Paul Mall: The Tough Get Coming

"So anyway," her mother was saying, "your old room is pretty much crammed full now with boxes and old furniture and everything else that was in the way around the house. We moved your bed into Bill's room, and he's been using it as extra space to spread out his schoolwork and books."

Although she heard everything her mother had said, Gwen's mind locked only on the statement that her bed was now in her brother's room, and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. She coughed to clear her throat.

"Well, it's no problem then," she said, happy to hear she was able to keep the nervous quaver out of her voice. "I didn't come home to lock myself in a room all by myself. All I need is a place to sleep at night – you don't mind sharing your room with me at night, do you, Billy?" she asked.

Bill looked up at his sister, ready to give a flippant reply, although he really didn't care one way or the other, and then their eyes locked.

Bill was stunned at what he thought he saw smoldering in his sister's eyes, and for the first time since she'd gotten home he really looked at her.

With Gwen dressed in a college t-shirt that fit boldly around her swelling breasts, Bill realized she wore no bra under it, her nipples lightly outlined in the dark material. Tight-fitting jeans molded to the curves of her hips and long, shapely legs, ending in dark, softleather boots with high heels. But his eyes kept flashing back up to her own bright blue ones, and the unmistakable message of sensuality there.

"I… uh… no problem…" he finally managed to croak out, then turned away from them and swallowed half his soda in one bolt to try and moisten his dry throat. Jesus, what am I thinking of! he thought wildly. My luck with girls has finally changed this last year of school now that I've gotten rid of that damn acne. What the hell am I getting excited about my own sister for, for crying out loud!

Gwen had seen the confusion in Bill's face, and then, watching his gaze suddenly shooting up and down her body, followed by his quickly turning away, told her all she needed to know. She grinned to herself – My little brother is horny, too! And Lord, does he ever look like our father!

Her father! Gwen suddenly turned back to her mother.

"Guess that's settled then. But where's Daddy? I thought he'd be home from work by now."

"He is, honey. He's working in the backyard." Carol walked over to the kitchen window and shouted out to the backyard. "Ken, honey? Can you come inside for a minute?"

She turned back and grinned at Gwen. "Here he comes – he's really going to be surprised to see you, honey. I think he's missed you more than anyone. You know how fathers are when their little girls go away!"

Gwen's heart skipped a beat at the news. She knew she was probably clutching at whatever straws she could get, but after the positive reaction from her brother, she was more firm than ever in her resolve to make it in the sack with her father.

She heard steps moving up onto the back porch, and then the kitchen door swung open and her father strolled in, wiping his hands on his jeans.

"Okay, what's the… Gwen?" He stopped and a wide smile split his handsome face. "Gwen, baby?"

Gwen could barely contain herself at his appearance. He had obviously been working in the backyard for some time, as he wore an old faded pair of blue jeans and work boots. He wore no shirt, and his hairy and muscular torso gleamed with sweat, deeply tanned by the sun. She glanced back and forth from father to son and it was like seeing twins with twenty years between them! Her father was still ruggedly handsome at 42 years old and, except for some slight thinning back on his forehead, still had a full head of sandy hair, while flashing the same deep-blue eyes he shared with both his children.

"Daddy! Oh, Daddy!" she suddenly cried and rushed across the short space to throw her arms around him, pressing her face to his sweaty chest. The musky, manly smell of his body filled her nostrils like perfume, and she knew there would never be anything about her father that she didn't like. She encircled his waist with her arms, squeezing tightly, holding on almost more to keep herself upright as her knees were shaking slightly, being so close to him. Being away for eight months had affected her feelings for him alright – whereas before she had been an infatuated little virgin, she was now a sexually experienced young lady who was more in love than ever with the thought of having her father make love to her.

Ken reached down and stroked his daughter's golden hair, his eyes watering just as his wife's had at first sight of their long-absent daughter.

He hooked a thumb under her chin and pulled her head up to face him, then kissed her gently on the forehead. "I've missed you, baby-doll," he grinned, squeezing her shoulders in his large hands.

"Oh, and I've missed you, too, Daddy," Gwen said, hugging him tightly.

"I've missed you all," she added, turning to smile back at her mother and brother. "But now we've got a whole week to catch up on things."

The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent in loud conversation that often broke down into bursts of uncontrollable laughter as the family gathered around the dinner table to talk about things that had happened both at home and with Gwen at school in the long months since they'd last seen one another.

Gwen found herself at ease the whole time, so much to talk about that she was able to put aside her thoughts of seduction and just relax in the warm glow of her family's presence again.

But finally her father rose from the table and stretched, his body cracking slightly as he bent backward. "Ahhh, all this sitting and talking has worn me out more than working all day. I hate to retire so early, but I'm afraid you'll have to carry me to bed if I stay up any longer. You coming, Carol?"

"Yes," she replied, also rising from the table and starting to gather up the empty glasses they collected throughout the evening. "I'll be up in a minute."

"Great to have you home again, baby," Ken said as he leaned over Gwen's chair, again resting his hands on her shoulders. As he bent down to kiss her cheek goodnight, Gwen suddenly moved her head slightly and their lips met. Ken simply thought of it as a fatherly kiss, but to Gwen it was like an electric shock had shot up her spine as their lips brushed briefly.

"Goodnight, Daddy," she sighed as he moved back.

"'Night, baby, you sleep well. You, too, junior!" he grinned and tousled Bill's hair as he walked by his son's chair.

After their mother had also said goodnight, both brother and sister stayed up a few more hours, now talking over old secrets they remembered sharing when growing up, and Bill revealed a growing confidence with girls. Gwen had never seen him going out on a date the whole time she was living at home. But with the changes in his physical appearance had come a new confidence in himself that girls seemed to notice, and he had been making up for lost time.

Eventually both Gwen and Bill started to feel tired, and glancing at the old mantle clock Gwen was surprised to see it was only eleven.

"Been a busy day, so much happening that it seems to have lasted longer," Bill observed as they rose and headed up the stairs. "I feel worn-out."

When they entered his bedroom there was an awkward moment of silence as both of them contemplated the two beds, sitting only three feet away from each other at one side of the room.

"Uh," Bill cleared his throat, then went to the closet and pulled out a bathrobe, "I'll take my shower first, then you can have the bathroom after I'm finished."

"How come you always get to use the bathroom first?" she laughed, pulling off her boots and pretending to throw one at him. "Some things never change."

Bill grinned from around the door to the small bathroom he had to himself. His eyes once again ran over his sister's lush body, and he said quietly, "I don't know. I think some things change a lot."