Mike pulled the throttle to the rear and the boat leapt forward, away from the dock. Quickly coming up to a proper plane, the runabout skimmed across the glass smooth surface of the lake. Mike and John grinned like schoolboys, enjoying the feel of the 125 horsepower engine in the relatively small craft.
Lacy sat up on the bow, dressed in her favorite blue skirt and tank top, enjoying the sun on her body and the wind in her hair. Glancing around, she smiled at her husband and lifted her top, exposing her breasts. Completely removing her top, she lay back, letting the warm summer sun play over her firm body. Her mind wandered as she felt the boat bounce along. The drone of the inboard motor prevented her from sleeping, but she half dozed, luxuriating in the sun’s warmth.
Mike guided the runabout toward a cove across the lake and settled back for the short trip. The weather was perfect. The sun shone brightly in the cloudless blue sky. The slight breeze was not enough to stir the surface of the water, but kept the temperature in check.
Making a small course correction, he looked over at John, who was riding “shotgun” beside him. “You know where we’re going, I hope.”
“Keep on the way you’re headed,” he replied. “Tim always anchors in the same cove.”
Tim was a good friend of John’s, and a casual acquaintance of Mike and Lacy. He had often invited them out on his house boat, but this was the first time work schedules allowed them to get together. They were all looking forward to a long weekend of fishing, swimming, and just plain relaxation.
As the cove came into sight, Mike slowed the boat. Feeling the change in the boat’s attitude, Lacy put her top back into position and sat up. They rounded a small peninsula, and the cove spread out in front of them. Shear granite cliffs rose on two sides of the twelve-acre patch of water. A small grassy meadow led from the remaining shoreline up into the trees. A large houseboat rested in the center of the quiet lagoon. Two people stood on the houseboat’s foredeck, casually attending fishing poles.
Mike pushed the throttle forward, almost to its stop, in order to avoid leaving a large wake as they idled toward the houseboat. John stood and waved at Tim, whom he recognized as one of the people on the foredeck.
“Hello, the houseboat!” John shouted in a mock old-west accent.
Tim walked over to the rail and waved back. “Howdy pardners!” He replied. “Hurry and tie up, you’re scaring away the fish with that loud thing!”
Mike idled the runabout along side the larger vessel. Tim reached out and grabbed hold of the gunwale. John leapt over to the deck of the houseboat and assisted Tim in securing the runabout.
Lacy stood on the bow and saluted Tim at rigid attention. “Permission to come aboard, Sir!” She shouted in a loud, authoritative voice.
“Granted!” Tim shouted in reply, laughing as he returned her salute.
Not to be out done, John walked quickly over to Lacy. Seizing the brunette around the waist, he lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. She screamed at him to put her down as he scrambled across the deck and deposited her in a chair just outside the houseboat door.
As the laughter died down, Lacy stood and, sticking her tongue out at John, walked back to the runabout to help unload the gear.
Tim led Mike and Lacy into the cabin of the houseboat, and showed them where to stow their overnight bags. “You two can take the large bunk,” he said as he pointed out the double sized bed. “The rest of us will sack out wherever we find a place. There’s plenty of room.”
“We didn’t mean to boot you out of your own bed . . . ” Mike began.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tim interrupted, with a smile. “John always sleeps up on the roof, under the stars, and I usually sleep up in the dinette bed. Randy can fend for himself. I’ll leave you to get settled.”
Tim walked out of the small bedroom and headed out toward the front door. “Go on out with him,” said Lacy. “I’ll get this stuff put away.”
“Are you sure?” Asked Mike.
“Go on, I want to change anyway.” She smiled.
Once out on the foredeck, Tim introduced Mike to Randy, a co-worker and neighbor of Tim’s.
“Any luck so far?” Asked Mike, gesturing toward the fishing rod resting in the rail mounted rod holder.
“Not yet,” Randy replied. “It’s still a bit too warm. They should start biting later this evening.”
John reached into a cooler and passed around drinks as the group sat back to relax. Lacy stepped out of the cabin, and stopped the conversation.
Lacy kept her brunette hair cut short, and wore very little make-up. The low-necked one-piece bathing suit she wore hugged her curves tightly, leaving little to the imagination. Her firm breasts jiggled slightly as she padded, barefoot, to a chair against the rail, between John and Randy.
John introduced Lacy to Randy, and passed her a cold drink from the cooler. All eyes were on her as she popped the top of her soda can and took a drink. The thin blue material of her bathing suit did little to hide her nipples, which stiffened under their gaze as if in anticipation.
Conversation soon resumed, as Lacy took in her surroundings. The bright midday sun reflected off the water, illuminating the area under the roof of the foredeck. Reflected light sparkled and danced, casting streaks of silver across the men gathered around her. Weird shadows played along the granite cliffs enclosing the cove. Birds splashed in the water, foraging in the shallows. The breeze picked up a little, rustling through the trees and sending several leaves spiraling into the water.
“Well, this is a waste of time,” commented Tim as he reeled in his line. “I’m ready for a swim.”
“Sounds good.” Mike agreed. He stood and, removing his shirt, walked out the gate onto the uncovered side deck. He didn’t bother looking behind him and dove into the water head first. As his head broke water, he paddled backward, away from the houseboat, enjoying the cool swim.
Lacy suddenly broke the surface beside him, giggling. “Did you guys enjoy staring at me?” She asked.
Her husband grinned. “I know John and I did,” he replied. “I think the others are waiting to see what you’re hiding under that suit.”
“We’ll just have to see what happens later,” the brunette giggled. “Right now I’m going to relax.”
Mike watched his wife roll onto her back and float off in the direction of the houseboat. Randy and Tim swam over toward the cliffs and tread water in the shade. John took his position on the roof of the houseboat, and lay back on his towel.
An hour later, they were back aboard, eating lunch. Lacy could not hide the fact that she enjoyed the bare-chested company. Her eyes roamed around the foredeck, taking in every detail, both exposed and unexposed, of the men around her.
Randy intrigued her. While he was not a tall man, about 5’5,” he made up for it with stockiness. His sandy blond hair just touched his shoulders, framing a strong face with blue eyes and a neatly trimmed blond mustache. His deep tan highlighted the blond hair that covered his firm chest, and traced down his tight stomach.
Tim appeared to be Randy’s opposite. Tim stood just over 6′ tall, with close-cropped, curly black hair, and a thin, clean-shaven face. His thin frame seemed to accentuate his hairless chest. However, his deep brown eyes had made Lacy a bit self-conscious as he continued to glance in her direction.
Lacy remained silent while the guys talked about boats and fishing. She grinned to herself as the fishing stories began.
“What are you smiling about?” John asked her.
“You guys and your big fish stories.” She answered. “I’ll bet none of you has ever caught anything of keeping size.”
John looked over at Mike and smiled. “Sounds like a challenge to me.”
“No challenge, Tarzan.” Lacy giggled. “I’ve just been listening to a lot of talk and don’t see anything in the kitchen.”
“It’s still too hot for fishing,” commented Randy. “They won’t be biting until around sundown.”
“Excuses, excuses.” Lacy smiled. “Well, what do you have planned until that time?”
“Nothing special,” replied Tim.