As she pulled into the driveway, she found Mark outside, shirt off, cutting the lawn. She’d always thought he was good looking, but watching him pushing around the mower, she was struck by the fact that he was more than that. He was really ripped, with the lean body of a swimmer and the bleached blonde hair that came from hours in the local pool.
He grinned at her, white teeth flashing against his tanned skin and waved.
She waved back, but all she could think about was what he was hiding. Her eyes wandered down and she wished his shorts were just a bit tighter so that she could figure out if he was really that big?
“Heya, Cherie,” he said, turning off the mower. “How was school?”
“Fine. How is the mowing coming? I take it you lost another bet,” Cherie said smiling.
“Yeah, I either have to stop playing poker with your brother or at least start playing for money instead of chores. Old habits die hard.”
Cherie smiled. “Same old, same old,” she said. “You’ve been saying that for years. I am starting to think you like mowing since it seems like you lose every week. I think you do more chores around here than he does.” Not that she minded.
He laughed at her comment as she got out of the car, “Hey, I almost forgot… do you know my friend Heather?”
“Your best friend? Um, yeah, of course I do.”
“She was asking about you at school today. She wanted to know if you’d be at Melissa’s party tonight. Are you planning to go?”
“Maybe. Are you going?”
“Why? Afraid to walk in without a date?”
He laughed. “Well, you know the ladies can’t keep their hands off me” he said with a smile.
Cherie smiled back. “Can you even imagine what people would say if we showed up together? My brother would find out within about 3 minutes.”
Mark smirked, “All we would need to do is hold hands, you could sit in my lap, maybe make out a bit.”
“I wouldn’t want to crush you,” she said.
He laughed. “I’m not saying things wouldn’t be a bit hard, but I think I could handle it,” he said with a wink.
Cherie felt a little flutter in her stomach as she realized what he was saying. For a moment, she looked at him, her eyes narrowed trying to decide if he was serious or mocking her.
“You know, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. It would save me from all the annoying co-eds bugging me.”
“HEY!” she said, with mock outrage. “I’m a co-ed!”
“Yeah, for what, another month?” he said with a smile, “Besides, you’ve never acted like most of the girls there. All they talk about is clothes, their hair or their latest diet.”
“That’s not all those girls talk about… Jessica had a few stories to share that weren’t about her nails.”
His face flushed. “Jessica? What do you know about that?”
“Well, I heard you were the reason she missed homecoming last year.”
“I think I better finish mowing the lawn,” he said evasively and started up the mower.
Cherie’s mind was spinning as she headed inside. She knew she should be focused on other things, but she just couldn’t get the idea of Mark being well-hung out of her mind. Between what Heather had said today, and what Mark hadn’t said, it seemed like it was really true.
She had always gotten along well her brother, but with Mark it had been different. He’d always been pretty cool and hadn’t ever treated her like she was an annoying child. He would include her, even when her brother had “forgotten” to invite her. Plus, it always seemed like he was the only one that ever noticed her new dress or sweater — even if it wasn’t a size 6. He had made high school and college bearable yet until today, she hadn’t ever thought of him as a guy, he was just, well, Mark.
She heard the mower stop again and soon he came in, covered with sweat and little bits of grass.
“Done?” she asked.
“Do you think your parents would mind if I hopped in the pool before I left?”
“Mind? ‘Course not,” Cherie answered and then frowned. “Actually, sometimes it seems like you are the only one that uses it.”
“Well then, you better join me this time!”
It was a conversation they had had too many times to count. Even though her parents owned a pool, Cherie was not a big fan of stripping to nearly nothing and swimming but in the end, her curiosity got the better of her.
“Sure,” she answered, “Just let me get changed.”
“Really?” he asked surprised.
“Sure, why not?” she answered. “It’s hot out and it’s just the two of us.”
In her bedroom, she looked through her bathing suits, rejecting each until she found the two-piece her mother had pressured her to buy. The ties on either side made the suit fit snugly around her curvy hips. She then tied on the top, a little tighter than normal to make sure her full breasts were shown to their best advantage. As she checked herself out in the mirror she saw her nipples poking through the thin material and considered wearing a light cover-up too but changed her mind. If she was going to do this, she was going to own it.
She grabbed a towel and headed out back. Mark was underwater and when she saw him her bravery almost waned. She froze for a moment, watching as he emerged, wiped the water from his eyes and as he noticed her, his jaw dropped.
“Good god! Cherie, if your parents get home and see you wearing that, they are going to kill you — and maybe me too!” he said stunned.
“You really like it?” she asked throwing the towel down the chaise. “It’s just the two of us, who cares what I wear?”
“Hey, you can wear whatever you want around me,” he said. “Or not wear, as the case may be. That thing looks nearly painted on.”
She twirled around, struck a pose and said, “I didn’t know if you would appreciate it.”
“Oh I do, but you better hope you can get back into the house before your mother or father gets home.”
“My parents? They are gone all weekend — Napa Valley trip until Sunday night.”
“Well, okay,” he said dubiously.
“If it makes you that uncomfortable, I could just take it off,” she said challengingly.
“Whatever you like,” he retorted, not taking his eyes off of her for a moment.
She reached back behind and started to tug the strings waiting for him to say something. She turned sideways so that he could see her pulling the string to her bikini top. “Are you sure?” she asked as she tugged the strings.
“Positive,” he said.
Cherie couldn’t believe what was happening. She could tell she was having an effect on him. He was staring at her with a look in his eyes that she had never seen from him before. If she had any doubts about how he felt about her body they instantly disappeared.
She dropped the strings and they fell loose behind her. Her top was hanging down, only secured by the strings around her neck and she saw Mark swallow, his eyes never leaving her lush body.
She reached up to the back of her neck and undid the strings there. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked. “I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble.”
“No trouble here,” he croaked.
“Great,” she said, dropping the top to the ground. I wanted to get an even tan.”
Her dark pink nipples were hard and she could feel herself getting wet, but he was still in the pool. She was fairly certain that he already had an erection, but how could she see?
“Would you mind putting some suntan lotion on my back,” she asked sweetly.
“Maybe in a little bit,” he said. “I’m just going to do a few laps.”
“I knew it!” she crowed. “It does bother you — you are uncomfortable with me topless.”
“No, it doesn’t!” he replied hotly. “You want some oil on your back, fine.”
