"Bugger it," Colin muttered as he knocked a pile of notes on to the floor. He had been working at the computer on a tutorial paper for most of the morning and had stood up to have a stretch.
He knelt down and started to reassemble the notes when he spotted a book among the tangle of wires at the back of computer that at some time must have fallen down the back of the desk. He picked it up, looked at it, and realised that it was a book he had borrowed from his friend Damien at least a couple of months ago and had been forgotten.
"He'll kill me," Colin told him self, "I'd better get it back to him fast."
Colin and Damien had been friends since elementary school days but since becoming heavily involved in tertiary studies they had seen less of each other, Colin going the way of economics and Damien horticulture, and this had taken them to different colleges. Not seeing each other for a couple of months might have accounted for the forgotten book.
As a welcome reason for not working Colin decided he would take the book round to Damian straightaway, he needed a break and it would be an opportunity to catch up with Damien and his mother Wendy. At her invitation he had called her Wendy ever since he was sixteen.
The thought of Wendy put another idea into his head. Colin's parents were away on a months camping and touring holiday and he had to prepare his own meals.
There had been suggestions that he might have stayed with his grandparents or an aunt, but with youthful independence he had boldly told his parents he could look after himself. A week into his lone watch he was starting to regret his hasty decision. His mother had left the freezer stacked with frozen meals but the effort required to unfreeze and heat them was tedious (typical male), and he now saw the chance of getting a meal at Damien's place.
The boys had spent a great deal of time in each other's homes in the past, and that had meant providing sustenance for them, and so there was a good chance that Wendy might come across with lunch now, and with any luck an evening meal, and in any case it would be good to see Wendy again.
Ever since Colin had entered those years of rampant hormones he had been fascinated by Wendy and this on two grounds. First, Damien was now twenty one and Wendy was thirty six and unmarried. As people say, "There was a bit of a story there," but what the story was Colin had never learned. What he did know was that Damien and Wendy lived pretty well, and Wendy's part time job in a women's clothing boutique could not account for the way they lived.
The second reason for Colin's fascination with Wendy was her looks. She might not be the world's most beautiful woman but youthful and potent Colin found her extremely sexy with her triangular face, long dark hair, bright blue eyes, ripe red lips, soft voice and a figure that might make a monk forget his vow of chastity.
For Colin Wendy was something of a mystery. Why since she was clearly attractive had she never married, or at least why did there seem to be no lovers around? Several times he had wanted to question Damien about his mother, but had been afraid to intrude uninvited, and he had also become a little wary of Wendy.
For a young man she was a disconcerting woman, giving rise to feelings of sexual frustration in him. It was not that Wendy was an older woman -- Colin had enjoyed the favours of a couple of older women - but his frustration was exacerbated by the fact that and even if she was willing to become the third older woman in his life, as his friend's mother she was inviolable.
Despite his unease over Wendy and the sexual feelings she aroused, he had not been able to keep away from her until he and Damien had started to see less of each other. Now the thought of seeing her again after nearly two months sent frissons of pleasure coursing through him, and not only because of the anticipated lunch.
* * * * * * * *
Damian's house was only a little over a kilometre from Colin's, and so as usual he walked there. On arrival he was greeted exuberantly by Wendy, who flung her arms round him, and kissed him and said, "Where have you been, it's been ages."
She was obviously en deshabille wearing a floppy dress that showed a great deal of cleavage and thigh, and that unleashed the wellsprings of Colin's lust.
Somewhat uncomfortable Colin replied, "Well, I've been rather..."
"Busy," Wendy interrupted, "Yes, that's what Damien says. Well if you're not too busy now come in...come in, I'm clearing out the spare room, so if you don't mind we'll talk while I carry on."
"I've just come to return a book I borrowed from Damien," Colin said, "I..."
Wendy laughed and said with mock forlornness, "Oh, he isn't here and I thought you'd come to visit me."
"Will he be long?"
"Yes, I'm afraid he will," Wendy said, "he's gone to help Margaret and I don't expect him home until...well, I don't know when."
"That's his Aunt Margaret, isn't it, the one who has a plant nursery?"
"Yes," Wendy said, "she did herself a big favour when she bought that place. It's right in a new suburb and people are laying out their gardens; she's making a fortune. Damien spends more time there than he does here," she added glumly.
"Oh well, "I'll just leave the book and..."
"Colin, I'm craving some company, you can't just go running off, come and talk to me," Wendy said.
"Well, if I won't be interrupting..."
"Dear Colin," Wendy laughed patting his cheek, "you've always interrupted so what's different, so stop standing there and come in."
She led Colin into the spare room and he could see why it needed clearing out.
Dominating the room was an old sofa. "Sit down...sit down," Wendy trilled, "I'm afraid we've used this as a junk room, disgusting isn't it?"
Colin sat on the sofa which groaned in protest, and looked at the household detritus that must have accumulated over some years. He readily agreed with Wendy that it looked disgusting, but diplomatically refrained from saying so.
A bicycle frame, a wheelless shopping jeep and a vintage television set had been moved near the door, no doubt with a view to eventually moving them outside when there was a hard rubbish collection. Wendy now began to add some old saucepans, vases and other unwanted ornaments to the pile.
"Can I help?" Colin asked.
"No...no," Wendy said, "I've got to sort out what I want to keep and what not, I'm making a few changes around here so just talk to me. How are you're parents?"
"Fine," Colin said, "they're away touring round the country."
"Good for them, how long for?"
"A month."
"So are you're living on your own?"
"Yes," Colin said despondently, hoping Wendy would feel sorry for on him and offer him lunch."
"Now there's a coincidence," Wendy said
"What coincidence?"
"Both of us on our own," Wendy replied.
It occurred to Colin that he had never before been alone with Wendy for more than a few minutes, Damien had always been around.
Busying herself with her sorting out Wendy asked Colin about his studies. Colin had difficulty replying because as Wendy bent or knelt down to examine or pick up something the top of her low cut dress hung open giving him a view of her delectable unrestrained breasts.
