The Gift

"No, I didn't." John said, but the expression on his face showed only his concern for her.

"What can I do for you?" Susan asked, reaching out to gently stroke his cock, which was now soft but still sticky with her juices. She wanted to return at least some of the pleasure she'd just received from John.

"I'm fine, Morgie," John said reassuringly. "For me it's not about the destination. It's about the journey, and I loved every minute of that journey!"

Susan felt a little guilty for her selfish indulgence, but she was overwhelmingly grateful to John for the experience he'd just given her. Somewhere in the back of her mind Susan understood that John had given her a precious gift. He was reassuring her that it was ok to receive it without feeling the need to give something back. Susan had been so used to giving and never getting anything back that she didn't quite know what to feel. At this moment however, those particular points as well as everything else became irrelevant as she succumbed to the warmth of John's body against hers, and the powerful pull of sleep.

The next morning she awoke feeling peaceful and rested. She stretched slowly and languidly and she was aware of a feeling of contentment that she knew had been missing from her life for way too long. She opened her eyes and discovered that John had been watching her with a gentle smile on his lips.

"Good morning," Susan said, and smiled back at him, reaching out to stroke his beard. She marveled at how aroused she already felt despite last night's amazingly satisfying experience.

He took her hand in his, looked into her eyes and said, "Last night was incredibly beautiful, Susan. When you came to my bed, you reminded me of a little girl and it was such a turn-on."

Susan blushed hotly as the memory of her uncharacteristic behavior and complete sexual abandon of the previous evening flooded back. "It was absolutely incredible, John. It was like a rebirth for me."

"I'm glad I could give that to you, but it can't happen again." John cautioned. "It will always be a wonderful memory of an incredibly special time that you and I shared, but Caroline can never find out."

John's comment hit her like a punch in the stomach. "She won't, John. You don't regret it, do you?" She asked, filled with dread that she'd hurt their friendship.

Tenderly he took her hands in his and looked directly into her eyes. "I definitely do not regret it, Susan. You are an incredible woman and you know I have always loved you, but to be with you like that is just too powerful of an experience for me. I'm afraid of what it could do to Caroline and me."

Susan sighed, relieved that they were still on good terms, but slightly disappointed that there wouldn't be a repeat of last night's performance. They held each other tenderly, touching each other, hugging and kissing as lovers do. For the first time in years, Susan felt loved and protected by John's physical presence and she thought how appropriate it felt that John would be the one to break the long dry spell imposed by her marriage. It felt right for now, and they left it at that.

After breakfast, John said "Are you ready for an adventure?" Susan definitely was, so they packed a light lunch and some water and took John's kayak down from his car. The day was hot and sparkling, a perfect summer day, and they were excited by the prospect of the adventure ahead of them. They hauled the kayak down to the water, loaded up the cooler, attached the kayak skirts, and headed out onto the river. They found a quiet estuary around the bend a short way up the river that Susan never knew was there. It was a shame, she thought, that she'd lived on that river for 17 years but had never been out to explore it's wonders. She and Scott had been too busy raising their kids at the beginning of their marriage, and then they'd eventually drifted apart, never experiencing what the river had to offer them. Susan vowed to herself that she would buy a canoe so that her kids could enjoy the river with her.

John said, "Let's follow this estuary until we can't go any further." That sounded just perfect to Susan, and there were plenty of trees along the banks to offer them shade from the hot sun. They'd rest when they got tired, drink some water, and smoke a little weed, and Susan felt alive and carefree and happier than she'd been in a long, long time. It was one more adventure that she and John would share, and they laughed and talked and observed the varied wildlife along the way. They saw snowy egrets, turtles and hundreds of fiddler crabs scurrying into their muddy tunnels along the river banks. Susan was in awe of the rich life along the river that ran behind her house. She'd never been aware of it.

John was an experienced kayaker, and even had a battery-powered motor attached to a wooden mount at the back of his kayak. That came in handy, as Susan's shoulders tired quickly from the unfamiliar paddling motions. The motor was extremely quiet, and as they rounded a bend, a Great Blue Heron noticed them and stopped fishing to watch their approach. The huge bird flew off as they got closer, its massive wings beating slowly and awkwardly as it struggled to take flight, and Susan giggled as she wondered aloud how the gawky creature ever got airborne.

"He looks like a Pterodactyl!" John exclaimed, and that made them laugh even harder. Just about that time, Susan noticed some splashing along the muddy banks up ahead. She pointed it out to John, and for a moment they thought it was a huge fish that had jumped, until suddenly Susan realized what had caused the splashing.

"Holy shit, Pinelli! Otters! I never knew there were otters out here!" Susan was so excited to see the otters she didn't realize how loud she was.

"Shh...just watch." John turned the motor off and they continued to drift toward the otters. They must have seen the kayak, because the splashing suddenly stopped and Susan couldn't tell where they had gone. John scanned the estuary ahead of them, looking for some trace of them, when they saw one of the otters pop out of the water, almost to its belly, bobbing back down so only its head was above water. Its ears were perked straight up and its nostrils were flared wide open and Susan thought she heard it hiss. It looked comical, and Susan suppressed a giggle.

"Where's the other one?" Susan asked.

"Maybe it was a female and she's protecting their babies. That is probably the male, and he's luring us away from the nest." John surmised.

"That is so cool! I never knew there were otters out here." Susan said, still amazed at the discovery so close to her own back yard.

John reached back and started the electric motor again, and the kayak slowly moved forward. The otter quickly disappeared under the surface of the river as they moved upstream towards it. After a few moments, it popped up again, further upstream but closer to the opposite bank. Nostrils flared, it again hissed loudly at them. This sent both John and Susan into gales of delighted laughter.

They continued their pursuit for several more minutes, the otter disappearing below the surface and reappearing further up the estuary each time, John and Susan chasing slowly after it, scanning the river for its reappearance. Susan finally had the presence of mind to grab her digital camera from the dry box and snap a few shots before the otter eventually vanished from their sight.

"Wow. This is so incredible, John. All the amazing things we've seen today...and sharing it with you...and you appreciate it as much as I do...I'm just totally blown away!"

"Me too, Morgie. I don't know anybody else who would even consider coming with me and exploring like this. They all think I'm crazy, so I usually just go by myself. That's why I have the motor."

Susan smiled at him, and looked above her at a billowing brilliant white cloud. She felt tranquil and completely at peace, and she knew she would be just fine. Her future was still uncertain, but she knew she could face it now as a whole person, thanks to John.

The estuary had gotten very narrow, and it was becoming difficult to maneuver the kayak around the bends. "It looks like we've gone about as far as we can go with this big boat. Let's turn it around and have lunch." John suggested.

They k-turned the kayak through the swamp grasses so that it was pointing back the way they came, and opened up the cooler. Neither of them spoke as they relished the ice cold water and sandwiches they'd packed. They drifted slowly with the tide, back towards the mouth of the estuary.

"The breeze is picking up. Can you feel it?" John asked, wiping his mouth and tossing his napkin back into the cooler.

"Yes. It feels wonderful, but look at those clouds over there." Susan pointed out towards the way they came in. "We might be in for a bit of a storm."

The words no sooner left her mouth as a cloud passed in front of the sun, and Susan felt a few fleeting drops of rain.

"Yep. We should head back in." John turned the motor on and said "Grab your paddle, Morgie. We don't want to be on the water in a thunderstorm."

The trip back out went much quicker than the trip in with the added speed of the electric motor. When they reached the mouth of the estuary, away from the tall swamp grass and into the wide expanse of the main river, Susan could really feel the wind blowing. It felt cool and refreshing, and John turned them towards home with the wind at their backs.

"Wanna have some fun?" John grinned, as he rummaged inside the kayak, pulling out a large golf umbrella.

"I thought we were heading in!" Susan said, suddenly a little bit afraid of getting caught in a thunderstorm on the river. She could see the dark clouds in the distance behind them, and she thought John was planning to use the umbrella to keep them dry.

"This only works when the conditions are exactly right, and I believe they're right now. Hang on, Morgie!" John smiled enigmatically. Holding the umbrella horizontal to the river, he slowly opened it in front of him. Susan watched the wind catch in the umbrella as John eased it open and she could feel them suddenly picking up speed, powered by the wind behind them! She began to laugh with excitement and understanding as the kayak skimmed quickly across the surface of the river. John was getting them home rapidly and in a very creative fashion.

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" Susan laughed excitedly as John steadily held the umbrella up ahead of him. He glanced back at her and his grin stretched from ear to ear. He reminded her of a little boy who'd just discovered a brand new toy, and Susan loved him for his unbridled enthusiasm.

Over to their right Susan saw a motor boat with two adults and two children aboard – apparently a young family also heading in off the river to escape the impending storm. The man was focused on steering the boat, but the woman and both children were looking at them with incredulous expressions on their faces. The woman's mouth was open in surprise as she took in the weird sight before her. This just made Susan laugh even harder until her sides hurt from the exertion. She absolutely could not recall the last time she had laughed so much or so hard and she reveled in it.

They got back to the shore and dragged the kayak up on the beach just in time to feel the first few drops of rain. They could hear thunder in the distance, but it looked like the storm wasn't going to pass directly overhead. Still, Susan was relieved to be off the water. It had been an amazing afternoon, but they were both hot and sweaty and tired. They unpacked their gear and wrestled the kayak back onto John's car. By that time, the sun was out once again, the storm had apparently passed by them.

Susan's pool looked inviting, and this time Susan followed John's lead as he stripped off his clothes and dove in. The cool water refreshed their hot, sweaty skin, and they talked again about the otters as they paddled around the pool.

"I definitely need to buy a canoe." Susan told John.

"Oh Morgie, I don't think you could give those kids of yours any better gift than the joy of exploring that river out there. A kayak like mine wouldn't accommodate the three of you, but a canoe is an excellent idea! That way, you could go by yourself, or with one or both of them." John's genuine grin warmed Susan's soul and she vowed right then and there to make it happen.

"All that fresh air and excitement has completely worn me out. I sure could use a nap." Susan said, as they dried off and headed into the house to get dressed in some clean clothes.

"Why don't you go ahead and do that. I'll just sit here and read for a while." John grabbed a magazine off the coffee table and headed over to Susan's favorite reading chair, just like he belonged there.

Susan smiled to herself, and padded down the hallway to her bedroom, happy that John felt so comfortable in her home. The sheets felt cool and crisp and it was good to lie down and rest, but Susan's mind was spinning from the excitement and adventures of the day and she found it difficult to sleep. Once again, she realized she was horny. This is so unusual for me, she thought, as she slipped her hand between her legs and began to rub and caress herself. It felt so good and she knew it wouldn't take very long. Within minutes, she brought herself to a satisfying orgasm. She would have preferred to make love with John again, but she respected his wishes. Soon she drifted off, waking about an hour later, feeling refreshed.

She walked down the hallway and into the living room to find John still seated in the chair, deeply engrossed in the magazine.

John heard her walk in and looked up at her. "Hey Morgie, how was your nap?"

Susan giggled as she recalled her self-induced pleasure. "I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but...I missed you." Susan said coyly, winking at him.

John's expression was inquisitive as he peered at her over his glasses.

"I see." He chuckled, as he put down the magazine and smiled knowingly at Susan.

He stood up and walked over to her, placing his hand on her breast and leaning in to kiss her sensuously.

"John, I thought..." Susan's question trailed off in mid sentence as John pulled her in close, cupping her ass with both hands.

"Oh, what the hell!" He said, and Susan's excitement rose as she felt her knees grow weak.

John unbuttoned Susan's shorts and slid his hand down into her pants, cupping her mound and slipping his finger into her moist pussy.

"Mmm. I sure admire your resolve." Susan teased, as she felt herself respond once again.

"Oh shut up, Morgie!" John said, as he covered her mouth with his and slipped another finger into her.

Susan sighed and began to lead John towards her bedroom. "Let's get comfortable." She said, as she pulled him down on the bed on top of her, feeling his hardness press into her.

Susan ran her hands up along John's back and under his shirt, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against her palms. She pulled his shirt off over his head as she rolled him onto his back, taking control. She straddled him and leaned down to tongue his nipples then worked her way down his stomach, kissing and licking gently as she went. John sighed as she swirled her tongue around his belly button while she unbuttoned his shorts. Slowly she unzipped him, revealing the head of his hard cock. She kissed it gently, softly running her lips over the smooth, taught surface.

She ran her tongue along his shaft as she peeled back his shorts. It had been so long since she'd done this to Scott, but it felt just fine as she took his cock into her mouth, looping her tongue around the head, closing her lips around it and sucking gently.

"Morgie, you're going to make me cum like that!" John said, as he squirmed under her, pulling her away from his cock. He reached up to tug on her shirt. Susan helped him remove it then pulled off her shorts and panties too, tossing them on the floor. She helped him out of his shorts as well, and slowly lowered her body on top of his. The feeling of his skin against her skin was something she took great pleasure in, and she whimpered softly as his arms enclosed her. Oh, how she had missed this simple human contact.

She reached down and took hold of John's cock, rubbing it along her pussy lips like a human dildo. She was again surprised at the intensity of her response and at how wet she already was. They gasped each time the head of his cock slid over her engorged clit, sending waves of pleasure through both of them.

Susan positioned his cock at her opening and slowly lowered herself onto his shaft, feeling every inch of his manhood as he entered her. She sat up, impaled on him, and placed her hands on his chest, looking into his eyes. As he looked back at her, she squeezed his cock with her vagina muscles, shifting slightly from side to side enjoying the fullness within her. John groaned, and moved to indicate that he wanted Susan to roll over on her back. She straightened her leg and managed the transition without breaking contact. This changed the sensation of their coupling, intensifying it, and Susan began to rub her clit as John thrust in and out, slowly at first, then picking up speed.

Susan could feel her orgasm building quickly with the perfect combination of her fingers on her clit and John's cock stroking her pussy. She closed her eyes, swallowed hard and before she knew it, her orgasm began with even more intensity than the evening before. Susan literally screamed out her pleasure, riding John with abandon as the waves of her orgasm engulfed her.

"I'm gonna cum!" John grunted, thrusting quickly for 5 or 6 strokes, then held his breath as his seed spewed from him, deep inside Susan's pussy. Susan was still in the throes of her orgasm, or maybe it was her second or third, she couldn't really tell, but she registered the fact that they had both cum at the same time, which was for her a rare occurrence.

"Wow!" That was about all Susan could manage as they held each other tight, catching their breath. Susan shuddered as all the emotions of the past several moments joined forces with all the emotions of the last two days and all of the pain of all the previous months, and she began to cry. Her pain flowed out of her through her tears, and they became tears of joy and hope, healing her wounded soul.

John seemed to understand the cathartic nature of her tears because he didn't speak at all. He simply held her and stroked her hair, allowing her emotions and her tears to flow freely. He reached out to her nightstand and offered her a tissue, which she gratefully accepted.

Susan looked at him as she blew her nose. "You know John, if I had to sit down and script out the perfect weekend, I couldn't have come up with anything better than this." She said. "You have given me such an incredible gift. You have shown me how to laugh again. You have taken me on an amazing adventure in my own backyard. You have loved me and allowed me to love you. You have helped me to heal and you've given me hope."

"Susan, those gifts are given freely and with my undying affection. You are a very special lady and you've suffered a huge hurt, but you are also very strong and you are going to be just fine." John reassured her. "You know, you've given me an incredible gift too."

"I have?" Susan sniffled.

"Your gift of unconditional love has lasted almost half a lifetime. Do you know how rare that is?"

"I suppose it is." Susan replied, as she tossed the sodden tissue into the wastebasket.

"Damn right it is! My marriage has stagnated. I still love Caroline, but the zest has gone from our lives. This weekend with you has made me realize that life should be something that you participate in, not just observe. Lately we've been doing too much observing and not enough participating. So this has been a turning point for me as well. I don't know what direction we will take from here. That will depend on Caroline. I'm almost 60 years old, and I just can't let any more life pass me by."