wet palm against the back of her neck.

She squealed and struggled to get away. "Oh! That's cold!"

I restrained her briefly, and then let go.

Her face was beautifully flushed from the struggle. The flannel shirt had come untied and I caught a glimpse of jiggling breasts and distended nipples through the soft cotton.

"I guess I asked for that," she said, retying the shirttails. The laughter in those piercing eyes told me there were no regrets, only the possibility of retaliation.

"Yes, you did. And there's more where that came from, so behave yourself or suffer the consequences." I hoped she'd misbehave all day.

She didn't say anything, but went back to the cooler. This time, she pulled out a 7-Up. "I'm so thirsty."

"Wait!"

Too late. She lifted the tab and soda sprayed out. Most of it missed, but enough struck home to drip off the end of her nose and wet her sleeve.

Her shock gave way to laughter, so I joined in.

Shaking the foaming liquid from her hand, Becky said, "I should've known better. Now I'm going to attract flies."

"Nah. We can clean you up." I sprung into action, wanting to take the initiative before she had time to think.

Retrieving a napkin, I dipped it in the ice water, saying, "Better take off the flannel."

There seemed little reluctance, as she removed it and threw it on the tailgate.

Keeping my eyes locked with hers, I said, "Hold still," and began washing her face.

She argued, "I can do it myself."

Pushing her hand away, I said, "No, let me."

After a moment of indecision, she gave in.

As I wiped her forehead, Becky closed her eyes and I took the opportunity for a quick glance down at some very alluring cleavage.

When I moved the napkin to her cheek, her eyes reopened to meet mine. The warmth I saw in their green depths stirred me to confess, "You're beautiful."

She smiled and blushed. When the napkin laved her neck, her eyelids fluttered and she looked away.

I thought she would stop me. I expected her to stop me. When she didn't, my arousal soared.

Soda had dripped from her chin onto her chest. Reverently, I washed lower, all the way to the exposed cleft. The pulse on her neck throbbed and her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. My fingers ached to slip down and tease the proud nipples. Instead, I refreshed the napkin in the ice water and wiped off her sticky hands.

"That should do it," I said, throwing the wet paper into the truck.

In a husky whisper, Becky said, "Thank you."

I wasn't sure if she thanked me for cleaning her up, or for not taking advantage of her vulnerability. Maybe both.

"My pleasure."

Her gaze dropped to my lips and then closed. Her body tipped forward.

This was an unexpected, yet longed for invitation. So, I did what any red-blooded, horny young man wouldn't do. I gave her a quick peck on the lips, and said, "Let's get going," and began loading my backpack with lunch.

Obviously puzzled by the brevity of the kiss, Becky remained silent as we gathered the picnic supplies. I caught her glancing at the bulge in my jeans.

Eventually, the testosterone fed beast inside me receded.

When everything was ready, I removed my sweatshirt and offered it to Becky. "I'm going to get hot carrying this pack. You might need this."

I was rewarded with a grateful smile as she put it on.

"Okay. That's it. Let's go."

Becky drained what was left of the 7-Up and tossed the empty can into the truck bed. Then she burped, and said "Lead on, DC."

"Nice."

We walked a few paces, when Becky asked, "Do you come here a lot?"

After the roar of the truck, the serenity of the woods felt incredibly calming. I loved the solitude, and often came by myself to wander along the forest trails and escape from the world.

"Whenever I can. It's peaceful. I forget about everything when I'm here."

"How many other girls have you taken on picnics like this?"

The prying comment annoyed me. "Why?"

"Never mind. It's none of my business."

We walked 50 paces in silence.

"No one, I've never brought anyone else up here."

After another 50, Becky said, "Thanks for inviting me. It's beautiful. My brother and his friends loved to hike in the Rockies. He took me once, when he came home from West Point."

It was quiet a few more seconds, and then she added, "I wonder if he ever enjoys hiking in Vietnam. I wonder if he can ever really relax."

She was behind me on the trail, so I couldn't see her face. "Jeremy sounds like a guy who loves life. I bet he can find happiness wherever he is."

Sniffling caught my ear. I stopped and turned around.

Wiping her eyes, she muttered, "I'm sorry. I'll be all right."

No words of comfort came to me, so I hugged her against my chest, and she cried into my shoulder for a while. When her body finally stopped quaking, I stroked her hair and asked, "Feel better?"

A heavy sigh, and then, "Yes, I do."

She kissed my cheek and we separated. Her eyes were red and her smile weak, when she said, "Thanks for being so understanding."

"Me? Understanding?" Resuming the uphill trudge, I said, "I'm not. I just saw the perfect chance to feel your body against mine."

I kept walking, and then, "Ow!" pain shot through my side. "Your claws are sharp!"

"You deserved it -- for being a snot."

"That's going to leave a mark." I lifted my tee-shirt to inspect the red welt. "You're going to have to kiss it and make it better."

"You wish."

"I do."

Becky just smiled, and gave me hope. I never pictured her as a tease. Maybe all women are, naturally. Maybe it was just my wishful thinking.

Soon, the steep and uneven path took its toll. We became too busy huffing and puffing to talk. When I looked back to check on Becky, the sweatshirt was off and tied around her waist. With every step, her breasts swayed delightfully under the loose tank top.

Tearing my eyes away, I said, "Let's take a break," and headed for a log.

"Thank you!"

Obviously winded, she bent over and put her hands on her knees. "I can't believe how out of shape I am." Her shirt bloused open, revealing the creamy skin of her chest.

I couldn't help myself. "You look in great shape to me."

Realizing her exposure, Becky snapped upright. "Pervert," she said, punching my shoulder. Her grin said something else.

"What'd I do? A guy can't even give a girl a compliment anymore?"

The backpack cut into my shoulders, so I dropped it and rubbed a sore spot.

"Here, sit down. Let me." said Becky, circling around behind. "I used to rub Grandpa's shoulders. After a long day on the tractor he'd get so stiff."

I bit my tongue, as my head filled with inappropriate 'stiff' jokes.

Timidly, her hands began to massage.

"Thanks. That feels fantastic." The stiffness left my shoulders and moved south.

My sweaty neck didn't seem to faze her in the least. Her fingers became more confident and explored the contours of my upper back for a little while.

I groaned in pleasure and let my head loll forward. "You're going to let me return the favor, right?"

Her fingers slid up and tickled my ears, sending a tingle down my spine. "We'll see," she said, and sat down on the log beside me.

We took turns drinking from the canteen.

"Mmm, the air smells so good." Becky leaned back on her hands, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Her chest expanded, her back arched, and the shirt molded to her body. After several more cleansing breaths, she sat upright, and stretched her arms overhead. "I'm ready when you are, D.C."

We both stood.

My heart thumped, as I studied her smiling face. When Becky was happy, nothing compared to her beauty. She radiated a magnetic, innocent joy that tugged my lips toward hers.

As I drew closer, Becky's posture changed. At first, I saw nervous indecision, and then, as our lips touched with feathery softness, I felt surrender. The kiss lingered, and her body pressed against mine. My hands slid up from her hips to brush the sides of her breasts. She tensed, as I momentarily stroked my thumbs along their outer curves before my hands continued up to cradle her face.

I broke off the embrace, and we shared an intimate smile.

Becky looked away, as my eyes wandered over her body. But she said nothing to discourage it.

Picking up my backpack, I said, "We'd better get moving," and slung it over my shoulder.

Once again, we trudged in silence with me in the lead.

After a while, I tried to make small talk. "So, Becky is short for Rebecca. Do you have a middle name?"

"Evelyn. It was my grandma's name."

"Rebecca Evelyn Jeffries. REJ, Rejjie. Anyone ever call you that?"

"No."

"Then I will, unless you hate it."

"No."

"Is that, no don't call me that? Or no, you don't hate it?"

"It's a guy's name! Becky is fine. But please, don't ever call me BJ."

Laughing, I said, "Okay, I promise."

"What's your middle name, Don? Is it Juan?"

"Ouch, that hurts."

"Sorry. I'm feeling a little defensive."

"You have no reason to be. I'm harmless."

She snickered, as if unconvinced.

We walked a few paces, as I thought things over. "Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"I promise."

"I really hate my middle name. I never tell anyone, but I trust you. It's Oliver."

She tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle a giggle. "Instead of DC, I'll call you Doc."

"Thanks for the compassion."

"Oliver is pretty bad. Is it a family name?"

"It was my uncle's. He died in the Korean war."

"Sorry."

"Thanks, but I only know him from photos."

"Could've been worse. His name could've been Oscar."

A jingle popped into my head: "Oh, I'm glad I'm not an Oscar Mayer wiener. That is what I'd never want to be. Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener. There would soon be nothing left of me!"

She laughed. "You're weird."

"I know. Things just pop into my head and come out of my mouth. It's a bad habit."

"At least I'll always know what you're thinking."

"Well, I don't say everything. For example, I didn't tell you how nice your boobs felt."

Afraid to look back for her reaction, I just waited for another agonizing pinch.

Instead, after long seconds, I heard, "Some things don't need to be said. Your wiener, poking me in the stomach, already told me how much you liked it. Maybe I should've asked, 'What's up Doc?'"

I laughed out loud, and then a flash of red caught my eye. "Look, a cardinal!" I stopped and pointed.

Becky stopped beside me, and we watched the crimson bird flit from pine bough to pine bough.

"Did you know if a red Cardinal and a Blue Jay mate you get a Purple Martin?"

"No, I didn't." She took my hand. "You're quite the nature expert. What else can you teach me?"

"What do you want to know?"

She thought about it, and said, "What do you get when you cross a Kansas Jayhawk with a Pennsylvanian woodcock?"

My mouth went dry and coherent thoughts wouldn't form. She was definitely playing with my head. "I'm not sure, but I bet it would be a thrilling experiment."

Becky did not accept or reject the hypothesis. She just smiled shyly and looked up the path. "How much farther is it?"

That was my cue to start walking again. "Not far. Are you hungry?"

"A little."

Sex seemed to be on her mind. After everything we'd done and seen together, it was obvious she'd been thinking about physical pleasures since yesterday. For some reason, she regarded me as a safe person to tease. The funny thing about my excitement was the hint of reluctance that dulled my usually unbridled lust. I didn't want to hurt her.

"Doc, do you play any sports?"

"Yeah, but nothing serious. Just for fun. Why? Do you want to beat me at tennis, or something?"

"You're in great shape. I just figured you were a jock."

"You mean a dumb jock."

"When we first met I thought so, but now I know you're not dumb."

A compliment about my body seemed like another green light. "Thanks, Becky. And you're not half as uptight as I first thought."

"Thanks a lot."

I got another pinch.

After 100 yards, I announced, "We're here," and pushed through a wall of scrub brush.

Becky came up beside me. "Wow!"

"Exactly." The view of the river valley stretched for miles. The autumn leaves blanketed the panorama like a patchwork quilt.

I pointed. "You can just make out the campus from here."

Removing the backpack, I walked over to the base of a large oak. "Let's eat in the shade."

Becky helped me spread the blanket and unpack the food. The cans of 7-Up, almost cool, were opened carefully.

When all was ready, she said, "Doc, would you ask the blessing?"

"Uh... sure."

We closed our eyes, and she took my hand.

Regrettably, the modified prayer from my Boy Scout days popped out. "Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for my warm, dry feet, Thank you for the friends we make, Thank you for girls' sexy shake, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you Lord for everything, Amen."

"Amen." She slapped my arm. "You're bad!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"No you're not." Her smile only encouraged my bad behavior.

"Not really."

We sat in crossed-legged silence, eating crushed chips and bland sandwiches, while feasting on the view.

"This is wonderful, Doc." Becky rubbed my knee. "Thanks again for sharing it with me."

I gave her a 'see-food' smile, and mumbled, "You're welcome."

She shook her head and looked away. "You're bad AND gross."

When we'd had our fill and the garbage was packed away, I walked out to the cliff's edge where the view was the best. Becky stayed on the blanket.

"Come out here Beckster. You can see a lot more."

She made an anxious face, and said, "I'm kind of afraid of heights."

"There's nothing to be afraid of." I jumped up and down. "See, its granite, solid as a rock."

"I can see plenty from here."

"Suit yourself."

I turned to face the valley, and started taking off my shirt. "Man, it's hot in the sun."

When the tee-shirt covered my face, I started to wobble, "Uh-oh." I tipped forward and stepped off the edge.

Becky screamed as I fell, and then her horrified face appeared over the precipice.

I grinned up from the ledge eight-feet below. "See? It's perfectly safe."

"Ooo, you're such an ass!" Then she disappeared.

I climbed back up. "Don't worry. I'm not going to Cory out on you."

She sat on the blanket with her arms folded, staring angrily at me. Her eyes flooded.

I remembered all the loved ones she'd lost and her worries about her brother. My heart sank down to my stomach.

Sitting, I put my arms around her, and said, "You're right. I am such an ass. That was a stupid thing to do. I'm so sorry, Becky."

She didn't answer.

Hugging her tight, I asked, "Forgive me?" and kissed her cheek.

Turning to meet my gaze, Becky didn't say a word. Instead, her eyes closed, pushing tears out to roll down her cheeks. Her body pressed forward and our lips met tenderly.

I kissed back with a little more enthusiasm, and she groaned approval.

With shared effort, our bodies moved as one. Soon, Becky was lying on her back, as we kissed passionately -- her hands in my hair, my arms around her back, clutching her to my chest.

She was mine. I knew it when her thigh moved suggestively against my groin. The surprise of her advance shocked me back to reality and, frightened I'd lose control, I rolled off to stare at the sky and catch my breath.

I heard Becky's breathing ease up as she regained composure, but I didn't dare look. I was afraid I'd see horror or disdain when she came to her senses. The big, puffy clouds, gliding across the sky, became my focus. I tried to see images in their shapes, anything to subdue the desire burning inside.

Stupidly, I pointed at one, and said, "That one looks like an elephant's head without a trunk."

Becky laughed, breathily. "I know where his trunk is. Or were you just happy to kiss me?"

"Becky!" That didn't sound like a woman with regrets. I turned to look at her.

She blushed prettily, but continued to stare at the sky.

Rolling onto my side, I propped my head up with one arm and laid my free hand on her stomach. "I was enormously happy to kiss you. You're all I've been thinking about since we met."

"Enormous? Don't flatter yourself. I've seen horses bred. Now that's enormous."

We both laughed, and my worst fears dissolved. "I guess size is relative to what you compare it to."

"Well, that's about all I have for comparison -- horny farm animals." Becky looked at me seriously, and said, "But you have known a lot of women for comparison."

The accusation stung. I flopped onto my back and stared at the sky. "Not a lot."

Becky rolled onto my chest and looked into my eyes. "How many? What are their names? Who was the best?"

"None of your damn business!" I pushed her off and sat up.