Strangers At Sunrise

The alarm on my phone buzzed at 5:30am and I slipped out of bed. After using the bathroom and brushing my teeth, I pulled on a soft pair of running shorts, a sports bra, and my favorite tank top. I pulled my long brown hair into a ponytail, and headed out the back door, closing it quietly behind me so as not to wake anyone. This is my "me" time; my morning routine before the morning routine begins, with kids, and my husband, and the dogs all vying for my attention and help. For the past three years, I'd taken to walking, sometimes jogging, in the trails behind our house that wound through the woods and around a huge lake.

It's rare to encounter anyone else on my walks, especially at this early hour, but the last 3 weeks I occasionally saw a lone swimmer in the lake. A man, swimming long laps in the calm water. We hadn't spoken yet, in fact, I wasn't sure if he had seen me at all. Sometimes I would pause on the trail, close to the lake, and watch his perfect strokes, his strong muscles gleaming in the early morning light. After a few minutes I would continue on, never alerting him to my presence. It was just nice knowing that I wasn't alone in the woods, that someone else enjoyed that time of day as much as I did.

As I walked the trails, the sky began to lighten through the dense canopy of trees and I tried not to think about the day ahead and all of the mundane chores I needed to take care of once I got the kids off to school. I loved my family, but sometimes I couldn't help but fantasize about what it would be like to only have myself to worry about. Maybe I needed a vacation.

A break in the trees ahead gave me a gorgeous view of the lake and the sun that was just beginning to peak over the tree line on the far side. The trail curved to the left and I followed, slowly winding closer to the lake. After a few more minutes of walking at a brisk pace, the trail split. Continuing forward would take me through the woods and around the lake, a good five mile walk if I completed the whole trail. Turning to the right would lead me down to the shore. I usually continued on, but today I forked to the right and slowed my pace, trying to remain quiet.

As I neared the shore, I stepped off the trail and peaked through the trees. I heard his body cutting through the water before I could see him. I stood on my tiptoes and peeked over a tall bush, trying to catch a glimpse, and also feeling slightly stalkerish. I finally spotted him, about thirty feet off shore, swimming parallel to the shoreline. He disappeared into the water for a moment, then popped up going in the opposite direction. He swam underwater for a few moments before switching back to the breaststroke. I contemplated how cool the water must be in mid-May. While the temperatures were nearing 80 degrees each day, the water must still be cold. The kids wouldn't start swimming until at least late June, and even then only on hot afternoons to cool off.

Suddenly he turned and swam towards the bank, hitting shallow water and standing only seconds later. I crouched down, embarrassed. I couldn't explain myself if he saw me. How could I make it back to the trail without alerting him that I was here?

"Hey, you can come out. I don't bite," I heard him call, and sheepishly I made my way back to the trail and toward the rocky beach.

As I cleared the treeline I stopped, face red, and waved. "Hi," I managed to say. He smiled and continued to dry his body with a large bath towel. A huge rock nearby held a folded shirt, water bottle, and pair of flip flops. I took a few steps closer and tried to explain away my voyeurism, "I'm sorry, I just, I heard someone swimming, and I don't usually see anyone this early in the morning, and I was just curious about who it might be, and I didn't want to disturb-" I rambled.

"Hey, it's okay, I don't mind. I've seen you before. I was wondering if you would ever introduce yourself or if you just liked to watch strange men from a distance," he joked.

I felt the heat in my face and ears and brought my hands up to cover my eyes. "Oh my God, I'm mortified," was all I could muster.

He chuckled and I watched him running the towel over his short, dark hair and down the back of his neck. Gazing between my fingers, I found my eyes drawn down his bare chest to his washboard stomach. Water dripped from his shorts; not swim trunks, but a pair of long mesh shorts, pulled low on his hips by the weight of the water. I watched as he gripped one leg of the shorts in an attempt to wring the water out, revealing a muscled thigh. The man was pure muscle, tanned from the sun. Butterflies filled my stomach as I lowered my hands and tried to look into his eyes rather than at his Adonis body.

He pulled his t-shirt on over his head and stepped into his flip flops before tossing the towel onto the rock and reaching for his water bottle. Still unsure what to say, I watched as he took a long swig of water, then smiled at me again. "I'm Jared. And you are?" He asked.

"Katelyn." I answered, still speechless. "But you can call me Kate."

"Well, Kate, nice to finally meet you. I just bought a place about two miles that way," he said, pointing to the north. "I swam in college, and moving near the lake gave me a place to pick it back up. I've seen you walking the woods in the mornings, you should have come down to introduce yourself. Like I said, I don't bite."

I blushed again and felt my lips curve into a smile as a thought jumped into my mind, I wish you did. The thought made my blush deepen, and he laughed out loud this time.

"My, you are shy, aren't you?" He asked me.

"Not usually, I'm just embarrassed I guess. I mean, you've caught me watching you multiple mornings, yet I've never spoken to you. And here I thought I was being discreet," I laughed and stepped closer to him, stopping when he was within arm's reach. I couldn't deny the sudden attraction I felt to this man I had just met. He was undeniably handsome, sexy even, and his soft voice gave me goosebumps. Our eyes met and my breath caught, wondering if he could sense my sudden desire.

"Not much gets past me," he turned and sat on the large rock, facing the lake and the rising sun. He patted the rock next to him and I moved to sit down, heart thumping. He took another swig of his water and set the bottle down by his towel. We sat in silence for a minute, watching the deep orange sky fade into yellow, then blue. "I love this time of day. It's quiet. Everyone else is sleeping, well, almost everyone." He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and reached out to poke my shoulder in fun.

"Hey!" I said, reaching out to give his shoulder a gentle shove. I felt his strong arm through the thin t-shirt and pulled away quickly. "I do too. Love this time of day I mean. Especially here, at the lake. It's like I have it to myself, well, almost." I said, teasing back.

He turned to face me and we both stared into each other's eyes. It felt like we were the last two people on Earth. Two strangers, meeting by the lake at sunrise. The desire I felt flowing through my body didn't make sense. I hadn't felt like this in years, probably since I'd met my husband. Maybe not even then. But I didn't want to think about him right now. I just wanted to feel this magical moment with this sexy stranger.

Slowly, Jared's eyes fell from mine and swept over my body, lingering on the hem of my short black shorts, then pausing again as they reached my breasts. Finally his eyes found mine again. "Walk with me?" His voice was husky as he stood and reached for my hand.

Trembling, I gripped his fingers and he pulled me toward him. I stood, inches from his chest, not wanting to put any more distance between our bodies. The charge between us felt electric as he held my hand in his. He turned and pulled me around the rock, leaving his towel and water bottle behind. I followed, unable to muster enough self-control to pull away from this seductive stranger. As we rounded the rock I fell into step beside him and walked up the trail. In charged silence, I allowed him to lead me to the main trail and turn right, further from my house, but in the direction of his.

Boldly, I squeezed his hand and brushed my body against his. Our arms were intertwined, our hips bumped together as we made our way further into the woods. Still, he didn't speak. Afraid to break the spell, I kept silent as well. We walked for almost ten minutes before he stepped off the trail into the woods on our left where there was an outcropping of large rocks. Still gripping my hand in his, he led me around the large wall of rocks into a small alcove on the reverse side. It didn't quite qualify as a cave, but was deep enough to provide shelter from sun or rain and avoid any prying eyes.

My chest heaved as he pulled me against him and tilted my chin up to receive his kiss. His warm lips devoured my own as I opened my mouth and reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. The kiss was deep and passionate, his hands explored my body, finally gripping my hips to pull me tight against him. The thin fabric of our clothing did nothing to conceal his growing desire for me. We knew nothing about each other except our names, but that only fueled the fire between us.

His hands found their way under my tank top and within moments he was helping me out of it. He pulled away long enough to remove his t-shirt while I wrestled with my sports bra. As soon as we were free from the garments, we reached for each other again. My breasts pressed against his chest as I ran my hands through his hair and nipped at his throat. He grabbed my ass and squeezed as he lifted me off the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist, feeling his erection pressing into my groin, all the way up to my belly button. I moved against his body, grinding against his cock, and moaned. He moved toward the back of the alcove and I felt the cool rock press against my bare back. His lips trailed down my face to find the sensitive spot below my left ear where he sucked gently. My pussy throbbed in a delightful pain and I moaned again, reaching between us to run my hand down the length of his cock. It felt huge.

As his tongue caressed my nipples, I slid my hand under his waistband and my fingers brushed the thick head of his member. He oozed precum and I wet my fingers in the slickness, lightly grazing them around the head. Now it was his turn to moan, and our eyes locked as I slid my hand slowly up and down his length. I dropped to my knees, jerking his shorts to his ankles, giving me full access to him. He was easily a full eight inches long, and his girth at least 5 inches. I licked his glans, before running my lips around the tip of his head. Tentatively, I took him into my mouth and gently sucked, massaging him with my tongue. He turned so his back was to the rock, gently pulling me along with him. I looked up to find him watching me suck his cock, and as our eyes met he thrust forward, surprising me as I felt him hit the back of my mouth. I pulled back, took a deep breath, and went back for more, taking him as far as I could and placing one hand around the base of his dick. My other hand found his balls, massaging gently as my fingertip found his perineum and pressing lightly. He gasped and his knees buckled as he slid down the rock. I continued my gentle massage and I guided him to the ground. My shorts were soaked in my wetness, and I couldn't wait to feel him inside me.

After another minute of sucking, I stood and slowly slid my shorts and thong down my legs. His eyes drank me in, and, stepping out of the pile of clothing, I walked toward him, straddling him and slowly lowering myself down. As his penis brushed my folds, his hands wrapped around my back and pulled me toward him for a kiss. Feeling his erection pressing into me, I kissed him deeply and slowly moved back and forth, feeling him rub around my clit, sending waves of pleasure through my body. I moaned and finally reached down to guide him inside me.

I felt myself stretching to accommodate his large size, and moved slowly up and down, trying to fit his full length. I moaned as he filled me completely and began grinding against his pelvis as he thrust into me. I pressed my body against his, nuzzling my face into his neck and kissing, sucking, biting, as his strong hands held me tight. I dug my fingers into his back as the pressure inside of me exploded into a massive orgasm. I cried out as I continued to ride him, not caring if the entire world could hear me. My body bucked as I lost control, and as my orgasm ended, I trembled and shook with pleasure. I gasped as I collapsed against him again and he held me close.

He allowed me a minute to recover, then lifted me from him, laying me back on the mossy ground. He bit at my nipples before sliding inside me again, and I lifted my legs over his shoulders. Every thrust hit deep inside of me. I closed my eyes and saw bursts of light on my eyelids. I groaned, "please don't stop," as he kept up a steady rhythm, grunting with each thrust. I felt another, deeper orgasm building, and as he let go, throbbing and spurting deep inside me, I came again. He groaned and pushed deeper still as my body pulsed and throbbed around him, our simultaneous orgasms intensifying.

Finally, we lay, spent. His body covered mine as my shaking legs slid from his shoulders. He held himself over me, his weight resting on his elbows as he kissed me softly. I ran my fingers through his hair, kissing him back. He pulled back and smiled down at me. "Well, Kate, that was unexpected," he chuckled and rolled off of me, laying on his back and pulling me close. I snuggled into the crook of his arm and rested my head on his chest as we both caught our breath.

"Yeah," I finally replied, unsure what else to say. The sun had fully risen and part of me worried about the time. The other part didn't care. I slowly sat up and gathered my clothes, tossing his shorts to him as I slipped my panties and shorts back on. My legs still trembled. My pony tail was a mess, and I pulled it loose before gathering my long brown hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Jared reached out as my bare breasts jiggled and cupped them in his hands, raising his eyebrows at me. I laughed. "Where is my shirt?" I asked.

He rose and headed outside the alcove, retrieving my bra and tank top from where I had discarded them. He found his shirt as well, and after handing me the rest of my clothing, he slipped it over his head, hiding his strong physique from me. After we were both fully dressed he took my hand and led me back to the trail. We walked in silence for a minute before I finally spoke.

"I need to get home. Everyone is probably awake and wondering where I'm at." I didn't tell him I was married, or about my children. It was like he knew without me saying it.

"I'll walk you most of the way," he said, still holding my hand. "I would like to see you again, if you want to see me that is."

I smiled, warmth spreading through my body at the thought of a repeat session. "I'm out most mornings, unless it's raining or snowing. I usually wake up at 5:30 and head out, sometimes a little earlier."

"I am usually at the lake by 5:30 for my swim. Come to the lake if you see me there, please, no hiding in the trees," he joked.

I bumped against him with my shoulder and laughed. "I won't be so shy next time I see you, I promise."

"Awww, you were only shy for a few minutes. You warmed up pretty quickly."

"Yeah, you have a special way of warming a girl up," I giggled. "I should probably go alone from here." I stopped and turned to face him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and his other hand reached around the back of my head, pulling me in for another long, slow kiss. I didn't want to leave him, but I pulled away and turned to go home. "I'll see you soon," I called over my shoulder, giving him a little wave. He waved and continued to stand, watching me walk down the trail before turning to head back the way he came.

The last few minutes of my walk I spent composing myself, trying to focus on the day ahead of me and trying not to daydream about my handsome stranger and what may happen on my next morning walk.