Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes Pt. 02

"I've never done any of those things. In fact, I've never done any of the things we've done today, including gorging on fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and sopping my roll in gravy! My belly is full, but my heart is soaring - can we just relax here?"

Hanna's smile split her face. "We could, but I have a better place! It's about a ten minute walk from here, it's super private, and the views are sensational! We'll have to find a place to stake the horses, or leave them here, but I promise you will love it!"

"How long is the walk back to town?" Erik asked. "It's about four miles," Hanna replied.

"Y'all up for a little hike after we rest?" Erik inquired. "I'll carry the blankets in my backpack."

They were, so Erick dashed off to find the head wrangler, who was with the carriage drivers. He was happy to take the horses back with him, but just had to tease Erik a bit. "I can imagine why you two plain-looking guys would want to stay up here with those fairly cute girls. Do you need any help finding a private place to talk, or whatever?"

"Hanna has that covered, thank you," Erik replied in kind. "As to the girls, yeah, they ain't bad, even if they are from Minnesota," which he pronounced the strange way the natives did. Everyone around chuckled at the understatements, and, after he waved goodbye and began walking back, a few offered to take them off his hands if they weren't up to his standards. He flipped them the bird behind his back, and there were more chuckles.

"Okay, we're stranded up here on our own, PocoHannas. Show us the way!"

They proceeded to the north side of the island, where the road climbed and moved further away from the lake. They crossed and walked down the other side of the road until Hanna found a yellow stone with a star carved in it. "Here!" she exclaimed.

She crawled under the thick, low-hanging branches of a conifer tree and told them to follow; they did, getting needles in their clothes and down their necks from the heavy-laden branches.

When Erik emerged, Hanna and Johnny were standing on a trail that veered northwest, and Annika was standing on a trail leading straight ahead. shaking needles off. "Y'all go that way, but be careful; you end up on a sheer bluff above the lake - don't stumble off into the water!"

Erik gave Johnny one of the blankets, and told Annika he would lead. It was a level trail, but there were crevices on both sides that grew deeper as they went farther, and it was hard to see more than a few feet through the heavy vegetation. A Blue Jay fussed at their intrusion, but the other birds kept singing. "Stay close and keep your hand on my backpack," Erik warned; "I think we must be close to the bluff."

They turned sideways to make it between two thorny branches that almost met over the trail; when they got past that, they were standing in a grassy area about 6' wide and 10' long. The grass ended where the limestone began, and the limestone ended at the edge of a cliff, or bluff, overlooking the vast, open expanse of Lake Huron. You could see forever, it seemed!

They moved cautiously to the limestone surface, and got within five feet of the edge before stopping and taking in the view. The water near the island was light green and very clear, but it transitioned to darker green and then blue as it got deeper further.

There was a cool breeze blowing across Lake Huron from Canada, but it was largely negated by the warmth of the early afternoon sun. They stood, arms around waists, and took it all in. Annika quietly said, "I've seen amazing sights in my travels, but none have touched me like this. Before, it was all intellectual - "Look! What a sight - I'll take a picture to share with my fans!

"Today, I 'feel' the whole experience: the sun glinting off the water, the sounds of crashing waves below us, the worn limestone beneath my feet, and your arm protecting me from... anything that might go wrong! It's as if my senses have been heightened and my mind opened to receive them... I don't know how to explain it."

"Quit trying to. Just enjoy, suck it all in, and let it rearrange the way you see the world. You're unshackled from the restrictions and constrictions others put on your life from age 4 until recently. It's almost like you've taken a trip on LSD, in terms of heightened perception and insights. Not that I have firsthand experience with that, but from what I understand, you're 'trippin' like they do, and it makes me more aware to be with you!

"Well, my heightened sense are telling me it's a little chilly, so let's move back into the woods and you can hold me while we lie on our blankie." "Blankie?" he teased.

"That's what I called my special blanket that Grandmother Maja and Grandpa Oliver gave me when I was a baby. I hauled it with me everywhere, and cried when mother took it from me to wash it. She wasn't such a shrew then, and she and Daddy were so in love. If only..."

"'You can't change diddly squat in the past, Girl,' as my Pawpaw used to tell me, Erik interrupted. 'All you can do is avoid the same mistakes in the future, and keep the hell away from those who done ya' wrong!"

While he was handing out his grandfather's wisdom, Erik had spread the blanket on the grass. They took seats, and then then laid down with their sides touching. "Homespun wisdom from my 'boy toy?' Remember what I said about you and Johnny when I met?"

"'These two boys,' and it was in the context of questioning our business acumen, too! You were busy polishing your 'haughty rich bitch' credentials, which is why I cut you out of the conversation with your grandparents."

"And that was the point at which I really took notice. 'Who the hell does he think he is, turning his back on ME?' I thought. Then Grandmother began telling you family history and stories I'd never heard, and I got resentful. First at you, but soon it was directed at mother."

Erik pointed at the sky. "See that poodle?"

Annika looked where he was pointing, but only saw some fluffy clouds. "No, where is it?"

"Use your imagination! It's where I'm pointing."

She lay her head on his chest and used his finger to sight in the clouds. "OH! Yes! It is a fluffy poodle! I see it!"

Cloud watching took the next twenty minutes or so, with Annika's imagination turning most every puffy little cumulus cloud into some kind of creature or person, most of which Erik could not see. That might have gone on longer, but Annika was looking back over her head at a long skinny tree branch when she spotted a pair of Red Birds and a Robin. She flipped onto her stomach, and began asking questions about those birds, and others flitting around in the trees behind them.

"Annika, I have to ask; what schools did you attend, or how were you educated? Don't look defensive; you're obviously intelligent and well educated in many areas, but there seem to be gaps in your learning when it comes to science and history."

"I never attended school, Erik. Mother said there were too many silly rules. She enrolled me in home school, discovered she didn't have the patience or knowledge, and hired tutors instead. She mostly cared about speaking and writing, so I could at least appear literate, but my tutors always taught me arithmetic and then higher math. I seem to have a natural talent for numbers and for public speaking.

"That was plenty for mother, so science was never more than a few readings, and any history I learned was incidental to the area we were in. She said I needed the time to polish my 'talents' and learn more about dress and makeup."

"Damn! Well, all I can say is, either you're some kind of 'Mensa', or your tutors did a bang-up job. You're sharp as a tack and seem very well educated. The tutoring program worked well for you."

"Well, tutoring and lots of reading while I was bored, and I was bored a lot. I wish I'd read science, though; being out in nature, I'm fascinated by everything I see!"

"Hon, it's never too late to learn; just make science a priority."

"History too! My mouth hangs open when my grandparents, you, the guides, and Daddy talk about history. I have so much to learn!"

Erik's hand had been roaming over her shoulders, back, backside, and legs since they began bird watching. "Hmmm. Okay, let me teach you something fundamental. See my jeans?" She sat up, looked at his jeans, and said, "Okay, what am I looking at?"

He flipped to his back, undid his buckle, unsnapped his jeans, kicked off his boots, and slipped out of his jeans. "Now, let me see you do that."

"Help me with my boots, and I think we both know I can't just slip out of these jeans. You're going to have to help me."

"Lesson one, miss fancy fashion model: wear cowboy cut jeans out in the country, not skinny jeans, or jeggings, or whatever these skin-tight things are! What if you need to pee bad? You'll have wet jeans before you can get them down!"

"I've got wet jeans now, but I don't have to pee," she said with hooded eyes. "Help me get them off and I'll show you."

He tossed her boots with his, and began tugging on the hem of the jeans while she worked them down. He couldn't tell if her panties came down with them, or she pushed them down, but the sparse blonde hair uncovered was definitely wet. He leaned forward to give it a snakey lick, but she grabbed his head. "Nuh huh, none of that! Having my legs wrapped around that bouncing horse and rubbing on that saddle was more than enough foreplay! Stick that BIG. HARD. COCK. in me, NOW!"

"Think I'm gonna kiss that filthy mouth of yours, Bossy? Nuh huh, I might catch something!"

"I'm sorry, Baby. I just got carried away! I won't talk nasty anymore, okay? Unless you don't stick that big cock in my tight little pussy right now - then I'm gonna cuss like a sailor!"

He couldn't help but laugh at her playfulness, but she was serious. He malingered, so she wrapped those long legs around him, dug her heels into his hamstrings, and pulled him inside her!"

"Oh, fuck," she moaned, "I'm so sore, but it feels so good! Do me baby - make me cum again!"

He did what he could, and she did what she wanted - four times. The first time he had his tongue in her mouth, but the second time it was on her titties, and the third time she was on top with nothing to constrain her outburst. The fourth time she was on her hands and knees while he pummeled her from behind and doodled with her noodle, and she howled like a panther in heat!

Erik was sure he heard giggling from nearby after two and three, but after four he was sure there was laughter from nearby, and whooping and hollering from both the road and the bottom of the cliff. He was amused and also mildly embarrassed that they had been heard, but Annika was lying on the wet blankie, all content and giggly. She was oblivious to anyone but her boyfriend, whom she was determined to turn into her husband, soon.

They got some hands-off-the-handlebars clapping and thumbs up on their hike back, but neither girl seemed concerned, so the boys responded in kind. "Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke," Erik stated, causing a new round of laughter and Hanna to comment, "You two need a place in Alaska, or maybe West Texas, after you get married. You're gonna get cops doing 'welfare checks' at your house every night if you live in Minneapolis or Austin, or any other populated area!"

This time it wasn't just Annika who was starving, so they went directly to The Jockey Club at Grand Hotel to take advantage of the wood-fired grill. They ordered several appetizers and entrees to divide up, so they could try the various seafood offerings and still have some of the 'turf' they enjoyed last time. Johnny and Erik exchanged smiles and winks about the slender, fit girls scarfing down twice as much as they did, and then complaining about needing to take another walk because they were too full!

There was no effort to pretend or be sneaky this time; Annika grabbed her night things and joined Erik; Johnny grabbed his and went to Hanna's room, with the stipulation tomorrow night they switched rooms.

**** Thursday

After a restful night that featured more sleep and less caterwauling, they went to breakfast wearing their biking gear and carrying backpacks. There were at least twenty others prepared similarly prepared, including Carl's family. They left right after breakfast, but stopped by the police station so Annika and Erik could sign complaints against Tank and the others. From there they climbed back out of town and onto the road heading south and west, so they could cruise down into town from the north at the end of the ride.

They made a lot of pit stops, had pleasant conversations over snacks and drinks from the backpacks, enjoyed sandwiches provided by Maja and Oliver for lunch, and then began the north to east to town part of the loop. When the final leg of their journey began, the four hung back so they could stop by the yellow rock. They pulled the bikes under the conifer and stashed them in the brush, then made their way back to the cliffs. This time Hanna and Johnny went straight, and the other two bore left. The trail was better that way, and the cliff top was flatter and less slippery. They sat cross-legged close to the edge, watched the distant boats of varying sizes, and talked.

Tales were told of Erik's parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins he was close to, how he and Johnny became close friends, and the ranch he was raised on. Annika spilled on 'friends' she made and lost during her childhood and early teen years, and how jealousy and backstabbing characterized the beauty contestants and models. She promised she had tried to rise above it, but as she neared the top it only got worse, until she fought back.

After a few lost assignments because she wouldn't work with the worst of them, things calmed down a bit tentative friendships developed. Then she and Afton got curious and re-enacted Blue Lagoon, minus the pregnancy, and he bragged about it. The girls got even cattier, although there wasn't virgin among them, and the male models, photographers, and directors started hitting on her.

Barry helped her solve that dilemma, but he brought different kinds of drama into her life, and brought people, both men and women, who acted as if she should spread her legs because she was just a model.

Erik stopped her there. "You are amazing! Had I lived your life, I'd be in prison or dead! While I was deciding which girl to ask to prom, you were fending off men twenty years older than you and navigating your way through a life your mother left you adrift in.

"I hope you're seeing, Honey, that not everyone is like that. Not everyone wants to exploit you, use you, and toss you back. Look at the people we've been with on this vacation, and the people we see who are here for the day with their families. Sure, you get noticed, but you've only signed a few autographs this whole trip. You haven't had to dodge paparazzi, and only been accosted once! Things are getting better, right?"

She laughed, got up, pulled out the clean blanket from his backpack, and spread it on the patch of grass. She flopped down on her back, pulled her biking shorts and panties off, removed her sports bra, laid back, looked up at the clouds, and chimed, "Look, Honey, an elephant!"

That afternooner started as another sport fuck, but devolved into love making. That was something else Annika had never experienced; but then, neither had Erick.

Starving afterward, the four rendezvoused at the bikes and raced down the hill to the Pink Pony, located on the waterfront. There they split nachos, chips and salsa, burgers, ribs, fried shrimp, and whitefish, along with two bags of fudge they picked up on the way to the hotel: a 1/4 pound of this and another of that, and I want to try that too, until they had nearly two pounds of decadent fudge.

Full bellies do not enhance sensuality, so they cuddled and slept until dawn, and then took care of their carnal needs.

****

Maja had no plans for Friday, and Saturday they were driving back to Traverse City for the flight home; or so they thought. It was Dad who broke the news after breakfast. "Don't say anything to anyone else, but you guys aren't flying home tomorrow; you're going with us on a tour of Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City, and M22, the greatest sights in Michigan. We'll fly back next Wednesday, and don't worry - I cleared your calendars before we ever left."

"Daddy, I have a winter fashion shoot in Alaska on Wednesday," Annika protested.

"No, that has been moved to Saturday, but you have to fly up Friday for the fittings and preliminaries."

"Who...?" she began. "I did, or my firm did. You are no longer represented by the attorney and manager you signed with three years ago."

Annika looked confused, but her daddy continued. "You do remember that you had me look that contract over before you signed it, and I told you I made some changes. You signed, they balked, but signed after I had conversations with them.

"One of those changes was that your earning and expenditures would be audited annually. They thought your accountant would handle that, and did for two years. This year, having had enough of the way they were misusing you with assignments back to back all over the world, I sicced a forensic audit team on your records, and guess what? That's right - they were stealing you blind!

"With the findings in hand, Arthur, our intellectual properties attorney, and the head of the audit team, confronted the three of them in a conference room in our office building. It was all recorded, so you can watch, but the summary is: each agreed to repay what was taken, plus penalty and interest, and each resigned effective three days ago.

On Thursday you and I will interview Arthur, two other attorneys, two audit firms, and the top two managerial candidates my firm has identified. I won't advise, or intervene, unless I feel strongly that you're making a mistake. I'll be acting as a father who cares deeply about you, but also as the head of my law firm. This time, we're going to get it right!"

"So, how much are they repaying me?"

"The figure the auditors came up with, for your consideration, is $1.943 million."

Erik sucked in a breath with a whistle. "Damn! How much do you make a year?"

She shrugged, but her next words were bitter. "A lot more than that, but I can't believe they stole that much and I had no idea! I guess that's what happens when your narcissistic mother is your teacher and your high school diploma was printed off your computer - you don't even learn enough to protect yourself!"

"Darling, it took a team of highly trained auditors to catch them; don't blame yourself. It was quite a scheme. Now, however, I have to tell you the rest of the story. Someone else was skimming too. That person was getting a quarter of whatever they stole from you."

"My loving mother, I'm sure! She was so angry when I cut her off that she threatened me. I ignored her, but it looks like I shouldn't have. That woman has no morals and no shame!"

Carl stood in front of his daughter and held out his arms; he hugged her when she stood, and said, "She only did one thing right in her life, but it was a big one - she gave me you!"

They hugged it out, but in spite of Daddy's reassurance, Annika remained angry after she and Erik left with their friends. She declared that she wanted to take her anger out on the weight machines and the big bag in the gym. They changed, and an hour later, lathered in sweat, Annika informed them she was okay now. She asked what they were going to do the rest of the day. Consensus was reached on (1) swimming pool, (2) lunch, and (3) a swim near the west bluffs where Oliver and Maja first got together.

That Annika was now so comfortable and skilled in the water was a testament to her natural athletic ability more than their coaching, but they accepted her thanks and praise on the way back to the room. They ate lunch in the dining hall with three families they had been horseback riding and biking with, and enjoyed the conversations with parents and kids, but did not disclose their afternoon plans when asked. "Not sure; maybe look around the town again..."