Looney dooking
Mike's intake of breath was sharp - the modest pool of fresh running water was ice cold from the late summer rain running off the high peaks. The water was clear and the pool deep - but that meant a step in right up to his thigh. He calmed his breathing, focused on the warmth of his core, and took a moment to compose himself. He balanced for a moment and then slowly overbalanced until he could slide into the water in a half-hearted dive but keeping his head above the water.
The cold was intense, taking his breath away and raising his pulse again. Right next to him there was a loud squeal as Rose also slid gracefully into the water. Mike found himself also involuntarily grunting as he tried to focus again on calming his breathing and nerves down. They both slid on their fronts, slowly gliding towards the small waterfall which was tumbling into the far side of the pool a few metres away. Mike started a slow breaststroke and found his arm colliding with Rose, he looked across at her reddened face as she too took control of her breathing, exhaling noisily but steadily between sharp intakes. Her face wore a look of calm concentration, the bright red hat she wore, and the shoulder strap of her bright blue swimming costume contrasted with her pale, freckled skin. Mike managed to fit his slow arm movements between Rose's, requiring him to keep looking in her direction. Her beauty was clear, and Mike kept glancing towards her as they swam.
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Mike had noticed her quickly, as she also came along to the bike club on occasion, but she was usually busy chatting to a couple of the regular women. In the half dozen or so times they had met they had barely spoken beyond pleasantries and water temperature discussions. He was taken by her smile and laugh, and a clear confidence in herself, and most certainly her figure which he had spent the last 15 minutes observing.
Rose was around 50, fading from blonde into grey haired, with a sparkle in her blue eyes. She was perhaps 5' 4", with well-defined legs and a beautiful curve to her bum and broad shoulders from years of swimming and climbing. She dressed confidently, usually in sporty clothing, usually tightly fitting.
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Earlier that morning Mike had woken to steady rain on the house roof and a stream of WhatsApp messages discussing who was coming for an early swim. Rose had suggested the pool, citing that rain would make it big enough for a proper swim, rather than a shrunken summer pool between boulders. It was further away than the usual loch, up a very isolated lane and deep into the forest on a narrow path.
Mike set off in his small high-top campervan, expecting just a small group of 5 of them. As he drove onto the small lane and then short forest track to the car park his phone continued to ping up messages. It seemed everyone was calling off, the first autumnal rain and cold seeming to dispel everyone's motivation after a summer of warmer air and tolerable cold in the lochs. As Mike was about to reply calling off himself, a small car pulled up alongside and Rose leapt out, smiling and approached his van.
"I thought I was about to be alone!'" she exclaimed "They are all chickening out!" Her bubbly laugh was damped by the wet Scots Pine forest around them.
"Sorry to disappoint, but you are stuck with at least me" Mike replied jovially, smiling at her.
"You're Mike?" she nervously enquired "Sorry, I forget names easily these days".
"Don't worry - I am the same as well. And you are Rose?"
"Sure am!" she offered her hand in a fake handshake, and Mike noticed that she was cold to touch already.
"And you better not have an axe in there if it is just us two!" she nudged him as she said it, laughing at her own joke.
"Brr, I think I need to take an extra layer to change into" said Mike as he climbed out and went to find his bag. Secretly he was pleased it was maybe just them. He hoped no-one else would turn up and he might get to chat to this lovely lady.
"Are you going to take a wetsuit?" he asked, not quite knowing when this group took to an extra layer to keep warm.
"NEVER!" she mocked. "I don't really do wetsuits, not for a swim like this. There is something so exhilarating about the cold. And besides which, in, swim, out and into a warm coat and we I am fine usually. I find this time of year worst - the first cold of the winter coming in, my body needs to adjust."
"Oh, well I am a chicken and have bought a wetsuit in case!" He held up a new wetsuit, complete with labels on. "But I think today I should be OK". He placed the suit back into the boot.
They spent a few minutes sheltering under the back door of the van, discussing who else might turn up and working through the WhatsApp messages to work out that none of the regulars were coming.
"Come on! Let's get out of here and swim, I think the rain is easing off" and with that Rose picked up her bag and swung it easily on her back. Mike picked up his bag, closed the boot and began to walk after Rose as she headed to a slim path at the back of the car park.
Mike couldn't help but notice her athletic and curvy figure as she strode ahead of him, showing the way to the pool he had never visited. The path was thin between the blaeberries and heather, covered in a deep layer of pine needles, which silenced all sounds of their feet.
"So, what brough you to our lovely village?" she prompted.
He explained his move was prompted by his divorce and opportunity to move where he wanted to create the life he wanted, and so when a good job came up, he jumped at the chance. He explained he knew no-one in the immediate area, and that his two sons were studying down in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Joining the local walking, cycling and swimming club was a way of meeting new people, and sustaining the activities he loved.
"What about you?" he countered "Are you a 'proper' local then?"
She laughed, with a slight echo bouncing off the small rock face to their right-hand side.
"No, I am like you, an off-comer. I lived up in Inverness, I am a nurse and always wanted to live somewhere like this, so when the local doctors advertised a job, I had an application in that day. I arrived about 5 years ago, and I am here to stay!"
There was a slight pause in conversation as they began a slightly steeper, rocky section of path. Rose scrambled up ahead. Mike had his head down watching his feet but glanced up to see further ahead. Instead, Mike found himself looking at a lovely bottom encased in a pair of leggings, the outline of her swimsuit clearly visible.
"Have you seen the view?" she quipped, startling him out of his distraction.
Mike blushed, having been found out staring at her bottom.
"I, err, sorry" he stuttered, caught off guard and unable to respond in his usual confident way.
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Rose was quietly pleased that Mike had looked at her bottom. She looked good for her age and was happy to see that she still had it. When all the messages had been arriving, and yet this tall and handsome 'stranger' was here, she had hoped that perhaps they would get to talk. It was 6 years since she had dated anyone, before she got to the village. A few of the local characters had asked her out, but none attracted her, and none were the partner she wanted to spend days wandering the hills or going for bike rides with. She had found it difficult to speak to Mike as so many others in the small group were also keen to chat to him, and the swim meets were quite short. The day she had gone to the bike club she had been impressed by his conversation in the group - and his fine butt clad in Lycra...
Making use of the situation, Rose smiled at Mike. "Don't worry hun, I have a damn fine butt, and someone needs to appreciate it now and again!" she joked.
Mike had regained his composure now and managed a proper reply "Well indeed it is a fine asset. Thank you for sharing." he laughed "But I promise I am not an ogler. Well, not unless you want me to be...!?"
Rose laughed and turned around to walk on again, aware Mike was probably stealing glances at her bum. The rain was easing to nothing now, but the temperature was stubbornly cold. She was glad of the 10-minute walk to the pool. It was her favorite swimming spot, and she came here alone occasionally to swim alone and naked, confident of no-one else being around. She remembered the summer nights she had up here - swimming free, drying in the air within a few minutes, and dodging the occasional biting midges. She was glad they were heading here, and her heart swelled with happiness.
"Here we are" said Rose as they crested the rocky bank. Below them was a small oval pool, a couple of metre high waterfall into the far end, and perhaps 20 metres downstream a tumble of rocks nearly blocking water flow as it disappeared downhill around a tight corner. There was a small grass bank next to the water on their side, but a vertical rock wall opposite them. The autumnal birch and aspen trees crowded over and above them, contrasting with the dark green Scots pine forest they had walk through. The pool was completely hidden from anyone unless they walked up that narrow path.
"Come on, let's do this!" and she scrambled down onto the grass. Taking her waterproof jacket off she opened her bag and pulled out a small plastic mat to stand on.
Mike stood next to her and began to empty his bag and disrobe at the same time. An experienced walker and cyclist, Mike had a strong body with defined leg muscles and a strength of movement which came through years exercising outdoors in all weathers. He tanned easily, but this far north he sported a 'Scottish tan' - with the area between mid-thigh and short sleeves being pale white, contrasting with brown lower limbs and face. He had a slight belly and that funny tan - but damn, for a 50 or so year old he looked good. She stole glances at him as he took off his light trousers, already wearing some dark black trunks. His trunks clung a little - he wore baggy trunks, but they showed enough to suggest he was reasonably well endowed.
They chatted about how cold the air felt as the both slid on wetsuit boots and a hat.
"brrr, this air is COLD" Rose exclaimed, feeling her skin tighten in the damp, cold breeze as it slid past her. Her nipples immediately tightened in response, something she was aware she could not hide. She neatly folded her clothes on top of the bag, with a towel robe over the top, ready to change under when they came out. Mike was similarly organising his few clothes.
