Note: This is intended to be the first of a three-story arc.
All characters are at least 18 years old. This chapter involves consensual heterosexual sex between husband and wife, lesbian sex between strangers with a significant age gap, and covert peeping/voyeurism/photographing, as well as cannabis use. The following story is purely fictional. Any similarity to real people, places, or events is unintended coincidence.
* * *
"Yes!" Andy declared triumphantly, gazing at the roaring campfire in front of him, and listening to the sizzling steaks suspended over the inferno, caged in a steel grill basket. "This is going to be a camping trip to remember!"
"Mm hm?" Tracy agreed tentatively, still wiped from the hike up the mountainside with all their gear. From the spot where they had parked to the campsite had been about 6.5 miles, and also included an overall increase in elevation by over 900 feet.
It didn't help that they were each hauling an entire backpack of cameras and lenses and tripods, in addition to the tent, sleeping bags, and enough food and drink for the four-day weekend.
The hike had taken nearly the entire day. It was beautiful, but difficult to enjoy the view given the pace of their ascent. And then, of course, she had to erect the tent quickly while he got the fire going to prepare dinner before complete darkness fell upon them.
It was hard work, and although they were both quite fit, Tracy was not quite as athletic as Andy, who was a seasoned cross-country and distance runner. They were both now in their mid-thirties, though, so it was not as easy to recover from the day of exertion as it had been a decade ago, when they had first come here together, on their honeymoon.
Once the stakes were in the ground, and the steaks were on the fire, they could finally rest and appreciate their surroundings. The sounds of the forest and crackling of the fire were the only sources of noise, other than the sizzling steaks, of course. No traffic, airplanes, or trains. No loud music, screeching sirens, blaring alarms, beeping alerts, or even the passive aggressive buzz of a silenced cell phone. There was no service for miles!
Heck, even the drive had been long. They had needed to get up well before dawn and then driven almost six hours, much of it on tiny-ass roads. The last hour, none were even paved. Just gravel or dirt.
They were in the middle of fucking nowhere, and it
would
be an awesome weekend. There wouldn't even the subtle hum of a transformer or distant idling engine, or cooling fan to blight the sound of nature around them.
The dense forest blocked out the horizon all around them, but it was clear from the colors on the few wisps of cloud directly above them that the sunset was spectacular.
Andy silently mused about how lucky he was to be sharing this beautiful scene with his even more beautiful wife. The flickering orange glow of the firelight sparkled in her eyes, and made her cheeks, still rosy from the day's exertion, glow all the brighter.
"Happy Anniversary!" Andy said lovingly, beaming at his gorgeous wife, and raising a plastic cup of cheap wine (you know, the kind that comes in a plastic bag with a spigot--which happens to be the most convenient way to carry wine when hiking).
"Happy Anniversary," she responded adoringly, raising her own cup.
Tracy admired her husband as he pulled the steaks off the fire and performed the final seasoning and presentation. He was tall and still slender, even in his mid 30's. He had exceptionally long fingers, arms, and legs, and an angular face atop a long neck.
She loved Andy's warm, friendly eyes and the large, toothy smile that he often flashed in conversation. His Adam's apple jutted out of his neck a bit aggressively, accentuating his gangly appearance. Sure, some might think he looked nerdy, but she thought he looked quite dashing!
One of his many hobbies was long-distance running. So while his build was wiry, he was still quite muscular. She knew his sixpack abs and sinuous limbs were lurking under all his clothes.
Tracy smiled as she was wrenched from her reverie by the sudden screech of a broad-winged hawk in the distance.
Andy's eyes popped up and stared directly into Tracy's, with his eyebrows arched and a finger pointed up to the sky. He had heard it too!
"I wonder what we'll get tomorrow?!?" Tracy remarked excitedly.
Andy answered knowingly, "Well, these woods are known for the birds. I heard plenty of chatter on our ascent... I bet we can get some great shots of some of the colorful little birds this year."
"Yeah, I noticed them too!" I really hope we can see an indigo bunting, or a scarlet tanager..."
Andy responded enthusiastically, "That would be amazing! I want to get some good raptor shots too. Hopefully the hawks and falcons aren't too shy. I bet we can spot some by the ravine..."
"Do you want to turn on the bird listening app now, and let it run overnight, so we have an idea of what's out here?" Tracy asked.
"Maybe after we do our own mating dance... wouldn't want to pick up our own noises..." Andy said with a wink.
"You brought the condoms, right?" Tracy checked.
"Of course! Tomorrow, we'll have been married ten years now... I know by now that you only do it with a condom...." Then he added somewhat sullenly, "We always do it with a condom..."
He looked at her earnestly and asked, "Actually, Honey... for our anniversary, do you think we could forgo? You know, to be special?
"Oh, Silly! Of course not. Do you even know where I am in my cycle?!? It's not safe at all. And we've talked about this. Neither of us wants kids. We don't want to risk pregnancy, and I don't want anything messing with my hormones. Condoms make the most sense." She paused and thought silently to herself, "I don't think we want to revisit the vasectomy conversation this weekend..."