Family First Ch. 06

Christina and Diane weren't the only ones counting the minutes until the family cookout. Across the yard, Mary was doing everything in her power to focus on something other than her sister-in-law's mysterious dinner invitation. She tried to keep herself busy throughout the day, hoping to distract her overactive mind, but nothing worked. Time seemed to move at a glacial pace as each passing moment filled her with a confusing and ever increasing mixture of excitement and dread.

When it was nearly time to head over, she went upstairs to change. After stripping out of her house clothes, she took a moment to appraise her naked form in the mirror. She looked a lot more put together than she had earlier that morning, but she still felt insecure about how her brother might react to the sight of her naked body. She stared at her pendulous breasts, criticizing herself for their stretch marks and noticeable sag. Turning to the side, she looked at herself in profile, gazing at her rounded tummy, wide hips, and more than ample butt. Her body bore all the marks of having given birth to three children. Tim had never complained about her appearance, but it was hard for her to imagine that Ray would be even slightly interested.

She made a conscious effort to shift her thoughts to something, anything, but her feelings for her brother. Forcing herself away from the mirror, she put on a conservative blouse and shorts over her one-piece bathing suit and went back downstairs.

Danny was waiting for her in the kitchen, eying a plate of warm cookies she'd prepared for the cookout. He was wearing nothing but his blue swimming trunks, and Mary couldn't help but notice how much he'd matured over the past year. He was still slender and boyish, but there was an undeniable hint of muscle in his chest and shoulders that definitely hadn't been there last summer. Without any conscious effort, she found herself wondering what he was hiding under the loose fabric of his swimsuit.

She quickly admonished herself, feeling her cheeks burn with shame. She wished she could rid herself of her depraved thoughts, but the more she tried, the harder it seemed to get. Part of her knew the safest thing to do would be to skip the cookout entirely, but she had to find out what Diane was planning. Wrong as it may be, she couldn't bear the thought of missing her one opportunity to find out how Ray really felt about her.

With a quick shake of her head, she managed to bring herself back down to earth before stepping into the kitchen.

"You better stay away from those cookies," she said in a mock-scolding tone.

"Who? Me?" Danny replied, looking left, then right as if there was anyone else in the room.

She couldn't help but smile at his goofy antics. "Are you ready to head over?"

"I am if you are."

There was a nearly imperceptible hint of nervousness in his voice, and Mary found herself wondering whether he knew anything about what Diane was planning. She examined his face for any clues, but there was nothing there. He probably knew as much about what was going on as she did. Maybe even less.

Outside, it was a perfect late spring day, warm and sunny without a trace of humidity. Across the yard, Ray was using a wire-brush to clean his old charcoal grill, the same one he'd bought when they first moved in nearly twenty years ago. It was one of the few things in the families' shared backyard that hadn't changed over the years.

One side of the lawn was dedicated to Mary and Diane's garden, which was practically overflowing with colorful daffodils, tulips, and fresh vegetables that would be ready for picking any day now. For many years, the center of the yard had been taken up with a large playset, but when the kids got older, they decided to replace it with a pool for the teens and a hot-tub for the adults. The pool itself was ringed by a stone patio, which bulged out on one end to accommodate Ray's grill and the outdoor dining set.

As Mary started walking in Ray's direction, Christina and Diane stepped out of their patio door and joined the rest of the family. The first thing Mary noticed was that, much like Danny, the two of them were already dressed in their swimsuits.

Diane was wearing a navy blue tankini that put her generous cleavage on full display and contrasted nicely with the reddish hue of her hair. Mary's eyes went wide when she glimpsed her sister-in-law's bikini bottom under the hem of the tank-like top. It was at least two sizes too small. The tiny piece of fabric did little to contain Diane's well-shaped bottom, and the material stretched tightly over her mound, making the cleft of her pussy plainly obvious to anyone who cared to look.

Christina's swimsuit wasn't quite as provocative, but it was almost as revealing. She wore a small green bikini, the top consisting of two small triangles held in place with thin straps. They barely covered her small breasts and did nothing to conceal her erect nipples as they poked through the thin material. Her bottom was less revealing than her mother's, but still did a more than adequate job of displaying her supple features.

Danny gasped at the sight of them, and Mary found herself wondering which of the two he found more attractive. Given what Diane had told her the night before, she had little doubt that at least part of this erotic display was for his benefit.

She knew it was silly, but she couldn't help but feel a little envious of the two of them. Mary knew that men found her attractive, but she'd always wanted a slender, athletic figure like Christina's. On the other hand, she had Diane beat in the curves department, but she'd never be able to match her sister-in-law's confident, easygoing nature. She wished that she had the courage to flaunt her body the way Diane did, but she knew she was far too shy to ever do such a thing.

Her spirits lifted considerably as the evening progressed. Despite all of the exposed flesh on display, she couldn't help but notice the way Ray kept stealing glances in her direction. She thought she sensed something not entirely innocent in his gaze but quickly convinced herself that she was imagining things.

Ray wasn't the only one with with a case of wandering eyes. Danny seemed constitutionally incapable of stopping himself from staring at his aunt's exposed cleavage, and Diane seemed to be doing everything in her power to encourage him. When they gathered around the patio dining set to eat, Diane made a point of leaning precariously forward every time she passed something in his direction, giving him the opportunity to gaze longingly at her hanging breasts. At one point, she intentionally let her fork slip out of her fingers and onto the grass below. She took her time picking it up, making sure that Danny got a nice view of her barely-covered rear-end.

Mary couldn't believe her sister-in-law was being so forward. She quickly glanced in Christina's direction, expecting to see an expression of annoyance or jealousy, but her niece seemed to be enjoying the show nearly as much as Danny was. Ray, for his part, seemed to find the whole situation highly amusing and gave no outward indication that he was bothered by the way his nephew was ogling his wife's barely-covered exposed assets.

Despite the mounting sexual tension in the air, the family conversed about normal topics while they ate, each of them pretending that there was nothing else on their mind. Mary did her best to keep up with the conversation but had little success. She couldn't stop thinking about Ray, wondering why he seemed to be totally fine with his wife acting like a complete slut in front of Danny. Why wasn't he upset? Was it possible that he was actually okay with the idea of Diane sleeping with his nephew?

After helping to clear the table, Diane said, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a swim. Would anyone care to join me?"

Within minutes, the whole family was in the water. Christina and Danny splashed around, playing water tag while Mary, Ray, and Diane treaded water and made small talk with each other. Eventually, the teens separated from their parents and made their way to the shallow end of the pool. They sat on the edge, with their feet dangling in the water, talking in low tones that Mary couldn't quite make out. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Christina take Danny's hand in her own as they spoke. It was such a casual gesture, but it spoke volumes about their close bond. Mary still had misgivings about their relationship, but she felt a pang of maternal pride at the realization that her son had found someone who loved him every bit as much as she knew he deserved.

"Aren't they adorable?" Diane asked, noticing Mary's repeated glances in their direction.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes-they really are. I still have some concerns, but I have to admit that over the past few days, Danny's been happier than I've seen him in years." Turning to Ray, she asked, "How do you feel about all of this?"

"I was surprised at first, but I'm happy for them," he replied, flashing Mary a warm-hearted smiles that made her heart flutter. "I have to admit that I do worry a bit about the challenges they'll face in the future. I'm not sure how they'll deal with the fact that what they're doing will always have to be kept secret. I also hope this doesn't keep them from forming normal romantic relationships down the road. But for now, there's no one I'd rather my only daughter be with than Danny." With a sly grin, he added, "Besides, if I ever need to get out my shotgun, I know he'll most likely be in range."

The sound of the word 'shotgun' seemed to instantly grab Danny's attention. He stared back at Ray with a look of wide-eyed terror that made the adults burst into peals of laughter.

"Don't worry, Danny," Diane said. "If he comes after you, he'll have to get through me first." This seemed to make Danny even more confused, and soon he was beet red with embarrassment.

"Me too!" Christina added, doing her best to contain her amusement. "Besides, you don't even own a shotgun, Dad."

"Not yet!" Ray replied with a good natured laugh. "Something tells me I won't need one, though. Right, Danny?"

"Yep... Wait! I mean-No, you won't... sir," Danny replied, fumbling over his words.

"Alright, you've had your fun, Ray," Diane said. "Leave the boy alone."

Ray flashed a friendly smile at his nephew, before allowing the conversation to shift to more conventional topics. Somehow, the knowledge that Ray had accepted Christina and Danny's new relationship made it easier for Mary to accept it too. He'd always had a way of making her feel comfortable and at ease, even in the strangest of situations. It was one of the many things she loved about him.

They relaxed in the pool and talked until the sun dipped low in the horizon. Mary had almost managed to convince herself that the rest of the evening might pass without incident. She was talking with Diane about their plans for Danny and Christina's graduation party when she noticed that Ray wasn't paying attention. Despite the occasional nod and murmur of agreement, his attention was entirely focused on the other end of the pool. Mary turned her head to follow his gaze and let out a surprised gasp at the sight of her son and niece locked in an intimate embrace.

The pair of teenagers were standing in the shallow-end, kissing each other like there was no tomorrow. Not only were they aggressively pushing their tongues in and out of each other's mouths, Danny had worked one of his hands into Christina's bikini top and was toying with one of her small breasts. Christina's hands were concealed under the water-line, but from her movements, it was clear that she was giving similar treatment to his hard cock.

Mary knew she should be disgusted with what she was seeing, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement at their sexual display. Picturing the two of them together in her mind and actually witnessing it were two very different things. There was something so raw and passionate in the way they kissed and groped each other, and, to Mary's immense shame, she found herself wishing she could switch places with her niece. It would be so exciting to have a young man like Danny play with her breasts while she stroked his virile cock.

She did her best to shake free of those filthy thoughts but the harder she tried, the more intrusive they became. She was fighting a losing battle with her forbidden desires, a fact that thrilled and frightened her in equal measure. Diane and Ray seemed equally entranced by the scene, and for several long minutes, all three adults merely sat and stared at their horny children.

As usual, Diane was the first to act. With a bemused sigh, she waded over to Danny and Christina's end of the pool. Mary's heart raced as she tried to imagine what Diane was about to do. Would her sister-in-law actually join the two of them? Did she really have the nerve to make a move on her nephew while the rest of the family stood by and watched? Surely, even Diane wouldn't be so bold.

Diane tapped her daughter on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Christina gave a frustrated pout, but the corners of her mouth slowly raised into a knowing smile as Diane kept whispering to her. Mary breathed a sigh of relief when Christina gave her mother a quick nod before adjusting her top and climbing out of the pool, dragging Danny along with her.

"Have fun!" Diane called after them, as Christina lead her cousin inside.

Mary couldn't help but gaze at the outline of her son's hard cock tenting the front of his trunks as he followed Christina inside. An image began to form in her mind of Danny's erect cock, and, not for the first time that evening, she found herself envying her teenage niece. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment when she realized that Danny had caught her staring. She couldn't read the expression on his face, but he didn't look angry. That was something, at least.

When they were gone, Mary turned back to face Ray and realized that he'd caught her as well. He smiled and winked at her, making it abundantly clear that he knew what she'd been looking at and didn't care in the slightest. Despite herself, Mary returned his smile. She knew there was no point in trying to pretend that she hadn't just been caught checking out her son's erection. After all, he'd been equally enthralled by the sight of Christina's partially exposed breasts.

Before either of them had a chance to speak, Diane was back at their end of the pool, wrapping her arms around Ray's waist from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder. Mary sensed something unusual in the way they looked at her. Some mixture of hesitancy and expectation that made her feel excited and incredibly vulnerable all at once.

"What did you tell her?" Ray asked.

"Just that we needed some privacy," Diane replied with an enigmatic smile.

Here it comes, Mary thought to herself. Her heart pounded in her chest, and for a moment, she thought she might be sick. She knew that there was only one thing they needed to discuss in private.

Diane pushed away from Ray and climbed out of the pool. "Care for a drink?" she asked the two of them.

"Sure. Whatever you're having," Mary replied, thankful for the opportunity to talk about something-anything other than her family's descent into incestuous depravity.

"I'll have a beer," Ray added.

Diane poured two cups of sangria, one for herself and the other for Mary, and pulled a cold beer out of the cooler. Rather than bring them back to Ray and Mary, she sat them on the edge of the small hot-tub that lay adjacent to the pool.

"I think I'd like a nice, warm soak," she said.

"Sounds nice," Ray replied as he, too, climbed out of the pool, leaving Mary all alone. "Coming?" he asked as he knelt by the edge, extending a hand in her direction. Mary accepted his help, blushing as his eyes wandered over her. She'd done her best to convince herself that Ray's furtive glances throughout the evening hadn't been what they seemed, but the way his eyes lingered on her wet bathing suit as it clung to her ample curves left little doubt about his intentions. Mary couldn't help but feel a twitter of excitement at the realization that her brother found her sexually desirable.

Unlike the pool, which was plenty big for the entire family, the hot-tub was rather small. The three of them were able to fit inside, but just barely. They were in near constant contact with each other. There wasn't anything inherently sexual about the way their knees bumped together. Even so, Mary couldn't help but feel a forbidden thrill go down her spine every time Ray's bare skin brushed against her own.

For several long minutes, the three of them sat there sipping their drinks in awkward silence. They each had something they wanted to say, but none of them wanted to be the first one to say it. Eventually, the silence was broken by the sound of Christina's moans drifting through her cracked bedroom window. With a rueful shake of her head, Diane said, "Those two really need to learn some discretion." Both Mary and Ray chuckled in agreement.

"It's hard to blame them, though," Ray said. "Remember how we were at that age?"

"Fair enough," Diane replied. "Now that I think about it, it's kind of a miracle that we never got caught, considering how much sneaking around we did behind our parents' backs."

"It's not the same, though," Mary interjected. "It's normal for teenagers to experiment, but don't you ever worry that what Danny and Christina are doing isn't healthy? Shouldn't they be going out to parties and dating their classmates?"

"It is kind of an unusual arrangement," Diane replied. "But I don't think it's unhealthy. I'd much rather have Christina experiment with her sexuality here at home than out at some party getting in trouble with god knows who."

Mary was reminded of all the times she'd stayed up late at night, worrying about her rebellious twin daughters. Despite her misgivings about Danny and Christina's relationship, she had to admit that Diane had a good point.

"Ignoring all of that, though," Diane continued. "I honestly just don't see what's so wrong about the two of them having a bit of naughty fun together. They obviously love each other, but even if they didn't, they're adults, and they can make their own decisions. I guess I just don't see what else really matters."

Ray nodded along with his wife, apparently in complete agreement with everything she was saying. Mary could see where they were coming from, but she still found it difficult to understand how the two of them could be so calm and composed while listening to their daughter having sex with her cousin right upstairs.

There was another long pause before Diane said, "While we're on the topic... I was hoping the three of us could talk about what happened last night."

Mary felt her blood run cold. She'd known this moment was coming, but she still wasn't ready. The thought of discussing her forbidden fantasies with her brother present was mortifying in the extreme.

Sensing her her panic, Diane placed a comforting hand on Mary's shoulder. "Don't worry. We're not upset with you, and we don't want to make you feel embarrassed, either... Just hear us out, okay?"

Mary nodded, unable to meet her sister-in-law's eyes. Despite Diane's friendly tone, she couldn't help but brace herself for the worst.

Diane took a deep breath before launching into her speech. "Ray and I had a good long talk last night, and we've decided to make some changes in our marriage. Christina and Danny made us realize that we both have fantasies of our own that we'd like to explore, and we're not going to let some misplaced sense of morality hold us back anymore. I guess what I'm getting at is that, if you meant what you said last night-and I have every reason to think that you did-then it would be a huge turn-on for me and Ray both if we could help make some of your fantasies come true too."