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 ï>¿City Girl in the Desert byYDB95Â(C)

   "Uptown Sophisticate" was my self-designated title at our wonderfully
bland suburban high school, forever emblazoned on my senior page beside a
picture of me in a slinky dress and black tights and all the cheap jewelry
I could afford on my allowance.

   "Pretentious bitch" was my detractors' behind-the-back name for me.

   I was aware of it and I didn't care.  I couldn't wait to leave behind
the teenage wonderland of cookie-cutter houses and lame house parties and
football games for the big city.  If I couldn't get out until at least
college, I could at least dress the part and act it as best I could.

   I used to keep a running tally of how many days I could go without
wearing jeans, and senior year I managed to never wear them.  Naturally the
first one to notice was my best friend, Katie, a couple of months into the
year.  "Do you even own any jeans anymore, Christie?" she'd asked in that
innocent drawl of hers.

   "Of course," I'd said.  "I might need to break down and wear them in
winter.  But we'll see if I can avoid it!"

   "God, don't let my mother hear you say that next time you come over!"
Katie had said.  "She's always after me to wear skirts more often.  I can
just hear her asking me already, why I can't be more like you!"

   A decade later, having long since lost touch with all my high school
friends except Katie, that comment still stung.  If only Katie knew how
many times my parents had said the same thing to me about her!  My best
friend since about the fourth grade, the quiet and innocent one who didn't
even seem to notice she had breasts for the first few years she did, who
mostly seemed happy in plain sweaters and jeans and who showed no interest
in dating until Jimmy Newton asked her to prom and even then didn't even
notice what a knockout she was in her royal blue gown.  Shorter than I and
a little heavy, but she wore it well, usually a better student than I was
until I decided in ninth grade that I wanted to go away to college after
all, the brainiac to my fashion hound, the nerd to my princess, she and I
made an odd couple but an inseparable one all through those boring years
back home.

   Our fifth grade teacher called us Mutt and Jeff because I was three
heads taller, and she never quite caught up and so the name stuck.  We
hated it, but I've got to admit it fit.

   That comment about wearing more skirts was hanging heavy in my mind that
early spring morning at the coffeehouse as I waited for her.  In the ten
years since high school, we'd seen each other on holidays in college and
occasionally afterward -- just enough to know we'd both grown up a lot, but
not everything had changed -- and now that life had finally blown her back
my way for a semester in New York, but her studies and my job had kept us
both too busy to get together yet.  It had probably been at least two
years, I mused over my latte, and I wondered if the butterfly had finally
come out of her cocoon.

   "Christie!"

   I looked up and saw it still hadn't happened, even as I jumped up to hug
my old friend.  No surprise that she was wearing jeans while I was in a
skirt and tights, or that she still had the plain long hair she'd worn all
through high school while I had a stylish short 'do, and we both laughed at
just how much hadn't changed in all that time.

   "Nice hair," she said, plopping down across the tiny table from me. 
She'd lost most of her baby fat over the years, and now looked curvy and
robust rather than fat.  I was a little envious, to my great surprise. 
I've been a loyal gym-goer and my figure is slim and beautiful, but
sometimes I do think it'd be fun to actually need a bra and to have hips.

   "Thank you," I said, patting it with my left hand.  "Jean-Charles came
very highly recommended by a girlfriend of mine at the gym.  He had a
six-month waiting list and it set me back two hundred dollars, but you can
see it was worth it!"

   Katie laughed and quickly turned away to wave down the waiter and order
a hot chocolate.  "Wow, you sure haven't changed!" she said as soon as we
were alone together.

   "Neither have you," I said.  "Hot chocolate?  Don't you know how full of
calories that is?"

   "Hey, I go swimming at the university gym every day," she said.  "I
refuse to starve myself."

   "Well, you do want to look good in a swimsuit, don't you, if you're
going to wear one every day?"

   "I'm there to swim, Christine, not to show off.  Besides, I get my share
of looks from the guys."

   "I hope that's all you're getting from them," I said.  There was no way
Katie knew how to fight off a jerk like I could.

   "Most of them are fine," Katie said.  "Pleasant looks and conversation,
and it's not like I'm not checking them out, too." She giggled, just like
back in high school.  "Speaking of which, I can bring a guest if you want
to join me one of these days."

   "No thanks." The poor thing didn't need these guys she was flirting with
to see me in my bikini, after all; they'd never give her another look.

   "Oh, right, you never did learn to swim, did you?"

   "That too." It slipped out.

   "That too?" Katie asked.  "That and what else?"

   "Oh, well, I mean, too busy at work," I said.  "Lately it's a pleasant
surprise if I get home before seven o'clock.  In fact, I'm seriously
considering a leave of absence for the summer.  It'd be good to get out of
New York anyway.  Lately I'm feeling like one of those natives who never
sets foot off Manhattan, you know?"

   "You look like one, too, Miss Uptown Sophisticate." Katie was lucky the
waiter arrived with her cocoa at that moment, and she looked up and thanked
him.

   "You're the only one I'd let get away with that one, kiddo!" And then
only because I'd nearly let my concerns about outshining her at the pool
come to light.  But fair's fair.

   "I'm blunt because I love you, of course," Katie said, sipping her
drink. "But listen, I was thinking of asking anyway, I've got a fellowship
to study in Abu Dhabi this summer and I'll be staying at that commune out
in the desert."

   "What commune?"

   "The one I stayed at last time, remember?  Two years ago?"

   "Oh, okay." I didn't remember it at all, but then Katie's studies had
flung her all over the place.

   "Right," she said.  "Anyway, if you want to come spend a few weeks
there..."

   "Are you kidding, Katie?!  They hate women over there, or at least women
like me!  I'd probably be stoned to death the minute I got off the plane!"

   "It's not like that!" Katie said.  "Especially not at the commune.  It's
mostly Westerners anyway, and they're all really openminded.  Maybe too
much so for you, actually."

   "What's that supposed to mean?"

   "Only one way for you to find out, isn't there?" Katie grinned.  "To
tell you the truth, it's nothing like your style.  But I think you could
use a little taste of it, to be frank."

   "Do you, now?" This was most unexpected of my wonderfully plain old
friend.  "Then maybe I ought to come over.  Fine."

   "Wonderful," Katie said, and she looked like she meant it.  "But I think
you ought to practice your swimming between now and then.  We spend a lot
of time in the pool there, and you don't want to miss out on that."

   "I don't suppose I do," I admitted.  But now her giddy confidence had me
a little worried.  "Tell me, if you don't mind my asking, you've slimmed
down a lot.  Are you wearing a bikini these days?"

   "Thank you, but you'll just have to wait and see what I wear to the
pool."

   She had that same twinkle in her eye as she said it that she'd always
had when some boy I liked had given her the eye.  I wondered why, but I
didn't dwell on it.

   What I did do was tell her all about my latest beau, Ronald.  "He's a
day trader, and the hours are ridiculous," I said.  "But it does pay.  You
should see his car.  First time he asked me out, I thought he looked a
little nerdy, to tell you the truth.  Lucky him, I'd overheard him telling
another guy he drove a Jaguar, so I gave him a shot.  He bought me this,
too." I held my hand out and let her admire my new pinkie ring.  "Great in
the sack, too, when I'm willing to go to bed early anyway."

   "I don't need to know, Christine," Katie said.

   "Oh, we're girlfriends, Katie, it's okay!" I said.  "He's great, but I
wish he was up for more than once a night sometimes.  That old joke about
how the man always rolls over and falls asleep?  I never had that happen
before, but with Ronald it does.  I even try tickling his balls sometimes
to wake him up, and --"

   "Christine, please!" Katie whined.

   "Oh, all right, Katie, you always were a bit of a prude." I stood up. 
"I'm running late for my waxing anyway.  I suppose you don't want to hear
about that either."

   "I don't even want to think about that," Katie said.  "Doesn't it hurt
like hell?"

   "You mean you've never done it?" I'd seen my dear friend in the locker
room enough times to know she needed it a lot more than I did.  "Katie, I
insist on making you an appointment before we go to your commune."

   "No way, Christine.  I'm happy with the way I look, finally."

   "Don't you want the men at the commune to notice you at the pool?"

   "That's not something I've got any concerns about, Christine." She
sounded chilly for some reason.  She never did have an ear for when I was
only trying to help.

   I checked my watch; Charlene did not like to be kept waiting.  "All
right for now, darling," I said.  "But let's at least think about it before
summer, okay?" I leaned over and kissed her cheek, and she did the same but
didn't answer me.

   "I really ought to drag her to Charlene's before this trip of ours," I
called to Ronald that night as I was getting changed in his bathroom.

   "Soundproof door, babe," he reminded me.  So I finished changing into my
nightie in silence, safely tucking away my clothes in my overnight bag. 
We'd only been together a month or so; I look beautiful in my underwear but
I wasn't ready for him to see that just yet.

   Besides, I reminded myself as I admired my freshly bald womanhood in the
mirror, great beauty should be revealed all at once, not gradually.  The
better to knock his socks off with.

   As I stepped out into his bedroom with my head held high and my body
bare, I saw I couldn't knock his socks off, because he already wasn't
wearing any.  Or anything else.  "Well, hello there!" he said in a silly
effort at a sexy purr as I took my turn around the bed for him. 
"Somebody's happy to see you," he added, waving his dick at me the way he
always did, which had the unfortunate effect of reminding me once again
that he wasn't as well-endowed as I'd have liked.  Jaguar, I reminded
myself as I smiled through my disappointment.  The rest of his body wasn't
too bad, at least.  A bit on the skinny side and no tan at all, but he did
work out -- about a six.  A six but a day trader with a Jaguar.

   "Now what were you saying?" he asked, rubbing himself like a teenager. I
decided to let him.

   "I was saying I ought to drag Katie to Charlene's with me before that
trip," I said.  "For a waxing." I ran my fingers over my pussy.  "She'll be
sorry if she doesn't, you know, spending a summer at the pool with me
there."

   "The way you talk about her, would that be enough anyway?" Ronald asked.
"Isn't she kind of a girl-next-door?"

   "She's not a pretty woman," I admitted.  "But that's no excuse not to
try, you know?  Sometimes I feel like asking her, don't you know how hard I
work to be this beautiful?  This summer I guess she'll have to take notice.
But enough about Katie, Ronald." I climbed onto the bed.  "You gonna bring
that over here or what?"

   "But of course!" He finally let go of himself and reached over for me as
I lay back beside him.

   Ronald was better than a six in bed -- maybe an eight or so.  He did
know how to fondle my breasts just right, and my sighs of pleasure were
genuine as he kissed and caressed them.  His timing before his hands and
his mouth headed south were pretty good, too -- long enough to get me wet
but not to get me frustrated before he reached down and rubbed my pussy. 
"Ooohhhh, feels great!" I cooed, and it did.  His fingers were a little
clumsy down there, but Charlene had done a great job as usual and even his
uncertain touch was lovely on my nice smooth skin.

   He remembered I liked two fingers, and his agility was better inside
than out.  "Ohhf!" My gasp was real, as were the following moans.  If only
he could bend his dick like he could his fingers!  I closed my eyes to
enjoy the sensation, so I didn't realize he was going down on me until I
felt his kisses on my belly.  That gave me the usual good-news-bad-news
flutters, but at least the good news came first.

   Ronald was a ten with his tongue.  He was enough to make me wish I could
settle for that alone.  I never could, but at least my pleasure was real as
he licked and kissed me all over my pussy.  My sexual responsiveness is
excellent, but I try not to overdo it with a guy like Ronald.  It's all too
easy for him to notice I'm not nearly as boisterous when he's inside me. 
It's not like he can help being at least an inch too small, and I hate
having to remember to fake it.  So I did my best to hold back on just how
wonderful that tongue of his felt on my clit.

   Wonderful, though, it was, and he got me off all too soon.  "Thank you!"
I sighed.  I tried to reach over and grab some tissues from the bedside
table before he raised his head, but naturally being a man he always had to
pop up right away.

   I smiled through my impending revulsion as he lay down on me, and tried
to focus on the pleasure -- such as it was -- of his dick inside me at
last. It was better than nothing.  "Mmm, lovely, Ronald," I whispered.

   He leaned in for a kiss, and I tried to act like there was nothing
wrong. But his face was absolutely glistening with my wetness, and I just
couldn't.  "Stop!"

   "What?" He stopped his tentative humping and hovered just over me.

   "This is what." I wiped his face with both of my hands, getting as much
of the wretched stuff off as I could.  "Okay, now you can kiss me," I said.

   "May I, now?" And he did.  The taste of myself on his tongue was utterly
disgusting, but I reminded myself it could have been worse as I let him
nibble my lips and lick my teeth.

   I do prefer being on top, but I find I put on quite a show when I'm that
much in control, and Ronald wasn't ready to see that much of me.  Besides,
his timing wasn't bad, and he did have me worked up pretty well with his
humping.  I let go and enjoyed his modest penetration for what it was, and
he did bring me off twice before he came.

   "Wonderful, dear," I said, waving off another kiss from him as he pulled
out.

   "You're beautiful, Christine," he said.

   "Thank you."

   "Going to shower again?"

   "Of course." I got up as soon as he was off me.

   "Don't you just want to fall asleep together for once?" he asked as I
headed for the bathroom.

   "I can never fall asleep that fast anyway," I said.

   I saw Katie a few more times before summer came, but never got a chance
to introduce her to Ronald as he called it off a few weeks after that
night. "Probably just as well," I told Katie when we got together for
cocktails in May.  "Playboys never know a treasure even when it's in their
arms!"

   "I'm sure you told him what a treasure you were, though," Katie said.

   "What's that supposed to mean?  Ronald wasn't blind, he didn't need me
to tell him!"

   Katie laughed.  "God, Christine, you're never going to change, are you?"

   "Why would I want to?  So I knew what I wanted for my life when we were
kids.  What's wrong with that?" I sipped my drink.  "Besides, it's just as
well.  Ronald was only a six.  I can do better.  Eight in bed, though."

   "Here we go again," Katie said.

   "Katie, girlfriends talk!  No holding back!  Or are you jealous?  How
long has it been?"

   "About eight months," Katie admitted.  "And he was more than an eight in
bed, I'll tell you that much."

   "How do you know?" I didn't bother saying there was no way shy, demure
little Katie could have the frame of reference I did; she didn't need me
kicking her when she was down.

   "What do you mean how do I know?" Katie was smiling but I heard an edge
on her voice for some reason.  "The same way you do, either a guy's
dynamite in bed or he isn't.  And Andy was."

   "Andy with the mommy issues?" I remembered her emails about him now that
I heard the name.

   "That's the one.  Poor guy needed counselling, bad.  But the sex was..."
She paused and took a sip of her drink.  "Wow!  I think my record was ten
orgasms."

   "In one night?" I was aghast.  "Katie, you should never let a man know
he can give you that much pleasure!  What if men knew we like it as much as
they did?  Where would that leave us?"

   Katie laughed.  "Oh, grow up."

   "I'm serious!  You think Ronald would have bought me this ring if he
knew I'd let him do me ten times in one night?"

   "No doubt he wouldn't, Christine.  I'm sure you're right about that."

   "Exactly.  I usually am when it comes to men.  But the damage is done
with this Andy guy, I guess."

   "Oh, he deserves a woman who appreciates him," Katie said.  "If he does
ever get his issues worked out, he's going to make someone awfully lucky."

   "Ten times lucky," I grumbled.

   "It's not just that," Katie said.  "Every time was so gentle, so
magical. He had a way of tickling my vulva that made me climb walls..."

   "Vulva!" I laughed.  "God, listen to you, Katie, are you a grade school
sex-ed teacher now?"

   "That's the real word for it, and I think it's got a wonderful dignity,"
Katie said.  "You've got your opinion, I've got mine."

   "I guess," I said.  "Anyway, I'm sorry you've had this dry spell.  You
must be horny as hell."

   "You've got that right," Katie said.  "I don't even try to get to sleep
anymore without masturbating first."

   "You masturbate?!"

   "Don't expect me to believe you don't, Christine!"

   "Believe it or don't believe it.  I don't.  That's what guys are for!"

   "That and jewelry, huh?" Katie laughed.

   "Well, yeah," I said.  "I had that figured out a long time ago!"

   The look Katie gave me made it clear that she didn't get my point at
all. But I was used to that.  As long as I could remember, things tended to
go miles over her head as far as men were concerned.  But she was my dear
old friend, and I was worried about her.  I didn't want to see her getting
too dependent on her own hands like men are, after all.

   There was nothing I could do about it, of course, and I really didn't
want to have to think about it in the first place.  But it did unavoidably
come to mind on my next workout.  The gym is the one and only place where
I'm sometimes tempted to do what Katie had so ungraciously revealed to me
that she did.  It isn't just that a good workout is nearly as good as sex,
much as that is true.  It's also that I'm usually the most gorgeous woman
in the room, and that plus the workout puts ideas in my head that are
awfully hard to ignore when I finally retire to the locker room and peel my
leotard off.

   These days at the gym I'm almost always the only one in a leotard.  That
also helps put me in that randy frame of mind, and probably would even if
it didn't add to my attractiveness compared to the other women.  I've
gotten my share of dirty looks from them in their plain t-shirts and
sweats, and even apparently had one official complaint against me
(according to Mike, the PT I slept with twice last fall), but it went
nowhere because I'm not breaking any rules by looking beautiful.

   But all that was no more on my mind than it usually is when I finished
my workout the evening after that uncomfortably revealing discussion with
Katie.  What was on my mind was that usual temptation I felt, which thanks
to Katie I was feeling harder than ever, damn her!

   Most of the other women changed out of their workout clothes at the
lockers and then wore a towel off to the shower.  I never did.  My breasts
are spectacular, and I don't take them out for just anyone.  So I was
safely locked in a nice private shower stall before I undressed, which was
a mistake in retrospect.  It meant I was free to touch myself and confirm
just what I had feared.



   Between my usual post-workout high and Katie's tales of self-indulgence
and her ex's magic fingers, I was wet as a leaky faucet.

   Of course, I was well-versed in ignoring that and getting on with my
shower.  But I was not used to the temptation being nearly as great as it
was just now.  Ten times in one night, and she'd still been able to walk
away from the guy!  And she was shameless enough to do it herself every
night now!  And this was mousy little Katie -- just imagine what this Andy
guy could have done with me if he were lucky enough to get the chance!

   I tried.  I really tried not to let my hands go anywhere near my pussy
again.  I turned on the hot water and stepped in, and tried to focus on
washing up.

   I tried, but for once I failed.  I just had to scratch that itch!

   I made one last ditch effort to just be contented with a quick rub. 
That only made me long for another, and so I rinsed the soap off my hands
and gave my clit another, slower feel this time so I could enjoy this one
last touch longer.  But then it felt like my hand was out of my control,
and I circled around and rubbed it again.

   It was no use, and at least no one else was there to see my rare loss of
self-control.  I didn't know what Adam looked like, but in my imagination
he was just as gorgeous and well-groomed as I am.  Rather than try to
picture myself with him, I imagined I was Katie -- after all, with her the
damage was done.  He already knew how much she liked it.  Or how much I
liked it, if for the moment I was her.

   I was too enamored with my newly big breasts to feel dumpy like I
normally would if I had her body, and too amused at Andy's own loss of
control as he kissed and pawed them.  I always did envy Katie's ability to
make men lose their minds with those melons of hers, even if she never took
advantage of it!  In any event, Adam's fingers and lips felt wonderful, and
down below he was fully packed and felt divine inside me.

   "Make me come again and again!" I ordered.

   "Already have!" he said, and somehow I knew it was true.

   "More, then!"

   "Sure!"

   Oh, to really cut loose just once in real life like I did in my mind
just then!  Someday I will, of course, but not until I'm sure it's a guy I
want to stay with long term.  I'd never risk letting anyone know just how
wild I can get in bed until I'm certain he's a keeper.  But in my
imagination with Katie's troubled ex, all that was perfectly safe.  In the
safety of my mind I came with a roar again and again.

   In the shower back in reality, I came once, and had to bite my tongue to
keep quiet about it.  But that one was a beaut, and I felt wonderful in
spite of my shame.

   Damn you! I texted Katie ten minutes later on the subway. Now you've
got me doing it!

   Doing what?

   You know.  What you told me you've been doing every night.

   Good for you, Christine.  Doesn't it feel better to just accept it?

   No, it doesn't, dammit!  I hate feeling out of control like this!

   Cry me a river, Uptown Sophisticate!

   I didn't bother reasoning with her after that last one.  What did Katie
know?

   I also didn't dare tell her now that Pandora's box was open, I was
finding myself unable to resist more and more often.

   I did make up my mind that first night that I wouldn't be slipping up
again.  For the next two days, I stuck to it, too.  But on the third day I
saw a clutch of college boys in matching sweaters on the subway -- a
glee-club, maybe?  -- and by the time I got home my panties felt like I'd
worn them in a swimming pool.  When I got them off in my bedroom, the
memory of that forbidden pleasure in the gym shower was just irresistible.
At least, I reminded myself as I lay back and rubbed myself to a big one,
no one else needed to know.

   No one but Katie, anyway, and she thought it was a good thing for some
reason.

   By summer I'd given up on even trying to kick the habit.  Another guy
came and went in early May, and with the exception of those two weeks I
don't think I ever went more than three days without giving in.  I never
would have forgiven anyone but Katie for getting me into such a bad habit,
but I still pitied her too much to really be angry at her.  Imagine having
no choice but to settle for your hands!  And after all, she was my dearest
old friend.

   I guess it was that pity that inspired me to spring for a business-class
ticket for her as well as for myself when we were off to her commune in
July.  Because she was Katie, of course, she tried to refuse it. 
"Christine, I couldn't!" she said when I unveiled my gift as the taxi was
pulling away from the curb.  "The university already paid for my coach
ticket, you know."

   "Tell them you got a free upgrade," I said, passing over in silence the
fact that she would never get one while dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans
-- at least not while I was also there in my designer minidress.

   "I could do that," she admitted.  "But this really isn't appropriate,
Christine.  I know how much more expensive these tickets are, and..."

   "And you know I would never fly coach under any circumstances," I
reminded her.  "Do you really want to be alone in that sardine can when you
could be sipping champagne with me?  And I don't mind the cost.  For one
thing, there'll probably be some drunk businessmen in the next row. 
Strength in numbers fighting them off."

   "Why would you want to fight them off in the first place?" Katie asked.
"Because they only drive a BMW instead of a Mercedes?"

   "I'd settle for a Beemer if the guy was cute," I reasoned.

   Katie laughed for some reason.  I didn't bother asking why, because at
least she stopped trying to refuse the ticket.

   She did lighten up once we were on the plane, and we were both
pleasantly tipsy as we roared off across the Atlantic.  I still had my
doubts about our destination, but a vacation is a vacation.  "You're lucky
I was so desperate to get out of New York for a little bit," I said towards
bedtime, when some of the other passengers had already turned their lights
out.

   "Shhh!" Katie whispered, "We don't want to keep anyone else awake."

   "You're still thinking like you're back in coach," I replied, but I did
resort to whispering when I remembered how much I'd paid for these seats --
I didn't want to make anyone else angry when they'd paid the same.

   "Hope I never stop being that considerate, then," she said, standing up.
"I'm going to the bathroom and then I'll turn in."

   "Guess I'll do the same."

   I hate sleeping in my bra, but appearances must be kept.  I reclined my
seat and pulled the thin blanket over me, and did my best to get
comfortable.  I was still working on that last one when Katie returned.

   I saw she also hated sleeping in her bra, as she'd taken it off and now
had it clutched in her left hand.

   "Katie!" I propped myself up on my elbows.  "You're in public!" Now I
didn't need to be reminded to whisper, as I was terrified I might alert
someone else to her appearance.

   "So what?" She stuffed the bra away in her carryon bag.

   "Aren't you afraid someone will notice you're not wearing that?"

   "It's none of their business if I'm not, is it?" Then she turned to look
at me.  "Wait a minute, you're keeping yours on all night?"

   "Of course I am!  We're in public!"

   Katie shook her head and lay back in her seat.  "That must be so
uncomfortable.  And you don't even really need a bra in the first place, do
you?"

   "Geez, Katie, why don't you just announce that on the intercom?  Maybe
they didn't hear you in the cockpit!"

   Someone else did hear us, as there was a "SHHHHH" sound from a few rows
ahead of us.  So I held my tongue and tried not to think of Katie's sloppy
appearance across the aisle.  But of course I couldn't forget that, and it
kept me awake for ages while she was soon snoring away.  It was enough to
make me consider not telling her I had also bought business class tickets
for the flight back.  But what kind of friend would I be then, even if she
was being inconsiderate for the moment?

   I must admit I was pleasantly surprised at Abu Dhabi.  Not all the women
were covered up from head to toe and not all the men looked at me like I
was Satan herself because I refused to cover my legs (which are too shapely
for me not to show off, honestly -- spinning class really pays off).  Some
of the women's headscarves were really quite stylish, although you'd never
get me to keep my naturally blonde locks under wraps.

   "Admit it, you don't hate it here," Katie said over lunch at the hotel
restaurant on the second day.

   "I don't, you're right," I said.  "But I'm still awfully curious about
this convent of yours."

   "Commune, not convent," Katie laughed.  "You think I'd drag you across
the ocean to stay at a convent?"

   "I might've thought so before what you told me about your, erm, personal
habits," I said.  "God, they probably cut off people's hands for that here,
don't they?"

   "Wow, just when I thought you were learning something," Katie said.

   "Well, am I wrong?"

   "No idea," Katie said.  "But you'll be free to do that at the commune if
you want."

   "Depends on what the guys there are like," I said.

   "I think you'll be impressed." And there was that coy smirk of hers
again.

   We spent three days at the hotel before heading off to the commune. 
Katie had explained on the plane how she would have a lot of meetings for
those first few days and then wouldn't need to be so close to the
university afterward.  "I'll probably take the bus in for a day here and
there," she said on the morning of the fourth day, in the taxi to the bus
station.  "But mostly I'll just be studying stuff I've already got, and I
can do that from anywhere.  And of course you'll be free to stay and hang
out at the commune."

   "You seem awfully sure I'll like it well enough to do that," I said.

   "I am awfully sure you'll like it, if you'll let yourself like it."

   "What's that supposed to mean?"

   "It's a surprise."

   "Katie, you've been awfully vague about this whole thing!"

   "I know.  If you don't like it, we can always get you someplace else to
stay.  But I think you will."

   "But you won't tell me why."

   "Nope."

   "Great."

   I was almost glad she was being so cagey, since the surprise gave me
something to look forward to as the bus rolled through the desert.  I had
some cousins from Arizona and the scenery reminded me of their boring
stories of how gorgeous the place was.  Hey, I wanted out of New York, I
reminded myself time and again.  This was about as "out of New York" as a
gal could get.

   Our stop was a desolate crossroads with a gas station and a ramshackle
cafÃ(C).  Probably a modern-day oasis, but I rather suspected that word was
politically incorrect over here.  As we stepped down from the bus, I saw a
couple people waiting by parked cars outside the cafÃ(C), including a tall,
gangly white guy in cutoffs and a t-shirt too small for him.  As ugly as he
was, I prayed he was our ride and we wouldn't have to wait here too long.

   He was, I realized when Katie made a beeline for him.  "Danny!" she
shrieked like a schoolgirl, in spite of the fact that she'd never reacted
to a boy like that when she really had been a schoolgirl.  "So good to see
you!"

   "Right on time, Katie!" He stood up from the fender of his car and she
leapt into his arms.  "Welcome back!"

   "Glad to be back!" Katie said.  Then she turned and waved to me as I
took my sweet time walking across the sandy lot.  I did not want my new
shoes getting scuffed!

   "And you must be Christine," Danny said.  Once Katie had finally let him
go, he held out his hand and I willingly shook it, glad to know he wasn't
the type who'd expect a hug from someone he'd just met.

   "Yes, I am Christine," I said.  "Danny, is it?"

   "It is, and Katie's told me all about you!" He had the decency to look
impressed with me, I had to give him that.  "We're so glad you decided to
come join us."

   "Nice to meet you, Danny," I said.  "I think I'm glad too, but I sure
wish I knew what Katie hasn't been telling me about the place."

   Danny turned back to Katie.  "You didn't --"

   "Don't say anything yet, please!" Katie said.  "I just want Christine to
relax a bit and broaden her horizons, and I've already said if she doesn't
like it, we can get her a hotel somewhere."

   "Every time you say that, I wonder should I just get a room already?" I
told her.  "I've been thinking, what's that famous hotel in Dubai?"

   "Burj Al Arab?" Danny laughed.  "Yeah, that's just about the exact
opposite of us.  But come on, give us a try first.  We don't bite."

   "Just get in the car, Christine," Katie said as she and Danny put our
suitcases in the trunk.  To her credit, she then got in the backseat
without my asking her to.  My legs are gorgeous, but they're also long and
she knew I needed the space more than she did.

   I was expecting Danny to drool over my legs now that he had such a close
view of them from the driver's seat, but I was pleasantly surprised as he
kept his eyes on the road.  It was a dusty, narrow road and I was just glad
those two weren't nearly granola enough to open the windows -- we'd have
gotten dust everywhere.  Instead, we ran the air-conditioner nice and high,
though it couldn't drown out the boring folk music Danny had playing on the
stereo.

   It was a good twenty minutes down that dusty road before I saw a big
wall emerging on the horizon.  "Is that it?" I asked.

   "That's it!" Danny said.

   "Katie, you weren't kidding about this place being out in the middle of
nowhere!" I hadn't seen any other sign of civilization since the bus stop.

   "It's better that way," Katie said.  "The locals really don't like the
lifestyle here."

   "They hate it, but they don't complain about the rent we pay on a patch
of sand they otherwise couldn't do anything with!" Danny said.  "That's our
secret, you know, our money is green."

   "Just where do we get the money from?" I asked.

   "We all pay our share of the rent, of course," Danny said.

   "We do?" There'd been no word about rent.

   "I paid for both of us out of my stipend," Katie said.  "It's a lot
cheaper than a hotel in Abu Dhabi would be."

   "Oh...thanks." I wasn't really sure I should say it after I sprang for
the business class plane tickets, but her heart was probably in the right
place.

   As we got closer, I saw two things.  One, the commune was big, bigger
than a city block from what I could see.  Two, it was completely walled in.
Just what were they hiding in there?  I knew Katie wouldn't tell me, and
she knew I'd make good on my threat to leave if I didn't like it.  But I
couldn't deny I was curious.

   By the time we'd parked the car and made our way to the front door, I
was expecting to step into 1969.  I wasn't far off, as the cavernous room
we stepped into was decked out in beads and colourful ancient rugs and
furniture, and the couple snuggling on the couch looked fresh from
Woodstock.

   When they looked up to see Katie in the doorway, they both jumped up. 
"Katie!" said the woman.  She and the man both took turns hugging her like
a long lost sister.

   "Hi, Mags," Katie said.  "Eddie, Maggie, this is my oldest friend,
Christine."

   Oldest friend?  Not best friend?  But there was no time to worry about
that as it looked like they might try to throw themselves at me like they
had at Katie.  To my mild relief, Maggie settled for a two-fisted
handshake, and with Eddie I got away with just one hand.  "We heard she'd
be bringing a friend this year," Eddie said.

   "Your reputation precedes you!" Maggie said.

   "It usually does," I acknowledged.

   "Any of the other old-timers still around?" Katie asked.  I hid my
annoyance at her stopping the others from replying to my comment.

   "We're the old guard now, I'm afraid," Danny said.  "Barbara and Karen
were hoping to make it back, but Barbara got a fellowship in Australia."

   "I sure was looking forward to seeing them again," Eddie said.

   "Just remember it was look but don't touch!" Maggie said.

   Once again I wondered just what my dear old friend had gotten me into.

   "But we've got some great new folks, and we're just in time for lunch,"
Danny said.  "Katie, I put you guys in the room you requested.  Why don't
you go get settled and then meet us out on the patio?  Ten minutes?"

   "Sounds great!" Katie said.  I had to agree, though as always I kept to
myself how hungry I was.  It's the price of being beautiful.  Katie
probably understood, since she'd lost most of her baby fat.  But not enough
to avoid adding, "I'm ravenous after that trip!"

   "Did you really need to announce that?" I asked as Katie led me up the
stairs.

   "Announce what, that I'm hungry?" Katie asked.  "What's wrong with that,
especially at lunchtime?"

   "It's like I said about sex, Katie, we don't want men knowing we're just
like them with this sort of thing!"

   Katie only laughed.  "Whatever, Christine.  I get where you're coming
from about sex, as much as I think you're being horribly manipulative, but
with food?"

   "Restraint is power," I told her.  "You'd be a lot more like me if you'd
learned that as young as I did."

   "No comment," Katie grumbled as we reached the top of the stairs.  I
guess I couldn't blame her.  I'd be too ashamed to say anything too if I
were in her shoes.

   The stairs led out to an outdoor hallway that ran along the inside of
the wall, with a band of sunshine visible between the roof and the top of
the wall.  It reminded me far too much of a roadside motel like we might
have seen back in our hometown, but when Katie opened the door (no lock, I
noticed to my silent dismay) I was greeted with a beautiful, opulent room
with two double beds and a giant bathtub visible in the bathroom.  "Oh,
this is lovely!" I said.  "A lot nicer than I'd dared hope for, I have to
admit, Katie."

   "Well, not all the rooms are like this," Katie said.  "But I told Danny
and the others you have your standards, and my respect is a good thing to
have in this place."

   "Oh, is it, then?" I knew I ought to mind my tongue about how
self-important she was sounding, but I just couldn't help it.

   "You're welcome, Christine." She set down her suitcase at the bed
farther from the door.  "Go ahead and wash up, and then let's go get
lunch."

   The truth was that I was quite hungry, and also more than a little bit
morbidly curious about what else she had in store for me in this place, and
I had to pee anyway after that long trip.  It was only while I was taking
care of that need that it occurred to me -- if we were sharing a room, it
meant I couldn't play with myself.  That brightened my outlook quite a bit
-- maybe now I could kick the habit!

   While I was in the bathroom, Katie changed into a short skirt and a
fresh top.  "Cute outfit," I said when I got out of the bathroom.

   "Thanks.  It's way too hot for jeans, huh?"

   "To me, it always is, Katie."

   "I know!" Katie laughed as she stepped back outside.  "Come on
downstairs, I won't even tell anyone you're hungry."

   "I'm not sure I am," I said.  "They're not going to serve camel steaks
or anything, are they?  I should've told them I'm a vegetarian."

   "No!" Katie laughed again.  "And there are veggie options available if
you want."

   I needn't have worried.  Lunch was a nice couscous salad with shredded
chicken, a bit carb-heavy but nothing like what I'd feared they might feed
us.  The dÃ(C)cor on the patio was a bit dated, but that too was far better
than I'd dared hope.  "We save the nice china for the grand hall and we
only eat there when it's cold," Danny explained.

   "That makes sense," I said.  "I wouldn't bring my good china outside
either."

   "He's joking, Christine," Katie said.  "There's no great hall."

   "Why bother in a place where no one ever dresses for dinner?" Danny
asked.

   At this, a few of the other people in attendance laughed.  Danny and
Katie both gave them a look I couldn't read at all, but the laughing
stopped.

   Others trickled in, mostly in couples but a few singles as well, while
we were eating.  I noticed early on that they all seemed to know Katie, for
they all seemed to welcome her with a hug and an enthusiastic hello, both
of which the silly dear always returned.  She did at least have the decency
to introduce me to them all.

   "I thought you said there wasn't anyone else besides Danny and the
hippie couple that you knew from before," I said after the third such round
of introductions.

   "There aren't," Katie said.  "It's just the way we greet each other
here."

   "No one's greeted me that way yet," I said.

   "I know how you are about that kind of thing," Katie said.  "So I had
Danny warn everyone not to try to hug you unless you said it was okay."

   "Excuse me?!"

   "Well, Christine, you hate it when people you don't know get too close."

   "Yes, but I'm perfectly capable of telling them not to touch me!"

   "I just wanted to make it less awkward for everyone.  How do you think
it feels when you try to give someone a hug and they push you away?"

   "I don't care about that.  I can handle my own boundaries, Katie. 
Okay?"

   "All right, all right.  Sorry.  Enjoy your lunch."

   I did enjoy it, although I had to deal with my fair share of dumb
questions about New York.  Not to mention a chubby gal named Sarah who
proudly proclaimed she was from Brooklyn.  "I've been there a time or two,"
I said, leaving out that I'd hated every pretentious, boring moment of the
place.

   "My boyfriend was always after me to move to the Village, but I didn't
want to live in a shoebox!" she squealed.  "Call me crazy, huh?"

   "I wouldn't ever live below Twenty-Third Street myself," I said.  "Even
back in high school, they called me 'Uptown Sophisticate', you know."

   "You live in Harlem, do you?" Sarah asked, apparently not joking.

   "Not that far uptown!" And I turned back to my couscous.

   Katie gave her girlish, over-the-top greeting to each and every new
arrival.  One of these was a rather awkward looking fellow who I could tell
did not want a hug from someone he didn't even know.  He got it anyway,
though, and at least managed to look pleased at it.  "Well, that's a nice
introduction!" he stammered.  "I'm Tim, and I just got here last week."

   "I'm Katie and I just got back today, but I was here a few summers ago,"
she said.  "You're going to love it!"

   "Thanks," Tim said.  "Yeah, I think I will.  I mean, I do, so far, just
that it hasn't been long, you know?  And the fourteenth..."

   "That's all voluntary, you know!" Katie said.  "Don't worry about it. 
But if you do join in, you'll be amazed at how quickly you get comfortable
with it!"

   "Thanks," Tim said.  "I hope you're right!" He sounded Midwestern, so
the "I" sounded more like "Ah".  Just what I needed, an awkward bumpkin
horning in on Katie's attention.  Fortunately he was off to get a plate and
fill it, and since we were nearly done, he didn't join us.

   "The fourteenth?" I asked as soon as he was gone.  "What does that
mean?"

   "I'll tell you everything when we get to the pool," Katie said.  "You up
for a swim?"

   I grinned.  "You never did tell me what you're wearing to the pool these
days.  I can't wait to see it!"

   "Hold that thought!" Katie said, standing up.  "Shall we go get changed
now?"

   She looked happy but awfully nervous as we went back upstairs.  I knew
by now there was no point in asking why.  For all that I had asked about
before, I couldn't help hoping she wasn't going to wear a bikini to the
pool.  She'd lost a lot of weight but she still didn't have the right shape
to pull it off, especially not with me next to her in my lemon-yellow one
that flattered my hips and bust just about perfectly.  In fact, I feared
she'd look utterly frumpy next to me no matter what she wore.  But she'd
brought that on herself inviting me here!

   As soon as we were back in our room with the door shut, I was
half-relieved and half-repulsed when Katie unceremoniously took her top
off. "Oof!" I averted my eyes just a touch too late, and got an eyeful of
Katie's belly and her heavy breasts, still cupped in a dowdy-looking bra.
"Katie, we're close, but I'm going to change in the bathroom!"

   "As you wish," she said.  And I heard what sounded like her unfastening
her bra and pulling it off, but I saw nothing as I carefully averted my
eyes while digging my bikini out of my suitcase and carrying it into the
bathroom.

   Like I said, sometimes I really do envy Katie's breasts.  Sometimes. 
Seeing what they look like even partially uncovered like that has always
been enough to disabuse me of all that.  I made a point of taking my time
changing into my swimsuit, not wanting to catch another look at my poor
saggy friend.

   Of course, since I was naked and in no hurry to get dressed, I was
sorely tempted to fall off the wagon.  But I settled for an admiring look
at my slim, toned body and reminded myself not to show Katie up any more
than I really couldn't help doing.

   When I finally had everything in place and no excuse to dawdle any
longer, I turned the bathroom doorknob but didn't open it right away.  I
figured that would give Katie enough time to warn me not to come out.  Even
if she didn't mind me seeing her boobs, now she knew I did mind.

   Hearing no complaint, I opened the door and blossomed forth in my bikini
-- and just as promptly leapt back into the bathroom.  "Katie!" I gasped. I
closed my eyes, but the image I'd glimpsed was seared into my mind's eye --
Katie sitting on her bed, rubbing sunblock all over her body, which was
stark naked.

   "Haven't you ever heard of sunblock, Christine?" The fool sounded
utterly calm and collected as she said it.

   "Haven't you ever heard of putting your swimsuit on first?"

   "Christine, come out.  Please."

   "I will, as soon as you get your swimsuit on."

   "No, Christine.  Come out.  Now."

   I couldn't very well just hide out in the bathroom until she came to her
senses.  I stepped out into the room and forced myself not to flinch at
Katie, who was standing hands-on-hips with a conciliatory look on her face.
I did my best to look only at her face, but there was no ignoring her boobs
-- they didn't sag nearly as much as I'd suspected, but my back hurt just
imagining mine were that big -- and her wide hips, and the utterly
ungroomed triangle between them.

   "It's okay, Christine," she said.  "I don't mind!"

   "I do, Katie!  Boundaries!"

   "No boundaries here, Christine.  It's clothing optional."

   "What?!"

   "The pool.  It's clothing optional.  No one will fault you for wearing a
swimsuit, but you don't have to, okay?"

   "Okay?!  Katie, for heaven's sake, how could you do this to me?"

   "Do what to you?" the poor fool asked.  "I told you, you can wear your
swimsuit."

   Of course, that wasn't what I meant at all.  It would be one thing for
someone like me to go bare at the pool, but Katie?  With that shape and
that bush?  I felt humiliated for the poor thing before we'd even left our
room.  But I just couldn't tell her that.  If my dearest old friend just
had to make an ass of herself, what could I do about it.  "Oh, all right,"
I said, seeing no other option.

   "Thank you for understanding," Katie said.  Then she handed me the
sunblock bottle.  "Do my back and my butt, please?"

   "I'll do your back.  You can reach your own ass, I'm sure."

   "Deal."

   As I was rubbing the lotion on her back, I remembered what that Tim guy
had said at lunch.  "Now, does this have anything to do with the
fourteenth?"

   "Yes," Katie said.  "July fourteenth is Nude Day back home.  It's a
tradition here, too."

   "You mean to tell me the last time you were here..." I just couldn't
finish that sentence, and finished rubbing Katie's back in silence.

   She turned around and nodded with a smile.  "It is so liberating!  I
hope you'll try it, too.  Here, I'll do your back."

   I turned around and held my hair out of the way.  "I'll take your word
for it, Katie," I said.  "But I hope you'll understand if I find some
excuse not to be anywhere near the pool on the fourteenth."

   "You don't know what you'll be missing, Christine.  You really don't."

   She did at least put on a robe for the walk down to the pool.  On the
way down we crossed paths with two good looking guys who were also wearing
robes.  They exchanged knowing chuckles with Katie and continued on their
way without a word.  Gay, obviously, since they took no notice of me.  At
least I'd have something to look at for free.

   Now, Katie is my oldest and dearest friend.  So as we stepped into the
pool area, I vowed to take her side if there were any nasty comments about
her appearance.  To my surprise, though, there weren't.  I did see a few
familiar faces including Sarah, the silly fool who thought I lived in
Harlem.  Fortunately, she was busy splashing around in the pool and didn't
take notice of me, nor did I have to look at her body.  The two guys we'd
seen on the way down were just as gorgeous underneath as I'd hoped, and I
drank in the lovely sight from the deck chair I claimed.  One of them
noticed me after a moment and waved, and then they both quickly jumped in
the pool.

   "Maybe I'll have a dip," I said, doing my best to sound casual as Katie
took her robe off and bared her body to the afternoon sun.

   "Go on ahead," Katie said, and I turned to see she was settled in her
chair, looking a lot more comfortable than a woman like her had any
business feeling in public without anything on.  "I'll be in later."

   I was set to argue the point a little bit, at least, but then Maggie and
Eddie turned up, also naked and also just as unfit for it as Katie was. 
"Haven't you missed this, Katie?" Maggie asked.

   "More than you can imagine!" Katie said.  "I was just telling Christine
here about Nude Day and how beautiful it was."

   "It really is," said Eddie, who at least had the decency to be hard for
me.  "No pressure, of course, but we hope you will join us!"

   "I certainly see you hope that," I said.

   "Christine!" Katie snapped.  "That's rude, all right?"

   "Oh, it's all right," Eddie said, looking down.  "Sorry.  We really are
supposed to cover up when that happens."

   "Don't feel the need to do that on my account," I said.

   "Didn't you want to go in the pool anyway?" Katie asked.

   "Indeed." I stood up and nodded at Maggie and Eddie without another
word, and jumped into the warm water.

   Chlorine is murder on my hair, of course, but for once it was completely
worth it, as I found myself near the two gentlemen I'd been admiring.  "Hi,
boys!" I said.  "I'm Christine.  I'm sorry my friend didn't introduce us
upstairs."

   "Is that Katie up there?" asked one of them.  "I've heard so much about
her."

   "I've known her since the fourth grade," I said.  "Ever so glad she
brought me here!" A lie, but clearly what they wanted to hear.

   "I've been here about a year," said the other man.  "Danny and some of
the others, they talk about her all the time, such a ray of sunshine.  Any
chance you can get her in the pool?"

   "She said she'd be coming in later," I said.  "So you're an old-timer,
huh?"

   "Yes," he said.  "Name's Doug, and I work in oil and gas.  Used to live
in Abu Dhabi, but they're not a big fan of guys like us, you know."

   "And I'm a teacher at the American school," said the other man.  "Pete."
He shook my hand underwater, which at least gave me an excuse to look down.
Pete and Doug were both nicely clipped and groomed.  Katie could learn a
thing or two from them, I couldn't help thinking.  "When Doug and I started
dating, we both knew, we'd best find someplace where the locals didn't have
eyes."

   "God, I can only imagine."

   "I take it it's your first time at the pool?" Doug asked.

   "Does it show?"

   "It's what you're not showing," Doug said, and Pete laughed.  I forced
myself to join in.  "No pressure, of course, but once you've given it a try
you'll never want to wear a swimsuit again."

   "That's what Katie was just telling me," I said.  "But I just don't
know..."

   "Took me a while, too," Pete said.

   "Dear, it took you a lot longer than a while!" Doug said.

   Pete laughed.  "Eh, you're right.  Christine, don't make the same
mistake I made, okay?"

   "If you say so," I said, though I still had no intention of going naked
for anyone, especially not a couple of fruits.  I still couldn't complain
about the view, though.

   "Hey!" came another male voice behind me.  "Christine, isn't it?"

   "This is she all right," said Doug.  He took Pete's hand.  "See you
later, okay?"

   "Sure, guys." I turned to see who'd called my name.  It was Tim.  "Hi,
Tim," I said as cordially as I could muster, while looking down in hope
that he was wearing trunks.  To my great relief, he was.

   "Can you believe this?" he asked.  "I've been hearing about this every
day, but I never came until today."

   How adorable.  The shy little thing just had to get a glimpse of me.  "I
hope you're not disappointed," I said, and wondered if I ought to tell him
upfront that he would never be seeing me in any less than what I was
wearing right then.

   "Disappointed?!  This is beautiful!  I mean, I wasn't quite brave enough
to go nude yet, and I see you're not either -- believe me, I understand --
but it's all so welcoming and safe, you know?"

   Welcoming and safe?  The poor guy sounded even younger than he looked.
But I couldn't help finding his sincerity endearing, and he did have a nice
toned chest, and unlike Katie he had the decency not to let everything slop
out.  Maybe someone this plain and uncomplicated was just what I needed to
get through this crazy experience.  No one back in New York had to know I'd
messed around with someone so far beneath me.  I put on my flirtatious grin
and answered soft and low, "Welcoming and safe.  Yes, Tim, that's a
beautiful way to put it.  And you're right, I'm just not quite brave enough
yet, but we'll get there, won't we?"

   "Maybe tomorrow," he said.  "I just had to have a look around first, and
see if it really was okay, you know?  But I guess it is."

   "Well, don't do anything until you're comfortable," I said, thinking
maybe I'd better put the brakes on; I did not want him thinking he was
going to see me without my bikini anytime soon.  Now, though, I was
thinking maybe I would give him that honor at some point -- just not in the
pool and among all these other people!

   "Right now I'm wondering just what the secret to that is," Tim said.  "I
guess you haven't figured it out either, huh?"

   Just as I was about to offer to take his trunks off for him if that
would help, there was a splash behind me and I turned to see Katie bursting
out of the water.  "Tim!" she said.  "You made it!"

   "Well, I came to the pool anyway," he said.  "I was just telling
Christine here, I'm still not sure about going nude.  But...wow, I admire
you!" Then he burst out laughing like the boy I suspected he probably was
underneath.  "I mean, not like that, although I do admire you like that
too, but I mean..."

   Katie laughed.  "Tim, it's okay!  I was new to this once, too, and I
know just what you mean."

   "Thanks." Tim let out a nervous laugh.  "Sorry if it looks like I'm
gawking at you or anything..."

   "It's okay if you are, Tim!" Katie hugged him, and I had to watch the
poor kid deal with the shock of that before he remembered his manners and
hugged her back.  "You don't think anyone here isn't checking everyone else
out, do you?"

   "Good point," he said.  "I do feel kind of overdressed, though."

   "Not if it's what you're comfortable with, okay?"

   "Katie, thanks.  You really know how to set a guy at ease."

   At that, I had to excuse myself.  I may have been falling for Tim, but I
couldn't stand anyone sounding that smarmy!  Especially not with Katie, who
I knew would respond with more of the same.  For some reason neither of
them noticed as I waded away, anyhow.

   My corner of the pool was otherwise empty for some reason, so I leaned
against the edge to relax, enjoying the sensation and the look of the water
lapping at my breasts.  I had some concerns that my interest in Tim might
make them hard, but at least it would be easy to avoid too much attention
with so many naked people out and about.

   It was also easy to overhear Katie's silly gushing at Tim, much as I
didn't want to.  Regrettably, I was right about her response to Tim's goofy
comment.  "That's what this is all about, isn't it?  A little corner of the
world where no one is judging anyone else about their body or anything?"

   Then just when I thought it couldn't get any worse than that, Tim had to
open his mouth again.  "That's beautiful.  But I must confess I am judging
your body, Katie, and my judgment is a good one!"

   Katie at least had the decency to laugh at that.  "Thank you!  That's
just the sort of thing that made me fall in love with this place last time,
how open we all can be here.  People say they like each other's clothes,
their hair, why not everything else?"

   "Somehow it just isn't the same, is it?" Tim said.  "I like your shoes,
I like your eyes, I like your vulva!" He said that last word with a
ridiculous flair that reminded me of my altercation with Katie over it a
few months before.

   Katie remembered too, for she gave me a triumphant glance out of the
corner of her eye.  "So nice to meet a man who isn't afraid of that word!
And thank you, I'm glad you like mine.  But can you really see it?"

   To my utter disgust, they both looked down at Katie's big bush, which of
course they couldn't see through.  Tim laughed.  "Now that you mention it,
no.  But I do like what I do see.  I'm so glad there are still women out
there who don't shave everything off.  Always loved natural beauty."

   Sure you did, you smarmy little toad, I thought as I turned around and
pushed up out of the water.  I'd heard all I could stand to.  But I
couldn't make my escape quite fast enough to avoid hearing Katie gush about
how much she loved being natural.  "So erotic to look down and see a
triangle, I always thought!" That was news to me, but maybe that was only
because Katie had always been smart enough not to tell me she was turned on
by such vulgarity.

   I danced off the rest of the afternoon reading on my deck chair, casting
an occasional glance at Tim to let him know I was interested but not giving
off too much, of course.  It's never wise to let a man know you're falling
for him right away, if ever.  He smiled back a time or two, even as Katie
kept him busy frolicking in the water for ages.  I almost felt sorry for
him, but he could have simply gotten out of the pool anytime just like I
did, if the poor dear had any backbone.

   At long last I spotted him hugging Katie goodbye, and put on my
flirtatious grin for when he came by my chair.  Perhaps I had done too good
of a job of keeping him at arm's length, because he got out of the pool on
the other side.  I know all there is to know about leading a man around by
the penis, I conceded, but not an immature brat like Tim.  The poor thing
was lucky he was so cute.  As for Katie, she lingered in the water for a
few minutes with some of the other shameless naked people, and then finally
climbed out to greet me.  "Have you fallen in love with the place yet?" she
asked.

   "Oh, sure," I said, doing my best to look only at her face.  It wasn't
easy.  "But don't think for a moment you'll get me down here without my
swimsuit anytime soon."

   "Christine, that's fine!" She flopped down in the chair next to mine,
still making no effort at all to cover up.  "It's all about what you're
comfortable with.  Just, if you're still not up to it on Nude Day, you
might not want to come to the pool then.  You'll be welcome in your suit,
but you'll stick out more than ever."

   "I usually do anyway," I reminded her.

   Dinner was a lively affair, and thankfully everyone got their clothes
back on for it.  I had resisted the temptation to chat Katie up about Tim
while we were dressing (which of course I did in the bathroom as Katie was
too shameless to draw any boundaries) because right then I didn't trust her
to keep her mouth shut about my planned conquest.  But I was pleased they'd
hit it off when we arrived in the dining room and Tim waved at us from a
mostly empty table in the corner.

   I gave Tim a cordial nod and led the way to his table, keeping my
delight to myself.  Katie kept nothing to herself.  "Good job staking out
this corner!" she told him as he stood to greet us, gripping at both his
hands like a groupie meeting a rock star.  "Always was my favorite seat in
the house."

   "Another way great minds think alike, huh?" Tim said.  To me he added,
"Hey, Christine."

   "Hello, Tim," I said.  "Nice to see you again."

   "Poor choice of words with Ms.  Free Spirit here," Tim said, pointing at
Katie, who laughed.

   "Oh, it's fine," Katie said.  "And you can see me that way at the pool
anytime you like!"

   I kept my disgust to myself as those two laughed.  I would just have to
have a stern word with her later on.

   I will give credit where it's due: Tim gave back as good as he got when
it came to my subtle flirtations.  If most of his actual chatter was with
Katie, I couldn't very well pretend I didn't understand why -- naturally he
felt closer to someone he'd seen naked, after all.  As for Katie herself,
she was full of fond tales of her last summer on the commune and what an
eye-opener it had been for her, how much more confident she felt after her
stay, and at least neither one of them resorted to flattering her pussy
again.

   My own thoughts were very much with my own pussy rather than with hers,
for Tim looked adorable in his short-sleeve print shirt, the sort of
fashion don't that cute guys can nevertheless somehow pull off.  The view
of him in those tight swimming trunks was still fresh on my mind, and as I
put up with Katie's inane prattle and admired his humoring of it, I was
getting hornier by the minute.

   Of course it wouldn't do to get him in bed on our first day there,
though I had no doubt I could.  I would just have to break my winning
streak and take matters into my own hands.  But when would I get enough
private time while sharing a room with Katie?

   The answer came halfway through some dull adventure movie someone put on
in the front room after dinner.  I, of course, dropped the hint to Tim that
I would be in attendance, and then sauntered off before he could ask to
join me.  Always leave them wanting!  I've had guys eating out of my hand
since I first grew boobs, so I had no doubt he would turn up hoping to
catch me.  With that in mind, I squeezed into the last available bit of a
couch alongside a British couple and an older woman they were chatting
with, and had my sassy grin at the ready when he appeared a few minutes
later.  Naturally Katie was tagging along, and they both gave me a smile
before settling for a spot on the floor.

   Well, I'd won the battle, of course, but I did feel an odd combination
of pity for Katie and frustration with her.  Didn't she know better than to
sit on the floor in a skirt?  Even Tim thought of that and asked if she'd
like him to go find a chair for her instead.  But did Katie take a hint? 
"Everyone here was at the pool this afternoon, Tim, remember?" And those
two silly fools dissolved into laugher as Katie at least remembered to pull
her hem down in the middle as she settled herself.

   Once again I reminded myself, I love Katie but I can't always save her
from herself.

   As I said, the movie was dull, a typical guy flick.  While I was more
and more certain that Tim, cute and hot though he may be, was the very
definition of not a man but a guy, even he wasn't much into the movie from
what I could tell.  I kept an eye on him and Katie while I watched, just in
case she needed my help fending off an ill-advised arm around her or
something.  He never made such a move, perhaps having guessed correctly
that the way to stay on my good side is to treat my naïve but dear friend
with respect, but he did give plenty of hints that he wasn't really
following the plot.  Neither was Katie, as it turned out, for less than an
hour in, they both stood up and ducked out of the room.

   For a moment I was horrified that he might try to talk his way into our
room, but instead I saw them hug goodnight outside the front room door and
go their separate ways.

   It was awfully early to be turning in, but we were in the middle of the
desert and there was no other option but going for a drink by the pool,
which was likely as not overrun with naked people again.  No thanks! 
Besides, I still had that delicious intimate itch to scratch, and at least
maybe Katie had found somewhere else to finish off the evening.  Ten
minutes or so after Katie and Tim had left, I followed their lead and slunk
out of the room.

   When I got upstairs, our room was empty but Katie's bedside lamp was
turned on.  I was momentarily disappointed as I realized she was in the
bathroom, then just as quickly relieved as I heard water sloshing a bit in
there and realized she was taking a bath.  So I would indeed have my
precious few minutes to myself!  I shut the door and looked for a lock,
only to find there wasn't one, which of course made me reconsider.  Once
that seed of doubt was in my mind, I reminded myself of how well I'd been
doing, keeping my hands clean since before we'd left New York -- was Tim
really worth breaking that winning streak, cute as he was?

   As I stood there debating the matter -- and trying to ignore how wet I
was with anticipation -- I noticed something I hadn't noticed at first
about the sound of Katie's bathwater.  It wasn't just sloshing, it was
sloshing in rhythm.  The silly girl was playing with herself in there! 
Probably thinking of Tim, too, the poor thing, without a clue of how
hopeless her chances would be against me once I let Tim in, if I let him
in.

   Of course, I couldn't be so cruel as to not let her have her fun, I
decided, but damned if I'll let her be the only one to indulge herself!  I
pulled my panties down and kicked my sandals off with them, and lay back on
my bed with my legs spread and admitted defeat.

   Wouldn't you just know Katie would have to interrupt at the last moment!
"Christine?" she called from the bath.  "Is that you?"

   "Yes!" I did my best to sound agreeable.  "I was bored with the movie."

   "Do you need the bathroom?"

   "No, take your time!" Hadn't she ever noticed how careful I was with my
pee breaks, so guys wouldn't notice?  Maybe I was so good at it that girls
didn't notice either.

   "Thanks!  I love this bathtub, you should try it later!"

   "We'll see!" And I resolved to say nothing more, as my fingers were
already good and busy.

   Now, there's one good thing about playing with myself instead of getting
a guy in bed for it.  No need to hold back on the pleasure -- it's not like
I need to fool myself into thinking I can do better, after all.  And I am
one very responsive gal when I want to be.  I once really let myself go in
a hotel room in London for a guy with a Bentley, and the silly old lady in
the next room had to go and call us on the phone to tell us she was trying
to sleep.  (I felt like offering to call an escort service for the old bat,
but that was her concern.) After admiring Tim all afternoon and the
satisfaction of knowing I'd frustrated him so much he'd had to settle for
flattering Katie's overgrown bush, I was in a mood to reach just those
heights, and I was sorely tempted to let myself go and really express all
my pent-up pleasure.

   But I couldn't do it with Katie right there in the bath.  I just
couldn't.

   Don't get me wrong, it's not that I had any qualms about letting her
know just what a tigress I could be in bed.  In fact, I figured it would do
her some good to be aware of that if she had any thoughts of competing with
me for Tim's affections.  Really, it would only be fair that she knew what
an unfair fight it would really be.  Rather, it was that she already knew
how she'd gotten me into this embarrassing habit.  I wasn't about to let
her know just how deep I'd fallen into it!  So as I flicked about at my
clit with my fingers, imagining they were Tim's tongue and that my hands
were free to squeeze his hard cock to my heart's content, I kept my husky
breathing to a minimum and made do with whispering the occasional "fuck!"
here and there.  When I came, I had to grit my teeth and swallow hard to
keep from letting out a roar.

   It all left me nearly as frustrated as I'd been feeling before, but at
least I knew I was putting Katie through the same thing, for I couldn't
hear any moaning or yelping from the bathroom.  Of course, there was no way
Katie was capable of the sort of operatics I was, but surely there was
something she was struggling to keep to herself.  And it served her right.

   I had my skirt back down in plenty of time, and was curled up demurely
on my bed when she finally emerged, naked of course.  "I needed that after
such a long day," she said.  "I'm going to read a while before I sleep. 
Let me know if the light bothers you."

   "Good idea," I said, sitting up.  "Maybe I'll read something too." I got
up to collect my current paperback from my suitcase, and turned around just
in time to see her climbing into bed.  "Oh, for heaven's sake, Katie, you
sleep naked too?"

   "For years now, except on my period.  What's the big deal?"

   I sighed.  "If you don't get it, I can't explain it."

   At least we both had good excuses not to talk after that.  So there were
no awkward questions about what we'd both been up to while she was in the
bath.

   My inner sense of time is excellent, and there was no need to get up
early the next day anyway.  So I didn't bother with an alarm, and it was a
pleasant late hour of the morning when I arose and stretched and saw Katie
was already out and about.  I could only hope she wasn't making a fool of
herself at the pool again, but at least I didn't have to watch it close up
this time.

   Once I was showered and coiffed, it was nearly lunchtime.  So I chanced
on finding the dining room already open, and it was.  With no sign of Katie
or Tim, I let myself get roped in to joining Sarah and a few rather homely
guys she'd been chatting with.  "Christine here is from Manhattan," she
explained as I reluctantly joined them.

   "Yeah, I saw you at the pool yesterday," said one of the guys.  "And I
thought, she's got to be a New York gal."

   "Well, I'm not originally from there," I said.  "But I was always
destined for the place, that's for sure.  "In high school they called me
'Uptown Sophisticate,' you know."

   "That's...foresightful," said the other guy.

   "Not for me it wasn't," I said.  "I just knew what I wanted from a young
age, and I had the drive to get it.  So why not be known for it?"

   "Oh, you mean you gave yourself that nickname," Sarah said.

   "Well, yeah," I said.  "Who else was going to think of it for me?"

   "Anyway," Sarah said.  "Going to the pool this afternoon?"

   "I might," I said.  "But don't get any ideas, I'll be keeping my suit
on!"

   "Me too," said the guy who'd seen me the day before, whom I didn't
recognize at all.  "I wouldn't subject everyone to this body!  Not such a
pretty sight, you know?"

   "You're right," I told him.

   For some reason the conversation stalled there, but I was saved from
having to restart it when Katie appeared.  "Hi all," she said.  "Christine,
sorry I didn't let you know where I was.  I just didn't want to wake you
up."

   "Not at all," I said.  "Just tell me you weren't at the pool again
already?"

   "Of course not," she said.  "I do have my studies to attend to,
remember? I spent the morning in the library, and I'm going back there
after lunch." Then she turned to greet Sarah's friends.  "Hi, I'm Katie,"
she said.

   "Jim," said the first homely guy.

   "Stan," said the second one.  "Pleased to meet you."

   "Are you the Katie who used to live here, a few summers ago?" asked Jim.

   "That would be me, yes," Katie said.  "I can't get over how my
reputation precedes me!"

   "It's a good reputation," Stan said.  "Danny never shut up about how he
couldn't wait to see you again.  Welcome back!"

   "It's great to be back," she said.  "You know, I saw you guys at the
pool yesterday.  Sorry I didn't get a chance to say hello."

   "No problem," Jim said.  "To tell you the truth, I was a little bashful
to introduce myself, while you were naked and I wasn't."

   "I understand!" Katie said.  "I went through the same thing when I first
got here last time.  But next time, don't be shy, okay?  It's fine!"

   "Excellent attitude, Katie," Stan said.  "Thanks."

   "Christine," she added, "Don't let me stop you from going out there
again this afternoon, okay?"

   "Uh, okay." I opted to pass over in silence that her being there would
be more likely to stop me from going back.

   "We're all going," Sarah said.  "I went bare yesterday for the first
time, and it's so addictive!  Guys, I wish you'd try it."

   "We'll see." Stan gave me what could only be called a dirty look as he
said it, as if I could care less what he chose to do.

   After a stop in the front room after lunch to see if there was anyone
new who looked worth getting to know, I quickly decided the pool it was. 
This time I donned my leopard print bikini, and put on a bathrobe over it
to avoid giving any guys the wrong idea.  Then as soon as I stepped
outside, I remembered all the nudists wore a bathrobe to the pool.  I'd
sooner risk giving some guy a heart attack than making him think I'd go
naked at the pool, so I tossed the bathrobe back on my bed and tried to
imagine I was fully clothed as I headed for the pool.

   Fortunately, no one saw me on the way.  Even more fortunately, I stepped
out onto the deck to see although Sarah had once again put her big body on
display for one and all, her two friends hadn't.  The three of them were
chatting away just as casually as could be on the ledge by the shallow end,
and I evaded their unwanted attention as I found a vacant deck chair near
the deep end.

   I did have plans to take a dip later on, but for the moment I was
content to get some sun.  I pulled my current trashy novel (which I had had
the presence of mind to cloak in the dustcover from one of Katie's
textbooks -- I hadn't even looked at the title) and was soon lost in a
rose-colored world where people were smart enough to know when they weren't
beautiful enough to put their bodies on display.

   I'd been utterly absorbed for some time when a familiar voice snapped me
out of my daydreaming.  "Women in international trade," he said.

   I looked up and was overjoyed to see Tim standing there, decent and
unaccompanied by Katie or anyone else.  "Hi, Tim," I said.  "What about
international trade?"

   "Your book," he said.  "Is that how you and Katie met, are you studying
international affairs too?"

   "Oh!" At last I looked at the dust cover, which did indeed say what Tim
had just recited.  "No, I just got curious about her studies and she didn't
need this book today.  No, we grew up together and me, I'm done with
school, thank you very much!" I set the book aside where I could make sure
he wouldn't see what was really inside, and grinned up at him.  "Good to
see you haven't lost your modesty like her," I said.

   "Truth is, I'm just not as brave as she is," Tim said.  "Is she coming
here today?"

   "No, she's studying, the poor thing."

   "Oh, I admire that about her," he said.  "Maybe I ought to try going
nude while the coast is clear, huh?"

   "What do you mean clear?" I asked.  "There are a dozen or more of us
here!"

   "I mean while Katie's not here.  Maybe then I can surprise her once I'm
used to it."

   Now, the temptation to see him in the altogether before Katie did was
strong.  But I didn't want him feeling quite that comfortable with me yet.
"Let's hold off on all that," I said.  "I'm not feeling quite up to that
yet."

   "You're thinking of it too, are you?"

   I gave him my best grin and nod; no need to tell him the answer was
absolutely not.  I gestured to the empty chair beside me.  "Keep me company
for a while.  Let's get to know each other a little better, and we'll see
how we both feel about it later."

   Tim was all too free of his gender's tendency to few words.  He could
even outtalk some of my girlfriends!  There were stories of growing up in
some California suburb I'd never heard of, and of college and teaching
English somewhere else in the Middle East -- I guess that's how he found
out about the commune, but I wasn't really listening.  I was just enjoying
the lilt of his voice and the view of his sleek body, and hoping for a show
from his trunks.

   Surprisingly, there wasn't one.  Perhaps he was nervous.  With that in
mind, I more than welcomed his gaze upon me and reminded myself to be
patient.

   "Christine?"

   I snapped back to attention.  "Sorry," I said.  "I got distracted." I
could only wish that really were true!

   "I asked, how did Katie convince you to come over here?  I mean, I can
see it's more her kind of thing than yours."

   "Oh, you've got that wrong!" I said.  "Ever since we were girls, Katie
was the quiet, demure one and I was the adventurous one.  Honestly, I think
she's just putting on a show here to overcome her past.  I've tried telling
her, look, it's fine to be who you really are!  Maybe after yesterday
she'll have it out of her system."

   "I sure hope not." Tim laughed as he said it, and I chanced a glance
down to see now he was getting hard.  "Sorry about that!" he said, and he
spread his towel over his middle.

   "Oh, that's perfectly all right," I said.  "Just don't get the wrong
idea about Katie from what you saw yesterday, all right?"

   "It was kind of hard for her to hide anything, wasn't it?"

   Enough was enough.  I sat up.  "Ready for a swim?"

   "With our suits on?"

   "Yes, Tim.  You're not getting a better look at me just yet!"

   What I did see of his body looked even better glistening in the water. I
was ever so relieved that there was no risk of his spotting my own arousal
when the rest of my body was already wet.  He did not need to know what I
was feeling just yet.

   At least now I knew I had my hooks in him.  As we were toweling off, he
said, "Will I see you and Katie at dinner?"

   "We haven't exactly got a lot of other options for eating out here, have
we?" I pointed out.

   The three of us did end up having dinner together, and I had to run
interference several times when he expected me to know anything about
Katie's studies.  Finally she was at least smart enough to say, "Tim, I
think you've got the wrong idea.  Christine works in banking, and she
doesn't know anything about women in international politics.  Or about
international politics, for that matter."

   "Hey!" I punched her on the arm.

   "Well, it's true, Christine," she said.  Turning back to Tim, she tried
to continue.  "Ever since middle school --"

   "Tim doesn't want to hear about your awkward years, Katie!" I
interrupted.

   "I do if she wants to talk about them," Tim said.  "I survived that
living hell too, after all.  I'm more than happy to compare notes with both
of you about that."

   "Both of us!" I exclaimed, trying to sound as diplomatic as I could.

   "Oh, Christine never had an awkward phase, don't you know?" Katie told
him.  "Miss Uptown Sophisticate had it together from the day she hit
puberty!"

   It was nice of Katie to acknowledge that, and at least the conversation
was steered into safer waters now.  So I let them both go on about their
memories of puppy love and embarrassing milestones, and didn't even object
to Katie telling him all about the first time she wore a bra to school.  If
she wanted to make a fool of herself, after all, so much the better for
driving Tim into my arms when the time was right.  Which, of course, it
wasn't yet, not after the intimate afternoon we'd had at the pool.  Now was
the time for a few days of frustrating him to heat up his desire.

   For the next three days, I did just that.  A cordial smile when I walked
into the dining room, then I'd sit with someone else.  (He usually ended up
with Katie anyway, and after the talk about middle school I didn't even
want to know what they were up to!) A playful grin at the pool, and I'd
dive in and swim and leave him eating his heart out on the deck.

   On the fourth day, Katie went into the city for some meetings at the
university.  So I figured the time was right for another taste of honey,
especially since the next day was the fourteenth.  As I strode up to his
deck chair at the pool, I was undecided about just how far I should lead
him on to think I might participate in Nude Day.  I figured the answer
would come to me as we chatted.

   The silly fool pretended not to notice me until I was standing over him,
grinning down at him and giving him a delightful view of my cleavage.  "Oh,
hi, Christine," he said, and at least he had the decency to set his book
down.  "How've you been?"

   And sure enough, the answer came to me.  "Lost in anticipation for
tomorrow, and you?"

   "You don't know the half of it!" Tim said.  "It's been so weird, getting
to know Katie and getting along so well with her, and literally seeing
every inch of her while I've kept my trunks on.  It feels really unfair,
actually, but Katie always says..."

   "Yes, yes, just do what's comfortable for you, I know." I sat down on
the edge of his chair and helped myself to a feel of his thigh.  It was
rock hard.  "Tim, you don't know much about women, do you?"

   "Like most men, no." He seemed to think that was funny.

   I didn't laugh.  "Tim, we're socialized to defer to men on just about
everything, okay?  When Katie tells you she doesn't mind you covering up
while she isn't, she doesn't really mean that!  She's just trying to make
you feel better, even as she humiliates herself again and again to attract
you!  Can't you see that's what's going on here?"

   "No kidding?" Tim looked thoughtful.  Maybe for once he really was. 
"Well, humiliated or not, she has attracted me."

   "Manipulated you is more like it," I said drily.

   "Manipulated?  What do you mean?"

   "I mean every woman knows if you give a man a good look at your body,
you can get him to do anything you want.  Katie's a little naïve, but even
she knows that!"

   "But she hasn't asked me to do anything expect spend time with her,
which I'd do anyway!"

   "Not yet.  But look, if she came back right now and told you before you
get to see her tits again, she wants you to steal a car, you'd do it,
wouldn't you?"

   "No!"

   "Sure, Tim.  I know men.  The good news is, I also know how to treat
them.  And if I like what I see tomorrow, maybe I'll show you, okay? 
Maybe."

   "Don't assume I'll like what I'll see," Christine.

   "Oh, you will." I stood up, and helped myself to a discreet brush over
his crotch with my palm.  Sure enough, he was hard again.  "And all you've
got to do is show Katie you won't be led around by the dick, got it?"

   "Goodbye, Christine."

   I only smiled in response before I turned to go.  Men can be so cute
when they try to play hard to get.

   Of course, now the gauntlet had been thrown down.  I would just have to
participate in Nude Day after all.  I didn't relish giving everyone a look
at the goods, but if that's what it took to snap Tim out of the spell Katie
had him under, it would have to be done.  I almost felt sorry for Katie,
too, when I thought of just how terribly I would upstage her tomorrow.  But
really, she'd asked for it.

   The impending thrill of victory, and the tickle of embarrassment I was
already feeling, together had me wound up tighter than a corkscrew. 
Fortunately, Katie wasn't back yet I recalled her saying to expect her
around dinnertime.  So I had all the time in the world to take care of
things in the bath.

   Now, no one's perfect.  I should have undressed in the bedroom and left
my clothes on the bed, but force of habit led me to keep even my shoes on
until I got to the bathroom.  There I quickly undressed and, recalling that
I had decided to go ahead with Nude Day, I gave myself the once-over in the
full-length mirror.  Days of sunshine had left my boobs a pasty white, and
there were the first few warning signs of hair in my bikini area, but I was
still every inch a knockout compared to any of the women I'd already seen
naked at the pool.  I had no intention of giving Tim too close of a look
anyway.  Not perfect, but I'd do fine.

   I drew a nice hot bath and, once again cursing Katie for getting me into
this gross habit, I gave in to the urge I couldn't possibly hold off on
until tomorrow.  It was nothing compared to the way I'd ravage Tim then, of
course, but my fingers did feel divine in the steamy water.  It only took a
few strokes to remember there was no need to hold back now.  No men to
control, no Katie to keep up appearances with -- for once, I was utterly
free to let myself go.

   And let myself go I did.  No more the demure lady, I enjoyed grunt after
moan at my own every touch, titillated all the more by the echo in the
little room that had my joy ringing out back at me.  I thrashed around hard
enough to splash some of the water on the floor, but that only added to the
forbidden pleasure I had ever so utterly given into.

   "Yes, gimme that cock!  Yes!  Do it to me!  Ram it into me!"

   Once the ice was broken, it wasn't just broken, it was boiled.  I was
shouting up a storm of dirty commands, flipping the bird at the repressed,
sexist country I had so foolishly let Katie drag me to, and welcoming
imaginary Tim to ravage me to his heart's delight and mine, to enjoy a real
woman for a change.

   The one line I couldn't cross -- thank heavens -- was saying his name
out loud.  That, for some reason, I wanted to keep for tomorrow.  And so
any nosy ears out in the bedroom heard me talking up a storm about all
sorts of filthy invitations of just what to do with my beautiful body, but
they wouldn't hear just who I was imagining doing it all to me.

   I came with a shriek to end all shrieks, and let out with a cathartic
"Whoooh!" as I finally gave my long-suffering clit a rest and pulled my
hands away.  A quick dunk in the water to wash away the sweat I was sure
I'd worked up, and I pulled the plug and toweled off and got dressed,
feeling more alive and eager than ever.

   When I opened the bathroom door, my elation was shattered as I saw Katie
sitting on her bed, grinning at me.  "That's quite a bathtub, isn't it?"
the little bitch chirped.

   "Unh!" I couldn't disguise my horror.  "What are you doing here?"

   "It's almost six," she said.  "I said I'd be back by dinnertime."

   "I thought you said 'at dinnertime'," I managed to say through my
humiliation.  "Katie, don't you know when you ought to leave a room?!"

   "Christine, it's nothing to be ashamed of!  I did that the other night,
you know, while you were in bed.  In fact, I'm really kind of envious.  You
really let yourself go in there."

   "Well, I wouldn't have if I'd known anyone could hear me!"

   "Why not?  It's beautiful!  Really, why can't you just be proud to be a
woman with a healthy sexual appetite?  It hasn't been that long that that's
been okay, you know."

   "Don't give me your radical feminist baloney, Katie.  You violated my
privacy here!"

   "It's my room, too," she said.  "And we are best friends, aren't we? 
Girlfriends talk about stuff like this!"

   "What about that day at the coffee shop, when you told me to cool it
with the sex talk?"

   "That was in public, Christine.  This isn't.  And you do remember what
tomorrow is, don't you?"

   "How can I forget, with you going butt naked at the pool all the time?
Did you even bring a swimsuit?"

   Katie laughed but didn't answer my question.  "I'm really hoping Tim
will finally go nude tomorrow.  Listen, if he does, I don't want you saying
anything bad about his body, okay?  The poor guy's a little shy, and I
think he feels guilty because he's already seen me nude all these times and
I haven't seen him.  I want him to be comfortable with it."

   "I would never insult a man's body to his face, Katie!"

   "Right, Christine.  Don't you know yourself at all?"

   "What's that supposed to mean?"

   "Never mind.  Just go easy on Tim, that's all I ask."

   "I'll go easy on him, but I've also got to warn you, I've decided to
participate too.  So his attention will be diverted elsewhere from you for
a change.  Understood?"

   "Sure, Christine.  I understand just fine." She stood up.  "Dinner?"

   "Sure." At least she was aware of what she was in for tomorrow.

   In the morning, I was out of the shower before Katie was out of bed. 
Beauty takes time, after all.  As the steam faded in the bathroom mirror, I
brushed my hair and took a final assessment of my body and whether I really
was willing to put it on display.  One great thing about small breasts --
they don't sag.  Mine stood out proudly, as pert and beautiful as ever.  My
flat tummy and slim hips reflected all the hard work I'd put into staying
trim, not an ounce of fat to answer for.  As for my...well, Katie was right
and the word is vulva, but I refuse...it was just about perfect.  The way
my subtle yet graceful curves came to an end in a perfectly symmetrical
cleft had me utterly bursting with pride.  If it was showing the first
signs of unsightly hair growing back, I was cautiously optimistic that
people would notice its magnificent feminine dignity rather than its
imperfections.

   Hands on hips like a pinup girl, I made up my mind.  Yes, I was willing
to make this sacrifice for the good of saving Tim from the dumb choice he
was so perilously close to making.  Katie would be hurt, but it was for her
own good, really.  Don Henley was right, women are the only works of art.
It's just too bad women like Katie don't take greater care to appreciate
their unique gift.  Or maybe it was the other way around and thanks to
genetics, she never had the potential to be this beautiful anyway.  Either
way, all I was going to do was beat her at her own game.  She would thank
me in the end for teaching her a lesson.

   I had to remind myself of that when I opened the bathroom door to find
her standing there waiting.  She burst into silly girlish giggles.  "Well,
we were always best friends, but who ever knew we'd be this comfortable
together?" she snickered.

   I smiled and nodded, and passed over in silence that I, for one, did not
feel comfortable once again being forced to look at her plump, ungroomed
body.  She would get her comeuppance for that soon enough, after all. 
While I waited for her to shower, I pulled my bathrobe on and sat
cross-legged on my bed, going over scenarios in my head as to how Tim might
react to my body and how I should handle each one.

   When Katie came out of the bathroom (I must admit she was quick), she
had her hair wrapped in her towel and was of course otherwise naked. 
"Let's get some sunblock on one another, huh?" she said.

   "I'm still not touching anything but your back, and I want the same from
you," I declared, reluctantly taking my robe off -- she'd already seen what
she was up against, after all.

   "As you wish, my dear," she said, and she opened the bottle and set
about rubbing it on.  She giggled a bit as she lathered up her boobs.  "I
certainly don't want these getting burned," she said.

   "They could do with a little tanning, you know," I said, although I
didn't see how she'd ever get any sun on the undersides.

   "A little is right.  There's no way they'll get just a little today, you
know that."

   I couldn't deny that, and I was just as happy not to have to talk about
her breasts any further anyway.

   She did take care of her own rear end, and to get the indignity out of
the way I did the same, which once again made Katie laugh.  "For heaven's
sake, Kathleen, we're not schoolgirls anymore!" I admonished.

   "Oh, I know!" she said.  "But some things never get beyond that
mentality when everything about sex is brand new to you and it all seems so
hilarious, you know?"

   I didn't.  But I could certainly understand why it was that way for her.
As she clutched both her butt cheeks with her hands and wiggled around like
she was desperate for the bathroom or something, I humored her and smiled
through my annoyance.

   Once we were lathered up and ready to make our entrance, I picked up my
robe from the bed to put back on.  But Katie wasn't having it.  "Come on,
Christine, no need to cover up today of all days!"

   "I suppose you're going to prance down there without a stitch on?" I
asked.  "So even people who aren't participating will see everything?"

   "I figure nearly everyone here has seen all of me by now," she said. 
"Anyone who doesn't want to, will probably be hiding out in their room for
the day or even going into the city."

   That, I had to admit, was probably true.  And the sooner I started
humbling her with my own appearance, the better.  I set the robe back on
the bed.  "Fine," I said.  "Let's go."

   Every step down the walkway and then downstairs and then outside had me
feeling like my heart was going to explode.  Even my toes felt on fire with
embarrassment, even though we didn't actually see anyone for most of the
way.  I guess it showed, for Katie hooked her arm through mine and said,
"It's okay to be nervous.  I was too, the first time.  You'll be amazed at
how welcoming everyone is, really!"

   Of course, I could only imagine how nervous I would be if I had a body
like Katie's!  But if she could take it, I could take it.

   She wasn't wrong, as it turned out.  When we opened the door to the pool
area and stepped in side by side, the world didn't grind to a halt just
because of my statuesque presence.  I did get some appropriately
appreciative looks, even from Stan and Jim who had for some reason been
avoiding me, and that put me at ease as well.

   "Christine, you did it!" Danny emerged from the crowd, naked of course
and looking like a misassembled jigsaw puzzle like most naked guys do, but
he looked happy to see me and I did my best to return the favor.  "How are
you finding the feeling so far?"

   "I'm getting used to it," I said.  "Honestly, I still don't quite see
the appeal Katie is always talking about, but I'm working on it."

   "There's no need to work on it, Christine," Katie said.  "Just let the
freedom wash over you."

   "Excellent advice," Danny said.  "And look, if you don't like it, no
one's going to judge you for leaving or putting a swimsuit on, okay?"

   "If you say so," I said, though I couldn't see anyone wearing anything
and I didn't want to be the only one.

   "I do." He touched my shoulder and squeezed it a bit.  "And
congratulations.  We know it's a big step.  Enjoy the party!"

   "Is he gay, Katie?" I asked as soon as he was gone.

   "I don't know," Katie said.  "Why?"

   "He barely even glanced at my body.  I kept waiting for him to drop his
eyes, and he never did."

   Katie laughed.  "Oh, Christine, you're never going to change, are you?"

   "What does that mean?!"

   "Nothing.  Let's get some breakfast."

   There was a nice continental spread near the deep end of the pool,
nothing hot for obvious reasons, which I couldn't very well argue with,
though I'd have loved a hot cup of coffee right then.  I settled for iced
tea and a bagel with fat-free cream cheese, and remembered my manners when
I did catch others admiring me.  Who could blame them?

   Wouldn't you know it was good old Sarah, from Brooklyn, who was the
first to comment on my body?  "Christine, can you get me an appointment
with your waxer when we go back t New York?  She did a beautiful job!"

   "Thank you," I said.  "But I don't think she does house calls in
Brooklyn."

   "I meant for me to go to her salon!" Poor Sarah really couldn't take a
hint.

   "She's got a pretty full schedule," I said.  "But I'll talk to her on my
next appointment, okay?" I would do no such thing, of course.  Sarah was
right, Darla did a fantastic job every time, which was exactly why I
couldn't see inflicting Sarah upon her.

   "Thanks!  I've been thinking of giving it a try for ages, but I always
chicken out.  But seeing how you look...wow!"

   "Thank you, Sarah.  I guess I ought to warn you, though, not every woman
looks this good underneath.  No offense."

   "No offense?  Christine, that was uncalled for!" She spun on her heel
and went off to whine to Stan and Jim.  I could tell she was whining about
me, because they both gave me a dirty look that I caught out of the corner
of my eye.  Luckily they stayed in her corner and didn't force me to get
too good a look at their pasty white bodies.

   I was just polishing off my bagel when he appeared grinning at my side.
Tim.  He'd finally done it.  "Well hello," I said, allowing myself a quick
look down.  His dick was nice enough, but it was soft.  Of course, he'd
only just caught sight of me.

   "You did it too, huh?" he said.  "What do you think?"

   "I think I prefer saving this view for special occasions," I said.  "But
it's fun, sort of."

   "I'm with you," he said.  "We have clothes for a reason.  But it's a
kick, isn't it?"

   "It does make me feel beautiful," I allowed.  "I do work hard to look
like this.  Why not show it off now and then, huh?"

   "Hmm, yeah." I already knew Tim wasn't the most talkative guy, to be
fair.

   It was right then that I knew Katie had spotted Tim, for I heard that
inimitable girlish squeal of hers behind me.  "Tim!  You did it!  I knew
you could!"

   She threw herself at him like a groupie with a rock star, and when she'd
finally let him go, of course now he was hard.  "Tim, you're beautiful,"
she gushed.  "You had nothing to be shy about." She gazed shamelessly at
his dick as she said it, but I confess I was watching too.  He was quite
well endowed, and I was just about ready to make him an offer I was sure he
couldn't refuse.

   "Thanks," he said.  "I guess you can see how beautiful I find you, huh?
Sorry."

   "Don't be sorry!  That makes me feel great!" Did Katie even know how
immature she sounded?!  I could only stand there in frustrated silence and
wonder.  Evidently she didn't know, because it only got worse.  "Whooh, I
just feel so excited for you, Tim, remembering what it was like my first
time!"

   That did it.  I just couldn't stand there and listen to my best friend
prattle like someone half her age.  I took a quick look around for someone
I'd feel comfortable putting myself on display for, didn't find anyone who
looked worth of the honor, and I jumped in the pool.

   Katie had told me more than once how wonderful skinnydipping felt, and
as soon as I was in the water I realized she was right about that, at
least. As I swam up and down the pool, I thought about Tim -- had I made my
exit at the right time?  Probably as close to it as I could have with Katie
there.  He'd had a good look at me, now he could eat his heart out for a
while.  I was quite sure he'd seek me out later on when I was done
swimming.

   Of course, I took my sweet time on that.  When I was finally ready to
get out of the pool, I wore my most flirtatious grin as my body rose
glistening from the water.  It caught the attention of a guy I hadn't seen
before, who was shaved clean down below.  I'm not crazy about that look on
men, but it fit this guy pretty well.  "Happy Nude Day," he said, offering
me a hand as I climbed out, which I gladly accepted.

   "Same to you," I said.  I longed to look around and confirm that Tim
could see me chatting up other guys, but that wouldn't do -- I could see I
hadn't quite hooked this guy yet.  In any event, he wasn't bad in his own
right.  Square shoulders, nice cleft in his chin, neat haircut, probably an
ex-college football player who'd managed to stay in shape.  "Are you new to
this?" I asked, looking for a little vulnerability in that masculine aura.

   "It shows, does it?" he asked.  "Yeah.  I've been wanting to try it for
years, and when I found out I was going to have to come over here for
business this summer, I figured what the heck?  It's fun, isn't it?"

   "It's got its moments," I said.  "A friend of mine tr...talked me into
trying it." No one needed to know Katie had tricked me.

   "Right, you're Katie's friend, aren't you?" he said, and my esteem for
him dropped like a rock.  "Yeah, she just seems born to this whole thing. I
wish I could feel that comfortable with it."

   He wasn't comfortable...there was my in.  "Oh, well, when you're in
great shape like you and I are in, why shouldn't we be comfortable?"

   He chuckled.  "Why, thank you!  Yes, I saw you here with Katie the other
day and I was thinking, man, I hope she comes to Nude Day.  Hope you don't
mind my saying, it was worth the wait!"

   That was more like it!  I allowed a sincere smile, but not for long. 
"I'm glad to hear that," I took a deep breath and welcomed his obvious
appreciation as my breasts rose and fell.  "You going to be around after
lunch?"

   "Sure!  I'd love to chat some more..."

   "I've got to go check on someone now, but maybe I'll see you then?"

   "I'd love that.  Sorry, what's your name?"

   "You'll find out this afternoon, won't you?" I winked and pranced off
without another look.  At least now I had a Plan B.

   But there was no sign of Plan A now that I had time to look around. 
Katie didn't appear to be anywhere either.  Those fools wouldn't!  Would
they?  I had no choice but to rush up to our room and see.

   This time I did see a few other people on the way, starting with an
older couple who were just arriving at the party.  "Hope we're not late!"
said the man to me as I brushed past them.

   "No, there's a great crowd there," I said.  Then halfway up the stairs I
passed a woman who had even less business loving Nude Day than Katie did,
but I smiled at her and she returned the favor.

   I did think perhaps I ought to peek in the window discreetly rather than
barging into our room, but there was no time to be considerate.  I threw
the door open.  To my great relief, there was no one there.  I didn't know
where she might have gotten him off to, but at least it wasn't here.

   With that crisis averted, I relaxed long enough to notice I really
needed to pee.  I'd probably swallowed some water in the pool.  I shut the
room door and went into the bathroom, and had already sat down to relieve
myself when I realized I hadn't quite shut the bathroom door all the way.
No harm done, I reasoned, with no one else in the room.

   As I wiped my pussy, I realized I was still wet.  Tim had been awfully
cute, even if he'd had to act like a kid to appease Katie, and then there
was the other guy whom I'd definitely gotten my hooks into.  I stood up and
flushed and washed my hands, and figured I might as well enjoy a round with
my hands while I had the room to myself.

   Except that just as I was about to throw the bathroom door wide open, I
no longer had it to myself.  I heard the outside door open and Katie
laughing.

   I didn't know what she was laughing at, but whatever it was, Tim felt
guilty about it.  "I'm sorry!" he said, though he was also laughing.

   "No, it's fine!" Katie replied.  "She's always been that way.  I really
don't think she can help it!"

   "I admire you for putting up with her," he said.

   "Can't choose our friends, can we?"

   I didn't know who they were talking about, but right about then I was
thinking I ought to start choosing my own friends more carefully.  But
there was nothing for me but to stand stock still and hope they didn't stay
long.

   Evidently, though, they did plan to stay, as I heard one or the other of
them flop down on what I could only hope was Katie's bed.  "You sure you
want to?" Tim asked.  "I don't want to push you."

   Oh, dear God, no!

   "You're not pushing me!" Katie said.  "Honestly, I've been hoping this
would happen, but with Nude Day coming up, it was best to see what happened
then first.  And what happened is...I'm dying to make love to you, Tim."

   Jesus, wasn't she ever going to grow up?  But if I was stuck here, I
just had to see this.  Luckily I remembered my compact on the sink, and I
carefully picked it up and opened it.  Holding the mirror up just right
afforded me a look at the two lovebirds.  I figured if Katie was willing to
give it up that easily, they deserved each other!

   It was Katie who'd flopped down on her bed, and now she was sitting up,
her legs spread wide as a chestnut tree for Tim, who was standing over her
and grinning and hard as a rock.  Even I could probably have seen her pussy
from my hiding place if she hadn't been so bushy.  "So, Tim?" she cooed.

   "Yes, well, I did tell you I liked your vulva, didn't I?"

   I could've thrown up, I really could have.

   "Thank you, Tim, but are you only going to look at it?" She gave him a
come-hither motion with her finger, and he climbed onto the bed between her
legs.

   "I don't really know my way around a woman's body all that well," he
said.  I had no problem believing that!

   "Your honesty about that is refreshing," Katie said.  "Most men don't.
But we're happy to show you what we like if you just admit it!"

   Speak for yourself, Katie!

   She did, in any case, show him.  I was equal parts outraged and amused
as she took his right hand and placed it in her bush.  "Now, just rub my
lips nice and light...ohoooo!  That's great!  More of that! 
Ohoohoohooo...yes!"

   I couldn't see just what Tim was doing with his fingers, but I recalled
what Katie had said about her ex - He had a way of tickling my vulva that
made me climb walls - and I guessed I ought to be happy for her. 
Evidently Tim had unlocked that particular secret too.  In no time Katie
was on her back, wiggling around and howling.  I had to admit I was getting
pretty worked up, too, listening to her obvious pleasure whether I approved
of it or not.  At some point I'm pretty sure he gave up tickling her and
started fingering her.  I couldn't see the moment when it happened, but
Katie's moans definitely grew more intense and longer.  By the time she
said, "Ohhhh, feels so good!", I knew it had progressed.

   Around that time, Tim leaned down and started kissing her breasts, and
playing with them with his free hand.  I guessed I couldn't very well
begrudge Katie getting some pleasure out of them when she had to lug them
around all day, but I didn't need to know just how much pleasure they gave
her.  Here she was screeching with joy when she didn't even have him inside
her yet -- clearly my dear friend knew nothing about keeping men in the
dark about these things!

   When I saw her grab his dick and rub it around her pussy without
actually taking him inside yet, I had to give her credit for knowing a
little something about teasing anyway.  I could also no longer resist going
to town on myself with my free hand.  Despite my outrage at the whole
thing, my arousal had only grown, and I dipped two fingers inside to find
myself utterly sopping.  The warm wetness did feel lovely on my clit,
although I did hate myself nearly as much as I hated Katie and Tim right
then.

   I had to struggle to keep quiet.  But at least I tried.  There was no
mistaking the moment Tim was inside Katie.  They could probably hear her
screech of joy in Dubai.  She only got more boisterous from then, as Tim
went at it slow and gentle just like I imagined all sex Katie had ever had
was.  He'd just have to wait to see what a real woman could do, I thought,
as I rubbed myself faster and imagined what I'd be doing him right then.

   "Mmmfh, Tim, harder!  Faster!" Katie shattered my image of her yet again
when she slapped Tim on the hip three or four times.  She knew how to show
a man who was boss after all, and sure enough he did pick up the pace.

   Watching him flail away at her while she wiggled her legs and slapped
his hip may have been the lamest amateur porn I'd ever seen, but it did get
me too worked up to give my own needs short shrift any longer.  I'd seen
far more than I needed to, and silently I set the compact back on the sink
and got down to business with my right hand.  I could, of course, still
hear Katie howling up a storm out there, and at least that gave me cover to
let out a grunt or two of my own.  Of course I hadn't forgotten Katie
overhearing me the other day and I wasn't about to let that happen again
now of all times.  But I just couldn't remain completely silent, and once
again I cursed Katie for plunging me into this dirty habit as I rubbed
around my clit, loving each stroke as much as I hated it, and accepted that
I couldn't remain completely quiet.  It was just too frustrating.

   Of course, at least I wasn't as frustrated as Katie was going to be now
that she'd let her guard down so completely for Tim.  I almost felt sorry
for her as she came with a yelp and then egged Tim on to the same.  "Come
for me, baby!  You can do it!" Slap, slap.  I knew men well enough to know
he wouldn't scream like she had...so I was surprised and aroused afresh
when he did.

   Dead silence reigned for a moment after his orgasm, and I had to stop
with my finger right on my hungry clit to avoid letting them know of my
presence.  I took advantage of the unwelcome break to reassure myself that
when I got my hands on Tim, I'd make him screech a lot louder than that,
and of course he would not get the same out of me.  Then we'd see which one
of us he came slinking back to!  As I stood there praying neither of them
would need the bathroom, I could also only hope there wasn't going to be
any goody-goody pillow talk about what a beautiful experience it had been.

   But this was Katie we're talking about, so of course there was.  "You do
too know your way around a woman's body, Tim.  That was lovely!"

   "Thanks.  I had a good tutor, didn't I?"

   "Oh, stop!" And there was that girly laugh of hers.  "I do sometimes
have a big mouth in bed.  I hope that didn't scare you or anything."

   "No!  I admit it wasn't what I was expecting, but it was beautiful."

   "Thanks.  I get that a lot.  People think I'm going to be timid in bed
just because I'm soft-spoken in public, you know?  Especially when they
also meet Christine and know we're old friends."

   "Yeah, I hate to bring her up, but I was kind of thinking, between the
two of you..."

   He hated to bring me up?  Served him right having to do it, then!

   "Well, I've never heard what she's like in bed, of course," Katie said
then, "but she's always telling me I ought to hold back and not let the guy
know how much I'm loving it.  So I'm guessing she's a lot quieter than I
am."

   "God, that's so manipulative!"

   "I know!  And I'm always telling her, there's already that ugly
stereotype about women not liking sex as much as men do, why perpetuate
that?"

   She had never said that to me, and there were plenty of reasons to
perpetuate it anyway.

   "Why indeed?  Why does she want men thinking that way?"

   "Probably because she thinks she can get more expensive gifts out of
them if they think it'll improve her response in bed."

   "Good God!  Katie, why are you best friends forever with someone like
that?!"

   "We were only kids when we met.  It was...different.  Except she was big
on wrapping boys around her finger back then too, now that I think of it.
No accounting for taste, I guess."

   My free hand was clenched in rage.  Just what did Katie think she'd have
been back in high school without my skirt-tails to hang on to?  She
certainly wouldn't be overconfident enough to go naked at the pool!

   "Yeah, I had friends like that when I was a kid too," Tim said.  "I
think I understand.  I'm not sure how I'd react if they showed up now,
though."

   "Well, if you're as much like me as I think you are, Tim, you might have
wanted to show them how much you've changed from when you were the shy and
quiet one of the pair."

   "Good point.  There was this one kid, Jeff...ah, but you don't want to
hear about that, do you?"

   "Sure I do!" I panicked as I heard sheets rustling, then relaxed just as
quickly as Katie said, "Let's go back down to the pool and you can tell me
all about him.  They ought to have some beer ready by now, too."

   "Just let me hit the bathroom first," Tim said, and I froze in horror.
"Maybe you know how guys have to pee after we come."

   "Yes, and women are supposed to pee after sex, too, to clean the pipes,"
Katie said.  How the hell did she know that?!  "But we can use the
bathrooms downstairs, that way we won't have to wait for each other.  And
I'm ready for some more sunshine."

   "Works for me," Tim said, and they were gone.  I remained frozen in the
bathroom for a few minutes, fearful that they'd come back for something
they'd forgotten, until I remembered they couldn't have forgotten anything
because they literally hadn't brought anything in the room with them.

   I was hurt and I was frustrated, but I was still more wound up than
ever. The prevailing just-had-sex smell didn't help with that, nor did the
fact that Katie's sheets were still damp when I lay down on her bed -- I
wasn't going to get mine dirty as well, after all.  It didn't take me long
at all to bring myself off to the most intense orgasm I'd had in ages. 
Alone at last, I grunted and moaned and yelled as loudly as I liked, as I
imagined chaining Tim up and squeezing his cock until it hurt and making
him beg forgiveness for bothering with Katie when he could have had me.

   Though I felt much better once I came, I was still furious with Katie.
But I couldn't think of anything I might be able to do about it for the
moment, with both of us stranded out here in the desert.  So I washed my
hands and went back down to the pool.

   I had no trouble avoiding Tim and Katie, who were chatting harmlessly in
the shallow end of the pool and didn't show any sign of noticing when I
returned.  My Plan B man did notice, as I caught his eye over by the buffet
table just as I rounded the corner of the pool.  He tipped his beer bottle
at me and nodded, and I smiled.  But something must have caught his
attention, because as soon as I neared the table, he was on his way off
around the other side of the pool.

   No problem, I reasoned as I opened a beer for myself.  I'd corner him at
dinner if the mood struck me.  For now, after the way Katie had just hurt
me, it was probably best that I just mingle with the crowd, and until
dinnertime that's just what I did.

   Dinner proved to be more of the same, as I ended up chatting with a
South African couple I hadn't met before.  They at least were nice enough,
though I found the woman to be awfully loose in her praise of her husband
for finding this wonderful place, which I was increasingly finding anything
but wonderful.  I was too relieved to have finally gotten my clothes back
on (no nudity allowed in the dining room for hygienic reasons) to care
much.

   I found it so easy to avoid Katie for the rest of the evening that I had
to wonder if she was trying to avoid me, too, though I couldn't think why.
She finally blessed me with her appearance late that evening when I had
just turned out the light.  Perfect timing as always, but I forced a smile
as I watched her come in.

   "So how was your Nude Day?" I asked.

   "Blissfully free and wonderful, thanks.  And you?"

   "Educational," I said.

   "Educational?"

   "I knew there was a reason why I didn't put my body on display for just
anyone, but I didn't quite know just what it was, other than not everyone
being worthy.  Now I see there really is no other reason, and that's
enough."

   Katie laughed, but didn't look at me as she made her way to the
bathroom. "Oh, Christine, please don't ever change!" she said.

   The rest of our stay went like that, I'm afraid.  I haven't got a lot I
care to share about that last week, except to say Tim never came to his
senses.  We had a cordial conversation or two by the pool, but he could
never take my hints and was always straight back into Katie's arms. 
Neither one of them had the good taste to put on a swimsuit after the big
day, either, so I was just as happy to keep naked Tim at arm's length.  I
was careful to stay away from our room, lest I get another unwelcome show,
and could only hope Katie would show some restraint already.

   Of course they sobbed like a couple of babies on the day we left.  I
can't stand to see a man cry, so I shook hands with Danny and waited out in
the minivan for them to get through their long goodbye.  When Katie finally
arrived, her eyes were puffy but dry.  "He'll be visiting me in New York
for Christmas," she said.  "God, I've always wanted to spend the holidays
in the big apple while I'm in love.  How much more romantic can you get?"

   "Good God, Katie, you sound like an out-of-towner!"

   "I am an out-of-towner," she reminded me.  "And more than happy to be
one if it means having a dream come true!"

   I looked out the window at the desert rushing by.  It had been a nicer
time than I'd have guessed, but I could hardly wait to get on that plane.
Even if it meant Katie going braless for the night again.  "Just keep your
feet on the ground about Tim, okay?" I said.  "You did just meet, and who
knows what he'll get up to between now and Christmas."

   "Christine, that's a terrible thing to say!  We're in love!"

   "You're in love.  Tim's a guy.  Big difference."

   "Oh, you know that's not true, Christine," Katie said.  "You heard how
sincere he was."

   "I heard how sincere he was?" I repeated, turning back to face her. 
"When?"

   Katie's lips curled into the nastiest smile I'd ever seen on her, and
she whispered her answer so the driver couldn't hear.  "That day in the
bathroom."