The slow clip-clop of the horses' hooves made a steady, repeating background for the irregular bursts of loud laughter and the rising and falling murmur of quiet conversation. A gust of slightly colder wind stirred the loose straw and made its way inside the collar of Jennifer's jacket and on down the neck of her sweater. She shivered and snuggled closer into the niche formed by Steve's arm and shoulder. He tightened his grasp and asked, "Cold?"

"No, just getting comfortable."

Steve and Jennifer were both sophomores although Steve was a year older than Jennifer's nineteen. This was, he explained, because he had to work for a year to get enough money to start college. However, this year he had received a scholarship which helped a lot. Jennifer and Steve had met last winter and gone out together twice. Both times had gone well: each thought the other nice and fun, but not exactly super special. Then over the summer something had changed, although neither was sure what it had been. All Steve knew was that the more he thought of her, the more he wondered why they had only gone out those two times. And Jennifer, for her part, found herself comparing other dates with Steve. When they returned to school in August and ran into each other during registration, Steve immediately asked her out again and Jennifer had accepted instantly.

For the last several weeks they had been going with each other exclusively and had found they had a lot more in common than either had suspected on those first two dates the previous year. Or maybe it was that they both had so much that wasn't in common with most of the other students. Both were serious students and neither really cared for the non-stop party scene that so many of the other students seemed to live for. Their taste in music steered away from the head banging rock or hip-hop preferred by their peers and towards quiet jazz or older standards. Both had tried alcohol, had enjoyed the taste of wine even if they weren't able to legally, but neither had the slightest interest in getting drunk. Both considered drugs strictly for losers. Neither was actually a virgin and both loved necking, petting, and making out, but they hadn't slept together. They spent more and more of their time together and got on quite well, even if many of their other acquaintances thought them a little odd.

Now it was mid October. Their dorm complex had arranged a hayride as a preliminary for a dance later on. In fact they had even found a place that offered horse drawn wagons instead of the tractors now almost universally used for this purpose. So with the temperatures down in the forties, the sky clear and filled with twinkling stars, they were here on a large flat-bed wagon filled with bales of hay - well, straw actually - along with eight or ten other couples.

Everyone had driven out and met at the farm where a hot dog roast around a bonfire had started the night. Now the smell of wood smoke and hay, the rising full moon, the clear, cold night air and the dark seemed, at least to Steve and Jennifer, to weave magic around them. The farm where the ride was taking place was several miles from the school and far enough from the lights that only cars on a distant road broke the spell.

Jennifer snuggled closer again and Steve let his arm tighten around her and his hand brush slightly against the side of her breast. Jennifer didn't object and placed her own hand on the top of his thigh. She looked up at him and was ready when he bent his head to hers for an easy, long kiss.

The ride lasted for forty minutes and when the wagons pulled back into the field where they had left the bonfire and parked their cars, most everyone immediately leaped off. Steve and Jennifer were more hesitant, both wishing the ride had been longer, and finally climbed down last. Suddenly someone shouted, "OK, everybody, lets get to the dance. I want to hear some MUSIC."

There were several loud responses and suddenly the quiet was shattered by the sound of hard rock coming from one of the car radios at a volume which disturbed even the horses but didn't seem to bother any of the students - except for Steve and Jennifer. Suddenly the thought of crowding into a packed, noisy room seemed too much for Jennifer. She held Steve's arm and said, "Steve? Would you mind an awfully lot if we skipped the dance."

He smiled at her. "And miss the once in a lifetime chance - well, maybe once daily chance - to have our hearing damaged while some idiot spills spiked soda on us and steps on your foot? No, of course not, Jen. What would you like to do instead?"

"I don't know. It just seemed so nice out here and the thought of going back to that" - she jerked her head towards the car with the blaring radio - "well, I don't think I could take it. Maybe we could go somewhere for a walk?" she asked hopefully.

Steve thought a second. "Come on, I think I might know of some place. It'll take about forty-five minutes to get there."

As they climbed into Steve's car, she asked, "Where are we going?"

Steve pulled out onto the highway and turned in the opposite direction from everyone else, heading away from the school. "Surprise. Wait and see."

They drove in silence, moving steadily away from the town. After thirty minutes they turned down a dark country road where the only lights seemed to come from occasional farms located every half mile of so. In a few more minutes they turned once more, this time onto a narrow, gravel road through a deep woods. Jennifer could see a few small houses along the way, but all were dark. Finally they turned into a single lane track and followed it for about two hundred yards where it ended in a small turn around just short of a slight rise. Steve turned off the engine.

The silence seemed to settle over them like a blanket. Steve turned towards Jennifer and gave her a long, deep kiss. When they pulled apart, she said, "Not that I'm complaining, but where are we?"

"Listen," Steve said. "What do you hear."

"Quiet," she answered. Then she cocked her head and said, "There is something."

Steve nodded. "Roll down the window."

She did and suddenly a happy look came across her face. "Waves! We're by the lake."

"That's right. The big sea water. Lake Michigan. Come on. Let's go down to the shore."

They climbed out of the car and, taking her by the hand, Steve led her up the rise. When they reached the top they were about twenty feet above the water where the waves broke against rocks and a gravel beach. Then Jennifer saw a small building a few yards to their right. "Whose place is that? They won't mind if we're out here?"

"No," Steve answered. "I'm sure they won't mind. They're in Florida." Then he relented and explained. "This belongs to two of my great aunts. They have about two hundred yards of shoreline and the lots on either side are undeveloped. Besides, they've told me I can use this if I want." He led her on down, past the house, to the edge of the beach.

Silver moonlight caught the waves and reflected back in a million points of light. The rhythmic crash of the waves against the shore and the ebbing lap of the receding water made a much nicer music than they would have heard at the dance.

They walked up the shore a little ways and then Steve sat on a large rock, pulling Jennifer down on his lap. She turned towards him and their lips met, their arms pulling them into a tight embrace. For ten minutes they sat like that, not moving except their tongues, lost in each other. When they pulled slightly apart, Jennifer said, "I liked that."

"Me, too," Steve replied, pulling her closer.

She laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled against him. His hand worked its way under her jacket and up to cup her left breast through her sweater. Jennifer sucked in her breath. "That feels nice." His hand began to caress and squeeze and the girl wriggled against him and let her own hand slide up his back under his jacket.

Steve kissed her again and let his hand unbutton her sweater and the shirt beneath. Warm, firm flesh met his questing fingers and he began to squeeze and stroke her bare skin. Jennifer was a slim girl, five six, with long, blonde hair and dark blue, almost indigo, eyes. Her waist was so narrow Steve could almost encircle it with his hands, but rounded into slim hips and hard, round buttocks. Her legs were long and tapered. Above her waist Jennifer's breasts were full but firm enough so she almost never wore a bra. Now Steve explored their familiar geography, letting his fingers fan back and forth across her hardening nipples.

Jennifer pressed her breast against his hand and kissed him deeply, letting her tongue explore. Her one hand remained on his back while her other worked its way under his shirt in front and played with his chest hair and teased his nipples.

For twenty minutes they remained like this. Becoming steadily more excited but, by holding back, making the excitement mount even higher. Then almost as though by mutual consent they halted their exploring hands and settled in a comfortable stillness, his hand still covering her warm globe, hers on his chest. Their kiss gradually subsided and their lips pulled slightly apart. "That does feel nice," Steve murmured.

"Umm," was all the response Jennifer gave.

The bright moonlight suddenly dimmed and both the young people instinctively looked up. Dark clouds had begun to sweep in from the west and the first of these had slid across the face of the lunar globe. "Hunter's Moon," Steve said. "Looks like there might be some weather moving in."

A cold gust of wind caused them both to shiver. The wind was, in fact, beginning to stir the autumn leaves in the woods which began just fifteen yards from the shore. A rattle, a dry, crackling sound, echoed along the ground and through the branches. They sat for several more minutes as the wind increased in strength, stirring the leaves and breaking the tops of the crashing waves.

Another series of dark clouds hid the moon for a half a minute and then let its face reappear. Steve looked up at the approaching cloud bank and the moon and quietly quoted, "The wind was a river of darkness, gusting around the trees."

Jennifer pulled back slightly in surprise and looked at him. Then she added, "The moon was a ghostly galleon, tossed upon cloudy seas."

Now Steve looked at her with the same look of happy surprise. "The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor." And then, almost together, they both said, "And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding, the highway man came riding, up to the old inn door."

After a few seconds Jennifer said, "You're an engineer. I didn't think you'd know any poetry."

"We're not all uncultured. I've always loved Noyse. And "The Highwayman" describes nights like this better than anything else I've ever heard. I'm glad you like it."

"It's always been one of my favorites." Then her tone changed slightly, became lighter, more bantering. Too bad you don't know more poetry. I could like getting you to quote poetry to me."

"You do me wrong," Steve answered in a teasing tone. "I know other poems."

"Then quote me some romantic piece," she replied.

"OK." He paused as if in thought. "All right. How about this. "'The boy stood on the burning deck... '."

Jennifer pulled her hand from his back and gave him a mock slap on his rear. "That's not exactly what I was looking for," she said.

Steve's voice changed again, became softer. "Then how about this.

'She walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies. And all that's best of dark and light, meet in her aspect and her eyes.'

Lord Byron."

Jennifer snuggled against him once more and lifted her face for another kiss. This one went on for a long, long time.

The wind continued to gust, now dropping to a standstill and now blowing hard for a few seconds, scattering the autumn leaves in a moving rustle of sound and carrying their scent to the two lovers. More clouds arrived, skimming in front of the full moon, plunging the world into a deep darkness in which Steve and Jennifer could only see soft glowing areas at distant places along the shore.

Jennifer unbuttoned his shirt under his jacket to give her hand more free access. Since Jennifer's shirt and sweater were already undone, Steve responded to this by unzipping both of their jackets and pulling the young woman's bare chest against his own. Although the temperature was near forty neither felt the cold as their arousal warmed them both. Steve slipped his left hand inside Jennifer's jeans and cupped her tight buttock as their kiss continued.

The clouds had become a little thicker, the moonlight only occasionally breaking through, and the wind was rising, blowing stronger and a little colder. Suddenly a large drop of very cold rain fell and struck Jennifer's face. Startled, she pulled back and a second drop landed directly on her left nipple, bringing a yelp. As a few more drops landed she said, almost as a wail, "It's starting to rain. I guess we'd better head back to the car."

They stood and started walking back, Steve holding her hand as they hurried along the beach. As they approached the path up the hill, the rain cut loose and Jennifer cried, "We're going to get soaked."

"No. Over here," Steve said, and pulled her off the hill path and onto the covered porch of the small building. As they stood looking out at the now pouring rain Steve said, "I've got an idea. My aunts said I could borrow this place and now seems like a good time to take them up on that offer."

"Have you got a key?" Jennifer asked in surprise.

"Nope. But it's a combination lock." He moved to the door and Jennifer could see him fumbling with something in the dark. Suddenly there was a sharp click and the door opened inwards. "There's no electricity so just wait here a second while I find the matches and candles." He entered the dark room, but in only a few seconds there was the flare of a match and then the warm yellow glow of candlelight spread across the room.

Jennifer entered and Steve closed the door behind them. He lit a second candle and Jennifer saw that there were several on a shelf just inside the door along with matches. Steve moved over to a table where there was an oil lamp and, setting the candle down, lit the wick.

Now there was enough light to see around the room. The house was an A-frame design and they had entered near one end. Directly to their left was a doorway into a small kitchen, to their right, a bath, and directly in front of them the area opened into one large room stretching the width of the building. At the left end where the kitchen opened into it was a dining area with a small, round table. To the right on the wall in front of them was a stone fireplace with a couch facing it. In the far right corner stairs led up to a loft area above the kitchen and bathroom where Steve said were two bedrooms.

The wide wall in front of them was covered by long drapes from the far left corner all the way to the edge of the stone chimney. Steve went to the wall and pulled them back, revealing the view out over the shore to the lake. He set the two candles on the stone mantel over the fireplace and came back to where Jennifer stood staring out of a wall of solid glass, windows for nearly twenty feet. "It's beautiful!" she said. "The moon and clouds, the waves, even the rain."

"It's been here as long as I can remember," Steve said. We used to come out here for visits when I was little. Since Great Aunt Joan's husband died, it hasn't been used a lot. She and her sister spend summers here, but go south as soon as Labor Day comes."

He turned her towards him and pulled her into a tight embrace and kiss. As they pulled apart Jennifer shivered slightly and he asked, "Cold?"

"Just a little chilled. I got a little damp, I guess. It'll be all right."

"I can build a fire if you'd like."

"That might be nice, but are we going to be here long enough to make it worthwhile?"

Steve kissed her again. "That's up to you. It's going to be raining for a while and we can stay as long as we want. There's no place you have to go, is there?"

She kissed him back. "There's no where else I'd rather be. Go ahead and build a fire."

Steve moved over to where there was a large woodbox and brought a small armload over to the fireplace. In a couple of minutes he had a small blaze started and already they could feel the heat beginning to radiate. He added a couple of large pieces and then moved Jennifer and himself back towards the couch.

Before sitting down he went over and blew out the lamp and then unzipped his jacket and took it off, draping it over a small table against the wall behind the couch. He turned Jennifer towards him and started to unzip her jacket also. When the rain had started neither had stopped to button their shirts and when he removed her jacket her shirt and sweater were still open all the way down. Steve took her in his arms and, pulling their shirts aside, pressed her bare breasts against his chest. Jennifer snuggled against him and raised her mouth for another kiss.

This one lasted several minutes and when it ended the couple was sitting on the couch, Jennifer on Steve's lap, still pressed against him. As they eased back Steve brought his hand up and cupped her bare breast. Then he began to slide his fingers back and forth across the taut globe. Jennifer sucked in her breath and let her own hand slide down his back and into the waist of his jeans, lightly touching the top of the crease which divided his buttocks. Steve moved his hand to her other breast and repeated his explorations.

Both of Jennifer's nipples had become rock hard and she arched her back to better present them to Steve's attention. For twenty minutes the couple kissed and played, becoming ever more aroused. At some point Steve had eased Jennifer's shirt and sweater from her shoulders and she had reciprocated by removing his shirt, leaving them both bare to the waist. Although the fire was rapidly warming the room, the temperature was still cool, but neither of the young people noticed.

Now they stretched out, lying down on the couch on their sides, facing each other. Steve held her close for a long, deep kiss while his hands roamed over her back and bottom. When he pulled away he lowered his head and let his tongue slide up one side of her right breast, around and across her rigid nipple, and slowly down the other side. He rolled her onto her back and repeated with her left breast.

Jennifer was clasping and unclasping her hands on his back, sometimes digging her fingernails into his flesh. As Steve moved back and forth between her left and right breasts she reached for his waist and began to unfasten his belt. He sucked her nipples hard and she arched her back while at the same time unsnapping his jeans and tugging the zipper down. Her hand, hot and both soft and hard at the same time wrapped itself around Steve's stiff cock bringing a groan from him.

Having never had a lot of practice, Jennifer moved by instinct. She began to slide her body lower and when her face reached the level of Steve's neck she used her tongue to leave a hot, damp trail down his neck, around his nipples and across his stomach. As she reached the beginning of the course hair at his groin she lifted her head and stared into his eyes. Steve looked back and saw the dancing firelight reflected in a hundred sparkling points from her pupils. For several seconds she held his sight. Then very deliberately she looked down and moved to run her tongue around the head of his rampant cock. Another groan escaped Steve as she repeated her actions.

Then he felt the head of his hard member engulfed by warm wetness which slid up and down. A small, pointed tongue touched the hole at the tip of his organ and Steve tensed and put his hand on her head. "No, not yet. Not yet." He pushed slightly and pulled himself back. As Jennifer opened her mouth and slid off him he pulled her up into a hard French kiss, tasting her arousal mingled with a taste which must have been his own juices.

This time when the kiss ended Steve began the slow southward trip with his own tongue across Jennifer's firm breasts. He stopped to suck each again as she sucked in her breath and arched to give him better access. Then on southwards, swirling around her belly button and on down the flat plain of her stomach. He deftly unfastened the waist of her jeans and they and the pair of low cut panties followed his thumbs on down her legs and over her feet. Both had earlier kicked off their shoes so as the jeans and panties made their way past her ankles, picking up socks en route, Jennifer was left completely nude. Still kissing and licking her lower belly, Steve managed to remove his own jeans and remaining clothing.

Now he rearranged Jennifer on the couch at a slight angle and knelt on the floor before her. He lowered his head once more and let his tongue slide from her belly button down the crease between her right leg and her mound and on along the inside of her right leg. At her ankle he switched to her left leg and retraced the mirror image of his trip back up the inside of her left leg and along the crease at its top. Reaching up with his hands to grasp her breasts, Steve moved his mouth to the swollen lips of her aroused sex. His tongue thrust forward, licking upwards between her lips, along her soaking slit. He could feel her muscles tense at his touch to this intimate place and even more so when he reached the junction of her engorged lips and the protruding hard and swollen nub of her clit. His tongue gently lathed it and then began to flick back and forth across the sensitive organ.