Spencerville

"Oh, be inventive, Keith. Here — we'll do it on that log." She took his hand and led him back to the big fallen trunk they'd sat on. She took off his shirt and laid it on the log. "Sit. No, first you have to take your pants off."

He pulled off his shoes and then his jeans as she undid her blouse and bra. She slipped her panties off under her skirt and said, "We shouldn't get completely naked in case someone comes by. I can say I'm picking mushrooms, and I don't know who you are."

"Good thinking. Well..." He sat on the trunk, still wearing his shorts, and Annie, still wearing her blouse, bra, and skirt, held his shoulders and threw one leg at a time over the log, then lowered herself into his lap. She put her hand under her skirt, found him, and slid it in. "Oooh... that's nice..."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he steadied himself with his hands on the log. He said, "We're going to fall backwards."

"So what?" She rested her head on his shoulder as she moved up and down on him. "Oh... that feels... different... how are you doing?"

"Just fine."

"Are we going to fall?"

"No, I've got it."

She pressed her breasts against his bare chest as she moved slowly up and down on him, then quickened her movements and began breathing harder. She suddenly stiffened and climaxed, and he ejaculated.

Her body went limp in his arms, and she held him loosely as she caught her breath. After a minute, she said, "I feel like such a whore. It feels great. How do we get out of this position?"

"Wait for a forest ranger." He put his arms around her, stood, and stepped away from the log. She slid down from him, and they embraced and kissed. He said, "That was very nice."

"I had fun." She put her hand on his groin and said, "We have to clean you up."

"I like to wear it."

"Is that so?" She picked her panties up, wet them in the stream, then cleaned him off and cleaned herself. "There. Can't go around sticking to things."

"You're funny."

"I feel funny. Giddy." She threw her panties in a bush. "I feel like a kid. I haven't done this outdoors since high school. Next, we'll do it in your barn, then the backseat of my car."

"Maybe we'll get a motel room."

"That, too."

He picked up his pants, but she said, "No. Take off your shorts. I've never seen a naked man in the woods. I wish I had a camera. Your socks, too."

He slid off his shorts and socks. "You're embarrassing me."

"Turn around." She came up behind him and ran her hands over his back and buttocks, squeezing his cheeks. "You're all muscle."

"You been in jail, or what? Can I get dressed?"

"No, turn around."

He turned around, and she moved her hands over his chest and down to his stomach. "I told you, I can't keep my hands off..." She looked at his stomach. "What's that?"

"A bruise."

"Oh..." She hooked her bra and buttoned her blouse. He got dressed.

She went back to the streambank and sat in a patch of sunlight near the water, her back to a willow tree.

Keith came and sat beside her.

Annie threw twigs in the water and watched them run downstream, cascading over the stones. She asked, "What happened when he came out to your place?"

"About what you'd expect."

"Tell me."

"Well, he was a lot crazier than the situation required, so I had the thought that he'd found out about your visit to me, and I was... I was really worried for a minute there. About you."

"Thank you."

"But he sort of had the drop on me, and I was a little worried about me, too. Then I realized he didn't know anything, but that he was just nuts."

"Was he alone?"

"No. He had one of his men with him. A guy named Ward. You know him?"

"Yes, he's my keeper." She added, "Cliff led me to believe he was alone."

Against his better judgment, Keith replied, "If he was alone, he'd be dead."

She didn't speak for a while, then said, "He's a coward and a liar."

"He's also dangerous, Annie. You have to be careful."

"He's never hit me. I know how to handle him."

"Your kids are gone, his job is in trouble, I'm in town, and he's ready to blow. Believe me."

She asked him, "How do you know his job is in trouble?"

"I went to that meeting at St. James. You know about that?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, my parents were there. They've been acting weird since then. I guess the subject of Cliff Baxter came up, but no one will tell me about it. Will you tell me about it?"

"No."

She thought a moment, then said, "I'm not completely naive. I know he fools around, but I can't believe that came up at a public meeting."

"Tell you what — there's a transcript available. You remember Jeffrey Porter?"

"Yes. I run into him once in a while. And his wife, Gail. That was the girl he was seeing at school."

"Right. I've caught up on old times with them. In fact, I trust them, and if you ever need anything and you can't contact me, go to them. I'll speak to them and set it up."

"Keith... no. I don't want anyone else knowing about us. It's too dangerous."

"Listen to me, I know when to bet my life on someone. These are trustworthy people. But go and speak to them first, and let me know what you think."