by Kinney Scott
“Please Natalie,” he growled, a command more than a request.
“Just wanted to try one more little thing.” She picked two more ice cubes from the glass. The half-melted ice was rounded and smooth. Raising up on her knees over his hips, she slid each sliver of ice gently inside her heat, gasping sharply at the chilled invasion. Her unleashed abandon, sent another surge directly to Seth’s cock, now a rock hard rod seeking release.
Grasping his heated cock, she aligned taking him into her chilled pussy in one swift movement, impaling her own body. His hips lifted off the bed as Seth drove in, while she ground and writhed over him. Hot and cold, hard and soft, urgent need balanced on a knife’s edge. Hungry carnal thrusts crested both in a blinding simultaneous release of pleasure mixed with the small bite of pain caused by the cold ice. She collapsed onto his outstretched form. Seth panted underneath her languid body, still strapped by ankles and wrists, bound to the bed frame, completely spent.
***
By the time Ben returned to Ashwood that evening, chicken and vegetables were roasting in the oven. He watched his sister finish dinner prep. Natalie and Seth seemed perfect together. Leaving would hurt her terribly.
On the deck after dinner, with a glass of wine he explained, “Dad wasn’t always so intense. By the time I graduated with a degree in computer science, he set his mind on controlling my career decisions with the same killer instinct that drove him to succeed. His life has only one purpose, to accumulate money. I’m embarrassed he drug me into his quest to contest the will. When he planned this trip, I came along with the sole purpose of shutting him down.” Ben hunched forward, spinning the wine glass in his hand.
“Ben, if you ever need anything, let me know. I know grandpa would be happy if I shared his inheritance with you.”
He looked up, sorrow still in his eyes, but a smile on his lips, “There isn’t any reason for that. I’m set, and more than comfortable. But thank you for thinking of me. Money isn’t what I need. I’d just like to have my sister in my life again.”
“I would love that too Ben.”
Seth stood and left them on the deck, as they talked. He could hear Ben and Natalie laughing, attempting to make up for stolen years. He worked from his office for a couple of hours, until Natalie found him going over plans on his computer.
“Ben went upstairs to the guest room. Thank you for letting him stay. It’s been so many years. I had forgotten how funny and kind Ben was.”
“I like him. It’s obvious that he has great success in his field, yet he’s very humble about it. How he managed to emerge from your Father’s home this balanced is a credit to his character. Good genes?”
“Well obviously,” Natalie laughed, “look at how great I turned out!”
“I love how you turned out.” As she sat on his lap, Seth carefully held the nape of her neck, and nibbled kisses from her lips. His loving worship of her mouth ended her evening perfectly. Climbing the stairs together, they clicked off lights as they went. The couple settled in for the night, bathed in blue moonlight, spooning under the blankets.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ben and Kelsey drug their canoe up next to Seth and Natalie’s on the pebbled shore of the lake. The nearby dock looked to be in good shape, but they chose not to use it without checking it out first. At this elevation, the vine-maples were just beginning to turn gold and red in the canopy of the forest. Natalie wandered near the shore, breathing in the fresh air. “What do you think of the property Ben?”
“It’s fantastic, and so peaceful. Grandpa must have loved to come up here and escape the city.”
Ben and Natalie wandered along the shore as Seth tested the condition of the dock. She looked up at her brother, “He must have visited here, but I can’t figure out why he kept it to himself. Even his close friend Elsa assumed he had sold it.”
“Perhaps he hadn’t made up his mind about keeping it?”
“I still have many of his records to sort through. Maybe I will discover something to shed light on his decision. I am glad he kept it. Next summer I may even bring my house here.”
Ben pointed in the direction of a wide path that led toward the access road, “how is the condition of the drive? Could you bring your home in without taking out any trees?”
“The road is well maintained. I may need to trim a few branches, but I think I would be able to get my home here without too many problems. Just above, a road winds towards Seth’s house. If you stand in the gap between these trees, you can just make out the roofline of his place.”
Seth wandered toward them, followed closely by Kels. Ben turned to his sister, “Promise me you won’t sell it, not yet.”
“I don’t think I ever could. I can feel a connection to Grandpa Pete here. Does that sound crazy?”
Ben shook his head, as Seth answered, “Not at all.” He settled his hand on the small of her back. “Someday you will discover why he didn’t do more with this place, but I’m convinced he kept it for a reason.”
Ben and Seth wandered off to explore the edges of the property, winding their way on narrow overgrown deer trails. The damp air captured scents of earth, water and rotting leaves.
Pine trees, heated by the sun, accented the damp smell with a pungent sharp sweetness. Small animals and birds scurried away as the two men invaded their havens with crunching footsteps. Until this moment, their homes had sat largely undisturbed for over a year.
“Seth, I’m putting in for a transfer to the west coast branch of my company. It’s on the east edge of Portland.”
Does Natalie know?”
“No, I haven’t told anyone. I’ve needed a reason to make a change, to put some distance between me and my Dad.”
“Sorry your father is so difficult. But, Portland is great. I lived there for a few years.”
“When you were married?”
“Yeah, Chelsea and I married too young. We grew apart. I like Portland, but Ashwood is my home.”
“Have you asked Natalie to stay?” Ben asked. “I know it’s none of my business, but Natalie is my sister, and I’ve been concerned about what your plans are. I don’t want her to get hurt.”
Seth stopped walking through the brush. “I’d like her to stay, but I don’t want to get in the way of her goals. Her house is almost complete. Hell, I’ve drug my feet on finishing it to the point that even she can tell I’m intentionally stalling the job.”
He drug his hands through his dark hair. “Natalie lights up when she talks about her tiny house business. She has worked so hard to make sure it succeeds. If I asked her to stay, I think she would. But, I’m not sure she wouldn’t regret it.”
“Makes sense. Sometimes when I look at her I still see my ten year old little sister. Do you think she will mind if I check in on her from time to time after she moves towards the coast? You know, to make sure she is doing okay?”
“I’m counting on you to help with that. I will be checking in on her too. Scares the hell out of me when I think of her leaving.” Ben and Seth walked on in silence, both concerned about the same woman, both motivated by their own brand of love.
Shoes off, bare painted toes splashed along the pebbled shore of Osprey Lake. Nate and Kels waded a little farther in, up to their knees. “The water is so much warmer than when I first arrived in June.”
“I think it’s warm enough to go for a midnight swim tonight. At my parents place. They won’t mind, if we skinny dip.”
“Uh, Kels, I don’t think so. I seriously do not want to see my brother naked. Not going to happen.”
“But, what if I do?”
“Not my problem. You figure out how to get him alone.” Her smile encouraged Kels, but also hid a bit of concern. “I don’t know how much longer he plans to be around. I’m sure he needs to return to work soon.”
“I know. If I plan to make a move with Ben, it had better be soon,” Nate raised her eyebrows and burst out with a nervous laugh, Ben won’t know what hit him.
After a few minut
es, Kelsey put her arm around Natalie’s narrow waist. “Please don’t leave Nate. Everyone is moving. First Molly and Mandy next you and Ben.”
“I do kind of dread the coming changes, but it’s inevitable. The stock for my coffee shop finally started to arrive. Will you help me load it up, and get everything organized?”
“I’ll help, but I won’t be happy,” Kels said with a hip-bump to her best friend.
“Where did the guys go? I don’t see them anywhere.”
“You have twenty acres here. I hope they don’t explore all of it. Elsa will send out a search party if we don’t get back when her pies come out of the oven.”
“True, she would know a bear attack couldn’t keep us away from her pie.”
“Did Elsa meet Ben in the past when you two were kids?”
“Yes, grandpa and Elsa go back quite a few years. She knew my grandmother. They were long time family friends.”
“I can tell we will always be close, Nate. I can picture us, two white-haired ladies going to the farmers market, just like we do now. I love you Nate.”
“I love you too, Kels.”
Natalie found it difficult to imagine herself without Kelsey. Equally difficult, to imagine her life without Seth. He hadn’t said that he loved her, and she didn’t want to plant herself in his home town.
Staying here to watch him move on after their summer romance would be far too painful. In a town this small, she would never be able to avoid him. Just the thought of running into him with a new woman at his side left a sick pit in her stomach. Maybe she could return in a few years and spend a summer on the lake. By then they both would have moved on.
Twigs snapped underfoot as Ben and Seth pushed their way back through tall underbrush. Leaves and moss hung in their hair, and dirt clung to their clothes.
Seth’s boyish grin lit up his face. “We lost the trail.”
“Had to blaze one of our own.” Ben hollered with a manly growl. Getting away from the city suited him. He had grown tan and put on another layer of muscle while spending so much time outdoors, away from the fluorescent existence of his office. Fishing with Wade, hiking with Seth and Natalie, and paddling with Kelsey, Ben had carved a niche for himself here in Ashwood.
“Is anyone else as starved as I am?” Seth asked, picking brush off his shirt and out of his hair.
“Yes, and I think I can smell Elsa’s pie coming out of the oven,” Nate added.
The girls settled in the front of the canoes as the boys steadied the boats. Pushing the craft further into the water, Seth easily found his seat. Ben nearly toppled the canoe, attempting the same maneuver. Kelsey used her weight to keep them balanced, laughing and screaming as they nearly went over. “Slick moves, city boy,” she teased.
“Watch it Kels, or I will toss you in.” He warned, with a smile plastered across his face.
As soon as Seth and Natalie pulled away in their canoe, Kels spun around on the bench seat to face him, flirtatious heat in her eyes. . “Maybe tonight we can get away, go for a late night swim. The lake is pretty warm.”
Ben stopped paddling. As much as he wanted to explore this connection with Natalie’s best friend, maybe now would not be the best time. Would Kels feel the same once she learned he was moving to the area? His cock said yes, as a surge of arousal rushed to his groin.
“Another time?” he asked.
She looked disappointed, certain that she wasn’t mistaken about this fire that burned between them. “Some other time, let me know.” her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Ben knew she was hurt. He wanted to wait. Kelsey was too special to toy with. She was so much more than a one-night stand.
***
Two empty pie plates sat in the center of the table. “Dinner was fantastic. Aunt Elsa, the pie, oh my God, it was perfect.” Kelsey moaned, her hunger a distant memory. Natalie, Seth and Ben had willingly joined this small family gathering.
Elsa visited her sister a few times a year, staying for a week or two. Her sister, Kelsey’s grandmother, sat at the table with her husband and Kelsey’s parents. All were full to the point of pain, not another bite would fit. Natalie and Kelsey stood to gather dishes. “We will handle cleaning duty, Mom.”
“Thank you dear, I won’t fight you on that. Would you put some decaf on for me?”
“I’ll get right on it.”
Ben and Seth stood at the sink rinsing and loading the dishwasher, as Nate and Kels put the left overs away. Elsa wandered into the kitchen, “Do you kids mind if I steal Natalie from you for a bit?”
“I think we can manage without her.”
“Thank you Seth, wander outside in a bit and you can have her back.”
After wiping down the counters, Seth, Ben and Kels wandered outside, but stayed close to the house, clicking on heat lamps that sat on the deck. The nights were growing cooler as fall approached.
Natalie held Elsa’s arm as she navigated the steps in the dim light of the evening. Together they wandered away from the house, the cool evening air damp and pungent with the approach of fall. “How are you handling all of these changes Natalie? You have been on my thoughts a great deal. Especially with Ben returning for a visit.”
“I’m happy Elsa. I feel like I’ve found a home in Ashwood, and lifelong friends. Kelsey and I have always been close, but knowing her friends has strengthened our relationship.” Natalie was intentionally avoiding the obvious. Elsa wanted to know about Seth.
“Are you sure about your plans to leave? Seth seems like a reason to consider staying. But, I guess that depends on how you feel about him,” Elsa prodded.
Natalie stopped, turned back to the house and saw her brother, Seth and Kelsey talking and laughing together on the deck. The dusk of the evening hid her face from their view, but Seth seemed to feel her watching and glanced into the dark, seeking her gaze.
“Elsa, I think I’ve fallen in love with him, but I’m afraid if I stay in Ashwood I will intrude on his life. I wonder, too, if this would just be another safe choice. Part of me needs to know if I can make it on my own.” She sank onto a wood bench at the edge of the yard while Elsa settled in next to her.
“Have you shared how you feel?”
“Yes and no. I think Seth may need more time. I’m guessing he doesn’t want to repeat mistakes he made with Chelsea.”
“My dear, you are nothing like Chelsea.”
“Yes, I know, I’ve met her. It wasn’t pleasant.”
“Natalie, his ex-wife is firmly in the past. It sounds like you have already pondered these decisions, and have goals you want to accomplish. Once you know you reach those milestones, your path will have clarity. Trust yourself. Trust Seth. When the time is right please promise me you will tell him how you feel.”
“I promise Elsa. Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too. Why don’t we walk back together? Seth seems torn between giving us space and wanting to find you.”
Natalie looked up to find Seth standing on the deck, patiently waiting. When they arrived, he helped Elsa up the steps as Kelsey and Ben talked together.
As Natalie joined them, Ben asked his sister, “Nate, do you think you could get used to having your brother around more often?”
“Are you thinking of looking for work out here? That would be fantastic! I’ll even help with the job search if that would speed things up.”
“Actually,” his eyes glanced at Kelsey, watching for her reaction, “my company has a branch in Portland. I start working there in a little over a week. I just need to find an apartment and fly back home to arrange for my stuff to be shipped here.”
“Ben, you have no idea how thrilled I am to hear that. You might get tired of me checking up. Kelsey, isn’t that the best news!”
Seth slapped him on the back, “I knew she would be happy.”
“You knew about Ben’s plans?”
“Only as of earlier today,” he answered.
Kelsey sat in stunned silence, thankful the low light hid her blus
hing face. She longed to claim a kiss and celebrate, but his earlier distance had Kels second-guessing her instincts.
“Will you have time to help me find a place to live? I know I sprung this on you at a very busy time.” Ben asked his sister.
“I’d love to come along, but I don’t know all of Portland’s unique neighborhoods as well as Kelsey and Seth.”
“Let’s check some listings tomorrow and call a property manager I know.” Seth suggested. “When do you fly back?”
“Thursday.”
“Wow, cutting it close, I’ll make some calls tomorrow. How about we plan for a Tuesday run to Portland.”
“Thanks, Seth that would be great.”
“Can you make it too Kels?” Natalie asked.
“Please,” Ben added, hoping to mend the new distance between.
“Sure, I’d be happy to help.”
***
After viewing four different properties, Ben narrowed his choices down. It was either a sleek one-bedroom condominium with a pool and gym, or a two-bedroom historic brick duplex. The condo left him feeling cold, so Ben settled on the brick place. The second bedroom wasn’t really a need, but he liked to confine the mess of an office to a separate space. Two women shared the other side of the duplex.
“Look, you have a view of Mt. Hood from the master,” his sister pointed out. Calling it a master was a stretch, but it was the larger of the two bedrooms, which shared a jack-and-jill bathroom.
Seth looked under sinks, checking plumbing. “Some of the hardware is older, but the bones are good. Whoever has done the maintenance on this place knows what they are doing, and take pride in their work. You shouldn’t have any issues here.”
“I like that there is parking off the street, and it’s still not too far from the light rail line. I’ve seen all I need, let me call the manager and arrange to send in the paperwork. We need to find one of those craft brew pubs Portland is famous for.” Ben locked up his house, satisfied with the choice and the direction of his life.