The Most Beautiful Art

Normally trekking through an old growth oak forest would be the cat's meow for me. After all, I am an ecology major just on the verge of graduation. The thought of graduation reminded me once again why I was here in these woods and my ire rose. Damn art requirement and damn counselor who had realized I was missing it! I hate art. I can't even draw stick figures well for goodness sake.

I had figured my safest route was a class called "Art in Nature". I love nature...plus it was reported to be a fluff class, easy A. As fate would have it, the professor I was expecting was replaced at the last minute. This was no longer a fluff class and I was just skating through by the skin of my teeth. The only thing saving me were things like learning to make paper from natural ingredients and learning to press and dry flowers and plants. Now we were on a scavenger hunt/hike through the woods with a partner looking for plants from a list we had been handed as we left the bus.

I was pretty much a loner. I had never liked working with a partner, ever. They only ever slowed me down. This time my partner would not slow me down but promised to continuously distract me. I had been paired with the object of my desire through my entire college career, Jake Peterson. Jake was hot enough to melt chocolate but also kind and polite, the whole package. He was also slated to slide into a cushy management position at his family's nationwide pharmaceutical company after graduation. There were two things that annoyed me about Jake: 1) He was always surrounded by a flock of gorgeous women and 2) He had talent! Jake could draw and paint wonderfully without apparent effort.

"Hey Carly, wait up!" Jake called out from behind me.

I grudgingly slowed my pace and let him catch up.

"I don't know what I did to piss you off Carly, but you need to chill. We have to work together to get this assignment done. I need this art credit and this project is half our grade. You and your attitude aren't going to mess this up for me."

"I just don't like working with partners," I half lied. "They are always unreliable and I need to pass this damn class," I answered sharply as his words soaked in. "Wait. What do you mean you 'need this art credit'?"

"I mean what I said," he answered. "My father has never allowed me to take art classes, not till now when he found out it's required."

"But you're so good at everything we do. You have real talent Jake."

"Doesn't matter to my dad what I want. All business courses, no fluff, no fun."

"Come on, Jake," I laughed, letting go of my anger. "I've seen you. You have fun constantly. Always hanging with, oh, everyone!"

"You've watched me?" he asked in apparent amazement. I felt a red flush creeping up my neck to my cheeks as he stared at me. "Carly, I don't hang with everyone, they hang with me. They aren't my friends, I don't actually think I have any here."

He looked so sad suddenly that I put my hand out to him reflexively to comfort him. "What are you talking about, Jake?" I asked. "You have tons of friends."

"Not really," he replied. "It's all fake. They're all fake. They only hang around me for my family name and money. I can't seem to find anyone real. I thought I had, but can't seem to get anything to happen there."

"I think you're selling yourself short Jake. You are a great guy. That can't be the only reason they like you. I can think of a ton of reasons why someone would like you, and not one deals with your name or your money."

"Do you realize, Carly, that this is the most you've spoken to me in four years?"

"Jake..."

"What?"

"Let's get started on the hunt."

"Mmmm. Okay, but I don't know anything about plants."

"Then it's good that I do. Jake, I don't know anything about art."

"Yeah, I've kind of noticed," he answered with a chuckle. "I'll make you a deal. You lead us to the plants, I'll take care of the art piece afterwards with a little Carly thrown in."

"Deal!" I was so excited I threw my arms around his neck hugging him. I released him again just as quickly once again turning red. I spun on my heel and headed down the trail to hunt us up some plant samples. As I walked away I thought I heard him mumble something that sounded like, "She's real." But I couldn't be sure.

Jake and I spent the next three hours tromping through the woods. I was enjoying the warm spring day, the sun filtering gently through the canopy overhead. As we found sample after sample to check off our list we listened to the sound of birds chirping overhead and talked about our time in college and our plans for afterward.

At one point, Jake held his hand up signaling me to hold still and stay quiet. He pointed out in the distance and I saw a doe and fawn enjoying the new spring grass. I smiled at Jake and he smiled back. As we watched the pair, Jake leaned down close to my ear and whispered, "I was out in these woods last fall, during mating season. I came upon a buck and doe rutting. It was the most amazing sight, so raw and powerful, and wild. I'll never forget it. I want to have sex like that with the right girl. Seeing Mamma and baby so idyllic and gentle reminds me of how nature can be, gentle one minute and rough the next.

Jake's words struck a cord in me. With his warm breath against my ear and neck, I felt a stirring in my loins. My mind conjured up a picture not of deer in rut, but Jake and I in rut, him behind me ramming into me wildly. I bit my lower lip to stifle my groan and hoped that Jake, standing so close beside me, could not feel me shiver in excitement. We turned from the sight to continue the hunt for specimens.

After another 20 minutes of searching, I was quite to the point of exhaustion and our sample bags were just about full. There was only one plant we had not found, the bonus plant. "What do you know about it?" Jake asked me.

"I've heard of it," I answered. "All I know is that it grows by ponds."

Jake pulled out his phone and started fiddling with it.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Checking the GPS in my phone," he answered. "I know there is a pond near here, I saw it on the satellite images just two weeks ago."

"What were you doing looking at satellite maps of this area Jake? And for that matter, what were you doing out in this forest last fall anyway? I didn't think you were a big nature buff."

"My dad has a bid in to buy this forest. It's supposed to be my graduation present. For me to build on, my own branch of the company." He looked ashamed.

"You're going to ruin this forest?" I asked in total shock. I felt a cold chill run through me. The Jake I had come to know today would not do something like that.

"Oh God Carly, no, never, I'd never dream of that, especially not after today. This place, it's, I don't know, the most real place I've ever been, and I'm with the most real person I've ever known."

I stared at him in shock and awe. He reached out and pulled me close as his lips pressed a gentle kiss to mine, as if testing my reaction. "Mmmm," he whispered. "You taste delicious, like strawberries," he kissed me again, "and chocolate? Chocolate covered strawberries? Why do you taste like a coveted treat?"

"It's my lip gloss," I giggled. "I love chocolate covered strawberries so this way I can taste them all the time."

"Let's get to that pond, shall we? I feel the need to work off some excess energy," he said with a wink. I glanced down and blushed as I saw that his erection was pushing painfully against his designer jeans. "It's just a half mile west of here."

He took my hand and we hiked in companionable silence, each lost and alone in private thoughts yet joined together in awe of our surroundings and company. I loved the feel of my smaller hand in his large one. I liked Jake, period, end of story. He was humming cheerfully as we burst out into a clearing and onto the shore of a quaint pond.

"This is gorgeous!" I said excitedly taking it all in at once: the buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies, the sweet scents of blooming flowers in the air and the croaking of frogs on a lazy spring afternoon. "God Jake, I could stay here forever," I sighed dreamily. "Wouldn't it be amazing to live somewhere like this, to be part of it every day? The unspoiled cleanness of it just makes my soul sing!"

"Yeah," he answered quietly. "I know what you mean."

I turned my gaze on him and meeting his eyes realized that he was staring at me, not the scene before us. He pulled me close and lowered his lips to mine once more, this time more demanding. I opened mine under his probing tongue and moaned as it slipped inside to explore. My arms slipped up and around his neck as my fingers tangled in his sandy hair pulling him even closer, not wanting the kiss to end. I could feel my whole body coming alive, thrumming and zinging with need. I had never felt this way before.

"Jake," I whispered against his lips. "What are you doing to me?"

"Loving you," he answered. "Or I'm going to, if you'll let me. I've wanted you for so damn long Carly. You've haunted my dreams since we first met."

"Wait...what?" I was so astounded that I stopped kissing him cold turkey. "You've what?"

"Well I guess my secret is out now, isn't it?" Jake asked looking sheepishly at me. "Carly, I've had the hots for you for years. I think I fell for you that first day I met you. Remember when you fell over me in the quad?" I turned red once again remembering the day I had tripped over Jake's legs as he sat stretched out in the grass relaxing between classes.

"Make love to me Jake. Here. Now. Please?" I sounded like I was begging even to my own ears. "I've wanted you, too." I admitted shyly.

At my quiet words, Jake's reserve vanished and his mouth attacked mine. His hands cupped my ass pulling me tightly against him. As his tongue battled with mine and fires were once again kindled deep inside me his hand snaked up my back under my shirt to flick my bra open. Then both his hands were caressing my breasts. As he tweaked my taught nipples I threw my head back and moaned.

"I think you've done this before," I gasped.

"In my dreams every night," he answered as his lips nipped at my neck. "You have too many clothes on."

"So do you," I answered. "I want to touch you. Take them off." We pulled away from each other reluctantly and began to shimmy out of our sweaty dirty hiking clothes. When I stood naked I looked up at him as he was finishing removing his shoes and socks. Beneath his always well-polished exterior, Jake Peterson was tan all over, muscular, and well proportioned.

"When do you have time to work out and get a tan like that with all the studying?" I asked in amazement.

"I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity on the weekends. You'd be surprised how much climbing ladders and lugging lumber can give you a workout. And the tan is my dirty little secret. I swim naked at home out back in our pool."

While he spoke, his eyes ran over me from head to toe. My whole body heated under his blatant perusal. I'm not what I'd call beautiful by today's standards. I didn't look anything like those girls that always surrounded Jake. I'm what I'd call normal with curves. My long brown hair was streaked with natural highlights and my green eyes snapped at him with desire. I worried what he would think of me as I shifted from one foot to the other under his intense gaze.

"Carly..." he whispered.

"Jake?" I asked. Then added with a chuckle, "Breathe, Jake."

"Carly, you're gorgeous, perfect. You're so real."

"You keep using that word Jake, real. Well I really want you," I said boldly walking over to him hoping he didn't notice my quivering legs. I sank to my knees before him and took his erection in my hand wondering how something could feel so soft and solid at the same time. I glance up at him shyly.

Jake's startled, "Carly?" was lost in a moan as my mouth enveloped his cock. I took him all in at once sucking hard. My mouth moved up and down on him. I released him and swirled my tongue around his head. Looking up, I realized his head was thrown back and he was breathing heavily. I continued licking him as my hand caressed his velvet skin. Mmmm, he tasted so good. I could feel his hand tangling in my hair and then he was pulling me away. I looked up at him.

At my dejected look he laughed. "Carly, any more and I'd be coming in your mouth. Let's save that for next time." He knelt down before me with a serious look. His arms came around me and he lowered me down upon the soft bed of moss and fern I had been kneeling on. His mouth captured mine briefly then moved as he placed light nips along my jaw line. He slowly made his way to my neck then lower till his lips closed over my nipple. I closed my eyes and my back arched as tingles zapped from my chest straight down to my pussy. I could feel how wet I was there already. His mouth was now sucking and biting at my other nipple and I moaned as ecstasy overwhelmed me.

Leaving my breasts behind, he kissed his way down my belly until he was lying between my legs with his face at my pussy. "Mmmm," he breathed deeply. "You smell so good Carly. You had me, now it's my turn." And I lost all ability to think or understand as his tongue swiped deep inside me then up to play with my clit then deep inside again. Back and forth he went and something was building inside me, I could not stand it, it felt like electricity shooting up my spine. My head flew from side to side as my orgasm unfurled inside me like an explosion.

Before the waves of my orgasm had tapered off, Jake was hovering over me. I could feel his cock at my pussy. All I had time to think was 'this is it' and how right it felt. I felt him nudge into me slowly at first then he pushed all the way into me. It felt so good, so filling. He stilled himself deep inside.

"Are you okay babe?" he asked.

I looked up at him. "I'm good," I whispered. "Just move!"

As he slowly pulled out of me and then back in I could feel the pressure from before begin building again. I arched up against him as he began moving faster. Hooking my ankles around his ass I pulled him hard and tightly against me. He moved faster and faster. The electricity shot up my spine once again and I cried out.

Before I realized what he was doing, Jake pulled out of me and rolled me over. "On your knees woman!" he said with a laugh, slapping me on the ass. "Being out here so untamed and wild, I want you like that buck and doe I saw. I'm going to fuck you rough and wild."

I knelt up on all fours. I could feel Jake's hand at my neck, encouraging me to lower my head submissively. I've never been a submissive person but this position, with my head down and my ass and pussy up, open and exposed to him, was so completely erotic that I almost whimpered in excitement. The picture I had conjured earlier of Jake and I rutting popped into my mind and longing shot through my body.

I could feel Jake's hand caressing my back from my neck trailing down till he was kneading my ass cheeks. I felt his lips following his hands, kissing me tenderly. He pulled my cheeks apart and I felt his tongue swipe my crack from my pussy on up stopping to swirl around my puckered hole. I couldn't hold in the groan that escaped me. Jake chuckled, "Like that, do you?"

"Mmmmm," was all I could manage in reply.

"Next time I'll fuck your ass for real just as I've dreamed. Now though..." I felt the tip of his cock enter me and pull out. I whimpered as he teased me again, in, out.

"No more teasing Jake!" I urged him. "Take me!"

"You got it babe. I'm going to take you hard and fast Carly, no holding back." With that, I felt his cock plunge deeply into me, filling me, possessing me. He pumped into me as I pushed backward to meet his every stroke; encouraging his wildness, in an unspoken plea for more.

Just as I was going to lose myself in orgasm once again I heard Jake groan. "I'm going to cum Carly, you want me to pull out?"

"No!" I screamed in answer. "Fill me Jake!"

At my words, Jake slammed into me one more time. As I felt his warm cum pump into me I screamed out loud as my orgasm zinged through my entire being. We both stiffened and stilled, not wanting to move and lose the feeling of possession and claim we had created.

When Jake finally pulled out from me, I instantly missed his presence. I had felt so complete with him inside me. I rolled over on my back beneath him. Jake looked down at me, and his blue eyes glowed with something I could not name. "I love you Carly Cook," he said. Then he rolled me over on top of him. I lay my head down on his chest and breathed deeply of his scent mingled with the smells of the forest around us. I could hear his heart beating a steady strong rhythm. This was right.

"I love you too, Jake Peterson." I whispered. "I'm so glad we did this Jake."

"Carly..."

"Yes Jake?"

"We still have a plant to find and the bus leaves in 45 minutes. We have a half hour hike to get to it."

"I've got it covered Jake."

"What?"

"I've got it covered," I repeated. "Literally. I was lying on it this whole time. It's everywhere here. That little blue flower you see? That's what we are looking for."

"I know it's not very romantic but we better get dressed, get some flowers, and get the hell out of here."

"I agree," I said getting to my feet and gathering my scattered clothes.

When we were ready, we turned back hand in hand to glance one last time over our little slice of heaven. I breathed in the scents once more and sighed. Jake slid his arm around me and pulled me tightly against him. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"We'll be back babe," he stated with an assuredness that I did not feel.

We turned and headed home.

Epilogue

Exactly one year later on a bright, warm spring day, Jake and I once again stood in the little clearing by the pond. I held a bouquet of small white lilies with little blue flowers and our families and friends stood with us. We became man and wife, promising our love to each other. This was now our pond, our forest. His father had bought it for him. Jake had turned it into a nature preserve that I, with my major in ecology ran. Yes, I had passed "Art in Nature" thanks to Jake, or actually, thanks to our teamwork. He had painted a picture for our project. It was a picture of me, laying next to the pond, surrounded by moss and little blue flowers, my eyes glazed and dilated and staring with love. He had titled it "The Most Beautiful Art Created for Man". He had said that he wanted to forever capture that moment, after we had first made love, when he had first told me that he loved me. The painting that had earned us each an "A" and allowed us to graduate now hung in the bedroom of our home, a house that Jake had built for me not far from our pond. He had built it in a natural clearing taking every care not to disturb the surrounding forest and using only Earth Friendly resources.

I love Jake and Jake loves me. We both love our forest and our magical glade. Our first time there will never be our last, but will last in both our memories forever.