Chapter 12

The rest of the afternoon was spent much as in any family gathering where a stranger is present. There was a mixture of politely asking the stranger questions about himself, his family and so on, and pretending to accept him into the family while waiting on him at the same time. Nobody else in the family was getting waited on, which is what made it seem a little off kilter somehow.

And Zack didn't expect to be waited on, which meant he offered to do things. When it came time to get supper ready he offered to help again.

"Is this part of your nefarious plan?" asked Lynne, and then she blushed. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't apologize," said Zack, grinning. "It would have been, except there is no nefarious plan any more."

"Well then," said Lynne, trying to get past her embarrassment. "I suppose you can help."

Jill and I stayed in the living room sitting together and cuddling, while we surfed through TV channels. We finally settled on the Discovery channel, though I don't remember what was on.

In the kitchen potatoes were being boiled and cut up so they could be mixed with hamburger and a couple of cans of cream of mushroom soup, to make what Lynne called hash. Zack found another knife and stood next to her. As they diced potatoes he pressed a hip against hers.

"I'd have done something like this," he said softly. "I'd have tried to find ways to touch you as frequently and innocently as possible, getting you used to the idea." He brushed her shoulder with his, obviously intentionally.

"Oh really." Lynne smiled.

"And I'd have complimented you a lot," he said.

"Such as?" She glanced at him.

"Such as how much at home I feel, and how good it smells." He moved behind her and leaned forward to brush the back of her hair with his nose. "Your hair smells really wonderful. What do you use on it?"

"Just shampoo," she said automatically, and then looked around. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," he said. "Just giving you examples."

"Oh," she said. "Right."

"You're in amazingly good shape," he said, letting his eyes run down and then back up her body. "You obviously work hard and eat well."

"Is that another example?" she asked.

"No, that's just the truth," he said, smiling. His eyes lingered on her breasts, long enough that he made it obvious. "You're so beautiful," he said softly. "I can't believe there aren't men lined up outside, waiting to get a chance at you."

Her eyes widened. "Sometimes I can't tell if you're giving me another example, or actually trying to seduce me."

He had an infectious grin and he used it a lot. He also shrugged as he replied "I know exactly how you feel."

They were interrupted by Jill, who came into the kitchen to get something to drink, and who found them standing face to face, MUCH too close for what would be called "proper" under the kind of circumstances that her mother had insisted were in force.

She was smart enough to ignore them completely, get her drink, and leave.

"Oh man," sighed Zack, leaning back and patting his stomach. "I could get used to that."

"You're laying it on just a tad thick, don't you think?" asked Lynne, her voice droll.

"If I had a nefarious play, maybe," he said. "It's just the truth, though."

"It's also just hash," said Lynne.

"And spinach and hot rolls," said Zack, sounding wounded. "And we don't get anything that tastes that good at school."

"So you like comfort food," said Lynne.

I looked at Jill, who was curiously interested in her own plate.

"I like comfort in food and in every other way," said Zack.

"There's no comfort in hard work," said Lynne. She sounded like she was trying to start a fight.

"Not true," said Zack, smiling. "There's the comfort after you FINISH hard work, when you can relax with a hot drink and a warm woman on a cold winter's night.

Jill, having just taken a sip of tea, snorted it all over her plate.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped, wiping her nose and trying to dab at spots of tea with her napkin.

"Don't be," said her mother dryly. "That's what that little offering deserved."

"What?" asked Zack, sounding definitely injured now. "It's true."

"It's hopelessly trite," pointed out Lynne.

"Maybe that's just because you're older," said Zack glibly. "I'm sure a sophisticated woman such as yourself has heard that a hundred times. But it's still true. I can't help it if it sounds a bit trite."

"Uh - huh." Lynne dragged it out, making the sarcasm in her voice obvious. The sarcasm was ruined, however, by the smile she was having a hard time suppressing.

"Too bad we don't have some hot cocoa and a warm woman," sighed Zack.

"Zack!" hissed Jill.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You suck at this!" she blurted.

"Suck at what?"

Jill looked around, suddenly looking guilty.

"Seduction," said Lynne, her voice flat.

"I'm not trying to seduce anybody," said Zack, smiling widely. "I thought we got that all straightened out."

"That's good," said Lynne, "because you're succeeding brilliantly."

"I am?" Zack sat up, looking interested.

"Yes, there is absolutely, positively no seduction going on here at all," said Lynne. Her smile was just as bright as his, and lasted while his crumbled.

"What an idiot," said Jill under her breath.

"No he's not," said Lynne firmly. "He's quite intelligent ... for a young man." She reached out and patted his hand, her smile tight. "So! What are we going to do tonight?" she asked, changing the subject.

Jill looked uncomfortable.

"I was sort of planning on spending some time with Bob," she said.

"He's welcome to stay as long as he likes," said Lynne promptly.

"At his house," added Jill.

"That would be rude," said Lynne. She looked at Zack. "You can't just abandon our guest."

Zack grinned. "I don't mind if she spends time with Bob." His grin widened. "At his house," he added.

Lynne's gaze pinned him. "You are quite persistent, aren't you."

He somehow managed to look completely innocent. "I just tell things the way I see them," he said. "All I heard about all semester was how much she missed him."

I sat there silently. It didn't seem like a good time to put in my two cents worth, particularly since they would appear to be self serving.

Lynne's eyes never left him.

"And what am I supposed to do with you while she's off ... spending time ... with Bob?"

"You are a fascinating and interesting woman," said Zack calmly. "I like to think I'm not completely boring. We can come up with something to keep us entertained. I'm sure of it."

Lynne's brow furrowed.

"I'll just bet you are," she said softly.

"I thought she wasn't going to let us go," giggled Jill as we stomped into my back door.

It had started to snow during supper and was coming down fast and thick by the time Jill and I actually tried to leave. Even I was a little surprised when Lynne's only response was "Don't stay too long or you might get snowed in." Of course Zack said "Take your time," but everybody ignored him.

"Let me get some wood on the fire," I said, taking my sheepskin jacket off.

"Hurry!" said Jill, doing the same thing. "Have you got some blankets? We could lie by the stove."

She was practically giddy as I brought things to the stove. Her shirt was already unbuttoned, and the creamy skin between her breasts was on display. I leered and she told me how much she loved it when I did that. Teasingly she pulled the shirt apart, showing me stiff nipples.

"You want dessert?" she asked coyly.

"Oh, baby," I moaned. "I want dessert in the worst way!"

"Mmmmm, you make my ... pussy wet ... when you say things like that," she sighed. She had stressed the word "pussy", saying it as seductively as a young, inexperienced woman can. She had me rock hard by the time she finished the sentence. Then she shook her breasts at me. "I wanna be naked with you!"

"Ohhh," I groaned. "If you keep that up I may not last very long."

She let the shirt drop backwards off her arms and undid her pants. She pushed them down slowly, arching her hips at me as she did so, putting her appearing mound on display for me.

"I don't care," she said breathily. "I'll suck it hard again. I just want you in me."

"What if your mother brings Zack over here?" I teased.

She stepped out of her jeans and lay down on the blankets I'd brought out to spread by the wood stove. I'd given it a bit more air and it was heating up nicely. She plumped a pillow under her head and spread her legs, drawing them up. She slid the tip of one finger between shiny pussy lips and rubbed her clit gently.