A New Way Of Seeing Things Ch 22

This story takes place in a fictional world with fictional people. Any similarities to people or things in the world we actually live in is coincidental.

*****

Tim was up first that morning, throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as the first hints of dawn lightened their bedroom window. Gwen rose as well, heading to the kitchen to make coffee for her husband to take with him on to the lake that morning.

"Hey, why don't you come with me?"

The robed woman turned to him from her spot at the counter. "Where? Fishing?"

"Yeah, come with me!"

Gwen laughed. "You know I don't fish."

"You don't have to. Bring a book, take a nap, enjoy the sights, be my boat's eye candy."

"But I know you like the peace and quiet..."

"You're not exactly loud and obnoxious. C'mon, I'll let you drive the boat."

"Now I know you're not serious. Besides, I've got nothing ready to go out on the lake..."

"Throw the coffee in a thermos. Put on some comfy clothes, and let's go. We'll make the rest up as we go along."

"I don't know..."

Tim rose. "Get dressed while I hook up the trailer." With a smile, he turned and went outside.

An order's an order, Gwen thought, and headed back to the bedroom. Jeans, long-sleeve shirt and sweatshirt were quickly selected. It's probably going to be hot out there once the sun comes up, she realized. I'll be overdressed by 10. The now-nude woman weighed her options, a plan forming. Twenty minutes later, she and Tim were on the road.

Despite the early hour, the landing was busy when they arrived. Tim waited patiently to put in, finally backing boat and trailer into the warm water. Once afloat, he tied up to a nearby dock, parked the truck and returned.

He pulled away with the throttle low, not wishing to disturb the residents of the nearby cottages, gradually increasing speed as they moved farther up the lake to the more uninhabited reaches. Boats, houses, and other signs of civilization became less common until Tim cut the engine and glided into a sheltered, tree-lined cove. Gwen was thankful for her sweatshirt in this shady nook, but could see the sun would be on them before too long.

"Coffee?" she asked as Tim set to unlimbering his pole.

"Yeah, that stuff we picked up on the way was terrible," he said with a grimace. "That's quite a bag," he added with a smile. "Did you pack the coffeemaker?"

"Hush. I wasn't sure what it would be like, so I just threw some things in not knowing what we'd need."

"That's my Gwen. Always prepared. Well, I guess it can't hurt to bring a raft along just in case."

"Stop it, or you'll get your own coffee."

Tim made his first cast after settling into a spot on the stern while Gwen curled up in the sunken seating area forward of the cockpit. The book she had brought with her remained unopened as she just sat and enjoyed the quiet, birds and frogs making a pleasant counterpoint to the muffled sounds of outboard engines reaching their little harbor from across the open stretches of water. Her seat did not allow her much of a view to either side of the boat, set as it was deep into the hull, but she didn't mind—what she could see of the trees and the blue sky above was relaxing enough. She could see why Tim treasured his time out here just as much as she valued her rides with Dart...

The cove began to brighten, the line of shade retreating across the inlet as the sun advanced overhead. The high summer heat soon followed, and Gwen knew her fears of being overdressed had been well-founded. Tim smiled when he glanced back to see his wife had discarded the Nelson Plumbing sweatshirt to reveal the long shirt beneath. He wondered if her bag included shorts or at least a skirt, and if she would be daring enough to change her clothes right here in the middle of the lake.

He did a double-take when he looked back a short time later and found that the jeans were gone, bikini bottoms just barely visible behind Gwen's drawn-up legs.

She didn't miss her husband's extended look. "You don't think people can see me here, right?"

"Not unless they're right next to the boat, or sitting in a tree."

Tim turned back to his line, a smile on his face. He was only slightly less surprised to find the next time he turned that the shirt had been discarded as well, revealing a matching bikini top.

"You're sure no one can see me, right?"

Tim looked around for effect. "Just the squirrels." Gwen slouched into the seat a little more and returned to her book. He smiled again, checked the reel, and walked forward to sit down next to her. "Thanks for coming out with me. I appreciate the company."

"Thank you for asking me. I had almost forgotten how pretty it could be out here."

"I never thought you had time to appreciate the scenery when we used to come out here. It's not so beautiful when you have two children with you screaming for you to go faster and asking when they would get to swim."

Gwen smiled. "I was so worried they would fall overboard."

"They had life preservers. They'd float until we got back to them."

Tim smiled at the beautiful woman beside him and leaned in to kiss her. "Something I want to ask you."

Uh-oh. "Uhh, sure?"

"It's none of my business, and if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay too, but when you and Natalie were givin' each other haircuts yesterday, did that bother you any?"

Gwen's eyes grew wide. "Oh God! I'll stop! I thought you wouldn't be mad—I'm so sorry!"

Tim smiled, a patient laugh rolling out. "Relax. I'm not mad, it's just something that most guys will think that if you're down there, you're down there for more than a trim and a shave."

Gwen looked around nervously, suddenly remembering that sound carried across open water. "Do you?" Tim smiled and a shrugged his shoulders. "I know, I know, I even asked Natalie if it was normal to do that and she said it was with her friends. Of course, I know shaving each other's privates is just one small part of what she and her friends do together. Tim, I have no experience with what women do or don't do around each other—I'm sure she's telling the truth, but maybe she's not normal!?"

"It's possible," Tim conceded. He knew he had very little experience in this area—a former girlfriend had once strongly hinted at what really happened at her slumber parties, and how she had picked up certain tidbits of sexual prowess from friends, but what the hell did that mean, anyways? "But I think what's more important is how you feel about all this—does it make you uncomfortable, or is it something else, something, I don't know...enjoyable?"

Gwen folded her arms and brought her body forward to rest on her knees. "I would never tell this to anyone else in the world, and I can't believe I'm even telling you, but since you asked...you promise not to get mad?" A smile and a shake of his head was mildly reassuring to her. "I feel a little like I used to when I would go to Miss Ritter's apartment...like I knew I was doing something incredibly deviant, but that just made it really exciting, and that made it feel even better. I mean, I get excited with you when we...make love... too, but this is different, like it's so risky and dangerous, like being on a rollercoaster. I know it's sick and depraved...maybe, I need to slow down, or talk to somebody."

"Rollercoasters are fun, and safe if you don't have a bad back or are pregnant. If what you're doing isn't hurting anybody, most of all you, why not do it?"

"Because it's wrong?"

"Says who?"

"Says morality and decency."

"Fuck morality and decency. Morality is doing what you think is right; decency is not hurting anybody else while doing it."

Gwen laughed at her husband's use of such strong profanity. "And wouldn't I be hurting you if I ever did something like that?"

"It didn't hurt the first time."

I can't believe my husband of all people is giving me this advice."

"It's not like I'm not getting anything out of this. Since you and Natalie have become friends, our sex life has gone through the roof, and I still don't have to do office paperwork or cook."

"Aren't you afraid I might go too far?"

"What's too far? That you'd leave me to move in with your sister-in-law?"

Gwen was quick to answer. "I can't imagine spending my life with anyone but you."

"There ya go." Tim looked up at the cloudless sky. "Getting hot out here."

"It is. Do you want to head back?"

"In a bit. Want to cool off with a swim first?"

"I guess we could. Did you bring a suit?"

He smiled and pulled of his shirt. "Don't need one." Boots, pants and underwear soon followed.

"Tim! What if someone sees you?"

"Out here? They'll need good binoculars. Besides, who wants to look at a flabby-assed old man with a small penis?"

"You're not flabby-assed or old, and you don't have a small penis! Now please, get dressed before someone comes!"

"Not before I cool off. You coming with me?"

"Yes! Just go!"

Tim stood there, looking at her expectantly. "Aren't you going to take off your suit first?"

"What!? No! This thing is already too revealing for public." Gwen stood and moved to the stern, dropping of the edge and into the water. She surfaced to see Tim standing where she had jumped off, still very naked. "C'mon! Hurry! It's nice!"

"I'm not coming in and you're not getting out until you give me your bikini."

"No way! Stop playing, Tim!"

"Your top, please."

The couple stared at each other for a moment, Gwen treading water, looking up at her naked husband, his length beginning to twitch to life. "Grrr...you are in trouble when I get out, mister." She untied the string about her neck and back then tossed the twin triangles up to her waiting husband. "Good enough?"

"Halfway there."

Gwen stopped kicking long enough to remove the bottoms and throw them at Tim with more force than necessary, holding her breath when they nearly sailed past his hand and over the other side of the boat. Task completed, Tim dropped into the water.

It had been her intent to climb the ladder as soon as he was in and retrieve her things, but his insistence on a hug and a kiss as they floated together delayed her.

"So, how many penises have you been looking at to know mine isn't small?"

"What? None!"

"You sure you didn't catch more than a glimpse of the two in the pool the other day?"

"I barely saw them! And anyways, I don't care how big yours is—it's big enough for me!"

"So you're saying I'm not so big after all?" His smile made it clear he was teasing.

"Stop that! I don't know how big you are—I just know I like it, alright?"

Tim's hands cupped her bare bottom. "Wanna find out how big it can get?"

The revving of a nearby outboard, very close, cut short Gwen's reply. With a hint of panic she broke free from her husband's embrace and swam for the ladder, not even getting halfway before a bass boat nosed into the tiny harbor. An older white-haired gentleman was at the wheel, his wife sitting behind him, her wide-brimmed hat casting a shadow across her face. The driver cut the power and the engine fell into a low grumble as the boat lost momentum and stopped, only a few yards separating it from the swimming couple's boat. Tim tread water between the two, seemingly unconcerned about his lack of swimwear while Gwen frantically weighed the pros and cons of swimming out of sight behind their boat or staying where she was, a respectable distance from the elderly couple. In the end she stayed, trying to stay submerged up to her chin.

They stood and moved to the rail of their boat, looking down at her husband just a few feet away. "'Mornin'! I saw the rod out—how's the fishing?"

"Kinda slow," Tim called back, still treading water, looking up at the couple. "They weren't really biting this morning. Thought we'd go for a swim instead." Gwen wondered just how much they could see from their vantage point—was the water clear enough to make out her husband's nudity just a few feet below the surface?

"Makes sense," the man agreed. "One of our favorite places for sunnin' and swimmin'. Well, I think we might go up the shore a little and maybe come back in a bit if we don't find another spot. That is, if you don't mind sharin'."

"Nope, not at all," Tim replied amiably. Gwen was aghast at the thought these people might stay. She was getting a little tired, and the idea that she might have to climb the ladder in her current state of undress was troubling. And a little exciting, she was forced to admit.

The man returned to the chair behind the wheel, but the woman stayed at the rail, looking down at Tim and smiling. "The fish in this part of the lake love worms," she called out as the engine revved and the craft moved away. "Just be careful the fish don't take a bite out of it."

Tim smiled and waved while Gwen desperately swam for the ladder, hoisting herself up and onto the deck as the visitors moved around the point of land. She half-crawled forward to grab towels for herself and Tim, frantically pawing through the bag before wrapping one around her and hurrying back to the stern.

Tim was still several feet from the ladder when she returned, still treading water. Looking down, she discovered just how clear the water was—a smudge of darkness surrounding a streak of pale flesh was obvious between his legs.

"Hurry up Tim, before they get back," Gwen urged. "I think they know we were naked!"

He laughed. "I think you're right. Probably the only reason they left is because they wanted to give us time to finish what we were doing."

"Finish? You mean swimming?"

"Well, swimming is one thing boys and girls do together when they're naked. How about I come up there and we can do some other things?"

"Out here? No way! It's bad enough they caught us without our bathing suits on! What if they—or somebody else—catches us doing something worse?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it worse, and maybe they'd find us inspirational."

"That's not funny! They were old enough to be my parents! We'd be in so much trouble if they caught us doing something like that! We'd get arrested for lewd behavior!"

"Out here? The wardens are out looking for unlicensed fishermen, not married couples enjoying a hot sunny day."

"Just hurry and get in the boat, please? I promise we can do anything you want when we get home."

"Promise?"

"Yes, yes, promise! Now please, let's get out of here before they come back."

Tim's first strokes towards the boat were enough to convince her he was coming back aboard. She again hurried forward, frantically throwing on underwear, jeans and shirt. The naked man at the stern took his time drying off, deliberately putting on just enough to pass the test of decency before making his way to the cockpit and bringing the engine to life. Gwen could just make out the elderly couple's boat farther up the shoreline as they left the cove.

Tim's easy smile as he drove told her he was not at all upset about their close call, and Gwen began to take stock of her own feelings about the event. The Lady had certainly made her point clear about the dangers of being caught naked in public; the Slut teased her with the excitement of that same danger. What would the other woman have done if Gwen had given her husband a good look at the naked female body just a few feet away? What would it have been like if she had allowed Tim to make love to her right there, out in the open like that? What if the boat had returned in time to see them coupling, with her husband between her legs, or worse, with his penis in her mouth...her musings made the trip back seem rapid.

He had the boat trailered in good time, the truck pulling the craft out onto the road and towards home. "A promise is a promise, right?" he asked with a smile as they reached cruising speed.

"Of course. Did all that really get you in the mood? You know they could probably see you weren't wearing anything, right?"

"I'm pretty sure they did, and I'm very sure the guy was trying to check you out to see if you were in the same condition. If they did, they didn't seem too upset." Gwen had to agree that the couple had seem very nice about the whole situation. "As for 'in the mood', seeing you in all your naked glory gets me 'in the mood'. Knowing that guy was trying to get a better look at the meal I get to eat made it all that much better. So, what's on the menu when we get home?"

Gwen blushed at his casual reference to their upcoming lovemaking. "Whatever you would like."

"Well, I've got the rest of the drive home to think of the possibilities."

Gwen spent most of the ride thinking of the possibilities, as well. Just what would Tim want her to do? Would he make a request that would be too much for her to fulfill? A promise is a promise, the Slut reminded her. Whatever he wanted, it would be out of the question to say no.

The presence of Alison's car in their driveway made it clear that her questions would have to wait to be answered. The kitchen door was locked, curious, they both thought as Tim turned the key and the couple stepped into the kitchen. Tim checked messages while Gwen made her way to the bedroom with towels for the hamper. The sound of the shower through the open bedroom doorway as she drew near indicated where the car's owner could be found.

Mother stepped into the bedroom from the hallway as her naked daughter stepped in from the bathroom on the opposite side. Both saw each other at the same time, the looks of shock on both women's faces showing a distinct family resemblance. Alison shrieked and ducked back into the bathroom as Gwen turned and retreated to the hallway. "Mom! You're back! Is Daddy with you? Jason, my parents are home!" she said with a nervous urgency. Well, that would answer why the shower was still running, Gwen thought. Her son-in-law was still in it. Her daughter appeared in the hall a moment later, towel now demurely wrapped about her, babbling excitedly as she worked to tuck the edge in near the side of her breast. "I called this morning—I got the day off unexpectedly and I wanted to come up and ride—but I got the machine, and when we got here, the boat was gone, so we figured you went to the lake today and wouldn't be back until tonight and Jason and I rode and he took Tigger. You never go to the lake with Daddy?"

"Your father didn't want to go alone, and yes he's out unhitching the boat. Are, uhh, you and Jason staying for dinner?"

"Well, if we're not imposing...let me check with him." Gwen was already at work in the kitchen when Alison returned nearly fifteen minutes later, wet skin making her mother wonder if she had gotten back into the shower to get her husband's answer. "If it's not too much trouble, we'd love to stay. Let me go get changed and I'll help you."

She returned a few moments later, dressed in clothes that had not been out of her closet since she had left home for college. Jason appeared a moment later, wearing the clothes he had ridden in, if Gwen's sense of smell was correct. A casual meal was prepared and consumed with bottles of wine, the two couples sitting for a while on the deck before daughter and son-in-law said their goodbyes. It was nearly 7 before Tim and Gwen were again alone in their home.

"I guess they must have forgotten a change of clothes," she said as they cleared the table.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you notice? They both took showers after they went riding, but Alison had to get clean things out of her room, and Jason put the clothes he went riding in back on. I would have thought they'd shower when they got home."

Tim laughed. "I think they were more concerned about what they smelled like for each other before they went home."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I think they were using the shower for something other than getting clean."