FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Another week, another drive down to Charlotte's place. Even with my AC set to its coolest setting and the fans spinning their hearts out I'm still warmer than I would like to be on the ride over. Today, just like every other day since summer started, has been an absolute scorcher. People say that it's so hot outside you could fry an egg on the pavement, but I'm more inclined to believe you could fry an entire freaking filet mignon with how many temperature records have been broken over the last few weeks. Thankfully with my job at the groomer I worked in air-conditioned bliss all day. Still, that doesn't prevent me from feeling like I needed to take a shower after the short walk across the parking lot every morning.

Charlotte's house comes into view and I cruise into her driveway. After gathering my bag of grooming supplies I lock my car and step up to her porch. After ringing the doorbell I hear a muffled “Back here!" come through the door. She's out on her patio again? In this heat? With her thick fur? Odd. I turn the knob to find it already unlocked and step through the doorway. I'm immediately hit with a gust of hot air as I enter her house and my hopes of spending a casual afternoon touching up her coat quickly die. I can only assume her air conditioning system has failed, it's the only reason an anthro with a fur coat like hers wouldn't have it running on a day like this. I make my way through her house and onto her patio, finding Charlotte sitting at an outdoor table.

A large umbrella is propped up beside her and on the table is a pitcher of lemonade filled to the brim with ice cubes. Charlotte sits panting, dressed in nothing more than a sports bra and shorts. She turns to me as I approach.

“About time you showed up! I've been sitting here sweating my furry behind off since noon."

I take a seat beside her and set my things down.

“Let me guess, the AC broke?"

“Oh no, worse than that, the entire neighborhood's lost power! Probably because everyone was trying to put theirs on full blast at the same time. So now that means no AC, no indoor fans, I can't even stick my head in the freezer for fear of everything melting before the power comes back on! Uhg!"

Charlotte groans and grabs the pitcher of lemonade, taking a large swig.

“I guess that means no grooming for you today. Too hot to do anything in the house and outside isn't much better."

“Right, I was kind of hoping after you arrived we could take your car somewhere cooler."

“Something wrong with yours?"

“I already said the power was out, that means the garage door can't open and my SUV is trapped behind it. I'm feeling pretty hellish right now, but it's not bad enough for me to start it up and ram through my own garage door."

I stare at her dumbfounded.

“Charlotte, I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but I am 99.9% sure that your garage door can be opened manually. You don't have to use the garage door opener."

She pauses, gears turning.

“I don't have to…use the…opener?"

I nod and talk slowly.

“No, it's just a door Charlotte. Just because you've never had a reason not to have the door open automatically doesn't mean you're shit out of luck if the power's out. I mean really, how do you think people opened their garages fifty years ago?"

She looks away and takes a sip of lemonade.

“Oh, of course, I already knew that. I was just waiting for a big strong man like you to come along and open it for me. Do I really seem like the kind of lady to get her paws dirty on some rusty, rattly door?"

“No, but you do seem like the kind of lady to suck a guy's dick in a clothing store's dressing-“

She waves a paw dismissively and cuts me off.

“Oh please, that was nothing more than a little bit of risqué fun. And we both ended up getting something out of it, didn't we? I got a free dress and you got the most memorable five minutes of your entire life."

“And we both got kicked out of the store and a lifetime ban, don't forget that too."

“Eh, their selection wasn't very good anyway." She looks to the sky and wipes her forehead, even from here I can tell that her fur is soaked with sweat. “So, where do you want to go now that we have transportation?"

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms. Thinking, thinking, thinking. My eyes drift down to Charlotte's sports bra and an idea pops into my head.

“I know! We can go to the beach!"

Charlotte gives me a blank silent stare, as if I were the stupidest man alive.

“…The beach? You cannot be serious."

“I am! It's a beautiful day and it'd be a shame to waste it. I'm already in shorts so I don't need any more clothing, and you'll get to wear an outfit even skimpier than the one you have on now. You know they have food stands there too, we can get ice cream, or slushies, or dippin dots, or whatever you want to keep cool."

Charlotte chuffs in amusement and rests her sweat soaked cheek against an open paw.

“Anon, all this heat must have gotten to you." She puts her other paw against my forehead, taking my temperature. “Do you feel dizzy at all? Blacked out recently? Have a dry mouth? I think you're suffering from some form of temperature induced delirium."

I angrily remove her paw from my forehead and lean forward on the table.

“No, I'm totally serious Charlotte. We can drive down there in your SUV, set up a couple towels under an umbrella, and chill there until your power comes back on. We'll have the open ocean in front of us, the cool breeze coming from the water, a bright open sky above us, warm sand beneath us, it'll be great!"

Charlotte takes another swig of lemonade and wipes her lips.

“If I go there, I assure you there will be no 'chilling' of any kind." She waves her hands down the front of her body. “Just look at me! I've got a coat of fur meant for mild summers at best, if I go to the beach I'll spontaneously combust! Are you trying to give me a heat stroke or something?"

I laugh and lean back in my seat.

“Charlotte, did I not just mention you'll have a cool breeze coming from the ocean? And if you really get hot you can just take a dip in the water, or gorge yourself on ice cream. Besides, we both know that your winter coat is looooong gone. I brushed away the last traces of it weeks ago. Every. Last. Hair. There's no better time to go than now."

She shrugs and purses her lips, thinking it over.

“I don't know Anon, I mean, I don't even know how to swim. What will I do if I get carried away by a current?"

“Not going to happen, it's a very shallow drop from the sand to the ocean. You can easily walk into the water until you're up to your waist and stay cool that way, no swimming needed."

“Eh, and what about all that sand? It's coarse, and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere! I'll have sand in my coat for months after this, I'm sure of it!"

“Then I'll brush you after we get back, I promise I won't leave a single grain of sand in your coffee-colored silk."

Her expression changes into a shy smile.

“Aww, coffee-colored silk, I liked that. I might have even liked it enough to follow you to my own demise, destined to end up as nothing more than a charred ball of fluff on the sand." She exhales and looks to the side, making up her mind before turning back to me. “Alright, I'll go."

I stand up with giddy anticipation.

“It's settled then! I'll go ahead and throw this umbrella into your SUV and open the garage door, you go ahead and change into some beach attire."

“Very well." She says, standing up and downing the last of the lemonade. “But put your grooming instruments in the car too. Might as well get a brushing or two in while we're sitting on the beach."

“Anything for my favorite lady bear, I'll see you in the garage."

We both enter the house and I quickly move to the garage, lifting the garage door open and transferring my grooming implements and Charlotte's beach umbrella into the back of her vehicle. It isn't long until Charlotte joins me, strutting up to the open trunk in a two-piece halter top bathing suit. The color? A vibrant scarlet red, typical Charlotte. Her bathing suit's bottom covers a good portion of her hips and the top, while still showing off her sizable bust, covers up more fur than something like a bikini top would. I halfway hoped she would have chosen something a little less modest. She may be an older woman, but she's got a body worth bragging about. Or perhaps she wasn't so keen on drawing attention to herself today, something about showing off all that fur around so many people triggering some rarely seen shyness.

“What? Was the itty bitty teeny weeny yellow polka dot bearkini in the wash?" I tease her with a coy smile.

She gives a half-hearted laugh and slides a large canvas bag off her shoulder, placing it in the rear of the SUV.

“Very funny Anon. I'm not exactly well stocked with bathing suits you know, a trip to the pool once in a blue moon is most of the contact with water I get. I don't think I even own a bikini. Besides, it's out of character for a lady of my breed and maturity to be seen in public dressed in something as crass as a skimpy bikini. I need to be a role model for the younger generations and demonstrate proper restraint and refined taste in all things, including my choice of beach attire."

I nod in faux understanding and put a hand up to my chin.

“Proper restraint and refined taste, right, like that time you tore my pants open in the middle of a dressing room stall and started slobbering all over my-“

She pokes my shoulder with a claw and clears her throat.

“In public, Anon, in public. What I do in my own private residence, and what happens between two consenting adults in a private place, like a dressing room stall, is an entirely different matter."

“It wasn't so private after Vanessa opened the door."

“And that mangy mutt shouldn't have barged in on us in the first place." She proclaims, shutting the rear of the SUV. “Now hop in the passenger seat before I change my mind about all this."

**********************************

“We're here!" Charlotte announces, shutting the engine off and opening her door.

I step outside into the warm salty air and stretch my arms. Geez, the parking lot it feels even hotter than in Charlotte's backyard, though when we make it to the ocean things should cool down. And they better, for both of our sakes. I don't even want to think about what Charlotte would do if I ended up dragging her all the way out here for nothing. I follow Charlotte to the rear of the SUV and grab my grooming supplies and the umbrella while she slips her canvas bag back onto her shoulder.

“What's in there?" I ask.

“Some light reading, the towels, sunglasses, sunscreen, everything we need for a day by the shore."

“Sunscreen? We both know you don't need that."

“But my favorite groomer does, and what kind of client would I be if I didn't repay him for all his hard work by slathering his hot little body with sunscreen? Or would have you have preferred I brought oil?"

“Oh, I see where you're going with this. Hornbear."

She laughs and rubs my shoulder.

“I assure you I'll restrain myself from tearing your shorts off and creating another dressing room incident. I mean really Anon, you get to rub your fingers through my plush fur every time we meet up, isn't it only fair that I get to run my paws over your bare skin once in a while?"

I give a tired sigh and close the rear of the SUV.

“I guess you have a point. Now let's get off this pavement and onto the sand, it feels like my soles are about to start melting."

We make our way onto a boardwalk and gaze at the open ocean in front of us. I stare at it for a moment, then slowly turn my head to view exactly what I hoped I wouldn't see. Endless throngs of people are already walking, playing, sunbathing, and otherwise crowding the thin strip of sand.

“Looks like we weren't the only ones who wanted to beat the heat this way. It may be tough to find a good spot."

“Don't worry about that, love, I'm sure there's a mouse or bunny somewhere around here I could intimidate into 'donating' their spot to us. I may be a she-bear, but I still have a body full ursine might and a growl that could make even the mightiest lion question the limits of his bravery."

“I don't doubt you, but first let's try to find a spot without you scaring half a dozen bunny children into crying fits in the process. Hey! Look over there!"

I point to a cozy empty spot on the edge of the sand and start running towards it, Charlotte following behind. We end up coming up to the spot at the same time as a family of house cats. Charlotte promptly snatches the umbrella out of my hand, steps up to the spot, and stabs it into the ground with a resounding thud and low growl. The feline family quickly turns tail and leads their kittens to a new spot. Charlotte pops the umbrella open and turns to me with a smug smile.

“See? Told you we wouldn't have any issues finding a spot."

“Yes, and I'm sure your visage only be haunting the dreams of those kittens for a month or two."

She shrugs and sets her bag down on the ground.

“Pussies." She takes out the towels and sets them down beside each other. “Now, how about I apply that sunscreen then you brush my fur? Tit for tat?"

I set my grooming supplies on the ground and lie belly down on one of the towels.

“Sounds good to me. You can start on my back whenever you're ready."

I hear her squirt some sunscreen onto a paw and I prop my head up on my arms, staring out onto the beach.

“Uhg, this stuff smells foul." She gags.

“Were you expecting it to smell like something other than the collection of dubious chemicals it's made out of?"

“Well, I don't know. I have lotion at home that smells ten times better than this concoction. Then again, everything I buy is made for anthros, for ursines in particular if I can find the right versions. I suppose they'd have to smell better since we have better noses than you humans."

“Now you're getting it. Having a mediocre sense of smell has its upsides, you know."

“If you say so, now let's get this stuff onto your skin."

I feel Charlotte begin to rub it into my upper back, her paws moving in small circles as she works. The sensation of her paw pads is a little odd, they're rougher than a human's fingers but not so rough as to become unpleasant against my bare skin. Not every anthro's paws are so supple, I suspect she lotions them as part of her routine. She begins to rub deeper into my back and I let my muscles relax, blissfully taking in her message as I stare at the other beach goers.

Several lizards are sunbathing further down the beach, the sun must feel good against their scales. A few children are making sandcastles next to where the sand meets the water, looks like one of their castles is already in danger of being washed away. A couple of orcas walk out of the ocean and onto land accompanied by a few land-dwelling species decked out in goggles and snorkels, guess they must be diving guides. The lifeguard for this particular stretch of beach, a young-looking otter, is currently hitting on a group of girls below him. Typical. My gaze shifts to the right and I spot a group of girls playing volleyball on the beach. They're uniformly fit and toned, they probably play for some college team. A few humans, a few cats, a few dogs, but nearly half the team is composed of foxes. Maybe something about those big bushy tails helps them-

“Ow!" I yelp, a sharp pain coming from my back.

I look to my rear to see Charlotte staring at me with her arms crossed.

“I saw you gawking at those young vixens, you little scamp." She accuses with a wag of her finger.

“So? It's not like we're married Charlotte, I can stare at who I want to."

She gives a faux cry and puts a paw to her chest.

“Ah! I can't believe it! My one and only groomer is going to leave me for some bushy tailed harlot, guess I was nothing more than another notch in his belt. I bet you'll even offer to groom her most private places free of charge, places not even I dare let you groom."

“You know it's not like that."

She chuckles and resumes rubbing my back.

“I know, but you can't blame a girl like me for getting a little jealous from time to time. She-bears aren't exactly known for being high up on the list of most feminine species."

“Don't put yourself down like that. You're woman enough."

“I mean really, we don't have tails worth talking about. Mine is what? Just a few inches in length? Even a lynx would have a longer tail than me. I don't even have to buy pants with a hole for a tail it's so insignificant."

“That just means there's less to get in the way when we, you know, do the thing. Near your tail." I state with a crass smile.

“True enough. I've never had a slender, tight body like they have though, bears just aren't built that way. We're always a little stocky, big boned and thick furred if you want to be polite about it. I'd have to starve myself if I wanted a body that's anything like theirs."

“But you have more bounce to the ounce, as they say."

“And some of those 'ounces' I wouldn't mind getting rid of. Bears don't have the most attractive faces either. I've got a big thick muzzle, beady little eyes, droopy lips, a big slimy nose, and my forehead's as big as a dinnerplate! I don't have the noble look of a wolf, or the seductive gaze of a lioness, or even the girly eyes of a doe. I was made to be durable first, and beautiful a very distant second." She sniffles and wipes a nonexistent tear from her eye.

I can't help but laugh at her ridiculous self-assessment.

“You're beautiful Charlotte, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And about your face, there's one very important part of it you left out."

“And what's that?"

“Your big, soft, round, cute ears. The ones I love to style and tug on? Everyone thinks they're cute. Besides, if people didn't think bears were cute then how come teddy bears are such a common toy? A child wouldn't want to keep around a stuffed animal that's ugly, that's for sure."

She chuckles in agreement.

“Sure, sure, but you know teddy bears are modeled off cubs, not grown adults."

“Irrelevant. You're still cute, even with your big muzzle, warm eyes, soft lips, cute nose, and fuzzy forehead."

“If you say so. I bet those other girls are more energetic than me though, even disregarding my yearly hibernation habits."

“What you lack in energy you more than make up for in passion. Passion about your looks, passion about your cooking, and of course, passion in your own romantic affairs. I can't think of a single anthro girl my age willing to cover themselves up in whipped cream and strawberries like you did."

“Good, but don't count on me doing anything like that again. Even with the shower it was a pain to get all that melted on whipped cream out of my fur. Now turn over Anon, your back is done."

I comply and turn over onto my back, Charlotte electing to straddle my hips as she works on my belly and chest.

“You're telling me everything I want to hear, but I also know a brown noser when I see one. If I find out you're lying about any of what just came out of your mouth I'll ensure you'll be grooming me for the rest of your natural life. Free of charge, of course."

“No ma'am I wasn't lying about any of that. Especially the part about you being a passionate lover."

Her gaze turns smoky.

“I can think of a way or two for me to affirm your claims later today. Now-oh no!" She quickly reaches up and pokes me on the lips, leaving a dot of sunscreen there. “Looks like I accidentally got some on your face. Let me just take care of that, lover boy…"

She leans down for a kiss and I turn my head to better accept her muzzle. Her soft lips touch mine and we explore each other for a short moment, my tongue tracing her sharp teeth. Just as I'm getting into the act Charlotte suddenly leans up and gags.

“Ahg! That stuff tastes even worse than it smells!" She shouts, wiping her tongue with the back of a hand. “Why did I think that was a good idea?"

I suppress a chuckle and lean up.

“Want something to wash the taste out of your mouth? There's an ice cream stand right over there." I offer, pointing to it.

“Definitely." She gets off me and rummages around her bag, pulling out a wallet and handing me some bills. “Use this."

“And what flavor do you want?"

She leans in and puts a hand over her mouth.

“Salted honey." She whispers.

“Why so secretive? It's just ice cream."

“I don't like feeding into the stereotype, but what can I say? I've got something of a honey tooth. Now go! Before my breakfast ends up all over these towels!" She orders, shooing me away.

I can't help but roll my eyes with a smile, she's cute when she's bashful. After dutifully running up to the ice cream stand I return to our spot with two cones in hand, one salted honey for her, and a mint chocolate chip for me. I hand her the cone and the sunscreen tongued bear immediately digs in, attacking her ice cream with a flurry of licks. She eventually stops and savors the taste with a pleased moan.

“Better?"

“Much better. Now…" She reaches into her bag and retrieves a book and sunglasses, putting them on. “…how about you give me a brushing while I read a bit? Even though we've been out here for less than an hour I can already feel sand getting into my fur. Feels awful." She remarks with a shiver.

“Sure."

I look into my bag of grooming supplies and take out a fur brush, one of the heavy-duty ones with long metal teeth made just for women curs-, err, blessed with thicker coats. I twirl it in the air and the steely metal head sparkles in the sunlight. Ya, this one'll do. With Charlotte sitting on her back on the towel I sit down beside her, stick the brush into her fur and-

“Wait."

I retract the brush from her fur.

“What?"

“I need a headrest. Sit down behind me and splay your legs out, like that, ya." With my legs splayed on either side of her she wiggles backwards until her head hits my lap. She then curls her knees upwards and rests the book on her thighs. “Perfect."

With my client now comfy, cooled, and collected, I stab the brush into her fur again. I make long, slow strokes across her neck and shoulders, only managing to pull a few hairs out at a time. Not that it surprised me, when I said I got every single hair from her winter coat out I meant it. But what does surprise me is the amount of sand I see fall from the brush with each stroke. She's barely even set foot on the beach and still there's sand all over her. Even with my thorough brushing she'll have to take a shower after this to clean her fur out, no doubt about it.

“Feeling better now? Better than your stuffy backyard, right?"

“Surprisingly, yes. Granted, I know that without this umbrella I would be nothing more than a scorch mark on the sand by now, but the breeze coming in from the ocean really does feel nice. The ice cream helps too." She remarks with a lick.

“Told you you'd like it." I stroke the brush a few more times through her fur before glancing at her book. “What are you reading?"

“Oh, this old thing?" She says behind a sly chuckle. “It's a Canadian best seller, a favorite of mine titled 'She-Bear'. It's about the relationship between the titular she-bear and a human man."

“Easy enough to see why you'd be interested in it. What genre, romance?"

Her chuckle grows louder.

“Of a sort. I probably should have mentioned that the particular she-bear in this novel is a feral one, not a two-legged one like me."

I stop brushing her fur for a moment.

“And if this is a romance novel then who's the love interest for the man?"

She looks up to me with a smug smile.

“Why the bear of course, who else would it be? Would you like me to read a passage of it for you?"

I pause, quickly becoming scared of what was about to happen next.

“…Do I want you to?"

Without giving me an answer she starts flipping through the book until landing on one page in particular.

“This is one of my favorite parts, very romantic." She clears her throat and begins reciting the passage. “Lee became startled at a sudden rustling off to his left. He snapped to the sound to see the same bear from before staring at him from behind a large tree. He paused for a moment, half out of fear, half out of curiosity, to see what the bear would do next. Charge at him to steal his meal? Or was she just curious about the new intruder in her forest? Thankfully it seemed to be the latter option, she stood motionless, eyes fixed on him in a timid stare. Lee looked down to his plate and realized his folly. The chicken he had grilled, that's no doubt what brought the bear over to his cabin. And now here she was, having faithfully followed her nose to the source of the smell Lee had so stupidly created. Lee considers his options. Yell at her to go away? Retrieve his rifle? Or perhaps she just wants a sample of his meal? She had been the only living creature of note he'd seen in months, Lee's sole neighbor out in this endless forest. And you don't shoot a neighbor, do you? And yelling at her seemed so impolite, she had respected Lee's property by not entering uninvited, had she not? Lee wrestles with his thoughts for a short while, then in a moment of decision throws a chicken breast off his plate and onto the grass by the bear. “Go on! Take it! Just leave me alone, bear." He shouts. The She-Bear looks to the chicken, then to the man, hesitantly stepping forward and delicately taking the chicken into her mouth. She slowly retreats backwards, keeping her gaze on the man, until turning tail and scampering back into the forest with her gift. Lee watches her leave, satisfied that his first real interaction with another resident of the forest had been, as far as he knew, a successful one. But what he did not know was that the bear was going to do anything but leave him alone."

Charlotte stops reading and looks up to me.

“Like it so far?" She asks.

“It's…fairly tame, from what you read, anyway. I can only assume the risqué parts come later."

“Oh? You want to hear the risqué parts? Let me read one for you."

“No that's not what I-“

She turns several pages and cuts me off.

“Lee felt her fur through his hands and her heart beat within her sturdy chest, just as strong and wanting as his own. He plunged his face deep into her chest fluff, desperate to feel, suckle, caress, smell, taste as much of his bearish lover as he could. To experience what so few had, to feel a love so strong it transcends species, to taste that forbidden fruit and still be left wanting, what an intoxicating taboo! Her sharp claws raked across his back in a passion filled grip but he paid them no mind, the pain he felt now was utterly insignificant compared to the lust he felt in his loins, his own needs having been unquenched for some months, his bed as lonely as it was soft. But they would be unquenched no longer! Now he had a friend, a bedmate, a lover, an untamed forest bride. All that was left was to consummate their wild-born love, to make official what no earthly priest dared to. Half mad with want, he rolled his bride onto her back, her legs naturally spreading as she readied for her unfurred lover's entry. Lee, without a moment's regard as to the unnatural coupling he was about to create, lined himself up and plunged into-“

“That's enough Charlotte, for the love of god there are children around."

Charlotte looks up from her book.

“No there aren't, they're all by the shore making sandcastles or digging holes."

“That's beside the point, I think I've heard enough of your little perverted book. Sounds like what I'd read in some dark little corner of the internet, right next to the My Little Pony erotic fan fiction and the gay Harry Potter smut."

Charlotte shows me the cover and points to several awards with a claw.

“No, it's totally legitimate, it's won several prestigious literary awards, see? And remember it's a Canadian best seller!"

“Degenerates."

“No, Canadians."

“Whatever. Keep reading it if you want, just don't read anything else out loud or you're bound to get us kicked off the beach."

“Fine, fine, have it your way." She licks a finger and flicks back to the spot she was at before. “I was just about to get to my favorite part anyway, right about where she peeks on him taking a nude bath by a stream."

“Pervert bear…" I mutter under my breath.

“What?"

“Nothing."

I continue to run my brush through her fur for several minutes in a welcome silence, dislodging a small handful worth of sand from deep within her coat. As the day wears on the sun seems to become even more ruthless than it was previously. Even with the ocean breeze, the ice cream in our bellies, and the umbrella shielding us from the sun's direct gaze, even I felt that things were about to become too hot for comfort. Charlotte is the first to pipe up, no doubt feeling the heat worse than I was.

“Wew, is it getting hotter or is it just me?" She says, fanning her face with the book.

“It's not just you, we're feeling the full brunt of summer right now. What do you say about a dip in the water? That ought to cool us down, then we can leave to see if your power is back on."

She looks to the ocean and exhales.

“I suppose, but I can't swim."

“We don't have to go very far, just waist deep."

“And if a suspiciously shaped fin appears above the water you'll warn me about it, right? Not leave me as fish bait?"

“Of course I'll warn you." I laugh. “Not like you need it though, I'm pretty sure you could turn a great white into sushi with those claws of yours."

Charlotte leans forward off my lap and stands up, stretching her arms in the salty air. I stand up with her and we walk down to where the water kissed the sand, letting the water rush past our feet, then ankles, then knees. I wade until the water met my belly button only to find that Charlotte had stopped following, standing a few feet behind me.

“Come on Charlotte, we can go a little deeper than that."

“I, uhh, I think I'm fine over here." She looks to the shore, then to me. “We're plenty far out, don't you think?"

I cross my arms with an incredulous smile.

“Charlotte, the big bad bear, is scared of the ocean."

“No I'm not!" She refutes with a scowl, before quickly shifting into a more timid look as she looks back to shore. “I just don't want to get eaten by a shark, or octopus, or whatever else lurks beneath the water. And like I told you, I can't even swim!"

I can't help but chuckle at her expense before extending my hand out.

“Come on then, take my hand, we'll just go a little farther. The water is barely even touching your waist, I know you're still overheating."

She looks out to sea, then to the shore, then finally to me.

“Alright, fine." She huffs, taking my hand. “Just a little further."

I lead her a few more steps forward until the cool water hit the bottom of my rib cage, then stop.

“See? It's not so bad."

“I suppose it is nice out here. So much quieter now that we're away from the beach."

“Anything for my favorite client."

She frowns.

“Client? All this time and that's all I am to you? That's cold, Anon."

I awkwardly look away and shake my head.

“You know I didn't mean it that way."

A paw turns my head back to her.

“Then tell me what I am, if I'm not just a client. Am I your girlfriend? Lover? Mistress? Untamed forest bride? Old hag you bang on the weekends? What?"

That last one gets a smile out of me.

“Well, I'm not entirely sure, I mean, I know that I'm your preferred groomer…"

“That's what you are to me, yes, but that term means something different to anthros than it does to furless humans like you. A groomer helps an anthro take care of herself, they're someone to share gossip with, tell some secrets to, let into your life more than the average friend. And a preferred groomer is one that does all that plus a little extra. They're the ones that trim those patches of fur you don't dare show to others, if you catch my drift." She ends with a wink.

“I'm not sure. I guess…I guess the closest human equivalent would be a friend with benefits."

“Friend with benefits? I think we're a little closer than just friends, don't you think?"

“Girlfriend then?"

“We're getting warmer Anon, but girlfriend seems like a term for someone a little younger than I. All my female friends my age bear titles like wife, widow, mother, aunt, but they're never someone's 'girlfriend'. The term is simply juvenile, unbefitting."

“We're running out of options here Charlotte."

She puts a paw to her chin in thought.

“Yes, yes we are. I am your lover though, am I not?"

“You certainly qualify."

“Then perhaps I'll be your…untamed forest lover." She briefly looks away before nodding in self-agreement. “Yes, I think that one fits."

“Seriously Charlotte? You're just aping the line from that perverted book of yours. We haven't even been in a forest together!"

She waves a paw dismissively.

“Ya-ya-ya, it's cheesy, I know. But it's the thematic connection I like about it. In the book the love between She-Bear and Lee is forbidden, yet passionate and true at the same time. Our love is similar in a roundabout sort of way. Our relationship may not be illegal, or as dangerous, but it's still got that titillating air of taboo about it. And our romantic relations are, well, perhaps even more intimate than what Lee and She-Bear are described doing. I don't recall any passages about her decorating herself in whipped cream and strawberries and inviting Lee to lick her clean."

“I can't believe what I'm hearing Charlotte, describing our relationship through the lens of your favorite smutty romance novel, it's such a middle-aged woman thing to do. What saucy tale will you be bringing up next? Fifty shades of neigh?"

She smiles and puts her hands on her hips.

“My book club hasn't gotten to that one yet, sorry Anon. But I'll be sure to bring it up during our next tea party where we gossip about our neighbors and share our favorite crock pot recipes." She lets her hands down and steps closer. “Now, are you going to give your untamed forest lover a kiss to prove you didn't really mean what you just said, or will I have to claw one out of you?"

She leans down for a kiss and I raise my head to meet hers, but stop just before our lips touch, turning my head towards the beachgoer littered shore.

“Oooo, so risqué Charlotte, letting the entire beach see us kiss like this, age gap and all. Some of them probably think you're my mother." I whisper.

“To hell with what they think!"

A wave splashes into us and Charlotte dives in for the kill, spreading her jaw as her soft lips crash into my own. Her arms wrap around my back pulling me against her chest and my hands snake their way up her furry head, caressing her cheeks as I attempt to match the ferocity of her affection. After breaking from the initial kiss she briefly recoils back before diving in a second time, her large tongue slipping past my teeth as I allow her to invade my mouth unopposed. She sucks my lips as we taste each other for a few heated moments, tongues intertwined, saliva running, flesh gliding against enamel and jaws wide open in an unabashedly sloppy French kiss. I'm silently thankful she decided to do this when we were away from everyone else as the sounds we're making aren't fit for public listening.

At some point during the oral tango I feel a paw lose its grip on my back and glide downward to my belly before slipping further down to my waist line. She briefly pauses, then her paw slowly descends into my shorts and onto my cock. I almost let it happen before remembering that we likely aren't as alone we think. I pull back slightly to force Charlotte's tongue out of my mouth so that I can speak.

“No, not now Charlotte, get your paw out of there."

“Come on love, you can return the favor if you want to, my bikini bottom isn't tight." She coos, squeezing my package for effect.

“There could be a peeping tom below the water." I angrily whisper back.

Her eyes go from glazed over to wide and alert in a flash, her paw retracting from my shorts.

“Oh."

“Exactly, I think I saw some orcas on the beach when we arrived, who the hell knows where they are now."

“I'll take a peek below, I'm not in the business of giving free shows."

Charlotte submerges below the water for a few seconds, reemerging with a newfound scowl. She points to a spot slightly further out to sea.

“There was a group of dolphins just over there." She reveals with a low, murderous tone. “The second they saw me go below the water they started swimming away and I heard them laughing in that annoying high-pitched squeak they have."

“Dolphins, somehow I'm not surprised." I glance towards the beach. “On the bright side none of those landlubbers seemed to care about our personal displays of affection, then again, they can't see below the water."

Charlotte crosses her arms with an annoyed sigh.

“True, but to be perfectly honest seeing those glorified tuna swim away laughing at us has killed my mood. Squeaky voiced deviants looking at things they shouldn't, I can't believe we're both mammals."

“Ya know, I wouldn't mind some sushi right now…"

Charlotte rolls her eyes.

“I appreciate the thought, but all I want right now is a nice, long, warm bath at home. You've done an admirable job keeping the sand from my fur but after nearly giving those dolphins the show of a lifetime I'm still left feeling a little dirty. And who knows what prolonged contact with the salt water will do to my coat."

“It's not like pool water Charlotte, your fur's not going to turn green."

“Better to be safe than sorry. What do you say we pack up our things and head back to my place?"

I shrug.

“If you want to. Do you at least feel cooled down enough? You were panting on the patio when I first got to your house, looked a couple degrees away from a heat stroke."

She laughs awkwardly and slaps my shoulder.

“Pshh, me, panting. Dogs pant, cats pant, but a lady bear does not. It's uncouth. You were mistaken."

“Pretty sure I saw some spittle dripping from your mouth too…"

“Stop talking about such unrealistic and disgusting subject matter, you're going to make me sick. Now come on!"

She begins wading towards the beach and I follow behind. We pack up our things and soon enough we're driving to her house just as the sun starts to fall in the sky.

*******************************

Charlotte opens her front door and-

Ah, sweet, sweet, air conditioning.

“Looks like your power is back on."

“And hopefully it stays on." She points to the patio. “You can put the umbrella back out there."

“Okay."

I haul it outside and lay it next to the table, immediately missing the cool caress of the inside air. On the table I see the lemonade pitcher from earlier, guess Charlotte forgot to bring it inside. At this point any remaining lemonade has long since evaporated and the glass is no doubt hot enough to melt skin, so I very carefully wrap my shirt around the handle and bring it inside, setting it down on her kitchen counter.

“Charlotte?" I yell into the house.

“In here, Anon."

I move to the sound of her voice, coming up to the door of her master bathroom. Charlotte opens it while dressed in only half her bathing suit, an arm draped across her bare breasts preserving her modesty. I catch a glance at her bathtub filling with water as well as a few scented candles burning in the background. She must be readying for another one of our 'mutual grooming' sessions, one that I was more than prepared for after her aborted pawjob on the beach.

“Yes?"

“Uhh, I found your lemonade pitcher outside and put it on the counter."

“Thanks love, anything else you wanted to tell me before you left?"

Before I left?

“Kicking me out already? You were serious about that bath, huh?"

“I'm always serious about my baths, they're a well needed respite from the toil of the day. And while I'm usually more than happy to have you join me, you are my groomer after all, sometimes a lady needs to be alone. And I'm afraid this is one of those times." She stares me up and down, her lips curling into a frown. “Aww, I left you halfcocked after the kiss on the beach, didn't I?"

“It was a little more than a kiss, Charlotte. You shouldn't start things you can't finish."

She gives a mischievous smile.

“Don't worry, I'll finish it, it'll just happen during your next visit." She gives a quick wave and takes a step backwards. “Until next time my love, toodles!"

And with that she shuts the door in my face. I stand silently in a state of shock, she was really going to blue ball me like this? Get my motor running with a paw down my shorts then leave me sputtering home all in the name of some alone time?

“What the hell…" I mutter under my breath, shambling through the house towards my car.

After throwing my bag of grooming supplies into the passenger seat I open the driver's side door and sit down, venting my frustration with a long and dissatisfied sigh. All that brushing and what did it get me? An ice cream cone and a sloppy kiss? Charlotte better make do on her promise of finishing the job next week, she may be my favorite client but I've got a list a mile long of other furry ladies willing to take her place. I put the key in the ignition with a grumble and-

Just wait a second. Something's a little too fishy about all this, and I'm not talking about the anthros on the beach. Charlotte seemed just as into the moment as I was during our kiss and it's not like Charlotte to be brought down from her lusty highs without some kind of physical relief, she must be feeling just as incomplete as I am right now. And that bath, seems a little odd for her to use scented candles if she just wants alone time. And were those rose petals I saw floating on the surface? To top it all off she didn't even give me a goodbye kiss! She always does that. This is all very strange, but so far there's no reason to go barging in and-

Didn't she mention a part of her book where the bear spied on the guy taking a bath?

I take the keys out of the ignition as all the pieces of her silly little plan come together in my head. She knows what I want, I know what she wants, but she's going to make me reenact a gender swapped scene from her perverted book before either of us can get off. I shake my head and get out of the car. I really hope my assumptions are right, if I'm wrong she'll just yell at me to leave and my relief may be pushed back another week.

I tiptoe through her house until making my way to her bathroom. I put my ear to the door and hear a faint humming paired with the occasional splash of water. I don't think she's heard me yet, perfect. As silently as I can, I begin removing my clothes one piece at a time, making a small pile by the door. Now naked, I crouch and silently turn the knob, peek through the door at the unsuspecting bear.

Charlotte is in the tub, humming along as she reads a book in her paw. I squint to make out the cover and, to no surprise, it's She-bear. I open the door further and take my first step inside. Catching me out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte violently leans up and throws the book to the floor while covering her breasts with both paws in a motion so fluid it almost seems rehearsed.

“Ah!" She yelps. “Some kind of feral man thing has caught me bathing! And at such an inopportune time as well, I was just getting to the climax of the story."

“Don't worry, you'll still get to experience a climax this evening. One way, or another." I crouch down and begin walking on all fours, slowly closing in on the naked bear. “Now just sit in that tub and don't try anything funny, this feral man thing knows exactly what he wants and exactly how to get it."

She puts a paw to her cheek in a look of faux shock.

“Ah! A feral beast wants to ravage me? A simple ursine maiden? I can think of no coupling more grotesque! Get back you! Away!"

She turns her head and waves me away but I maintain my steady advance.

“Don't lie to me, bear, the scent of your lust is thick in the air." I sniff the air for effect. “I followed it all the way here, to your favorite bathing pool. And now that I've got you cornered I'm going to do what any wild male who's intoxicated with the scent of a woman would do, give her the rutting of a lifetime."

“Our coupling would be unnatural, but…" She gives me a smoky look and sinks under the water, uncovering her breasts as a paw slides between her legs. “…I can't deny that you're right about our mutual lust. For too long I've sat alone in this house, unloved and incomplete. But now that a virile young man thing has slipped past my bathroom door I want nothing more than for him to slip past some other private thresholds of mine, thresholds of a far more intimate nature."

“Slip past? Or crash through?"

“My valiant stallion can do as he pleases, letting the heady waves of passion guide him to my center with whatever intensity they are naturally imbued. This bearish maiden cares not for how her lover peaks, only that he keeps his emissions contained within my waiting sheathe, whichever it may be." She shoots me a serious look and drops the flowery language. “In plain terms, finish inside me. If you cum in the water it'll get into my fur and then I'll have to take another bath." She shifts back into her lusty tone and beckons for me to come closer with a finger. “My loins are on fire and neither water nor ice can tame them, for they yield only to your gentle touch. Come just a little closer, my furless love."

I take a few more steps and stop right next to the tub, tantalizingly outside of her reach.

“Inside only? Our coupling may be unnatural, as you said, but what if we prove more compatible than expected? What if after filling your womb with seed it bears fruit of a hybrid breed?"

She cocks her head with a bashful smile.

“You know just as well I do that my cub-bearing days are over, we would be dealing with a small army of our cubs by now if they weren't. And while I do sometimes lament that fact, there are certain benefits women of my age get to enjoy. Benefits like not forcing my lover to separate himself from me with a thin wall of rubber. We can feel each other fully, skin to skin, whenever we want, without any worrisome thoughts dancing around the backs of our heads. Besides, it's not like my womanhood is the only place you can stick it."

“Charlotte, you may be too old to have kids, but that doesn't mean I can't try!"

And with that I leap forward and into her tub!

I crash into her causing a wave of water and rose petals to splash onto the floor. Wrapping my arms around Charlotte's back, I growl and playfully nibble at her neck eliciting a flurry of giggles from her.

“No, no, stoooop. Someone help, the feral man thing is ravaging me, oh no…haha!" She breathily laughs.

I continue to nuzzle into her wet fur until I feel her arms wrap around my own back, the bear rolling around in the water so that I was now under her and she on top. I remove my face from her neck and stare into want filled eyes.

“Looks like you got me under the water again. Going to finally finish what you started?" I ask.

She responds with a slow nod, a paw reaching down to grip my erect cock.

“Just ask any of my coworkers, I never leave a job half done."

She begins stroking me under the water and I just lay against the wall of the tub, letting Charlotte's soft paws work their magic on my overly sensitive member. As my breath starts to quicken Charlotte leans over and closes her eyes, engaging me in a kiss that's half as sloppy but twice as romantic than the one before. Her tongue decides to stay inside her mouth this time and I return her kisses with equal passion, smothering her dark lips with my own. She increases the pace of her strokes and through her kisses I manage a quick glance downward, sneaking a peak at her hefty breasts softly swinging in the air in front of me. It seems like such a shame not to do something with them, and unlike her I have both hands free, so I reach up and grope her pendulous mams. I start with a few strong squeezes before settling into a rhythmic massage, a stiff nipple in the center of each palm, her soft flesh giving way to my motions, each tit far more than a handful. If Charlotte enjoyed this I couldn't really tell, she voiced neither her approval nor her dissatisfaction as she steadily drove me closer and closer to orgasm. Speaking of orgasm, I was nearing the end of my endurance. I have to turn my head fully to the right for her needy lips to break from my own.

“About there Charlotte, you said no cumming in the water so do you have a plan for this or will I have to improvise?"

“Mmmm…" She coos, nibbling my ear. “…I have a plan…just stay strong for me a little longer…and then you'll get your release…"

She continues to nibble my ear as her strokes become tighter and more drawn out. Every nerve along my shaft and head screamed at me for sweet release but I grit my teeth and pull together what little remaining willpower remained to stay steady. I stare at the ceiling as she continues to edge me closer, up, and down, bit, by bit.

“You can execute that plan any day now." I squeak out, trying to hide my mental strain.

Her teeth leave my ear and she pulls away from me, shifting her body but keeping her hand on my cock. She scoots forward and aligns her womanhood above my pelvis, the final destination for my baby batter now self-evident.

“If you're trying to get me pregnant there's only one way this can end." She smiles, restarting her strokes. “I doubt anything'll happen, but who knows, maybe you'll knock free my last egg and in a few days I'll be throwing up breakfast."

With the additional sensation on my cock I'm now dangerously close to climaxing, just a few more strokes and it's all over.

“That would be totally crazy ha-ha now go ahead and lower down please."

She looks below the water with a knowing smirk and finally lower herself down, spearing herself upon my swollen manhood. Once hilted, she only manages a few ups and downs before I finally reach the end of my body's endurance and explode inside her. My balls empty in wave after orgasmic wave, Charlotte's walls quickly becoming hot and sticky. A quiet gasp indicates her surprise.

“You were really pent up, huh?"

“Of course I was, you've done nothing but tease me all day!"

Her lips curl into a smug smile.

“Oh, it was the book, wasn't it? Couldn't handle hearing about a romance so pure?"

“No. It's still weird." I refute, bucking into her cunt as the post orgasm high starts to fade. “You had your lusty paws all over my body on the beach and once in the water you got me hard then left me with balls as blue as the ocean."

She nods in understanding.

“The pheromones probably got to you too. I was sweating all day so I'm sure my fur was full of my own scent, and when you started brushing me all those scents went into the air, then your nose, then right to the part of your brain that tells you when it's time for lovemaking."

“Humans don't detect pheromones. You know that."

She leans in with a grin.

“Humans don't detect pheromones, and young guys like you are only attracted to fertile young women of their own species. And yet here I am, a bestial woman twice your age, with a womb full of your freshly shot spunk." She looks down and rubs her tummy. “And you shot it pretty deep too, I could feel it. All the way through the cervix. Maybe you really did knock an egg or two lose."

I roll my eyes and shoot her a disbelieving look.

“Uh-huh. Just let me know when the pregnancy tests show positive so I can finally inform my parents they'll be getting those grandbabies they thought they'd never have."

“Grandcubs." She sternly corrects me. “If they're coming out of me they'll be my cub, regardless of whoever's form they inherit. Privileges of being a mother." She boasts.

“Whatever." I lean up and scoot backward, pulling my cock free from her entrance. “Before you start deciding on baby names can you turn around for me?"

“Turn around?"

“Ya, and bend over too."

She huffs and looks down to my already rehardened cock.

“Already wanting more, huh? Guess you were really pent up." Charlotte slowly turns around and grabs the edge of the tub, presenting her rear to me. I get on my knees behind her and grab a handful of ass, feeling the wet fur and adipose give way under my fingers. “Mind telling me which path you'll be treading before you dive in? Common courtesy to let a lady know what to expect."

“You said it yourself before we started." I grab my cock with one hand and raise her stubby tail with the other. “Your womanhood isn't the only place I can stick it."

“Guess I did." She grumbles back, guess she was hoping I would have been satisfied after getting rid of my blue balls.

Keeping her tail pulled high I slip into her asshole and begin the old back and forth. The second orgasm goes much like the first but with less buildup and payoff, feeling more like a routine as my body exhausts the last if its pent-up lust. Despite that I still felt satisfied by the end of it, my cock now sore and both of Charlotte's holes well filled.

Standing at the foot of our once lusty heights, we found ourselves in a tight embrace in the tub, both of us too tired to try and dry ourselves and get dressed just yet. Charlotte's head sits on the lip of the tub and I'm laying on top of her, my face nuzzled into her neck. She twirls a rose petal around in the water with a claw.

“Did you like the rose petals?" She asks.

“Yes, they smelled nice. Did they come from your garden?"

“Sure did."

“Thanks for that." I reply, craning my head to plant a kiss on her wet nose. “I know you must hate killing your own flowers."

She gives a slight shrug.

“Better to kill a few off if it means they can be enjoyed by more than one person than to let them sit in the garden, enjoyed solely by me, until they wither."

“True, true. I take back what I said earlier, by the way."

“What you said about my book?"

“No."

“About what then?"

I tap her on the nose.

“It really is slimy. Bleh."

Charlotte pauses for a moment, then her eyes squint in a hellish glare and a deep growl comes from within her chest. Trying to defuse my shitty joke I get off of her and retreat to the other side of the tub putting my hands up in surrender.

“It was just a joke Charlotte, heh."

Charlotte crosses her arms and simmers for a moment, then splashes some water at me in a petty form of payback. I don't take kindly to her attack and splash some water back at her. She makes another splash and I retaliate until we're both flinging water at each other with our eyes closed like a couple of adult sized children. Eventually laughter overcomes us and the fighting stops. In the ensuring silence I cautiously retake my position atop her chest, and as I nuzzle into her neck a paw gently placed upon my back indicates her lack of hard feelings.