Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever

It had been a long day in the best of ways, but when the sun switched places with the moon, Derek welcomed the darkness with open arms.

His oldest ran around their campsite in the last vestiges of daylight, still topped off with the energy of youth that was wasted on the young. He sprinted away from another boy around his age who was giving chase with the vigor of a big cat on the Serengeti. Sitting around the fire he had just built, Derek and the other boy's mother, Sasha, clanged their glasses of bourbon together as they toasted to the first day of their trip in the mountains. After taking the inaugural sip, he looked around at their campsite which functioned as a home away from home for the three days they were away. Sasha sat close to Derek, probably a little too close for people who had taken vows, but the boys were too occupied with adolescence to notice, and he sure wasn't complaining about her knee rubbing up against his in the dancing shadows.

Sasha: You made me very nervous earlier.

Derek: Really? When was that?

Sasha: When you ate those berries on the trail.

Derek: Oh, pfft, you missed out, they were the best I've had in the wild.

Sasha: I'll just have to take your word for it.

Derek: When have I ever lied to you?

Sasha: I haven't caught you in one yet...(shakes her glass) but maybe after a few of these..

Derek: It sounds like you have something up your sleeve....do I have to wait to find out?

Sasha: I was thinking after the kids went to bed, maybe we could play a little game of truth or dare...

Derek: If there's anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask..

Sasha: If I had something particular in mind, I would...it's just something Phil and I used to do when we'd do things like this...and besides, I always choose dare..

Derek: Well then, in the name of nostalgia, count me in.

Their eyes locked in a stalemate of wonder and an almost undetectable spark of lust. The warmth that flowed through his body wasn't solely the bastard son of the campfire and bourbon. A primal urge rattled inside of him that he masterfully tranquilized with the love he had for his wife, Cara, but with the way Sasha's obsidian circles lingered in his direction after every sip, his mettle as a faithful husband was tested like never before.

After the boys ran out of imagination along with visibility, they joined their parents around the crackling flames. The skewers came out, as did the marshmallows, chocolate, and gram crackers. Everyone's fingers got sticky as their bellies got full, and after a round of ghost stories, the kids scurried off to their tent to watch a movie in an effort to get their minds off of the 'one-handed hitchhiker'. Sasha placed the remnants of the smores into plastic containers while Derek wiped down the metal spikes. Not a second passed without a wandering eye, he looked over at her, she looked over at him, and they both impatiently waited for the hiss of the zipper on the door of the other tent. With a layer finally between them and their offspring, Sasha sauntered up to Derek with a shit-eating grin, placing her finger on the corner of his mouth--

Sasha: I take it that you enjoyed those, you woofed them down like someone was going to steal them from you.

Sasha tapped the tip of her finger in place, she transferred the dab of melted chocolate from his upper lip to her own. She made a real show of it, licking and sucking on her index long after any trace of anything but skin was gone. A smirk spread between Derek's cheeks as he watched her provocative performance with images of a surrogate for her finger inundating his mind--

Derek: I blame it on the firewater, it gives me the munchies worse than pot.

Sasha: Is that so? It gives me a different kind of hunger.

Derek: And what could that possibly be?

Sasha: I guess you'll have to find out during the game, that can be your first question, unless of course I just keep picking dare...

Derek: I'll just dare you to answer the question..

They shared an authentic laugh as their voices echoed through the trees. Derek wanted to stay close to her at all times, he was naturally drawn to her, as he suspected she was to him, but he absconded into their tent momentarily so that he could fetch 'the greenery' as he called it. Sasha stretched her palms out toward the angriest element known to man as Derek deftly rolled up a joint. She took the last sip out of her glass with a mild cough afterward, a small drop ran down her chin, and her tongue caught it right before it had a chance to fall into the dirt. Derek watched with childlike amusement as she tried to look sexy while doing it. He sparked the end of the joint with a lighter as he puffed, the tip glowed orange as he filled his lungs with smoke, and he released it back out into the open air as he passed it to Sasha--

Sasha: (Looking over the joint) You're pretty nimble with your fingers, I actually never learned to roll, I prefer glass, mostly for convenience.

Derek: It's like most things, easy to learn, just takes some practice to get quick at it..

Sasha sucked down a cloud of marijuana as Derek stared at her wistfully. Her wavy black hair shimmered every time she leaned in closer to the fire. It seemed like she had a lot on her mind, and even more on her tongue, but it collapsed under the weight of the words that she intended to say before they turned in before she could get them out. The stars were on full display, and in between tokes, they tilted their heads upward as they took in the beauty of the void. As they did with their drinks, they took their time making the weed disappear--

Sasha: (Exhaling, passes the J) I wonder what they're up to.

Derek: Whatever they're doing, it probably isn't too much different than what we're doing.

Sasha: And what exactly are we doing, Derek?

Derek: You tell me, is it late enough to dare you to do things?

Sasha: I guess that depends on what they are.

Sasha's dimples showed as a frisky smile openly displayed her teeth. Derek killed the joint with a coup de grace pull before he flicked the roach into the mouth of the fire.

Derek: You remember that river we passed near the bottom?

Sasha: In my memory, it was more of a glorified stream, but semantics aside, yes, yes I do.

Derek: I've got a little mud on me from the hike, I was going to go wash it off. I dare you to come with me.

Sasha: You think the kids will be okay?

Derek: You know that story I told was made-up, right? And all the food is in our tent...if something furry and mean comes along, they'll have enough of a head start on it while it tears our place apart.

Sasha: Let me get us a couple of towels. Anything else you want to bring?

Derek: Nah. We'll get back into the whiskey when we return.

They zipped their tent up to keep it devoid of critters, Sasha handed Derek a big fluffy towel, and they made their way back down from the top of the mountain. Luckily, there was a rudimentary trail that they mostly stuck to. They were both good and toasty, and the THC kept them alert to every sound while also keeping them a bit clumsy. On more than one occasion, Sasha lost her footing and stumbled into the only thing keeping her off of the ground, Derek's arms--

Sasha: I hope we'll be able to find our way back, I don't know how you can even see where we're going.

Derek: Should be able to see the glow of the fire from the bottom, it had enough kindling to keep it going for a solid hour. Besides, if we get lost, at least we're lost together.

Sasha's heart thudded in her chest so loudly that it rung in her ears, she wanted to expand on his comment, but she chose to tuck it away so that she could bring it up again during a more intimate moment--

Sasha: You made a bitching fire. Where did you learn all this stuff? Were you a boy scout or something?

Derek: I got some of it from my old man, but mostly I'm self-taught. I can add making a campfire to the ever-growing list of things I need to teach you this weekend.

Sasha: I'm sure you could teach me a lot of things.

Derek: As long as you're okay with my hands-on approach.

Sasha: I'm not a very visual learner, I have to do things to really pick up on them.

Derek: It's not as simple as rubbing two sticks together, but all you really need is a spark.

Derek's words faded into silence as he marched down the trail with Sasha right behind him. It wasn't as perilous as it seemed, but their conversation came in spurts as their attention was transfixed on their footing, at least overtly. The mash clung to their insides as passion powered them through the night with complicated emotions swirling around between their ears and behind their eyes. Once the ground leveled out, they knew they were getting close, and with their arrival at their destination imminent, Derek started to run lines through his mind--

Sasha: I can hear running water.

Derek: I told you we'd find it.

Sasha: I know not to doubt you by now.

They continued to walk until they stood right on the edge of the water, they listened to nature in motion, saying nothing while they exchanged glances that were difficult to make out in the blackness. They lingered until they couldn't stand still anymore, Derek took off his shoes to once again lead by example. Sasha kicked her shoes and socks off as well, but she stopped once her feet were bare. She was quicker than he was, and after he felt the damp ground under his toes, he peeled his shirt off as an encore--

Derek: Are you going in like that? It'll be a long walk back in wet clothes.

Sasha: Oh yeah? So we're really doing this, huh?

Derek: I believe the term is skinny-dipping.

Sasha: When in Rome, I suppose..

Sasha swiftly removed her shirt, followed by her bra. Derek tried hard not to peek at her titties, but he failed miserably. She stood with her hands on her hips staring him down, which made it impossible for him not to get another scoop of her chest. He made it seem like his eyes were level with hers, but his focus was actually on her nipples--

Derek: Why are you shooting daggers at me? I mean, I looked, you got me, guilty as charged.

Sasha: It's your turn, silly, that's what I'm waiting on.

Derek: How about we do it at the same time?

Sasha: I think that can be arranged.

They simultaneously dropped their shorts to their ankles, stepping out of them as they giggled like a pair of horny teenagers. Sasha struggled with the same problem as Derek, her face beamed into his, but her line of sight kept dropping like spotty coverage. On his end, Derek couldn't really see what was going on below her bellybutton anyway with the way the shade was cast, it was easier for him to get away with his curiosity--

Sasha: I wonder how cold it is..

Derek: Rock-paper-scissors to see who goes first?

Sasha: I'll be the guinea pig, you went first in the dark.

Sasha swung her foot into the gently running water--

Sasha: Yikes. It's kind of chilly to be honest.

Derek: Damn, guess we should have brought the bottle after all. Once we get in, it won't be too bad. You just have to get past your thermometer.

Sasha: I usually just jump in..

Derek: On the count of three then?

Sasha: One..

Derek: Two...

Sasha & Derek: Three!

A big splash reverberated off of the rocks around them. Both of them sprung up above the surface as quickly as they went in, they shook their heads and wiped their faces as the shiver wore off rather quickly--

Derek: It actually feels pretty refreshing.

Sasha: This was a great idea.

Derek: I agree, it's been way too long since I've gone for a dip outside of the hot tub.

Sasha: I meant the trip. I had a lot of fun today....and the boys seemed like they enjoyed themselves...

Derek: I had a great time too...and the best part is, we still have all day tomorrow and Sunday.

They kept their mouths sealed as they relied on their other senses to fully absorb the moment. Despite being naked and alone, they were both at ease with one another, as well as the situation. Many times before, Derek had seen a special grin on Sasha's face that he swore she reserved specifically for him, and she displayed the very same one as they maintained their positions against the soft push of the stream.

Sasha: Did you get the mud off?

Derek: What's that? Oh, oh, yeah...I'm squeaky clean now.

Sasha: Well, I guess we can head back now. I mean, that is why you wanted to come down here right?

An angel and devil sat heavily on his shoulders like the weight of the world, each whispered a different narrative into his ear, but he threaded the needle right down the middle despite his stiffened cock and the reflected moonlight in his wedding band --

Derek: Not entirely. I know how much you love new experiences, and I remembered you saying a few weekends ago how you wanted to skinny-dip in the hot tub with Cara.

Sasha: Oh god....I was so wasted that night.

Derek: Are you saying that you didn't mean it?

Sasha: I'm not saying I didn't.

Derek: I know I'm not her, but you got at least half of what you wanted.

Sasha: You're not a bad consolation prize...she's a damn good-looking woman though.

Derek: You know...now that you mention it...

Sasha: (Splashes him) Oh shut up...you're both lucky to have each other.

Derek: Do you mind if I start the game early..sorry that I keep pressing...but I'm as curious as a cat.

Sasha: One question. The rest will have to wait until the sanctity of the tent.

Derek: Were you serious about going to the strip club with us?

Sasha: Oh, absolutely....we can go next weekend....I'm 100% down for that.

Derek: Do you think Phil will want to come?

Sasha: Probably, but we're going whether he does or not.

Derek: Are you surprised that you got naked around me before Cara?

Sasha: Hey! I said one question.

Derek: Conversation can get pretty dry without inquisition.

Sasha: Fine. But I get to ask a question first.

Derek: Is that the game we're rolling with?

Sasha: Nah, this is just the warm-up....like you said, we're just talking..

Derek: Alright....shoot...

Sasha: I saw you looking.....what do you think of my tits?

Derek: They're..really nice. You have cute nipples. They look kind of like chocolate-covered raisins...I mean that as I compliment, I love those things.

Sasha: Uh-huh....I've considered getting a boob job....what do you think about that...

Derek: I....uhh...I think you'd look really good with them...

Sasha: So you're saying mine are too small?

Derek: No, no! Honestly, I think yours are the perfect size, a handful is all you really need..

Sasha: (Laughs) I'm just messing with you....it was a trick question.

Derek: Not to change the subject, but, did you see anything before we got in?

Sasha: I might have seen a little something...

Derek: Is that supposed to be a euphemism?

Sasha: Just a figure of speech...and no, I didn't see anything....

The low-hanging fruit passed through his skull, but he let it go. There would be plenty of time for that later. The minutes passed like seconds, and before either of them realized it, a considerable amount of time had gone by. Their hands were pruny from saturation, and Derek used it as a catalyst to return to camp--

Derek: It might take us a minute to get back to the top, are you ready to make the trek?

Sasha: Sure...but...can we...never mind.

Derek: Well, you have to say it now...

Sasha: I'm shivering a bit, I was wondering if you'd hold me for a minute to warm me up.

Derek: Of course I will...

Derek took the two steps between them to close the gap that felt far greater than it actually was, carefully placing the bottoms of his soggy feet on the precariously rocky bottom. Sasha tracked him with her eyes as she tried not to look too excited about it. He threw his arms around her in a bearhug, which she gladly fell into like a benevolent trap. Derek wasn't sure when she asked if it was a rouse, mostly because he didn't care either way, but once her wet mane was pressed up against his chest, he could feel her body vibrating for survival. Her arms were clasped around her own body, she was completely encased in his wingspan, and she rubbed her head back and forth ever so slightly to showcase a tamed version of her affection. The rushing water around them filled their ears along with the insects and other nocturnal creatures, between the symphony of much simpler life forms and the limelight of the moon, they couldn't help but feel as if the moment had been crafted for them in the name of destiny. They finally met eyes as Sasha's quivering subsided--

Derek: Your eyes have a sparkle in them that's very enchanting..

Sasha: That's just the moonlight..

Derek: No, it's really not, they're always shimmering, I've noticed it many times, even in the daylight..

Sasha: I'm glad you noticed...you have this...attention to detail that not many people have...were you looking for something within them? Or were all those times just by chance?

Derek: Both..

Sasha: Both is the most boring answer in the world...nothing is ever truly 50-50, life never gets more balanced than 60-40, so the real question is, which is the 60?

Derek: The searching....and in this case....it's more like 80-20..

Sasha: That's disappointing, I wanted you to say 99-1..

Derek: Would you believe me if I said it was 100-0?

Sasha: Not after you said both..

Derek: They were concurrent, I was either looking for something by chance, or by chance I was looking for something..

Sasha: I'm not drunk enough for your doublespeak to make sense...

Derek: Well then, that needs to be our top priority...right after we get back to base..

They were equal parts excited and reluctant to remove themselves from the water. Derek pulled himself up onto the bank, quickly turning around to give Sasha an unneeded hand to assist in her escape. Proper planning allowed them to dry off quickly, each wore their towel like a cape after their skin was devoid of droplets, and they both sensed the hesitation in the other to change their status of being nude. Sasha took the first step of ascension, but she quickly paused when she realized that Derek's gaze was transfixed on the aquatic vein. She couldn't read his mind, but even in the darkness, she could tell he was wistful, and phantoms of what could have happened danced through her imagination as she suspected they were through his--