The Incident

Even after the passing of years, we refer to it only as "The Incident." That is, on those rare occasions when we do mention it. It's a deep secret, shared only by Gayle and me and we dare not tell anyone else, not even our spouses, but it is by no means one we're ashamed of. On the contrary, it's a happy memory, this secret of ours, and we believe it has brought us closer together. It doesn't make us unique, but it is unusual.

The complicating factor in all this is that Gayle is my younger sister -- by three years -- and "The Incident" took place in the early 00s, when I was a rising senior at our state's flagship university, and Gayle had just graduated from high school. Even before The Incident, I had to admit that Gayle had blossomed into a stunner. She was self-conscious about her nose, but I thought it had great character and enhanced her attractiveness. Her hair was long and wavy and a shiny light brown, her eyes were hazel and she had a bright and toothsome smile. Gayle was not without admirers. Even some of my braver friends commented about her looks to me which made me a little uncomfortable but I couldn't argue their point.

Around Memorial Day of that year I had plans to spend a week at our parents' lakeside cottage, but Gayle made similar plans with her sometime boyfriend, whom I liked to refer to as "Gorgeous George" behind his back because of his incessant preening. Their arrival wasn't a huge deal, but it did put a damper on my plans for some uninhibited sex with Donna, my girlfriend from college. Donna was a sweet and attractive girl, but we both knew our situation was not long-term. In the meantime, we enjoyed spending some no-obligation time together. She did my reputation no harm and I was a steady and reliable presence.

The cottage was small and cozy, set by a large lake in New England where my family had summered for three generations. The lake was dotted by a few modest cottages and cabins, but was otherwise uninhabited. The surrounding terrain was rugged, with hundreds of acres of deep, piney forest that gave off an enchanting aroma. Inside, there were just two bedrooms, one on the ground floor behind the kitchen, and a loft upstairs. A nook right off the living room that could also sleep two people if they didn't mind snuggling. Like I said, it could be cozy, especially with several people bunking down together. Since Gayle and George arrived before we did, they called dibs on the loft while Donna and I moved into the downstairs bedroom. Donna had not met my sister and her boyfriend yet, and I could tell from the moment we arrived that she was taken with George's matinee-idol looks. If I'd been more serious about her it might have annoyed me, but I let it pass.

We spent the first couple of days doing the things people do when they get near water. We swam and hiked some of the surrounding trails. Gayle and George mostly did their own thing while Donna and I did ours. I would cook out on the grill for dinner, but other meals were pretty much catch as catch can. On Tuesday I spent the morning in the boat house getting my dad's beautiful Chris-Craft ready to take out in the afternoon. After lunch, Donna climbed in the front seat next to me while Gayle and Gorgeous piled into the stern seats.

I took our guests on a tour of the lake, which used up a substantial part of the afternoon. After dinner I mixed some drinks from dad's liquor cabinet and we relaxed on the back porch, enjoying a glorious sunset. Later in the evening a sliver of moon rose in the east and the sky was full of stars. Donna and I were in the living room dozing on the couch when Gayle and George came downstairs. They carried beach towels and were dressed in their swimsuits (Gayle in a very flattering yellow bikini).

"We're going for a midnight swim," Gayle said enthusiastically. "Why don't you come with?"

I wasn't in the mood, but Donna sat bolt upright and said, "Sounds great!" She practically ran to the bedroom to change. The way she had been flirting with George in the boat that afternoon, I didn't doubt she wanted another look at him in swim trunks before turning in for the evening, even if it was pitch black outside. But her effervescent personality has a way of carrying me along, even when I'm hesitant, so I joined the party.

I was the last one down to the dock. Though I was familiar with the ground, I had to carefully pick my way along the wooded path from the cottage to the lake. By the time I arrived towels and swimsuits had been dropped on the dock. Now I was presented with a dilemma. Being a little shy, I lacked the requisite courage to joyously jump in the water naked and despite the darkness there was the little matter of swimming around in the same water as my naked sister. But the three of them were cavorting and laughing without being self-conscious at all so I figured, what the hell, why not jump in?

I had to admit as I came up for air that it was a glorious evening. The canopy of stars overhead and the dark shapes of the tall trees around the lake's edge gave us a sense of privacy and security. Gorgeous George was probably congratulating himself that he was swimming with two beautiful naked women and I had to admit it sent a surge through me as well. I had the impression that he was no stranger to this kind of risque activity. There was a lot of laughter among us as we swam around, though I couldn't help worrying about a passing turtle taking a fancy to my shvantz.

I paddled over to shallower water where I could comfortably stand. In the darkness it was difficult to discern who was who, but from the other side of the outcropping of trees I could hear splashing and laughter. I wondered if Gayle and George had slithered off for a little action. I didn't see Donna anywhere, which made me wonder if they were playing a joke on me. I then noticed her swim quietly past me and climb up the ladder and onto the dock. She sat down, her feet dangling in the water.

"Psst!" I heard from that direction so I swam quietly over and climbed up. I still couldn't see or hear Gayle and George. The water was cool, but it didn't seem to have a dampening effect on the half-erection that all this nudity gave me. (Ah, the vigor of youth, how I miss it!)

I wasn't bothered by my condition because I hoped Donna would notice and we could then steal back to the cabin for a bit of sex before drifting off to sleep.

Then I got the shock of my life. The girl I plopped down next to wasn't Donna but my sister Gayle! In the enveloping darkness I hadn't been able to see, I just assumed. She leaned back casually, absently kicking at the water with one foot, looking entirely comfortable with her body and the situation.

Gayle glanced down at my hardening member and said, "Looks like you're happy to see me."

I was painfully aware of the circumstances and my embarrassment.

"Sorry," I said, sheepishly. "I thought you were Donna."

"Speaking of which, where did she go?"

We strained our eyes trying to see beyond where we were, as Donna's peals of laughter had faded into a deep quiet. Gayle and I became suspicious. Then we heard a guttural female moan from behind the trees, which was just as quickly stifled, as if the moaner forgot herself for a brief second.

"What's going on over there?" Gayle asked, starting to suspect the same thing as me.

"You don't think they're at it, do you?" I asked incredulously.

Gayle's comment about my semi-arousal was soon forgotten as we tried to decide what to do. Should we just gather our suits and head back to the house, or investigate?

Probably contravening our better judgment, we headed over to the small inlet on the other side of the outcropping of our property. It was tricky going among the trees, wrapped in towels and carrying our wet suits, coupled with the need for stealth, but we finally reached the other side and peered toward the lake. There, standing knee deep in water and grabbing an overhead limb was the dark outline of naked Donna, and standing close behind, ramming into her with gusto, was Gorgeous George.

Gayle had to stifle a gasp. I had to swallow my pride. I shouldn't have been surprised, given how Donna was practically drooling over George all afternoon. Gayle silently grabbed my hand and pulled me back in the direction of the house. When we arrived we separated to dry off and dress and then returned to the kitchen, where I made us both a drink. It seemed like we needed one.

Rather than confront George and Donna, we decided to adjourn to our respective beds and pretend to be asleep when they came back. It seemed like the best way to avoid a scene and we resolved to be nonchalant about this indiscretion so they wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing us upset. It was sometime later when I heard the screen door creak and within a few minutes I felt Donna stealthily climb into bed with me. I pretended to be asleep and she appeared none the wiser. As soon as I heard her rhythmic slumber breathing, I drifted off.

When I awoke the next morning it was already 9:30 and I was amazed at how refreshed I felt. Some of the best sleep I've ever had was in the cabin, waking to cool, clear mornings and the myriad songs of birds in the trees. I stretched and reached over to the other side to feel Donna's body but that side of the bed was empty. Perhaps she rose early to have breakfast. All that huffing and puffing down by the lake last night must have built up an appetite in my soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend. I had hoped to rouse her for a little sex, but then my ardor was cooled significantly by the memory of Gorgeous George taking her from behind. I wondered how Gayle and I were going to navigate this awkward development, knowing what we knew. We should have gotten our stories straight before going to sleep last night. I had no idea how she would deal with George and what these potential explosions might do to the rest of the week. It seemed like a good idea to stay in bed for a while.

There was a tentative knock on the door. At first I wasn't sure if I had heard anything at all, but the second knock was marginally louder. It couldn't be Donna because she would have simply walked in.

"Come in," I said quietly as Gayle entered the room. "What's up?"

"They're drove back to the city early this morning," Gayle said

"Oh really?" I was shocked. "Did you see them?"

"Yeah, I talked to George. He apologized on his way out the door, saying they couldn't help themselves, swimming around naked." Gayle seemed more upset than I was, perhaps because her thing with George hadn't quite run as far down the course as what Donna and I had going.

I laid back on my pillow, shirtless but wearing gym shorts. I wasn't feeling all that worried about modesty since Gayle and I had seen each other naked the evening before, albeit, in inky darkness. On the subject of Donna and George, however, I was embarrassed, too, and we wondered how we would handle this betrayal once word got around in our circle of friends, just as we knew it would.

Gayle got busy making a memorable breakfast of French Toast, bacon, and hash brown potatoes. For a few minutes we sat quietly, enjoying our meal, then Gayle spoke.

"Wanna flip for the upstairs room?"

I shook my head. "You take it. I'm fine where I am."

"Tell you what," she responded with that fetching, toothsome smile. "We'll alternate. You take it tonight."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why not? There's no reason we can't enjoy ourselves for the rest of the week. I'm already feeling much better."

"How about we cruise around the lake later?" I asked.

"The sounds great," she replied. "It's a gorgeous day."

I'll say, I thought to myself, trying not to look at Gayle too long and get caught out. I had visions of Gayle last night sprawled casually on the dock with nothing on. It was difficult, especially when I felt an unwanted stirring in my groin. I wasn't supposed to have this reaction with my own sister, but she is beautiful.

That afternoon we anchored near Fire Island, which sat in the middle of the lake and earned its name when a lightning strike spurred a fire that burnt the acre piece of rocky land to a cinder -- in 1878! No remnants of the fire remained except for the name, and it was again thickly forested with pines. Near the northern tip of the island, in the shade of its trees, we enjoyed the gentle rocking of the boat, a mild breeze, and the sensation of being away from everything and everyone. Behind my sunglasses I stole admiring glances at Gayle's figure, her two piece the stuff of male fantasy. I tried to discipline myself not to gaze at her, particularly for more than a second or two, but it was difficult. All she did was lay sprawled across the back seat, a big floppy straw hat covering her face. I could see why guys like Gayle, but I was not supposed to. It was a near run thing between my conscience and my primal urges. My conscience fought a brave but ultimately losing battle.

The sky started filling up in the west and it seemed like a good time to head back. Gayle hardly stirred when I hauled up the anchor and started the engine. I eased the boat forward and turned toward our secluded cove. While the speed of the storm's approach caught us by surprise, I managed to slip into the boat house before the rain started. Despite our remote surroundings, Gayle put on her t-shirt and gym shorts and walked up to the house to get started on dinner while I finished straightening up the boat. I heard the rumble of distant thunder and the sky grew darker.

Gayle made a marvelous summer dinner considering the rusticity of our kitchen and the paucity of high-brow foods. Afterwards, I took care of the dishes while Gayle went out to the screened-in porch to watch the storm roll in. I found her seated casually in one of the Rattan chairs, a long, tanned leg draped immodestly over one arm. I plopped down on the sofa and sprawled out, feeling like nothing in this world would be as pleasurable as a nap. Gayle got up and came over.

"Move your feet, dummy," she said in jest as she sat next to me.

Once situated, our bare feet were close, but there was little conversation. It seemed that we both wanted to enjoy this moment in time, when nature pauses for a good cleansing shower. Looking back years later, I don't think either of us appreciated the significance of that moment. With heavy storm clouds causing an early dusk, I felt safe at our lakeside paradise.

"I'm going to take a shower," Gayle said casually and moved her feet to the floor. "Can I use the upstairs bathroom?"

"Why not?" I asked, a bit puzzled.

"Remember? It's your night to sleep in mom and dad's bed."

"Sure go ahead," I replied, not having given it any thought.

I remained on the porch for a while as the rain started to fall, steadily at first, and then heavily. As darkness thickened I decided to turn in. When I got inside Gayle was already done so while she was in the downstairs bathroom drying her voluminous hair, I got nice and clean and ready for bed. I could hear the rain on the roof as I slipped between the crisp cool sheets.

Despite everything that had happened in the past 24 hours, I was content, almost relieved, in fact, that Donna had jettisoned herself from my life. We both knew it was a coming so a clean break, even one like this, wasn't so bad. I put George and Donna out of my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

It was still raining when I awoke with a start at what had to be about 3:00 AM. The bed felt different somehow. I rolled over and saw the figure of Gayle in the darkness, laying beside me. There was just enough ambient light to see her smile expectantly.

"Hope you don't mind," she whispered.

"No," I replied groggily. "No problem." Though it did strike me as a bit strange, a girl climbing into bed with her brother.

"I'm just lonely downstairs."

"It's okay." I said. "You don't snore, do you?"

She playfully pushed me in the back. "You goofball!"

We drifted off to sleep, the kind of sleep that felt so restful that if death is anything like it, it is not to be feared.

The next day dawned clear and bright but I missed the first of it, sleeping in till 8:30. Gayle was already up and waking up alone made me wonder if I had dreamed the part about her coming upstairs and climbing into bed. A glance at the bedclothes on the other side confirmed that she had been there (she'll never make a bed if she can get someone else to do it for her). It was probably good that she had gotten up earlier because I had a morning erection that could have been embarrassing.

I rose unsteadily, walked over to the open window, and looked out toward the lake. I could see bits of rippling water reflecting brightly through the trees, shafts of sunlight taking advantage of the open spaces in the leaves. The small strip of grass between the porch and the path at woods' edge was bathed in morning sun and there was Gayle, laying on a chaise lounge in a candy-striped bikini. If this was another dream, don't wake me! Her skin glistened with suntan lotion. I admired her luscious body until pangs of guilt intruded but I couldn't look away. I'm sure lots of guys cast longing glances at her, but me? The fact that males hit their sexual peak in their late teens and early twenties did nothing to ease my predicament. I moved away from the window and tried to put her out of my mind so I could get on with my day.

I sat down at the small table in the kitchen for a little breakfast and then walked out on the porch and plonked down on one of the sofas. I wasn't looking for an ambitious agenda, and in fact I was avoiding even the rumor of ambition. Half-sitting and half-laying on the glider, the shrubs blocked my view of Gayle. I pondered what to do. I could go out and say good morning, or I could situate myself in the chair by the screen and surreptitiously glance (if you want to call it that) at her. Before I could make my choice I heard her chair creak followed by soft footfalls in the clover that covered the lawn. In a moment she had come through the door, still wearing her bikini and nothing else.

"Hey," she said casually. I lay on the glider pretending to read a book. "Why didn't you tell me you were up?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Checking me out in my bikini?" she asked, with a naughty gleam in her light brown eyes and her toothy grin. I could feel the color rise in my face.

"C'mon!" I said, not wanting to admit I was but also trying not to be too defensive about it, otherwise she would tease me mercilessly. There seemed to be some current passing between us, but I dismissed it as me being a pervert. My shame swam against a current of desire.

The rest of the day was quiet. We took the boat out for a spin around the lake, but Gayle wore running shorts and a tank top over her bikini, so I was spared the torment of viewing her magnificent body up close. I wondered if I should read something into her wardrobe choice, but decided against it. A situation like this could turn my brain into a pretzel if I let it.

Ominous clouds once again gathered around 4:00 so we put in before any rain started. The storm was a doozy. It turned day into night and the clouds were so threatening they exhibited a greenish hue. This oncoming front meant business. The thick forest around the cabin made the darkness seem impenetrable so after dinner and dishes we both went out on the porch to relax. The storm clouds parked overhead but the rain seemed in no hurry to get started. The quiet radiated in all directions. Even the wildlife was quiet. The animals knew something was afoot.

We sprawled on the sofa in contented silence until a very close thunderclap made us jump and Gayle let out a loud yelp.

"Jesus!" she exclaimed, laughing. "That was close!"

"It was that," I replied, regaining my composure as my heart rate returned to normal.

It was Gayle's turn to sleep upstairs and when I rose to head back to my bed she asked, "Wanna sleep with me again tonight?" Her voice was expectant, searching, not rhetorical. I thought for a moment. Then she laughed, realizing how that sounded. "Sorry... you know what mean."

"Sure, sounds good." I hoped my response sounded more mundane than excited. I was enjoying us sleeping in the same bed and tried to convince myself there was nothing to it. So I climbed the stairs and into bed. I must have drifted off before Gayle came up because when I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of distant thunder, she was there, wearing her tank top and underwear. I rolled back over to face the opposite direction and went back to sleep.

When I awoke the next morning my first conscious thought registered shock. Sometime during the night Gayle had scooted over to my side and lay behind me, spooning. I could feel one of her arms draped over me, and the press of her breasts into my back. It felt good. She was still asleep. The next thing I noticed was my rock hard erection. That's to be expected, of course, but it was mighty inconvenient at the moment. Making matters worse, it was not waning. The feel of her body against mine was exquisite, but I dreaded her discovering my obvious problem. If I tried to extricate myself from her it would wake her up and I didn't want to hurt her feelings giving her the impression I was trying to escape. I wasn't.

Then her hand moved to my cock, which is was already semi-erect. I caught my breath, laying perfectly still. Gayle's hand seemed to move of its own volition. I wasn't sure we were breaking any laws, but we seemed perilously close to doing so. Because her hand just lay on my cock, it seemed she wasn't aware of what she was doing. I wondered what would happen if she woke up and discovered she was fondling me. Would she freak out and insist I drive her back home immediately? Or would she laugh it off by calling it an accident, because she wasn't yet used to sleeping without George? Time seemed to stand still. I wondered where the line was between innocent happenstance and actual incest.

Gayle's breathing changed and I could feel her stretch her legs like we do when first awake, but her hand remained where it was.

"Good morning," she whispered. Now her hand gave my hardness a squeeze. "Feels like you're happy this morning."

"Hey," I replied, trying to be cool with mixed results. I decided that if she had no objections I certainly didn't. The possible consequences seemed out of sight, over the horizon.

"Do you want me to move my hand?"

"Uh, just up and down."

Gayle laughed. She has a throaty laugh tinted with ribald innuendo.

"I should have asked first, but I wasn't quite awake yet."

"It's okay," I replied. She pressed her body close to mine.

"Do you think we can be sexy together?" she asked, her voice breathy and provocative.

I nodded but said I wanted to brush my teeth first. Gayle did, too, and I figured if we were going to turn back from the edge, it would be during a mundane chore like tooth brushing. While still in the bathroom, Gayle embraced me and planted her lips on mine.

"Mmmm," I responded. "Minty fresh, just like in the ads."

There went her laugh again. She took me by the hand and led me back into the bedroom. We stood next to the bed -- you know, the one our parents usually sleep in! -- and kissed some more. Gayle knew a thing or two about kissing. Then she pushed me away. Was that it? I wondered. Had she suddenly realized what we were doing and called a halt to the whole proceeding?

"Get naked!" she said with authority. I knew Gayle wasn't a virgin but she sure seemed to know what she was doing for a girl her age. She'd obviously done some living. Once undressed, she hopped onto the bed, inviting me to join her. The feel of her skin was glorious.

At one point I thought about pausing to give her a chance to change her mind, but when she took my cock into her mouth and began to bob her head up and down with evident enthusiasm, I thought why interrupt her momentum? I wanted to give her pussy the same loving attention as she was giving my dick so we rearranged ourselves into the sixty-nine with Gayle on top. It was brilliant how we managed this without her ever taking my cock out of her mouth. I was hard as I can ever remember being. I'm no ladies' man but I'm also not without some experience and this moment was sublime. It was as if I had never experienced sex before. Every move Gayle made, every moan that emanated from her throat and vibrated on my cock, seemed like an utterly new and wondrous sensation.

Following Gayle's lead, I soon found myself on top, her hands holding my face. Our tongues played with one another and then Gayle reached down between us with one hand. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed into mine, while further down she slowly guided my hardness into her.

"Oh, fuck yeah!" Gayle gasped in a hoarse whisper. Then her voice was transformed into something wholly different. It was throaty, passionate, deep. "OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod, yeeeeeeessss! Feels so good!" What a pleasant surprise that my sexy sister liked to talk during love making.

As I thrust into Gayle, I couldn't help admiring her body. I knew at that moment I shouldn't be there, but it was amazing! The fact that she was turned on just turned me on more. I wanted to please her in any way she wanted. When she started to come, words no longer came out of her mouth. Her head shook vigorously from side to side, as if she were trying to deny the tidal wave of pleasure that washed over her, and then her whole body began to tremble, her legs twitching involuntarily. She was lost, in orbit, transported to another dimension and I could no longer hold back. I was so far gone that even as I flooded her insides, it felt like my body would never be the same.

I don't know how long we lay there, still joined in the missionary position, but I finally had the presence of mind to roll off Gayle and onto my back. We were side by side, staring at the vaulted ceiling of the cabin, our respiration finally starting to return to normal. Finally Gayle spoke in a low, provocative voice.

"I have never, ever, EVER, had sex that good!"

"Neither have I," I said with a sigh.

"No wonder it's illegal," she said with a laugh. The remark, intended to be complimentary of our chemistry, caught me off guard, reminding me that we had just broken a major taboo.

"We're not going to get in trouble, are we?" I asked anxiously, too late thinking about all the potential consequences flowing from our morning of passion. Gayle laughed again.

"You worry too much," she said. "Nobody's going to find out. C'mon," she said, rising unsteadily. "Let's take a shower."

Gayle tied her long hair into a fetching bun on the top of her head and without a concern for her nudity, padded off to the bathroom and started the water. I do love taking a shower with a woman, I just never expected to take one with my sister.

The bathroom off my parents' bedroom was about what you'd expect in a rustic cottage. The shower was cozy for two but we managed. As I washed Gayle's back another unpleasant reminder of the outside world caught me off guard, wondering if our parents had ever been in there having some after-sex time. She turned to face me and the water rinsed the soap off her back while we shared a sexy kiss. Her hand found my revived cock.

"Hmmm," she said as our lips were locked. "Somebody is ready to go again."

"Are you?" I asked.

"Always, sweetie."

We re-positioned ourselves so I was standing behind Gayle. I admired the feminine lines of her back, hips, and ass. Gayle reached between her legs and guided me into her. She felt just as delightful as before, though coming in from this direction had a different feeling that sent me into orbit. Being almost as tall as me, I could comfortably enter Gayle in a standing position while she braced herself on the shower wall. This time I no longer felt like I shouldn't be doing it. Now it felt perfectly natural. Gayle seemed not to suffer from some of my hangups, but I was quickly getting past them. I reached around and massaged her ample breasts, giving each nipple a gentle squeeze between my index and middle finger.

"Oh fuck!" Gayle grunted. "Oh fuck, I'm coming!" I could feel it. Her sugar walls were flowing and her climax sent me over the edge, too, as I took a firm hold of her hips and buried myself as far as I could go. My knees weakened, but with supreme will I was able to stay inside Gayle, who also for a moment buckled at the knees but never lost me. Gayle kept up her running semi-coherent commentary.

"Oh, god! Yeah, yeah, yeah, give it to me! Come for me! That's it!" And then as I flooded her again, astonished that I still had so much left after our first coupling, "There you go! Yeah! There you go!"

My head landed between her shoulder blades as the last of our orgasms twitched through our bodies. Gayle started giggling softly and it was infectious. The high we felt made us giddy. Finally it was time to separate and I reached back to turn off the water. Gayle got out first, grabbing a towel for me and then herself. We finally looked at one another and smiled broadly.

"Well," she said. "This is quite a development."

"The understatement of the year," I replied and we both laughed.

Since the weather was a still bit dodgy, we decided to run into town for breakfast and to pick up some groceries. Sitting in the quaint little cafe, it surprised us that it took real effort to act toward each other as siblings, roles we'd been playing all our lives, rather than lovers, which by then we had been for about two hours.

As she read over the menu, her eyes hidden behind the bill of one of my baseball caps that she had commandeered, Gayle made an interesting comment.

"We're going to need a code-name." I admitted to being puzzled. "You know, for what happened earlier?"

"How could I forget?" I replied, trying to be careful not to let my face reveal our secret to other diners, who were in any event tuned into their own lives and not ours. A few absurd possibilities popped into my head, but I readily discarded things like "Operation Incestuous Coupling" or "That Time We Fucked on Mom and Dad's Bed." They were hardly pithy and weren't in the least coded. Still, they were accurate.

Gayle, ever the clever one of us, looking wholesome, but inwardly a libertine, thought about it for a few minutes. Before the waitress arrived to take our order, she said simply, "The Incident."