Ellie had never been a fishing person. Never cared much for the look, feel, smell, or even the taste of them, much less baiting and hooking them. Her dad and granddad had shown her the experience several times as a child, and it usually ended in tears and sunburn. Despite knowing this, her husband Chris was again repeating how fun it would be for him to take her and their kids, Dylan and Jacob, fishing during their cabin trip. Even after 20 years of marriage, he hadn’t adjusted to some of their differences.

“And the best thing is we get to eat whatever we catch! Nothing tastes better than cooking something you caught yourself,” he said as he made the turn off the main road towards the bumpy dirt road that led to several cabins and cottages rented throughout the summer in the small Midwestern town of Peregrine Lake.

Ellie kept quiet, having already protested when the trip was planned. She had never been one for “roughing it” aside from a backyard bonfire, so the most compromise she could reach was to have an actual bed to sleep in at night instead of a foam pad inside a tent. But she was planning to have a “headache” every time fishing was proposed. Someone has to stay behind and make sure the cabin doesn’t accidentally burst into flames, right?

Ellie simply stared out the passenger window as Chris continued going over all the kinds of fish known to be in the lake. Her eyes looked ahead and she saw a man jogging down the road. Wearing 6” runner’s shorts and a Nike tank top, he sprinted down towards the car, navigating the rocky terrain easily. As a runner herself, Ellie was impressed. The runner passed by the car, and she couldn’t help but watch him in the side mirror until he disappeared around the bend.

“We’re here!” Chris exclaimed, pulling up to a little cabin shaded by a circle of trees. It was a little more humble-looking than the online listing had shown. The kids got out and ran around, checking out the firepit, the picnic table, the grill, and of course the lake. Peregrine Lake was a lovely sight, blue and sparkling in the sun. A little wood staircase led down to the sandy beach, and their own dock with a dingy little boat bobbing in the water.

“You’re not going swimming yet! Come and get your bags!” Ellie shouted, approaching the front door. She yelled out after Chris, the only one who knew where the spare key was, but he had run down to see the lake too. She huffed and started looking around. Did people still hide spare keys under ceramic turtles? She wandered over to the other side of the cabin, faced out towards the road. As she searched through her phone to see if Chris forwarded her any of the trip emails, she glanced up and saw the runner walking back. She lifted her sunglasses to see him better, but as he stretched his arms he seemed to lock eyes with her. She quickly turned away and back towards the front door.

Chris had already gotten the key (in the front mailbox, clever) and gone inside with the boys. It was all very cozy, aka small. A kitchen, a small den, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. Ellie looked forward to forcing the boys to sleep together in one bed without fighting.

------

The day soon turned to night. Ellie cooked a simple dinner of hot dog macaroni and Chris insisted on having a fire outside. It took him a while to get the fire going, during which she opened a bottle of wine and had a long-awaited drink. They all sat around the fire, and it was nice, apart from the smoke blowing in her face, and the mosquitoes in her ear, and Chris telling ghost stories that two kids under 10 shouldn’t be hearing.

They all turned in around 11:00. After getting the boys to bed, Ellie brushed her teeth and took a shower – learning that the hot water was “spotty” here. Afterwards she joined Chris in the bedroom. He was almost as conked out.

“Thanks for making dinner. I didn’t have it in me after a six-hour drive” he said.

“Don’t mention it. We have lots more if you guys don’t catch much fish,” she replied.

“Let’s all go tomorrow, just hit the ground running. Weather’s supposed to be terrific.”

“If you want. I think I’m going to sit the fishing out.”

“I’d really like to go as a family.”

“We’re already here as a family, let’s not start this now.”

Chris sighed and sank into his phone. He was a big pouter. Ellie had three boys to take care of all week long.

------

Ellie woke up around 5am. She never slept well when on vacation, whether it be a five-star hotel or a friend’s guest room. After laying in bed another half hour, she decided to just get up. She checked in on the boys, then made herself a cup of coffee. Out the window she could see the lake, and the sun starting to rise. It was warm and inviting, so she threw a sweatshirt on over her pajamas and took her coffee down to the lake.

The air was crisp but refreshing. She walked down the steps and found an old lawn chair at the bottom of the stoop. She looked out on the lake, wondering if she’d see any boats starting their fishing trip. Instead it was calm, with faint glimmers of stars still in the sky. She sipped her coffee and realized she might have found one outdoor activity she liked.

She noticed the other docks down the shoreline, about 100-200 feet apart, belonging to the other cabins. She hadn’t seen or heard many others around, probably because it was the tail end of August. But there was one person out on their dock, the first one out to her right. He was walking down to the end, in a robe with a coffee cup of his own. He stood at the edge and took in the scene, and Ellie soon recognized him as the runner from the day before. His strong jaw, Roman nose, and short sandy brown curls were distinctive enough from a distance. She smiled a bit and almost waved, even though her coffee buddy didn’t seem to notice her, not from that far.

After a few minutes, he set his coffee down on the dock and tossed his flip-flops off. Ellie watched as he undid his robe and slipped it off his shoulders, revealing a broad and toned back and… no shorts. No boxers or swimsuit of any kind, just bare skin. She blushed and felt embarrassed for looking, but looked again as he lightly stretched and jumped into the water, naked. He swam out towards the center of the lake, and Ellie chuckled lightly to herself. That was certainly the highlight of the week, for her at least.

------

The rest of the day went by predictably. Ellie turned down the offer to go out on the boat, and stayed behind to take some time for herself. She sat on the couch and tried to read her book, but her mind kept flipping back to that morning. She decided to take the book outside and down to the lake, again in the lawnchair. Despite constantly glancing out at the lake (and the docks), it was a calm and uneventful day aside from the occasional boat passing by. She barely made it through three chapters.

Before long, the boys came back and Ellie prepared lunch – hamburgers this time, because they hadn’t caught any fish. They played some games until nightfall, then Chris made another fire and they attempted s’mores. He was still a little pouty afterwards and they went to sleep.

------

Ellie woke up again at 5am. She felt more restless than the morning before, and got up right away instead of trying to sleep more. She checked on the boys and made her coffee, looking out at the lake. She wanted to go down there again, but felt guilty that she only wanted to see the neighbor again. The first time was an innocent mishap, and to do so again felt like peeping. Her fingers drummed on the windowsill as she looked out, and decided to go.

She got there a little earlier this time, but when she looked out at the other dock, she saw his robe and coffee cup already there. She looked out at the lake, and in the gleam of the rising sun could see steady ripples getting bigger. The splashes came into focus more and more, heading towards the dock. She held her coffee mug tight as his swimming slowed and he reached up to grab the bottom rung of the dock ladder. He hoisted himself out of the water, once again naked, this time dripping wet and muscles stressed and red. He picked up his coffee and turned to look back out at the lake. Ellie peered and saw a little more of him. But as he turned and started to walk back down the dock, she realized he might see her, and she quietly sped up the stairs, covered by foliage on either side.

Her heart pounding in her chest, she went inside and took a shower. She didn’t even mind the cold water, she needed it.

------

That afternoon, she and Chris took the kids into town. They needed groceries, but also went to the local bookstore and vintage shop, and capped their afternoon at a local bar and grill that had a nice patio. Ellie was happy to have a break from vacation cooking, and the family was all having a good time. She stepped inside to use the restroom, and as she came out, she saw their neighbor seated at the bar, drinking a beer and watching the baseball game. She froze for a moment, almost bumping into the waitress carrying three hot fajitas plates. She took the long way around the bar and back outside to the table. She sat down quiet.

“Mom are you alright?” Dylan asked.

“I’m fine, sweetie.”

“You look a little flushed,” Chris said.

“I’m fine, they just put too many jalapenos in this thing.” Ellie took a long swig of water and Jacob turned the conversation back to his latest YouTube obsession.

------

The evening came along soon. Ellie suggested a movie night and let the kids pick. She zoned out for the whole runtime, and didn’t really snap out until she was in bed with Chris later on.

“Hey, I’m sorry about being a little non-communicative the last couple days. You’re right, you don’t need to go fishing with us to have a fun trip,” he said.

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“Everyone can enjoy a vacation however they see fit, y’know?”

“Yes, exactly!”

“Also I’d love it if we could, well, enjoy some of this alone time as well.” His hand caressed her thigh under the blanket. She enjoyed the touch, but stopped his hand from going any further.

“I’m still a little… queasy from lunch.”

“Really? You think you have food poisoning?”

“No, I think it was just… a little heavy for me. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Maybe tomorrow night?”

She nodded and smiled, and they turned out the light.

------

Awake again at 5am. Ellie sat up and looked outside, the sun rising as warmly as the day before. She made her coffee again and once again debated about going down to the lake. She had calmed down from the day before. There’s no way she was recognized at the bar, and there was very little chance that he had noticed her that morning – there was more than enough coverage from the trees and other bushes lining the edge of the beach.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she went outside again. Down the steps, she peeked through the branches and saw the dock empty. She peered out at the water, not seeing any activity apart from a family of ducks. A smile formed in the corner of her mouth as she crept down to the bottom. But as she went to sit in the lawnchair, her heart jumped as she saw a pair of binoculars sitting there. She froze and looked back towards the other dock, where soon the man walked out just as he had the last couple days to look out at the lake and sip his coffee, but this time he turned in her direction, and waved. Ellie blushed and waved back meekly. He gestured at the binoculars, and she brought them up to her eyes. Seeing him much closer now through the lens, she watched him disrobe in the morning sun, his tanned and toned physique highlighted in detail, with scruffy chest hair and a star tattoo on his shoulder. He dove in and Ellie watched him swim away. She sat there until he came back, this time walking out of the water straight onto the beach, glancing and smiling in her direction. She didn’t need binoculars for that.

Trembling and blushing, Ellie hid the binoculars behind a nearby rock, then went inside and again immediately took a shower. But she spent most of it sitting in the tub and masturbating, holding her hand over her mouth as she came.

------

Ellie was tense the whole day. Chris took the boys out fishing again, and after they left she regretted not joining them. Her mind was restless and racing. Reading frustrated her, watching TV bored her, and sitting outside just made her anxious. She’d been caught, and felt guilty about it. She felt like she had a chance to go talk to him, and apologize, and also ask that he not make anything more of it. It felt like the most prudent, adult thing to do to confront the situation… but it also felt terrifying.

Eventually the boys came back, having actually caught some fish this time. Chris was excited to eat their catch, but wanted Ellie to handle the cooking. The tension overflowed and she snapped at him that she didn’t want to clean and prepare fish, and that she thought he understood that. He apologized, and suggested they go back into town to the bar and grill, and maybe see a movie at the charming one-screen theater next door. Ellie passed, but Chris took the kids, and again left her alone to sit with her anxious thoughts.

The sun started to set and Ellie took a glass of wine outside. She walked down to the beach and actually stepped into the sand for the first time, down to the shallow edge of the water. It was a calming, warm night, with full stars. She walked out to the end of their dock and sat, feeling bad and preparing a full apology for her behavior in her head.

“Excuse me” said a voice behind her. She turned and saw him back on the beach, in khaki shorts and a plain white t-shirt.

“Hi,” she squeaked, waving. He climbed up onto the dock and approached.

“Is this alright?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, scooting over. He sat down next to her on the edge, their feet dangling over the water. They sat in silence for a few long moments.

“I’m Noah.”

“Ellie.”

“You don’t have to worry about returning the binoculars, I have spares.”

Ellie chuckled nervously. “Good to know.”

“Or I’ll just take them back after you leave.”

“Fair enough. I’m sorry for peeping, it was an accident the first time.”

He chuckled. “I try to do it early before most people are up. But I guess you’re not most people.”

“Maybe not.”

“Out of town?”

“Yep.”

“Vacation?”

“Mhmm.”

“Fishing?”

“No no no,” she said, laughing.

“You don’t seem like a big outdoorswoman.”

“I am not. I mean I like nature, it’s pretty to look at, I like running, I like swimming—”

“What a coincidence, me too!”

“Oh my God,” she said, burying her face in her hand. “Can I ask – why no swimsuit?”

“I just like it that way, it’s more freeing. It’s how we went in the water for thousands of years after all.”

“True, I guess I can imagine it being different, in a good way.”

“So you’ve never tried it?”

“No,” she said, still giggling. “I’m very much a one-piece kinda gal.”

“Have you done any swimming since you got here?”

“No, we’ve been doing fires and s’mores and all that kinda stuff.”

“That your husband?”

“Yeah.” Ellie looked over at him and felt her chest pounding. His green eyes glinted in the moonlight, his hand resting just behind her back.

“Is he busy inside?”

“He took the kids out for dinner and a movie.”

“Giving you some alone time.”

“That’s right…”

“How’d you like to go for a swim?”

“With you?”

He nodded.

“I… I really shouldn’t,” she stammered. Her entire body was in disagreement with her words.

“Because you don’t have your one-piece?”

“Exactly…” she said, her voice cracking.

“Too bad. It’s freeing not to let things like that stop you.”

She broke from his eyes, looking down. “I’m sorry.”

He put his hand over hers. “I understand. The invitation is still open.”

She nodded and got up, walking back down the dock. She let out the heavy breath she’d been holding in, hands shaking. She couldn’t help but look back over her shoulder to see him stand up, slip off his shirt, followed by his shorts, and dive naked into the moonlit lake.

She shook her head and turned away, then with a sigh, headed back down the dock. She kicked off her flip-flops and slipped off her blouse, then unbuttoned and unzipped her shorts and wriggled out of them. She continued walking as she unclasped her bra, her breasts bouncing in the night air. She heard a whistle and saw Noah floating along the side of the dock, watching her.

“Looking good! Still a one-piece kinda gal?”

She laughed and said “nope!” before sliding her panties down and kicking them off the edge of the dock. She jogged the last couple steps and jumped into the water.

Ellie resurfaced, wiping her wet hair from her eyes. The water was quite cold, but her body felt electric. She was half laughing, half shaking from the cold, and entirely enjoying herself. He swam around her, smiling.

“See what I mean?”

“I do, this is nice. Very cold though!”

“You get used to it!”

They circled around each other, coming closer each time. He reached out to hold her hand and pull her close. As her face came only inches from his, she put her hand on his chest, squeezing his pec, then sliding her fingers up to his cheek.

“Fuck,” she said, almost whimpering.

He leaned forward, nudging his forehead against hers. She shut her eyes, their lips just grazing each other. She couldn’t hold back now…

Suddenly a familiar sound came from up at the cabin – the family’s Crosstrek pulling back in.

“Fuck!” she whispered. She heard Chris and the boys pile out and start talking about building another fire.

Noah pulled her back to him. “Come back to my place.”

“I can’t! I have to get back there.”

“You can go around and through the trees. I’ll show you.”

They swam back to the dock and hurried up the ladder, shimmying into their clothes and hustling up the steps leading towards Noah’s cabin. As they passed, he held her hand and paused, tempting her again to come with him.

“I can’t,” she whispered. He nodded, letting her hand go. She crept through the trees and up to the bedroom window, pushing it open and climbing inside. She threw a bathrobe over herself, just moments before Chris entered the cabin looking for matches. She told him she’d just taken a shower and would be out to join them soon.

------

Ellie didn’t sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned, staring up at the ceiling. By 5am it was raining hard outside, a heavy fall after lots of recent humidity. She got up eventually, and watched the lake through the kitchen window.

It rained all day. The family stayed inside with games and movies. Ellie made every effort to be present with them, even as her mind raced over the details of the night before, and thinking about Noah now, sitting just one cabin over. None of their windows faced that direction unfortunately.

The rain didn’t settle until late into the evening. Ellie had a little too much wine and passed out in bed by then.

------

She didn’t wake up until well after 9am. The cabin was quiet, and the sun was shining beautifully outside. She got up and made some coffee, and found a note on the counter: “El – took the kids to a county fair in the next town over, you were sleeping soundly and I thought you could use a day to yourself. Let’s talk tonight after dinner”

Ellie put the note down and looked out at the lake. She took a deep breath and realized she couldn’t sit here another day. She quickly changed and headed outside.

It was warm and breezy out. A few boats went across the lake as Ellie stepped through the trees, back to Noah’s cabin. She composed herself and approached the door, knocking. There was no answer. She glanced through the window, not seeing anyone. A car was parked next to the cabin. She looked down at the dock – no sign of him. At least, no sign of his interest remaining.

She felt silly and turned to go back when he came in from the road, in his running shorts and tank top. He stared at her and waved. She smiled and waved back. He stepped closer. She undid the belt on her robe and slid it off her shoulders, falling to the ground around her feet, her body bare and warm in the sunlight. He licked his lips and approached, slipping off his shirt and reaching up to cup her cheek. She held his wrist and softly kissed his palm.

“Fuck,” he whispered. She bit her lip and nodded.

“Exactly,” she said, her voice heady and confident.

He pulled her in for the kiss, pressing his body against hers and backing her against the front door. Her hands shot out along his body, running over his arms, his shoulders, his abs, his waist, her nails digging into his back, down to the waistband of his shorts, pulling furiously at them.

His lips ran over her cheek, neck, and shoulders, while his hands explored her aching body, grabbing her hips, her ass, her tits, and her pussy. She could see and feel his cock grown to full length, pulling like mad to get it out of his shorts. He chuckled in between kisses and reached behind her to fumble his keys into the lock, opening the door.

They practically fell into Noah’s cabin, nicer and more spacious than hers. The door hung open as he pushed her in, but she pivoted and pushed him against a nearby wall, kissing his full lips and his broad, strong chest. He pushed her head further down his abs, and she knelt down, finally pulling his running shorts down to his ankles, letting his thick, hard, uncut cock spring free. No fucking binoculars needed today.

She took his sweaty girth into her mouth while he held her head and hair tight, leaning against the wall. Her hands held on steady to his firm, muscular thighs, grabbing his ass as she sucked and bobbed her head back and forth. He groaned and tilted his head back, gripping her hair and fucking her mouth. His balls pushed against her chin as she took it all, gagging but loving it.

She pulled up and he pulled her head back, slipping his cock just out of her mouth and letting her breathe, the wet head pushed against her quivering lip. “No longer a one-piece kinda gal,” he said, looking down at her. “And definitely not a one-cock woman anymore.”

She opened her mouth and he slid it back in, letting her wrestle back control and suck him, throating him until his leg began to shake. His groans and moans turned more whimpering, and his toes scrunched into the floor as he came in her mouth. She took as much as she could, until it started to drip down her chin.

Noah helped her up off the floor and pulled her in for a kiss, his fingers slipping between her legs and feeling how hot and wet her pussy had gotten. He held it in his hand with the full confidence of knowing that in this moment it belonged to him, walking her back across the cabin towards the kitchen table. Reaching around and grabbing by her ass, he hoisted her up on the wood and placed his hand on her chest, gently pushing her down onto her back. He sat down in the chair, threw her legs over his shoulders, and leaned in to start eating her pussy.

Ellie gripped the edges of the table as his tongue snaked around the folds of her lips, his hands gripping her hips, and her moans drowning out the wet smacking sounds of his mouth. She reached down and grabbed a handful of his sweaty curls, as his tongue curled inside her, circling and swishing inside her warm, wet hole. She arched her back, craning her neck, letting out a guttural chorus of pleasure she’d never emitted before.

“If you make me cum from this you can have my body any way you fucking want,” she exclaimed, feeling his fingers tighten on her legs and his tongue pick up the pace. His mouth soon found her clit, and her body started to buck. She pushed herself against his mouth, his face, grinding against his beautiful mouth, holding his hair like reins on a horse. She was determined to have the orgasm of her life on his kitchen table.

And she did - a tingling, electric, squirming orgasm, making a mess of her thighs, his face, and his tablecloth. Her chest and stomach heaved, sweat beading down everywhere. He continued to eat, slowly, as her breathing came down, slowly. She rested her heels on the corners of the table, his tongue licking at her twitching thighs. He slid his fingers up into her, making her gasp. He stood up and leaned down next to her, sticking the wet fingers into her mouth, making her taste herself.

“You know what that is on my fingertips?” he whispered. She nodded, her lips still firm around them. “It’s the taste of you making me a promise.”

She shivered as he helped her off the table and led her to his bedroom down the hall. She stepped in first, and he followed close behind her, wrapping his arms around her body and cupping her breasts in his hands. He kissed and nibbled on her shoulder and earlobe, whispering to her: “You are not the woman you know back at home. You are not their wife and mother, and you will not fuck like one. You are a wild animal today, and you’re going to prove it to both of us.”

Ellie gasped and melted at his words, holding tight to his wrists, feeling his cock getting hard and thick again behind her. He gave her ass a hard slap and she crawled up onto the bed, arching her back and sticking her ass up for him to take, reaching back to spread her lips wide. He smirked and climbed up on the bed, his cock ready and dripping. Taking her body in his hands, he steadied the head against her aching lips and slid it in.

He fucked her passionately, gripping her hair, running his nails down her back, smacking her ass again and again. She pushed against the bed, pushing her body against him, taking more his thrusting. He pulled her up, cupping her breasts in his hands again, making her sit on his cock while he rubbed her clit. She came again, her head leaning back over his shoulder.

He set her facedown on the bed and then flipped her over, wrapping her legs around his waist and sliding inside her again. His hands found hers and pinned them above her head, leaning down to kiss her as he fucked her. Ellie wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight, her heels bouncing off his firm, thrusting ass. As he came inside her, he melted down towards her chest, and she wrapped around him even tighter, wanting every last drop of him inside her body.

They stayed like that until their heartbeats leveled more, and she finally unwrapped from around him. They lay there sweaty and sticky for what felt like hours. Ellie turned to lay her head and hand on his chest. She stroked his cheek and chin, and ran her fingers through his hair. He kissed her forehead. They didn’t say much until Noah told her that it was starting to get dark outside.

He offered to let her shower or borrow some clothes, but she declined. She walked out his front door as naked as she’d come. The robe had blown into the bushes somewhere. She walked down the steps to the lake. It was quiet, the boats docked, and fisherman done for the day. As the setting sun turned the sky purple, she waded into the water, swimming out past the docks. She turned and floated on her back, stretching her arms and legs out. Her chest was calm and her body relaxed. She smiled, and in the distance heard the family Crosstrek pull in.