It was another hot day and, being the glutton for punishment I am, I stepped outside and made the short jaunt to my backyard shed, where my lawnmower slept. Yes, I was about to cut the grass in 90 degree heat. Like I said, I'm a glutton for punishment.
My name is Mike Anderson and I live alone in a three bedroom home I once shared with my now ex-wife, Dana. After nine years of marriage, things just fell apart between us. My divorce was finalized less than one month ago, but we had been separated for nearly eight months. So don't mind me if I would rather not go into the details. Beyond that, I spend my time either working my 9-to-5 job or I'm fixing up the house. I'm considering moving, possibly to a warmer climate. That being said, we are currently experiencing one of the hottest summers in recent history.
Anyhow, while I was dragging my mower towards the house, I happened to glance over the fence to my neighbor's yard and my jaw dropped. Jenny, the Miller's college age daughter, was sun-bathing on the deck of their in-ground pool. She wasn't naked, but her bikini didn't leave much to the imagination. I stared for a few moments, then remembered the task at hand. The grass.
I spent the next hour mowing the lawn. At some point, I had stripped off my shirt, tying it around my waste. I was sweating buckets, but I just wanted to get it done. As I turned and started pushing the mower in the direction of the Miller's yard, I was once again surprised. Jenny now stood at the fence, holding a glass of something -- possibly iced tea -- and she was looking at me, smiling. I stopped the mower and walked over to the fence.
"Hi, Jenny," I said, being careful to keep my eyes on her face. "What's up?"
She held out the glass to me. "Hi Mike. I made iced tea for you."
"You didn't have to do that," I said, but I took it anyway. I took a drink, then leaned over the fence. "It's hot out here," I said, looking into her eyes. "The sun is brutal today."
"That's an understatement," she said, laughing.
"So how are you doing? Are you still at college?"
Jenny is about 5'4", with long, red hair, freckles, and the bluest eyes. She has always been a little on the shy side. We weren't friends, but it wasn't unusual for us to wave at each other across the fence when we were in our yards, and I got along with her parents, Fred and Gina, pretty well.
"No, I'm home for the summer," she said. "I'm actually visiting a friend today and won't be back until later."
"Oh, ok." I took another drink of the iced tea. It's sweet and hits the spot. I smiled. "I really appreciate the tea," I said. I then drained the glass, handing it back to her. "I don't want to hold you back from visiting your friends. Thanks again for the tea, Jenny."
"No problem, Mike. Have a good day," she said. She waved and returned to the house, giving me a playful smile as she closed the door.
I watched her go before heading back to the mower. I pushed the machine back and forth over the yard, sweating profusely the entire time. When I finished, I dragged the mower back to the shed and stowed it away. I closed the shed and headed inside. I was exhausted, but I also needed a shower. As I sat on the bed to undress, exhaustion won out, and I drifted off to sleep.
---
Three hours later, I awoke. Laughing at myself, I finally got that shower. After 20 minutes in a luke-warm stream, I stepped out of the shower, wearing only a towel. Of course, that's when I heard a knock at the front door. I quickly threw on a pair of shorts and made my way to the door. I opened it to find Jenny standing there, smiling. She was wearing a tank top and jean shorts, and as usual, she looked great.
"Hi Mike," she said in greeting with another of her radiant smiles.
"Hey, Jenny," I said, stepping aside to allow her entrance. "What brings you by? Want something to drink?"
"Water would be great," she replied, making herself comfortable on my couch. I went into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and grabbed two bottles of water before heading back to the living room. We sat on the couch, sipping our water.
"So, what did you do today?" I asked. "I thought you were visiting friends."
"Yeah, I did for a little," she said with a sigh. "I would have stayed longer, but -- I don't know. We don't have as much in common any more. I bet that sounds kinda dumb, huh?"
"Not at all," I replied with a shake of my head. "Most people move on to college and make new friends. I think it's only on TV that high school friends remain tight until old age."
"I guess you're right. I kind of miss hanging out with them, but it was just awkward today, for some reason." She shrugged and I nodded my head.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. My whole circle of friends changed after I graduated from high school. They changed again after my divorce." I sighed. Obviously, my divorce isn't my favorite topic. But, Jenny is easy to talk to. And, she's easy to look at.
"I'm sorry, Mike," Jenny said, frowning. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She put her hand on my leg. "I'm just glad you're doing better. You are doing better, right?"
"I'm getting there," I confirmed. "Some days are better than others."
She nodded, her hand moving ever so slightly up my leg. It was then that I was reminded that, in my rush to get dressed to answer the front door, I failed to put on underwear beneath my shorts. With Jenny's hand slipping to my inner thigh, I started to get an erection.
"Can I ask you a personal question, Mike?" Jenny asked me shyly.
"Sure," I replied, my mind focused on not revealing my boner to Jenny. Jenny shifted in her seat and leaned forward.
"Do you think I'm pretty?" My heart skipped a beat as I glanced at Jenny's face. It was clear she was nervous about asking this. I was surprised by the question. She had to know she was way beyonde pretty.
"Yes, of course you're pretty," I said. "In fact, I'd go as far as saying that you're beautiful." I gave her a smile. She smiled back.
"Thanks," she responded quietly. She then scooted closer to me on the couch as she wrapped her hand around mine. Her fingers were soft and warm against mine. My erection was now in full bloom, pressing against my shorts. I saw her eyes widen as she peered down at my crotch. I was busted. Shit.
