Ages:

Tim - 48
Jim - 46
Delia - 46
Melinda - 42
Ned - 20
Katie - 16
Aaron - 12
Mackenzie - 7

Enjoy! :) xx Mariah

Before the kids came along, Melinda and Jim traveled a little, not far, but they traveled. Two of their friends got married at a vineyard in Sonoma Valley and while those places were beautiful, vibrant and truly the sorts of sights everyone really ought to see before they die, but this tiny little lake house, with its wide windows and dock leading out to cold, lapping, crystal-blue water was where The Clancy's kept coming back to.

He wasn't even sure it counted a vacation house anymore, really, it's their second home and while Jim loved every version of his wife— he loved to love the side of her that would come out at the lake house.

Melinda was many things. She was a kind-hearted small-town businesswoman, an over-protective and loving mother, a fiercely independent woman who never backed down on her goal, but there was a special place in his heart for Melinda at the lake house because she was the most extraordinary being he'd ever met. The lake house was where Melinda's truest, most brilliant smiles came the easiest.

It's where a fishing line flew from the natural extension of her arms and always found its target, even when they'd have to fib a little about how the formerly swimming creature that daddy caught to be their dinner from the lake was just purchased at the grocery store. It's where her patience was endless, be it teaching their youngest to walk here or teaching their sinks-like-a-stone son to swim for the first time, or explaining to their part-mermaid daughter that it's pretty frightening for them when Katie would dive under the dock and wouldn't come up for several minutes at a time.

In a way, he thought the lake house was really where they all felt the most at home, even though they're hours away from Grandview. Who knew? Maybe it's the noted lack of distraction via cable, wifi, and cell phone reception, but when they were all there, it's where their family seemed to work best.

Katie raved about how her best ideas came when she sat under the big sycamore tree, Aaron didn't have to worry about wearing his baseball lands and Mackenzie could run and swim her little heart out. Not to mention the fresh air that came in their window lulled them to sleep early and almost all the way through the night, every night.

It gave him and Melinda the chance to clean up and settle in from the exquisite exhaustion of a full day of hiking and swimming with them before they could finally exhaust one another to sleep. The moonlight peeked perfectly through their own open window and illuminated her face as they would make love.

Those were the moments he wished he could replay, the ones where he would watch her face come undone in the moonlight, grasping onto his hips. Even when being quiet for the sake of not disturbing the little ones down the narrow hallway, it's where they would come together and apart in the most intimate ways.

Melinda and Jim knew it was not a ski chalet in Switzerland or a beachside bungalow on the Gold Coast. It was definitely not an incense-infused marketplace in Marrakech and it would probably always lack the grandiosity on a vineyard in Sonoma Valley — but this place was theirs and it was their favorite place in the entire world.

The Clancy family had been counting down the days until their two-week-long trip to the lake house. It had been on the calendar since the beginning of May when it came up in dinner conversation. Being that it was finally June, the kids were finally out of school and Jim hadn't taken more than the occasional day off in over a year, Melinda and Jim wanted to kick off summer with their kids at their favorite home away from home.

The house was crazy at this point. Everyone was finishing up their packing, running amuck to find the things they wanted to have with them while they were gone. Aaron came running down the stairs, bag in hand, and dropped it by the door for his dad.

"You excited to go to the lake house, Aaron?" Melinda asked as she finished packing food from the fridge into the cooler.

Her son came into the kitchen, taking one of the sandwiches she'd left out for everyone to eat before they left and sat on a stool.

"Is dad coming?" Aaron asked, covering his mouth as he chewed.

"Of course I'm going! Made sure to save enough vacation time up." Jim said and ruffled his hair as he came up from the basement. Her husband held different sports equipment they'd forgotten to bring down last time and walked towards the opened front door. "Hey bud, once you're finished with that sandwich can you come and give me a hand?"

"Sure, dad," Aaron finished the first half and started on the second as he went to grab himself a soda, but Melinda traded it for a Capri-Sun and put the soda in the cooler. "Ugh, mom."

"Nice try," she laughed and shook her head. "You can have some later."

Jim came back inside as Aaron finished his sandwich and could see that the only child that wasn't downstairs and ready to go was their oldest (who was usually done first) and it confused him. "Where's Katie? Wasn't she packed two days ago?"

"She's having a wardrobe crisis," she sighed, overdramatically rolling her eyes at her daughter's antics even if she could be just as dramatic. Jim's arm tucked around her waist and he kissed her cheek as she spoke, listening to her. "I think she's completely repacking her suitcase and changing her current outfit. She definitely wants to present a better image to Ned than what she would've just worn around us."

"Why the antics though?" He laughed and closed the cooler, making sure it was latched before he picked it up. "I'm gonna go put this in the jeep."

"I guess she didn't know Ned was coming and it slipped out while we were packing the cooler. Now she's having a mental breakdown." She sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "I'm just guessing it's because he broke off that fling with that last girl he had around. What was her name again?"

"I think it was Jess, but oh well. That's about the most normal thing she's done lately." He said, moving to leave the kitchen, and Aaron opened the front door for him instead. "Thanks, bud."

"Mom? Where's that new swimsuit we bought the other day?" Katie asked from the top of the stairs.

"I thought you packed it already," Melinda said as she walked up to the railing. "You said you packed the green one and the new one."

"The new black one?" Katie asked, coming down a few more stairs. "I can't find that one."

"Oh, your new black one is in the dryer, remember?" She said, going into the closet under the stairs. Melinda grabbed it and walked up the stairs to give it to her. "Will you at least tell me why you're freaking out so much?"

The teen sighed and took the bathing suit from her. "Thanks, and I wasn't freaking out mom," Katie said and smiled. "I do need your opinion on something. The dress for Ned's birthday dinner tonight."

"That's what freaked you out. His birthday?" She whispered, following her up. "It's just dinner at Angler's, Katie. We go there all the time."

The teen sighed and turned around with an eye roll as she stomped back into her room. Melinda followed her and could see that it hadn't been a complete repack type situation. She had definitely had a few of those herself, but it looked like it was probably just a few outfits for Katie.

"I don't know if I'm tan enough yet to pull off a bright color," Katie sighed, pulling out a new dress she'd gotten at the mall when they were swimsuit shopping back in May. "Do you think I should just wait until my birthday to wear this?"

"Yeah. That might be a little too bright." She said, tucking the highlighter green dress into her closet. Melinda looked around, rummaging through her closet until she came across a short, blueish tint dress that had square-cut, curved and shimmery fabric. "What about this one?"

"Maybe," Katie bit her lip, slowly taking the hanger from her. She held it to her, touching the end of the skirt. "Are you sure it isn't too much? It's kind of shiny."

"Maybe add this to make it more casual," she took one of the belts Katie hand hanging on the back of her closet door down. It was modern, leather and black. "Maybe a jacket too, but hey, I just heard Delia pull in. I better go say hi and see that your dad is packing the car right. Do you need any more of my help?" Katie shook her head and set the dress inside her suitcase, moving back toward her closet as Melinda left and quickly made her way downstairs and out the front door. "Hey, guys!" She said, waving from the doorway as she stepped out of her home. "You guys excited for a fun two weeks? Jim just got the boat in the water last weekend, so we're all set for some water fun too."

"We are all just so excited to spend time with all of you guys," Delia said and leaned into Tim's embrace as she came around from the passenger side.

"Sweet!" Ned cheered, hearing about the boat being in the water. "You guys still got the water skis right? I didn't get a chance to go out on them the last year." The young man had walked over to Jim now, helping him fit a suitcase into the back of the jeep.

"Yep. I even got the tubes aired up in the shed tii," Jim said and patted his back. "I think Aaron's finally gonna try this year."

"No, he is not." She said, stepping off the stairs. "He's still too young. I told him he could when he's in seventh grade."

"Katie go to try when she was ten. That's not fair," Aaron whined, peeking out of the rolled down Jeep window.

He frowned at her, hoping it would win her over but she didn't budge. "But Katie's a dancer and has always had strong legs." She explained, sighing, looking at Aaron. She supposed he was old enough to try. She just didn't want him to get hurt. "You're my strong little boy, but I don't want you getting hurt."

"Mom, please? I'm going to be twelve this year." Aaron said, pulling back to sit in his seat before his mother could kiss him or something.

"I'll think about it, but no more whining or it's a no." She sighed, hearing the rolling of what had to be her youngest's suitcase. "Kenz, are you ready?"

"Yep!" The seven-year-old said hopping outside with her pink suitcase. "I am all ready to get out of here."

Melinda couldn't contain her laughter and smiled as she watched Jim run up toward the house and engulf her in his arms. "My sweet little princess!" Jim said and rushed to the little blonde, picking her up and spinning her around. He even kissed her on the cheek. "Shall I escort you to the car?"

"Sure, daddy." Mackenzie giggled, wrapping her arms around him. "Will you grab my suitcase?"

"Of course, princess." He said and grabbed the pink handle. He brought her over to the jeep and set her in her booster seat before going to put her suitcase in the trunk while Mel buckled her in. "Is Katie almost done? I think sh ha's the last bag."

"Almost. She was just finishing up packing when I last peeked in. There was a minor meltdown about her outfit choices, she said, smiling at her husband. "We're not in a huge hurry though, right?"

"No. I guess not," he shrugged. "I'm just excited to have some time with you. It's been a little too long."

"It has," she leaned up to kiss him briefly before she rubbed her palms on his chest softly. "I was thinking about maybe letting Katie drive a little bit when we're down there. She has to work on her turns before her next driving lesson."

"That's a good idea. We can both take her out," he said. "Got anything else for me to grab?"

"No. I think we're good." She smiled, stepping back. "I'm gonna go get my purse." She stepped into the foyer, seeing Katie pulling down her suitcase. "Finally. Your dad is waiting for your suitcase. It's the last one."

"Sorry I took so long. I just wanted to be sure about all that I was bringing," Katie slugged her backpack around her shoulder too. "How do I look?"

Her sixteen (almost seventeen) year-old daughter stood at the base of the stairs and Melinda almost wanted to lock her in the closet under the stairs. Katie looked like a grown woman, not that she wasn't one. Her daughter had grown up so much lately. She was wearing one of those while lace crop tops that only covered half of her slim stomach. Her white sunglasses sat atop her long dark hair that flowed over the neckline of her shirt, which matched her sandals. Let's not forget her black shorts with white daisies on them that only went to her mid-thigh.

"You look really beautiful, Katie," she said, letting go just a bit. Her daughter was more than old enough to pick out her own clothes, and there was nothing wrong with how good her daughter looked. Melinda grabbed her purse and smiled. "Let's get going though. I want to get to the cabin soon."

After dinner, Melinda looked out the kitchen window as she was washing the dishes with Aaron, and the sight the woman saw made her smile. Jim and Ned were collecting wood from their small stashing they kept with Katie and Mackenzie nearby. They were having one of their usual fires while Jim sang to Florida Georgia Line song on the radio to embarrass Katie.

"Strawberry shimmer on hot lips. Silver buckle hangin' off her hips. Eyes sparkle when she smiles. Shine down on the radio dial." Jim sang proudly, his voice creaking and cracking a lot.

Melinda bit her lip to keep from laughing at the little dance he was doing. The woman would bet her all her money that her suburban-raised husband had never listened to country music much before today.

"Homemade jar o' lemon drop, take a sip. Don't stop girl, you know I love it when you get your shine on!" He sang, coming over to Katie.

The teen covered her face and groaned. "Dad! Stop it."

"Come on, Katiebug," he said, pulling her to her feet. He set her journal aside and twirls her around. "You used to dance and sing with me all the time."

"If you stop singing this song then I will you dance with you like old times daddy," Katie laughed, leaning into him as they danced together, both laughing like the fools they were.

"Never, but hey. Just trust me. I'm gonna spin you into someone you'd rather dance with," he whispered in her ear, spinning her and letting her go of her hand.

Ned caught her, his hand to snug around her waist for her not to like it. Katie relaxed as he smiled at her and she moved her hand up against his arm, which felt solid under her hand.

"Hi," Katie said as her face blushed brightly. "Happy birthday."

"Hey, thanks," Ned smiled. "Your dad is pretty cool, you know."

"I know," Katie nodded, smiling sheepishly at him as she bit her lip. "You don't have to dance with me if you don't want to."

"No, I like this song," Ned led her out a little more into the clearing where Jim and Mackenzie were. "I don't mind."

Jim and Mackenzie were singing together now as Melinda came out, drying her hands off. Aaron came running out a moment later having dried the dishes and put them away.

"All done mom," Aaron hugged her lightly and she kissed his head. "Can I roast a marshmallow now?"

"Ooh, that sounds really good. I'll have one too," Melinda smiled, rubbing his back as she winded her arm around him. "Thanks for helping with the dishes. You didn't have to." Her sweet boy, even now. He was always doing little things to help when he noticed she was overwhelmed, like the dishes or sweeping the kitchen and taking the trash out. She'd rarely had to ask him. She brushed back his hair and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Thank you for always helping me out bud. I appreciate it."

Aaron smiled at her, reverting to his younger self for just long enough to lean into her hug and squeeze her close for a moment before he started to pull away. They walked toward the picnic table where the s'mores stuff was. Delia and Tim sat opposite of each other, talking amongst themselves while watching all of the fun around them. They were all still relaxing after dinner. Aaron had prepped two sticks and gave one to his mother as they went to sit by the fire.

Melinda smiled looking at her husband as he caught her eye from afar. Jim was nothing like the other men around their kids and she loved it. He took pride in embarrassing them all and PDA with her to disgust them, and sometimes even others too. To see him now singing loudly and off-key while dancing with their youngest was a beautiful sight.

As the song ended, he kissed Mackenzie and set her down, letting her run the rest of her energy out. The blonde ran over to Katie and Ned who had just awkwardly pulled away from each other while Jim came to sit beside her.

"You know, these are the best when they are a little burnt," Jim suggested, leaning her marshmallow.

"Says who?" Aaron laughed, smiling at him. "You're so weird, dad. Gooey is the best kind."

"Hey, mom? I'm gonna go shower." Katie's words pulled her attention from the boys' spat about marshmallows. Perfection. She'd walked toward her and come behind her. "Can you wash this tonight? It smells weird."

"Sure," Melinda said as Katie pulled the white cover-up off herself. She'd walked behind her mother. "Just put it in the hamper in the bathroom."

Katie smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, mom." When Katie stepped away it was the first time she'd gotten to really look at her daughter in her new swimsuit. "I'm gonna go shower all this lake water off me."

The black bikini hugged her figure nicely but was nothing too risque for Katie to be wearing. The girl was almost sixteen and she was definitely Melinda's daughter, she had assets and it's not terrible to show them off from time to time if it's done tastefully. The top was a criss-cross over her neck and hip bones with a gap showing skin, but she's lean and athletic enough to show off her gorgeous figure.

Ned's eyes had definitely lingered over her far too long for Jim's liking as he walked past her while she was talking to Melinda, but Melinda knew how Katie and Ned will most likely end up. There was no harm in watching it bud now. At least not for her. Katie would be eighteen in a year. As long as he didn't cross pass a kiss or a hug until then, she didn't care what happened between them now.

It wasn't long before Mackenzie and Aaron both tired out from their sugar highs from the marshmallows. Melinda had helped Mackenzie get ready for bed and tucked her in by the time Jim was coming in as he put the fire out with Aaron.

"Is everyone already asleep? Katie and Ned too? Ned came out of the cabin pretty rattled from something and went for a jog. I don't know where he went or if he came back." Jim shrugged, kissing her cheek as she came down the last step from upstairs. "I haven't seen Katie since she came in to shower. Is Kenz down?"

Melinda nodded and looked upstairs to see the bathroom light off and door open, before looking around downstairs. So Katie's not here either, did something happen? She could tell Jim was thinking about it too, but neither of them said anything. Melinda trusted her daughter. Katie would tell her if anything happened. Wouldn't she?

"I think they are both old enough to be fine on their own," she said, pulling him toward their room. "I want you all to myself right now."

She wanted to be selfish and for once. They climbed into bed at the same time as each other and he captured her lips. His hand snuck up her shirt and tweaks one nipple with his thumb and forefinger, causing her to moan in pleasure. He explored her mouth and kneaded her breast until she was painfully aroused.

She pulled away, grasping his face as she gasped. "Well, now that you have me what are you going to do with me?" She asked in her most seductive tone and rose her hips so that his hardened length was resting against her damp center. She licked her lips, smiling at him. "It's been too long."

He looked as if he was mulling it over for a moment or two and then smirked "First, I'm going to tease you with my mouth," he whispered in her ear. He'd nibbled on the lobe, speaking softly to her. "You have no clue how many times I've pictured this first night during a double shift." Heavy breathing into her ears - the full ear, not just the lobe - created an intense sensation for Melinda. Feeling him that close to her and in her ear made her feel connected to him and sent chills down her spine. "So many times Melinda. I want you."

She smiled softly at his lusty words, in the past dirty talk with other men just made her feel uncomfortable but coming from Jim's lips it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. She couldn't form a response, only a moan as his hands tugged at her shirt and peeled it from her skin, slowly throwing it on the ground for retrieval whenever. She still wore her swimsuit, which he took off quickly and he pressed his mouth against her neck then.

"You should lock the door, Jim," she whispered, turning to see him behind her, already moving to do it.

They'd had too many interruptions in the past. They did not need another one. She laughed as he moved closer to her, moving to lay on her back.

He was back a moment later, turning to her lay on her back as her body was bare to him he smiled wickedly before taking one of her peaks into his warm mouth. She gasped at the contact and mewled in pleasure and he suckled and nibbled on her breast. She was impossibly wet and nearly came when he surprised her with a tugging bite.

"I need more, Jim," she pleaded with him, pulling on his hair.

His hand deftly traced over her slim stomach and lifted her hips so that he could slide her panties off her frame. Next, he gently pushed her head back to rest on the pillow and spreads her legs slowly, pressing a kiss to each thigh and putting her exactly where he wanted he had her in place, he stared at her for a few seconds with reverence in his eyes and then used his long, thick fingers to part her wet folds. He looked her in the eye one last time to confirm that what they were about to do was alright and she granted him access with a needy moan and little wiggle of her hips.

He smiled and slowly placed his mouth on her. It's ecstasy like she'd always loved, his tongue traveled the length of her slit and the swirled over her center.

He moaned and then paused to tell her, "I've missed this... I've missed us." He slid his hands up her thighs and placed them on his shoulders and then began to attack her in earnest.

The sight of his mouth on her far surpassed any and all erotic fantasies she'd ever had in these past long two weeks of constant double shifts. She'd never gotten so much enjoyment out of oral before.

She was so close yet so far, she buried her hands in his hair and pulled him closer. He made a sound of contentment and started to move his tongue at an even faster pace. She had to screw her eyes shut so that she could concentrate on how good his mouth felt against her.

Just as she thought it couldn't get any better he plunged two fingers inside her and she let out a little gasp as he inhaled her center into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue.

"Jim!" She gasped into the twilight, tightly fisting his hair as she literally came so hard that she could see stars. Her body was limp and could feel her walls flutter with aftershocks around his large, very talented fingers. She opened her eyes just in time to watch him lick his fingers clean. "Come here," she hoarsely whispered.

He smiled, leaning over as she kissed him. She could taste her arousal on his lips and couldn't fight the sudden, intense, urge to suck it off of his tongue. When they parted, he admitted, "I nearly came just watching you…that was so beautiful. You always look so amazing when you come."

"I'm glad you didn't because now I'm going to take care of you," she whispered.

He looked at her with a combination of bliss and astonishment. "I love you," he whispered.

They were both speechless for a moment when she broke the stalemate and offered him another kiss. He peeled off his boxers and then leaned up against her to give her one more kiss.

She rolled over with him and was about to take him in her mouth when he took her face between his hands and said in a thick voice, "No, next time, I have to be inside you now." She shook her head in an agreement, smiling him as straddled his lap.

He held himself steady so that she could ease herself onto him. She gasped at the sensation of being so completely filled and pressed her face into his chest, taking his nipple softly into her mouth briefly before looking up at him and kissing him. "Shit, it's been too long. I will never again sign up for that many back to back shifts." He cried out into her shoulder as he up thrust inside her. "I promise."

She smiled with a little bit of pride and gyrated her hips slowly, trying to readjust to his impressive size. It had been too long.

Once it becomes easier to move she began to move up and down and he began to thrust and match rhythm. His hands rove her body, they began ghosting up her thighs, traveling up to her hips and then her ass, grabbing it firmly and massaging it and finally to her breasts which were bouncing just centimeters in front of his face. He held one in place so that he could lavish attention to it with his mouth while his other hand dropped to where they're joined and began to tease her with his thumb.

"Jim!" She whimpered and sunk even further down on him. "Oh, right there."

It was all so intense: the position, the angle, and the way that he was stimulating her in every place he possibly could.

In reply, he quickened the pace of his thumb and teasingly bit down on her breast. She came with a jolt and moan of his name. His hands abandoned their previous posts and found purchase on her hips and encouraged him to keep up his pace.

He warned, "I'm so close, Melinda, oh god... Mel..."

"Let go, Jim," she whispered in his ear and tugged on her lobe with her teeth. "Come for me, babe."

He tightened his grip on her hips and thrust hard into her before, growling her name and emptying himself into her. Spent, he laid his head back on the pillow and caught his breath. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you," she whispered into the night as his hands snuck over her skin lightly.

"I love you too," he muttered into his hair.