As I Was Walking in the Park

Erik brought over a copy of the slightly revised plans that night and we talked with Mom and Dad about it. My dad thought it looked all right but he couldn't say for sure. I reminded him that Erik's dad was a structural engineer. He and Mom looked at each other and kind of shrugged. "Well, if you two want to try it, it's all right with us."

We began making plans on how to proceed. In another two days we had the materials piled fairly close and began moving them over near the big maple.

We began construction and worked each day, except for one or two when it was raining too much. By the end of three weeks we had the structure basically finished. Erik's dad came out and inspected our work and pronounced it very professional.

With his stamp of approval we began putting on the finishing touches. The windows and door were just rough openings so now we added roll down plastic covers which would keep any driving rain out. We found a couple of vinyl covered exercise mats and a small, low table, just a little over a foot high. A couple of cushions completed the furnishings. One day Erik showed me a small cabinet with a couple of shelves that he had made. We moved this inside also so we could leave a few things out there without worrying about them getting wet or anything.

One morning in mid July - almost exactly a year since I had first seen Erik - we took lunches and climbed up to spend the day in our little refuge. For that is how we had come to think about it. A place where we could go to work, to play games, to read or to just talk. A place where no one else would interfere or interrupt.

We played chess and another board game, ate lunch at the tiny table while sitting on the cushions, and generally just lazed away the afternoon. Over the remainder of the summer we spent several days out there together. We also used our refuge individually, going there just to have a nice, quiet place to read, the only sounds those of birds and insects and the breeze through the summer leaves.

Summer eventually ended and school started once again. This year Erik and I shared four different classes: math, chemistry, English and world history. We managed to become lab partners in chemistry and often worked together in the other classes. It became quite common for us to get together in the afternoon or evening to work on homework. If the weather was nice we'd head out to the tree house. If not we worked in one or the other of our houses.

Our relationship was still that of friends. Both of us dated but not very frequently and neither of us developed a romantic relationship of any kind. We still shared these experiences, telling each other about things that had happened while we were out as well as some of the quirks and peculiarities of our respective dating partners. Although we told thing we were sure our partners would not want repeated, we weren't concerned because we both knew that anything we said would never go anywhere else.

The weather began to cool and rain became a little more frequent. Sometime in late September we had a chance to get a pair of real windows from Erik's dad's company at a very low cost. They had been special ordered but an error in ordering made them unusable for the destined project. Returning them was not an option so we were able to get them for next to nothing. We installed them in place of the roll up plastic. We used Erik's workshop to make a door and soon our little tree house was sealed weather tight and we could continue to use it for a number of weeks until the temperature dropped too low for comfort. Once again we closed it and for the winter went to each other's house to study and work.

Spring came again as it always does. As the temperature warmed so did our desire to return to our arboreal refuge. By mid April we were once again heading aloft in afternoons and evenings. We'd take laptops and our homework up there and work on it. We were limited to daylight hours but these were getting longer each day.

Again, we didn't by any means spend everyday aloft. We were each involved in other things and much of our time and activities did not involve each other at all. Still, Erik was definitely my closest friend and the only one with whom I would share many of my feelings and secrets.

We were now both sixteen and were learning to drive. We were in different sections of Drivers' Ed but in mid May we each obtained our license. While neither of us had our own car we each had access to one most of the time we wanted it and were looking forward to a little more freedom when sophomore year ended. We each had a part time summer job lined up but would still have a lot of free time. There was never any question that we'd probably spend a lot of it together.

The previous summer Erik had let me try his kayak. At home I began hinting that I would really like one of my own. My parents were a little afraid that it was just a passing interest and if I got one I would be bored with it in short order. Finally, however, my dad made me a deal. If I was willing to work and earn the money for a third of the cost, he would put up the other two thirds. But not before the following summer to see if I was still interested. I was and by mid June had saved enough to take him up on his offer. One Saturday we went into town and that afternoon I had my own bright yellow boat.

The next free day we had, Erik brought his and we tied mine to the top of the rack on his car and headed out to a nearby state park with a large lake. I returned that evening with sore muscles, a medium case of sunburn and a smile a mile wide.

One Tuesday in late July we were out in our tree house, just lying there reading. The temperature was high - mid nineties - and the humidity was up there also. There was almost no breeze at all and we were both dripping wet. I put down my book and stretched, wiping sweat from my forehead. I reached for my water bottle and took a long drink. "Definitely a little warm," I commented.

Erik looked up. "It is that. I suppose we could go back to one of our houses. They're both air conditioned."

I shook my head. "No, heat and all, I think I'd rather stay out here."

"Well, then, there is a nice lake just a hundred yards over that way. We could go for a swim."

"We'd still have to go all the way back for suits."

For just a second Erik didn't say anything. Then he slowly spoke. "We wouldn't really have to."

I froze and stared at him. "You mean swim in our clothes?" We were wearing tee shirts and cut off jeans and sneakers.

He didn't reply but slowly shook his head back and forth.

I sucked in my breath. "You mean skinny dipping?"

Again he didn't reply but this time his head slowly moved up and down. I also saw his breathing pick up a little.

I laughed. "You're kidding, right?" Then for some perverse reason I had to add, "You wouldn't have the nerve."

Still looking at me he answered, "Want to bet?"

Once more I gave a little laugh. "I don't believe you really would."

He look hard directly at me. "I dare you."

Now both of us were breathing a little fast. I'm not sure what got into me but I stood up and turned towards the door. "Come on."

I think he was a little surprised, but that didn't stop him from quickly standing and following me down the ladder. We moved along the short path to the lake and stopped on some rocks at the edge of the water. I bent down and stuck my hand below the surface. It did feel cool and inviting.

I turned back to face Erik. "All right, if you're serious, then let's." We stood still facing each other for several seconds. Then Erik bent and pulled off his shoes and I followed suit. He stood once more. Looking directly at me he pulled his tee shirt over his head and waited.

My breath was coming a little fast but after only a second's hesitation I pulled my own shirt off. I wasn't wearing a bra. Erik looked at me for several seconds and then, a smile on his face, reached to release his cutoffs. He pulled them and briefs downwards and stepped out of them, and stood up totally nude.

I couldn't back out now so I released my own shorts and pulled them and my underwear off also. For what seemed long minutes but was probably only ten seconds we both just stood looking st the other. Then I turned and stepped into the water. Erik followed and then for the next half hour we just splashed around and swam. Once or twice we reached out and touched the other but not intimately. We at last we emerged Erik took my hand and steadied me as I stepped back onto the rocks.

Once more we stood just looking at each other for a long time as the water dripped off and the warm sun began to dry us. At last we dressed once more and made our way back to the tree house. Once inside Erik said, "That wasn't really so bad, was it?"

I shook my head. "No, it wasn't. It actually felt pretty good. I might even be persuaded to do it again some time."

"I'll keep that in mind." Then after a second's hesitation he added, "Karen, you look great, you know." I felt more embarrassed by his compliment than I had by swimming nude with him.

Three more times that summer when we were out in the tree house on hot days we repeated our naked swim. There was never anything sexual about it beyond looking at each other, but we both did enjoy that.

CHAPTER 5

We laughed, we sang, we played

Then suddenly we were man and maid

The smoldering fires within did ignite

To become a love now burning bright

September and back to school once again. This year we were juniors and college loomed ahead. We both took SATs and we both spent time talking about different schools. Over the weeks we found that both of us were considering the state university located some hundred miles away. Erik was headed into engineering and I planned on a computer science major.

School meant football games and bonfire pep rallies and after game dances. I was asked to several by different guys and I know Erik took several different girls. We still continued to discuss our dates and we both found out that each of us loved making out but didn't go beyond that. I'm not sure what it was that let me share my intimate feeling with him to a much greater extent than I would ever consider doing so with any of my girl friends, but he must have felt the same and freely told me of his experiences.

Our relationship allowed him to ask about what kind of things turned a girl on and he enlightened me on similar aspects of male arousal. Still we never went beyond discussion. We were friends.

One day in late September while we were at school Erik said something and I found that he played the guitar. I had known that we both liked folk music but had no idea he played. That Saturday I got him to bring his instrument out to the tree house and mad him play. We even sang a few together and I discovered he had a nice singing voice - deep and resonant. From then on I urged him to bring the guitar several more times and we spent time singing some well known verses.

The previous summer we had gone together to a renaissance faire and attended a couple of performances. The songs presented there were often a little, shall I say, risque. Anyway, we added them to our selections and now our tree house occasionally rang with "Roll me over, in the clover," and similar verses. I suppose it's fortunate we were far enough back in the woods that neither of our parents could hear our presentations.

By early October the weather was cooling once again. We were talking one day about how we probably wouldn't be able to use the tree house much longer this year when Erik suddenly stopped and stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling. "You know," he commented, "I'll bet that if we put some insulation in we could use this quite a bit longer."

With the windows and door we had have the place pretty well sealed against any wind infiltration. "You think so? How hard would it be?"

"Probably not too bad. I'll ask Dad tonight about getting some materials."

We spent the next weekend insulating not only the ceiling, but also the walls and the floor. When we finished we found that our little enclosure had become much more comfortable. In fact, unless it was quite cold out or a strong wind blowing, our body heat raised the temperature to a comfortable level in a surprisingly short time. We could now use our hide away both later in the year and later in the day.

We often took homework out there. With our laptops we could work for several hours with no electricity. However, as we went deeper into autumn the sun set earlier and earlier. I mentioned this to my dad and the next day he handed me a box and said, "Here. Try these."

I looked inside and found he had put together some LEDs along with a rechargeable battery. The battery was about four by eight by six high and he said it would power the lights for somewhere between twenty and forty hours. We could then bring it back and recharge it or - he suddenly got and idea and disappeared for a couple of minutes. When he returned he handed me a small solar panel and said, "Put this on the roof and point it south. Since you're not there most of the time it'll probably keep the battery pretty well charged." Sometimes it's quite nice that my dad is an electrical engineer.

We installed the lights and other stuff and found that they would give us plenty of light to keep working when the sun went down. We already kept a couple of small LED head lamps in the tree house in case we got caught out there after dark so we could see our way back home. Now the new lights would let work later.

After a couple of weeks Erik also found some colored LEDs we added. We set things up so we could have dim lighting of either white or mixed colors or bright white lighting for working. That way when we finished our work we could dim the lighting and just listen to the evening sounds while seeing enough to do any necessary things inside.

Winter once more found us limited to our houses. This wasn't really a problem except we were a little hesitant to talk about some of the more personal secrets we shared. I had told Erik that I planned to remain a virgin until at least college and he had confided he was thinking along the same lines. We both really liked necking and petting and would freely describe our activities and response with each other although there was never did anything along those lines between ourselves.

Sometimes I wondered just what our parents thought about our relationship. We had been good friends for over two years, we spent a lot of time together, went places and did things like the kayaking, but we had never approached anything resembling any kind of romantic relationship. Maybe they just looked at us as sort of brother and sister also. Whatever the reason they never appeared to have a problem with the relationship we did have.

By spring we were able to move back out to our sanctuary once more. One evening in April when we had finished our homework we were just sitting and talking. I had just told Erik about a date I had had the previous week. We had gone to a movie and then stopped at a park on the way home for a little necking. I had been out with this boy, Ben, once before but we hadn't even kissed good night. Now when he kissed me I felt his tongue try to force its way in past my lips and teeth. I asked Erik, "I know French kissing can be fun, although I've never thought it was a great as I've heard. The guys who have tried it just feel like they as trying to force their tongues down my throat. Do guys get something else out of this?"

Erik looked at me and smiled. "If it was done right you wouldn't need to ask. I'll bet you've never had a guy do it the right way."

I smiled back at him and replied, "Oh, so you know the right way, huh?"

"Maybe not the absolutely best way, but I have learned to make it interesting. I don't think my dates have ever complained."

I teased right back. "Maybe they have just been too polite to tell you they didn't like having their tonsils licked."

He laughed again. "No, I can tell." Then he teasingly said, "Maybe I should show you how."

For just a second I felt something strange in my stomach but I came right back at him, "OK, Mr. Expert Kisser, show me."

He started to say something, stopped, started again and stopped again. We were sitting side by side on the cushions and for what must have felt like at least three full hours we just stared at each other without breathing. Then he slowly reached out and took my shoulder, pulling me towards him. I didn't resist. My mind was swirling wildly and I felt myself move closer and closer until our lips were almost touching. He hesitated there, our lips no more than a centimeter apart for several seconds and then we moved gently together.

His lips felt warm against mine and the slight pressure brought a response all out of proportion. But if I thought that was out of proportion the response when the tip of his tongue just barely brushed against the inside of my lower lip was beyond imagination. He made no attempt to force my mouth open but instead let the damp tip slide back and forth against the moist lining of my lips. First lower and then upper. And then again. And again.

My lips parted slightly of their own accord and the tip of his tongue moved slightly deeper, again lathing my lips from the inside. I responded and opened even wider - my dentist would never have had any trouble if he had been able to use this technique. As Erik's tongue began to lightly stroke upwards, touching the inside of the roof of my mouth, my own tongue decided to get into the act. I'm sure it decided on its own for I don't think I had any conscious control over it. In any case it moved to duplicate Erik's explorations on its own, touching, exploring, teasing his lips and mouth.

The temperature in the little tree house must have climbed twenty degrees and both of our tongues began to press harder and harder, twisting and sliding together as our arms tightened around each other. It must have been at least five or ten minutes before we pulled back enough for our lips to separate.

We were both breathing quite rapidly, our breath coming in fast, shallow gulps. Erik finally managed to quietly get out, "Was that better than Ben managed?"

I clung tightly to him. "Oh, Erik, yes! I've never felt anything like that." My arms pulled him hard against me and clung tightly.

He quietly breathed, "I've wanted to do that for a long time, Karen. I was just so afraid it might hurt the wonderful friendship we have now."

My eyes were wet and I felt overwhelmed by emotions I had never experienced before. "I don't regret any of it. It won't hurt what we have. And it's so much more beside." I buried my face against his shoulder and made muffled words into his shirt. "I don't know what to say. It was wonderful."

He held me, gently stroking my back and shoulders, for several minutes while the world once more reassembled itself - at least partly - around me. The he moved me slightly back and, still holding my shoulders, said, "Karen, I've wanted to ask you for several weeks now. Will you go to prom with me?"

I almost choked on something between a sob and a joyous laugh. "Yes! Yes, Erik, I would love to."

We spent the next half hour repeating Erik's lessons in French kissing, although he later told me he thought I was teaching him quite a bit also.

I made it home that night and up to my room without encountering my parents which was probably a pretty good thing. I'm sure I would not have appeared coherent at all and would have been hard pressed to explain just what had been happening. As it was when I told them the next day that Erik had asked me to prom I saw them exchange a quick glance. I think it might have said something like, "Well, it's about time." Whatever their thoughts they seemed to approve. Mom helped me find a nice formal and when Erik came to pick me up even helped him pin on the wonderful corsage he brought.