by Ami Snow
She clasped her hand over her mouth to cover the small gasp that escaped. Moving around the tent to the right was Brandon, her dad’s best friend. She had known him for most of her life. She felt relief sweep over her and tension leave her shoulders, tension she did not even know she had. She had to admit to herself she definitely felt a lot safer knowing someone she could trust was so close to her own campsite. Her eyes darted around, looking for Rowan, her dad’s other best friend but he was nowhere to be found.
She cleared her throat and stepped into the clearing. Brandon looked up and a big smile spread across his face. “Lana!” He walked over and patted her on the shoulder. “Didn’t expect to see you. I mean, your dad told me you were up here on some ladies’ camping trip but-“
“Oh my gosh, he actually said that?” She laughed. “It’s just a camping trip, he’s the only one calling it that!”
Brandon laughed and said, “Yeah, that’s your dad. Well, what are you doing out here by yourself? I reckon you didn’t come out to look for us.”
Lana laughed and shook her head, “That was pure coincidence. I was just out taking some pictures. My friends were all tired and ready to sleep but I’m still pretty awake. I didn’t want to pass up the beautiful scenery.”
“Certainly is beautiful,” Brandon said in a strange tone. Lana looked at him and thought she caught a strange look in his eyes before he started looking up at the night sky. She shook it off.
“Well, I just wanted to say hi since I saw you. Where’s Rowan, by the way?”
“He went out to town to run some errand. He’s crazy. He’ll be back pretty late, I think. I’ll tell him you stopped by. Your camp is nearby, right? I don’t much like the idea of you wandering too far from your campsite in the dead of night, all by yourself. Want me to walk you back?”
Lana shook her head, circling the campfire. She absentmindedly walked toward the two tents, looking around. This definitely seemed like the camp of two grown men, it was drastically different from her own. While she had packed all the necessities, and so had her friends, theirs definitely seemed a lot more frivolous. It was not just the set up and what was scattered around, not to mention the colors, but the entire vibe. She fingered the lens cap of her camera, wondering if it would be odd to photograph their campsite. “Hey, would you mind if I take few pictures?”
“What?”
“Your campsite. I want to take some pictures. It has a nice mood. Is that weird?”
“To us non-artsy folk, sure it is. But it’s okay, I’ll pretend to understand.” He gave her a friendly wink and move around to the other side of the campfire. Lana immediately began to snap away, making sure to get the forest behind. She took close up photos and pictures of the set up. She walked around next to Brandon and got on the floor, lying on her stomach, to get a good photo of the flames, tents, and starry sky. She stood up, dusted off her clothes, and replaced her lens cap.
“Thanks! If I can come back, I’ll take one of you and Rowan to give to my dad.”
Brandon chuckled and said, “Oh yeah, sure he’d display that proudly at his office.”
Lana smiled and shrugged. “My campsite is pretty close to yours, actually. I think I was only walking about thirty minutes before I got here. Might be even closer, some of that time was taken up by photography so…”
Brandon nodded. “Should I walk you back?”
Lana laughed and replied, “No, no. It’s not far. I’ll be just fine walking back. Don’t worry, you’ll still be in my dad’s good graces.”
Brandon smiled and said, “Well, it’s not just your dad’s good graces I’m concerned about. Though I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his punches, I’ll tell you that. But I care about you, too. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”
Lana beamed at him, “You’re sweet. But, really, I’ll be okay.”
He nodded.
“Were you going to sleep already?”
“I know I’m older but I’m not eighty! I was just fixing some stuff up. I was going to have a drink and sit by the campfire. Why?”
“Want to invite me to have a drink, then? My campsite’s dead.”
He smiled and nodded, walking over to a small table. He poured some whiskey into two cups and handed her one. He then took a seat on the floor, near what she assumed was his own tent. He reached in and pulled out another cushion, holding it out to her. “Here, if you want to sit on this. On the floor or one of those chairs over there, your choice.”
Lana took the cushion and dropped it, taking her seat next to Brandon. They sipped on the whiskey silently, staring up at the starry sky, for a few minutes. “So, what’s an old man think about when just sitting around drinking?”
Brandon laughed, “Old? Come on, don’t be so harsh. You make me sound like an elderly, sad, drunk man.”
Lana laughed and nudged him slightly with her shoulder.
“Depends on the night, depends on my mood. Right now I was just really admiring the sky. Thinking of beauty.”
“Thinking of beauty?” Lana burst into laughter. “That sounds so cheesy! Then you don’t want me to say you’re an old man?”
Brandon laughed, “It’s not cheesy. Beauty is subjective and should always be appreciated. Not just obvious beauty, all beauty. Subtle beauty, the small things, everything. I know, I know. I sound like and old man but it’s the truth.”
“Well, speaking as a photographer, I completely agree.”
Brandon stood up to refill his cup, asking if she needed more. She didn’t. After pouring some more whiskey in his cup, he walked back over to where Lana was sitting. He looked down on her and smiled. “This is nice,” he said simply. She suddenly became aware that, at his angle, he could see an ample amount of cleavage. And she certainly had a lot of it. She reflexively drew her arm around her stomach. It bulged out more when she was sitting.
He sat back down next to her and asked, “So, what really brings you up here?”
“Camping with my friends. Just wanted to have a fun weekend getaway.”
“Your boyfriend’s mind must be going crazy.”
“Why would it?”
“I don’t know. Young guys, you know, they have a certain way of thinking. There’s something about a group of women camping out alone that just pushes those thoughts forward.”
Lana looked over at Brandon, a bit surprised. She was pretty sure she knew what he meant but would have never expected it. Of course, she would have never expected to be having whiskey with him in the woods, either.
“Well, young guys are interesting, to say the least.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“It’s not a good thing.” She took another sip and continued, “I mean, I don’t know. They just, like you said, have a certain way of thinking. I don’t have a boyfriend, for the record.”
Brandon nodded, “Well, sorry to break it to you, hun, but older guys have a certain way of thinking too. And I don’t think you’d find it so far off the mark as the younger man’s thoughts.”
“What do you mean?”
Brandon shook his head and waved to dismiss the topic. “Doesn’t matter. You’ll find out when your closer to the age.”
“Or you can just tell me now.”
Brandon looked at her. He was clearly trying to figure her out but he could not break through her gaze. He turned away and took another sip, and then another. He was weighing his options. It’s not as if she were a naïve young girl but he needed to be sure to play by the rules. This was his best friend’s daughter and woman he had watched grow up.
“You know, older men will have certain thoughts. Men, in general, they’re wired to think a certain way. The difference is how they keep it in check.”
“What kind of thoughts?”
Brandon looked over at her. She seemed to be keeping a grin at bay and her eyes looked wickedly playful. He was sure this was all in his imagination. Considering the topic, it made perfect sense he was trying to keep his own thoughts in check. His e
yes raked over her body, just once. From her thick legs, to her round belly, to her full breasts, he found her extremely attractive. This was not to mention her beautiful face, which he had definitely noticed. He swallowed, “Oh, come one, you’re really not going to make me talk to you about this, are you?”
Lana laughed and shook her head. “If you don’t want to, I won’t push it.” Her tone was dangerously low and seductive.
Was he really imagining this? He decided to test the waters. “Is this something you want to talk about, Lana?”
“I just want to know what you’re saying.”
She was relentless. She was pushing him under the pretense of conversation. “Because you don’t know I’m talking about sex?”
Lana made a mock shocked noise and covered her mouth, comically widening her eyes. She laughed and bumped his shoulder again. He laughed too. There was definitely a charge in the atmosphere and he suddenly felt the need to know if he was just imagining it. He inched closer to her and leaned slightly, “Happy now?”
A small hiccup escaped her lips but she did not pull away from him, though she deliberately avoided his gaze.
“Are you… Are you having thoughts right now?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he responded simply and honestly. This was quickly becoming riskier and he did not think it appropriate. He could not conceive of admitting his attraction, much less acting on it.
“It does if I’m asking you.”
“Why does it matter?”
“I want to know if I’m attractive to older men. Though, I suppose it’s not very fair to ask you. You’ll either see me in a completely chaste way or be biased toward me, right?”
“I can think objectively, you know.” Lana nodded and looked at him expectantly. “Is this some kind of concern for you?” Lana shook her head. He could tell she would not let him out of this. “I wouldn’t say I’m having thoughts but, to answer your other question… Yes, you are attractive.”
He felt her lean in further. He chanced a glance down her shirt and immediately regretted it. Not only did he feel guilty, he felt a situation begin to arise below the waist. He shifted his hips away from her, hoping she wouldn’t notice. He also hoped it wouldn’t grow bigger.
“I lied. I know I’m attractive to older men, seeing as I’ve dated them. I don’t date much but I have found I enjoy dating older men than guys my age.”
“Then, why did you push for my answer?”
“Come on, are you really going to make me say it?” She looked up at him, a playful grin on her face. He placed an arm around her shoulder and she leaned in to his body. This was a strange territory between comfortable and flirty. They both decided to go with it.
“You’re drunk, aren’t you?”
“Oh, please, I haven’t even finished the miserable amount of whiskey you gave me!”
Brandon laughed. He felt relief wash over him and he squeezed her shoulder. They stayed quiet for a few minutes, once again looking up at the night sky. He absentmindedly began stroking her arm. She sighed and rested her head against his chest. He gently kissed the top of her head without thinking. She pulled away and he immediately felt panic rising up in his chest.
Much to his surprise, she was smiling. She intertwined his fingers with her own, and looked directly into his eyes. He cleared his throat and looked down at his legs. He seemed slightly uncomfortable, like he was trying to control himself. She placed a hand on his knee and he snapped his head up to look at her. She smirked.
“Where did you say Rowan went?”
“I don’t think Rowan will be back any time soon,” he said quietly, devious tone easily detectable.
Lana hid her smirk by looking down while sweeping her hand through her full, red hair. After a few seconds, she straightened up and looked directly at Brandon. She crawled onto his lap, looping her arms around his neck. She smirked and asked, “Is this what you wanted?”
Brandon bit his lip and suppressed a groan as he placed a hand on her waist. He nodded. She leaned in and gave him a swift peck on the cheek. Had the situation and her intentions been different, it would have been entirely chaste. She softly rubbed up and down his shoulder, giving him another peck closer to the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think this is what my dad had in mind when he told you to take care of me, you know.”
Brandon loosened his grip on her waist at once and a small, disappointed groan came from him. “Why would you-“
“Tell you that? Why wouldn’t I?”
He stared her dead in the eyes. It was an intense gaze, a demanding one, but she did not shrink back from it. She would not make this too easy for him. She was consenting to the proposition. She wanted to have fun with him but she also couldn’t ignore the implications of it. It never skipped her mind that Brandon was her father’s best friend, a man she had known since childhood. Had it been Rowan, she might not have found this so utterly taboo. He was a much newer addition to the family. He was certainly her father’s other best friend but the fact he hadn’t seen her playing with her childhood toys made a difference.
Everything was heightened with Brandon. The risk, the oddness, the likely feeling of betrayal her dad would experience was significantly high. This, in turn, drew her to him even more. Whether she was more turned on by the situation that was “forbidden” or by the man himself was unclear. She had decided it did not matter. She was attracted to him and she wanted this. Tonight was the perfect opportunity and they both knew it.
She ran her hand from his shoulder to the back of his head. Toying with his hair, she said, “Oh, come on, are you really no fun? You’ll let one little comment ruin the mood?”
“That was hardly just any little comment.” He reached up and grabbed the hand playing with his hair, intensely staring into her eyes again. “What kind of game are you playing?”
“Don’t you like high risk, big payout games? That’s what daddy-“
“Fuck, would you stop it with that?”
He moved her off his lap and stood up, walking toward the campfire. He ruffled his hair. Pressing his fingers against his temples he said, “Forget it.”
Lana sat on the floor, feeling dumbfounded. She had not expected him to have such a strong reaction. She just wanted to have a little fun but, clearly, this was not his idea of fun. She bit her lip. Should she pursue him further or let it be? Maybe this was for the best, considering who this man was.
Brandon turned back to glance at her and he gulped at the sight he was greeted with. She was sitting back, resting on the palm of her hands, her chest subtly pushed upward and outward. Her over shirt had casually fallen off to one side, exposing her shoulder and the top of her heavy, round breast. She had one knee bent up and the other leg extended in front of her. She was staring down at the ground and biting her lower lip, obviously contemplating something. She was not trying to be sexy, not even slightly, but he felt himself going nuts. And then those feelings turned into excitement, shooting straight down below his waist. He let out a heavy breath.
Lana looked up to see Brandon eyeing her hungrily. He almost looked pained, like he did not want to admit or show how much he desired her. She smirked slightly, pushing herself up off the ground. She walked over slowly, coming to a stop about arm’s length away. “What was that?”
Despite himself, his eyes roamed freely over her body. She noticed they lingered on her thighs for a bit longer than any other part of her body. Had his eyes not been black with lust, she would have felt self-conscious. She would have immediately worried about their size. But, in this case, it seemed they were the perfect size.
“Brandon.”
“Damn it all,” he said under his breath, stepping forward and wrapping his arm around her waist. He ran his hand through her hair and pulled her in for a kiss. He tasted like whiskey. She enjoyed it. They kissed intensely for a couple minutes, Brandon’s hands running up and down her back, before she finally pulled away.
“Follow me,” she whispered in his ear, followed by a swift pec
k on his cheek. She walked away, swaying her hips, and dropped to her knees in front of his tent. Looking over her shoulder, she motioned for him to join her inside right before crawling in. Right as he was about to duck inside the tent, her hands crept out and landed at the waistband of his pants. She tugged him forward and undid his button, then pulled down his zipper. “Lana, what the-“
She stuck her head out of the tent and placed a finger over her lips, telling him to keep quiet. She pulled down his boxers to expose his erection. Her eyes widened and she quickly looked up at his smug face. “Wow, you’re really big.” He gave a casual shrug, continuing to look at her expectantly. She gently wrapped her hand around the base and began slowly stroking up and down. Brandon let his head fall back as he groaned quietly. She continued stroking, moving her hand a bit faster as each minute passed by. After a couple minutes, she wrapped her other hand around him and began stroking with both hands going in opposite directions from each other. After a few minutes, she saw the tip of his erection glistening with precum. She licked her lips. She stuck her tongue out and, very softly, licked off the precum with the tip of her tongue.
