When I left the house for a walk to get some exercise I certainly never imagined I would meet a beautiful young blonde who would become my secret lover. And when she snuck out of her house to get away from her folks for a while she surely hadn't expected to seduce an older man.
I was a regular middle-aged guy, home alone for the week as my wife was away visiting her folks out of town. Amanda, not that I knew it at the time, was a restless nineteen-year-old living nearby, who was always seeking fun and adventure, which usually meant seducing men.
It was a hot summer day, late afternoon, and I had been around the house, pottering in the garden, reading, generally lazing around under no pressure. But I felt the need to get out, for variety, for exercise. And during my walks I would as always be randomly scanning for attractive women, sometimes exchanging smiles and open to the possibility of occasionally chatting to them or perhaps more - at least in my fantasies.
I walked briskly through the nearby residential streets until I came to an area of wasteland that had been partially landscaped for local people to use, though the local authority had left it semi-wild and it had no amenities except a couple of benches. It was a place I liked to come to get away from the streets and houses, as it was rather an urban wilderness. Most of the area was open meadow, but around the edges were wooded areas and clusters of bushes made almost inaccessible by the wild undergrowth. Along one edge of the meadow, behind the largest wooded area, ran a small river, accessible at certain points via paths through the trees and one tarmacked main path leading to a pedestrian footbridge.
Most people who came here were either dog-walkers or small family groups heading to the more formal park just across the river footbridge, which had a playground and kiosk selling coffee, ices and snacks. But I preferred the wild side of the area, down in the farthest corner, by the stream. And I had brought a lover there before, for an erotic picnic in a quiet corner...
On this occasion, almost as soon as I left the road to walk down a slope onto the open meadow, I noticed a girl, a young woman I judged, sitting alone on a bench about 20 yards to my right. I thought she glanced briefly in my direction but I only saw her in profile, her long blonde hair obscuring her face (perhaps she was looking down at a mobile phone). She was wearing jeans and sneakers, and what seemed to be a man's denim shirt. In any case she was too far away for me to see in detail and I decided not to be so obvious as to walk straight past her, instead taking the path down the slope to my left, towards the large screen of trees by the river.
Yet I sensed she had noticed me, and I fancied she would follow in my direction if she might want any kind of encounter: this was pure delusional fantasy of course (even though it gave me a cheap thrill), that a young woman would follow me across a wild park into some trees.
But she did.
Minutes later, after I had wound my way along the narrow dirt path through the mature trees and rampant undergrowth that bordered the river, I emerged near the footbridge. At this point there was another path to the right, the tarmacked one, that led from the centre of the meadow and could be reached by crossing the open space out in front of the bench where the girl had been sitting. And she must have just come that way, for there she was, about 10 yards to my right, slowly walking up the path towards the footbridge, towards me. I felt a leap of excitement in my stomach. Had she come this way knowing I would be there?
I had a decision to make: turn right and pass by her in the opposite direction which would give me a chance to see her up close and exchange glances; turn left onto the bridge and see if she would go the same way and pass by me; carry on ahead over the main path, to continue along the almost invisible trail I knew led further through the undergrowth along the riverbank, where she might follow me; or wait where I was until she passed my spot, and she how she behaved. My heart was beating a little faster.
I glanced to my right, as if to signal to her that I had noticed her, then I took a few steps to the left and went up onto the footbridge. I was sure she had seen me and hoped she took some interest. I stopped half-way across the bridge and leaned against the railing, as if to watch the slow-running shallow stream below me. From this vantage point I could see in all directions and not raise suspicion, and she would have to pass close by me if she came that way. I kept an eye to my right to see the girl approach. But instead of following me onto the footbridge she left the main path and continued to her right, onto the mostly overgrown trail that I knew continued along the river. As she turned from the main path I noticed that she looked in my direction and saw me staring at her. But it was too far away to smile or speak. I remained still. Waiting. What to do next?
I noticed that she stopped a little way along the overgrown path and went to stand or sit at a small clearing by the riverside. From my viewing point on the bridge I could just make her out, her fair hair and upper body shape, through the bushes and sun-dappled leaves of the large tree above her resting point. And surely she could see me from there. Was she waiting? Was this an invitation? I guessed so.
So I took it. I moved stealthily away to my right, off the bridge, towards the direction she had come from, then turned onto the narrow trail through the wild bushes. I would be right next to her in a few moments. I had no plan. It was just a walk-by, to gauge interest, if any. I was just intrigued: had she really deliberately walked in the same direction as me and sat nearby so that I could come to meet her? I was cautious. My heart raced more. I knew there was a risk I could have misread signals - if they were signals - and I had to maintain innocence and a way of escape in case this lone young woman took fright at an older man following her into a quiet spot. But there was no time to analyse any further.
Moments later I was now passing her. I glanced left as I reached the point on the narrow path where she had left it. She was sitting under the tree by the riverbank, on a low wall, phone in her hand. Only a few feet away from me now. She looked up at me. I smiled: the moment of reveal. She smiled briefly, warmly, then lowered her head as if to look down at her phone screen. I was on the verge of saying hi, but for some reason I resisted and walked on. I had a perverse notion that she would follow me, continuing this perhaps imagined game of cat and mouse. So I continued another short distance through the undergrowth and settled on another part of the old wall a little further along the riverbank, far enough to reassure her if she was scared, but near enough to signal that I was there, available, waiting. I could just make her out, through the numerous bushes and leaves.
I let a few minutes go by. I began to fantasise and vainly plan what I would do if she came. But she didn't. So now I had another decision: was it worth a final pass-by, or should I give up and walk on? I couldn't resist. My instinct, whether predatory or not, told me to try once more. And what a difference that decision made!
I walked back to where she was. She heard me then saw me as I reached her spot. I stayed on the path but stopped in front of her. We made eye contact this time, and held it.
'Hi,' I said, 'Are you okay?' She nodded yes. I stood firm, facing her. I felt a buzz inside, the thrill of the hunt, at this pivotal moment. I continued, 'Don't be afraid, I was only wondering if you are okay. I mean, out here sitting alone...'
