Prelude to Love-- A Midnight Seductions Fall Flasher

The reflection of the fireworks rained inside the lake. Ally sat atop the knoll overlooking the magical display, remembering the last time she and Mike had made love. She trailed her hand across the cool grass and smiled. The next day a heart attack had taken him. He was only thirty-eight.

Taking the last sip of wine, she stowed the glass in her picnic basket and stood. She’d toasted Mike one last time, laying down her mantle of tears, ready to begin life anew.

The fireworks finale had begun and she looked up at the last remnants of color falling through the sky. Music captured her attention and anxious to join the gathering, she swung the basket at her side and made her way down the hill toward the throng of people gathered along the lake’s shore.

The music grew louder as she neared and people flocked to the pavilion. Couples danced to the sensual beat of a love ballad. The image of being held in a man's arms sent a heated shiver up her spine. Five years was a long time to go without a man's touch.

Maybe she wasn't ready for all the frivolity. Turning toward the lake, she skirted the crowd, and walked to the end of the pier. She sat down on the edge and dangled her feet in the water. The ripples created as she swished her toes through the blackness, incited the moon's reflection to bounce excitedly.

She lifted her long, red hair away from her neck. Temperatures had soared and the air lay heavy and wet. Checking to make sure no one watched, she pulled her cotton shift over her head and removed her bra and panties.

Her body dropped into the water, letting the icy liquid engulf her. She eased onto her back and floated. The lingering scent of gunpowder slowly dissipated, its cloud moving with the gentle breeze stirring above.

A quiet snap startled her. She righted herself, treading water, and looked back at the shore, clearly making out the silhouette of a man. Can he see me? She remained as motionless as possible and prayed he'd walk away.

****

Jackson stood at the water's edge and watched her float in the moon's reflection. He first caught sight of her making her way to the hilltop and followed, watching her from the shadows of the wooded area. Each time a rocket burst into the air, its light cascaded over her like a waterfall. His cock swelled, just as it did that night she'd given him his very first kiss.

Ally Kenyon. He hadn’t laid eyes on her in twenty-four years, but he'd never forgotten her. The object of all his wet dreams during high school and she still made him hard. Jackson stripped out of his clothes and waded into the water. She was the one that had gotten away, and by damn, she wouldn’t get away again.