By the Light of the Fire

It was a beautiful little lake in Lower Michigan, not far from the Indiana border. It was settled in amongst a few rolling hills roughly twenty minutes from anywhere. Fifteen houses occupied two-thirds of its shoreline, with the other third being little more than marsh land. Of the houses, five were occupied by year round residents; with the remainder being vacation homes and cottages of various shapes and sizes.

It was a peaceful lake, good for fishing, swimming and meandering lazily around on your fifteen horsepower pontoon boat. Heaven help the person who'd ever bring a jet ski around to disturb the tranquility.

It was a place where everybody knew everybody; where people arriving for the weekend went out of their way to drop in on a neighbor to announce their arrival, check on everybody's health and share a drink.

It was exactly that tranquility and sense of community that prompted Lars and Karen Widmark to build their cottage there some fifteen years earlier. But that was fifteen years ago. Today, the place was a home, not a cottage, and was occupied year round by Karen, as it had been since shortly after Lars' death.

* * *

It was early Friday evening on a cold, blustery day in late January. Karen was moving about the kitchen in nothing but the old blue robe she always wore -- the one with the slightly frayed hem that fell to just about her knees with the sash that tied around the waist -- and a pair of panties. She'd just finished eating and was about to clean up when she heard the pounding at the front door.

"Hello, anybody home?"

Karen recognized the voice of her neighbor's son instantly. "I'm in here, Danny. Come on in." She automatically checked to see that the robe was closed properly and gave the sash an extra tug.

Danny was the twenty year-old son of Betty and Brad Pulan, who owned the cottage just to her west. They were nice folks, normally residing in a city about an hour and a half's drive from the lake. They rarely came in the winter, so Danny's arrival was totally unexpected.

"Hi, Karen," the young man said as he entered the room, depositing his coat on the rack by the mudroom door. Even though he was 22 years younger than Karen, he'd been calling her by her first name since he was thirteen. That's just the way it was at the lake.

"Well, well. This is a surprise," she greeted. "What brings you up this time of year?"

"John just bought a new snowmobile and wants to try it out," he replied, referring to his best friend. "He'll be up in the morning. I came up this evening to open up the place and relax a little. I was hoping you wouldn't mind my stopping by while the place heats up."

"Of course not, but you should have called. I'd have been happy to open up for you."

"I meant to, actually. But one thing led to another and I never quite got around to it."

There was an awkward moment of silence. "I was just about to clean the kitchen," Karen said, breaking the silence. "There's pop in the refrigerator, help yourself. And if you wouldn't mind throwing another log or two on the fire, I'd be eternally grateful." She gave him a quick smile and then turned towards the sink.

It took less than five minutes for Karen to clean up her mess. When she entered the great room, Danny was just backing away from the fireplace, watching as the flames crackled over the logs and shot up the chimney. Before either person could say a word, the telephone rang.

"Make yourself comfortable," Karen said. "I shouldn't be long."

She picked up the phone. "Hello." It was her sister, Kathy. Karen smiled. Even with Lars three and a half years dead, she'd known her sister would call. After all, today was her anniversary.

A small tear snuck out the corner of Karen's eye as she remembered that day 20 years ago when she'd exchanged vows with Lars. Everything was in front of them then. They had each other and they had love. Somehow, they would find a way to deal with whatever difficulties life had in store.

But Karen had always thought Lars would be there to deal with them with her. Instead, he was the reason the cop came to her door at 2:00 AM that fateful night. His was the body they'd pulled from the mangled car at the bottom of the ditch.

The tears started flowing freely as she relived those days with her sister. She went through a small handful of tissues before finally hanging up the phone. For a moment she just stood there, staring out the window at the lights across the lake. It took a while for her to remember that Danny was still there.

She turned around and saw him standing in the middle of the great room, staring at her. She smiled uneasily, grabbing another tissue.

She finished with the tissue, tossed it aside and entered the great room slowly, still vulnerable to the memories that were flying through her head. Somehow, she managed a smile. "I'm sorry," she said. "You didn't need to hear all that."

Danny fidgeted uneasily. "I didn't realize it was your anniversary." He hesitated a minute. "I shouldn't be here."

"No," Karen said, reaching out for his arm. "Sit with me for a while. I really don't want to be alone right now."

Danny took a deep breath and nodded his head, an uncomfortable look in his eyes. "Sure."

She smiled and pushed him to the sofa. "Sit down," she said, lowering herself onto the seat beside him. She quickly tucked both legs under her and off to the side, leaving her left thigh brushing ever so lightly against his right.

She turned to look at him, finding him staring nervously at the fireplace. When he sensed her staring he turned his head slowly in her direction.

"I'm really glad you're here," she offered softly. Then, without waiting for the nervous young man's response, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, before pulling his arm out from between them and laying it along the back of the sofa. Finally, she snuggled up against his side, pulled his arm around her and nestled her head against his shoulder.

She sat there for some time, content simply to watch the flames and enjoy the nearness of a man. It was a nearness she hadn't felt in years, and she missed it.

"I used to snuggle with him," she said softly, subconsciously wiggling a tad bit closer. "Just like this."

There was an awkward moment of silence before Danny finally responded. "But I'm not him, Mrs. Widmark," he said nervously, switching instinctively to her last name.

"I know that, Danny," she said simply. But she held her position nonetheless, continuing to watch the fire's magic dance.

Several more minutes passed, minutes which seemed to reach out and grab her as the magic of the evening pulled her deeper under its spell. What she was doing right now -- snuggling with a man in front of a crackling fire -- was one of the strongest memories she had. They were memories of a happy time, a special time. They were memories of a time when she felt more loved and more content than at any other time in her life. That the man beside her now was Danny, not Lars, seemed increasingly unimportant. The feeling was simply too strong, and it wasn't going away.

With a soft sigh, she pushed herself away and turned to face her young neighbor. She met his eyes with her own and held them, staring into his pale blue eyes for several seconds. Finally, unable to still the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her, she reached out and brushed a lock of hair from his face.

"But you could be," she said softly. And then, after a significant pause, added, "tonight."

Karen watched Danny's eyes grow to nearly twice their size as the meaning of her words slowly sunk in. She felt his entire body tensing up. But despite his obvious nervousness, he held his position, looking into her eyes with absolutely no idea what to do.

Several more seconds passed before Karen turned away from Danny, repositioned herself on the sofa and lowered herself onto her back. She nestled her head gently onto his lap, with her right leg up against the back of the sofa, bent at the knee to avoid the far arm, and her left leg hanging over the front edge of the sofa. And while the robe managed to keep her right thigh modestly concealed, the left thigh lay exposed nearly to her panties.

Unable to control his growing arousal, Danny fidgeted uneasily, trying desperately to keep his rapidly growing cock from pressing against the back of her head. But despite his efforts, he only seemed to exacerbate the problem.

"It's been a long time since I've felt anything like that," Karen said softly, offering him a light, reassuring smile as she nestled her head against his manhood. "It feels nice," she continued in a near whisper. "Very nice." And while Danny was unable to conceal the redness that spread across his face, neither was he able to hide the shy little smile that broke out across his lips.

Several moments passed with the two of them holding their positions, her on her back, head in his lap, purring contentedly, and him hovering above her, still more frightened than anything else.

"I used to love laying here with my head in his lap," Karen said, breaking the silence "Just like this." Her words, though spoken in a soft, tender voice, did nothing to ease the young man's nervousness.

"He'd run his fingers through my hair," she continued in a whisper. "Like this." She reached for his hand slowly so as not to spook him, then pulled it to her head and released it.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, very slowly, very tentatively, his fingers began slipping through her hair.

"Mmmm, that's nice," she sighed, allowing her eyes to slide closed. She lay there quietly for nearly a minute, allowing him to run his fingers slowly through her hair, feeling his confidence growing with each new trek through her locks.

"And then he'd brush the back of his fingers across my cheeks," she continued in the same whisper. Only this time she didn't need to take hold of his hand and move it to her cheek. This time her words were enough.

As before, she lay quietly for nearly a minute, allowing him to stroke her cheek gently, whimpering softly when he allowed his hand to wander on his own, brushing the inside of his fingers against her other cheek, then returning to her hair before finally sliding down and trailing lightly across her lips.

Karen eased her eyes open and locked them on his, then gave his finger tip a light kiss, before reaching up and taking hold of the hand. "But mostly, he liked to slip his hand inside my robe and fondle my breasts," she said, unable to keep her voice from cracking as she eased his hand down to her chest and slipped it inside her robe.

Her breath caught in her lungs as, for the first time in years, she felt a man's hand on her breast. And to her great pleasure, the hand, after an initial moment of shock, began to come alive, sliding over her tit, squeezing it gently, and then sliding up and twirling her nipple between its fingers.

"Oh yes, baby," she groaned. "Just like that." And then, even as the hand continued its kneading and caressing, her own hands slipped down her body, loosened the sash and pulled her robe open, leaving her entire body, save for the tiny pair of panties, completely exposed.

This time they both moaned, Karen arching her back needfully and Danny reaching out with his other hand to claim the other breast. And then, as her young neighbor's hands danced across her nakedness, Karen allowed her eyes to fall shut.

For Karen, it was like a dream -- a crackling fire in the fireplace and eager hands roaming across her chest. She allowed herself to get swallowed up in the dream, moaning, groaning, writhing hungrily as her need continued to build, so absorbed in the pleasure of a man's touch that she lost all track of time.

With a great deal of reluctance, she pushed herself upright, freeing herself from Danny's hungry hands and lifting herself to her feet. She turned to face him and, ever so slowly, allowed the robe to slide off her shoulders, before bending over and easing her panties down her legs.

Completely naked, she stood quietly, allowing her young neighbor's eyes to feast on her nakedness as goose bumps spread across her body. Her nipples stiffened under his intense stare, even as a quiver shot through her pussy. Then, when she could stand it no more, she stepped forward and eased onto the sofa, facing him with her legs straddling his and her excited breasts mere inches in front of his eyes. And then she slid her hands around his head and pulled him towards her chest.

If she had any lingering doubts about Danny's willingness, they were vanquished the moment his teeth grazed across the extended nipple of her left tit.

"Oh my god!" she gasped, pressing her chest against his suddenly eager mouth. "That's it, baby, take it!"

And take it he did, first sliding his hands down to her waist and then pulling her hard against him as his mouth went crazy on her breast, nibbling on it, sucking it, then bathing it with his tongue before pulling away and sliding to the other breast.

"Oh yeah, baby," Karen moaned, sliding her hands from his head to his shoulders and then hanging on as he continued his oral assault. It wasn't long before his hands abandoned her waist, sliding up her body and onto her well moistened breasts, squeezing and caressing them, even as his mouth bounced from one tit to the other, licking and sucking her nipples.

But as pleasurable as Karen found his tit play, things got even hotter a few moments later when his right hand abandoned her chest and slid down her body, not stopping until it reached the matted hair that surrounded her pussy.

"Oh fuck!" she gasped, clutching harder on his shoulders as he slipped a finger into her flowing cunt. A moment later a second finger joined the first and the two fingers began thrusting into her with a vengeance.

Her tit slipped from his mouth as she arched her back, but his left hand held firm, turning up the heat on her chest, now mauling her where before he'd been gentle. She could hear herself moaning, whimpering, gasping for air as his hands began working her in concert, one playing her pussy like a finely tuned Stradivarius, the other bouncing from one tit to the other like they were a pair of bongos.

Lowering her head, she allowed her eyes to catch his, seeing a desire within them that she hadn't seen in a very long time. And the fire within her loins became even hotter.

"Oh yes, baby. Take me. Take me hard." And no sooner had the words left her mouth than the young man intensified his attacks, grabbing her breasts like dough in need of kneading and slamming his fingers deep into her womanhood.

"Oh my fucking lord," Karen cried out, throwing her head backwards as every nerve in her body screamed out for more. She could feel herself beginning to quiver, the telltale sign that she was close, very close. And then his thumb slid onto her clit and all hell broke loose, her whole world exploding, her juices gushing from her cunt to coat her young neighbor's fingers even as the fingers kept pummeling her, wrenching every last bit of cum from her they could before mercifully withdrawing and allowing her sweat covered body to collapse against him.

She wrapped her arms around his head, pulling him tight against her chest as she panted heavily. After gathering herself enough to function, she pushed back just slightly and looked down on his face. Then, as a deep sigh escaped her throat, she dropped her head and attacked his lips, going after them with a hunger she'd never felt before, shoving her tongue into his oral crevice, going after his mouth as hungrily as he'd just gone after her pussy.

"Oh, you sweet, sweet boy," she said as she finally pushed herself away. She smiled at him briefly, running her fingers through his hair. Then she leaned forward to nibble on his left lobe and run her tongue around the inside of the ear, even as her breath sent shivers throughout his body. She played with his ear for several moments, finally pulling her head back and moving to the other ear, then giving it the same pleasure she'd just given the first. Only then did she lower her hands to the bottom of his sweatshirt and ease the garment up and over his outstretched arms.

"Nice," she purred, running her fingers across his well developed pecs, then lowering her head to drop tender little kisses across his chest. "Very nice, indeed," she added in a barely audible whisper as she came up briefly for air before dropping back to his chest, this time to run her tongue around his left nipple before taking it into her mouth and biting lightly.

The deep groan that left her young man's throat sent shivers down her spine as she abandoned the left nipple and moved to the right. And as another groan left his throat, she withdrew her mouth, pushed herself away and dropped to her knees on the floor before him. And then she began untying the laces of his boots.

Silence filled the air as she slowly loosened the laces and slipped the boots from his feet. "You know what he used to call me?" she asked softly as she began peeling the sock from his right foot.

"No," Danny said, shaking his head weakly.

Karen tossed the sock aside, moved to the other foot and began removing that sock. "His little slut," she said with an unmistakable air of pride.

She tossed the second sock in the general direction of the first sock, then took hold of his left foot with her right hand and lifted it from the ground.

"Tell me, Danny," she teased. "Would you like me to be your little slut tonight?" Then, before he could answer, she eased her mouth towards his foot and ran her tongue up its underside, starting at the heel and not stopping until she reached his toes.

"Oh, shit," the young man groaned, laying his head against the back of the sofa.

A wanton smile slid across Karen's lips as she pulled her head back. "I'll take that as a yes," she cooed. And then she lifted his right foot with her left hand and gave it the same treatment she'd just given the left foot, eliciting another painful groan for her efforts.

Enjoying the anguish she was putting the young man through, she kept her focus on his feet, taking the big toe from his left foot into her mouth and sliding her lips up and down its length like it was a tiny little cock.

"Oh Christ," he moaned in frustration as he reached out for her head. But Karen was too quick, leaning backwards just enough to avoid his grasp. Then, when he fell back to the sofa in defeat, she leaned closer, pulled his feet to her chest and mashed her tits against them, rubbing herself against him shamelessly.

"There seems to be something bothering you, Danny," she snickered, unable to stifle a small giggle. Then she lowered her gaze to his crotch. "You seem a bit . . . uncomfortable. Maybe if I were to help you out?"

"Yes," he gasped. "Oh God, yes."

She smiled, then lowered his feet to the floor, placed her hands on his denim covered thighs and slid them ever so slowly forward, stopping a mere inch below the large bulge at the base of his zipper.

"And just what is it you want me to do, Danny?" she said in a soft, throaty voice as she slid her tongue slowly around her lips.

With some effort, her young neighbor managed to raise his head from the back of the sofa and stare her directly in the eyes. "My cock," he groaned.

"You mean this," Karen responded, sliding her hands the final inch to surround his cock, even as she lowered her mouth to his still clothed manhood, taking it in her mouth and biting down just enough to ensure that she had his undivided attention.

"Oh, shit!" Danny gasped, his body instinctively jerking back in defense. "Please, Mrs. Widmark," he pleaded, reverting to her more formal name.

Karen couldn't help but smile as she pulled her mouth from his cock. "Oh, so now it's Mrs. Widmark, is it. I don't suppose that's your way of telling me I'm just a washed up old bag, is it?" And with that she slid her hands over his mound and squeezed.