Connections

by R. H. Vesely

  Just then the figure stood up, and Randy and Bill's jaws dropped.

  ******

  "Hey guys, thanks for letting me join you. You have to let me chip in for part of the gas," said Robert, as he hopped in the back seat with Allie.

  "Robert, my good friends Jim and Nancy, we all went to med school together. They stayed here and I left," said Allie.

  "Pleased to meet you. Where are we off to?" said Robert.

  "We're first going up to Napa Valley and hit a few vineyards there. We'll have lunch there at a little place I know about and then a couple more vineyards. After that, there is a cute little B&B that Nancy likes with some nice restaurants nearby. So its all planned and you just have to sit back, relax and enjoy," said Jim.

  "Sounds terrific, and once again thank you so much for letting me join you," said Robert.

  It was a fairly long drive and they chatted about wine, the country side and places they'd been. The day went beautifully but by the end of dinner, they were all a little high but beat from the long day. Jim and Nancy headed up to their room and Robert and Allie stayed for a night cap before going up to their separate rooms.

  "Wow, what a great day. I can't thank you enough for letting me come along. I haven't had a chance to relax like this in forever. For the last couple months, I think I have spent half my life on planes. I've been going coast to coast and back and forth to Europe endlessly," said Robert.

  "Wow, so your area must be really hot now, huh," said Allie.

  "Yeah, everybody seems to want me to speak and meet with them and help them create programs, it's exhausting and I have to start to learn to say no. It's my own damn fault," laughed Robert.

  "Hey Allie, don't know how you feel about this but I've got some great weed up in my room. It helps me to crash at night. Not a come on, just a nice way to end a great day, no pressure," said Robert.

  "Gee, you know, I could go for a good joint, yeah, why not," said Allie, shocking herself a little bit at her ready acceptance.

  They sat on the floor, leaning against the bed sharing a joint and laughing about stupid things, like the somelier at the restaurant who would rattle off a minimum of 10 descriptive terms for each wine, " a puckish astringency with hints of black berry, apple, cinnamon, peach, pomegranate, raspberry blah, blah blah blah blahberry", said Allie, as they both burst into silly laughter. Then Robert leaned over and gave Allie a tender kiss on the lips. She was initially taken aback, but to the next kiss she reciprocated..

  ******

  Kelley went on with her preparations pretending not to notice the arrival of Mattie, Randy and Bill. Randy gave Mattie a look of "what the fuck" and Bill gave Randy the same look. Kelley was wearing a small bikini top and a pair of short cutoffs with her ass cheeks sticking out as she bent over to slide the canoe into the water.

  "Hey Kelley, it's Mattie, what are you doing here," Mattie swore to herself that this was the last line she would deliver, this was too much.

  "Wow, hey guys, just going out for a paddle on the river. What's up with you?" said Kelley, as she stood up with a big smile.

  "Guess we had the same idea, kind of strange huh," said Randy sarcastically.

  "Gee, yeah, sort of serendipitous, oh hi Bill, how goes it?" said Kelley nonchalantly.

  "Good, how about you? Yeah, does look like a good day for a paddle," said Bill.

  "Well then, let's go together, Bill can join me and you and Randy can take the other canoe. I already have some beer and food on mine and we can share," said Kelley casually.

  "Ok, might as well get to it, but be careful with the launch, the water is moving pretty fast after last night's rain," said Randy, as he loaded the cooler into the other canoe and slid it down to the river.

  "Yeah, this could be interesting," said Bill with a laugh.

  Randy and Mattie launched first and were rapidly swept ahead around a bend in the river before they got their paddles in sync. They then pulled over to the side and held onto a tree root waiting for Kelley and Bill. After about ten minutes, they saw a paddle, a life vest and then a cooler come around the corner moving in the strong current. Shit thought Randy, here we go. Then came the canoe with Bill in back paddling and Kelley up front. They were both soaked.

  "God, we tipped almost right away and it was my fault, god Bill, I'm so sorry," said Kelley, seemingly on the verge of tears.

  "Hey, that's ok, shit happens. Let's just go up ahead where the river widens. It looks like there is a calm spot where we can pull over and take stock," said Bill.

  "Yeah, we got the paddle and cooler, the life jacket slipped by but we'll find it," said Randy.

  "God, I am so sorry, I'm so sorry," repeated Kelley, but she wasn't really "so sorry". She had deliberately made the canoe flip right after they launched. It was part of her plan.

  They all pulled into the shore where there was a nice sandy, almost beach like area and Randy and Bill flipped the canoe to drain the water out. Kelley took off her wet denim shorts to reveal the thong that was the bottom half of her bikini. Bill could not help glancing over, as Kelly bent over to dry her bottom half with Mattie's towel.

  "Boy, thank god the sun is out. I think if we spread the stuff out on the cross supports, it will dry as we go along, and gee, again Bill, I am so sorry, don't hate me, please," said Kelley.

  "Really no big deal, something to laugh about as we go along," said Bill with a smile.

  "Well may be a big deal if we get hungry," laughed Mattie, as she held up a sopping wet sandwich from the cooler.

  "Hey, but at least we have plenty of beer," laughed Bill.

  They reentered the river with Bill in the back of his canoe and Mattie in the back of hers. Mattie was an expert paddler and Randy had only been a couple times, so he gladly deferred to her expertise. As Bill and Kelley paddled ahead, Randy laid his paddle across his legs and looked back at Mattie.

  "Babe, what the hell is going on here. You have been acting a little weird. Was this all a set up?" said Randy directly.

  Mattie sat there just steering not paddling, thinking about what was the best way to put this and not come off as a lying shit, she was having difficulty.

  "Come on, out with it, I promise I won't go nuts, or at least not too nuts," said Randy.

  "Ok, well you have to understand, Kelley is my best friend, and she begged me with tears in her eyes to help her do this, I'm really sorry hon, I mean, really sorry. I feel like such a shit," said Mattie on the verge of tears.

  "Hey, hon, it's ok. Bill's a big boy. But it was kind of low, but hell, we'll probably end up laughing about it. She is a piece of work and god almighty that thong, I'm sure old Bill is sitting back there trying to hide his erection," laughed Randy.

  Sure enough as they paddled forward along side Bill and Kelley, Bill had a towel draped across his lap and Randy and Mattie started laughing like idiots.

  "Jesus guys, what's so funny, somebody fart," said Bill.

  "No, No there was just this funny piece of wood we saw on the river and it made us laugh. I guess were a little punchy from the early morning exercise," said Randy, as he and Mattie laughed even harder.

  "Yeah, there was something really funny about the way it was bent," guffawed Mattie.

  "Jesus, get a grip you guys, you'd think you were in grade school," said Bill with a laugh.

  At that point, the river narrowed again and went speeding around another bend where a tree had fallen in from the bank. As they went by, they noticed an aluminum canoe hung up in the branches and two boys in tan Boy Scout shirts balancing on the branches and trying to pull it out.

  "Hey Mattie, pull over up ahead. I think those kids are going to need help. They don't look like they know what the hell they are doing and that current is really moving fast," yelled Bill back to Mattie.

  "Holy shit Randy, did you get a good look at what Kelley is wearing. Jesus, I could barely paddle with that perfect ass of hers sitting there right in front of me," said Bill, as he and Randy walked along the bank back towards
the two Boy Scouts.

  "What the hell did you think Mattie and I were laughing so hard about," said Randy laughing.

  "Oh, you bastard, I get it funny piece of wood, bent, very funny," said Bill.

  "Hey guys, what's up here, need some help?" said Bill to the Boys Scouts.

  "Wow, yeah, we got caught in this tree and climbed out, but are afraid to go too far out to get it. We can't swim," said one of the Scouts.

  "You're shitting me. Then get the hell off those branches, now! Where is your leader?" said Bill forcefully.

  "The rest of the troop is way up ahead," said the other Scout.

  "Christ Randy, can you believe it. They never should have let you out with the water running this high and fast. Is your leader some kind of fucking idiot," said Bill.

  "Ok, well lets just get the canoe on shore and we can carry it up a ways where it is calmer," said Randy.

  Randy and Bill started disengaging the canoe from the branches and slowly working it to shore. "Get the hell back on shore you idiot. Do you want to die," yelled Bill at one of the scouts, who was trying to help.

  "Ease up Bill, they're just kids," said Randy.

  "Yeah, I know, not their fault. It's their idiot leader. What the hell could that guy have been thinking," said Bill.

  "Ok guys, wear your life jackets and paddle slow, and don't make any sudden movements. We will stay a little ways behind you to make sure you're doing ok, have fun," said Bill, his anger and fear for the boys safety having settled. They continued to just drift along, hardly paddling so they could stay behind the scouts.

  "There is no need for me to paddle, so I'm going to lie back and soak up some sun," said Kelley, as she laid back onto a life jacket with her legs spread out and her feet dangling in the water on either side of the canoe.

  Jesus christ this is not fair thought Bill as his "ugly little head" rose over the edge of his swim trunks. The day of wild sex after sledding came rushing back to him as he stared at the little piece of black fabric stretched across Kelley's pelvic bones.

  "Hey babe, want a beer?" said Kelley, as she rolled over and reached into the cooler for a couple beers, giving Bill another disturbing view of her ass, as he pulled the towel up a bit. They continued to drift along like this relaxing and drinking beer, with Kelley moving between her dangling feet position and ass display. By this time, Bill was holding the cold beer between his legs to ease the pain.

  At this point the river widened out for a long distance and Kelley knew it would stay that way until the take out point.

  "Hey Mattie, how about we pull over and relax for bit on shore, there's a nice sandy spot just over there. The kids will be ok, it's all calm water from here to the take out," said Kelley, pointing to a nice little grass and beach like area.

  They settled in on the two towels that were fairly dry, with Bill sitting last trying to pull his t shirt down over his bathing suit.

  "Another beer please," said Bill, hoping to use it to calm himself down.

  "Hey Kelley, let's go in the water and see if we can feel the little fish, come on," laughed Mattie, as she grabbed Kelley's hand and pulled her to her feet. Mattie and Kelley stood up to their knees on the sandy bottom of the river, drinking beer and giggling as they felt the little minnows nibbling at their toes.

  "So, how goes it Bill?" said Randy.

  "Well, to be honest, not well. I am in some serious pain here and I can't seem to get the old boy to calm down. I mean, hell, have you seen, I mean really looked at that bathing suit, holy crap," said Bill.

  "Yeah, well don't know what to tell you. Maybe you should go pull one off in the bushes," laughed Randy, who was now thoroughly enjoying Bill's dilemma and had, in the classic male way, decided to let it ride for his amusement and not tell Bill it was all a set up.

  "So how do you think it's going,?" said Kelley with a smile.

  "Jesus Kelley, where the hell did you get that swimsuit. That is cruel what you're doing to him," laughed Mattie.

  "Yup, and did you see his swimsuit when he got out of the canoe. I was amazed he could walk," laughed Kelley.

  "You are bad girl, very bad," laughed Mattie.

  "You know, I think if I go sit in the water for a while I can maybe get this under control. Do me a favor and join me so it doesn't look so obvious, ok," said Bill.

  "Sure, good idea, a little cold running water should be just the ticket. Just sit downstream from me, in case you have an accident," laughed Randy, as they headed down to the river and took a seat.

  Kelley and Mattie looked over at them seated in the water and turned away, trying desperately to hide their laughter. "Hey boys, why don't you come out here and stand with us and feel the little fishies nibbling on your toes," yelled Mattie, giving a little wink to Kelley.

  "Nah, I think I'll just chill here a bit, a little tired from hauling that canoe out for the kids," said Bill.

  Kelley then dove into the water, flipping her ass up and resurfaced pushing her hair back from her face, causing her breasts to protrude out.

  "Holy crap," mumbled Bill as he took another swig of beer, as Kelley and Mattie came walking over to them with Kelley standing directly in front of Bill.

  "Let me have some of your beer, mines gone," said Kelley, as she leaned over with a big smile pulling the beer from between Bill's legs.

  "Ooo, nice and cold from the river," laughed Kelley, as she leaned over and slowly replaced the bottle between Bill's legs. Randy and Mattie looked at each other with giant smirks on their faces.

  ******

  As she showered in her own room, Allie was just standing under the forceful stream of hot water asking herself over an over, why did I do that. She had run through the excuses of alcohol, weed, need to relax, different place, but knew that while these may have helped her enjoy the event, they were not the why of it. She had finally had to admit to herself that she did it because she was scared. She was scared by her feelings and scared to believe the relationship was real. She was fearful of this unknown territory, and her fear was driving her to sabotage the relationship. She now realized that on an almost unconscious level, she had started this whole thing on the plane coming out here. She had been sitting there tortured by her feelings for Bill but at the same time overwhelmed by the depth of their relating and truly afraid of what she was feeling. From that point forward, everything she had done led inexorably to last night and she started to sob as the water continued to pour over her body washing her tears down the drain.

  ******

  The cold water finally did the trick and Bill dove into the river, swam a little and returned to the shore. Mattie and Randy were off in the bushes seeing if they could find any wild berries for them to munch on. He could hear them rustling back there happily singing and laughing. He stood there on the shore, wondering to himself what Allie was doing and thinking how she would not be a happy camper if she knew where he was at the moment. God and if she could see Kelley lying there on that towel, she would be apoplectic, he chuckled to himself. He moved a little out into the water and and started to feel the little minnows nibbling at his toes. God how cute is that, he thought, as he looked down and saw their little fish mouths tickling the tips of his toes.

  Just then he heard some quick splashing and turned in time to see Kelley laughing and launching herself onto him as they both fell backward. In an instinctive response, he had tried to catch her and as they surfaced, he realized he was holding the bottom of her bikini tangled in his hand. Kelley looked at him with a shy smile, the same way she had looked at him in his room that day, and put her arms around his neck, wrapped her legs around him and kissed him passionately. He was only slightly stunned but when she squeezed him tighter, his little head rose and he returned her kiss pulling her tight to his body.

  "I've missed you," she whispered in his ear.

  ******

  Allie was not sure what she was going to do about the rest of the trip. They were supposed to go to Sonoma and more vineyards with a second night a
t another small B&B. Robert had still been sleeping when she slipped out of his room. He was a really nice guy but she new that she had no real feelings for him and never would. This bothered her even more, since it brought back to her how clearly she had done this to protect herself from the unknown. Normally, it would have been nothing for her to pleasantly continue the weekend. Hell, she'd done it plenty of times with Michael. The problem was, this time, she was so angry, disgusted and confused that she wasn't sure if she could fake it. There came a gentle knock on her door.

  "Morning Allie, sorry, so tired and dead to the world, didn't hear you leave this morning," smiled Robert.

  "Oh, no problem, I'm sort of an early riser," said Allie with a smile.

  "Jim and Nancy are downstairs having some breakfast and they asked me to come up and see if you wanted to join us," said Robert.

  "Oh, ah, sure, great. Tell them I'll be down in a minute, OK," said Allie. OK Allie, you have to do this. You can't ruin your friends weekend. So just play it out, don't sleep with the guy again and when you get back home, you can take the time to figure this out, she thought.

  ******

  As he entered her, part of him was saying what the hell are you doing, and the other part was lost in the thought of wild sex with this unbelievably crazy woman, as she slowly slid down onto him.

  "Hey guys, what's up. The fish scare you Kelley," laughed Randy, as Mattie gave him a smack and a look. Unlike Randy, she had quickly realized something was going on, even though only the top half of Bill and Kelley's bodies were out of the water.

  Bill quickly slid out of Kelley and pushed the bottom half of her suit into her hand. "You better put this on," he whispered to her, as he subtly pulled up his own suit and turned to face Randy.

  "Just feeling the fish on our toes. They are amazingly cute. How about grabbing me a beer Randy," said Bill, as he exited the water.