Chapter 14 : Dissolution

Neil staggered into the stable on time, ready to get done and hit the sheets for the morning. Andrea was on duty. She took one look at his bloodshot eyes and sent him to the storage shed to pick through the leather for useful bits. It was something he could do without having to standup.

His speculation about Leah's whereabouts were answered quickly. She arrived and located him as he was trying to move old furniture out of the large steel shed to reach the boxes of broken leather in the back. He'd have to pick through them for bits that hadn't dried out completely. Pieces that could be salvaged would be thrown into a bucket of leather oil to recover, the rest would be pitched.

While Neil dragged boxes out of the sweltering shed, Leah sat quietly and watched, chewing on an apple. She didn't say a word to Neil for the first half hour or so and ignored his glances and curious looks patiently. Finally she tossed her core over into the paddock for one of the young colts to eat and stretched out.

"I'm very angry with you" she said in a tone that didn't really carry much anger.

"Really? Is this for something I did before or after you tried to get me fired?'

Leah ignored him. "A girl doesn't like to be... disposed of in such a rude manner."

"You weren't listening, so I had to act." Neil said with a touch of frustration.

"I'm beginning to think you don't take our relationship seriously"

Neil noted the humor in Leah's voice, and it started to grate on him. "Listen, Jennifer LeahAnne. We cannot have a relationship. I don't know how much more I can emphasize that. If we do, I'll lose my job."

Leah seemed to sober up. "I know... I just... Why can't..."

"Because we can't. I'm not going to string you along or pretend to be your boyfriend or anything else." When Leah started to protest and get upset, Neil held up his hands to stop her. "Listen, please. You are... beautiful and exciting and fun to be with. You're damn good at getting me tongue-tied and bewildered and you are... very... sexy."

Leah gave him a shocked look and quieted down.

"But we can't happen, Poppet. Period. I like my job and if I lose it, you lose me and the school is serious as shit about this."

Leah frowned and nodded quietly.

Neil went back to work, dragging bits of leather and flexing them, searching for signs of usefulness.

"Neil?"

"Mmmm?"

"Did... did you mean it when..."

Neil cringed. He didn't want to go over the conversation where he'd called her "sexy", a certain monster in his mind would feed very freely on that line of discussion. "Yes. Yes I did. Every word." he said a bit sharply.

"Even..."

"Jesus Leah. Yes. Ever.God.Damn.Word. If you were any less... this would be a whole lot easier, OK?"

"I... signed up to be in your ride class this week."

"Fuck. Dammit, Leah. Why?"

"Because I wanted to... be around you"

Neil hung his head for a few minutes, then simply nodded and finished his work. He only salvaged a handful of leather straps, barely worth the time spent to get them out. At some point Leah left, saying nothing. Neil put the boxes and chairs back, taking his time so he wouldn't have to follow her, then headed up for breakfast.

Neil walked back into his cabin with an apple, not missing the connection with Leah earlier. When he saw Mae sitting on his bed, though, he nearly dropped it.

"Mae... ?"

"Neil, we need to talk."

"Are you breaking up with me again?"

Mae shook her head and pulled herself up into a ball again. Nei ran down a list of comments in his mind, but let them drop and sat down in the camp chair. "I... Neil, I'm going to tell Steve about..."

Neil rolled his eyes and slid further down in the chair. "Really? "Steve, I had a lot of sex with this guy at camp, he figured out my sexual fetish and we...""

Mae was shaking her head and finally interrupted. "No. That I cheated on him"

"So we're calling it that, now?"

"I have to."

Neil dropped the sarcasm and re-evaluated the situation. "You have to... what?"

"You and I had a relationship, sometimes." she admitted, staring carefully at the bedcovers.

"True. But you refused..."

"I know. But I'm kidding myself. Its not like Steve would understand either way. Saying "I just fucked around, there was no love" is just bullshit."

Neil nodded. "So. Are you saying love me?"

Mae looked up and shook her head, then shrugged. "I did. It wasn't just physical, but you know that. I can't... just..."

Neil stood and moved over to the bed, sitting next to Mae. "I still love you Mae. I'm sorry about all that happened, but I love you"

Mae continued shaking her head. "This isn't why I came... I just wanted."

"So, you don't love me?"

"No... I don't"

"You said you did." Neil pointed out patiently.

Mae struggled for a moment. When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes. When Neil reached up to wipe her cheek she allowed it this time, turning into his palm and mumbling something.

"What?"

"I... do love you, Neil."

"I'm sorry... I can't quite hear you"

Mae leaned in and hugged him, then stood. "I love you, but this is too much right now, OK?"

"We have all week to figure..."

"I'm leaving at noon." Mae insisted.

"For where?"

"Home, dumbass. I'm not working the last week."

Neil was in shock. He knew a handful of counselors only taught the first week of upper level classes, but he'd never even considered the possibility. "Wait... you're..."

"I just wanted to clear this up before I left. My Mom will be here at lunch to take me home... I have another job over the summer at school."

"What... what school?"

"Pitt, dummy! I got a job near campus, so I don't have to leave the dorms!"

Neal was starting to realize that there was a lot about Mae he didn't know or really understand, which wasn't helping his mood. "That's... great. But you have to leave today?"

"Sorry, Neil. My job starts on Thursday. The bookstore goes to full staff for the last few months of the summer, then I'll switch to part time during classes. It doesn't pay shit, but it'll be worth it just for the discount on books."

Neil slid back and sat against the wall with a grunt. "Dammit. I'm going to miss you... you know?"

Mae smiled softly. "I just didn't want to end our summer like... we had."

Neil nodded, then opened his arms, pulling Mae onto the bed for a hug.

"Can we... say goodbye?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

Neil fought a complex collection of emotions but squashed them all down tightly. He was losing Mae after screwing around with her all summer and he wasn't going to fuck this up. With a quiet nod he drew he close, pulling her into a hug then kissing her slowly. She looked up with a sad smile and he winced at the prospect of getting her back and losing her in the same day. Neil fought the emotions and was going to start to make out with her when he had an idea. "I need to make up for some... things." he said, his voice gaining authority. "Assume your position".

Mae had a look of doubt, then grinned and started to strip quickly. She was on her hands and knees in a few seconds, arching her back high and hard. Neil stripped and moved behind her. He ran his hand along her back and side, then curved up and traced under her ass cheek, then up over her flank and back up her back to her shoulder. He took his time, murmuring in appreciation as Mae wiggled and arched. Neil rubbed her shoulders, then leaned down and kissed her shoulder blade, then drew his tongue down her back. Mae mumbled something in appreciation, increasing in tone as he circled down her side, licking along the outside of her leg then moved around to her inner thigh. Neil glanced up at her display, appreciating her readiness but determined to make it last. He sent his hands off to rub elsewhere on Mae's back as he moved up the back of her leg, avoiding her dampening sex.

Mae shifted, trying to get him to eat her, but Neil held her with his hands and gave her a light smack on her rump to keep her still. She rolled her head, moaning quietly as he continued his licking over her lower back, then down to her other leg and inner thigh. Neil started to avoid her pussy again, but Mae was ready this time. She'd moved her hand down and was spreading herself for him, making begging noises.

"Did you need something, pet?" he asked, leaning in a breathing lightly on her, rubbing his nose along her thigh and touching it lightly against her outer labia.

"Please, Neil... don't make me beg..."

Neil watched her for a few seconds, drawing out the tension, then leaned in and licked lightly along her labia, avoiding her vagina and clitoris. She murmured, then grumbled when he returned to her thighs and went down her legs with his tongue, tickling her.

"Damn you... I'll beg... OK?"

Before she could start, though, Neil attacked her sex with a vengeance. He moved up, licking from vagina to clit in a solid motion, then flicked back and forth to emphasize it, hitting her fingers on either side as she spread herself for him. Mae arched downward even further, defying Neil's belief that she could bend her back any more. He licked steadily, pushing her arousal higher and higher. He measured out her reactions, wanting to enter her before she climaxed, but either she was too pent up or his radar was out of tune because she skyrocketed towards climax. Neil tried to back down, but her moans convinced him to work on her schedule rather than his. He licked steadily, moving up and down her slit, teasing and touching as much as he could. Every time she seemed ready to explode, though, she held back. Finally she rolled right, bringing her legs over and standing up.

"Come on, get on the bed."

Neil got up and went toward the bed, where Mae pushed him down onto his back. He slid into the position she seemed to want, then she climbed on top of him so she could take him into her mouth while he licked her.

"I still can't get over you all shaved" she muttered.

Neil tried to ignore her, but it was distracting trying to maintain a steady rhythm while Mae sucked him, and Neil had to block her attentions out of his mind to stay focused. He increased his speed and concentrated on stimulating her clit, slowing only when her tongue found a particularly sensitive spot on his penis or she got creative with her hands. Finally Neil felt back in tune with her sexual signals, noticing that she was on track to finish shortly. She refused to move, so he was forced to try and avoid finishing himself while she built higher and higher. When Neil felt her on the brink he lifted his shoulders into her knees, pushing them further up past his ears and drawing her down on top of him. With greater access, he sped his tongue into a flicking pattern on her clit, left and right rapidly, then a long slow slide across the center of his tongue as he dragged it. Mae's sucking became irregular and she pulled off to breathe and gasp as he went faster and faster. She drew him back in, moaning and losing her pace again when he flicked rapidly, so Neil began to thrust slowly into her. With Mae essentially still, he sucked her clit into his lips, holding it firmly and flicking his tongue as fast as he could from side to side. She groaned around his cock and Neil started to thrust faster, enjoying the Mae's inability to concentrate. When she started to try and buck, Neil held firm, wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her tight. She wiggled and pushed against him, then clenched her entire back and bobbed her head in time with his thrusts, exploding in her silent orgasm.

Neil cleaned up, letting Mae bask and doze quietly for a few moments. When he returned, Mae got him to sit on the edge of the bed, then climbed onto his lap facing him. He eased into her slowly, enjoying her tight passage as she relaxed her weight onto him. When he was fully in, she held him still. Neil took her face in his hands and smiled.

"I love you Mae." he said quietly.

Mae smiled and started to rock forward, drawing him out slowly. "I... love you too" she whispered, rocking downward.

Neil let her do most of the work, setting an almost painfully slow rhythm. He wanted to thrust into her, but she'd gotten him very aroused and he knew he might not last very long at this point. Instead he rubbed her back, held her buttocks as she moved forward and backwards and whispered into her ear. When Mae started to speed up, Neil helped to lift her with steady thrusts. She seemed to be insisting that he finish in this position, as much as he wanted to roll her over so he could slam freely into her. As Neil built, Mae responded in time, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him below the ear.

"I want you to finish, Neil, please... like this"

Neil shook his head and pulled her head back gently. "I want to finish like this" he said, pulling her in to a kiss.

Mae nodded in the kiss, and tears splashed Neil's cheek. He kissed her fiercely, finding her tongue waiting and ready. They rocked together, kissing, locked together in an embrace and Neil finished, letting Mae slide down on him as he stayed still and concentrated on not biting down on her tongue. The eruption rocked him, drained him and he clutched her close, squeezing her until she squeaked. With a final thrust he fell back onto the bed and exhaled harshly, met shortly after by Mae who found a place to snuggle next to him with her head on his chest.

Mae insisted that Neil not accompany her to load up her gear, she wanted their time together to end on a high note. He sulked in his room for a while, organizing and straightening things that didn't need it, then set out to find something to do for the rest of the day that didn't involve women who weren't his girlfriends. Walking down past the quad, Neil turned right to avoid the marauding bands of hyperactive teenagers on patrol and wound his way through the tall pines until he reached the nearly empty arena. He was loitering under the main grandstand when there was an earsplitting screech over the loudspeaker. Neil covered his ears and flinched, trying to block out the feedback until it suddenly cut off with a pop.

"That's not it" came Harry's voice over the loudspeaker.

There was a muffled response from somewhere to Neil's right, so he made his way down the grandstand until he found Sarge working with a set of cables. "Hey Sarge"

"Neil. Don't suppose you'd be willing to led us a hand, eh?"

Neil took a look at the cables and tried to figure out what Sarge was doing. "Uh, sure. What's with all the speaker line?"

Sarge shrugged and pointed up. "One of the loudspeakers died during the show. Mom wants it straight by next Saturday, but our AV guys won't be coming out until Thursday. If we don't get it fixed... well, there'll be some annoyed parents."

Neil glanced up and tried to make out what they were doing. The main speakers needed power and audio feeds, both of which were run up the light poles. "I think you've got a loose connection up there." Neil said, shading his eyes.

"eh? Well, that'll be fun" Sarge quipped, untangling the cord.

"I'll take a look" Neil offered.

Sarge glanced up and grinned. "Yeah? You'll need a safety line."

Soon enough, Neil was halfway up the light post, some twenty feet in the air, level with the tops of some of the pine trees. It was a great view, and it was pretty easy work. The big exterior audio cables were a pain to move with their massive casings and wire mesh protectors but Neil managed to find the problem. The main audio line had been rubbing against the ladder guard and had shorted when it finally got exposed to the weather and was grounding out on the metal ladder. "Send me up one of those sleeves... and some wire ties! And a lighter!" Neil shouted down.

Neil had the line sleeved and was waiting for it to cool and took a good long look around the camp. The quad was hidden in the pine boughs, but he could see the admin buildings in the clearing on the hill to his right. They were roughly level with him at this height, and he could see people moving around near the Cave and dorms. With a final glance at the stables to his left, Neil strapped the audio cable securely and started to descend.