Chapter 1

Tawny Owens had no more than hung up the phone before the tears began running down her lovely chocolate brown cheeks. This weekend was going to have meant so much and now those hopes were dashed. She fell back onto the couch, her heart aching. She knew she must pull herself together as her son Chris would be home from school at any moment, but the bitter tears would not stop and it was not until she heard the front door open and his “Hey Mom, I’m home,” that she rose, turned away and tried to hide the tears and tear stained cheeks with a tissue.

She and husband Jim had met just after she had won first runner up in the Miss Portland beauty contest. One would have thought that men would have lined up to ask her out but, actually, just the opposite was true. Perhaps because of her beauty and placement in such a prestigious contest many men seemed intimidated and shied away perhaps feeling they had no chance with such a beauty as her. It had been Jim, who worked up the nerve to ask her out and the two had hit it off immediately. Although he was white, neither of them ever let race interfere with their feelings. A whirlwind romance and nine months later they were married. Chris was born the following year and when both graduated college at the same time and Jim was offered a sales job with a major pharmaceutical company their marriage seemed destined for success.

Now 37, Tawny, felt her marriage coming apart. Jim was spending more and more time on the road. While she and Chris had grown closer, her relationship with Jim was deteriorating. He was now spending almost forty weeks of the year away from home visiting clients and managing seminars for fledgling salespeople. Two years ago he had been offered a regional managers position which would have meant nights and most weekends at home, but had turned it down because he felt he could make more by staying on the road where commissions kept their income at a comfortable level. Tawny had pled that the managers position paid well enough for them to live comfortably, but Jim had not only turned down the managers position but accepted an even larger sales region which meant more travel and more time away from home.

Even when he was home, he often pleaded fatigue and slowly the fires of passion had all but gone out. She had tried everything to try to regain the romance and passion they had once known but to no avail: Dressing provocatively, engaging in extended foreplay, even renting a porno film. All had met with failure however and Tawny was at her wits end.

That was why plans for this weekend had been so important. It was their anniversary and she had made reservations at one of the nicer restaurants, splurged on perfume and a dress which, ordinarily she would have deemed too revealing, but which she hoped would lure him into bed and kindle their romance once more. But now he had called to say corporate wanted him to conduct a week-and-a-half seminar in Milwaukee and he would be catching a plane in less than hour. There was no time to get home to even say goodbye before leaving. His bags were still packed from his last trip and so, once again, he would miss a most important day. His apology was profuse and sincere and he promised to make it up to her somehow, but Tawny saw it as just one more message, inadvertent or not, that his job was more important than their marriage.

“Mom, what is it?” asked Chris noticing her red, sorrowful eyes.

“Nothing ... it’s nothing,” she responded trying to hide her true feelings with a smile which her son saw right through.

“Mom, you don’t cry over nothing. What’s going on?”

“It’s ... it’s just that ... well, your father and I had plans for the weekend, what with it being our anniversary, but now...”

“Don’t tell me,” interrupted the sixteen year old, “he’s going on the road again, right? Where is it this time?”

“Milwaukee. He has to conduct a seminar.”

“Jesus! Couldn’t they get someone else to do it? I mean, with it being your anniversary and all.”

“He said he tried, but there are only two others who could have run the seminar and they are both unavailable.”

“Maybe he should have been unavailable as well. He knows how much things like this mean to you.”

Chris saw the tears begin to well in his mother’s eyes once again. He walked to the couch and pulled her into his arms.

“How about a cup of tea?” he asked.

“Yes ... that would be nice,” she whispered into his masculine chest.

Tawny watched her son retreat to the kitchen realizing that he was fast becoming a man. Although only sixteen, he was a muscular six foot one and weighed in at almost 200 pounds. Even as a junior he was already the starting linebacker on the school football team and had just been elected to the student council. His handsome good looks, a near perfect blend of his multiracial background, and winning personality, made him extremely popular with the girls as well. Not exactly a Don Juan, he nevertheless had long since lost his virginity and bedded not only the best looking girls in his class, but two juniors and three seniors, one of them the captain of the cheerleading team.

Chris had also seduced his English teacher although he would not call it seduction so much as a fortuitous opportunity of which he had availed himself.

A few months ago several students had been working late at night in the school auditorium to finish the sets for an upcoming play. Chris had a small on-stage part, but most enjoyed building and painting the sets. Jean Willams, a recent college graduate and first year teacher had volunteered to serve as the faculty sponsor for the event and was there with the students. She was married, but her first year of marriage was not going well as everyone was aware her husband was going out on her regularly. She was popular with the students, however, especially the boys as she was quite attractive and personable.

As the school curfew of ten o’clock approached students began leaving for the night. She tried to get Chris to leave as well, but he insisted on finishing up one more stage flat before calling it quits. As she could not leave students alone in the building, the young teacher agreed to stay and exceed curfew for a few minutes.

Finishing up, Chris jumped off the stage and joined the young teacher.

“Sorry to hold you up like that. I...”

At that moment there was a complete power failure and the two were thrust into total darkness. Chris was unaware, but the young woman was terrified of being alone in the dark and reached out to him in panic.

“Ohhhhhh!!! What’s happening?

Chris felt her grab his arm in fright.

“It’s okay, Ms. Williams. It’s just a power failure. I’m sure it will be back on before long.”

“But ... how will we get out?” she gasped. “I can’t see a thing. I’m holding on to you and can’t see you at all.”

“Not to worry, we’ll just take it easy and feel our way out into the hall. We can cut across the teacher’s lounge and get out the emergency exit on the other side.”

“Please hold onto me,” she pleaded. “I ... I’m terrified of the dark.”

“Sure,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist and gently guiding her up the aisle and eventually out of the auditorium. With his arm around her, Chris could feel her hips rubbing against him as she moved. He liked the feel of such an attractive women, even if it was in the dark.

Once outside he kept them against the wall as they made their way, step by step to the teachers lounge which Chris identified by the fact it was isolated on one end of the building.

Making their way slowly across the lounge they bumped into a sofa and Jean stumbled onto it.

“I can go see if there’s a breaker panel...” started Chris.

“No, please, don’t go! Stay here with me! I need you here with me, Chris!”

“Of course,” he responded feeling around to sit beside her on the couch. But his hand, in reaching in the dark, found not her shoulder or waist but one of her small but obviously sensitive breasts.

“Oh, Chris! I don’t think...”

But the boy, already experienced, felt her nipple harden even through her blouse.

“Uh, sorry,” he mumbled, “maybe I better sit somewhere else.”

“NO! Please!” she begged. “Don’t leave me.”

So he sat beside her and felt her scoot over to him and take his hand in hers.

“I ... I didn’t mean to make you think I didn’t want you close,” she breathed. “It’s just that...”

“Just what?” he asked into the darkness as his hand closed on hers.

“Well ... I’m sure if someone saw us right now they might get the wrong idea.”

“And that would be?”

“Well, you know, that we were doing something we shouldn’t.”

“To tell you the truth, I kind of like it, sitting next to you holding hands.”

“Uh ... yes, it is nice but...”

She was unable to finish her sentence as his lips found hers and for a wonderful moment the teacher felt an exhilaration she not experienced in several months from her husband.

“Chris, we can’t ... we just can’t!” she uttered before her lips were again covered by his as his hand left hers and traveled to her heaving breast.

“Chris ... no ... please!” she uttered but they both knew there was no strength in her protest.

She moaned slightly as he deftly unbuttoned her blouse and, showing his experience, unbuttoned her bra with one hand. There was an intake of air followed by a whine of surrender as his mouth closed over her exposed nipple.

“Oh, God, Chris, OH MY GOD!!!’ she cried as his other hand found and invaded her panties. “I can’t do this!” she cried as the panties slid down and off. “I’m married, Chris ... I’m not that kind of ... OHHHHHHHHH!”