(This is an Interracial story. If this is likely to offend please do not read on. It is also a work of fiction and should not be considered as supporting or promoting the sexual activity that takes place. Finally any resemblance of the characters to real people is purely co-incidental.)
*
Alice looked out of the bedroom window not at her own garden but at the garden next door. She was looking specifically at the man smoking and was once again feeling the long suppressed desire to smoke again herself. Alice at smoked for just under a year when she was 15 and going through her rebellious phase. A girl called Charlotte (or Charlie as she had liked to be called) had started at Alice's school and they had quickly become friends much to the disappointment of Alice's parents. Charlie was a rebel and for a short time Alice had followed her, forgetting her Christian upbringing and indulging in typical teenage rebellion. It was Charlie who had got her to smoke, and Alice had loved it, a love she had never lost. She had stopped once Charlie had been thrown out of the school and moved away but the urge, the temptation had never left her.
That was 9 years ago and Alice was a very different person. After Charlie had gone, she threw herself into her studies and to make up for the pain she had caused them she also started attending church again with her parents. Her excellent A Level results allowed her to go to university where she studied environmental geography. It was at university that she met her husband Jonathan, a man she loved passionately. He too had studied environmental geography and when they had graduated he had convinced her to take a year out working on an eco-project in South East Asia. When they had returned they had married and Jonathan got himself a job in the renewables arm of a major oil company. They had looked for a house together that would allow them to live as environmentally friendly as possible. Jonathan in particular had wanted a large garden that would allow them to grow their own food. Of course, houses with large gardens are not easy to come by and in order to get one they had to accept one downside with their new home. The house next door had been converted into two flats that were halfway homes for ex-offenders. The thought took her back to the man smoking. He was a tall black man, over 6ft Alice would have guessed. He was wearing shorts and a vest top that showed off his muscled and heavily tattooed arms.
Eventually Alice looked back to her own garden. There was a small stone patio and a small lawn beyond which was a larger area that Jonathan intended to use for the growing of crops. Alice had argued that they needed to keep the small lawn as a place to entertain friends and for any children they might have to play on. Her job for the afternoon was to mow the lawn, a job she was not looking forward to as the only mower Jonathan would allow was one that you physically pushed. 'No need to use electricity and cause even more pollution' he had told when he had brought it home from a scrapyard. Jonathan had cleaned and oiled it and had shown her how to use it. Now she would have to do it without him to help. She changed into some cargo pants and a long sleeved t shirt and headed down to the garden. She dragged the heavy mower into position and started to push but the damn thing would not move. Again and again she tried to get the old mower moving but with no success.
"Would you like a hand with that?"
Alice looked up to see the man she had watched smoking stood at the fence between the two gardens.
"No, I'm fine thanks."
Alice knew this was a lie. She must have been trying for over five minutes.
"Look lady, you ain't gonna move that old thing. Let me do it for you. We are neighbours after all."
Alice thought about for a few moments and then smiling accepted the man's offer.
"Thank you, I just can't get it to move."
The man climbed the fence and strolled over to Alice and the mower. Alice stood to one side and watched as he pushed the mower which slowly began to move. Alice watched as he used his powerful arms and legs to mow the grass. After a few minutes, having mowed nearly half the grass he stopped. He pulled his vest top over his head, throwing it to one side. Alice could not help but admire the man's torso, which was as well muscled and defined as his arms. She found herself staring as over the following minutes he finished mowing the small lawn. By the time he finished the man was breathing heavily and had a fine film of sweat. Remembering her manners Alice quickly asked if she could get the man a cold drink.
"Yes please," came the reply.
Alice hurried to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two tall glasses of freshly made juice. The man had sat at the old table and chairs that Alice and Jonathan had picked up at a second hand store. Alice offered the man his drink and then sat in the other chair.
"Thanks so much, sorry I didn't even ask your name."
"Sam. Nice to meet you....."
"Alice."
For the next ten minutes they exchanged pleasantries, Alice letting Sam know a little about her and Jonathan's hopes for their new home. Alice explained how thanks to Jon's wage, she was able to work part-time for three mornings a week and volunteer for much of the rest of the week. Alice learned that Sam had been in prison for the last 12 years having originally been sent down for robbery but also having had his sentence extended due to a fight in prison that had left the other guy in hospital. Now 44, he had spent the last decade working out in the prison gym waiting to get out and start living again.
"Thank you for the drink. Homemade is it?"
"Yes," Alice replied.
"Your husband is a lucky guy. Talented and beautiful."
Alice blushed.
"Mind you, if you were my girl I wouldn't let you dress so badly."
"I beg your pardon," said Alice, more than a little taken aback.
"If you were my girl," continued Sam, oblivious to Alice's response, "you would wear short skirts to show off those fine legs and a tight blouse or top so other guys could see what a fine pair of titties you have."
"What I wear is none of your business."
Sam continued regardless.
"And I bet your underwear is just as bad, grey and shapeless. I'd make you wear little lacy black bras and panties, and stockings too."
Alice could not believe the direction the conversation had taken and was more than a little embarrassed.
"Well thank you again for your help but I need to make my husband's dinner," Alice said curtly.
"Right you are," replied Sam. "I hope we can chat some more Alice."
And with that he climbed the fence into his own garden and disappeared into his flat. Alice went indoors and went up to change before making a start on dinner. In the bedroom, Alice looked at herself in the mirror, Sam's words fresh in her mind. It was true that she did not take much care with her choice of clothes. Jonathan had made it clear he did not care for over-dressed girls and he had encouraged Alice to buy only environmentally and ethically sourced clothes. She pulled off her t-shirt and the cargo pants and stood in her underwear. Sam had been right about that too, her underwear was dull and practical. If she wanted, Alice certainly had the figure to dress far more sexily. Tall and willowy, Alice was nearly 5ft 8 with long slender legs. Her breasts were large but full and firm. When her hair was not tied back, the dark brown locks cascaded over her shoulders framing her pretty face. Alice had to admit that Sam's words had an effect on her and that she was strangely attracted to him. She forced the idea from her mind as she dressed and then set about making her husband's dinner. When Jonathan got home he called out to Alice.
"Great news!" he proclaimed. "I've got that promotion."
"That's great honey," Alice replied, full of pride.
"There is one downside though honey."
