Charlie / Charlotte

Charlie and the Pool, and a problem with foxes

Our house sits not far from the quiet, leafy banks of the River Wear in County Durham. The river isn't so close that there's a risk of flooding. We're up a hill and there's a huge drainage ditch between us and certain doom so we're safe so long as it doesn't rain for forty days and forty nights and there are no epic floods of Biblical proportions. The only real danger from the direction of the river seems to be Poachers, who seemingly do not respect the large and imposing sign I recently installed which reads "Trespassers will be tied to a chair and made to listen to my husband's poetry." Doesn't seem to bother them in the slightest. Scares the crap out of me though.

A couple of weeks ago, I was out in the early hours hunting slugs (the bane of any horticulturalist) and I became utterly convinced I saw either a small fox or a large otter, I know not which, scuttling across the lawn.

I don't mind either species so long as they leave my garden alone and don't shit in the borders or dig holes in my turf. I know they have Otters further downstream at the Wildfowl Trust so I wondered if said critters had migrated further upstream.

To satisfy my curiosity, Hubby leant me one of his fancy "Spy Cameras", a neat little battery-powered digital gadget that you can hide away in some quiet recess and it will happily photograph anything that wanders into its field of view, be it an Otter, a Fox or even a Poacher.

I took a walk down to the river bank just before dusk and set the device up at the base of a large Ash tree. The field of view was pretty good, tilted slightly down towards the water and a little upstream in the direction of my neighbour's boundary fence. After that, I left it to its own devices and went indoors to watch the first instalment of Picard, Series 2.

I returned to the same spot the following morning, retrieved the camera and scurried off to the office where I shoved the camera's SD card into my MacBook and waited for the images to transfer.

I didn't see anything unusual on first inspection. Just a couple of water voles - big ones - and two Roe Deer. I sort of expected the deer to put in an appearance because they're just a bunch of drama queens but, of the otters and the foxes, there was no sign.

I skimmed through the rest of the images looking for anything further of note and...

"Huh?" I whispered to myself. "Oh... my..."

The camera had recorded a short movie depicting a figure, pale and skinny, wearing what appeared to be a bathrobe of some description, heading down towards the water's edge.

It's my new neighbour, Charlotte or Charlie to her friends.

Charlie and her husband, Lucas, moved in just after Christmas. They're nice people. We get on well and they're a whole lot nicer than the total arse hole who used to live next to us.

However, I never took Charlie to be the naturist type, or in the slightest bit interested in getting in touch with nature by way of a freezing cold dip in a semi-tidal river.

And, yeah, you're ahead of me. Charlie suddenly divests herself of the bathrobe and the camera is treated to a rather fuzzy view of her naked bod. And the view is, frankly, rather nice. Small boobs. Big hips. Long legs. A narrow waste and a nice little patch of fuzzy hair on her belly. A girl after my own heart it would seem.

Charlie strides purposefully into the water so that it's lapping up her thighs before dropping out of sight beneath the surface. The camera records her head silently bobbing around in the water but little else until she exits the river a matter of minutes later. Yes, she has a nice, well rounded rump, too.

Unapologetic voyeur that I am, I could get to like this spying lark.

I'm utterly elated, partly because I've seen some unanticipated naked flesh but also because I sense that I've found a kindred spirit. That said, the idea, the very concept of swimming around in that freezing water is just not for me. It's colder than the my mother-in-law's stare and, frankly, what goes into the river further upstream may not be entirely safe. This is why we installed a pool two years ago.

Okay, so... the next step. Do I let Charlie know that her secret morning ablutions have been caught on camera? How do I let her know she's been discovered? Will she mind? Will it cause a rift?

I decided that honesty really is the best policy and sent her a quick text message.

"Hey, we installed some wildlife cameras on our river bank yesterday. It spotted more than just a couple of water voles. :) "

I sent the message and waited. Her response was just a simple smiley and, ten minutes later, she arrived on my doorstep. I thought she might. I'd even put the kettle on.

The good news is that she's all fab and groovy with the whole thing and, obviously, asked to see the captures. I'm at pains to point out that we're the only two people to have seen them. My husband, Alex, is out for the day and Soovi, our au pair, is busy with the upstairs bathrooms so this is strictly between us.

Ten minutes later and the coffee is hot and sweet, and there are plenty of biscuits going around.

"So," says Charlie. "Did you spot anything else with your spy camera?"

"Two Roe Deer," I said. "And a couple of angry looking water voles but nothing else."

"Have you tried swimming in the river?" asks Charlie. "It's rather invigorating."

I laugh. "I have," I replied. "The last thing I'd call it would be 'invigorating'. Fairly well froze my tits off. "

"I thought you'd enjoy it..."

"So did I... until I did," I said. "And it's not for me. And the water? It's not that clean."

"Really? No?"

I told Charlie about the storm overflows we'd experienced when we first moved in and how the river banks were strewn with all sorts of yucky detritus.

Charlie shook her head in disbelief. "Well, I doubt very much that I'll be swimming in that again... Ugh."

"And, besides," I continued. "Why would I swim in the river when we have a pool?"

"A Pool? Where?" asks Charlie.

"Hidden, in plain view," I replied. "Behind the South Lawn Hedges."

"I'd never have guessed."

"That's the idea," I said, smiling.

Of course, I knew what her next question would be. "Can I see it?"

I led Charlie towards the hedged-off area that conceals the Pool Room.

The title 'Pool Room' is a little ambiguous. The 'room' itself is a glorified roll-off shed, meaning it's on rails so you can roll it back at the flick of a switch. Great if you want to swim under the stars, if the need arises (and it does) but mostly I just leave the roll-off in place to keep the cold out.

"Crikey," said Charlie. "I never knew."

"That's the idea," I said. "You can swim here and nobody can peer in. It's completely private."

"Unless you have a Drone or Microlight," said Charlie.

"Drones? We have lots of drones," I replied. "Fresh out of Microlights though..."

Charlie dropped to her knees and put a hand in the water. "It's gorgeous."

"Solar heating," I said. "Comes straight off the back lawns. We're aiming for Carbon Neutral in less than five years. Costs us nothing to run. The batteries need regular attention but Alex does that."

"And he's not at home, is he?" asked Charlie.

"He's in Leeds today,"

"Can I try it?" she asked. "Would that be too much of an imposition?"

"Not at all," I said. "Knock yourself out."

"Are there Changing rooms?" she asked. "Or do you just drop everything where you're standing?"

I smiled. "We usually don't bother with the modesty thing but there's a screen and hangers up that end if you're feeling bashful."

Thirty seconds later and there's a splash and a scream, and I am treated to a rather lovely view of Charlotte's rather delicious chest.

I would call this a successful day. It's a dreary Monday morning, the clock isn't even past ten and yet, I already have a topless woman in my pool. I'd call that a result, wouldn't you?

"You not gonna jump in?" asks Charlie.

"Not today," I reply. "I have stuff to do and deadlines to meet but maybe tomorrow."

"Cool," said Charlie. "Can I just have a swim? Ten minutes?"

"Sure," I reply. "I'll be just over in the kitchen sorting out some bills and stuff. There are towels and shampoo and the usual stuff in the cupboards but there's no shower at the moment. Just don't put shampoo in the pool. It takes a week to shift..."

"Ah, okay," says Charlie and I leave her to her own devices. She seems happy.

Thirty minutes later and Charlie ambles into our kitchen as I am wrestling with what is left of our SMART heating monitor.

"That was delicious," she says. "So peaceful. So quiet. I can't remember ever swimming in such a serene place. No noise. No nothing. Just the wind and the birds."

"Yeah, it's pretty idyllic really," I said. "Just doesn't get as much use as we'd like. Been too cold lately..."

We sit down to coffee and cakes and talk about houses. Mostly. Charlie leaves about an hour later and I settle down to the day's jobs and, no disrespect intended, I don't really think much about the episode for the rest of the day, until I tell Alex about what happened and so forth. He's sad that he missed the boobies but... hey... Happens. He can have mine instead.

A week goes by. Charlie and I occasionally message each other, exchanging small talk and funnies. It's light and fun and a welcome break from the never-ending grind of the day-in, day-out slog.

It's another Wednesday evening a little after eight. I've come to the end of another long job and I'm in the need for some rest and relaxation, some fun time before the next tsunami swallow-dives elegantly into my In-Box. Alex is still working so I'm at something of a loose end.

I message Charlie and invite her over for tea and cakes (a recurring motif, because I like tea and I adore cake...) Charlie turns up within minutes and it's very obvious that she's in a happy, playful kind of mood. Maybe she doesn't receive many invitations to supper.

We sit down in the Lounge when Soovi, our au pair, returns from her jaunt up to the Pool House.

"The main pump is not circulating," she says. "I think the circuit breaker has tripped."

"Third time this week," I mumble.

"Something you can fix?" asks Charlie.

I nod between mouthfuls. "Sure," I say. "If something gets stuck in the filter then it drops out. Personally, I reckon the breaker is underloaded for the job. Alex seems to think either the pump is overloaded, or there's an earth fault."

I take another drink of tea, which is still too hot. "We can fix it," I say. "It's a just a case of pressing a button. Grab your cup."

Charlie seems keen to participate and so we head up to the pool house to resolve the issue with the errant circuit breaker.

Since we're being honest, and honesty really is the best policy, I need to tell the truth here. I'm feeling frisky and wouldn't mind enjoying some bare flesh. Can I persuade Charlie to participate?

Let's see, shall we?

The Control Panel is an anonymous grey box tucked away in a store cupboard at the far end of the pool. I know which button to press - it's the only one that's flipped down out of half a dozen - so it's a no-brainer. I flip the switch up and the pump bursts into life.

Outside, I test the water. It's still gorgeous. Warm but not uncomfortably so.

I smile at Charlie. "Fancy a Dip?"

I kick my shoes and socks off and drag my t-shirt over my head. Jeans follow as do my knickers. Modesty? Me? Forget about it! Last of all, the bra. Gone. I'm naked and perched on the edge of the pool. I jump, head first, into the water although it's not as warm as it appears and I surface moments later with that "Fuck! That was cold!" look on my face.

From the slightly perplexed expression, it's readily apparent that Charlie is more or less utterly elated. Yup, the game is afoot. Naked sexy time is about to happen.

Seconds later, she's in the pool and, together, we're chasing each other around the water like a pair of idiots.

We pause in the middle of the pool and tread water for a couple of minutes. "Gorgeous, isn't it?".

She smiles. "Amazing... This certainly wasn't on the cards for today," she says. "Today was all about washing and getting the bedrooms cleaned ready for his folks visiting this weekend. I guess that won't get done until tomorrow."

After about ten minutes of just swimming up and down, I pause in the middle of the pool.

"Hey, the stars are out," I whisper. Charlie appears at my side and we spend the next ten minutes gently treading water as the sounds of the evening fade into the distance and the stars above shine in all their glory.

"Is that the Space Station?" asks Charlie.

"No, wrong angle," I whisper. "Space Station moves from the West to the East. That's going North to South. It's probably a weather or a communications satellite."

Charlie laughs. "How come you know so much?"

"My Dad," I reply. "He taught me all about space. He was a space nut. When he wasn't locking up Crooks - he was a Copper, a Policeman - he was into looking for Little Green Men."

"My Dad is into model trains," said Charlie, in a slightly mocking tone.

"Oh, bad luck," I said, trying not to laugh.

"The Moon will be up shortly," I said. "Actually, it should be up now."

And, sure as eggs is eggs, her Ladyship, the Moon, makes an appearance just over the eastern horizon.

"So peaceful," whispers Charlie. "Serene."

"Indeed..."

... and we lie there, gently floating away the mysteries and miseries of the day, for the next half hour. Until the Pump cuts out again.

I curse. Loudly. "I'mma gonna kick that thing's ass from here to breakfast..."

"Anyway," says Charlie. "Time I was home. Lucas will be missing me..."

We slide over the side of the Pool and dress quickly before scuttling back to the big house where we find Alex waiting for us in the kitchen. He looks exhausted.

"Your Mum called," he says. "Nothing urgent. She'll call in the morning."

However.. he sounds... different. Not the usual sleepy-tired 10 pm Alex I'm used to. He seems... Elated. Energised. Even though he looks utterly knackered, there's a weird sparkle in his eyes. I haven't got a clue what's going on in his head but something has got him smiling inwardly. There's a Cheshire cat grin gently resting somewhere behind the facade. I know it. I have an instinct for such duplicity.

That said, nothing happens. He says nothing. Does nothing. Which makes me wonder.

Friday morning rolls around as Friday mornings generally do. I like Friday mornings. If it's been a good week then I can kick back and relax. If it's been a shitty week then I generally put pedal to the metal and power through the problems because I don't want to spend the weekend worrying.

This week has been a good week. I can relax. I'm looking forward to a heavy weekend in the garden. The house is quiet too. Alex is away meeting a client and Soovi is at lectures so it's just me on my lonesome.

Truth be told, I'm feeling slightly horny too. Wednesday night's activities in the pool have been gently buzzing around in the back of my head ever since, and I want more. I'm keen to know if I can push this further. Unless I seriously misjudged the situation, I certainly got the sexy vibe from Charlie. No doubt about it. So...

I decide to simply bide my time and await her indulgence. Experience has proven this is a better approach than simply pestering. And, mercifully, I don't have to wait long.

"Loose end," said her text. "Lucas at work. Bored with housework. Fed up with cleaning. Not looking forward to this weekend."

Yeah, I remember. His folks are visiting.

I messaged her back. "In Pool, replacing busted pump. Could do with some help."

Truth be told, I replaced the pump yesterday and I'd already been up to the Pool to make sure that everything was toast warm and running to perfection.

The kettle had hardly finished boiling when Charlie arrived at my kitchen door.

"Seriously," she said. "His folks will be the death of me..."

"How so?"

Charlie launched into a litany of complaints, mostly related to their last visit. Didn't sound like much fun.

I made coffee and generally steered the conversation up towards the Pool. Charlie seemed pretty keen, frankly. As though she was very much in need of some proper relaxation and, by that I mean, sexy relaxation, the kind of relaxation that makes you forget all about an impending visit from your In-Laws.

It's a short walk from the kitchen door to the pool. The sky looked a little cloudy and the weather forecast had suggested that it might rain. I'd already decided to keep the pool roof in place in case water ingress was blowing the pump's electrics. That said, an overly warm pool room would be a powerful inducement to get jiggy.

Again, I didn't have to wait more than a minute. As soon as I gave Charlie the all clear, she was out of her kit and into the water. Another spectacular result, I would say. It isn't even eleven o'clock in the morning and, once again, I have a naked woman in my pool.

I take my time undressing. Patience has its rewards. I try not to put on a show, try not to make it look like I've planned this whole thing. And Charlie is staring. Staring like she's intently interested in going further than just swimming up and down a small pool.

Rather than plunge gracelessly into the water, I turn and clamber backwards down the steps at the shallow end. This should, if I am correct in my timing, afford an excellent view of my rather shapely behind, of which I am very proud. Like two smooth little peaches.

Charlie and I meet up in the middle of the deep end. Deep End is a misnomer. It's not actually that deep, say six feet at most. Deep enough to tread water but not really deep enough to dive into from any great height.

The atmosphere is warm and joyous, and the mental connection between Charlie and I is simply sparkling. I feel lucky. I really do.

After nine or ten lengths of the pool, and five minutes spent leisurely treading water, all interspersed with the occasional conversation, I move towards the edge of the pool and hang there, elbows in the gutters, until Charlie approaches. I then haul myself out onto the side and lie on the cold hard tiles, my head back, legs parted, feet dangling in the water. As I have discovered all too late in life, this is one of life's great luxuries - the ability to forget all of one's troubles and spend a few moments quietly basking in a patch of screaming hot sunshine as it spills through the glazed roof.

Charlie approaches the side of the pool and latches onto the drain. She's staring. I'm kinda lying there looking a little slutty, like I don't care what she sees, all bare tits and big bush, because really, what's the point in pretending you don't want something when you do? I mean, I could just be showing off - "Hey! Come look at my goodies!", couldn't I? But I'm horny and I want some action.

The question is ... is she up for it?

Alas, no. Charlie swims off to the other side of the pool where she hauls herself onto the tiles and mirrors my position. Is she waiting for me to come to her?

I slide into the water and, with my feet touching the bottom, walk over to where she's basking. However, she's off. She slides into the water and I have to follow her. She's playing with me. Toying with me. The Little Minx.

I haul my ass out onto the side of the pool and walk towards the double doors. I turn the key to ensure that we're not disturbed but there's no need to worry because, in the distance, I can see Soovi peddling her bike along the front drive. She has seminars for the rest of the day.

Charlie and I are alone.

I slip into the water once again. As before, she's sitting on the edge of the pool, feet trailing in the water, teasing me. I swim up to her and come to a halt a few feet in front of her. I am quite literally staring up her pussy, which is resting on the edge of the pool. And she plainly doesn't care that I'm enjoying the view. She wants this as much as I do.