by Hope Stone
By the time dinner arrived, Anna and I looked at each other with a knowing look. Neither of us was hungry but we also weren’t going to risk being rude to the chef or my mother who had organized the surprise family gathering. So we moved the food around our plates as best we could and occasionally took a mouthful and made noises of appreciation for the delicious meal.
After dinner, Laura and I were in the wine cellar looking for another bottle to take to the table. “You like Anna… I can tell by the way you were looking at her over dinner, like you had some kind of big inside joke. You only ever give that look to people you like.”
“She’s great… but, I mean, she’s here for work… and I’ve only just met her. It’s not like we’ve been flirting or anything,” I said, trying not to lie but also not get too much into the truth of how I was feeling.
“Seriously, Al. It’s written all over your face and I don’t know her very well, but I’d be willing to take a bet that she’s developing feelings for you. Ted and I knew we were going to get married after knowing each other for four hours. With these things, time doesn’t mean anything.” She paused while she picked out a bottle of wine and then asked, “Did you take her to the Irish pub for one of those burgers?” I nodded, feeling myself blushing a little. “Then you were flirting… you just flirt a little differently than other people.” She laughed.
She patted me on the shoulder, letting me know that I didn’t have to say anything more and that she wasn’t planning to continue with the conversation. Laura had a way of understanding me better than anyone else in my family. I really appreciated her insight. I hadn’t thought that taking Anna to my favorite burger spot said anything about the way I felt about her… but Laura was right, showing people the things I love is my way of flirting.
I hadn’t taken any of my recent ex-girlfriends for a burger or to Gregory’s for coffee. They wouldn’t have appreciated it. They were all about five-star dinners at expensive restaurants. I guess that’s why things never lasted with them.
Chapter 9: Anna
I really liked Laura, Alistair’s cousin. They seemed close. I couldn’t help but notice that she was watching the two of us during dinner. I really hoped that she couldn’t pick up that I was attracted to Alistair. I was trying as hard as I could to fight the way he was suddenly making me feel. This was business. I was used to putting business first, so I didn’t understand why it was proving to be difficult with Alistair.
After dinner and another bottle of wine, I decided to go up to bed. I wanted to give Alistair some time with Laura and her husband. After all, I wasn’t really a guest. Instead, I was more like a member of staff… just with a fancier room.
Before I could go upstairs, Alistair pulled me aside. “Since we pretty much handled all of the details of the party today, I thought I’d take you on an adventure tomorrow. We could have a little fun before the busy weekend hits. How do you feel about hiking? It’s more of a relaxing stroll to a waterfall, though.”
I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “I love hiking and am more than happy to take a relaxing stroll. But I have to admit, I didn’t see that as being your kind of thing. You continue to surprise me. I’m continuously impressed by you.” I blushed as I said that last part and then pecked him on the cheek goodnight and escaped upstairs.
I fell asleep easily and without much effort. I had weird dreams about the weekend and how the party was going to turn out. But in all the scenarios that played out in my head, Alistair was there next to me with a giant grin on his face. It was comforting to have him by my side. At one point in the dream, he turned to me, briefly touched my cheek and kissed me. It was such an intimate moment that when I woke up, I felt a little strange that I would be seeing him shortly and likely spending the day alone together.
At 7:30 am, Eddie knocked on my door. “Mr. Alistair has requested that you join him at 8 am to leave for the hike. He has packed a picnic, so he says not to worry about fitting in breakfast.”
I simply nodded and then walked over to the closet to find some clothes to wear for the day. I pulled out a pair of leggings that I usually went running in and an oversized white T-shirt with a pair of running shoes. I looked at myself in the mirror. I thought I looked good for someone about to go out into nature. I used to hate my curves, but in the past few years, I’d learned to love them and I thought my curvy ass and thighs looked great in the leggings.
Alistair was waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. Something in my stomach flipped when I saw him. I think this is what people mean when they talk about butterflies in their stomachs, I thought to myself. I tried to ignore the feeling and get my head straight. Whatever I felt for him, there was no saying how he felt about me. And anyway, we had only known each other for three days so it didn’t even make sense to me. But I couldn’t deny that I felt something for him. I just knew that I had to ignore it.
We got in the car and drove for half an hour to get to where the hike started. I could see what he meant by a relaxing stroll. It wasn’t like we had to hop over rocks or anything. It was a gentle hill with a winding pathway that really wasn’t very strenuous at all, which I was grateful for. I was pretty fit, but I didn’t want to be perspiring and out of breath in front of him.
He seemed to be in a quiet, contemplative mood and so we just chatted every now and then about the scenery. Before we knew it, we were at the waterfall. It was stunning. The water was a clear blue, reflecting the clear skies above. And you could see the bottom of the lake that the waterfall flowed into.
He took off the backpack that he’d been carrying with him to lay out a blanket on the grass for us to have a picnic. I watched the methodical way he unpacked everything, as though he was deep in thought about exactly how he wanted it to be.
Chapter 10: Alistair
I wanted to say something to her, but I didn’t know what. I was nervous. Having realized that I was developing feelings for her was strange for me. And everything she did and said was so… endearing. The way she looked in her hiking clothes, her curves being shown off in the most flattering yet carefree way. The way she softly marvelled at the beauty of the waterfall I’d just taken her to. I was suddenly nervous around her and wanted to make sure the picnic was perfect.
I got the coffee out and offered her a cup. “It’s not Greg’s coffee, but it’s still good, I promise.”
She laughed and took a sip. “There’s nothing quite like that first taste of coffee in the morning, especially in such beautiful surroundings.” She almost immediately spat it out. “I hate to say it but the milk is expired.”
That’s when I realized I must really like this woman because even the way she spat out the bad coffee wasn’t off-putting. She managed to do it in a sort of delicate and ladylike way. I handed her a bottle of water to get the taste out of her mouth. She happily accepted it.
“Well, there is another way to wake ourselves up,” I said, pointing at the lake. “Come on, the weather’s heating up. It’ll cool us down.” I started taking off my shirt. I could tell she was trying not to look, but couldn’t help herself. I wasn’t usually a vain man, but I did spend a lot of time in the gym trying to clear my head and I was glad to see that she appreciated it.
“I don’t have a bathing suit on underneath this, Alistair,” she said sternly.
“Oh come on, it’s just the two of us out here,” I laughed.
She took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay, let’s do this…”
I tried not to look at first, but it was incredibly difficult. She was wearing a black bra with lace trimming and it certainly wasn’t the sports bra I was imagining she’d be wearing for a hike. Her breasts jiggled as she took off her leggings and walked over to the lake to get in. She was perfect in every way. She stood at the lake’s edge, dipping her toe in.
I ran from where I was standing and jumped into the lake, splashing her intentionally. She laughed. “Come on in, the water is great,” I called out to her. She gave in and came in after me.
&nb
sp; I swam up to her and splashed her lightly. She splashed me back and giggled. I came closer to her. Eventually, we were so close that I couldn’t see anything but her. I didn’t want to see anything but her. And then I kissed her.
I kissed her deeply and passionately, my hand stroking her cheek. At that moment, I wasn’t worried about anything. I didn’t care about anything but kissing her. And when she kissed me back with equal intensity, I knew that it was exactly what I was supposed to do. Soon my tongue was exploring her mouth. My arms were wrapped around her and I loved the feeling of her wet skin against mine, her breasts pressed against my chest.
Chapter 11: Anna
The kiss didn’t come from out of the blue. I could feel the heat between us, tempting him, tempting me. And when our lips met, I felt an explosion of passion inside me. I had been holding so much back, acting a specific way… I was finally letting loose.
He kissed me hungrily and I returned it by kissing him back. Our bodies were intertwined and as I pushed myself against him, I could feel that he was already getting hard. That excited me. I hadn’t planned any of this, but I knew that I wanted it and I wanted it badly.
I moved my lips from his mouth to his jawline to his neck as I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist. He grabbed my ass with his strong hands and I moaned lightly into his shoulder as I kissed it.
He moved us toward a rock so that he could lean me against it. His lips traveled down to my breasts. He unclasped my bra and threw it over to where our picnic was. Seconds later, his tongue was flickering against my nipples, already hard from the cold water. He knew what he was doing with his mouth.
Suddenly, his hand was between my legs, pulling down my panties and inserting his fingers inside me. I moaned deeply as he ran his thumb over my clitoris while two fingers explored my pussy. The pleasure started building up the moment he touched me, and I began moving against him, in time with him.
“You can moan as loudly as you want out here. No one can hear us,” he whispered into my ear as he increased the pace as he was fingering me. I responded by biting my lip and moaning in enjoyment.
As I came close to an orgasm, he removed his hand from between my legs and grabbed my ass and lifted me up. He was so strong, it was such a turn on. He gently placed me down on the rock we’d been up against and kissed my stomach, going lower and lower until his face was between my legs.
As soon as his tongue flickered against my clitoris, I began moaning again, only louder this time. His fingers were back inside me as his tongue worked my clit. I steadied myself, holding on to his shoulders.
Chapter 12: Alistair
I could feel her whole body begin to shake with pleasure and it only made me harder. I ignored my growing erection as I brought her to orgasm with my tongue and fingers. She was breathing heavily as I lowered her back into the water with me. I kissed her deeply once again.
“I want you inside me, now,” she said, still trying to catch her breath.
I did as I was told. I parted her legs, pulled off my underwear and threw it on the shore. She gasped as I thrust my cock inside her. She was tight, but ready for it. I gripped her body tightly against mine as I rocked us back and forth to build up a rhythm. I wanted to take my time, but I was also incredibly turned on and couldn’t wait.
I could tell that she wanted me as badly as I wanted her by her moans, which were becoming louder by the minute. I placed my hand between the rock and her back, making sure there was no way she could be hurt. She began to lightly nibble on my shoulder and the pain mixed beautifully with the pleasure.
I kissed her neck and her jawline, working my way toward her mouth. I began to thrust harder and faster, bringing us both to new heights of pleasure. I could hear my own groans becoming louder, mixing with her moans.
I could feel her pussy pulsating around my cock and it was driving me crazy. I went in harder and deeper and she was nearly screaming in ecstasy. I knew that I was close to the tipping point, but I wanted us to come together. So I slowed down for a few seconds, until I could tell she was ready. And then all bets were off.
I felt the force of my orgasm writhing through my body and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The louder she screamed, the harder I began to come. It was the most intense orgasm I had ever experienced in my entire life.
We both collapsed into each other’s arms in the water, our bodies limp and our faces glowing.
Chapter 13: Anna
We were both spent as we slowly regained our energy and the use of our bodies. The water felt amazing as we enjoyed the post-coital glow. It was like the green of the trees and the blue of the sky were more intense than they’d ever been before.
Suddenly, a phone started ringing. We both paused and then started laughing. It seemed so out of place in the beautiful scenery. “It’s mine, I better get it,” Alistair said, kissing me lightly before quickly getting out of the water to dry his hands and answer it.
I wasn’t paying attention to the conversation he was having, but when he put down the phone, he seemed tense.
“My brother has arrived,” he said. “We have to go. I’m sorry.”
We gathered all of our stuff and quickly dried ourselves off and got dressed. We didn’t talk about what had just happened, but as we made our way back to the car, he grabbed my hand and didn’t let it go.
I could tell that he was tense and not in the mood to see his brother. I hated that we couldn’t enjoy the lake and each other for a little longer. But something told me that we had time.
Soon enough, we ended up back at the house. I drew a deep breath before introducing myself to Mason and Georgia. They didn’t seem like very warm people. I could immediately tell that Mason saw me as nothing more than a member of staff… someone who worked for them.
I left Alistair downstairs to talk with him about the details of the party while I went upstairs to change. I felt bad leaving him with his brother, but he assured me that it was all okay.
I took a long shower, enjoying the memory of what had just happened in the lake. I had no urgent need to join the rest of the party downstairs, so I took a quick nap. Only I didn’t set an alarm.
By the time Eddie knocked on my door, it was evening. I looked at my watch, it was 5 pm. Eddie said that I was invited downstairs for cocktails before dinner. I braced myself. From what I could tell of Mason and Georgia, they didn’t really seem like my kind of people. However, I was looking forward to seeing Alistair. The least I could do was be there for him.
By the time I had gotten dressed and put on my makeup, they were already on what looked like their second cocktail. Mason was making some loud joke, Georgia was laughing and Laura and Ted were looking uncomfortable. Alistair had a blank look on his face, like he was in another world… until he saw me, then his face lit up.
“Hey, Anna. You look lovely,” Laura said and Alistair grinned in agreement.
“So, Anna. How did my brother find you?” Mason asked, a clear mocking tone in his voice. “Did he use the phone book? Because I haven’t exactly heard of your business before. But then again, I only deal with certain people.”
I could see why Alistair hated his brother so much and I’d only just met him.
“I found her online, Mason. And I am really glad that I did… otherwise, you wouldn’t even be having an engagement party. I mean, I don’t know why you couldn’t do it yourself. But then again, you’ve always struggled to do things for yourself.” I could tell that Alistair was not okay with the way his brother was speaking to me.
“Listen, when you’re as busy as I am, you have to outsource things. You’ll get there eventually, little brother.” Mason smirked.
I went and sat next to Alistair and put my hand on his leg to show that I was there with him. No one else could see, but I wanted him to know that I was on his side.
Chapter 14: Alistair
My brother proved himself to be as unlikeable as I had been telling everyone he was, which worked in my favor. As soon as Anna put her hand o
n my leg, I could feel the tension leave my body. Nothing Mason could do mattered. She was here with me and that made everything okay.
My brother and his fiancée clearly liked their booze because the two of them were drinking like fish. Georgia must have misjudged how much alcohol was in those cocktails because she excused herself to go to bed shortly after dinner.
My mother was feeling better than usual and so she stayed up with us. I think it was mostly to ease the tension between me and my brother. But Anna liked her company and so did I. Plus, Laura and Ted were there, which made a big difference. We sort of carried the conversation between us with Mason butting in every now and then to gloat about business or something.
“You know what? I would love a glass of wine,” my mother said. She hadn’t had a drink all evening and I think she was starting to feel left out.
“I’ll get you one,” Anna said, quickly standing up to go to the kitchen.
She was barely gone two minutes before Mason said, “I better go check on that wine for you, Mother. I don’t know how refined that woman’s palate is.”
“I think Anna will choose the perfect glass for me, thank you, Mason.” My mother’s words were clipped in response to her son’s rude attitude.
“Either way, it’s best if I go in there and just make sure,” he drunkenly slurred.
My mother waved her hand as if to say, “If you must.” And he got up and left. I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t like the thought of Mason alone with Anna in the kitchen. But I ignored the feeling. Anna could handle herself; she had proven that time and time again.
