Teacher's Crossroad

Tyson wasn't about to change his personal habits for his neighbor. He swam nude, and he sunbathed nude. That wasn't changing. He would just continue ignoring the possibility of peeping... Barbaras.

He felt the waters warming further and knew he was reaching the shallow water near the shore. The swim was over. Tyson wasn't exhausted at all! He got his feet under himself and stood in the thigh-deep water, glancing back at the lake as he sucked air into his lungs to feed his hungry muscles. He'd swim further tomorrow. He turned around to look at his home. He truly loved his little haven.

The morning sun felt good, so he turned his face to it with eyes closed and ran his hands over his head to squeeze the water out of his hair and realized how long it was getting. The tight black curls had grown in length to the point where he was beginning to resemble Imani. He walked forward out of the water and up onto his lawn. He stretched his arms up over his head and bent side to side.

A sharp shriek popped his eyes open, and he saw a pretty young thing staring at him wide-eyed, with her hands over her mouth. She was wearing a brightly colored skin-tight outfit, which he barely caught a glimpse of before she spun and disappeared up the path beside his house.

He would either have to add a lock to the gate or get a more prominent Private sign!

-=-

Miranda raced her bicycle along the winding country road-turned recreational pathway as her mind raced ahead. What had she just seen?!?

Finally, she pulled over at a small rest area with benches and pulled her water bottle from the bike as she took a seat.

Christy said nothing of Tyson's family living with him. Maybe a cousin? She was sure she'd read that he was an only child so that hunk of manliness she'd just witnessed completely NAKED wasn't a younger brother. She'd managed to pick up a family resemblance before her eyes refused to focus on anything but his nudity. The shriek caught her by surprise, too.

She patted her cheeks to snap herself out of her daze. It was going to take some time to get that vision out of her mind.

Climbing back on her bicycle, she got herself moving again. She'd have to speak to Christy about her request, as there appeared to be a complication. A sexy one.

-=-

"Good morning, Tyson!" Christy greeted him when she called after her breakfast.

"Hey, Christy! How are you this fine day!" he replied.

She grinned, hearing the happiness in his voice. Then she recalled the purpose of her call, and her smile dimmed a little. "I was wondering if I could come to see you this afternoon."

"Of course! You know I'll clear my busy schedule for you," he joked weakly. "Will you be staying for dinner?" His voice was casual, but she detected a little hope. Her heart twisted.

"Not today," she said

"That's cool. Listen, do you recall your first visit to my home?" he asked.

The change in direction caught her by surprise, but her grin returned. "Like I could forget that sight!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Well, I had another young lady intruder in my backyard this morning, and this one shrieked and ran away."

Christy thought he sounded a little worried. "What did she look like?" she asked, sure she knew who it was.

"She had her hands over her lower face, but she had pretty brown eyes, long brown hair in a braid, and she was wearing something skin tight with odd-looking shoes."

"Ah, yes. That was a friend of mine, Miranda Moreno. She's a cyclist and rides her bike out on the country roads for fun. I mentioned to her that we were friends and I visited you at your place at the lake. I didn't know she'd drop by today."

"You mentioned us to her?" Tyson asked, and she heard the unspoken question.

"Just that we were friends. I was discreet," she said with a smile.

"Then I messed up the first impression," he sighed.

Christy couldn't stop her giggles. "I wouldn't say you messed up."

"You didn't scream."

Her giggles turned into laughter. "True, but that was because I went on the offense instead. I recall demanding you prove you were who you said you were.

He chuckled at the memory. "Right. You're a tough cookie."

"I'll have a talk with her. It'll be fine. She was likely just surprised," Christy assured him.

"So, should I get a lock for the gate or a bigger private sign?" he asked.

"Is that what that sign says? I thought it said, this way to see privates!" she said and burst into giggles.

He chuckled. "All right, all right, Ms. Smarty Pants Girl. I'll see you this afternoon. Bye."

"Bye!"

Christy hung up and immediately headed to her car. She needed to speak to Miranda.

She could probably have walked, but Christy knew of a few places she could be if she wasn't home.

When she pressed the doorbell, Raúl Jr. answered it and gave her another delighted smile.

"Two days in a row! It's feast or famine with you!" he teased.

She gave him a smile as she had to give him credit. That line was pretty smooth.

"Looking for Miranda," she replied sweetly.

He sighed theatrically. "One day, I dream you will call on me."

She grinned at him and raised a brow. "Not today."

Raúl stepped back and gestured for her to go upstairs. "She's returned from her ride. She's in her bedroom."

Christy smiled and climbed the stairs, once more feeling his eyes on her. "Staring at my ass just pushes your dream farther away."

She heard him make a frustrated sound, then she was facing her friend's bedroom door. She knocked. "Miranda? It's me, Christy."

She heard a muted squeak and some thumping as something was dropping to the floor.

"One second!" Miranda called out from behind the door.

Christy waited and did her best not to imagine the source of the odd buzzing noise inside.

The door opened, and Miranda stepped out into the hall. Christy noticed her face was flushed.

"Why don't we go sit on the patio? It's a lovely day outside!" she asked quickly.

Christy could still hear something angrily buzzing away inside. "Are you sure you don't need to turn that off first?" she asked cautiously.

Miranda's shoulders slumped, and she sighed. "Okay... can you help me move the bed?"

They went inside and pulled the bed away from the wall so Miranda could collect the personal massager, which had somehow fallen between the mattress and wall. She shut it off and tucked it in the drawer of her bedside table.

After they pushed the bed back, they sat and faced each other. Miranda's face looked like it might ignite.

"I understand you had an interesting visit out at Tyson's this morning," Christy began.

Miranda's eyes widened alarmingly. "You didn't tell me Tyson had family living with him! Nudist family at that!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, you saw him naked?" Christy said with a big grin on her face. She was rather enjoying this.

"Saw him!?! He walked out of the lake like some kind of celestial being who just splashed down on his comet! He's gorgeous!" Miranda sighed. "Who is he? Tyson's younger cousin?"

Christy laughed joyfully, and Miranda couldn't help but grin at the happy sound.

"Miranda... that was Tyson."

The lovely brunette's smile was replaced by a puzzled look. "No, Mr. Kane is almost sixty. This man couldn't have been more than mid-forties, maybe late thirties!"

"Tyson lives alone. The man you saw walk out of the lake was him. He swims every day." She took a breath and reached out to take Miranda's hand in hers. "Listen, he put himself through hell after the accident. He might have even been trying to kill himself with exercise. He lost all the extra weight while building and hardening his muscles. He's still incredibly driven with his workouts."

Miranda was staring at Christy with a dawning realization in her eyes. "It's him! He's your mystery boyfriend!" she gasped.

Christy smiled softly. "Boyfriend is not the correct term. He'd my good friend, and I'm his, but there's no romantic love involved."

"But, you're having sex with him!"

Christy's smile burst across her face as she nodded. "Tyson's incredible in bed!"

Miranda squealed excitedly as Christy confirmed her guess.

Christy held up her hands to calm her friend. "That information is not for sharing. It wasn't something Tyson was looking for. He was almost a shut-in when we first met. He didn't want me in his backyard. He didn't want to tutor me. He didn't want to let me join him for his afternoon walk. We wouldn't have had sex had I not decided I wanted him and pursued him so aggressively. He had a real problem with our age difference. It wasn't as much of an issue for me as he's so damn sexy!"

Miranda thought about Christy's request for her to look in on Tyson. "Were you expecting me to have sex with Tyson as well?"

Christy looked at her in shock. "No! Oh, my god, no! I just wanted someone to help keep Tyson from slipping back into his shell. He needs external contact, someone to talk with face to face. Once you get to know him, if you decided you'd like to begin a physical relationship, you'll need to work that out with him. As I said, he's wonderful, but if I hadn't forced the issue, it would never have happened. He's a gentleman." She smiled fondly.

Miranda nodded as she thought about everything she'd learned. She knew it was too soon after Vince for her to look for another boyfriend, and seriously, she could use a break from dating. Having a man to talk to might be nice!

An idea popped into her head of something else that would be really nice!

"You said he's hardcore into working out, yes?" she asked.

Christy nodded, so Miranda jumped off the bed to pull her friend after her. They rushed downstairs and out into the backyard to run over to the large two-story garage at the end of their driveway. Slipping inside, Miranda led Christy upstairs into the loft, where they saw several older, used bicycles hanging from the rafters. She turned and faced her blonde friend.

"We can fix up one of these old bikes for him, and he can join me on my bike rides!" Miranda gushed excitedly.

Christy was struck by the brilliance of the idea but not its execution. None of the bicycles would likely fit Tyson. He'd probably bend them into a pretzel if he went all out on them.

However, getting him a new bicycle, something his size and strong enough to handle his strength, was a stroke of genius. Not only would it give him exercise, it wasn't a car, but it gave him the means to leave the little cocoon of his neighborhood! It also gave Miranda an incentive to hang around with him as well.

"Miranda, you are a genius, but you need to think bigger. Can you take me to a bike shop, the best one, like right now?" she asked with a trembling voice.

The brunette picked up the excitement and nodded quickly. "I know just where to go!"

-=-

Tyson heard the crunch of car tires on the gravel of his driveway and smiled. Christy was here.

When the second set of crunch sounds began, he turned to the front door. A second car?

He checked the oven, and all was good, so he headed over to the door to open it.

Parked in the spot furthest from the door was Christy's sporty white coupe. She was getting out and watching him with a big grin on her face.

In the spot closest to the house, a blue pickup was coming to a halt. In the passenger window, he saw the pretty brunette who surprised him this morning. She was looking at him with wide eyes and a nervous smile.

The truck's engine went silent, and the lovely brunette stepped out. She had on a new tight-fitting outfit but sneakers on her feet this time.

On the other side of the pickup was a tall, good-looking young man with a complexion that matched the brunette. He was watching him with an amused smile as Tyson stood on his steps wearing an apron, shorts that were probably not currently visible, and sandals.

"Do you greet all your visitors, only wearing an apron?" Christy called out, joy in her voice.

He lifted the apron to flash his shorts at Christy, and the brunette squeaked in surprise as she likely thought he was naked underneath.

"You know I don't get any visitors aside from you and George. Besides, I was baking cookies," he explained.

By this time, Christy was standing next to the other woman. "Tyson, this is my good friend Miranda Moreno, and this handsome young man is her brother, Raúl Jr."

Tyson instantly picked up Raúl was pleased to be referred to as handsome but far less delighted to have young and junior linked to his introduction.

"Hello, Miranda, Raúl." He got a bright smile from Miranda and a pleased smile from the young man, but his expression still showed amusement. He didn't approve of seeing a man in an apron, perhaps?

"I'm terribly sorry I entered your backyard this morning without permission," Miranda said earnestly.

Tyson waved a hand dismissively. "Would you like a freshly baked shortbread cookie?"

"Ooo! The sexy man is luring us into his abode with the promise of sweets. What could go wrong?" Christy teased and stepped forward with her arm through Miranda's. Tyson stood back and held the door for his guests.

The ladies stepped through the door, and Raúl stopped just inside with an annoyed look on his face. As Christy showed Miranda around, he looked back at Tyson as he closed the door. Tyson raised a questioning brow to him.

"How can she call you sexy when you're dressed for woman's work?" the young man stated scornfully.

"Woman's work? Who sold you that load of crap and called it gold?" Tyson said with a grin as he walked past him into the kitchen. He picked up a cookie, still warm from the oven, and handed it to Raúl. The man took a bite and nodded appreciatively as it melted in his mouth with a gentle crunch. Tyson smiled and offered the plate of cookies to the ladies who each took one.

"Oh, this is so good!" Christy purred as she approached. "Thank you for the sweets." She pressed herself against his chest and offered her lips to him. He was a little self-conscious about the show of affection, but Christy's lips were highly addictive, so he kissed her until she purred again and pushed back.

Raúl was staring at her in shock.

"What? He's a gentleman, a master in the kitchen, keeps a neat home, and is sexy as hell," Christy explained.

"Those are a woman's tas—" Raúl began heatedly.

"Seriously, where are you getting these idiotic ideas that professions, or work of any kind, should be gender-based? I thought I was the one with outdated values. You make me feel young in comparison."

Raúl stared at him. "How-how old are you?"

"Fifty-nine."

"What!?!" Raúl's face whipped around to look at Christy. "You're fu—dating an abuelo?"

Tyson looked to Miranda, who was still staring at him. "What's that?"

"Grandfather," she said softly.

Tyson wanted to be angry, but he kind of agreed with Raúl. Why Christy was so attracted to him was still something of a mystery to him. He shrugged.

"I may be old enough to be one, but I have no children or grandkids. That ship sailed years ago," he said sadly.

Raúl wasn't finished. He turned to Christy again, who just watched him with a slight smile. "I don't understand. I'm strong, and as you said, handsome. What does this man have that I do not!"

"I can bake cookies," Tyson offered with a smile. "Hey! I'll teach you how to make chocolate chip cookies. Ladies love them, and the fact that you made them will win you major points."

"My friends at the gym would laugh me out of the building!" Raúl insisted hotly.

Christy shared a sad look with Miranda. "I think we found the source of Raúl's toxic masculinity."

"Toxic?!? Being masculine isn't toxic!" he snapped.

"No, but combined with the chauvinistic attitude you present to women, it is. You're smart. You can do better," Christy said bluntly.

Raúl looked back at Tyson. "Okay, you will teach me how to make cookies," The ladies perked up, perhaps sensing an improvement in his attitude. "...if you beat me in arm wrestling."

Tyson blinked at the young man, confident in his youth and strength. Desperate to demonstrate his worthiness as a mate for Christy. He sighed as he looked at Raúl's powerful arms. This was likely going to hurt... but he was old friends with pain.

"Okay, fine," Tyson said and pulled his apron off over his head. Now, Raúl got to see his opponent's torso. He looked a little put out. "You can take your shirt off if that will make you feel better," Tyson suggested. In a moment, Raúl was topless, too. He wasn't as broad-chested as Tyson, but he was all long smooth muscles. Christy nodded her approval, and Raúl's smile was confidence exemplified.

Tyson moved to the kitchen island and braced his elbow there. Raúl locked hands with him, and they gripped their left hands on the countertop.

Christy placed her hand on top of theirs and nodded to each. "When I lift my hand, you start. Ready?" They nodded. "Go!"

Tyson immediately felt the strain in his hand, arm, shoulder, and back. Raúl was very strong, but he was overconfident.

Looking deeply into the younger man's eyes, Tyson smiled and began to really push. The pain grew, but still, he loaded on the pressure.

The confident look in Raúl's eyes began to change to surprise, then worry.

Tyson's smile turned feral as his eyes held the boy's. "Arm wrestling is more than just pitting your strength against your opponent's. It's also about how much pain you can endure. How much pain have you experienced in your short life, Raúl?"

The younger man shook his head and winced as Tyson's grip tightened.

"Are you ready to get serious?" Tyson asked quietly, and Raúl tried to hide his surprise as his arm began to be forced back.

When he was bent back at a forty-five-degree angle, he yelped and jumped away from the counter, releasing Tyson's hand. Raúl shook his hand to bring circulation back to it.

"Shit! For an abuelo, you're a strong motherfucker!" he exclaimed.

"Raúl!" Miranda scolded, but Tyson just laughed.

Christy smirked at the teacher. "How many arm-wrestling matches have you won?"

Tyson smiled self-consciously as he massaged his arm. "That was the first time I've ever done that! Maybe the last. The kid's got some guns on him!"

Raúl looked at him in surprise and with more than a little pride.

"Shit! Don't tell him that! It goes right to his head," Miranda lamented.

Tyson shook his head as he grinned at the younger man. "Come on, let's get started on the cookies. Put your shirt back on." He pulled his apron back on.

Raúl pulled his shirt on and frowned. "I have a hard time taking you seriously when you wear that!"

"I'll grant you that it looked far more attractive on my wife, but if you've ever tried to cook bacon shirtless, you'll understand." He fixed his eyes on the boy. "Never try it naked." That pulled a wince and a laugh from the others. "Besides, you know what it takes for a man to wear one of these comfortably?"

The younger man didn't want to look foolish, but it was clear he had no idea where Tyson was going with this.

"Confidence. Women respond to that. Don't mistake it for bravado or arrogance. Confidence is being comfortable in your own skin. Understanding it isn't what's on the outside that makes you a man."

Raúl smiled and nodded.

"Let's make cookies."

Christy and Miranda sat at the counter and watched the two men create chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Tyson only instructed and made Raúl do all of the actual work.

When they came out of the oven and had cooled sufficiently to try them, the ladies cheered for Raúl's first and successful attempt at baking.

Raúl smiled at Tyson as he basked in the glow of Christy's praise. "What do you do?"

Tyson shook his head. "I'm retired."

"Yeah, but what did you do before?" the younger man insisted.

Tyson sighed. "Math teacher."