MOM'S INNER MOUNTAIN (REBOOTED

"Tripod?"

"Check."

"Telescope?"

"Check. That would stink, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, ha. And spare eyepiece?"

"Check!"

"Woo-hoo..." Miles dully cheered. "Are we all done now?"

"Yep! Thanks for your help, bud. Can you go tell your mom I need her backpack? We need a good start in the morning."

"Yeah," Miles nodded. He then tried his luck one last time. "Dad, are you sure that I have to go? It's just a bunch of your work friends. It's not even an official party, or a retreat... or anything. I don't get why I need to be there."

Ken recognized his son's frustrations. But he was the chief engineer at a nuclear plant, and he was dealing with his own set of circumstances. "Listen, I know you're not 'stoked' to go, and I get that. I get that spending four days in the mountains with my coworkers and their families is not your ideal holiday weekend. I get it. But you have to understand, this isn't some astronomy club field trip." Ken stated, "My boss is a member, making this the same as required work retreat. He insisted we make this a family event so it doesn't turn into a work outing. It's not like I can argue with him. And I'm not going to be the one whose family decided to ditch him. Besides, you love hiking and astronomy."

His dad was right. Miles loved studying stars and camping in the mountains. The problem was Miles was a single eighteen-year-old, so he also loved girls. And with summer break on the horizon, Miles was specifically interested in skimpily dressed girls, like the ones who would surely be at Tiffany's pool party -- a party he was now going to miss.

"Is there any way I can come up on Sunday?" the son pleaded.

The gray-haired father sighed. "Again with this? Miles, there will be other parties in your life. And no, you can't come up on Sunday. First of all, you'd miss the comet. Secondly -- call me an overprotective father -- but there's something I don't like about my son driving three hours to a roadside trailhead and then hiking alone for eight hours to the top of an unfamiliar mountain, all so he can stay home for two extra days and drink at a party."

"To be fair, with the right phrasing you can make anything sound like a bad idea."

Ken rolled his eyes. "This weekend is important to me. And my boss has made it abundantly clear it's important to him. And this is also important for our family -- this is our summer vacation. Just accept it and try to have a good time. Your mom hasn't wanted to go to my work events recently and she wasn't excited at first either, but now she's looking forward to it. I suggest you come around as well."

Fuck, Miles thought. He knew the case was closed, so he headed back into the house.

----

Up in his bedroom, the soon-to-be high-school-graduate stared into his full-length mirror. He let his mind drift, and he visualized an alternate reality -- one where his dad had said he could stay home. Miles matted his wavy, caramel hair around his ears, imagining how attractive he could have made himself look at Tiffany's pool party.

Miles's popularity had skyrocketed in his senior year. It wasn't because of a concerted effort to be popular, but rather because his body had filled out and he also managed to kick the game-tying forty-seven-yard field goal in the biggest football game of the year. After that, ending up naked in female classmates' bedrooms seemed to become a lot easier. For three years, Miles had been an AP-course nerd and the backup kicker. This year, he became a hot-bodied nerd who got invited to great parties. It was a good gig.

Didn't need to buy these, I guess... he thought, examining the expensive pair of red swim trunks wrapped around his waist. He had bought them a month ago in hopes of finally seducing one of the "top tier" popular girls. Miles knew it was stupid, but he had this cliche Hollywood dream of ending his high-school experience by having sex with one of the hot, popular girls. Maybe he was driven by how those girls had (understandably) ignored him for years and he wanted to prove he could finally land one. Or maybe he just liked the idea of Tiffany, Becky, or Laurel excitedly sucking his thick cock with their beautiful faces and riding him with their fully-developed bodies. Either way, the pool party had meant a lot to him. And now it was gone.

His dad assured him there would be other parties. Of course, there would be. But what other parties would involve him being surrounded by the most attractive girls in school, all of them dancing about in wet bikinis, as he strutted around in his new trunks and showed off the muscles he had been building for years?

Miles had even been jerking off almost every night to the "unintentionally" slutty selfies the popular girls had posted from back when they were out bikini shopping for the party -- the ones in dressing room mirrors where their asses and breasts were spilling out of the skimpy swimwear.

What a time to be alive.

The young man studied the faint outline of his package in the mirror. Miles knew the red trunks were flattering when he had bought them. He didn't have a monster cock, but he was above average, and he wanted the girls to notice.

"Hello?" The door swung open.

Miles jolted. "Knock?!"

"Sorry, the door was cracked open, and the light was on," Hannah explained in her melodic, tinted voice. She saw her son's red cheeks, his shirtless body in front of the mirror, and his even redder swimwear. The mother slyly grinned, "Awwww, did I catch you playing America's Next Top Model?"

"No." Miles loved his mom's sense of humor, but not as much right now.

"Are you sure? I think I have some beautiful hats and scarves you can try on. The runway judges might appreciate this purple scarf I have."

"No. Thank you, though." Miles tried his best not to crack a smile.

"No? Oh, that's right," Hannah sarcastically gestured, "I guess this is just the swimsuit part of the competition."

Miles was unable to hold it, and he burst out laughing. Hannah joined in and laughed with him, as they often did.

As soon as Miles could breathe again, he asked his mom, "So, anyway, did you need anything?"

"Yes, actually. Your father asked me to find out if you were all set to go tomorrow."

"Uggh!" Miles groaned. "He literally watched me put my bags in the car."

"I know, I know," Hannah raised her hand in an understanding and calming way. "Listen, you know how he gets before trips. And, apparently, this is an important one for him," Hannah breathed. "There's the comet, the families bonding together, the getting-away-from-technology angle, and all that other good stuff. Just please try to be a good sport -- if not for yourself, then for me. He's going to end up chatting with his friends and boss the whole time. So, if you're miserable the whole trip, then I'll have nobody to talk to. And I've already met his friends' wives enough times to know I won't be talking to them," Hannah chuckled.

"Okay, okay," Miles nodded. "Dad said you were looking forward to going, though."

Neither confirming nor denying her son's statement, Hannah announced, "Okay. Well, I'll tell him you're all set."

When his mom left his doorway, Miles at least felt a sense of purpose in going now. He and his mom had always been close, and he liked knowing he could save her from four days of boredom. He figured, The worst-case scenario is that we're miserable together.

1 *****

"Next stop: Crawford Notch!"

"Alright." "Wooh, we're finally doin' it." Miles and Hannah tried to match Ken's enthusiasm, but that was a tough ask at five o'clock on a Thursday morning.

The drive to the White Mountain National Forest was three hours, and Miles naively counted on being able to sleep the entire car ride. Hannah was up in the passenger seat playing Words with Friends on her smartphone, which was her favorite boredom activity. Miles smirked.

Once when his mom needed his help to adjust a game setting, Miles stumbled onto her friends list. A vast majority of her opponents were male. Naturally, Miles inspected her profile photo. It was clear why virtually all of her online friends had dicks. The image showed her from the waist up. Her straight, caramel hair was brushed behind her ears. She was in a tight, red sweater. Only a few inches of cleavage from her large breasts were showing. And her wide smile was simple, shining brightly next to her tanned skin.

The photo was casual -- not provocative by any measure -- but Miles knew it was enough for men online. Through the years, Miles had witnessed countless men hit on his mom. Even in a photo online, he recognized the humor and liveliness exuding through her eyes.

After he saw her friends list, Miles secretly read the messages from his mom's opponents. Many of them were flirty, but, fortunately, his mom never engaged in anything more than harmless repartee. For example, the "most damning" exchange was when some jerky guy said, "It's okay, you don't need to say anything... I know you're impressed by how big my word was ;)," Hannah replied, "It is impressive, but I've seen much bigger ;)"

Those chats didn't bother Miles. He knew better. He knew his mom's flirty nature was nothing more than her playing with the hand society had dealt her. Men at grocery stores gawked at her, men online sent her messages, and cowardly guys made lustful comments to her in passing. While Miles obviously didn't see her in the same carnal light, he understood what other men saw.

Bubbly. Miles had heard several men use that word to describe his mom over the years. He always saw it as a reference to her often energetic, enthusiastic, and playful nature. But he was only partly right.

Men used "bubbly" because of how perfectly it described Hannah's entire sex appeal -- not merely her personality. Hannah was forty-two, but her moisturized skin made her look thirty-five. She had a bright face with round cheeks. Her almond-shaped, green eyes were addictingly expressive. Her lips were full, her nose was soft, and her smile was contagious. Those features reeled men in, but what knocked them out was her athletic, well-maintained, thickset, 5' 4" body. Her breasts and butt were enticingly larger than they should have been for her size -- the main contributor to her being called "bubbly."

Upon seeing Hannah, men often envisioned her seductively stripping naked for them and sitting on their laps. They imagined feeling and watching her round, smooth features bouncing in their hands while she playfully kissed their lips and teased them, moaning slightly from the sensation of her guiding their hard cocks into the folds of her wet, warm pussy lips. She would then stare into their souls with her deep, green eyes and beg them to pound her as hard as they could until she told them to cum deep inside of her.

But, rather than explain their fantasies to friends in public settings, men would sometimes simply remark, "She's bubbly."

2 *****

"BEAUTIFUL!!!"

Miles jolted awake from his dad's loud voice. He was dazed and stared through the car window, guessing he had been out for an hour. His dad had to be commenting on the luscious trees, the running river, and the granite walls of the steep gorge. But no, his dad was thrilled by the number of available parking spaces at the small trailhead.

The family stepped out of their SUV and into the crisp mountain air. The aroma of pine needles, decaying leaves, fresh earth, and dewy grass filled their nostrils. Despite their early start, they were all reinvigorated under the bright morning sky.

"Howdy, there! Another Star Gamma!"

Miles cringed at the voice of his dad's happy-go-lucky coworker, Aiden. The name of their astronomy club sounded even worse out loud than it did on paper. He then surveyed the parking lot to find two more of his dad's coworkers, who had somehow arrived even earlier than they did.

"Hey, Aiden and Katherine. How are you doing, Rick?" Ken greeted everyone. "You all know Hannah, and this is Miles." The families finished introductions and engaged in small talk.

One of Ken's single coworkers announced, "It looks like we're still missing six Star Gammas. Plus Sebastian."

Miles turned to his mom and muttered, "They aren't 'missing.' We're an hour early. We're the ones in the middle of the forest with barely any Internet or cell service. If anything, we're missing."

Hannah snorted. She covered her mouth to prevent an outburst and then playfully smacked her son on the chest. She held her finger to her lips telling him to stop.

----

Soon enough, more cars arrived. Some were just locals out for a morning hike, but others were Ken's coworkers. At 9 a.m. sharp, all of the employees were there and accounted for.

Hannah inspected the hiking group. Out of the eight employees, seven of them were male, which was to be expected for Ken's industry. There was one female in the club, who was always trying hard to come across as "one of the guys." Not that I can blame her, Hannah thought. She counted four women in total, and she was thankful to see three other wives roped into the trip by their husbands. Not immodestly, but realistically, Hannah knew their presence would help save her from four days of incessant, light harassment.

Miles wasn't as thankful. He realized only two other couples brought their children. One husband and wife had a pair of cute, little ones. And the other couple was carrying a toddler in a specialized baby carrier.

"At least you can hang out with the other kids," Hannah nudged her son.

Miles sighed then gestured at the other women, who were all using baby talk to address the toddler in the carrier. "At least you can hang out with the other wives."

The mom and son grinned at each other.

----

As Ken's Timex ticked closer to 9:30, the astronomy club was getting antsy. "It's been half an hour. Where the hell is he?"

"I know. This is ridiculous. If he isn't here in five minutes, I say we go without him."

"I say we go now! He can catch up if he wants."

"We should've never let him join. He doesn't take it seriously. He just wanted to be in with the 'cool group' at the plant."

As Miles listened in on the employees' uproar over their boss, he couldn't help but marvel at how a single, overweight, middle-aged man, who read gauges for a living, had just insisted he was cool for being in an unsanctioned company astronomy club. Miles had no problem with nerds being cool -- he preferred it that way -- but still...

Suddenly, Miles found himself revisiting a recurring suspicion. Ever since he had gotten in shape, kicked that field goal, and started going to parties on weekends, his dad had been brisker with him. It was a weird, mature, adult revelation, but Miles suspected his dad was unsympathetic about him missing the pool party because he was starting to resent him. He resented him falling in with the popular crowd. Miles knew his dad had been an outcast in high school and college. And, like Miles used to, his dad probably always justified his invisibility by thinking, Well, at least I'm smart, and they're not. Maybe Miles's surge into popularity was proof to his dad that he could have had both brains and popularity. Or worse yet, his dad still hated the popular kids for excluding him, and he now saw him as one of them.

Regardless, Miles couldn't control it. And he knew he had done nothing wrong. He turned his attention back to the group of employees, and it seemed they reached a verdict. "If he's not here in five minutes, we're starting the hike," Ken declared. "And no matter what time he gets here, we are kicking him out of the club on Tuesday. It doesn't matter if he's our boss -- we have to stand up for ourselves." His coworkers and their spouses nodded proudly in agreement.

Hannah, though, just sighed and walked over to a rock and sat down. She casually applied suntan lotion to her already-tanned thighs, almost as if she planned on sitting there for some time.

Twenty more minutes passed, and the leaders of the employee "coup" restated how they were serious about leaving their boss behind. Ten more minutes passed, and finally, a black Range Rover pulled into the gravel parking lot.

"How are you doing, everyone! Sorry about the time. I had to take an important work call before I left for the weekend." The boss closed the door and removed his black sunglasses. Sebastian was the son of Argentinian immigrants, and it was noticeable by his darker complexion and subtle accent. He seemed like an athletic and capable forty-year-old, one who appreciated the finer things in life. Stubble was etched into his defined jaw.

"Hello, Sebastian," the employees greeted their plant manager.

Miles was amazed at how quickly everyone backed down, some even literally shuffling backward. He looked over at his mom, who had predicted the outcome. But even she was sitting more rigidly.

"Aiden, Thomas, Rick, Ken, Ashley," the boss continued to rattle off the names of his employees to say hello on a personal level. He then acknowledged the family members. "Miles, your dad tells me you're becoming quite the space-junky yourself."

"Yes, sir. I'd like to think so," Miles charmingly replied. He had never called anyone "sir" in his life, but it came out, like an instinct to build a rapport with the intriguing Sebastian.

"And... Hannah?" He pointed, doubting himself over her name. Hannah offered a closed-mouth grin and waved her hand. "It's nice to see you again. You're really busy with your charity work now, Ken tells us, so you have a hard time making it to events. I'm glad you were able to make it to this one, though." The boss held his eyes at Hannah and then turned to the rest of the group. "It's nice to see all of you here. What could be a better way to bring together our 'work family' and our 'home families' than escaping the distractions of modern life and exploring space?"

Miles immediately pegged Sebastian as a smooth operator. He wasn't sure if his little speech was scripted, but he delivered it well. Miles also found it ironic that Sebastian had no "home family."

"Thank god," Hannah raised her eyebrows at her son, "we can finally get started."

The group broke apart as the adults went to their cars to grab their packs and gear. Fortunately, everyone had hiked and camped in the mountains before. One inexperienced or incapable person could easily hold up the entire group and create a nightmarish journey.

The hiking packs were loaded with food, clothes, mini propane stoves, water bottles, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tents, and various other essentials. The astronomy club members each also had an encased telescope attached to their packs.

As Ken stood near his work friends to discuss the best way to carry their telescopes, Hannah and Miles were left to inspect each other's zippers and straps. It was already clear they were going to be relying on each other for company over the next four days.

"Let's hit the trail!" Sebastian prompted.

3 *****

The trail was serene. After crossing a wooden bridge over the river gorge, they began their hike on a flat path through tall grass. Aside from their small talk and breathing, there was nothing but the sound of chirping birds.

Miles's shoulders fell. He loved being in the mountains. The weight of his green backpack, which stood tall behind his head, was not difficult to manage. He was in the best shape of his life, and the buckled straps shared the burden through his strong upper body.The group hiked at an easy pace, but that was the plan. The itinerary was to hike to a ridge on a new mountain on each of the first two days and then to camp high up on the tallest mountain to get an ideal view of the comet on Saturday night. Each evening, they would have plenty of time to establish camp, relax, and then set up their telescopes before dark.

So, even though Miles was full of energy, he saw no point in pushing the pace. He was content hanging in back with his mom. Hannah wanted to stay in the back as well. She enjoyed stars -- just not enough to listen to a group of enthusiasts discuss technical specifications for hours. The three other wives seemed to be in their own clique, accompanied by the young children. So, Hannah walked in step with her son.

"I gotta say, this is a nice walk so far," Miles admitted.

"It is! Though, I think we'll pay for it later with some steep inclines," Hannah cautioned. She glanced down at her legs. "This tree coverage is a bit heavier than I thought it'd be. I saw your father put on a ton of sunblock, so I got excited, haha! The tanning lotion might have been wishful thinking," she teased herself.

Below Hannah's pink running shorts Miles saw the glean on her thighs. "Maybe you can find small pockets of sunshine as we walk and scan your legs under them. It'll add up."

The mom swept her leg over a patch of sunshine in the dirt. She then paused and studied her left shin. "Ah, darn. Not any tanner."

----

An hour into the hike, as they wandered through tall trees, everyone decided to take their first water break. An employee unfolded a trail map and warned of more difficult climbing ahead. His coworkers hovered around the topographical chart.

Ken, though, walked over to his family. "I think we're about an hour away from a nice view."

"Perfect," Hannah smiled.

"Bud, is your pack holding up alright? I know it's a little more weight than you're used to hiking with." Ken displayed his concern.

I'm stronger than you, and we've been walking on a flat surface, Miles angrily thought. He was embarrassed by the child-like question, especially in front of his mom. He confidently shrugged, "It's perfect. Not bad at all."

When Ken stepped away to fiddle with his pack, Hannah looked sedative at her son. She always seemed to read his mind. "He's your dad. He'll always ask you questions like that. Even when you're fifty."

Miles understood, but he didn't like it. He whispered back, "I get that, I just want to be treated like an adult. I AM an adult. Do you see any of these other people's adult kids here? No. They're probably at home doing whatever they want. The other kids here are too young to operate a microwave."

Hannah brushed her hair behind her ears and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Honey... you gotta get over the pool party."

He sighed. His mom had a way of cutting to the core of issues. "It's not just that it'd be a fun party. It was important to me. I had been planning on going for weeks before we even found out about this. Plus, I told all these people that I'd be there."

"Ohhhh... So that's why I caught you modeling in your mirror last night," Hannah chided. "What's the girl's name?"

"Well, it's not about there being one girl-"

"Ohhh... So, it's like that?" Hannah feigned shock and then dreamily mocked, "So, Miles, exactly how many girls from your class have you told you were attending? How many do you think will be holding their breath the whole party..."

"Please stop."

"... just waiting for you to walk through the entrance in your red trunks and take your shirt off like you're in Baywatch, finally giving them all a reason to be there?"

"Stop!" He buried his face in his hands.

"No, Miles, please tell me, how many girls?" Hannah playfully tugged his arms away. Soon they were playing tug of war with their arms and laughing.

"Alright, I think we should get moving!" Sebastian's voice echoed. Despite knowing less about the trip than any of his subordinates -- the ones who had planned the trip -- he took over calling the shots.

4 *****

The hike continued. And, as promised, the terrain became trickier. There was nothing too technical, but there were narrow gaps and scrambling up boulders. It felt good to finally feel like they were rising into the mountain. The air felt slightly cooler, and small gaps between tree trunks gave way to low-level views.

Being in back, Hannah and Miles had the freedom to stop whenever they wanted to enjoy the scenery without holding up others. They each had quality cameras on their smartphones, and between the narrow views, the colorful mushrooms, and the singing birds, there was plenty to capture.

As Hannah and Miles ascended a steep section and stepped back on flat ground, they saw Ken waiting for them on the side of the trail. "Having fun on your phones?" he chuckled. Miles couldn't tell if it was a bad "dad joke" or if he was angry.

"We're taking some great photos. It'll be a nice album to commemorate the trip when we're done," Hannah warmly smiled.

"Yeah, it will." Miles was impressed by how his mom could always predict and smoothly dismiss his dad's concerns. I guess nineteen years of marriage will do that, he thought.

"Okay," Ken raised his hand apologetically. "This is supposed to be a nature retreat. I just wanted to make sure you guys weren't back here playing Words with Friends or Tweeting."

Fuck off, Miles thought, offended by his dad thinking so little of him. He pretended to type on his phone and wryly responded, "Yeah, Dad, I'm actually live-Tweeting the hike. 'Just saw a mushroom. Hashtag blessed.'"

Hannah promptly spun away, but her convulsing sides and snorting revealed what she was doing.

"Ha, ha, ha," Ken sarcastically laughed. "Let's try not to be smart this trip, okay?" He hiked up the trail to catch up with his friends.

Truly, Miles didn't want to be a smartass. He was generally an easygoing and polite young man. But his dad pushed his buttons, especially lately.

"Just try to suck it up and put on a happy face. You'll be less annoyed that way," Hannah smoothed his anger. She was still smirking from his punchline.

"Alright," Miles relented. He kicked up dirt with his boots and started on the trail again. "When do you think it'll be safe for me to take my phone out again to take pictures?"

"Oooof..." Hannah played along, "I don't know, that's a tough question. Maybe I should have brought my old Nikon N50 for pictures. You know, taken some great snapshots, taken the film to be developed at a print shop, waited a week for big, grainy images..."

Miles laughed, appreciating his mom's attempt to cheer him up.

----

When they approached the next section of winding, steep rock, Miles let his mom go first again. He'd have much better luck catching her if she fell than she would of catching him. The route required careful holds and boot placement to climb the loose rock, but they ascended the toughest part quickly.

The last obstacle was a four-foot slab of gray granite, which had a crack running diagonally up its face. It was a relatively simple ledge, and Miles waited for his turn behind his mom. Hannah wedged her toe into the crack and grabbed the top of the ledge. Nonchalantly, she launched from her boot and pulled up with her arms.

"WOAHHH!"

Time slowed to a crawl. Hannah flailed, desperate to hold her balance, but the weight of her pack was pulling her down to Earth. Her boot tread had slipped from her careless foothold, and a chill pierced her gut. She clenched her eyes and knew she was about to hurt.

Instantly, Miles lunged forward to catch his mom. Her bulky yellow pack went from her butt to beyond her head, so Miles instinctively grabbed the only part of his mom he could reach and support her.

Miraculously, Hannah stopped falling back to her doom, and she was shoved back toward the rock. As Miles used his strong arms to grab and push her thighs, there was an upside to her suntan oil. He broke her fall without burning her skin. There was also a downside. Her meaty thighs slid through his firm grasp.

Once Hannah's boot caught the crack in the rock again, her fall ended. But the relief Miles felt was short-lived. He was startled by the sight of each of his hands groping his mom's bare butt cheeks. Her pink shorts had ridden up his wrists, exposing her tan booty... and the tight, black Under Armour thong running between her crack.

As the stunned son felt the weight of his mom's full, thick ass in his hands and watched the soft tissue molding around the imprint of his steady fingers, something in his head clicked. Fuck...

It took Hannah a moment to catch her breath and feel secure again. Then she felt exactly how she had been saved. With an embarrassed smile and awkward eyes, Hannah looked back at her son. "Oops!" She then scrambled to get up the ledge again.

Without thinking, Miles used his muscular arms and chest to push up on his mom's firm ass. He hoisted her over the lip until her knees were safe atop the dirt-covered boulder. The entire event had lasted only seven seconds, but Miles knew he'd remember it forever.

Confused, the eighteen-year-old took one last look at his greasy hands on his mom's butt. Droplets of oil ran from her skin onto his fingers. Miles would've given away his entire life savings just to smack one of her cheeks. Regrettably, he released his grip. Her smooth skin buoyantly returned to normal.

Hannah frantically tugged at the legs of her shorts and turned back to see her son's surprised eyes. He had only saved her, but she didn't know what his thoughts were. To be fair, Miles didn't either. "Sorry about that," she said. "Thanks for the stop," she added, just how she'd thank a stranger for holding a door.

Miles gulped and watched his mom stand up. He stared at her butt as it flexed and protruded with each motion. He admired her shimmering legs, which were exposed from her shins up to her mid-thighs.

Once they were back on the wide path, walking in stride again, Miles couldn't keep his eyes off his mom's hanging chest. He didn't know what was happening.

But it wasn't just the stereotypical assets Miles was seeing in a new light. Her flat stomach beneath her powder-blue tank, the leanness in her exposed arms, the manicure of her hands, her cute pierced ears and diamond studs, the dark-gold hair flowing behind her... As Miles studied the elegance of her lips, nose, and eyelashes, Hannah felt his pupils on her and glanced up at him, making him jerk his head away as he blushed.

Hannah usually knew exactly what to say. But she had to think of how to help him find the humor in the situation and let the fluke accident go. Before she could find the right words to say, they bumped into the rest of the hiking party. Everyone was sitting to the side of the trail, eating and drinking.

----

The break was well-earned. Miles downed his entire Nalgene water bottle, feeling much warmer in the cool air than expected. Hannah sensed tension between her and Miles, which was much different than their usual, in-sync connection. He's embarrassed, Hannah thought. She was wrong.

The chatter from the group was nothing but white noise to Miles. He was lost in his own mind, sitting on a flat rock and leaning into a tree trunk. Every inappropriate glance, every gushing comment, every flirtatious action from another man toward his mom -- they played in his mind like a film reel. He wondered, How the hell am I just seeing it now? His mom was sexy. Drop-dead sexy. Every curve, expression, and gesture exuded a mature, alluring sexiness. The growing son felt like an idiot for not seeing it earlier. I could've been enjoying this for years, he thought.

----

The two hours of hiking following the break were nothing more than a long, gradual ascent along a mountain ridge. The trees thinned, and a breathtaking view emerged across the valley, caused by the rockslide scars in the nearby mountains to the gliding birds in the distance. The intoxicating smell of the outdoors distracted Miles, but only in small doses.

His dad had decided during the break to spend family time with them. That meant his dad hiking between them in a single-file line. Weirdly, Miles noticed himself feeling jealous of his dad getting so close to his mom -- his own wife. Sometimes the trail would bend and Miles could see around his dad to behold his mom. The strengthening sun filtered onto her face and legs as she walked. With each step, her muscles would tense and one of her butt cheeks flexed outward. Miles once stumbled on a root but kept his balance.

Miles couldn't forget how beautiful and sexy his mom was, but he needed to look as much as possible. There was an erection hiding under his waist strap, and he needed to feel the rush of seeing her constantly.

His mom was down on her knees lovingly and hotly sucking his cock. Then he led her to the living room couch and slid his cock into her pussy, which had plump lips, matching the rest of her features. She moaned and screamed his name and told him she loved him before looking him in the eye and asking him, "Mouth or pussy, Miles?" He made his decision, flipped her over onto her stomach, and smacked her ass before filling her pussy with his creamy seed.

Miles blinked back to reality and wiped his forehead.

How though? Miles wondered. A new and bizarre thought kept him distracted. Just how were his parents together? Yes, his dad had a respectable job, he was intelligent, he was stable in every way... But his mom had the same traits. The difference was his dad was a slightly balding, average-bodied, fifty-one-year-old man... And his mom was a fucking knockout. They didn't even seem to have a strong bond.

They get along peacefully, Miles admitted. They don't argue much. Things are pretty normal. They don't seem to ever be head-over-heels for each other, though. Like, if a random person saw them standing together or even talking together, they'd never guess she chose to marry him. Maybe there's something else going on?

Miles watched TV. He knew sometimes loaded men were able to land super hot women. But his dad wasn't rich, and his mom was just as industrious. Miles knew healthy relationships were about more than looks and money, but their lack of intimate connection confused him the most. It just seemed like his mom's emotional intellect was holding the relationship together, and Miles wondered why she was fine doing most of the work.

Then again, he shrugged, you don't know what they were like twenty years ago.

5 *****

"Oh, yes!" A shout came from Aiden from the front of the line. He was standing on a gorgeous plateau. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined! We can cook here, set up camp in those trees. This is perfect."

And who could argue? On a placid expanse of gray rock below a cliff face, the crew had arrived at its first campsite. With a sigh of sweet relief, everyone unbuckled and dropped their packs. It was literally a weight off their shoulders.

Since it was just after four, there was still plenty of sunlight. As everyone else sat down in a heap, Miles began skipping about on rocks, exploring the campsite.

"Oh, to be eighteen again..." Rick, another Star Gamma, reminisced at the sight of Miles. "Actually, I'm lying. I wasn't in good shape at eighteen either." The crowd laughed.

Miles had his head down, curious about how his mom saw him. He knew she didn't find him sexually attractive, but he wanted to know if she recognized him as attractive -- if she saw why women his age found him attractive, the same way he recognized she was sexy to men of, well, any age.

I mean, she did comment on your body and you showing up shirtless to Tiffany's, he remembered. Yeah, but she was telling jokes about it. The 'kernel of truth' rule might apply. Or, you know, maybe she just thinks you're handsome because you're her son. I guess it would be fine either way.

As Sebastion made his way back from peeing in the woods, the mood in the campsite swiftly lowered. The employees became more guarded, but Sebastian, as always, wore a positive smile.

"That was a great hike, everyone. We made good time. Aiden, you were moving so fast I thought you were gonna step on my boots." There was a forced laugh from everyone. The boss then turned to Miles. "And Miles, you did a great job bringing up the rear."

"What?" His eyebrows sprung to his forehead and he made paranoid eye contact with his mom. Common sense quickly prevailed. "Oh, yeah. Thanks, Sebastian."

----

Before any tents were touched or sleeping bags rolled out, the campers attended to more important matters. "Whiskey or bourbon?"

"There ya go! This is how to camp."

Miles was impressed by how one of his dad's coworkers had willingly carried a stache of alcohol on a four-day hike. Every adult began drinking and chatting. Even Miles had a cup of whiskey -- after the server had first checked with his father. A legal-ish fire was built, and families began to boil water for freeze-dried meals.

"Oh man, you got the freeze-dried vegetables and dumplings?! I wanted that," Hannah spoke to her son for the first time since the "helpful hands" incident.

"Oh, sorry," Miles quickly apologized. He was nervous in his mom's presence. "Here, we can switch."

Hannah humorously shook her head and motioned at her food pouch. She, like everyone else, had freeze-dried vegetables and dumplings.

"Oh..." he laughed, but it was more due to the relief that his mom seemed unaffected by what happened earlier.

When dinner ended, all of the employees went to set up their tents. Ken volunteered to assemble the family's three-person tent in the nearby woods, likely wanting to show his coworkers he could hack it on his own in the outdoors too. As everyone dispersed, Hannah and Miles were left alone by the fire.

"So, what's up?" The mother sipped a second glass of bourbon.

Miles knew his mom could sense his distance. He was still processing his feelings for her. "What do you mean?"

"You just seem a little off in your own world. Are you still thinking about the pool party?" Please tell me it's not because of the funny moment on the trail, Hannah hoped.

"Yeah, I keep thinking about the party," Miles lied. "There's a girl I'm interested in, and she'll be there. So, I'm just thinking about what I'll be missing."

Thank god, Hannah sighed. Empathetically, Hannah sipped her drink and patted her son's knee. "I can relate to exactly what you're feeling."

"Really?" Miles wanted her hand to stay on his leg.

"Yep!" Hannah finished her cup and set it down. "It was the summer after my freshman year at UNH -- so I was just a year older than you are now. And this one friend of mine from high school was throwing a pool party. And I heard that this guy I had this massive crush on in high school was going to be there. He was kind of the classic jock, you know? Jacked body, sunglasses, drove a Mustang -- all that," she recalled in a fond yet self-mocking way. "So, anyway, I really wanted to go to this party and get him to notice me. And when I went to the party, he did!"

Miles sat on his backpack and waited for her to finish her story. "Wait... Is that it?"

"Uh, yeah... I think so," Hannah chuckled.

"HOW does that help me? That doesn't relate to me at all. Now I'm thinking if I went to that party, everything would turn out the way I wanted it to." His mom was usually so tactful, and Miles wondered if the alcohol and altitude were getting the better of her. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he saw her have more than a glass of wine.

"Oh, yeah, I guess it doesn't apply as well," Hannah softly chuckled, nudging her son with her shoulder. "Well, I guess the takeaway then is: If you remain friends with the person who invited you, you can always go next year and make an impression."

"Fantastic," Miles rolled his eyes. "That's good to know because I'd definitely much rather be here watching a bunch of men I don't know set up a campsite than be at a pool party where I can watch girls in bikinis play pool games."

"Yeah, true. Watching men pitch tents can be entertaining."

Miles blindly laughed along at the cadence of his mom's joke. But then he froze and let his eyes fall to his lap. Whew! Her comment hadn't been a veiled hint. It was just an edgy joke. He mystically smiled at his mom and laughed along with her.

As much as they had joked and talked over the years about Miles's relationships and dating, Hannah had never told a sexual joke before. It was the type of joke she made on Words with Friends... and likely made to her real friends, too. Miles liked it, even though he knew the alcohol was to blame.

Boldly, Miles countered, "I think a few of these guys might need a pill first."

"Shhh!" Hannah smacked his chest with the back of her hand as she laughed. "Stop! Haha!"

6 *****

The sky was orange with layers of yellow behind the shadowy peaks. Sunsets usually signify an ending, but for the astronomy club, this marked the beginning. The Star Gammas eagerly pulled their telescopes, tripods, and star maps from their packs.

"We're gonna hike up around the back of that cliff there and set up shop. It's a little cloudy, but we should still get some incredible views," Ken told his wife and son. "You guys will be blown away!"

"I'm sure. But I'm gonna be a zombie tomorrow morning if I don't sleep soon," Hannah yawned.

"Ah, okay. Fair enough. Looks like it's just you and me, bud!"

Miles had been looking forward to seeing the bright stars in the unpolluted sky. But his cock was tugging him in a different direction. The stars will be there fucking forever, he urged himself, how many times will you get to be alone in a tent with your mom? "Dad, I'm actually insanely tired as well."

"Seriously? You were just hopping around and talking to everyone."

"I think that's why I'm tired now."

Ken shook his head. "I bet it's the alcohol you drank. This is why I didn't let you stay home alone to drink at that party."

Before Miles could escalate the situation, Hannah calmly stepped in. "He was yawning before he even had a drink. I think he's tired from the early start. We aren't as great of 'morning people' as you are."

"Fair enough," Ken grinned, proud with his wife's compliment. He then walked over to his friends with his gear.

"You lied to him about the yawning," Miles lightheartedly challenged.

His sexy mom flicked her eyes up the seven inches to meet his and shrugged, "It makes things easier sometimes. You would've said something smart back, and then he would've, and so on. Anyway, let's make sure this tent is set up correctly so we don't get smothered in our sleep when it collapses."

----

Miles and Hannah took turns using the tent as a private room to change into their thermal underwear. The orange prism was meant for backpacking, so it was much lighter and smaller than a regular campground tent. There was little excess in terms of width and ceiling height. While the family wouldn't have to be quite shoulder-to-shoulder, their sleeping pads were only separated by a few inches.

"He's afraid of bears coming in," Hannah pointed at the can of bear mace left at the head of her husband's neon-blue sleeping bag. The spray was there in case Ken had to save the family in the historically unlikely event of a black bear attack on sleeping campers.

Miles was still at the age where he felt invincible, and he was normally annoyed by his dad's tendency to assume the worst. But tonight he was pleased. The tent opened on the sides, and his dad wanted to sleep near a flap. That meant his mom was in the middle -- next to him.

Unfortunately, his dad also flipped his sleeping bag around to give him and his mom their space. Miles's feet were at his mom's head. At least I can still see her face and talk to her, he reasoned.

There wasn't much talking though. For an hour, Hannah read a book on her phone, and Miles subtly studied her while hoping she couldn't read his masturbatory thoughts.

"So, how did you get your crush to notice you?"

"What, honey?" Hannah lowered her phone.

"Oh, I was just curious what you did to get your crush to notice you at that pool party," Miles asked, whimsically.

Hannah smiled and played along. "Why do you wanna know that?"

"I don't know. I'm curious. When I go to the pool party next year and a girl is trying to get my attention, I don't wanna miss the signs."

"Haha!" Hannah threw her head back. "Well, uh... I guess I did normal things," she reminisced. "I remember I did my makeup nicely, I got my hair done, and I wore this bright yellow bikini," she bashfully gritted her teeth.

The image of his mom in a yellow string bikini flashed through Miles's mind. He imagined her at a pool party, slowly trying to seduce him as she showed off her curves. The son was glad a sleeping bag covered his lap. "You probably had to deal with getting hit on by guys all party long before you found your crush."

Hannah was taken aback, but she blushed. She loved the compliment. With a playful arrogance, she shrugged, "Guys are always attracted to the girl all of the other guys want but can't have."

His mom's delightful state and mild inebriation led Miles to believe this was a good time to figure out why she had married his dad. He "jokingly" pressed, "So, if your crush was so amazing, how come you didn't end up marrying him?"

Hannah tilted her head, seemingly considering a serious answer. "Well, that guy made summer fun, but he was an idiot," she laughed. "When you get older and start to value stability in your life, smart guys are a good find." She then pointed at Miles. "Hardbodies with high intellect are a rare find. That's why when your dad got you interested in science, I got you to try out for football... as the kicker. Weightlifting but no concussions."

Miles grinned. I figured she just didn't want me sitting around the house after school, he thought. That was part of it, too.

"Well, anyway, I for one am going to sleep now." Hannah set her ebook down and rolled onto her stomach. "Good night."

"Good night, Mom."

The light from Hannah's phone vanished, and darkness filled the tent. The only sounds were their soft breathing and the growing rustling of the nearby trees. Slowly, Miles's eyes adjusted to the dim blueness of the night, and he could make out the surface of his mom's sleeping face. He was too horny to sleep.

Suddenly, he was in a pool with his mom, her legs wrapped around his waist and his hands firmly holding her ass -- a feeling he now knew. Her arms were around his neck, her chest pressed against his, her pussy rubbed on his cock through her yellow bikini, and her familiar eyes smiled and loved every second of it.

I wonder how she'd react if she knew my dick was hard and this close to her, Miles thought. Their sleeping bags may have been flipped, but their middles were still aligned. His groin was lined up just below his mom's ass. His dad never considered that problem. But why would've he?

Despite his horniness, the son had no intention of doing anything reckless or creepy. Still, he found it perfectly reasonable to turn over onto his side, and if his erection happened to be closer to his mom's body, and he happened to enjoy it, then so be it. I sleep on my side at home, he justified.

The night air was cold but Miles was sweating within fifteen minutes. He unzipped his sleeping bag to his shins, allowing cool relief to fill his bag. For minutes he lay there, knowing his erection was merely a foot from the side of his mom's leg. He studied her face, just feeling her presence.

CRACK! Miles jumped.

A branch outside had snapped under the strong wind. Hannah was in a deep sleep, but her unconscious body reacted to the noise. Fearfully, Miles watched his mom's right leg stretch out, pushing her blue nylon bag onto his sleeping pad.

The son's heart pounded loudly. A tingling spread through his limbs. Even when accounting for the thickness of her sleeping bag, his cockhead couldn't have been more than three inches from his mom's bent leg. Holy fuck...

Miles swallowed and breathed shakily. He quietly surveyed the tent. His mom was sleeping, with her foot resting near his neck, her knee close to his abdomen, and her thigh tantalizingly angling away from his throbbing cock.

What was coming over him? Miles never believed he could be "that type" of guy, but he wasn't thinking clearly. His heart raced, and the fear in his brain was consumed and overpowered by lust.

Using his knuckles, he lightly tapped his mom's quadricep through her sleeping bag. She didn't react. He knocked again using more pressure. Again, she didn't move. If she wakes up, just say you were trying to push her off your area, he decided.

"Mom...? Mom...?" He whispered shakily.

Hannah was dead asleep, enjoying an alcohol-fueled dream.

Meanwhile, Miles was trembling and sweat glistened on his forehead. His mouth was dry and stale in the warming tent. Slowly, silently, he slid his hips forward and raised his knees until he felt the faintest resistance. Oh my god, dude, Miles scolded himself, what are you doing? Fucking stop it!

Even though their thin clothing and his mom's sleeping bag, Miles could feel the warmth of his mom's body against his penis. The tip of his six-and-a-half-inch erection poked and rested on his mom's lower leg, just above her knee. Like hell he was going to stop.

He fearfully stared at his mom's closed eyes to the point where he almost couldn't enjoy what he was experiencing down below. Miles was a horny eighteen-year-old, there was nothing he wanted more than to rub his cum-filled erection against his mom's warm leg. He was bold... but not that bold.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins unrelentingly. The tent had become a sweat lodge. I gotta open a fucking window, he thought. He reached up and unzipped the flap above his head. While the outside temperature had plummeted in the darkness, the sealed nylon had created a body heat chamber for the mom and son. Now, nightly winds blew up under the rainfly and swirled inside the tent. It was a great relief for Miles. Hannah's body felt otherwise.

Shit! Hannah loudly moved in her sleeping bag. Miles prepared for the nightmare of her waking up. Instead, her body was simply reacting to the cold air, and she bundled herself into a compact position. Miles was relieved, but now he was no longer touching his mom. There was a silver lining, however, which the universe had served to him on a silver platter.

When Hannah tucked her legs closer to her body for warmth, she had not only turned away from Miles, she had done so while still spilling onto his sleeping pad. And more than that, her protruding ass was her closest body part to his cock. Fuck me... Miles gulped. He had no idea what he did to deserve this.

Already he missed the sensation of his cock touching his mom. This had to be fate telling him to do it again, right? It had to be. Carefully, he slid down in his sleeping bag and aligned his erection with the hump in his mom's sleeping bag. But his conscience made its last stand. He knew it was wrong.

You can't do it. She's asleep. Yeah, but her sleeping bag is on YOUR side, he reasoned. If your cock presses into her ass, then she can't really blame you for it. She was the one who moved.

It was like he was debating whether he now owned a baseball because his neighbor threw it over his fence. But as Miles's testicles and morality dueled to the death, a frigidly sleeping Hannah decided for him. She pulled her sleeping bag tighter around her and moved back into the warmth of his groin.

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh shit! In the dark, Miles had eyes the size of saucers. His cockhead was not merely touching his mom's ass, it was being smothered. His cold mom must have locked onto a familiar heat source. And his lap was certainly throwing off a lot of heat.

There was no point in negotiating. He could no longer restrain himself. He brought his knees up until his thighs rested against his mom's back. "Ahhh," he lustfully gasped. He had never experienced a feeling more incredible or intimate. Their bodies breathed together while he held his balls and pressed his rigid cock into his mom's firm butt cheek.

Hannah's subconscious had to enjoy the warmth and comfort of the spooning because she responded by gently rubbing her ass deeper into her son's lap. She continued to cozily work her way in until she finally felt settled. After a long exhale through her nose, she released a quiet, moaning sigh from her closed lips.

Miles's lips were dry and chapped. He wanted to cum. He wanted to cum in her right now. He wanted to take his mom and make her his. He could try handling her body or even rubbing his shaft into her amazing ass to see how she'd react. Instead, Miles was grateful for his luck, and he lay still, soaking in the intimate moment.

After what felt like twenty minutes, faint voices sounded from outside. The young son cautiously sat up to look through the window flap. Silhouettes of drunken men moved around a dying fire in the distance. As the inconsiderate Star Gammas erupted in laughter, Hannah was startled.

In a split-second reaction, Miles fell and played dead. Not sleeping -- dead. He froze every muscle and held his breath. He felt his mom stir awake and heard her moan softly. Peeking through his parted eyelids, Miles watched his mom lift her head from her pillow and mutter into the dark. Her drowsy eyes scanned the tent. Apparently, her fogged mind saw no reason to stay awake, and she lowered her head back to her pillow.

Hannah moved to regain her warm, comfortable sleeping position. She wiggled her hips in the crinkling nylon sleeping bag and firmly pushed her lower back and ass into the radiating body behind her. "Mmmm," she breathed, feeling surrounded again.

Hannah's eyes shot wide open.

With a sense of impending doom in her gut, the mother grappled for reality. She thought through where she was, how she was sleeping, and who was next to her. She then felt her ass and the hard object against it.

"Woahhh!" Hannah jolted straight up like a bolt of lightning. She heaved in panic, knowing this was real and not some sort of twisted nightmare. Her son was sleeping, thank god. Or... at least she thought. And she breathed easier.

Suddenly, the crunch of footsteps approached the tent. Ken unzipped the door and tumbled inside, still smelling like whiskey. Hannah couldn't speak.

7 *****

"No, the few clouds hanging around made almost no impact!"

Miles awoke to the sound of carrying voices. Waking up in a tent in the mountains at 6 a.m. was a spiritual feeling. He was cradled by his soft sleeping bag while the morning sun beamed through the orange tent. Then, the son remembered what had happened hours ago.

He sat on his sleeping pad to find himself alone in the tent. Part of Miles hoped his mom remembered last night as a dream, but part of him wanted her to remember how she found comfort by sensually burrowing her ass into his hard cock.

When he joined the others on the expanse of flat rock for breakfast, he noticed his mom looking lost. There were no bags under her eyes, but her defining "bubbliness" was missing. She probably didn't sleep well after that, Miles thought guiltily.

Over their hot meal of freeze-dried eggs and coffee, Hannah was silent. She never recognized Miles's presence -- or anyone else's for that matter.

.She did, however, sneak glances at her son, seeing if he, too, was acting weird

Under clear skies, the team departed camp and ventured through a forest of short alpine bushes. Miles drifted to the back of the caravan, but his mom had the same plan.

plan.

Oh boy... Miles was anxious. But maybe it was a positive sign that his mom was choosing to hike with him? Plus, she was looking gorgeous in a mint-green tank top and silver running shorts.

Just as they lingered far enough behind the rest of the group, Hannah began searching for answers. "So," she yawned, "what time did you end up falling asleep last night?" Her tone was forcefully indifferent.

"Umm... I guess right after you did." Miles had watched too many true crime shows with his mom to be dumb enough to place himself in an incriminating timeline.

"Okay, good. That's good. How long after do you think?"

Miles thought carefully before nonchalantly saying, "Uh, probably only a couple of minutes after."

The mother pursed her lips. He knows something, she thought. "Did you happen to wake up -- at all -- last night?"

"No, why? Did you hear a bear? You should've run outside with Dad's bear mace." The son's joke barely registered.

"Yeah, I might have." Hannah scratched her golden hair. "Hey," she switched to a friendlier face in a sudden change of tactics, "did I happen to steal some of your sleeping space last night? I'm kind of a blanket hog at home and your dad gets mad at me all the time for it. I just wanna make sure I didn't do that to you."

Miles's throat tightened and he could barely speak. His mom knew he was hiding something; she could smell it. And Miles wasn't used to being in trouble... or having to get out of it. You had a great day yesterday, he thought, and now you're going to pay for it. He simply shook his head no.

"I also have a habit of doing things like kicking, and kneeing, and flailing my arms and hitting your dad. Did I make any sort of contact with you last night, in any way?" Even with her son glaring down at the trail, Hannah saw the truth in his eyes. She stopped. And her son did, too. "You know what happened, don't you?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was happening!" Miles blurted out. He had to confess, to at least part of the truth. "I woke up right before you did and I saw what happened. I guess you felt me wake up because you woke up right after I did. Then when you got up I just pretended to be asleep because I didn't want you to see me awake and think I did it on purpose." He breathed heavily and awaited his judgment. But, surprisingly, his mom's round face was redder than his.

"Oh, wow. Okay, um... Listen, Miles, I know it's not your fault," Hannah sighed. She could see his shoulders relax. "Obviously, I didn't know what was happening either. I'm used to sleeping with someone at night, and I got cold. And people move toward other people when they're cold and sleeping," Hannah explained.

She was giving the same speech she had given herself, again and again, the night before. "We were both asleep and we had a couple of drinks, which makes people less aware of certain... phenomena. And it's a simple fact that men become erect when they sleep, especially if they sense a woman's body nearby." Hannah was unabashedly looking at her son's face -- but not in his eyes. "And since I'm used to sleeping next to a man every night, my body sensed certain... things, and it reacted accordingly."

Holy shit, she didn't find out! On the inside, Miles was dancing. It was the best of both worlds -- his mom fully recognized her body being drawn to his cock, and he wasn't in trouble for it. And as a bonus, he got to hear his mom explain away their inappropriate contact. Miles was horny again.

"So, basically..." Hannah summarized, "It's no big deal."

"Yeah, I agree. It's one of those things that's only weird if we choose to make it weird." Miles started down the trail again, as if he was walking away from any suspicion.

"I couldn't agree more," Hannah smiled as she hiked with him. She cheered, You fucking got through that, girl!

"So, what did you think of the eggs this morning? Were yours as liquidy as mine were?"

Hannah forced a change in conversation, and Miles happily accepted. "Yes, they were! Everyone should've listened to me when I suggested we hire that Sherpa-slash-omelette-chef for the trip."The mom and son chatted as they hoofed it down the trail to catch up with the others. Hannah swore she saw movement in her son's shorts, but her eyes away. She didn't want to give in to any paranoia.

8 *****

The goal for the second day was to descend into a valley and then climb the next ridge. Hannah and Miles were talking and humoring each other even more than usual like they were proving to themselves nothing weird happened. Miles was making that difficult, however.

The young son struggled to keep his eyes off of his mom's exposed thighs as she walked. He ogled the slight bounce in her chest each time her boot hit the dirt. None of this went over Hannah's head. She was attractive. She knew what it felt like when a man was checking her out. And her son was checking her out.

It's just a symptom of what happened last night. He's processing it, she told herself. Still, Hannah wondered if it would be best to go hike with her husband for a while. She wanted to escape the strange sensation of her son carnally inspecting her body. But the last thing she wanted to do was change her behavior and essentially admit to herself that her son was having a sexual reaction to her.

Hannah continued to hike with her son. Besides, even with the awkwardness of his wandering eyes, she was still enjoying the chance to spend time with him.

----

Wooosssssshhhhhhhh!

The sound was like white noise blaring through a stereo. The hikers descended the soggy trail to the roaring mountain stream. Low-level rapids ran down the center while peaceful flows gathered along the edges.

"This seems like a good place to wash off," Sebastian determined. His sweaty, sticky, dirty employees already knew this was a great bathing spot because, unlike Sebastian, they had spent months planning the trip. But it was easier to allow Sebastian to believe it was his idea.

When Hannah and Miles caught up to the rest of the group, they followed everyone else's lead by taking off their boots and socks. The refreshing air made their sweaty feet tingle. Miles saw the other men taking off their shirts to swim, and he didn't want to miss the chance to show his mom his hard-earned body. He tossed his white, wick-dry shirt to the ground. He glanced at his mom and thought, Maybe I'll remind her of the guy she wore that yellow bikini for? And probably fucked...

Hannah noticed another wife pointing at her son. She was directing her friend's attention to Miles's carved abs and chest. The suggestive look on her face and following giggle by her friend made it obvious they were enjoying the view. I'm not gonna boost his ego, Hannah chuckled to herself, deciding not to tell her son.

Soon, Hannah was alone on the bank. Everyone else had waded in or fully submerged, but Hannah was hesitant. She could see every other woman in her shorts and sports bra. Overall, Hannah enjoyed her voluptuous chest and the attention it garnered. It was helpful at times and she could cover up when necessary. But there was nowhere to hide in an open stream. She wasn't thrilled about sexualizing herself more in front of her son.

They made eye contact and Hannah could see the expectant look in his eyes. The four women nearby were bathing in their sports bras without care, and Miles seemed to be patiently waiting for her to take off her shirt and join them. Hannah was stressed in her head. He's gonna realize you chose to leave it on. He's gonna realize he made you feel uncomfortable, Hannah thought and stared up at the sky. Ah, shit.

Quickly turning away, Hannah tugged her mint tank top over her head. When she turned back to her son his wide-eyed stare hit her like a physical force. She froze.

Holy fuck... Miles salivated. I wanna shove my cock between them and cum on her chin.

If only Hannah could read her son's mind and learn what he truly thought. But a wiser side of Hannah was glad she couldn't hear his thoughts. Hey, he had a weird night last night. He's gonna have weird thoughts and be confused. This is just part of him processing it.

Besides, Hannah wasn't dumb. She knew there was a simple equation at play: He's an eighteen-year-old boy. He has a dick. He's horny. You have nice tits. Of course, his brain wants him to look. That doesn't mean he feels anything or actually wants anything.

Wearing her silver shorts and black compression bra, Hannah walked into the chilling water. Rarely did Miles have a chance to see his mom's flat stomach and round hips. He savored the view.

"It feels good to finally rinse off," Miles forced small talk. His focus was on his angelic mom gliding toward him through the clear water.

The only thing Hannah could focus on though was the shock of the frigid mountain stream. Her teeth were chattering yet she plunged her body to the shallow bottom anyway. She did her best to hide her attention-grabbing assets below the refractions in the clear water. "Yeah, it's nice to rinse off. They should've put a warning sign at the trailhead about how much dirt there'd be."

She tried to distract herself from the fact that her sports bra revealed the top half of her boobs. Her bones were cold, but she refused to stand. All he's been thinking about for the last month is seeing wet tits coming out of the water, she thought.

And Miles still was. He didn't even hear his mom's humorous reply. He breathed heavily from his bare, hairless chest. It wasn't just Hannah who was hiding a sexual asset beneath the water's surface. "I think Dad has the soap," was the only thing he managed to say.

Upriver, Ken and his friends were surrounding their boss. They were all at least pretending to be interested in what he had to say. Hannah waved in her husband's direction to get his attention, but to no avail. "When he's done sucking up to the boss we'll be able to bathe," Hannah lamented.

Hmm. Never had Miles heard his mom speak that way about his dad. Of course, they joked about him together, but never anything they wouldn't have teased him about to his face. His parents had a respectful relationship, and Miles wasn't sure if he saw a rare moment where his mom had something bad to say or if she had deeper feelings and her tongue had slipped in the cold water.

Regardless, without soap, there was nothing for them to do but tread water and chat. Miles continually flicked his gaze below the surface and Hannah pretended not to notice.

----

Ken finally trudged toward his family, and his coworkers were in tow. "We're checking out a beaver dam downriver if you wanna come with us!"

"Well, actually, we'll just take the soap for now."

"Oh, shoot! Here you go." It had slipped his mind.

"Thanks, Babe," the freezing wife wryly grinned.

As Ken set off, Miles and Hannah were left alone to bathe.

"Here," Hannah broke the bar of biodegradable soap in half. She knew she had to stand up to clean her body properly, and she hoped if Miles cleaned himself at the same time he would be distracted from the, uh, stimuli.

Hannah's hope was dashed rather quickly.

Mindlessly, Miles lathered the soap into his palms and ran his hands over his abs, chest, and biceps. His eyes never left his mom, secretly praying for her to cover herself in suds.

Fuck this shit! Hannah's frustration boiled over. She had already finished with her hair and face. She was beginning to look odd for not bathing. No matter what she did, her son was going to watch her even if it killed him. Fine, you win!

The mother quit delaying the inevitable and emerged from the water. She ran her soapy hands over her torso, arms, and chest at high speed. She stared at a boulder upstream knowing full well her son's green eyes were locked onto the droplets of water and bubbles of soap running down her goosebump-covered breasts. She could practically feel it. She was clean enough and splashed back into the water.

Woah... Miles's erection twitched. He was infatuated with his mom's wet curves and straight, darkened hair. His excitement then grew even more because he realized a more sensual form of cleaning was about to happen. She has to wash her legs next, he thought.

Hannah was already well aware. She darted her eyes everywhere except for her son's face. The longer she waited, the more tension she sensed. Listen, Hannah... You know he's gonna give you that wide-eyed look. There's nothing you can do about it. He's working through last night. He just needs time.

Just as her left thigh breached the flowing surface, she heard someone approaching.

In an instant, Miles watched his mom stiffen from her neck to her toes.

"Hey, you two! How are you guys doing?"

Miles looked at Sebastian step through the water toward them, and then he glanced at his mom. Her shoulders were tense, and her breathing was deliberate.

"We're doing well, Sebastian! How could we complain on a day like this?"

Wow... Miles didn't know how his mom could be so uncomfortable yet act so confidently and smoothly. She masked her emotions remarkably.

"I know! It's gorgeous, isn't it?" The plant manager praised the sky with his lifted hands and then turned his piercing, deep eyes back at Hannah. "I'm overjoyed you two could come. I wanted this to be a real family event. I get to know my employees very well, and yet, I barely know their lives outside of work."

Miles didn't see why that was a problem, but he nodded with his mom in understanding.

"I was pleasantly surprised you came," Sebastian smiled at Hannah. "I see spouses, parents, even cousins at our work parties, but you haven't been able to make it to any lately. We miss seeing you at the plant! Poor Ken always seems to come alone," he laughed in his subtle, rhythmic accent.

Being an observant son, Miles caught Sebastian checking his mom out -- which wasn't abnormal by any means -- but there was a strange coolness and comfort about how he did it.

"Well, as I'm sure Ken has told you, I'm always busy with work. It's nearly impossible for me to get there!" Hannah expressed her regret.

"I know, I feel terrible about our scheduling. Anyway, we should catch up some time so you know what Ken is up to at the plant. He does amazing work, and I have a feeling he's too humble to share it with you."

Hannah flashed a smile until Sebastian walked away to join his employees back at the beaver dam.

While she remained tense, her mind seemed to drift into listlessness. "I'm gonna get out now."

With a sense of duty, Miles followed his mom out of the water. He was concerned as she walked up to the trail and sat on a boulder behind tree cover. She was still barefoot, still soaking wet, and still in her black bra. Miles knew there was a problem when he sat down in full view of her and she didn't even care.

"What's wrong?"

Hannah was silent.

"Mom, I'm not blind. I saw how weird that was," Miles bluntly stated.

Hannah started sobbing in her hands.

Oh, fuck. You idiot! Miles cursed himself for whatever fault he had committed. He was also shocked by how his strong mom had immediately broken down. "Mom, it's okay," he blindly assured. At least nobody from the river could see her weeping.

Hannah cried until she regained her breath. "You're gonna hate me," she wailed.

What? Miles had no idea what she did, but it couldn't change his answer. "That's impossible."

"Yes, you will," she promised. She covered her face. "You'll hate me forever, and I deserve it!"

"Mom," Miles squatted to meet her eye. He was in unchartered waters. "I promise you there's nothing you can do to make me hate you. Just tell me what happened. I promise I won't be mad."

Hannah doubted her son. There was a weight on her chest, one that had been there for some time, and she needed to come clean. "I did something bad with Mr. Garcia."

"Sebastian?!" No way... Miles immediately thought of her most likely offense. He wanted to know more. "Oh, well, uh... I'm not mad if you did anything wrong with him."

Hannah picked her head out of her hands. She stared bewildered through her watery eyes. "How?!"

"I don't know," Miles gathered his thoughts. He never expected this. "I guess because I know you're a good person, and one mistake doesn't make you a bad person."

The mother cracked a soft smile through her tears. She appreciated her son's rosy view of her character. "Thanks for saying that. But I don't think you understand. What I did was really bad."

Yeah, I already know what you did, Mom... Miles thought. "I'm not a kid anymore. I know what adults do. You can tell me. There's nothing I can't handle."

Hannah opened her mouth then paused. Her mind churned, so Miles let her think. "I kissed him on New Year's Eve last year," she bawled.

As out-of-character as her confession seemed, Miles found himself disappointed. He shrugged, "That's not that bad."

Hannah held up her finger. "That's not it," she sniffed. She stared up at the sifting leaves. "Your dad had been flirting with this young receptionist all night. So, he left me alone and I was drinking. And I know that's not an excuse," she clarified.

As Hannah continued to piece together her confession, she relived the night in her head. The wife and mother remembered standing in a crowded nightclub on the second-highest story of a downtown building. It was the New Year's Eve party hosted by her husband's energy plant. It was a swankier affair with loud music and a dark environment.

Ken, as well as other management, were the only ones invited from the plant. A vast majority of the guests were current or potential business clients and their spouses. Hannah was in a sleek, metallic, sequin dress, and she was feeling herself. Her sex life with Ken had been declining, and she was looking forward to teasing him all night with her alluring outfit.

Of course, other women also took the opportunity to dress in enticing clubwear. And one of them was the new receptionist at the plant. Hannah wasn't positive, but she knew she could have only been there at Ken's invitation.

Ken had never been in Hannah's league. Hannah knew it gave him an inferiority complex when together. At work, however, Ken was popular and attractive due to his status and intellect. Hannah knew the plant was where Ken had been bestowed the "bigshot" status he had always craved.

And the passively attractive receptionist, dressed in a red cocktail dress, was giving Ken a type of attention Hannah could never give him, no matter how hard she tried. The receptionist was in Ken's league, and she gave him the ego boost without making him feel inadequate standing next to her in public.

While Hannah understood her husband's problem, she didn't excuse it. It certainly gave him no right to leave her standing alone with a drink in her hand for thirty minutes while he flirted with the receptionist and let her touch him at the bar "on his way to the bathroom."

"So, I saw him there flirting with her..." Hannah continued her abbreviated story to her son, "And then Sebastian came up to me. We talked about random shit, and then he asked me where my husband was." She shook her head shamefully. "I was embarrassed. I had to lie to him because I couldn't tell him my husband was off flirting with some other woman. So, I just told him he was outside getting some air."

Hannah remembered Sebastian's presence and handsomeness in his fine suit. Sebastian told her she looked beautiful and gently tested the boundaries of flirting. Hannah remembered how she grinned because she was finally getting the attention she had wanted from her husband.

She admitted to Miles, "Then Sebastian said something about how your dad better get back upstairs quickly because the ball was gonna drop soon. And I -- kind of in a joking way -- said I wasn't going to be alone at midnight, so if your dad wasn't back, I'd just find some other guy to kiss."

Hannah sheepishly looked at Miles. His reaction was one of surprise but not judgment. She felt secure in continuing her story. "So, of course, Sebastian said 'it would be a crime' for me to be alone and 'If Ken's not back upstairs, then I'll come kiss you myself.' I didn't know if he was joking or serious. But, anyway, when the ball dropped, your dad was still at the bar and Sebastian ended up coming over to me... And we kissed."

Picking at her nails, Hannah thought back to how she waited there alone in the middle of the party, anxiously watching everyone else prepare for the countdown.

The club was buzzing, and people were already blowing on noisemakers and ringing bells. Hannah could see her husband's head floating above the bar on the other side of the packed room. As people began counting down from ten to ring in the New Year, Ken was still excitedly chatting with the receptionist. Hannah considered approaching him and dragging him away. But then she decided if he didn't want to share the special moment with her, then so be it.

It was then when her "joke" about kissing another man grew into a serious thought. Hannah was alone in a tight, sparkling dress, with a hem high on the thigh and a plunging neckline. She had worn it to feel hot. And she was hot. She wanted a man to recognize her and appreciate her.

When the clock struck midnight, confetti rained from the ceiling. A cocktail of disappointment, jealousy, vengeance, and arousal coursed through Hannah's veins. Her heart was racing. Every person seemed to be joyfully kissing another person. While her husband wasn't kissing the receptionist, he was celebrating by her side with a hug.