A Painted Summer

She finished her wine. "Okay. Let me know when you want to start."

They went upstairs shortly after. She fully expected his bedroom to be filled with great masterpieces, and was surprised to find it was sparsely decorated. There was a bedroom bench at the foot of the bed, a few scattered tables and chairs, a handsome dresser and bureau set, and a single large painting that faced the bed.

Sara took a minute to look at it. It was a large painting of the ocean. Dark clouds hung menacingly low in the distance. It looked stormy and dangerous.

Michael saw her admiring it. "I went to Mexico a few summers ago, just before a hurricane struck."

"Wow. You didn't get stuck or have anything bad happen?"

"Oh, the hotel lost power for a few days so that sucked. But it was worth it."

"How come you only have one painting in your room?" She wanted to know.

"My paintings inspire and motivate me. I like to be surrounded by my work. But in my bedroom I just want to relax and sleep. I don't want to be distracted." He glanced at the painting. "This one is my favorite. You can get a sense of foreboding from it. It makes me want to stay in bed and weather out the storm from the comfort of my sheets." He moved his attention to a large bathroom off to the side. "Shall we?"

He already had his tools set up. The bathroom was large, spacious and immaculate. Off to the side was a standing shower. Sara was surprised to see it was completely open. A large shower head hung from the ceiling, and the corner of the room was decorated in cool white tiles with gray tones from floor to ceiling. She noticed none of the paints were out from before. Instead, there was a small box with dark sticks lined up of varying thickness.

"You aren't using paints for this one?" She asked.

"No. I don't want to provide too much detail yet." He said, examining the box, then selecting a thinner piece. "Go ahead and strip."

She took off her jeans, then, after a second of hesitation, her shirt. She was glad that she had selected a matching lace bra and panties to wear. Not that it mattered. Michael barely looked up as she slowly reached around and unclasped her bra. After a second, all she had on was her lace turquoise thong.

He looked up and froze for a brief second. She was standing there, looking at him. Her skin was tan, and her breasts were a large teardrop shape. The dip in her abdomen led lower to very small underwear.

"Ah, okay." He recovered quickly and went over to the dial on the wall and put the water on. Water sprayed out of the showerhead. He adjusted the water so that it was warm, then lessened the water pressure so that it was a finer mist. Then he went to the easel, and picked up the charcoal.

He stared at her for another second, eyes lingering on her large pink areolas.

"Mmm." He said, then started.

Sara couldn't help a quick smile. She heard what he said when his eyes stopped on her. She started to feel better about this experience. Plus the water felt so relaxing. She tilted her head up and let the spray wash over her and down her body.

After awhile, he stopped. "I think I'm done."

She stepped out, grabbed a nearby towel, and walked over to the canvas. It was a smaller piece than last time. She was surprised at the level of detail he achieved with the simple medium. It really looked like her, taking a shower. She was looking up, with her eyes closed, one hand up to feel the water as it came down, the other hand just above her right breast.

"You really are amazing at this." She said.

He put his tools away and started cleaning his hands. "Take off your underwear. I'll dry it quick for you."

She went in the other room, away from view, and dropped the towel so she could easily pull off her thong. Then she wrapped the towel around her waist and went over to him.

His eyebrow raised at the tiny material. "Well. That is tiny."

She grinned, unsure of how to respond. "I can just throw it in the dryer-"

He took it. "Just sit and hang out. I'll be back in ten minutes. This will dry in no time."

He left, and Sara took the opportunity to sit at the bench at the end of the bed and look at the painting. The clouds were dark and low. It made Sara want to curl up in bed and hide under the comforter, too. She turned and noticed that he had the same floor to ceiling windows on one side of the bedroom that were downstairs, overlooking the beautiful view. It was dark outside now. They still had to put dinner together. Luckily she had cooked the chicken and noodles already. She didn't think it would take too much time.

He came back shortly after, and she got dressed while he went downstairs. Then they made dinner and sat at the table next to the kitchen.

"This is amazing." He said, grabbing a clementine with dressing off his plate.

"It's mostly my daughter. She has a natural talent for cooking. She made the dressing for me." She said, trying to wrap a noodle around her fork.

"I can't wait for next week's meal." He said.

"Oh." Sara said. "I actually have plans next week. Well, the next few weeks. I'm going on a road trip."

"A road trip? Where are you going?" He wanted to know.

"I'm going to see the Hoover Dam. And Las Vegas. And the Great Salt Lake. And maybe Yellowstone too. And the Rockies. And the Grand Canyon. I want to see it all."

"When are you coming back?" He asked, thinking.

"I don't have a set date but probably two or three weeks."

"Is your daughter going with you?"

"No. She got a job as a camp counselor this summer. And honestly road trips bore her. She wants to stay here and work."

"I will go with you." Michael said.

It was totally unexpected. "Don't you have work?" She asked.

"I can work while we are on the road. And I can do some sketches and paintings while on the road."

Sara felt a small thrill go through her. The more time she spent with Michael, the more she liked him. She was starting to develop a serious crush on him.

"Ah, there is one thing - I already booked most of the rooms. I booked one room. I don't know if there are openings-"

"We can share a room." He said, looking at her. "I don't have a problem with that."

Sara loved when he looked at her. He had an intensity that melted her heart. "Um, okay."

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, Sir." She smiled at him.

This was going to be interesting.

"Look, there's a spot." Michael pointed out as she came up to an open parking spot. He closed his laptop and they got out. They were on the first day of their road trip and had just driven to the Hoover Dam. They got to the sidewalk and walked over in the hot sun. The dam was, in a word, huge. Sara felt so small as she gazed upon the vast expanse of water that the dam held back. The other side was a huge vista that went on for as far as she could see. It was an incredible feat of engineering.

They decided to do the tour, to learn more about it.

After, they started for Las Vegas. She had never been there and wanted to spend a few days exploring.

By the time they got to the hotel, the sun was setting. The hotel was on the outskirts of town. Sara wanted to see the casinos and night life, but she also wanted to explore the natural features of the land, too.

They got to the room and Sara noticed that the bed appeared to be a queen. "I didn't realize the bed would be so small." She said as they put their stuff down. "Can you handle it?"

"I can." He said, looking at her. "Can you handle it.....Sara?"

Sara caught the double entendre immediately and felt herself flush unexpectedly. His eyes stared at her and she felt like he was studying her soul. "Um....yes...." She said.

When she had packed, she decided against bringing her vibrator since she assumed she would get almost no personal time alone. At once she realized how foolish that was. They weren't going to be taking showers together. She could easily get a few minutes to herself without him knowing. She had noticed a sex shop nearby. She would have to find a way to stop in to make a quick purchase.

They went out, had dinner, then came back. They each showered off, then got into bed. It was comforting to know he was so close to her. But Sara was careful not to touch him.

"I found a neat park that's not too far from here." He was saying. "I think we should do a painting tomorrow by the water if we can find a private spot."

"Okay." She said softly. She was so tired. She had driven all day so he could work. Soon she was asleep.

"Good, good, just like that." He was saying. "You look great."

She couldn't help beaming as she looked over at him. She was laying partially submerged along the bank of a lake. The sand was soft and warm. She wore a white one piece bikini with a deep V and some gold tone hardware on it. There were no cups for coverage - only the stretchy material - and Sara could feel her nipples harden as the cool water lapped at her legs. The bathing suit left little to the imagination.

"Great." He said, grabbing his camera and taking a few shots.

"I thought you only do that when the background changes." She said.

He paused. "There are a few clouds. I want the full sun on you."

Sure, she wanted to tease, but it was hard to tell if he was being serious or not.

After awhile, she started feeling bored. "Can we wrap this up soon?"

"Sure, sure. You can get up." He said.

She stood up and went into the water to wash off the sand. It was going to be a hot day and the cool water felt so good. The back of the suit was rutched and Michael paused to study her backside. Her work clothes hid her body very well. She had a fairly plump derrière that the suit could not contain and Michael had to adjust himself while she wasn't looking.

Then she came over to grab her towel and study what he created.

"Wow." She said. "I look..." I look like I want you, she wanted to say.

"Beautiful." Michael said, staring at the picture. She had a look of desire on her face. He included a lot of bright colors of nature. There were fresh evergreens and an orange rock face in the background. Each work he created seemed more and more emotional than the last one. Sara was secretly pleased that he came on the trip with her. She was having a great time. She wanted to explore the west on her own even though she knew it would give her plenty of time to worry about her condition. But with him around, she didn't have time to dwell on her worries. Instead she was focused on him. She felt like a school girl with a silly boy crush. Except Michael was a man. A strong, chocolate man that gave her butterflies in her stomach whenever he looked at her.

They packed up and got back to their room so they could change and go out to lunch. After lunch they walked around for a bit. The city was crazy. It was full of beautiful people, expensive cars, and lights everywhere, even during the day.

"I want to go down to the waterfront and take some pictures." He was saying.

"Okay. I think I'm just going to go back to the room and lay down for a bit." She said. She was feeling sweaty as the hot summer sun beat down on them.

They split up, and she stopped at the sex shop she noticed before, to buy a vibrator and batteries. She was starting to feel an increase in sexual tension from being around Michael constantly. She was relieved to get a chance alone.

She hurried back to the room, threw her stuff down, got the vibrator ready, and went into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, then stripped quickly and turned it on. God it felt so good. This morning while he was painting her, she had been studying him too. She had studied his thick biceps and a hint of abs through his fairly tight shirt. She had also studied his crotch and imagined what it would be like to rip open his jeans and pull out his cock. She thought about what it would be like to suck his hard cock, to swirl her tongue around his member, devouring him.....

At once the door to the bathroom opened. "Sara, I-" Michael stopped when he saw her.

She was completely naked, a foot resting on the closed toilet lid, with her face flushed. It looked like she was holding something between her legs. Sara couldn't even think of a single thing to say. Because what was going on was exactly what it looked like.

"Um, I just need a minute." She said, her voice higher than normal. It was horrifically embarrassing that he caught her in a most compromising situation.

He licked his thick lower lip, his voice husky. "I can help you."

"Um, that's okay." She said. "I just need...."

She saw that he moved a hand to the front of his pants and was rubbing a bulge that had suddenly appeared.

"Um..." Sara was breathing hard, feeling an overwhelming desire to suck his cock. She needed his hard dick in the worst way.

He stepped in, closed the door, and unzipped his pants. In seconds Sara was on her knees, helping him pull himself out. His cock was nearly fully erect and was huge. Sara had never seen such a well-hung man. She felt her thighs get wet and assumed she was probably leaking on the floor as she rubbed her tongue around the thick mushroom head. Soon her saliva coated him as she bobbed him in and out of her mouth, trying to take in as much as she could. She worked him with her hands and felt him swell and throb.

"Stand up, by the sink." He said in a low voice, grabbing her vibrator that had fallen to the floor. She leaned forward and felt him seek, then penetrate her. She could feel his veins rub against her and she cried out as he filled her. He moved the vibrator to her clit, and she took it, moving it rapidly against her as his hardness pushed inside, forcing her to accommodate his girth. She pushed down against him, even though it hurt to have him poke the end of her. She wanted to feel his whole cock inside. Her pussy was being stretched to the limit and she cried out. She felt like an animal in heat as he started pounding her with his swollen member.

With just a few strokes, he felt her pussy clench, then start contracting. He felt a flood of warmth from her and knew she was coming as she cried out. He felt the slight buzzing from the vibrator, and a few seconds later he tensed up, then erupted deep inside her, his seed flooding her hot well, waves soaking her inside.

She was slumped over at the sink, trying to catch her breath. Michael looked up at the mirror and saw that they were both sweaty. She was shaking. Orgasmic juices were running down both their legs.

"Okay." He said finally, feeling his member slide out of her and letting more cum fall out in the process. "Let's shower off."

He turned the water on and they both got in and cleaned up. Sara felt a huge relief after the experience they had just shared. She no longer felt tense and nervous. It was amazing how normal she felt now. She noticed he seemed more relaxed too.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go on a boat ride around downtown." He said. "Unless you are too tired..."

"Oh." She laughed. "Actually I feel a lot better now. That sounds like fun."

They got dressed. He wore slacks and a crisp shirt and she put on a small wrap dress that showed off the curve of her breasts and her shapely tanned legs.

Michael studied her before they left. "You look really good." He said, smiling at her.

She felt such warmth from him. She grabbed his hand and they left for the city.

"This view is great." Michael said from the porch of the cabin. He spent all morning working on a painting of the view below them - the Great Salt Lake. Sara wasn't in the painting this time. It gave her an opportunity to sit and watch him work. Before long, the landscape came to life on his canvas. Sara had never been good at art, and it was amazing how with certain strokes and colors he was able to manipulate the scene he was creating.

She had rented a cabin in the mountains overlooking the huge lake. They would be there for 3 days, relaxing and exploring.

"Why are you working in insurance?" She asked him suddenly. "It's obvious that this is your passion."

He paused, brush in midair. "As good as I am, it's very hard to make a living as an artist. Being a broker allows me to pay the bills and live the way I want."

She said her next question carefully. "Is that why you don't have patience with people?"

He seemed to brush harder against the canvas. "I don't have patience for people because people are stupid. And I have to work twice as hard because I'm a black man. You would be surprised at the amount of prejudice and racism that still exists in this world today."

Sara felt her heart ache. She could think of nothing to say, so she got up quietly and went behind him, slowly putting her arms around him. He stopped working and put a hand over hers, squeezing it. She stayed like that. She wished she could take all of his hate from him and replace it with love. It made her sad to think that he carried such anger in his heart.

Finally she let him go. "Let me know when you want lunch." She said softly. They had gotten sandwiches from a local shop earlier that morning.

After lunch they went for a drive along the mountains. Sara never got tired of the view. Before they went back to the cabin, they drove along part of the Great Salt Lake until they found a grocery store where they picked up provisions for meals for the next few days. The day was hot and humid. The clouds were a thick gray and Sara wondered if they would get a thunderstorm later.

They made a pizza topped with roasted vegetables and cheese and had an early dinner. Then he told her to put on one of her small wrap dresses.

She went outside on the porch and saw he was setting up a new canvas and she felt a thrill of excitement.

"How should I pose?" She asked.

"Just look out at the lake. I heard some thunder a few minutes ago. Keep looking out. I think we might get a storm."

Soon after, it started raining. He wasn't quite finished with the painting, and the porch had a roof, but he started packing up his materials anyway so that nothing would get damaged by the rain.

She looked at what he had painted so far. She was on the edge of the canvas, looking out at the Great Salt Lake, with mountains and tall evergreens reaching up towards a dark, low sky. His talent was remarkable. She turned and kissed him. His lips were thick and tasted almost salty. His hair was very short and she felt it, pressing himself to her, enjoying the different texture. After a moment he started hissing her back with a voracious intensity that left her breathless. She opened her mouth, letting him explore, giving him what he was seeking. His expert hands caressed the line where her dress gave way to her cleavage, then he pulled it open, letting her breasts free. He cupped her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples. she felt them contract and she groaned.

"Does it hurt?" He asked suddenly.

"No....no." She said. And even if it did, she probably wouldn't stop him. It was the first time he had asked her a question about her cancer. She felt an overwhelming depression quickly consume her. She hadn't really thought much about her condition since they started their trip. They had been so busy. And he was so distracting to her in a delicious, sexual way.

"Let's go inside." He said, as it started raining harder.

They went into the bedroom where he stripped, then helped her out of her dress. She forgot about her worries as he laid down over her, sucking and tasting her, bringing her to orgasm. Then he entered her wet folds, sliding inside, forcing her tight pussy to accept his size. She cried out, holding onto him as he moved, feeling his sinewy muscles tense up, breathing his musky scent in and giving him what he desperately needed. She heard him groan as he pushed a final time, keeping his member fully inside as he emptied himself, finally getting relief. He stayed on top of her, resting as she rubbed his back and his neck. She had tears in her eyes. She couldn't shake the fear she had about her upcoming treatment. Michael kissed her and brushed her hair back, feeling her tears.