A Most Unusual Winter Break

A rather long story about a blended family and friends who discover sexual riches within each other. All characters are over eighteen years of age.

Note: I appreciate comments as to the effectiveness of my writing, or, long and short of it, did the story turn you on. If so, why did it? If not, constructive comments to help me improve. Arousal is where I want to be.

"Hello? Mom? Dad? Anybody home?" The sandy haired, six foot two inch youth stood in the entry of his parent's beautiful, contemporary home nestled in the trees on the west side of rural Vashon Island.

"Brandon!" cried Natalie as she rushed from the kitchen into the foyer to greet her twenty one year old stepson. Throwing her arms around him, she continued "Oh, Honey, it's so good to have you home! I know it's only been four months since you were home last but it seems like forever." The petite, blond haired woman's blue eyes sparkled as she moved Brandon back at arm's length him to give him another motherly assessment. "Look at you! You just keep getting more and more handsome!"

With a grin Brandon, said "It feels good to be home, mom. I thought this quarter would never end! I've been looking forward to this break for weeks. I want to just forget economics for a couple of weeks and relax a bit, maybe get in some outdoor fun for a change. Where's dad?" he continued as he slipped off his jacket.

"Oh, he's at the office as usual. He wanted to be home when you got here but he has been so busy. He said he would try to get home early today, so we'll see..." Natalie said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Come on out to the kitchen. You want a cup of cocoa? I was just going to make myself some when I heard you open the door." Brandon put his arm around his stepmother as they walked into the kitchen.

"So, tell me. How was your trip? Anything new going on with you?" Natalie asked as she filled the teapot and placed it on the burner of the large gas stove.

Brandon, a junior at a mid-western university, was majoring in Economics. His chiseled features and tousled hair gave him a boyish, yet almost movie star, appearance. Bright, energetic and physically active, he had been putting maximum energy into his coursework.

"Well, the trip was fine, just the usual holiday crowds at the airports. Otherwise, there is really nothing new with me. I've just been really busy finishing up a fairly important research paper on Wage Theory and Policy. Matter of fact, I did the final re-edit yesterday just before I left school. It's pretty involved and has required a ton of research, but, I think it came out okay."

Natalie smiled at Brandon's assessment of 'Okay.' She knew that when he said that something he did was 'okay', it was most likely of absolute sterling quality. Even as a child he had been somewhat self-deprecating and, if he voiced his opinion that he might get a B or, God forbid, a C on an assignment, Natalie could pretty much assure herself that he was most likely to get an A. She loved this part of her stepson's personality.

"Is Kimberly home yet?" he asked. "Didn't she say she was going to bring one of her friends home for the holidays also?" Kimberly, Brandon's stepsister was in her first year of college in southern Oregon. At nineteen, she was just two years younger than her stepbrother, and she carried her mother's genes for physical beauty proudly. Her light blond hair was slightly longer than her mother's but they both shared almost the same physical characteristics of firm, medium size breasts, slim legs, thin waist and beautifully sculpted facial features. And, Brandon often thought in a not-so-brotherly sentiment, a tight little ass to die for.

"Oh! The girls got in last night. She's going to be so thrilled to see you! I think she is excited to have Ashley meet her 'big brother.' Ashley seems like a awfully nice girl. I think you'll really like her." Natalie said as she reached into the cupboard for two cups.

"What is Ashley like?" Brandon asked.

"She's rather quiet. And very attractive. Kim says she is really smart but she isn't at all arrogant or self indulgent. You'll like her, I know." Natalie replied.

"You mentioned two friends. Who's the other one?"

"Kelsey. Since her parents are gone for the holidays, Kim wanted her to stay here. I don't have to worry about you and Kelsey getting along. You're like brother and sister already," Natalie laughed.

Kelsey was a year older that Kimberly but the two had been fast friends for three years now. Whenever Kimberly came home, she made sure that she made time for her. Kelsey, a very attractive nineteen year old, was about two inches taller than Kimberly but, like Kimberly, she also sported beautiful blond hair and although it was about the same length as Natalie's, it was styled more like Kim's. Her body was a bit fuller then Kim's but definitely not at all overweight. Her breasts were firm and her tummy flat and taut. Brandon always admired the way her long, smooth skinned legs seemed to go on forever whenever she wore shorts. He loved how they culminated in such a delicious little vee between her thighs.

"So, do you have anything special planned while you're home?" Natalie asked as she handed Brandon a cup of steaming cocoa. "Maybe you and the girls could find something fun to do together."

"I know I want to get at least one good hike in. Maybe Kimberly, Kelsey and this Ashley might want to join me. That could be fun. We could go up in the Olympic mountains for a day or somewhere in the San Juans. The girls might enjoy Mt. Constitution." He slowly stirred his cup and took a sip. "I don't know. I'll have to talk to them and see what the three of them think about it." He took another sip from his cup and looked up at his stepmother who was sitting on the bar stool, just looking at him. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her with a somewhat confused look on his face.

"Nothing!" She said with a big grin. "I'm just so happy to have you home," she continued as she got up and gave him another hug. Brandon smiled at his stepmother's enthusiasm.

Suddenly the front door opened and in walked three girls, all chattering at the same time. "Guess who's home, Kim?" Natalie called out loudly. With a scream, Kimberly rushed into the kitchen and threw her arms around her stepbrother.

"Brandon!" she screamed, hugging him tightly. "God, it's good to see you. Ashley! Come here and meet my big brother." Ashley walked into the kitchen. "Ashley, this is Brandon. Brandon, Ashley."

"Hi ,Brandon!" Ashley said taking his hand. "Kim has told me so much about you. It's so nice to finally meet you." Ashley, like Kelsey, was a fairly tall girl with light brown hair, styled into a pixie cut which framed her olive skinned face beautifully. Her slender body, enhanced with full, beautifully shaped breasts was supported by long legs encased in tight jeans. The sweatshirt she was wearing only partially hid her curves.

"It's nice to meet you, Ashley. I've heard a lot about you." He held out his hand to her with a bright smile on his face. Although her white sweatshirt was loose fitting, he admired the way her breasts filled it, the firm nubs of her nipples pushing against the fabric with two little tents. Her tight ass was covered by dark blue jeans and Brandon noticed how the denim seemed to disappear in between her butt cheeks.

As for Kelsey, she had to have her fun with Brandon. "Hi Brandon, I'm Kelsey. It's so nice to meet you. I'm the little girl from across the water." Kelsey said in mock seriousness, holding out her hand for him. As Brandon pushed her hand away playfully and embraced her with a warm hug, she continued "How is it that this stepbrother of yours just keeps getting cuter every time I see him," she said as she glanced over at Kim. Her candidness caught Brandon somewhat unaware and he blushed at her comment. He looked at Kelsey approvingly. She was dressed in a light tee shirt and red shorts. The shorts, cut to upper thigh, emphasized her long legs. That familiar vee remained as he remembered. Her tee shirt hid her full breasts but promised that two very firm tits were, indeed, beneath.

"Brandon was just saying that maybe you girls would like to join him this vacation on a hike into the Olympics or maybe up in the San Juans." Natalie said. "The weather is supposed to be pretty good this week for all of western Washington but next week looks iffy."

"Oh, I love it that idea!" replied Kimberly. "Doesn't that sound like fun, guys?" she said, turning to her two friends.

"Yes! What a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. You'll come too, won't you Natalie?" Ashley asked hopefully. She had become quite fond of Kimberly's mother in the short time she had spent with her.

"No, I'm sorry, Ashley. I'd love to but I have a couple of Current Market Analyses to do for two potential clients. You kids go and have fun." Putting the back of her hand to her forehead she continued in a teasing tone of selflessness , "I'll just stay and work like I always do."

The four young adults laughed at her faux martyrdom. "That's fine, Mom. But, don't work too hard. It could rain wherever we go and then you'll be glad you didn't go." Kimberly consoled her.

"Okay, let's figure out where and when we want to go." Kelsey said. "This will be fun."

"Well, actually, tomorrow is supposed be really nice," Brandon said. "We could get up early and, depending upon where we want to go, could be hiking by noon."

"I vote for the Olympics. They are closer and we can get more hiking time in. What do you guys think?" Kimberly offered.

All agreed that, since the Olympic Mountains were a shorter distance away, that destination made the most sense. They wouldn't have to spend a lot of time on ferries. The fall and early winter weather had been very mild and, looking through the large, west facing windows in the kitchen, they could see that there was very little to no snow at the elevations at which they would be hiking.

"Oh, by the way," Kimberly said to Brandon, looking at him with little sister eyes, "would it be asking too much if you took the bonus room to sleep in? Please? Ashley and I slept in my room last night and Kelsey stayed in yours. The three of us could bunk up together, I guess, but it would be more comfortable for Kelsey in your room."

"Sure, Kim. There's a futon on the floor in there, isn't there, mom? As long as I have that and a ceiling light and a light switch, I have all that I need," he replied.

"You're a peach, Brandon," Kimberly said as she blew him a kiss.

Kelsey looked at Brandon with some concern in her eyes. "Are you sure that's okay, Brandon? Really, I can sleep on the floor in Kim's room. I don't want to steal your room."

Brandon smiled at her as he squeezed her arm gently. "Kelsey, I'll be just fine."

The next morning dawned sunny and clear with just enough bite in the air to provide for an exhilarating hike. Natalie had made sandwiches and packed lunches for the four young people. All had dressed warmly but in layers, knowing they would, without doubt, become warm while hiking despite the weather being cool.

The four of them had a quick breakfast to provide them with the energy needed for their hike. Kissing Natalie goodbye, they climbed into the family's Ford Excursion and headed out to the highway. Brandon found he had to become familiar again with driving such a large vehicle. He was used to his little Corolla back at school and this SUV dwarfed his car, but soon, he was feeling comfortable and more at ease encased in the three tons of steel.

As they drove across the Hood Canal Bridge heading toward Highway 101, their conversation centered around school, clothing, mutual friends, boyfriends and girlfriends and, then, some things kids don't talk about when around their parents. Brandon admitted to the three girls that he had no girlfriend at the present time but that he had been seeing one girl at school on a somewhat 'booty call' basis. Kelsey, sitting in the front seat next to Brandon, shocked the other three by admitting to concurrent liaisons with three different boys. "My God, Kelsey, I didn't know that!" Kimberly said in amazement.

"Well, I don't advertise the fact, Kim, but I like sex. Actually, I love sex but I don't want to get all tied up in some serious relationship yet so this arrangement works really well for me. I have three different lovers so it is kind of like having my prick, er, pick of what kind of sex I want." They all laughed. She hesitated for a moment, "God, that makes me sound like a total slut, doesn't it?"

"How about a lucky slut! That does make me jealous, though," Ashley offered. "I can't find one guy who doesn't want to get serious. And you have three. That's no fair," she pouted with a little girl sad face.

"Kim, what about you? " Brandon asked leaning back and turning towards the back of the car.

Laughing with her friends, Kimberly said she was dating a classmate from her anatomy class but she knew it was nothing serious. "There are a few nice benefits now and then, though," she grinned.

"Like what, Kim?" Kelsey asked playfully.

"Let's just say that he's one of the star anatomy students," Kimberly replied. "He is quite adept at, ah, searching out hidden mysteries in the female form."

Glancing to his right, Brandon said "Well, sorry you two, but it sounds like Kelsey has all of us bested, especially me."

Leaning from the passenger's seat towards Brandon, Kelsey patted him on the thigh. "Awww! I feel sorry for the boy," she said in a sad voice, her lower lip extended for effect. Brandon laughed.

"I know. It's pretty sad, isn't it?" as he wiped a make believe tear from his eye.

As Brandon maneuvered the family vehicle along the narrow road he saw the sign for the Hurricane Hill trailhead. He turned into the parking area. There had been only one minor snowfall so far this year and that, combined with the ensuing mild weather, ensured that the trails were free of snow. As the four set out, Kimberly said "Oh! I wonder if we should have anything to warn bears that we're coming?"

With a 'ring, ring', Brandon produced a small bear bell. "I come prepared!" he intoned proudly.

"Is that as good as 'prepared to come', boy scout?" Kelsey asked jokingly.

Glancing back at the girl trailing him, Brandon replied with a grin "You're a nasty little wench, aren't you." Kelsey stuck her tongue out at him. The two of them had definitely become comfortable with each other.

The sun seemed brighter in the crisp, clear air of the mountains as they hiked. The mountain vistas were breathtaking and, because of the time of year, the trails were deserted. Their SUV had been the only one at the trailhead and they were yet to run into anyone else while hiking.

"I can't believe that I'm getting hot." Ashley said as she stopped to remove her jacket. "This is the middle of December. It should be freezing up here!" As she slipped the coat from her arms, Brandon stopped and watched, seemingly taking in the mountain scenery. He was taking in scenery, indeed, but the scenery was limited to her firm breasts pushing against the turtleneck sweater as she put her arms back to remove the jacket. Kimberly and Kelsey joined her in shedding their outer jackets. Kimberly had worn a OSU sweatshirt under her coat and Ashley a white tee shirt. The pointed little nubs of her nipples were plainly visible as she tied her coat around her waist.

"You're used to Maine weather, Ashley. You shouldn't be getting warm yet," kidded Brandon as they rounded a corner on the trail. Suddenly he stopped and put his finger to his lips. "Look!" he whispered. Standing no more than twenty feet from them was a small fox.

"Ooooh, he's so cuuute." Kimberly said quietly. The fox looked at the four of them warily and then sauntered off ahead of them. "Oh, my God. What if that had been a bear?!" she continued. "We could be bear food right now."

"Or a Sasquatch?!" Brandon kidded. "What if it was a great, big, fuzzy monster who was going to eat you? Then what would you do?"

Looking Brandon in the eye, Kelsey said deliberately, "It would depend on how big he was ....and how long his tongue was..." The other three groaned at her innuendo.

For the rest of the afternoon the four young people climbed the trails and admired the beautiful vistas and the wildlife. "This has been great, Brandon. I'm so glad you thought of this. What a great way to clear one's head of the demands of school," Ashley said as they neared the trailhead. The daylight was quickly fading into the late afternoon as the last golden rays dropped below the mountains.

"I'm going to sit in back." Kimberly said. "Maybe Ashley and I can catch a little nap on the way home."

"Sounds good." Ashley said. As the two of them climbed into the back of the SUV, Kelsey climbed into the passenger seat in front as Brandon started the engine.

"When it gets dark up here, it gets dark, doesn't it?" Kelsey said as the headlights of the car cut through the forested evening. Brandon had his right hand resting on the shift lever on the console as he confidently maneuvered down the mountain road. He suddenly felt a hand on his and looked over at Kelsey. In the dash lights, he could see her smiling at him. "Thanks for a great afternoon." she said.

"That was fun, wasn't it," he said. The sensation of her hand on his was a pleasant one and he dared not move his hand lest he break the bond. She curled her fingers over his as he drove on. He marveled to himself at the easy rapport that he and Kelsey had developed. He hadn't really spent much time with her even though his stepsister and she had been friends for over three years. She shared many qualities with his stepsister but her more outgoing, daring and risqué manner intrigued him. This was a side of her that he had not seen until yesterday. As he mulled over his thoughts, he brought his thumb up and over her little finger in response to a slight pressure from her fingers on him. The happy chattering between Kimberly and Ashley in the back seat was dying down as he drove on.

As they neared Hood Canal, Brandon glanced in the rear view mirror expecting to see Kimberly and Ashley napping, he instead saw their heads together. He initially thought that Ashley was whispering to Kimberly but he then realized that their lips were together in a kiss. Darting his eyes between the road ahead of them and the mirror, he could see Kimberly's hand under Ashley's thin tee, moving over her breasts. Their eyes were closed as they kissed. Brandon gave an extra squeeze to Kelsey's hand. When she turned to look at him he made a slight motion with his head toward the back seat. Kelsey turned slightly in her seat and looked back. She turned back to look at Brandon. She had a smile on her face as she lifted her hand off his and moved it onto his lap, squeezing her fingers together as she did so. Brandon hips moved as he felt the pressure on his swelling penis beneath the denim of his jeans.

As they crossed the long floating bridge, Kimberly's voice came from the back seat. "Brandon, do you remember when Mom and Dad used to go to those 'dances' a few years back?"

Kelsey brought her arm back from his lap quickly as Brandon replied, "Ah, yeah. Swing dances. Ballroom type, I guess, wasn't it?"

"Uhhh, well, that's what I thought. I found out they weren't really ballroom swing dances," Kimberly said.

"What were they?"

"Swing-er dances," Kim replied. "Like in 'sex swinging'?"

"You're kidding me!" Brandon and Kelsey were almost unanimous in their exclamations of surprise. "How did you find that out?" Brandon asked as Kelsey's head whipped around to face Kimberly.

"I've never told Mom this but she accidentally sent me an email meant for one of the 'couples' they must have played with. She would be mortified if she knew it but, evidently she never did realize the mistake because she has never said anything about it."