ONE

As they walked through the woods alone, he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he broke their comfortable silence.

"Dear, dear Kathy," He finally said, I want you to know that I love you and care about you and that I always will."

"If you need someone to talk to, or ask hard questions of, I will always be there, even if no one else is, just as I always have been there."

"I promise I will never judge you, or lie to you. If I know an answer, no matter how hard or even embarrassing it might be, I'll give it. If I don't know, I will say so."

"I also promise you I'll do my best to never hurt you or fail you, if you promise to remember that I am human and may fail occasionally in these last two, and forgive the lapse."

"But you are growing up now, and when you sit on my lap and snuggle, and I hold you close, and tell you I love you, (It's still true, I remind you!) the other older kids give you a bad time, and some of the adults think it's wrong and looks bad.

"We have to stop this, is what I am trying to say."

She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. Her smile was gone and her eyes were suddenly wide. She put her hands on his arms and held tight.

"But I still need you," she said, a certain note of beginning desperation in her voice.

"You don't understand." She shook his arms in emphasis. "Of all the men I've ever known since I was little, you are the only one who has never failed me."

"It's true, you haven't been around as much as I would have liked, but when you have been there, you've always given me what I need. Love. And affection. And caring. Even my father has never done that as well as you. And above all, you understand me, and never ever judge me. More important, I know that you never will. You respect me, and I know that."

She looked around. No one was in sight. "Can you hold me close now? No one is here to see?"

"Sure."

With that, she melted into his arms. Her just beginning to mature body now molded softly into his. The pleasure and love she always brought out of him came flooding into his heart.

For long moments they just held each other, saying nothing. Eventually, she pulled away a little and looked up into his eyes.

"I hope this means that when we are alone, you'll still treat me as you always have before?" she asked.

"Well, I suppose so. You and I both are very physical people and express ourselves more physically that other people are used to, both in giving and receiving affection. We just have to avoid upsetting others. And I want you to know that if I've given you anything at all, you've given me back tenfold."

He held her tightly. Tears came into his eyes. His heart swelled. "Kathy, if you were my own daughter, my own blood, I couldn't love you any more than I already do."

Another hiker could be heard coming down the path. They broke apart, turned and resumed their walking and their companionable silence. Within a few minutes, one of her cousins appeared, and their moment was over.

TWO

The fire was now burning low. The voices of the singers sank lower and lower, working towards silence. The smoke and embers lent their atmosphere to the group. The dimming light of the flickering flames changed the aspect of the happy little group with each flicker. As the coals sank inwards, so did the thoughts of the campers.

He quietly and unobtrusively left the campfire and company of those who felt like staying. He went to his tent, picked up his shower gear and headed to the shower room to clean up.

He found himself thinking about how Kathy had sat nearby but not closely, and how a distance was suddenly there. He knew he should be happy. This was what he had asked for and the others had wanted, and would think proper. Why was there an empty spot in his heart then?

He heard a quiet "Hsst" from behind and turned. A slight figure dressed in a bathrobe hurried up. Of course it was Kathy.

"Hi. Walk me to the showers?" She said. Then in a lower voice, so low he could barely hear, she added, "Did I do well tonight?"

He gave a small laugh. Loudly he said "Sure". Then privately added, "You did very well. I am a little relieved, I must admit, that you were really acting."

"I hated it when those other girls took turns in my spot." Her low voice had anger in it. "I understand it's necessary, but I don't like it."

"Honey, it never bothered you before. I've always held and hugged the other little girls."

"I know. But that was when I could have my turn on your lap. Now I have to stay away from you. You're right though, I guess."

"I don't like it either. You know that."

They continued on to the shower speaking normally of public matters. He promised to wait for her and walk her back.

After finishing their toilets, they met, and began the walk back.

As they were walking by an empty campsite, she took his elbow, and saying "Come here" took him into the deeper darkness, behind a clump of trees.

"I want a good night hug. And a long, warm one too." She declared.

"Okay, sure." He said.

They put their gear on the nearby picnic table. He took her into his arms and held her close. Her body again fit into his. Her natural perfume filled his nostrils. He found himself becoming aware that all her clothing but her bathrobe was in a bundle on the table. So was his.

After a long while she said, "I want to sit on your lap and be cuddled." So he released her, sat and took her onto his lap.

He grew very aware that she was no longer a lean little girl. She had soft spots and bulges she'd never had before. Or perhaps he was just now becoming aware of her sudden maturity. He said nothing. He just hoped he wouldn't become aroused.

She also was becoming aware that things were different. She felt the same pleasure in the surety of his love she always had, but there was something else there now. A small warm spark deep inside slowly growing from warmth to warmth, bringing with it an unfamiliar pleasure. She knew what it might be, but though she had learned much about the different aspects of sex, arousal, and so on, this was her first hint of an experience in such things. She was surprised, not by the spark's presence, but by the pleasure. And by the promise of hidden, deeper pleasures she somehow knew would come.

She said nothing. Secure in his arms, sure of his love, and completely confident in her safety with him, she just enjoyed the feeling.

They sat there for a long time, not talking at all, just enjoying each others presence.

Eventually, they had to get up and continue back to camp. She returned to her family, he went into his lonely bachelor tent. He put away his bundle of soiled clothing and toilet articles, removed his robe, lay down on his sleeping bag and went to sleep thinking of her.

She - dressed in her new nightgown - said good night to her family and snuggled into her own sleeping bag. She lay there thinking of the wonderful feelings she had been feeling with him, wondering at the mystery of it all. She finally fell asleep, but found herself dreaming of him and the same feelings. And more.

She awoke in the night and had to go to the bathroom. On the way back, she followed an impulse, and let herself into his tent. Quietly and carefully. The full moon gave plenty of light to see by. The tent was dimly lit, but she could see very clearly nonetheless.

She sat on the floor, and looked at his unclothed figure for a while. He had a large, muscular form, just slightly on the heavy side. His body was only slightly hairy, just enough to be interesting. He had an erection, which she took some time to study.

Finally she leaned over and gently placed a hand on his cheek and whispered his name in his ear.

He awoke to find her so close by that he could once again smell her sweet fragrance.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but I was feeling so lonely. I just had to come in and see you." She grinned in the canvas tinted moonlight. "I just hadn't expected to see so much of you."

"Well, little girls who come into men's tents at night should expect to be surprised." He made no move to cover up. "I hope you aren't disappointed."

"No, not at all. In fact, I like it." Her wide smile lit up her face. "In fact you look so comfortable, I think I'll join you."

Before he had time to think, she had slipped her nighty over her head, and sat before him clad only in panties.

"Kathy, what are you up to?" he said, as he turned toward her on his left side.

"Oh nothing. Just getting things even." He quickly grabbed her hands to prevent her from slipping off her one remaining garment.

There was a short and quiet but sweet wrestling match that wound up with her in his arms again, lying alongside, naked young breasts pressed against him, nipples fiercely erect. She was astounded at the intensity of the feelings rising in her body.

Her arms were wrapped around him tightly, and she had her legs wrapped around him, ankles locked. She was shaking with suppressed laughter.

He waited for their breathing to return to some semblance of normal. "Kathy, this will not do. Do you feel what's pressed against you down below?"

"Oh yes. That was the idea."

"Dear heart, you have no idea how close you are now."

"Close to what."

"To a sudden initiation into womanhood."

"Ooh. Nice idea." She grabbed at his erection.

"Cut that out. That's mine. Hands off." He fended her off.

"What if I want to lay claim?"

"No. One as sweet and beautiful as you is not meant for such as me. You must find someone else much younger."

"But -..."

"No way," he interrupted. "You came to this campout a virgin, and I am going to see that you leave here - well at least leave my tent - in the same condition. I love you, remember. I'll not risk hurting you. Besides, if we were found out, you'd be disgraced, and I'd be as well off dead!"

"Well, at least hold me close for a while longer." She said, and relaxed against his chest.

After a time he suddenly laughed "You little minx! You planned this just to see how far I'd go, didn't you!".

"No. Well maybe a little. Mostly to see how far I'd go. Maybe to test you a little." She smiled. "Mainly because I wanted to. Really, I'm just feeling lonely, and cold inside, and wanted some love."

"That, I'll give you." He held her close.

After a time, she rolled away a little and took his hand to her left breast. He cupped it in his big hand, and caressed it quietly for a bit. It was a small breast, but round and firm. About one nice round cupful. The nipple was - had become - large, erect, and prominent. He explored the other breast for a while. He found himself kissing her lips. The kiss was in danger of turning passionate. He stopped the kiss.

"No." he said tenderly. "No more. We have to stop this now, and you have to go back to your tent. If you stay here any longer you'll fall asleep, and we'll be found like this in the morning, and I'll never be able to see you again. Go now. While I can still let you go."

Long pause. Finally she agreed, "Yes, you're right. But I want more. Much more."

"And some day you'll get it, but not from me. From someone who deserves you."

He released her, caressed her breasts, gave her nipples one last tweak, pushed her away.

"Kathy, you'll never know how hard that was."

"You'll never know how hard it is for me to dress and walk away." She smiled. "I can see it is hard for you, though. I'd like to think it's hard for me." She wrapped her fingers around his erection and gave it a squeeze.

He groaned. "It's hard because of you. But dear, it's not for you. Now please put this on and go away." He handed her nighty to her.

She put it on, wrapped her robe around herself and let herself out of the tent, all the while softly humming "Go away little girl.".

He smacked her bottom as she crawled out of the tent, saying, "I'd never dare beg you to stay, I'm afraid of what might happen."

She giggled and walked away happily, and returned to her camper, and her bed.

Once there, she snuggled into her sleeping bag and masturbated. This was not something to which she was accustomed, but she was not accustomed to being fully aroused, either.

He had to use the same release to get back to sleep. He thought of entering her firm, young body while doing it. Afterwards, he felt a little guilty but fell asleep right away.

The next morning they were the first up, despite their night visit. He made her breakfast, and they talked of what had happened. And of what had not happened.

"I guess we are both very physical people. I don't know of anyone else who I could do stuff like that with." she said.

"Honey, I guarantee you, you try that with most men and you'll get screwed real quick. I'm not sure how I managed to control myself, 'cause I sure wanted to roll over on you and have at it." He paused. "After you left, I masturbated." He said.

"That's okay. After I got back into my tent and was sure no one was awake, I did too. I imagined it was you touching me."

"How sweet." he said wryly.

She then wondered out loud why she could talk about such things with him, when she would never dream of such communication with her mom, or dad, or even her brothers and sisters. "I've never even talked about sex much with my friends. They know so little, it hardly seems worth the effort."

"Sweetheart, that's the only advantage to age. You begin to understand such things about the time you start to loose interest."

"You were interested last night."

"Damn right I was. Any man would have to be dead to not respond to you."

By this time others were moving about the camp, so their talk had to be turned to more mundane things.

He didn't spend any time alone with her the rest of the day. Someone else was always there. She managed to slip in a few sly little double-entendre remarks that no one else caught, but that was about it.

The following night she conducted another late night visit. He let her pretty much repeat what they had done before, because this was their last night in camp, and the temptation would be removed.

She carried it on longer than before, though. She managed to get him to masturbate her through her panties, and this gave her a climax that left her with tears in her eyes.

"Oh boy, was that good!" she said, as she relaxed against his chest.

Then she took his erection in her small hands and he allowed her to learn how to masturbate a man to a climax. When he ejaculated into her hands, she was almost as excited as when she had come earlier.

That night when she returned to her tent, she was caught coming in. She told her grandma that she couldn't sleep, so she took a walk around the camp grounds. This was a weak story, but it got her off the hook, and she never told him about it.

She didn't manage to get more than a few hugs and caresses and one deep kiss from him the rest of the time they were there at the campgrounds.

Once she got home, though, she began to call him on the phone more and more often.

She had a confidant. One who even if older, still understood her, and one whom she could discuss anything with. And now she needed that.

Time passed. Their phone conversations became very important to her. His promise to listen, and to love and to never judge had become almost necessary to her existence.

When she told him of her new-found physical desires, he merely asked her to try and describe what she felt like. Then he tried to help her understand these feelings.

When she became involved with her first boy friend, he listened calmly, and told her about some of his own experiences.

She found herself telling him how the boy's hands had felt exploring her body, and how the heat had raged inside her.

He explained more about male and female physiology and anatomy, and how these things worked in conjunction, but he also tried to explain about how these things felt, and how they affected your heart. And how your heart has a direct and strong effect on those feelings.

She told how she thought about this boy day and night, and how she lay in bed and touched herself, imagining it was him.

She told him once, "Many times I've lain in bed imagining it was you touching me. Sometimes while we've been on the phone."

He took even that calmly.

He told her much on sexual things, and gave her advice on how to masturbate better, never making her feel ashamed, but making her feel like it was all natural.

She wondered to him why, when the boy wanted to do more than touch and caress, she found herself backing off, and even loosing interest.