Chapter 7

Mike Taylor could not have said why it was that he had been- so offended, even hurt, to see Ellie Brighton walking with Burt Conroy. It had been obvious enough, even yesterday, what kind of a girl Ellie was, when she had come down the stream with Burt and Liz, the two principals in the swingers' group that made their headquarters up there on Spindler Creek, around the pool. But he hadn't wanted to believe it. Ellie was so soft, so lovely; her face was lovely, her eyes were gentle. She had seemed genuinely hurt when he had snubbed her.

That was why he had decided that he had been mistaken about her.

But now, seeing her leave with Burt - it was proof enough.

He wandered toward the bar, where he sat for a long time at a booth and stared moodily at the wall. The bar was done up in a hokey Polynesian motif, with a great deal of bamboo and a bartender who wore bright, flowery shirts. It seemed very inappropriate, up here in the mountains, and for a while Mike just sat and quietly detested the decor.

He had been there for about an hour when Cindy Wheeler came in. Cindy was a lovely girl with honey-blonde hair and a quick, ingratiating smile. She was pixie-like and sprightly, with a good word for everyone, and a lovely figure that she kept in good trim with tennis and volleyball. Like most of the girls at the camp, she enjoyed sensual pleasures, including sex, and was known for going up into the mountains alone, to a place where she could skinny-dip or just sun herself quietly. A successful model, she enjoyed the complete freedom, the lack of pressure, that she lived in at the camp, and she made the most of it.

But she still kept very busy. She arranged parties and expeditions into the surrounding mountains, and her bright spirits and calm temper made them a success.

"All right, Mike, what is it? You come all way up to the camp on your vacation, spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself, then mope. I want to know why."

"I'm not moping," he muttered.

"Why?" she persisted.

"Wait a minute, I'll get you a beer." He got up and fetched her a beer before she could protest. "There. That will keep you quiet."

"Mike, nothing will keep me quiet. I am a busybody through and through. What is it, this friend?"

He stared at his beer for a while before answering. Finally he spoke. "All right, I guess I've fallen for a girl. I mean really fallen hard. And - well, that's it."

"And you don't feel worthy of her, is that it?"

"In fact it's kind of the other way around."

"A fallen women. The prostitute with a heart of gold. But does Yvonne like you, Mike?"

"Not Yvonne. And that was a catty remark, not worthy of you. It's a friend of yours."

She stared at him in astonishment. "Would you like your face slapped now or later? Or would you just like to take that back and we'll pretend it was never said."

"What would you say," he asked, "if I told you this person had taken up with Burt Conroy?"

"Oh," said Cindy. "I guess I'd say first of all that she's n[? friend of mine. Who is it?"

"Ellie."

Cindy looked at him for a long time before saying anything. Then she shook her head.

"Mike, Mike, the heat's gotten to you for sure. I'm not going to go to the trouble of telling you that Ellie is a sweet girl. She is innocent and doesn't know anything about men. I'm not even going to explain to you that Burt Conroy is the kind of guy that an experienced woman steers clear of."

"Experienced?"

She thought for a moment. "Maybe - I see what you mean. Maybe she just doesn't know about guys like that." She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, Ellie is afraid of men. I can't even get her to date. If she were going to go with a man, it wouldn't be such an obvious woman-hater as Burt. No, Mike, the heat's got you - Doc, Doc Reynolds!"

Doc Reynolds had just walked into the bar. He looked up, said something to Jimmy the bartender, came over.

"Doc, Mike here has a problem. He's in love, and, as is usual with men, he's making a mess of everything. Now I will personally pay for your next three drinks if you can straighten him out."

Jimmy brought over a martini and a hard-boiled egg.

'It's not necessary," said Doc Reynolds. "I mean about buying a drink. Anyway - Jimmy - you squeezed a bit of lemon peel over this, did you? Good. I've had a bit of trouble with him over that. He'll put an olive in if you give him half a chance. But he's learning now.

He's learning. Jimmy, I'm going to give you something." He reached into his creel and pulled out a rainbow trout. The trout was fully eighteen inches long. "Took him on a Gray Hackle."

"Jesus!" the bartender exclaimed.

Doc drank contentedly from his martini while enjoying the effect of his gesture. "Take him and fry yourself a fish dinner. There are more where he came from."

The bartender took the trout away. Cindy and Mike looked at each other. Doc Reynolds, homespun and simple as he seemed, proved to have talents no one knew about. He sat there and enjoyed their surprise as he sipped at his martini and slowly rolled the egg on the table top, without breaking it.

"Now, children, you have a problem for old Doc to solve. Mike's in love, if I heard right. We doctors know the antidote for that."

"The -?"

"The antidote. Marriage."

In spite of himself, Mike grew impatient. "Look, it's nothing I want to talk about in front of the whole camp. I'm just - concerned. Ellie - " Doc Reynolds looked up. "Ellie Brighton?"

"Yeah. Only - well, she's gotten involved with Burt. Burt Conroy."

Doc Reynolds smacked the egg hard against the table. Finally he spoke. "I know," he said finally. "I talked to her about him."

"You did?" said Cindy. "Did it do any good?"

Mike laughed hollowly. "Evidently not. She went off with Burt. Up to Spindler Creek, probably."

"Mike!" Cindy turned on him, angry again.

"I know, I know. That's where the orgies are. Well, all I know is that I saw them coming down from there the other day, along with Liz."

"Were they together?"

"No. Ellie came down quite a while after Burt and Liz."

"Then they might not even have seen each other up there. What makes you think they did?"

"I guess the way she acted - oh, I don't know. Let's not even talk about it. All I know for sure is that they went off together this afternoon."

All three of them were silent. Doc rolled the egg on the bar and then began to flake off the pieces of shell. He stared at the egg moodily. Finally he spoke.

"Mike, I don't have any very complicated theories about people. I'm just another modern medicine man. But I am pretty sure about one thing. There are a few genuinely good people around and there are a few that are rotten. Usually they don't get together - except for when the rotten ones are taking advantage of the good ones."

"And you think that's what's happening now?"

He shrugged. "I know it is. The only problem is, I just don't know what to do about it."

It was Cindy who suggested that they go for a walk. Doc Reynolds had stayed in the bar, moodily cracking hard-boiled eggs and drinking martinis while Jimmy leaned on the bar near him and tried to wheedle out of him the secret of catching big trout with such a commonplace fly as the Gray Hackle. Cindy and Mike went outside. The air was fresh and clear; a slight breeze rippled the surface of the pool. In the late afternoon the shadows were long and the forest was quiet.

"We might find Ellie. If what you say is true, then I'm as eager to find her as you are. I won't have her throwing herself away on that man."

Mike smiled wryly. "It wouldn't last long."

"It never does with Burt. Let's go up toward the lake. It should be nice up there."

They began the long climb to the lake. Fall Creek tumbled through a gorge down a waterfall some eighty feet high - hence its name - and above the gorge was a clear, deep lake lying in a narrow valley. It was a long hike up there and the sunlight was fading when they reached the lake. The lake itself was in shadow. An occasional trout slapped the surface of the water, sending out ripples. Mike, watching Cindy, was taken by her lovely face, her pert body. Her honey-blonde hair tumbled down over her shoulders in a lush cascade, over breasts that, without a bra, rose up to where large, plump nipples bulged through the fabric of her blouse. They seemed to be pointing upward.

When she turned and looked at him, he was startled. Her face was lovely and soft; the eyes gray-green and pleasant, twinkling.

"It's lovely up here, isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

He wanted to touch her. She didn't have Ellie's vulnerability, but was even more voluptuous. And the sight of her breasts, hanging free, swinging loosely under her blouse, was enough to make him feel faintly giddy with desire. "Let's sit down on the sand," he suggested.

The shore was of a soft, sandy composition, and they sat down on the ground and looked out over the water. A trout splashed.

"Give me a back rub," she told him casually.

He leaned over and began to rub her back gently. Kneading the soft flesh in his fingers, he enjoyed the feeling of closeness, of intimacy with her. She was laying with her head on the ground and her eyes closed, and he wanted to touch his lips to hers, to kiss her tenderly at first, then passionately. But he contented himself with rubbing her back. Her youthful body was firm under his hands. She let out a moan of contentment, and he saw that her face was smiling.

"Lower," she asked.

Mike rubbed all the way up and down her back. When he grew tired of doing so, he hesitated a moment, then said he was going to rub her legs as well. She didn't answer.

She seemed to be asleep, motionless, her lovely face framed by the heavy tangle of honey-blonde hair. Mike moved down and began to massage her feet. A wisp of her hair hung over her mouth, blowing to and fro as she breathed. Her short skirt was taut over full hips, but it had hiked itself up a few inches, so that he could see just the hem of her panties. They were startlingly red in color.

When he moved to her ankles, then her calves, she didn't protest, but lay as if asleep. He kneaded her tanned skin patiently, moving upward, always upward, until finally he was rubbing her thighs. Still she didn't move. By now. he had become uncomfortably aware that he had an erection and was afraid that, if she glanced at him, she would notice. He kept his knee up, trying to hide it. The flesh of her thighs was a golden brown from much sun and the skin was soft and fragrant. It was pleasant, rubbing her there, and so stimulating that his feeling of readiness, of sexual eagerness, increased until he was actually uncomfortable.

By this time he realized that he would eventually touch her up there. He also had a feeling that she would not push away his hand, for already he could smell the slight muskiness of a woman in heat, the smell of salt sweat and cream. He noted that her thighs were slightly parted and that the red panties were visible now. He kneaded the soft flesh of her buttocks and she stirred restlessly, altering her position just slightly. Her breath had increased in tempo. He realized suddenly that she was breathing heavily, even a bit huskily, although she still seemed to be asleep.

When his hand touched the crotch of her panties - just touched and moved away - she gave a sudden lurch, as if stimulated beyond endurance by the sensation. He saw that her thighs were parted. Laying belly down, she had let herself become vulnerable. Her breath was coming in distinct gasps now; her face was tense, expectant, even though her eyes were still closed. Mike let his thumb touch briefly in the crotch of her panties, which were wet and sloppy now with her cream, and his thumb sank into the moist material. He was aware of the soft, sloppy patch of slick skin and the tangled, slippery hair underneath the material of the red panties. His breath came fast and hard as he tried to restrain himself, to go slow.

Even now, in spite of what she had let him do, there was a certain tenseness, a certain reserve in her manner, as if she were by no means clear in her own mind about what she was doing, or allowing to be done to her. He moved very slow. As if by accident, he let his finger slide across the narrow crotch of the red panties and he could feel the way her body tensed and shivered when he did so. Then he kneaded the soft flesh of her thighs again, ignoring the patch of succulent flesh, the aroma of female heat, that stirred him so. She gradually became more peaceful. The tenseness disappeared; her body relaxed and lay limp under his hands as she gave herself over to him, let him do as he liked with her. He let his finger touch her from time to time, dipping into the crotch of the panties, where a few moist hairs curled out.

Each time he touched, ecstatic shivers ran through her body. Finally he let his hand rest there on the sodden red material. Cindy was breathing heavily. Without opening her eyes, without speaking, she humped up her buttocks so that he had free access to them, and by this gesture made him aware that she would not resist. His movements became hurried, impatient. Tearing at the delicate material he found himself growing half faint with eagerness. He could smell the rich, musky smell of her vagina, where she had creamed copiously, thoroughly soaking not only the red panties but even her thighs. The material stripped away from her thighs and she kicked the panties off, rolling over. She too was now eager. Reaching down, she flipped up her skirt, revealing a luscious cleft bordered by thick, curling pubic hair, the same honey-gold in color as the hair of her head. The labia of her vagina were startlingly full, strikingly pink in color. They were swollen and parted, and Mike knew, seeing them there in front of him, that his cock would slip into them softly and easily and slide freely.

He half groaned, coming down on her, but before he had reached his cock to the swelling lips she spoke to him.

"Mike?" Her voice was low and throaty.

"Yeah?"

"I shouldn't ask this of you, but - " For a moment she stopped, embarrassed. Then she went on. "I - I have trouble coming that way. I like it and everything, and I like to do it, but I need it right now, Mike. The best way. Can I ask it of you?"

"Sure. What is it? How do you want it?"

"God, Mike - " Her voice was low and tense. "If you'd only go down on me."

She looked at him, half embarrassed, a funny grin on her flushed face.

Mike grinned back. He had wanted to do it, but hadn't been sure of himself - hadn't wanted to ask. But she made it so easy for him. "I wanted to anyway."

He got down between her legs. She was fumbling feverishly with the buttons of her blouse which suddenly came free, dumping out her heavy, pert breasts. For a moment she sat there on the ground, her legs spread, feeling her breasts. She had a look of animal sensuality on her face, a look of readiness, of eagerness. Her hair was soaked with sweat that had broken out over her flushed body and thick strands of it clung to her wet skin.

Then he looked away. In front of his face was her flushed vagina, where the clear cream beaded and. ran down her buttocks to mix with the sand. Mike stuck out his tongue, touched it to the clear liquid. At his touch, her clitoris quivered slightly, her body convulsed. She grabbed his head and held his face against the sloshing skin of the lips of her vagina. The sensation made him shudder with eagerness. He let his tongue slide out between his lips and into her cunt, where it caressed the slick surface of her labia, while the cream bubbled forth and wet down his face. Then he let his tongue explore, rimming the lips, touching the hair on either side, while she shivered with ecstatic delight and clung to his ears, gasping and tossing her head from side to side from the rhythmic sensations of pleasure that shot through her body.

For a few moments he drew back and merely watched her - watched the gaping crack that enticed him so. She moved impatiently and her hands let go of his head, moving to her cunt where her slender fingers slipped into the groove and fingered it while the thick cream there clung to them. Mike, watching her fingers, moved forward again, touched his tongue to her cunt. At once she removed her fingers and let him explore once again with his tongue, dreamily, happily, while the light turned paler and the shadow over the lake grew darker. He let his tongue slip deep into her until he could taste far down into her cunt. Then he licked the whole area, lips, hair, and clitoris, and enjoyed her intense squirming, her gasping breath.

"Come on up," she said in a strained voice.

"I thought you wanted to come this way."

"I - I've changed my mind."

He got up and moved onto her. Her face was strained and tense, her lips were slightly parted. She had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily. He kissed her on the cheek and her restless lips found his. Her tongue parted his lips, came together with his own tongue. At the same time, his cock, pulsing with blood, hard and heavy, came up between her legs and rested there in the crevice of her vagina where it was washed with her cream. He left it there for a moment, sagging heavily in her full cunt, then, with a sudden, almost involuntary jerk, he thrust it deep into her, far in, and her vagina sucked him up until he was all the way in. Cindy gasped. Her face was intense, contorted. Without realizing it she clutched him with her fingers - clutched him hard, until her fingernails dug into his flesh and left angry red welts.

Then her orgasm came over her. Sloppy wet down below, her large cunt sucking on his cock, squeezing it, she felt the trembling in her limbs, felt it in a first faint giddiness in her groin, then in a dizzying flash of feeling that spread throughout her body and caused her muscles to twitch and her legs to squeeze around his body. She squeezed hard, drawing him deep into her, while her whole body responded with rhythmic flashes of feeling that went on for a long time. Finally she lay still.

Mike had held off, wanting to make it last as long as possible, but the sight of her laying supine under him, relaxed, a satisfied smile on her face, made him come suddenly. The hot jism spurted in thick clots out of his tumid cock, deep into her, then ran back and bubbled down her buttocks to the ground. He lay there, exhausted.

"You make it?"

He nodded. Laying on top of her, he didn't want to ever have to move again. But in a few moments she became impatient, pushed at him.

"I want to wash off."

"Okay."

He watched her as she walked to the edge of the water which lapped at her feet. Stepping into the chilly water, she bent over and began to toss handfuls of water over her legs and buttocks. He could see her cunt opening as she bent over - still flushed, still open.

"You coming?"

"I'll lay here for a minute."

He watched her graceful movements as she cleaned herself. She splashed water up into her crotch, washing out her vagina, and he found himself getting an erection again just watching her. Her lovely breasts dipped toward the water, the nipples hard from the cold water she splashed over them. The sight made his cock grow tumid, hardening until finally the head flared out like a cobra's hood and he realized that he had to have her again.

She came back, walking gracefully, smiling at him. She had the look of a woman who is deeply contented, brought into equilibrium by the satisfaction of a profound desire. When she saw him she stopped abruptly. Something like anger crossed her face; then she looked amused. He felt very foolish.

"Again?"

He nodded unhappily.

But she just chuckled. Then she came over to him and took his tumid cock in her hands, rubbing it gently. A drop of lubricant formed at the head. She leaned over and touched her mouth to it, kissing it.

He looked at her, astonished.

"So? You did it for me, didn't you?"

"Uh - "

"And I'm doing it for you. Lay still now!"

Her mouth closed over his cock, then sucked gently at it while he let himself relax and settle back on the sand, thinking blissful thoughts. She was quick and expert at what she was doing. Mike let it happen and silently blessed her for her readiness, even if she wasn't hot any more.

When he came, she didn't draw back but took his semen into her mouth while stroking his cock until the last of it had been squeezed out. The thought of her keeping his cock in her mouth made him shiver. But even as he had his climax he realized that, the whole time they were making love, he had wished it was Ellie, not Cindy, that he was with.