Sam guided Sharon by the hand to the driver's side of the pickup and

made her enter through his door. Kidding, she tried to slip all the

way across to the passenger side. Grabbing her around the waist, Sam

pulled her back. After a minor struggle, with laughing and tickling,

she let him buckle her in place beside him.

"You're such a brute, Sam." She rested her head against his shoulder

and closed her eyes, smiling contentedly.

The idea of making a joke about "bondage" crossed his mind but he

decided no.

Driving home, Sam kept one hand on the wheel and the other around

Sharon, his fingers caressing her bare shoulder, neck and cheek.

Turning east into home's driveway, there popped the moon, bulging over

the dark horizon. The brilliant arch, magnified by the rising heat,

appeared four times its normal size.

"Sherry, it looks like a full moon tonight."

She sat upright. "Wow, it's huge!"

An idea sprang to mind, "How 'bout a horseback ride? I know a the

perfect place to stargaze, moongaze or... gaze into my eyes." He gave

her his best Svengali stare. "Lady's choice."

She gave him a raised-eyebrow who-are-you-kidding stare, "Give me a

pin so I can let some hot air out of your ego, Hornet. I can gaze into

your eyes any old time. But that moon... I'd like to see that." She

looked down at her skirt. "I can't ride in this."

"If you don't mind wearing Jan's clothes, we keep stuff here for

special occasions like this," he said, hoping she didn't.

"If it's okay with you, it's okay with me." She kissed his cheek,

taking advantage of the third-month-rule in effect. "Show me where the

tack room and horses are and I'll start saddling while you change.

Bring my clothes down and I'll dress in the barn."

Surprised by her eagerness, Sam agreed. "Sounds like a plan."

Compared to the air-conditioned truck, the barn heat felt oppressive

as they walked side by side down the asphalt center alley. Sam began

to sweat and Sharon's arms began to glisten as he brought Sadie and

Buster out from their stalls. He helped carry out the saddles and

blankets before Sharon chased him away to retrieve the clothes from

the house. He stopped at the barn door to watch her skilled movements.

'Impressive', Sam thought.

Raised on a farm, where hard working, sweaty bodies were the norm and

prissy women weren't tolerated, Sam found the sight of the laboring

woman enticing. As Sharon saddled the horses she talked to them,

patted them, and scratched them, enjoying their company. Jan never

really loved horses. She endured them, only because he liked to ride.

It was something to do as a couple after Sam's reoccurrence of skin

cancer forced them to sell the boat in order to limit his UV exposure.

They had fun on their midnight rides, the swaying motion similar to

the gentle rocking of the waves, but Jan had no great affection for

the animals.

He wanted to stay and observe but Sharon angrily waved at him to get

moving.

'She must think I'm watching to make sure she's doing it right.' Sam

blew her a kiss before he turned away. 'That was corny.' He chided

himself on the way to the backdoor.

They had been gone longer than he had anticipated. His mother had

thoughtfully left the kitchen light on. He tiptoed upstairs and peeked

into the spare room. Chris was tucked in for the night. Sam moved on,

treading lightly down the hall toward his old room. His mother's door

opened. She stood squinting in the light, wearing the worn, pink robe

his father had given her twenty years ago. Some things never lose

their appeal.

"Where'ya goin', Son?"

"I'm getting a change of clothes. We're going to ride up to the pond."

His mother smiled, "I like Sharon, Sam. She's a smart cookie... and

sweet. And very good with Chris. I can tell she loves children. But

Sam... be careful. She's too good for the likes of you." She turned

and closed her door.

Sam leaned his head against the doorjamb. "I love you, Ma."

"I love you too, Sam."

He collected their clothes and changed into shorts and a tee-shirt.

When he reentered the barn Sharon was just tightening the last cinch.

"What can I do to help?" He grinned.

"Good timing, Sam." She wiped her arm across her sweaty forehead, the

perspiration stains around her neck and arms and the clinging fabric

of her top only served to make her more appealing.

"Well, since I can't help get the horseys ready," he bounced her

folded clothes in his palms, "maybe I can help --"

She laughed, "Nice try, cowboy." snatching the pile from him, she

walked to the tack room. Without looking Sherry said, "Nice legs, by

the way."

Sam looked down at his Pillsbury flour stalks. 'She's got to be

kidding.'

While Sharon changed, Sam walked the horses outside into the night

breeze. A few minutes later she emerged in shorts and tee-shirt. The

large white billowing top that he had chosen for her comfort did

little to hide the fact that she had removed her bra. The natural

bounce of her freed breasts against the fabric drew his glance.

Looking up at her moist face, he said, "You look enchanting."

"Enchanting? Wake up Sam. I'm not Cinderella." She gave him a crooked

smile and said, "I bet you say that to all the braless women in

tee-shirts."

She'd caught him looking.

"No... Only the braless women in that tee-shirt." He handed her

Sadie's reigns. "I'm glad you're not Cinderella... because I ain't no

Prince Charming." He swung up onto Buster. "And given the choice

between a princess and a scullery maid, I'd take the maid every time."

Sharon mounted Sadie. "What about an Indian princess?" Not waiting for

an answer, she kicked Sadie into a trot, getting a head start.

"Hey, Little White Dove, wait up," kicking Buster to catch up.

Side by side, they quietly rode. The moon behind them kept their faces

in shadow. They each had a wheel rut to follow up the slight incline

of the fragrant clover hayfield. Sam watched Sharon, watched her legs

flex in the stirrups, her torso sway above the saddle.

She tipped her head back, "You have a lot more stars out here than I

have in the city."

"Of course I do. I have a lot more room out here... but I can see the

stars any old time." He continued to watch her.

"Sam... Sam, what am I going to do with you?" She looked at him --

longingly he hoped.

Sharon kicked Sadie, "Race ya!" She yelled over her bouncing shoulder.

The thudding hooves left Sam coughing up dust.

"Heeeyaa!" Buster was spurred into a gallop.

The dark lane passed in a blur as the horses sped along the shallow

ruts. Sharon glanced back to check on the competition. Buster began to

overtake the smaller Sadie. Sam pulled up slightly to let her win...

Besides, the view was much better from second place.

Sharon reined Sadie to a trot at the end of the lane, Sam close

behind.

"I win!" The moonlight glistened on her face. Sadie and Buster, not

having run that hard in a while, were gulping air.

"Nice riding White Dove. What did you win?"

A thinking pause and then, "I want to see you, Running Bear... that's

bare spelled b-a-r-e." pleased with herself, she winked.

"Oh, I get it, one of the three-month-rules must be that from now on

you can be a cock-tease." He laughed but she remained smiling and

silent.

"The pond's over here." Sam turned Buster down a hedgerow and Sadie

fell in behind. Curving off to the left, cutting across an open field,

they soon approached a one-acre pond, reflecting brilliant in the

moonlight. On the opposite side, a granite outcropping created a

ten-foot cliff at the water's edge. The sides of the cliff tapered

down to the grassy shoreline.

"To really appreciate the moonlight we have to be on the other side."

Sam pointed to the right, "We can get there by going around... which

is the easy way, or... if you really want some fun... we can swim

across. Have you ever ridden a swimming horse, Sherry? They could use

some cooling off... and so could I."

The excitement on her face was delightful. "No I haven't, but I've

always wondered what that would be like... What do we do?"

Sam dismounted. "First we take off the saddles and leave them here.

All we need do is get them started and hang on. Sadie and Buster are

used to this and know where to go. Don't pull on the reigns, just hug

her neck and squeeze your knees. Try to keep your weight centered. If

you do float off, swim away to the side so you aren't kicked. You can

swim, can't you?"

With that increasingly familiar "get real look" on her face she said,

"Yes, I can swim..." rubbing her hands together, she squeaked, "This

is so cool."

After removing the saddles and their shoes and socks, Sam gave Sharon

a leg up onto Sadie and then he mounted Buster.

"Ya ready?"

"Ready!"

Sam nudged Buster into the water. Sharon and Sadie followed along

side. The water level deepened gradually, the cold liquid refreshing

-- inch by inch.

Soon the horses were swimming; the only sounds were the animals'

huffing breaths and the swishing water around their bodies. The

flexing surges of the horses' muscular kicks pulsed beneath them;

rippling water twinkled in the reflected light. Finding a footing on

the other side, the horses clambered out, each still carrying its

rider.

"Wow... that was so great, Sam! What a rush." She was beaming.

"That is pretty neat isn't it." Sam thrilled at giving her this new

experience.

He slid off Buster and Sharon followed suit. They let the horses drink

their fill and then tethered them to a tree. As the horses flicked

tails, wagged heads and shook hides to shed excess water. The humans

walked dripping, up to the top of the granite boulder and faced one

another; both drenched -- not only in water but also the silvery

moonlight. Sam looked at Sharon and Sharon looked at Sam, taking time

to enjoy the view of the matted clothing against the other's body,

rivulets streaming down bare legs and pooling around bare feet.

Sharon's shameless gaze resembled the wanton desire he'd experienced

in his bedroom only four days ago. It seemed like ages.

Sam pulled his clinging shirt off and, while watching her watch him,

wrung out the excess water. His chilled skin broke out in goose bumps.

Laying out the shirt to dry, Sam sat down facing the shining pond, "Go

ahead and wring out yours. I won't look, scout's honor." He held up

his hand showing her his scout salute.

"I can't picture you as a Boy Scout, Sam."

Hearing water raining down on the rock, he said, "Actually, I wasn't."

and turned for a glimpse of her naked torso. "I've always been more of

a girl scout. Oh look! There's a fine specimen now."

"Sam!" She whacked his face with the wet cloth. He turned away,

unsatisfied.

"Peeking is allowed in the third month isn't it?" Sam whined.

There was motion to his right, so he turned. Four feet away, she sat

down facing him -- topless. She leaned back on her hands. The

glimmering water danced waves of light and dark zebra stripes, over

her flawless skin. He tried not to leer at her inviting breasts.

Instead he turned and put his feet against hers, the cool, toughened

surfaces mismatched in size. He bent his toes over hers. She wiggled

hers against his.

Unashamedly, her eyes poured over him. "Are you really 45?"

"Yes, I really am." He frowned, not pleased with her mentioning it.

His eyes wandered over her tanned legs, seeming even darker when

compared to his pasty-white shins. "And you are... thirty?"

"No."

"Seventeen."

"No!"

"Twenty-nine?"

"Yes, I've been twenty-nine for seven years... are you satisfied now?"

Sam was drifting into one of his darker moods.

"I haven't been satisfied since Monday," He reminded her. She smiled,

understanding. He asked, "Are you going to run off with a younger

man?"

"Are you going to run off with a younger woman?" She countered.

"I'm not running off anywhere. I have a son to raise." The

conversation was taking a serious turn, much more serious than he

wanted. She was making him think about the future beyond the next few

hours.

Sharon sat up, eased forward between Sam's feet and crossed her legs.

She lifted his left foot, placed it on her lap and began to work her

fingers and knuckles into its sole.

"Yes, You do have a son to raise don't you, Sam. That's a huge

responsibility. And you don't want any flighty bimbo wasting your

time, is that what you're saying..." Her eyes fixed on his blue-veined

foot, she asked, "What do you want?"

Sam watched her fingers push between his toes, the pleasant sensation

both relaxing and stimulating. Sam's eyes wandered to her breasts,

swaying with the motion of her hands.

"This ain't bad for a start," postponing a serious answer to her

question.

Sharon put that foot aside and started the other.

Still drifting down into familiar despondency, he said, "Sherry, I

want what I lost."

He pulled his foot away, turned and inspected the moon's dappled

surface through his watery eyes.

"Sometimes...It feels like I've been to the moon... I can remember the

effort... I remember how long it took to get there... the excitement

when we arrived... and now... I'm stuck back on the earth, wanting a

return trip... and it really sucks knowing that no one has ever gone

back... No one ever gets to walk on the moon twice."

Sherry stood up and moved behind him. The night air was filled with

the sounds of crickets and peepers. Lightening bugs floated fairy-like

over the pond surface. It was lovely, but it didn't offer the near

weightless feeling as dancing on the moon.

He heard soft shuffling and then felt Sharon pressing herself against

his back, encircling him in a bear hug.

She kissed his shoulder. "Sam, those lunar missions always had three

people... And I feel like I've been to the moon too... You and Jan

were the two lucky ones that went to the surface and shared that

glorious experience, while I was that lonely third astronaut circling

overhead, watching, envious."

Her hands slipped down his stomach and worked open the button on his

shorts. She pulled down the zipper and slid her warm hand over his

chilled penis, fondling it.

"I know where you've been, Sam. I've watched you. I may not know how

it feels to walk on the moon, but I know how it feels to be

weightless. I know I can put you in orbit and bring you back to earth.

I'm in love with you, Sam Colton. And I know the way to the moon."

Sharon moved in front and she was nude. Straddling Sam's lap, she bent

down and pulled his damp clothing from his legs, tossing it aside.

Kneeling over his thighs, she pressed herself against his chest,

holding his head between her hands she kissed him with an urgency he

hadn't felt from her before. One hand released his head and moved to

his erection, stroking it rigid between them. The heated kiss

continued as he felt her warm moisture cover him. He cupped her

buttocks, his fingers lightly kneading the fleshy globes, helping her

lift and release, as she rode him. Sam's lips left her mouth to suckle

a breast.

Sherry moaned in reaction, expressing a needful passion. His right

hand slipped between them to plunder her clitoris. Her moaning became

continuous. She was squeezing him, inside and out. Sharon leaned back

on her arms for more leverage, increasing the speed of her thrusting.

He randomly caressed her stomach, chest and pubis, until, quickly

sitting upright, she screamed in a thunderous climax, driving him to

explode within her. His lips sought hers, the scream of release

filling his mouth and lungs. They clung desperately to each other in

the moonlight, feeling weightless.