Spring Break

She smiled as she felt the slip of his length through her and as she rose up again she clenched down with her core, resisting the slip of his shaft out of her body, making him groan as he felt again the strength in her body. As she came back down, she relaxed and let him slip back into her with ease. She went a little faster, setting a rhythm as a moan started to build within her.

...clench...

...raise...

...pause...

...relax...

...drop...

...clench...

...over and over she repeated it until she didn't even have to think about it, getting a little faster each time, a little more fluid as she felt the now familiar clench of a rising orgasm in her core. She gritted her teeth behind a smile and gazed right down at Christian, struggling to get her thoughts in order, trying to form the words as she moved over him and struggled with the desire, the need to climax.

"I... I bet..." she said, gasping for breath. "I bet I can... That I can... hold out... longer than... longer than you can." She managed through clenched teeth finally.

He smiled up at her, his hands giving hers a squeeze as she kept moving over him. "And what... what if I win?" He managed to ask around his groaning.

"Anything..." She said with a smile, her mouth opening as she felt a tremor almost undo her. "Anything you want..." She finished.

"And... and if you win..." He said, having as much trouble as she was. "You can have... have anything... any... anything you want as well." He said and she smiled at him, the challenge laid down and accepted.

She moved over him a little faster, forgoing the clenching and tensing as she held onto his hands, looked him in the eye and just gave it her all. She was slipping over him quickly, feeling him with every inch of her being, and it was a tossup as to who would go first. He was clenching his teeth and biding his time as he carefully adjusted his legs and then when she was coming down he pushed up hard to meet her and he was rewarded with a slightly deeper penetration, pressing hard at her cervix, harder than ever before, and that was just enough to send her over a bare instant before he lost all control and his seed flooded out of him and into her.

Neither of them had ever felt anything like that before, their mutual orgasm was so powerful, so complete that they both cried out in their pleasure and she pulled him up into a hard kiss, mouths working together and her arms around his neck as she tried to keep her hips moving as his arms came around her waist and held her, his mouth just as hungry as hers and just as willing and eager. He filled her to overflowing and the wash of his warm spend sent her orgasm spinning off again, redoubling the feeling and making her sob and cry out, breaking the kiss. But she was immediately back at his mouth, hungry and needing him more than ever. They collapsed back onto the bed and lay there, tangled together, still joined at the hip and gasping for breath as their bodies, slicked with sweat, cooled in the warm night air.

* * * * *

Lora shivered as Christian traced a finger up the center of her spine. She drew in a hissing breath and smiled, but she swatted playfully at his chest.

"That's no fair..." she said in her sleepy voice. She was at the cusp of sleep, her eyes mostly closed and her body molded to his. She was comfortable and warm and she didn't ever want this time to end.

"What's not fair?" He asked with a smile as he traced his finger up her back again. "This?"

She shivered again and smiled then kissed him softly. Her slight movement, just a lengthening of her spine so her lips could reach his, was enough to allow his cock to slip from her followed by a wash of their mixed fluids. She whimpered at the loss and tried to get even closer than she already was. He enfolded her in his arms and kissed her forehead, making her smile.

"Please stay tonight." She asked him as the last bits of her conscious mind started to slip into sleep. "Please don't make me sleep alone tonight." She said in a whisper as she slipped into sleep, the last thing she felt was his gentle kiss on her brow.

Christian lay there awake for a long time, just holding her on his chest and stroking her hair and her skin, gazing at her sleeping face and the contented smile that she had. She was beautiful, she was lovely and flawless and a hundred other words that he couldn't even think of at the moment. And he was sure that he loved her. It had started out as an infatuation, triggered by the graceful arch of her naked body as she leapt off the dock over his head two days before. He had no idea that it could so quickly turn so serious... at least, serious for him. He had no idea how she felt on the matter, but the way she clung to him was certainly very fetching and affectionate. But was it just a physical attraction, or was it something more?

It was never going to work, he knew that. He was never moving to a big city again, and she had a life and a career in Oshawa, just outside of Toronto. He was sure she had friends and plans, that she liked the culture and sights and everything else that went with life in a city. She would visit surely, but could he be content with that? He sighed as he kissed her forehead again and marveled at just how long her hair was, at how long her legs were, at how strong she was, how tone and fit. He was fascinated with every aspect of her and he lay awake for another hour or so admiring her every line and curve before he finally drifted off to sleep himself.

* * * * *

The next few days passed so quickly that they lost all track of time. As Easter got closer, they worked side by side on cleaning up the cottage. She helped him paint and tame the thicket around the yard, they repainted the boat and repaired the roof and generally enjoyed being around each other. And each day they would swim in the lake as the sun set and sometimes they would make love on the rocky shore of the water, sometimes on the dock. Once they laughed as they tried to make love in the boat only to have it dump them in the water and nearly sink. But every night they would climb into her bed together and fall asleep... eventually... with their limbs tangled together and the sheets half pulled off of the bed. In the morning they would wake the same way they had gone to sleep and they would crowd into her little shower and laugh as they tried to wash one another with just a little too little room to manage it. Then they would go into her little kitchen area and work on breakfast together before they even thought about getting dressed. They laughed a lot and they got closer with each passing day. It was clear to anyone who saw them together that there was more between them than the causal homeowner-and-handyman relationship that they insisted was the limit of their involvement, and a great many smiles were carefully hidden away when the pair of them went past.

Saturday evening as they finished up the last of the painting and were standing back looking at the finished cottage, Christian turned to her with a smile. She had her long hair back in a messy bun, with loose strands and wisps of hair drifting in the breeze, she was wearing a pair of loose pants that were cinched at her waist and one of her many bikini tops. She was slicked with sweat and there was a smudge on her cheek where she had leaned in too close and gotten herself with the brush at one point, bringing a very un-ladylike word to her lips. But she looked satisfied with her work, please with the appearance of the cottage and just generally happy. She turned and caught him smiling and he could tell that they wouldn't make it past the beach tonight. She was feeling playful and happy and that usually meant starting in the water and making it to the shore only so they didn't drown in the midst of their lovemaking. It was the kind of night that they would be energized well into the night and they would sleep in late tomorrow. He had the sudden inspiration to rise early and paint her again. He had used his 'Anything' from their little game to get her to agree to let him paint her whenever the inspiration took him and it had at least four times in the last week. He knew that tomorrow would be another day that saw a painting of her drying in the living room.

"What?" She asked, seeing his contemplative look.

"My dad said that if I don't bring you with me, I'm not welcome at Easter supper." He said, embellishing his father's actual words a little. "And my mother is doing a goose, so I want to get in the door."

She curled her lips in her playful smile and turned to look back at the cottage. "Well, we could just do an Easter supper for the two of us. Clothing optional." She said and he was sorely tempted. She felt his indecision and broke into laughter as she turned to look at him, her hands going to the belt at her waist as she kicked off her sandals.

"Man, you look so torn!" She said as she let the pants fall to reveal the bottoms of her bikini. "I'll tell you want, if you can catch me, you can decide. But if not..."

She left the rest unsaid as he fairly tackled her, easily familiar with her sense of humour by now. She shrieked with laughter as he bore her down to the grass, rolling across the lawn and play fighting with her. When they stopped he was pinning her to the ground and she was gulping for air. One side of her bikini top had been pulled up and her left breast was bared. He held her wrists and smiled down at her, his legs pinning hers to the ground and she twisted her mouth in a little moue of displeasure as she struggled prettily.

"Meanie!" She said and he laughed then kissed her.

They didn't even make it to the lake first that day.

* * * * *

Lora sang along softly with his stereo as they rode up the long, winding road that led to the big house on top of the hill. It was meant for a huge, sprawling family and it was clear that Brian and his wife Vanessa planned to see it filled someday. She had woken late to an empty bed, and she was half curled on her side, the blanket over one hip and leg and her hand out-flung to the place where Christian had been. She had thought at first that he was gone, but then he spoke, admonishing her to hold her pose and she had listened to the soft susurrus of his brushes on canvas. He had finally relented and she had almost run for the washroom, her bladder protesting the treatment before she had come back to see what lovely work he had painted of her this time. He had captured her pose and her expression beautifully. The painting looked warm as she admired his work. Her face was clearly visible and while there was no obvious sign of nudity, it was clear that she was naked. Her hair was all loose and messy, he had outlined her leg and hip perfectly and as before the only thing on the canvas was her, no furniture or covers, just the outlines where they should be delineated by the soft contours and colours of her body. And like every other painting he had done of her the one point of contrast was the red he used for her lips. It was sensual and erotic and she had showed him just how much she appreciated it before they had gone to struggle with the small shower and work on breakfast. It was a pleasant memory and they had left to make the long drive to his parent's house shortly after that.

Christian's parents met them at the door, smiling and welcoming her as if she were a lost child of theirs. They gave her condolences on her father and sympathy for what had happened at his funeral and just that smoothly she was a part of their family. She was brought inside and reunited to Christian's younger sister Claire, who Lora had always gotten along with. Claire introduced her to her husband, Ryan and her two children, Abigail, who at five was the perfect image of ladylike grace, and to Neil, a wide-eyed chubby baby with a ready laugh and an instant fascination with Lora's hair. The last member of the family was Seraphina, Christian's youngest sibling whose full name was Seraphina Surprise Underwood because Vanessa had conceived her at forty, after she had supposedly been unable to have any more children. She was a darkly brooding, pretty young woman who nodded silently to Lora then vanished up to the loft to sit in a comfortable chair with a scarred old cat and a book while the others all chatted. Lora was immediately comfortable in the house, remembering the sleepovers with Claire when they were younger and visits when her father would come up for fishing and beer. The house had been rearranged a little since she had last been there, but it was still familiar and soon she was settled in with a glass of wine and she smiled at Christian and leaned against him, feeling his arm come around her and a soft kiss at her temple. His parents glanced at once another and smiled, accepting the choice the young couple had made without comment while Claire fairly beamed with pleasure.

She caught up with the family, the comings and goings of their lives and the trials and tragedies as well. Vanessa had had four miscarriages after Claire and when Seraphina had come along they were skeptical, sure that she would lose the baby. She had been careful and meticulous with her diet and when she had gone into early labour she had been flown into Toronto where she gave birth and Seraphina was kept in an incubator for nearly six months to make sure she was as healthy as possible.

"God but she has always had a set of lungs on her, that one." Vanessa said as she glanced up at the loft where her youngest was secluded. "She could scream the ears off a statue."

"But she can sing too." Brian said with a touch of pride. "All my kids are talented. Sera sings, Chris paints and Claire teaches." He said.

Lora, who hadn't had a chance to catch up with her old friend yet, looked at her with wide eyes. "You're a teacher too?!" She asked and Claire, who was nursing young Neil, looked up with a smile and a nod.

"Yep, I'm on mat leave this year, but I'll be back teaching the grade three at Seven Pines this fall." She said, indicating the local grade school.

"I teach Grade two at Mackenzie King School in Oshawa." She said excitedly and suddenly the two of them were chatting away as the others watched with smiles all around. Word got around in small towns and it wasn't hard to learn where Christian had been spending his nights lately.

Ryan proved to be pilot, running helicopter tours of the area around the town and flying a water bomber in the annual fire season. As they were talking other groups started to arrive, friends from around the lake that had all been invited and Lora was dragooned into helping Vanessa check on the three geese that she had cooking. The woman was a master in the kitchen, quite literally. She had been the executive chef at a four star restaurant for years and she still did a lot of cooking for various charities and gatherings, a sort of unofficial caterer for the area. Her kitchen had been remodeled heavily since Lora had last been there, and it had two ranges and six ovens to accommodate all of the cooking that went on and there was a walk in freezer at the back of the room. Watching Vanessa at work was just as interesting as watching Christian paint, the woman was an artist. It was soon clear however, that Lora had not been brought to help with dinner, but for the matron of the family to have a word with her. She watched as Vanessa slid the third goose back into the oven then stood and fetched down two wine glasses and filled them with a rich, purple wine.

"Here, try this, it's a blackberry wine that I've been trying to perfect for the last fifteen years." She had a greenhouse on the back of her home where she grew her own herbs and some vegetables and one whole side was given over to carefully trimmed blackberry vines.

Lora sipped at the wine and found it perfect, not too sweet or too tart and with just enough alcohol to make her aware that it wasn't juice. She sipped again and nodded appreciatively.

"It's perfect, Mrs. Underwood." She said and Vanessa snorted.

"Please, it's Vanessa." She said as she seated herself at the counter and beckoned Lora to the stool across from her. "My husband usually calls me 'Lady who feeds me' and my kids have always called me mom." She sipped at her wine and nodded, agreeing with Lora. She set the glass down then looked at the young woman across from her with a serious expression.

"It appears my son is rather interested in you." She said with an even tone. "He's been spending all of his time at your place. I know his excuse that it is for 'Work', but I've never seen him stay over for a full week when he's just 'working'."

"Well, I'm fairly interested in Christian as well." He said honestly, smiling as she thought on their relationship and how fast it had developed.

"He's a good boy, but he's had some hurts in his past." Vanessa said seriously. "I have no problem with you being lovers, lord knows it's healthy. But he needs a real relationship. Do you think that is something you can have with him?"

Lora knew what she meant. Her place in Oshawa was a five hour drive away if she took the shortest route, but it was closer to eight hours most of the time. That was a hell of a commute for any relationship and Lora had a lot of late nights and long hours at the school, meaning she wouldn't get out here very often. She sipped her wine and stared into the glass for a moment before she looked up at Vanessa.

"I don't know if I love him, but I think so. I'll be back for the summer this year and by the end of that I'll know for certain. I won't ask him to try and have a relationship with someone halfway across the province, but I don't know if he's willing to move or if I am." She said seriously.

Vanessa gazed into her eyes for a long time, neither woman looking away or blinking. It wasn't a test or struggle for dominance; it was the pair trying to read one another. Finally Vanessa nodded and smiled.

"Then listen to this..." She said and Lora listened to her speak, listened to her outlining an idea and it was something that she would be thinking about constantly for the next several months.

* * * * *

More than thirty people turned out for the supper that the Underwood's put on, and several tables had been set out on the lawn at the back of the house. Citronella candles were burning and light music played while Vanessa and her two eldest brought out the geese and set them at the three adult tables. Christian settled in next to Lora with a smile and she took his hand under the table for the evening prayer, led by Brian then the eating commenced. It was a huge spread, much of it prepared days in advanced and kept in the walk in cooler in preparation for this night. Brian had set up a pair of kegs at either end of the lawn and there were several bottles of wine at each table as well as other drinks for those not inclined to alcohol. Conversation flowed freely and as the meal passed and the groups started to break up, Lora found herself with Christian and Claire and a few others at one of the kegs. Nearby was the long dock that ran down to the boathouse that was on the lake and the small manicured beach where a bonfire for the night had been set out. They were enjoying the conversation as the sun set on the forest and the lake and the whole party was coloured gold. It was a casual evening and the fireflies were just starting to come out when a piercing scream cut through the conversation like a knife. It was Seraphina, clearly in distress as she ran toward the dock.

"ABBIE!" She screamed the name in fear.

Her voice carried far, even echoing back from the lake and every head turned to see what was going on. The little girl had slipped away from her parents and she had gone down the dock and fallen in the water. Time seemed to slow as her struggles ceased, her small form vanishing under the water, and then Lora was moving. She started so fast that she ran right out of her sandals, her hair streaming out behind her as she thundered down the dock at a full sprint, Christian right behind her. She outpaced him and she hit the end of the dock at the peak of her stride and launched like a torpedo into the water, cutting the waves and vanishing. Years of swimming came in handy and she found the small, limp form almost on accident, she was reaching blindly in the dark water for where she thought the girl had gone under and she felt the trailing of her long hair across her fingers. She curled her fist and pulled, asking silently for forgiveness from the child and when the small form came back against her chest, she grabbed her with both arms and kicked hard for the surface.