Cabin Fever

Robert hugged his wife tightly. Bettina hugged Travis tightly too and looked up to him. It was his turn to speak.

"Thank you for saying that, Miss Jolene," Travis said. "Of course I forgive you. You're Bettina's Momma, that's good enough for me. You all couldn't have had a daughter as fine as Bettina if you weren't good parents. I think from time to time, we all say things we wish we hadn't. And I'm glad you're feeling better."

Tears started flowing down Jolene's cheeks. "Can I give you a hug?" she asked.

Travis and Bettina walked down the steps and Travis stepped into Jolene's arms. They hugged each other tightly and Travis could feel her big, loose jugs pressing against his chest.

Bettina hugged her parents and Travis shook Robert's hand. Jolene said they'd like to have them over for dinner sometime.

"Thanks, Mr. Travis!" the boy yelled out of the backseat window as they got back in the car.

"You're welcome, Nathan!" Travis called.

They watched the car drive off.

"That was not easy for her," Bettina said. "I can't remember her ever apologizing to anybody. And I know my family, we've always just gotten by. Honestly, I don't know how they'll ever pay you back."

"It's okay if they mean to pay it back. It probably makes them feel better. But when I gave you the money it was intended as a gift."

They went inside and finished making breakfast.

--

Some time later, Travis was picking up his mail at the post office and there was an envelope from his publisher. He opened it to find a fifteen hundred dollar check for his advance. He walked down the street to the bank.

When he entered the bank he intended to cash it as usual. But while he was waiting in line for the teller he changed his mind. He walked to fancy-suited bald man at a desk and told him he'd like to open an account. The man asked him to have a seat.

Travis sat down and put the check on the man's desk and sighed with pleasure. His recent life flashed through his mind. Unexpectedly he had met a woman he loved and trusted, he was no longer impotent, he found a talented editor to champion his work, he'd been published in a national magazine and had a book contract. An amazing chain of events. He decided then and there that after all he'd been through, if he could trust himself, his woman, his editor, his publisher and his cock, then damn it, he could trust this bank.

He had them make him a copy of the check before he deposited it.

--

When the book was released, and a couple days before Travis would have to leave for a number of appearances and book signings, he took Bettina on a day trip to a medium-sized city about two hours away. It was a clear Friday, a day off for Bettina. It was a nice day for a drive, and they packed a picnic basket. Bella rode in the back, protecting lunch.

"Why do we have to drive so far for a picnic?" Bettina asked.

"You'll see," Travis said.

Finally they drove into the outskirts of the town, what appeared to be the trendy suburb, and pulled into the lot of a shopping mall. Travis could have qualified for a handicapped tag, but he had never wanted to. He parked out in the lot like everybody else. Bella waited in the truck. Travis took Bettina's hand and they walked into the mall. They caught plenty of eyes as they walked hand-in-hand past the many storefronts and shoppers.

They had to walk almost to the other end of the mall to find the bookstore. Walden's. They walked inside and Travis led them to the shelves of the new releases, right near the front. There were many to choose from. They stood there for almost a minute before Bettina spotted it.

There it was: Travis's book. The cover was a wavy American flag, charred along the edge and beneath it was a toy soldier broken in half and a gold chain attached to a broken heart. The title was 'Tunnel of Distrust'. And right below it was Travis's name. It called itself a novel.

Bettina took a copy off the shelf and looked inside. She scanned the inside jacket describing the story. She had discussed the book with Travis a few times and had read the excerpts, but for the most part didn't pry. She knew how personal it was for him. She looked at the back flap and saw Travis's photo. A publicity shot.

"Cute little devil," she said, pointing at his picture.

"Turn to the dedication page up front," Travis said.

Bettina did, and read the short sentence: 'For Bettina, My Love, My Muse and My Light at the end of the tunnel'.

"I love you," he said, and kissed her as tears dripped on her cheeks. "I'll be right back."

He went to locate the manager to introduce himself. He returned shortly with a felt-tipped marker and signed the books on the shelves. Then they went on their picnic.

--

Travis took them to a perfect place for the picnic. A secluded spot he'd first visited as a kid. He drove about a half hour back toward home and then left the highway and followed a narrow lane for a few miles until it dead-ended by a babbling brook. Travis took the picnic basket out of the truck bed and the three of them set off on foot down a trail that bordered the stream.

After about a quarter mile they could hear the rush of water getting louder and found a flat, grassy spot to lay their blanket. They ate hard salami and cheese sandwiches and pickles and fruit and drank cold sweet tea from a thermos. Bella got a sandwich too.

After lunch they cleaned and packed up and lay back and relaxed on the blanket for a while, looking up at the trees.

"Ready for dessert?" Travis asked.

"What you got in mind?" Bettina laughed. "There's no dessert in that basket."

"Let's go skinny-dipping."

"Skinny-dipping? You crazy?" Bettina asked, thinking what might happen if some redneck stumbled along and saw a naked white boy and a naked black girl swimming together.

"Come with me," he said. He took her hand and pulled her up, and led her down the trail.

Barely a hundred feet away was a waterfall where the water tumbled over an edge and fell about ten feet down with a crash into a wide pool of roiling water. Travis started unbuttoning his shirt.

"You sure about this, Travis?" Bettina said nervously. "What if somebody comes along?"

"Don't have to worry, we have the sentinel. Right, Bella?"

Bella barked her approval.

"Don't make me rip your clothes off!" he said.

Bettina laughed and unzipped her jeans. They folded their clothes and placed them in a neat pile on the bank. Travis took her hand and they waded in. It was deeper than she expected, up to her neck in the middle.

"It's cold!" she said.

"You'll get used to it pretty quick," he said, then grabbed her and pulled her under.

Travis swam around a little. They played in the water and splashed each other.

"You look so sexy when you're all wet," he said, and took her in his arms and kissed her.

"Now you're getting all amorous on me," she said, and slipped her hand down around his shriveled penis. "How you gonna get a boner in this freezin' water?"

"Let me show you something," Travis said.

He led her to the far side of the falls and up the bank. A couple feet behind the falls, and about halfway up was a ledge, wide enough to sit or lie on. It was level, smooth rock. He climbed up and pulled Bettina up beside him and they sat with their legs dangling over the edge. The water was cascading down right in front of them, all they could see was water, but they were hidden from the world.

Travis put an arm around her and kissed her mouth. Their tongues came alive and their hands drifted to their genitals. He kneaded her swollen nipples between his fingers. His water-withered penis showed signs of life.

"Let's see what we can do about that boner," Bettina said, and she repositioned herself, bent her supple body down and took it into her mouth.

His cock rose to the occasion. His fingers were locked in her soaked, coiled hair and his hand rode her head as it yo-yoed up and down. Within a minute his cock was strong and long.

"Good spot for a vertical, don't you think?" Travis said into Bettina's ear.

She sat up. "Ooh, that sounds good. But don't you drop me!"

"If you go, I'm going with you," he said. "My cock will be like an eight inch screw drilled into you."

Travis scooted his butt back a little on the ledge and Bettina pivoted her body around the front of him and straddled him. She stared into his eyes as she guided his cock into her and dropped her weight upon him. He loved the feeling as she mashed her cunt down around him. He put his hands on her hips and she started bouncing up and down, and assisted with her upward-downward motions as she reamed herself on his cock. She squealed as she fucked and grunted as she pounded him with her pussy.

Travis was fucking his lover on a beautiful day behind a wondrous waterfall. Was there a better feeling possible? He was getting close to orgasm when a strange thought popped into his head. This feels so fucking good, he thought. Almost too good. He thought of all the pain and anger and anguish he'd gone through to finally get to this point, and how it had resulted in his first book, a good one.

But how can I write another book when I feel this good? When I'm this happy? How will I ever get pissed-off enough to write another one?

Then he felt his cum rising up from deep within and with a shudder he decided to save his worries for another day.

*************************