Mike had not seen Erica since she moved abroad to finish her undergraduate degree and, ultimately, law school. After finishing, she took a summer break to spend time with her family back home and figure out her next step.
The timing wasn't perfect, as their Mother and younger sister, Danielle, would be away for the next week on a vacation they had planned far in advance of Erica's return home. It would be an interesting week as Mike and Erica got to spend some time together after being apart for so long....
The doorbell rang. Mike opened the door.
"You don't need to ring the doorbell...just come on in!"
"Uhhm....Mike!?" Erica had a puzzled look on her face.
Mimicking her, Mike said, "Uhh, Erica!?" Smiling.
"Is that really you?"
"Uh -- Yeah!"
"How old are you now!?"
"Twenty."
"Wow...you grew up so much since I last saw you. You were, what...about fifteen when I saw you last?"
"Something like that."
"I can't believe it's you...my brother is all grown up!"
Erica smiled brightly as she stepped across the threshold and gave Mike a big hug.
"Jesus, Mike, where are you working out? You're all muscle."
Mike smiled at the compliment and recognition for all his hard work.
"Yeah, I've been a fitness instructor for a while now while I work through school full-time...just working on transferable credits."
"Oh yeah -- are you looking to switch schools?"
"Yeah, I'm thinking about it. I'm going to do a little road trip with Mom to visit some schools in a couple of weeks...you know how involved she can be."
"I sure do...she's coming with me to visit some of the cities I'm looking at relocating to -- so that should be fun...."
"Right," Mike said sarcastically.
"...but for the next week, you have me all to yourself!"
Erica's smile was radiant. Her unique beauty struck him.
He stepped back and appraised his big sister. He didn't remember her looking so beautiful. When she had left for school abroad, she was unconventionally pretty -- more of an attractive but skinny bookworm. The woman before him was vivacious and unusually pretty, almost to the point he didn't recognize her.
Erica's long black hair had a sheen and luster, very different from the often unkempt and frazzled-looking hair she kept in her high school days. Her big brown eyes complimented her lovely face, and her strong cheekbones gave her a womanly look that accented her soft, delicate features. She was still tall but had filled out impressively.
"Erica...you look...beautiful!"
She blushed and then smiled, beaming. "Now that's how I like to be welcomed home!"
"I got your bags." He said, grabbing everything she had piled at the door, plus what she was carrying.
She followed Mike, impressed he was able to carry everything all at once and so effortlessly.
As she followed him up the stairs to her old room, she couldn't help but notice how his legs, and especially his butt looked. He was sexy!
This was her brother, so she looked away, but her eyes kept gravitating back. It was so weird to see him be so manly.
"I'll let you get your stuff put away...I'm making us lunch if you're hungry." He set down her bags.
"I'm starving! Thank you for carrying everything!'
"No problem at all. I'm here to help however you need me. It's not every day that I get to see my big sister!" He smiled genuinely.
Erica noticed that Mike's fair skin and brown hair were now augmented by a square jaw and a disarmingly attractive smile as he flashed his white teeth. He was so...handsome. Not at all the kid she remembered what seemed a lifetime ago. He was very different from the skinny Ivy League guys she had been around the past six years while she was away overseas, finishing her undergrad and then completing law school.
"Is the pool still in good shape? I missed this house's amenities." Erica said.
"Oh, yeah. We've done some upgrades. You're going to love it. I'll bring your food out there. You might want to bring your swimsuit...if you remember how to swim, that is...."
"Ok, big shot...we'll see if you can keep up now that you're all big and strong!" She smiled warmly.
"Well...on second thought, I'm not sure I'm ready to take on the champ quite yet...but we'll see!" He smiled and winked at her.
"Sounds fun. I'll see you down there in a bit."
Mike closed the door and left Erica while she unpacked. When her clothes were situated, she found her blue bikini and put it on, as well as a swim robe made of a multicolored sheer fabric that complimented the blue color of her bikini.
Walking out of the main sliding glass doorway leading into their private backyard, Erica was floored by how much was added to the setup.
A large tiki but style bar was nestled against the house, and a massive in-ground hot tub was situated between it and their large Olympic-sized pool. Lavish tables with umbrellas and patio furniture separated the bar and hot tub area from the pool. Other fixtures, decorations, and landscaping adorned the massive backyard, all enclosed by a privacy wall that bordered on obnoxious in terms of size and scope.
While their house growing up was not a mansion, it had been a step or two beyond upper-middle class. With the additions that had been added, it crossed into the realm of excess that only the truly wealthy could afford.
"Holy cow, Mikey. This is unreal. How much did this cost!?"
"I don't know the exact figures, but let's just say that Mom has done well with the money she received after Dad passed away."
"I'll say," she gestured with her hands, "this is amazing!"
Erica walked over to one of the lounge chairs near the bar.
Mike brought a platter of snacks he'd prepared and set it next to her.
"Let me fix you a drink. What do you want?"
"How about a margarita?"
"Coming right up!"
Having made drinks, Mike turned on some ambient music that seemed to come from everywhere, adding atmosphere.
He handed a glass to her and said, "To the majestic return of the Queen!" grinning.
They clinked glasses and drank.
Mike was kidding when he referred to his sister as 'the queen.' She did go to school in England for the past six years, but a part of him always thought of her as upscale and refined, even before she left. She had that quality to her as she was intelligent and classy, but now he could add strikingly beautiful to his description.
Although he couldn't see his sister's body completely due to the sheer fabric of her robe, what he did see was impressive. Her long legs were toned and had darkened beyond her already natural olive skin.
"Hey, I'm going to clean the pool...gotta make sure it's perfect like you remember."
"Oh, that would be great. I intend to get in there...I forgot how hot it is out here!"
Mike took off his shirt and grabbed the leaf skimmer, extending the pole into the pool and dragging it along the surface, removing debris.