Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 �>�Summer at Cache Lake

   Chapter 41: Lakeside Birthday Party

   As the weather was perfect, Jill -(TM)s mother had decided to hold the
birthday celebration right where they were, at lake -(TM)s edge.  She
enlisted her husband and the boys in the effort and together they got
another table and more chairs out of the storage shed next to the
Airstream.

   There had been some pushback from Jill -(TM)s grandparents.  They
mentioned not wanting to walk the forest trails due to exposed roots,
uneven ground, and the associated risk of a fall, but Jill -(TM)s mother
had insisted.  She had told them how meaningful it would be to the twins,
mentioning that there were more than enough people present to walk with
them, holding both of their hands if necessary.

   A short time later, Nick arrived.  He was early; they hadn -(TM)t even
lit the campfire yet.  Given their August birthday, Jill and David had
celebrated most of their birthdays at Cache Lake, and the traditional
birthday meal had always been the most basic camp fare, hot dogs
accompanied by grandma -(TM)s Indian bead salad.

   Nick had some interesting news.   -�I -(TM)ve learned that the
Inspiration Peak trail is gone, -� he said.   -�Where the trail crossed the
scree slope below the cliff . . .  well . . .  that slope shifted.  The
trail is no longer there.  Attempting to cross all that loose rock would
now be too dangerous.  That means that you guys were most likely the last
climbers on the summit. -�

    -�We were? -� said David, a look of confusion on his face.

    -�He means, Sharp Tooth, -� said Jill.   -�Remember?  The rest of the
world calls it Inspiration Peak.  I told you that. -�

    -�Oh, yeah . . .  Sharp Tooth, -� said David nodding.   -�So, now, tell
me again what happened. -�

    -�You know, where the trail cuts across to the left, to go around the
peak to approach it from the backside.  That trail had been painstakingly
cut across a steep scree slope. -�

    -�Oh, right, -� said David.   -�I know that part of the trail.  We
hiked that the day before the earthquake. -�

    -�Jill told me, -� replied Nick.   -�You guys must have been the last
to make that climb . . .  unless someone went later in the day.  The trail
-(TM)s gone. -�

    -�A rockslide? -� asked Ryan.

    -�Yeah -- -� said Nick.   -� --and given budget cuts, it -(TM)s likely
to be a long time before the Forest Service gets up there to rebuild it. -�

   As Jill listened, Nick and David continued to talk about hiking and
climbing.  As they had all learned during their initial meeting at the
pizza parlor, Nick had a wealth of information about the backcountry.  He
seemed to know all the trails, all the lakes, and all the climbable peaks
in the area.  Hiking and climbing was apparently his primary interest and
he had grown up in Agency.

   Jill and David knew the area right around Cache Lake at least as well,
possibly better; however, Nick -(TM)s knowledge seemed to extend across the
entire region.  He -(TM)d also grown up hunting, which meant that he -(TM)d
spent a lot of time in the backcountry every fall with his father.  Much of
that time had been spent  -~off trail, -(TM) venturing into the virgin
wilderness.

   Jill knew that David had an interest in expanding their horizons, but
why not?  They had the Jeep at their disposal.  He had even gone and gotten
a clipboard in order to take notes.

   Jill was experiencing a bit of trepidation.  She was trying to follow
the conversation, but in the back of her mind, she knew what was really
going on.  Indeed, David was looking for hikes that they could take, but to
her trained ear, he was obviously searching for trails that might be
suitable for hiking with a topless girl.

   The idea was scary.  Their familiar trails around Cache Lake represented
a comfort zone for her.  She had a good feeling for which paths were more
heavily traveled.  Away from Cache Lake, she had no idea how much use the
various trails saw.  It was pretty obvious  -" to her ear anyway  -" that
many of David -(TM)s questions were focused around that aspect.  She
thought that he was probably looking for the least traveled trails, but she
wasn -(TM)t actually sure.  Indeed, he had been trying to get her to play
basketball topless.  The bikini top in his backpack had obviously been plan
B.

   If he had been willing for her to go topless in front of those four
guys, including whoever else might have shown up, then he might be looking
for a hike that provided people to run into.  She tried to imagine what
that might be like, to encounter other hikers while she was topless  -"
without a shirt anywhere to put on.

   Clearly hiding in the forest was a good option; however, they were often
above the tree line.  There would be the hand bra option, and yet she
-(TM)d still obviously be topless, even if she covered her breasts.

   Growing weary of the discussion, she abandoned Nick to David and Ryan
and went and joined her parents and grandparents at the fire.

   The birthday party itself was a success . . .  both Jill and David had
succeeded in becoming a year older!  Years before her parents had found a
bakery in Elk Bend that they liked.  Ever since, they had ordered their
cakes there.  Elk Bend was the last large town that one drove through
between home and Agency, Stanton being smaller, but closer and in the other
direction.

   Every year they ordered a rectangular sheet cake, blue icing on one
half, pink icing on the other.  In the middle, there would always be the
words,  -�Double Trouble. -� That and the icing colors had probably been
more fitting when they had been toddlers; however, their parents liked it
and by now that style of cake was one of those family traditions that had a
life of its own.

   The cake had thirty-eight candles, nineteen on each side.  There had
been talk of reducing that to just one set; however, that was yet to
happen. Jill and David would sit side-by-side and simultaneously blow out
the candles on their respective halves of the cake as everyone finished
singing the  -~Happy Birthday -(TM) song.

   The opening of presents went quickly.  It ended up being a gift card
birthday for Jill.  While that was not so exciting for a teen, Jill knew
that it was what made sense.  Starting college meant that she needed new
clothes and she would most likely need things for her dorm room.  The gift
cards would allow her to shop for what she needed once she was all moved in
at college in California.

   An hour or so after the party activities were concluded, they helped the
grandparents get back to their trailer.  A little bit later, their parents
said goodnight and disappeared into their tent.  That left the three teens
and Nick sitting around the fire talking.

   There was a new moon, a thin crescent, above the western shore.  Nick
asked Jill to take a moonlight beach walk with him.  Being fairly certain
of his romantic intentions, she feigned an extreme level of drowsiness,
said goodnight and after a quick conversation went to bed.

   She felt a little bad about having done that to him; he had always
treated her so nice.  She just decided that it was easier all the way
around.  The alternate, explaining to him that he was permanently in the
friend zone, seemed as if it would be as difficult for him to hear as it
would be for her to relate.

    -�Okay, -� Nick had said, disappointment evident in his voice.   -�But
before you go to bed, let -(TM)s at least arrange a next date.  Given that
there is no cell reception out here, I -(TM)m not really able to call you.
-�

   Jill knew that was true.  She didn -(TM)t very much like talking about a
date with David and Ryan listening, but that was really her fault.  She
hadn -(TM)t given Nick any better option.  Jill managed to limit her
agreement to saying that she would call or text him the next time she was
in Agency  -" then they would set something up.

   Jill lay in her bag for some time, eavesdropping on the three guys -(TM)
conversation.  She was still awake quite a bit later when Nick said
goodnight to David and Ryan and departed for the long drive home.

   The next day the five of them, Ryan, Jill, David, and their parents,
went for a hike up the Chokecherry Ridge trail.  For Jill it was very
anticlimactic; she -(TM)d been there so many times.  And David kept his
tank top on so that she could keep her shirt on and still be in compliance
with her agreement.

   At first, she didn -(TM)t want to admit the truth to herself, but
eventually, she did; she was missing being topless.  She actually came to
realize that she couldn -(TM)t wait for her parents to leave so that Ryan
and David would again be able to have her be  -~one of the guys. -(TM) That
was still so scary, and yet it had become  -~a scary -(TM) that she wanted.
Now that she was willing to admit that to herself, she wondered if she
-(TM)d ever go so far as to admit it to David and Ryan.

   The only thing that made the hike enjoyable for Jill was the chance it
gave her to show off her new knowledge of the area -(TM)s many wildflowers.
Both of her parents were quite impressed that she now knew not only the
names of all the wildflowers but also a great deal of information about
each variety as well.  Many were no longer in bloom down low, but as they
climbed above the tree line the number of blossoms increased markedly.

    -�Jill, I really like Nick, -� said her mother on the hike back to
camp.  -�He seems so mature for his age. -�

   Jill looked back and noticed that her father had fallen back such that
she and her mother did have a measure of privacy.   -�He -(TM)s too old for
me, Mom. -�

    -�I don -(TM)t know about that, dear.  Your father is three years older
than me, -� she replied.   -�You two seem good together. -�

    -�I -(TM)m not looking for a summer fling, and I am definitely not
looking for a long distance relationship.  I -(TM)m going off to college
completely unattached, -� said Jill, hoping that her tone of voice would
indicate that she wasn -(TM)t interested in her mother -(TM)s opinions on
potential boyfriends.

   Her mother didn -(TM)t clue in or chose not to.   -�I liked Tyler as
well.  You seemed to have fallen hard for him, but then suddenly I couldn
-(TM)t even bring up his name without you going ballistic. -�

    -�Exactly! -� said Jill.   -�If you want to get me really upset, keep
talking about Tyler. -�

   Sorry, -� said her mother, finally realizing that Jill was not going to
talk with her about boys.   -�I won -(TM)t talk about Tyler . . .  but I
really liked him, and you did too. -�

    -�Mom! -�

    -�Okay, okay.  It -(TM)s just that other mothers are able to talk about
such things with their daughters. -�

   To Jill -(TM)s relief, the conversation ended there.  Her love life left
a lot to be desired.  As far as she was concerned the only remedy was to go
off to college where she might do a little dating  -" if someone happened
to ask her out.  Even there, she expected that she -(TM)d be avoiding
anything serious.

   Once their parents had left and it was again just the three amigos
sitting around the evening campfire, Ryan proposed that Jill take off her
top.

    -�Umm . . .  sure, -� she replied hesitatingly.  She actually did want
her top off, but she was still struggling to come to terms with that fact.
-�As I recall, the way that this works, -� she continued,  -� --is that you
guys take off your shirts . . .  and then it goes from there, remember? -�

    -�That -(TM)s not what I had in mind, -� said Ryan.   -�There was the
one night that we caught you spying.  That night, around the fire, you were
topless . . .  we still had our shirts on. -�

    -�That was before our agreement, -� argued Jill.   -�I got caught
without my shirt.  That -(TM)s not how it works now. -�

   Jill liked what Ryan was proposing, that they have her take off her top
. . .  even though theirs would remain on.  That had been a fun night and
she was definitely missing all the emotions she would experience while
topless; however, she couldn -(TM)t give in too easily.  For appearance's
sake, she could only give in after some serious arm twisting.

   Fortunately, both Ryan and David seemed as much into the game as she
was. They twisted and she fought back, squirming this way and that. 
However, winning was not on her agenda, so before too long her  -~gorgeous
little titties -(TM) were enjoying the night air, basking in the radiant
glow of the campfire.

   She liked the tingly feeling of having her pointy nipples on display so
much that she actually felt like thanking them.  Instead, she just blushed.
It had been a while and it was still a shock to her system to be topless in
front of boys, even if those boys were just Ryan and David.

    -�Your nipples are so hard, Jill, -� remarked Ryan.   -�I -(TM)m not
sure that I -(TM)ve ever seen them that they weren -(TM)t all pointy like
that.

    -�Pocket, make him stop! -� said Jill, blushing and pressing her perky
nipples into her soft breasts with just her index fingers. -�

    -�That won -(TM)t help, Jill, -� said Ryan.   -�As soon as you let go,
they -(TM)ll pop right back out . . .  probably farther than before. -� She
knew he was right, the warmth surging in her cheeks.

    -�The man has a point, -� remarked David.   -�Rubber bullets . . . 
that -(TM)s what they always look like. -�

    -�Right! -� agreed Ryan.   -�Those could be dangerous.  You could put
someone -(TM)s eye out. -�

    -�Maybe, -� she said.   -�But you guys are safe.  Not getting that
close to either of you. -�

    -�Thank God! -� said David.   -�I -(TM)m much too young to be blind. 
Keep those lethal things away from me. -�

   Jill actually liked hearing things like that.  It was good that she and
David both felt the need not to cross the line.  Being topless around her
twin brother had the potential for being awkward in the extreme.  Somehow
they had mostly managed to navigate those strange waters without things
getting too uncomfortable.

   Jill roasted marshmallows and turned them into s -(TM)mores, making
absolutely no attempt at covering up.  It made her feel sexy to glance over
now and then and catch Ryan looking.  A time or two he looked away as if he
had been caught, but mostly he was comfortable enough to just stare.

   It was a fun campfire.  Jill enjoyed their company.  The three of them
always found so much to talk about.  She knew that it would mostly just
sound like meaningless teen banter to someone older, and it probably was,
but she enjoyed the things they talked about.  At times they would get
intellectual and discuss the world -(TM)s problems, but mostly they just
talked about people they all knew, kidded around, or told jokes.

   The next morning as they returned to camp after breakfast with the
grandparents, the boys removed their shirts and Jill duly followed suit. 
She hadn -(TM)t been wearing bras of late, so she was instantly topless.

    -~The new normal, -(TM) she thought, privately making fun of herself.
She was truly amazed at what she had become: a cross between a
preadolescent tomboy and a young woman who shamelessly displayed her tits
on command.

    -�So where to today? -� she asked cheerfully, her hands on her hips and
her perky breasts looking forward to a day in the mountain sunshine.



   Chapter 42: Morning Hike

    -�Cornice Ridge, -� announced David without hesitation.   -�The three
of us have yet to go up there . . .  together . . .  and we -(TM)re now in
August. -�

   Jill tried to keep her expression from betraying her concern.  While she
was fully aware that she -(TM)d probably take that hike topless one day,
she was quite anxious about doing so.  Like all the Cache Lake area trails,
it saw relatively little foot traffic; however, it was the most heavily
traveled trail in the area.  It was a long trail, starting at the lake,
going up over the ridge and terminating at a trailhead near Agency.  People
climbed up to the ridge for the view from both directions.  Also, it served
as the feeder trail for Snow Lake and, via the Elk Meadows trail, the peaks
beyond.

    -�I have a suggestion, -� said Jill, hoping to sway their plans over to
a hike with a much lower chance of an unexpected encounter.   -�How about
Sharp Tooth?  We won -(TM)t be able to go all the way up, given what Nick
said, but it would be interesting to see how it looks . . .  now that a
landslide has taken out a section of the trail. -�

    -�I -(TM)d like to see that, -� admitted David.   -�But I -(TM)m still
wanting to go to Cornice Ridge today. -�

    -�We can vote, -� proposed Ryan.

   Jill knew that  -~one man, one vote -(TM) was as fair as it got;
however, she knew that if she bought into that the boys would be able to
team up and make her do about anything.

    -�Okay, -� she agreed reluctantly, fully expecting the vote to go
against her.

    -�Two to one.  We -(TM)re going to Cornice Ridge, -� announced David
with a smile after the vote had gone along gender lines.

    -�I still would rather go up the Sharp Tooth trail today, -� said Jill.

    -�I might be willing to change my vote, -� said Ryan.

   Jill looked at him suspiciously.  She knew him well enough to know that
there would be strings attached.

    -�Do you want to hear my terms? -� he asked with a grin.

    -�Probably not, -� she said.

    -�Hike today in just your bikini bottoms and I -(TM)ll change my vote,
-� said Ryan.

    -�Jill looked at him without blinking, her jaw falling open in
indignance as she let out a small huff.  A second later she looked away
bashfully.

    -�Just my bikini bottoms? -� she asked quietly.

    -�Sure, they -(TM)re every bit as decent as those shorts, -� said Ryan,
pointing at what she had on.

   Jill turned and looked at her swimsuit bottoms hanging on the line.  She
surprised herself by giving Ryan -(TM)s proposal a little consideration. 
They did cover her privates.  They were narrow and low cut in front; hence,
the need to shave.  But they weren -(TM)t of the thong style.  They covered
her butt, or part of it anyway, the lower edge cutting across her buns at
an angle about half way up.

   She actually found herself thinking that it would be exciting to hike in
nothing more than her boots and her little low-rise bikini bottoms.

    -�No way, Ryan! -� she said.   -�Maybe if they had a belt.  The last
time I wore those around you, you threatened to strip them off me. -�

    -�I wasn -(TM)t serious, -� he claimed.

    -� --sure sounded serious, -� she replied, looking at him askance, her
arms folded beneath her breasts.

   David laughed and they both looked over at him.   -�Always shooting
yourself in the foot, -� he said, looking at Ryan.

    -�What if I renew my promise? -� said Ryan.

    -�Don -(TM)t ask me, -� replied David, meeting his gaze.   -�It -(TM)s
Jill you have to convince. -�

    -�What do you say, Jill? -� asked Ryan, looking into her eyes.

   Jill looked away, trying to decide what to do.  She had already been
around them in just the bikini bottoms, much as he was proposing.  That was
how she had been dressed when she had performed the balance beam routine on
the log . . .  but they had been going swimming . . .  that was different.

   She imagined how bare she -(TM)d feel in just those skimpy bottoms,
miles from the rest of her clothes.  She had just shaved, so there would be
just the one thin layer between her lady bits and the outside world.  It
sounded fun . . .  scary fun, but also safer than hiking the Cornice Ridge
trail . . .  if Ryan promised AND kept his promise.  She wondered if he
could be trusted to keep his promise.  She thought of her photos, her
insurance policy.

    -�Okay, promise . . .  but you have to keep your promise! -� she said
insistently.

   With a contented smile of victory on his lips, Ryan promised most
sincerely,  -�I promise to not strip you of your bikini bottoms today. -�

    -�No . . .  not today, -� objected Jill in disgust.   -� --for all
time. -�

    -�Okay, sorry, -� said Ryan.

    -�Sure you are, -� said Jill with a scowl.

    -�For all time, -� said Ryan.

    -�I can -(TM)t believe that I have to have you promise not to strip me,
-� she grumbled as she walked over to the line and grabbed the bottoms. 
She then made her way to her tent.  With one last scowl at Ryan, she
disappeared inside to change.  She didn -(TM)t see David and Ryan exchange
a high five.

   A few minutes later they were out on the road walking toward the bridge,
having taken the alternate trail to bypass the trailer.

    -�Looking good, Jill! -� said Ryan who was walking just behind her. 
Jill reached back and tried to pull the lower edges of her suit bottoms
down a bit to better cover her cheeks.  She didn -(TM)t dare shift them
down much lest her crack come into view above.

    -�Good luck with that! -� said Ryan with a gleeful laugh.

   Feeling the embarrassment ripple through her, Jill took off at a run,
trying to put some distance between herself and the boys.  At least that is
what she told herself she was doing.  In reality, she was simply minimizing
her time on the road, just as she had done before.  It was unlikely, but a
car could come at any moment; the less time spent on the road, the better.
As she ran, she felt her small breasts bobbing around on her chest; it
actually felt nice to have them going exactly where they wanted without
anything strapping them in place.

   She raced right on past where her panties were tied to the signpost, not
stopping until she had crossed the bridge and turned onto the trail.

   Before turning around to look back at the boys, she glanced down to
verify that her suit bottoms hadn -(TM)t shifted.  They were small enough
that there was little margin for error.  To her horror, she saw that the
fabric in front had fallen into the cleft in her skin there.  Realizing
that the absence of hair down there made that worse, she did her best to
stretch her suit to get the thin fabric to cross her slit without visible
camel toe.

    -�Whatcha doing? -� asked Ryan as he came up behind her.

    -�Feeling embarrassed, -� she said in all honesty.

   Realizing that her face had to be red, she didn -(TM)t turn around. 
Instead, she immediately plowed ahead down the trail.

    -�You sure look beautiful from here, -� said David following her.  
-�Like Ryan says, you have the sleek shape of a supermodel. -�

   Jill wasn -(TM)t in the mood for comments on her body.  She was feeling
way too naked.

    -�What did I tell you? -� said Ryan.   -�Ass to die for! -�

   Jill could feel their eyes burning into her thinly veiled butt.   -~How
did I get here? -(TM) she wondered as she followed the path that wound
through the trees.  With the sunlight stabbing bright shafts down to the
forest floor, she realized for the first time that agreeing to go hiking in
just her little bottoms represented a significant escalation; she was now
just one tiny step away from being stark naked.

   Glancing back at them, shirtless in their shorts, she realized that she
was no longer one of the guys.  Rather than fitting in, today she stood
out. There would be no mistaking her for one of the guys.  Her breasts were
small, but they had a cute half round, half pointy shape to them . . . 
decidedly feminine.  Additionally, her perky little nipples bounced and
wobbled just a bit as she marched along.

   What is more, everything about her shape in her bikini bottoms screamed
female . . .  young shapely female . . .  not that her low-rise shorts had
left any doubt.  However now an observer would even be able to study the
shape of her crotch in great detail  -" something that wouldn -(TM)t have
been possible in the shorts.

   Thinking about how revealing her suit bottoms were, caused her to think
back to the day she bought them.  She had chosen that particular suit
because she had found the top, with its underwire design, to be flattering.
She had only been paying attention to the top.  And where was it now?  Only
the bottoms mattered now.

   She knew there would be no way to keep the fabric in front from
conforming to her shape down there.  Something even worse occurred to her.
If she got aroused, a moist line was likely to become visible on the front
of her suit.  My God, would that ever be embarrassing!  Just the thought
made her quiver.

   But things were locked and loaded for the day.  The bikini bottoms were
all she had.  The rest of her clothing was more than a mile away . . .  and
getting farther away by the minute.  It was exciting to think of that, but
she forced herself to try and think of other things.  Thinking about how
little she was wearing and how far all the rest of her clothes were was
bound to lead to arousal.

   It was bad enough to be nearly naked.  It would be much worse to be
nearly naked and have the guys notice that she was turned on to the point
of being moist down below.

   She forced herself to look for wildflowers.  There weren -(TM)t that
many in the heavy shade of the forest, but she did find two varieties that
she knew all about.  She paused and studied them, even telling the boys
their names as well as a few other details such as their native habitat,
distribution, propagation and duration.

   To her surprise the boys were very respectful, listening and appearing
interested.  She did her best to squat down modestly, her knees clamped
together and off to one side.

   She could see that Ryan -(TM)s attention (his eyes) would wander back
and forth between the flowers she was describing and her nipples.  She
couldn -(TM)t really blame him.  She had come to realize that her nipples
were indeed lovely; small, pointy and pink . . .  blossoms in their own
right.

   She remembered hating how her nipples would often make themselves known
through her clothing.  Now she realized that it was something that a
small-chested girl could use to her advantage.  Rock the nipples!  That
might be a way for an A-cup girl to get noticed in a sea of more abundantly
endowed women.  And why not?  Nipples were a natural part of the body, a
fact of life.  Was there really any good reason to be ashamed of them?

   After studying the flowers, Jill went back to trying to enjoy the hike.
Even though she was doing her best to forget how little she had on, she
realized that she was having a lot more fun than she had had the day before
when she had been fully clothed.  It was exhilarating; it felt  -~edgy
-(TM) to be nearly naked . . .  and doing her best to ignore that fact. 
One thing she couldn -(TM)t forget about, however, was the need to be
constantly on the lookout for other hikers.  They were surrounded by
forest. Her plan, should she see someone, was to disappear into the forest
on either side of the trail . . .  and then simply wait until the danger
had passed.

   As Nick had reported, the trail across the scree slope had been erased
by a slide.  Crossing the loose stones looked much too treacherous to
attempt.  Anyone doing so was bound to not only cause the next landslide
but to become part it.  They could see the continuation of the tail a short
distance away, but there was no safe way to get to it.

   As that was the end of the line, they turned around and ended up back in
camp quite a bit earlier than they would otherwise have gotten there.  That
was fine with Jill.  She had a lot of reading to do, and she had been
enjoying Uncle Tom -(TM)s Cabin.  It was an enthralling story, and Harriet
Beecher Stowe was masterful at showing the complexity of the issue of
slavery.  The nuances illustrated by the great variety of characters was
eye-opening, to say the least.

   Being self-conscious of the camel toe that she had been sporting on the
hike, she slipped on a pair of shorts and moved her chair into the shade.
She wondered if there might be any comments about her putting on the
shorts, but there weren -(TM)t.  She had done the entire hike in just her
bikini bottoms, fulfilling Ryan -(TM)s terms.

   The boys were still shirtless, so she stuck with the terms of that
agreement as well.  Indeed, her breasts enjoyed the fresh air.  It really
was a shame, she now believed, that women and girls everywhere kept their
chests completely hidden  -" all the time.  That had been something that
she had always thought of as very unfair.  Now she had real-life experience
on which to base her opinion.

   David wandered off, saying something about how he had been meaning to
help their grandfather with something Airstream trailer related.  That left
just Ryan and Jill in camp.  A little later, Ryan too wandered off.  He did
not say anything to Jill about where he was going, but she knew.

   She was prepared with her decision about what she was going to do if he
again headed into the forest.  She had vacillated, but in the end she had
decided that the event was too entertaining to miss.  She got up and again
took off up the beach.



   Chapter 43: D�(C)jà Vu

   A short time later she was experiencing an extreme case of d�(C)jà vu;
she was in her spot and he was in his.  She had her phone out and had again
taken a picture.  It was pretty much identical to those she had taken just
two days before.  She decided that she wanted something even better.

   It took a little courage, but she stood up and took a picture from that
improved angle.  Ryan didn -(TM)t notice a thing, so she took a second and
then a third.   -~Why I am trembling? -(TM) she wondered.   -~I -(TM)m not
the one beating off!  Ryan is the naughty one here! -(TM)

   She couldn -(TM)t believe that she was looking right at Ryan -(TM)s
dick, and that she was photographing it while standing up, her bare chest
in full view . . .  not that he was looking.  She zoomed in for a close-up.
His penis looked biggest right in the middle, appearing slightly smaller in
diameter where it emerged from his abdomen as well as just under the head.
It was also not quite straight, arcing gently upward.

   Feeling quite bold and realizing that Ryan was in his own little world,
she went around the bush she had been crouching behind.  She climbed up the
slope and took a few steps towards him, stopping twenty-five or so feet
away.  Feeling remarkably brave, she decided to get a picture of Ryan with
his eyes open.  He would then know that she had photos, but that might
prove to be a good thing.

   With her camera in burst mode, she said softly,  -�Smile, Ryan. -� She
must have said it more quietly than intended; he hadn -(TM)t heard her.  
-�Oh, Ryan, -� she said a little louder.

   He jerked.  His eyes shot open.  They darted around the forest, locating
her instantly.  His body was rock solid, every bit as stiff as the dick in
his hand.  An embarrassed look of shock had frozen on his face.

   Jill got the images she had been hoping for.  Ryan had been looking
right at the camera, his dick in hand.  His expression said it all: caught
red-handed beating off!  She was quite pleased with herself  -" it had
worked just as she had hoped!

   Looking at the anguish on his face, she imagined that she knew what was
going on in his mind.  Not only had he been caught doing the deed, but by a
girl nonetheless, and if that was not bad enough, she was photographing
him. How terrible that must be for him!  Under different circumstances, she
might have felt bad about putting a guy through that  -" but not Ryan  -"
not after all he had done.  She actually felt good about it.

   An instant later he was doing his best to conceal his erection in both
of his hands while turning.  Jill laughed and took another photo.   -�Oh,
don -(TM)t stop, -� she said with a coy smile.   -�We were just getting to
the good part! -�

    -�What the hell? -� he muttered, a look of extreme mortification on his
face.

    -�Oh, be a sport! -� she said.   -�I want to see it . . .  you know . .
.  squirt. -� She -(TM)d already watched that once, but he didn -(TM)t know
that.

   Ryan started trying to pull up his shorts with one hand while he fought
to keep his stiff member completely hidden with the other.

    -�Don -(TM)t pull up the shorts, -� she encouraged.   -�That would ruin
all the fun . . .  for both of us.  I think it was about to go off . . .  I
want to watch the fireworks! -�

    -�You do? -� asked Ryan, pausing in confusion.

    -�Please continue.  It was a great show . . .  just getting to the good
part.  Make it do its thing!  For me, -� she pleaded.

   Ryan noticed that she was staring at his crotch, a look of excited
fascination in her eyes.

    -�What -(TM)s in it for me? -� he asked, his eyes traveling down to her
bare chest.

    -�I -(TM)m thinking that cumming is reward enough, -� she said with a
girlish giggle.

   I don -(TM)t know, -� said Ryan, glancing at the ground to his side. 
Jill noticed that he had let go of the shorts and was now again covering
his erection with both hands.  She took another photo.

    -�Just rub it a little, -� she encouraged, realizing that both of his
hands were on his dick.   -�It wants that . . .  you know.  Give it what it
wants. -�

    -�What are you going to do with the pictures? -� he asked, distress
evident in his voice.

    -�A little late to be worried about that, -� she giggled, thinking
about all the leverage she had.  What could he do?  Attack her, take her
phone  -" keep it or smash it?  She was pretty sure he wouldn -(TM)t do
those sorts of things.  But in order to worry him less, she put it back in
her hip pocket saying,  -�There, no more pictures. -�

    -�I erased the photos of you, -� he reminded her.

    -�So. -�

    -�That would be the decent thing to do. -�

    -�How do I know that you erased ALL the photos? -�

    -�I did.  You know that. -�

   Jill thought that he looked quite comical, standing there with his
shorts at half-mast, his dick encased in his hands  -" and yet it was the
photos that seemed to have him most worried.  She thought it was hilarious
to be discussing such matters with Ryan, especially under those conditions.
He was in such a state of duress  -" self-inflicted duress.

    -�I think these photos will be my insurance policy, -� she announced. 
-�You -(TM)re a hard guy to trust.  You might have photos; you might manage
to take more when I -(TM)m not looking.  I -(TM)ll be able to sleep better
knowing that you are unlikely to do something inappropriate with images of
me if you know that there would be serious consequences. -�

    -�I wouldn -(TM)t do anything to hurt you, Jill, -� he pleaded.

    -�Now I -(TM)m pretty sure you won -(TM)t.  Enough talk about the
pictures.  Somebody -(TM)s dick is feeling very neglected.  You need to do
something about that.  We wouldn -(TM)t want it to go completely soft on
us, now would we? -�

    -�I don -(TM)t think I can, -� he said meekly.

    -�Sure you can.  Just pretend I -(TM)m not here. -�

    -�As if -- -�

    -�Better yet, -� she said, placing her hands just above her belt and
sliding them slowly up her torso until they were just below her breasts.  
-�Start rubbing . . .  unless you want me to leave. -� Seeing indecision on
his face she continued,  -�If I leave, the gorgeous little titties come
with me.  You don -(TM)t want me to leave, do you? -�

    -�No, -� he admitted sheepishly.

   Jill laughed.  She just couldn -(TM)t help herself.   -�Then rub, -� she
insisted.

    -�Come and help, -� he suggested.

    -�I -(TM)m staying right here, and you better stay where you are! -�
she said, suddenly feeling slightly vulnerable.  Her concern was tempered
because she knew that she -(TM)d be able to outrun him, especially given
that his shorts were at his knees.

    -�I won -(TM)t touch you, don -(TM)t worry. -�

    -�You -(TM)re right; you won -(TM)t! -� she said sternly.   -�But now
it -(TM)s time to finish what you started.  Show me how you enjoy it the
most!  Play with it! -�

    -�At least help me out a little.  A titty show . . .  you know . . . 
for stimulation. -�

    -�Earn it! -� she said adamantly.

   She had actually been thinking about doing just that, which surprised
her.  She never would have imagined doing such a thing, but the moment was
just so erotically charged.  She was feeling more aroused than ever before.
Her sensitive titties were longing to be played with, but she was not going
to allow Ryan to get any closer.

   She moved her hands up and down just a little, alternately lifting her
small breasts from below to encourage him.  Next, she sped up the motion to
make it look as if she were juggling.

   As she watched, he moved one of his hands back up to the tree branch; he
seemed to have a need to steady himself.  The other hand shifted such that
his penis was no longer hidden.  She watched, again mesmerized, as Ryan
started a slow back and forth stroking movement.  She noticed that his
fingers did not look to be sliding on his skin.  Instead, it looked as if
his skin was sliding back and forth along the shaft of his penis.

   Glancing up, she saw a new expression on his face.  Their eyes met and
Ryan smiled.  Jill shifted her hands up.  She grasped her nipples, pulling
them up and out.  She allowed her eyes to travel back down over his
slightly flabby midsection to where his hand was busy.   -~Got to keep this
from getting out of hand, -(TM) she thought as she bit her lower lip while
continuing to tease Ryan by pinching and pulling on her nipples.

   Just then, she remembered the tube of sunscreen in her pocket.  Fishing
it out, she squirted a large glob into a hand.  She then rubbed her hands
together.  Once the lotion was on both hands, she started massaging it into
her chest, doing her best to make it as entertaining as possible.

    -�Gotta keep these puppies from burning, -� she said aloud.

   She could tell it was working; Ryan seemed to be in a trance, staring
mesmerized at her chest.  She saw his mouth drop open as his breathing
deepened.

    -�God, you -(TM)re f**king beautiful, -� he panted.

    -�These itty bitty titties? -� she asked coyly.

    -�All of you . . .  especially your . . .  itty bitties! -� he replied
between breaths.

   Jill was trying her best not to, but she was inevitably getting even
more aroused.  She was glad that she was no longer wearing just her bikini
bottoms.  On the one hand, she knew she would feel more vulnerable without
the shorts and her belt.  She didn -(TM)t think Ryan would come at her, but
it felt reassuring to have something substantial covering her crotch.  And
on the other hand, she knew that her arousal would be showing through the
thin material of her bikini bottoms, were that all she had on.

   Just as before, Ryan -(TM)s stroking rate increased but then suddenly
ceased altogether.  His body stiffened and the first glob arced through the
air toward her.  Even though she had seen it before, she stood stock still,
her mouth hanging open in amazement.  Again she heard Ryan grunt.  She
wanted to pull out her phone and take another photo, but she had said she
wouldn -(TM)t.

    -�Well, now I -(TM)m feeling really embarrassed, -� he said once his
orgasm had run its course.  Ryan slumped, and their eyes met.

    -�I -(TM)m not surprised.  You should be embarrassed . . .  very
embarrassed. -� She felt like teasing him to make him feel bad; however,
she didn -(TM)t want to be teased in return.  Indeed, she was well aware
that she had been engaging in very similar behavior.  Continuing she asked,
 -�Was it better with me here?  Better with an audience? -�

   Ryan let out a sigh, looking off into the distance.

    -�Cat got your tongue? -�

    -�Yes, -� he said, returning his gaze to her eyes.   -�Embarrassingly,
yes . . .  better. -�

    -�Because I was watching you or because I was here to look at? -�

    -�Both, -� he said sheepishly.   -�All of the above.  How many
questions are there going to be? -�

   Jill didn -(TM)t reply.

    -�Can I have a kiss? -� he asked.   -�I mean . . .  it seems fitting .
. .  now that we -(TM)re intimate and all. -�

   To Jill he looked so pathetic, standing there, gradually deflating dick
in hand, begging for a kiss.  It was as if he wanted to imagine that it had
been something they had done together, something romantic.

    -�No, -� she said, but then she walked teasingly toward him.

   He turned toward her in hopes of them coming together, in hopes of
receiving a kiss, but Jill was quicker.  She dodged him, ducking out of the
way, and kept right on going.

    -�Wait! -� he called out as he fought to get his shorts up and buckled.

   She took a few more steps but then stopped and turned.

    -�Wait? -� she asked.   -�Oh, should we go back together?  That wouldn
-(TM)t look suspicious. -�

    -�Umm -- -� said Ryan, thinking that through.

    -�That -(TM)s what I thought, -� she replied.   -�Maybe you should wait
at least five minutes.  I -(TM)ll loop around and enter camp from a
different direction. -�

    -�Good idea, -� said Ryan, hanging his head, the embarrassment again
very obvious in his wavering voice.

   Without another word, Jill turned and headed off through the forest. 
Eventually, she encountered the main trail connecting the Airstream to
their camp on the point.  She turned onto it, heading toward camp.

   David wasn -(TM)t there when she arrived, so she sat down, intending to
read.  But before opening her book, she pulled out her phone to study her
new images.  The  -~burst -(TM) mode had produced a series that featured
the evolving emotions playing out on Ryan -(TM)s face as he had come to
realize that he had been caught and was being photographed while pumping
his dick.  Jill couldn -(TM)t help but laugh as she looked through the
images.  Being slightly concerned that Ryan might try to take her phone,
she got up and hid it.  Sitting back down, she opened her book and found
her place.

    -�So, what -(TM)s up, Jerk-boy? -� she asked teasingly when Ryan came
out of the forest a few minutes later.  Initially, she had been thinking of
going easy on him, to keep him from retaliating and teasing her.  In the
end, she had decided that he was unlikely to do that.  On top of that, the
situation was just too funny to ignore.  After all, given that she now had
the goods on him, he was unlikely to get very far out of line.

   She saw Ryan check in his tent to make certain they were alone.

    -�What -(TM)s it like to be caught with your pants down, Jerk-boy? -�

    -�Umm -- -� was all he managed to get out.

   Jill smiled seeing the painful embarrassment in his eyes.  She wasn
-(TM)t a cruel person; it just was fun that the tables were turned for
once.

    -�What -(TM)s it like? -� she asked again.

    -�Bad, -� he finally managed, avoiding her gaze.

    -�Bad?  In what way? -� she asked, hoping for an answer composed of
full sentences.

    -�What do you want from me, Jill? -�

    -�A little honesty . . .  and then we -(TM)ll go from there, -� she
replied.



   Chapter 44: Turning the Tables

    -�All guys do it, -� he argued.

    -�But most never get caught, -� she said with a devious chuckle.

    -� --or photographed, -� he added.

    -�You are so . . .  mine! -� she gloated.

    -�What do you want? -� he asked again.   -�Do you want to be released
from the  -~one of the guys -(TM) topless program?  Is that it? -�

   Jill was a little taken aback by that suggestion.  That was certainly
not her aim.

    -�Do I look like I want out of that agreement? -� she asked, using her
hands to draw attention to her bare breasts.   -�I think I -(TM)ve adjusted
pretty well. -�

    -�I guess you have, -� he agreed.   -�And now I guess we -(TM)re even.
-�

    -�More than even, -� she replied.   -�I -(TM)ve seen it all . . .  more
than you -(TM)ve seen.  I -(TM)ve seen your weenie!  I -(TM)ve got proof .
. .  pictures! -�

    -�Can we talk about those? -�

    -�Nothing to talk about.  I -(TM)m keeping them . . .  end of story. -�

    -�Not fair! -� he protested.

    -�Too bad for you. -�

    -�Where -(TM)s your phone? -� he asked, looking all around.

    -�Don -(TM)t even be thinking about my phone, -� she snapped.  
-�Besides, the photos are safe.  I already emailed a group to myself.  Even
if my phone disappeared, I -(TM)d still have images of you jerking off. -�

    -�That -(TM)s impossible, -� he said.   -�There -(TM)s no reception out
here. -�

    -�Impossible?  Afraid not Jerk-boy, -� she said.   -�I took care of
that a few days ago. -� Seeing a look of surprise mixed with disbelief on
his face, she added,  -�This is not the first time I -(TM)ve watched you
being naughty with your weenie.  I -(TM)ve photographed you playing with it
. . .  on three occasions now . . .  each time at that same tree.  It must
be your favorite tree!  What is it about that tree? -�

   She saw the pain on his face intensify.  Laughing, she continued,  -�You
-(TM)re a very predictable guy when it comes to masturbation.  I could set
my watch based on when you head off for your  -~alone time. -(TM) What
-(TM)s it like to find out that your  -~alone time -(TM) wasn -(TM)t so
alone? -�

   Ryan collapsed down into a chair, a look of defeat on his face.  A
second later, he covered his face by resting his head in his hands.  For
thirty seconds or so, he sat there saying nothing, but then he looked up at
her and asked,  -�Well, did you like what you saw? -�

    -�Excuse me? -� she asked in a puzzled voice.

    -�That must be it! -� he announced.   -�You want to keep the photos
because you like looking at my cock! -�

    -�You -(TM)re kidding, right? -� she asked.

    -�Time after time you followed me, you say.  Each time you hid and
watched.  You wanted to see my cock!  You just can -(TM)t get enough of it,
can you? -�

    -�Puh-lease! -� she said sarcastically.   -�And by the way, it -(TM)s a
weenie! -�

   To her delight, she saw him wince.

    -�You don -(TM)t need the photos.  You can have the real thing any time
you like, -� he said, standing up and reaching for his zipper.

    -�Don -(TM)t you dare! -� she said.   -�Now sit back down!  I -(TM)ve
got you by the short and curlies.  If you don -(TM)t want everyone you know
to have pictures of you playing with your weenie, you -(TM)ll do as I say.
-�

   Ryan pondered that for a moment.  Quietly he sat back down.

    -�First, keep it in your pants, -� she said.   -�Second, are we going
to tell David? -�

   Jill smiled to herself, seeing the shocked look on Ryan -(TM)s face.  It
felt good to finally have the deck stacked in her favor.

    -�David doesn -(TM)t need to know, -� he replied.

    -�Doesn -(TM)t need to know what? -� asked David, walking into earshot
at just that moment.

   Seeing the look of embarrassed pain intensify on Ryan -(TM)s face, Jill
started chuckling.  She did her best to stifle her laughter, attempting a
serious expression.

    -�What did I miss? -� asked David.

   Jill resumed laughing.  From the pitiful look on Ryan -(TM)s face, she
knew that she did indeed have him right where she wanted him.

    -�Well, I can -(TM)t tell you right now, -� she replied.   -�Maybe
later. -�

   David did spend some time trying to pry from them what they had been
talking about, eventually giving up once it was more than obvious that he
was getting nowhere.  Neither Jill nor Ryan wanted him to find out anything
about their encounter in the forest.

   Just before dinner, the boys put their shirts on.  Jill followed suit.
That meant that later, after it had gotten dark and they had a roaring fire
going, Jill was sitting there in her top, wondering if she would again be
topless for the evening campfire.  Secretly she was hoping that Ryan would
do as he had done the night before, propose that she take off her top and
then pressure her into doing so.  That was the face-saving route to what
she now knew she enjoyed.

   As it happened, it didn -(TM)t go that way at all.  Ryan had apparently
lost his nerve.  Jill found herself wishing that she hadn -(TM)t been quite
so hard on him.  She was glad to have him under her thumb; however, mostly
just as a failsafe method of keeping photos of herself from being taken and
posted.  She still wanted Ryan to be Ryan.  Looking back on all that had
happened, she had to admit that she had been having fun.

   After more than an hour of waiting patiently for either Ryan or David to
bring it up, she finally said,  -�So, you guys aren -(TM)t going to push
me? -�

    -�Push you? -� asked David.

    -�You know . . .  like . . .  to get me to be topless at the campfire .
. .  like last night, -� she said blushing.

    -�Oh, so you like being pushed? -� asked David.

    -�I didn -(TM)t say that, -� said Jill coyly.   -�It was just a
question. -�

    -�Just a question? -� David laughed heartily.

   Ryan started laughing as well, but his laugh sounded reserved compared
to his typically boisterous laugh.

   Jill had hoped to return to the dynamics of the prior evening when they
had talked her out of her shirt.  In that manner, she had avoided having to
take it off of her own accord.  She liked that because it allowed her to
hide behind the pretense of not really wanting to be topless.

    -�Stand up, Jilly! -� said David commandingly.   -�And face us. -� Once
she had complied, David continued,  -�Off with the top! -�

   Jill blushed.   -~What had she gotten herself into? -(TM) But after the
briefest hesitation, she removed her shirt.   -~Why couldn -(TM)t he have
done something like that without the hint? -(TM) she wondered.  As twins,
they often knew exactly what the other was thinking, but sometimes David
was so clueless.

   As she sat back down, the irony of what had just happened struck her. 
Had he done that early in the summer, she would have been so shocked and
angry  -" and she never would have taken a thing off.  Now his words were
music to her ears.

   And from that moment on, it was an awesome campfire.  Jill was the only
one without a shirt, but she was herself again, happy and full of youthful
energy.  She paraded around shamelessly, always making sure that it wouldn
-(TM)t seem blatant, yet doing nothing at all to cover the  -~gorgeous
little titties. -(TM) Part of what made it fun for her was how much it went
against her grain.  It was almost like putting on a costume and playing
another character.

   It was exhilarating to play the part of the topless girl.  It made her
heart beat faster and she couldn -(TM)t keep from blushing, that reaction
was automatic.  She hoped that it didn -(TM)t show in the firelight, but
she knew that it was there  -" she could feel it in her cheeks.  And her
little nipples still had stage fright.  Putting on her topless girl costume
turned them rock hard and caused them to extend out as far as they could
reach; it also made the butterflies flutter around in her stomach.

   The experience was energizing, even making the things that she did over
and over, such as roasting marshmallows, once again fresh and interesting.

   Her feeling of excitement even persisted after she was alone in her
tent. She kicked off the rest of her clothes and lay spread eagle on her
back.  She twirled her index finger on her clit waiting for Ryan -(TM)s
customary offer of oral services.  It didn -(TM)t come.

    -�Dude, what -(TM)s wrong? -� she heard David ask eventually.   -�Aren
-(TM)t you going to offer Jill free tongue rides? -�

    -�Umm . . .  she wouldn -(TM)t take me up on the offer, -� said Ryan,
sounding down in the dumps.

    -�That -(TM)s never stopped you before, -� chuckled David.

    -�How do you know if you don -(TM)t ask? -� said Jill with a giggle.

    -�Because I know, -� Ryan answered from the other tent.

    -�Well, tonight might have been your lucky night, -� she replied.  
-�Now you -(TM)ll never know. -�

    -�It wouldn -(TM)t have been, -� said Ryan in a depressed sounding tone
of voice.

    -�What -(TM)s come over you? -� asked David.   -�You -(TM)re always one
for continuing the most futile of efforts. -�

   Jill listened intently, but there was no reply.  She continued spinning
circles around her clit, but always forcing herself to stop at the last
moment, just as it was starting to feel real good.  She was quite sure that
she could not manage to cum silently, and she was not about to allow them
to again overhear an orgasm.

   After more than an hour of what turned out to be the most frustrating
session of self-denial she had ever put herself through, she got up and
headed south along the shore, stark naked.  She had waited so long because
she had wanted to make sure that both Ryan and David were asleep.

   The moon, now a larger crescent, had been getting brighter each night.
Given the light, walking the beach felt more daring, adding to the thrill.
She found herself thinking of a long walk, putting some real distance
between her naked body and her clothes.

   Looking at the moon -(TM)s reflection shimmering on the water, her
thoughts shifted over to the idea of a nude swim.  She -(TM)d never gone
skinny dipping; however, the idea of a night time swim all alone seemed a
little scary.  Even with the moon out, the water looked completely black.
She thought that it would be fun to swim naked all the way to Sunken
Island, but then she realized that she probably wouldn -(TM)t be able to
find it.  At night, it would probably be impossible to locate the landmarks
that they triangulated off of.

   The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of a nude
swim, but she knew that daytime would be preferable.  She shuffled the idea
into the back of her head knowing that the opportunity was very unlikely to
come about under conditions that would work for her.

   By the time she got to the log, she was more than ready for release. 
She sat down, and with one hand took measure of her narrow little stripe of
hair.  She had been doing a good job of keeping everything so smooth,
leaving just the one line of hair.  With the same hand, she started
circling her clit slowly, breathing a sigh of relief that this time she
wouldn -(TM)t have to force herself to pull back as she approached the
edge.

   Her other hand drifted up to a nipple.  She was amazed at how sensitive
her nipples had become.  At one point she had been concerned that it might
be sunburn, but now she knew that it was just due to her nipples constantly
being the center of attention.

   She turned and lay back on the log, giving herself over to the
possibility of a few noisy and exceptionally satisfying orgasms . . . 
should the stars all line up.

   Getting herself off proved to be an easy task given all that had
happened that day.  First, she allowed her little pussy to relive how bare
it had felt hiking up the trail in just her stylish little bikini bottoms.
She couldn -(TM)t believe how far she had gotten from the rest of her
clothes wearing nothing more than that.  Fortunately, Ryan had kept his
word.  What if he hadn -(TM)t?  Thinking about that possibility was good
for her first orgasm.

   After that, she regrouped and started imagining all the stages of
watching Ryan beating off.  She pictured his slightly curved dick as well
as the contented look on his face as he stroked himself.  She had a hard
time believing that she had commanded him to finish the job  -" and yet she
had  -" and then he had.  Thinking of herself as being bossy like that,
instructing a boy to pleasure himself until he ejaculated, brought about
her second orgasm.

   Had she really done that?  It was so unlike the meek girl she had always
been  -" and she had been topless the whole time  -" shocking behavior for
the skinny, self-conscious Jill Wahlund!

   Next, she moved on to thinking about how she had been commanded to stand
and take off her top at the campfire.  Amazing that she had put up with
that; even more amazing that she had complied.  And what put it over the
top was that she had wanted it.  She had even encouraged David to do it. 
She wished that he or Ryan would not have been so clueless, but they had
required a little prodding.  She didn -(TM)t like that she had been forced
to hint, but they had left her with no better option.  Thinking about being
told to strip off her shirt like that was good for yet another orgasm.

   It was a sexually spent girl that made her way back to her tent a short
time later as the moon dipped toward the western horizon.  She crawled
inside and stretched out on top of her bag without a thought of putting any
clothes on.  It wouldn -(TM)t be long before she would regret allowing
herself to fall asleep nude.

   Hours later, the earth started shaking.  Just as before, it happened
during the black of night, well before sunrise.  To Jill, this second quake
felt even more powerful than the first.  Instantly a sense of panic seized
her.  Even before she could get the zipper open to escape the confines of
her tent, she heard a roar, louder than before, possibly closer.  Another
landslide!

   Knowing that another wave might be imminent, she screamed to alert the
boys.  But without waiting for them to join her in the cool darkness, she
charged into the forest in search of higher ground.  Progress was
difficult; the moon had set, making it completely dark within the trees.

   The earth continued to shake as Jill struggled to follow the trail,
ignoring the punishment that her feet were taking.  Tripping on roots and
getting branches in the face, she forged ahead, still yelling for the boys
to follow.  She fell more than once.

    -�Jill! -� she heard a familiar voice call out.  Her state of panic
eased slightly as she felt hands grasp her upper arms.   -�Jill, I -(TM)m
here! -�



   Chapter 45: A Harsh Awakening

    -�Oh, thank God! -� she said, hugging him.   -�Where -(TM)s Ryan.  Is
he with you? -�

    -�It -(TM)ll be alright, -� he said.   -�Calm down. -�

    -�But where is Ryan? -� she asked, concern straining her voice.

    -�Ryan -(TM)s fine.  Still asleep, I hope. -�

   Panic again surged in Jill.   -�Asleep?  We -(TM)ve got to do something.
He -(TM)ll drown! -�

    -�Drown?  It -(TM)s just a nightmare, Jill.  I -(TM)m here, -� he said.

   Jill forced herself to open her eyes.  She was still in her tent.  David
was leaning over her, holding her.

    -�Oh, thank God! -� she said, rising up a little and seizing him
tightly.   -�It seemed like we were going to die. -�

    -�You were screaming, thrashing, -� he said in a calming voice.   -�But
everything -(TM)s fine.  Just a dream . . .  a scary dream. -�

    -�Of course, I was screaming.  I was trying to save you! -�

    -�We -(TM)re fine, -� said David, holding her reassuringly while
rocking just ever so slightly.

   For the first time, Jill glanced around her tent.  A little light was
illuminating things, David -(TM)s flashlight lay there, all but forgotten
next to her pillow.

    -�Thank you, David, -� she said.   -�I don -(TM)t like earthquakes. 
That was the worst . . .  so glad it wasn -(TM)t real. -�

    -�Me too, -� said David.  But a moment later he continued,  -�Jilly, do
you always sleep in the buff? -�

   In shock, Jill realized that her brother was holding her and that she
was stark naked.

    -�Oh, my God! -� she said pulling free.

   She spun around, her butt in the air as she fought to get her sleeping
bag open.  Fortunately, it was only partially zipped.  After turning down
the top flap, she rolled back over, sitting down near the pillow.  She had
to pull her knees way up to do it, but one at a time she was able to thread
her legs down into the bag.

   In the back of her mind, she knew that she was putting on a show, but
she was desperate to get under the covers.  A second later she was able to
slide down into her bag, even pulling the flap up over her bare chest.

   She looked up at David sheepishly.  His amused smile made her flush.

    -�Well, I -(TM)m not going to be able to unsee that! -� he said with a
chuckle.

   Jill pulled the top of her sleeping bag up to hide her face.  The
realization struck her that her legs had gone every which way in her haste
to get into her bag.  It had been relatively quick, but far from ladylike.
The light from the one flashlight was not much, but their eyes were fully
adjusted.

    -�I guess I should be going, -� said David.

    -�I guess, -� she replied, her voice muffled by the bag covering her
face.

    -�Lucky I -(TM)m your brother, -� he mused.   -�You -(TM)re a pretty
tempting little morsel.  If Ryan was the light sleeper, I expect this might
go differently at this point.  You -(TM)d be fighting him off. -�

    -�Just go. -�

    -�Don -(TM)t worry, I -(TM)m going, -� he said, crawling feet first
back out of her tent and zipping it behind him.

    -�David? -�

    -�Yes? -�

    -�Thanks, -� she said sincerely, but then she buried her face in shame,
plunging it deep into her pillow.

   It took her a long time to get back to sleep.  Her heart would not stop
racing.  The dream had seemed so real.  Thank God, it was David who had
woken up and come to her assistance!  But she was horrified to realize that
she had been in such a hurry to get herself hidden that she had put on what
had to have been a most wanton display.  David would now know exactly how
she was groomed.  He had to have seen everything.  The only saving grace
was that it had been him and not Ryan.  Ryan must have slept through all
the noise she had made; otherwise, he would have been there as well.

   Jill -(TM)s restless night included a period of torturous wakefulness
before it was time to get up.  She lay there berating herself for having
flashed David.  She was mad at herself . . .  her own brother, nonetheless.
It was all the worse because she knew that if she had simply relaxed and
taken her time, she would have been able to get into her bag with some of
her modesty intact.

   Knowing that she was not getting back to sleep, she dressed with a dawn
beach walk in mind.  To her surprise, David was sitting at the fire circle
as she crawled out of her tent.

   She started to say something, but David put a finger to his lips and
pointed at his tent.  Jill nodded.  Yes, there was no reason to wake Ryan.
David started walking south along the beach, beckoning Jill to follow.

   Once they had gone far enough, Jill said quietly,  -�I -(TM)m feeling so
bad about last night. -�

    -�You are? -�

    -�I can -(TM)t imagine how bad that looked . . .  no . . .  actually, I
can.  Climbing into my sleeping bag, knees far from together. -�

    -�It -(TM)s hardly worth worrying about.  You -(TM)ve got girl parts. I
already knew that. -�

    -�I don -(TM)t usually sleep naked.  Really, I don -(TM)t. -�

    -�You were in the privacy of a zipped tent.  I probably shouldn -(TM)t
have come in.  You just sounded like you needed saving. -�

    -�But . . .  I -(TM)m glad you came in.  That was the scariest
nightmare!  I needed to be woken up.  And then I needed that hug.  You were
exactly what I needed right then.  I just wish I had been wearing something
. . .  anything. -�

    -�I -(TM)ve seen it all before, remember?  We used to take baths, -� he
said.

    -�I know, but that was a long time ago . . .  well before puberty. -�

    -�Exactly.  Back before you had tits or pubic hair . . .  not that you
-(TM)ve got much of either now. -� He laughed.

    -�Hey! -� said Jill, giving him an elbow to the ribs.   -�That -(TM)s
not nice. -�

    -�Sorry . . .  couldn -(TM)t resist. -�

    -�Shaving -(TM)s in vogue, -� she said defensively.

    -�I know it is, -� he said.   -�I was just making a joke. -�

   Jill took a deep breath.   -�I -(TM)m just so embarrassed . . .  still.
I mean, I -(TM)m glad you woke me up.  I just wish I hadn -(TM)t been naked
. . .  hadn -(TM)t been so careless.  Next time . . .  not that there
-(TM)ll be a next time . . .  I -(TM)ll keep my knees together. -�

   David laughed.   -�It -(TM)s not that big of a deal.  Don -(TM)t dwell
on it.  It happened.  It doesn -(TM)t change a thing. -�

    -�I -(TM)ll try, -� she said nodding.

    -�Great, -� replied David.   -�But I do have something that I want to
ask . . .  since it -(TM)s just you and me. -�

    -�Okay... -� said Jill meekly.

    -�I -(TM)ve been wondering if you are enjoying your summer?  I mean,
you were pretty unhappy at first, sleeping in your tent next to the
Airstream.  Now you seem like you -(TM)re doing better. -� He paused,
looking into her eyes.   -�I thought this would be fun for you . . .  fun
for all of us.  I think it -(TM)s working out that way, but I wanted to ask
your opinion . . .  get a reality check. -�

   Jill didn -(TM)t know how to reply.  She had so many thoughts in her
head.  Her summer had really turned around, but being  -~one of the guys
-(TM) was still so scary.  It was nerve-racking to walk around with nothing
on above the waist, but it also felt deliciously liberating.  And what was
more, she -(TM)d learned that there was never a dull moment when her tits
were out.

    -�I guess you don -(TM)t have to tell me, -� said David, after it
seemed as if Jill was not going to respond.

    -�I -(TM)m just thinking, that -(TM)s all, -� she said.

   She didn -(TM)t know what to say.  Admitting to David that she was
enjoying herself might come back to haunt her.  The whole summer had been
an  -~us -(TM) versus  -~them -(TM) thing.  And even though David was her
twin brother, he was still one of  -~them. -(TM)

   Not thinking that she should let her guard down, she decided to turn the
question back on him.

    -�First, tell me what you think.  What do you see? -� she asked.

    -�Fair enough, -� he replied with a sigh.   -�How should I say this? -�

    -�Take your time, -� she encouraged.

    -�Well, for a few years now, I -(TM)ve watched as you -(TM)ve struggled
with your insecurities.  I don -(TM)t remember you being so reserved when
we were younger. -�

    -�I don -(TM)t think I was. -�

    -�And you -(TM)re certainly not that way on the basketball court.  It
-(TM)s almost as if you transform into a different person during a game. 
You -(TM)re confident, you take charge, you kick ass! -� he said, full of
admiration.

    -�I love basketball! -�

    -�But off the court you -(TM)re often a bashful wallflower, hiding in
the shadows. -�

    -�Hiding, yes. -� She knew it was true.

    -�But lately you seem different. -�

    -�No layers to hide under, -� said Jill pensively.

    -�What is it with you and layers? -� asked David.

    -�I just don -(TM)t like to be seen, -� said Jill, casting her eyes
down.

    -�Hey, stop that, -� said David, reaching a finger under her chin and
tilting her head back up.   -�Don -(TM)t turn back into that girl.  I like
this new Jill much better. -�

    -�New Jill? -�

    -�This summer, I -(TM)m seeing a new level of confidence.  I -(TM)ve
always thought that Jill the basketball player was the real Jill.  Now I
-(TM)m sure of it. -�

    -�Confidence?  This summer?  But . . .  I feel so nervous all the time
. . .  topless, -� argued Jill, a puzzled look on her face.

    -�Maybe.  But then again . . .  you are topless.  Think back to how you
might have felt walking around topless prior to this summer, -� said David.

   Jill threw her head back and laughed a nervous laugh.   -�Scared
shitless!  I wouldn -(TM)t have walked around topless. -�

    -�Exactly!  That -(TM)s what I mean.  Exponentially greater level of
self-confidence.  It -(TM)s all relative, -� said David.

    -�Greater self-confidence? -� said Jill, obviously trying to process
seemingly contradictory information.

    -�But separate from that, I see a spark! -� said David.

    -�A spark? -� asked Jill.

    -�A glint in your eye, -� explained David.   -�It -(TM)s not like you
are smiling . . .  typically you look apprehensive. -�

    -�Because I am. -�

    -�Apprehensive, but alive . . .  sparkling and so alive! -� said David.
 -�I imagine that you are enjoying yourself, but somewhat like a person on
a rollercoaster.  Frankly, I think . . .  I hope . . .  you are having the
time of your life. -�

   Jill didn -(TM)t respond.  She knew he might be getting pretty close to
the truth.

   David continued,  -�You see, Ryan studies your tits.  But I study facial
expressions.  I really love seeing that spark in your eyes.  So, your turn.
Tell me.  Are you having fun? -�

    -�I wouldn -(TM)t say  -~fun -(TM) is the word, -� said Jill.   -�In
all honesty, I -(TM)m dealing with a lot of stage fright.  My stomach
churns . . .  butterflies . . .  but on a grand scale.  And my cheeks. 
They get so warm.  I can -(TM)t help all the blushing. -�

   David laughed.   -�You do blush up a storm! -�

    -�Stop it!  No teasing! -� she said, again elbowing him playfully.  
-�Not if you want to talk about this, -� she paused.   -�But if I -(TM)m
having fun?  I -(TM)m not ready to admit to that . . .  not to you or to
myself.  It -(TM)s still so terrifying.  Whatever it is, it -(TM)s extreme.
I can say that. -�

    -�And you want to be pushed.  How great is that! -�

    -�I do? -� said Jill, wishing she had never said that.

    -�I know you haven -(TM)t forgotten saying that, -� said David.   -�And
we both know there is only one place that can go. -�

    -�We do? -� said Jill.

    -�Of course, -� said David.   -�Yesterday you hiked in just your bikini
bottoms.  Only one more article of clothing left to lose. -�

   Jill stopped in her tracks, her jaw dropping.  Aghast she replied, 
-�That -(TM)s not what I meant, and you know it.  I meant the campfire . .
. topless. -�

    -�Maybe that -(TM)s what you thought you meant, -� said David.   -�But
it wouldn -(TM)t be pushing if it was something you were predisposed to do.
-�

    -�You -(TM)re out of your mind if you think -- -� Jill -(TM)s voice
trailed off.  She knew he was talking about full nudity.  She couldn -(TM)t
even bring herself to say it.

   David laughed.

    -�It -(TM)s not funny!  And it -(TM)s not going to happen! -� she said
resolutely.  She had to put an immediate end to any such thoughts.  She
knew she would never take her bottoms off, but she also remembered feeling
that same way about her top.

    -�Jill, you don -(TM)t have a boyfriend, -� said David.

    -�So -- -�

    -�Well, I know you as well as anyone.  What you do, you do for a
reason. And you -(TM)re very neatly groomed, down there. -� His eyes
traveled down to her crotch so there could be no doubt what he was talking
about.   -�Might there be an explanation? -�

   Jill looked stunned.  When she didn -(TM)t say anything, David
continued,  -�You seem to be maintaining your hoo-ha in a state of
readiness.  Are you expecting it to see the light of day? -�

   Jill turned and stormed off.  Sure she shaved, but that wasn -(TM)t why.
David was jumping to conclusions.  She was too shocked and appalled to
continue the discussion.  Half way back to camp she thought of what she
should have said.  She should have told him that the new swimsuits had
required the aggressive trimming.  That was the real reason she had started
shaving.  She kicked herself for blanking on that while they were talking,
and now she was too flustered to re-engage.

   That she shaved, why she shaved  -" absolutely none of his business. 
Unfortunately, he had seen that she had nothing more than the narrow
landing strip, but that was water under the bridge.  She found herself
thinking about her emergency stash in the Jeep.  She had a full outfit
there.  She was again very glad to have had the foresight to place those
things up under the dash.  She didn -(TM)t think it would come to that, but
her emergency exit strategy was intact.  She could always climb in the Jeep
and leave  -" at the drop of a hat.

   When she got to camp, Ryan still wasn -(TM)t up and it wasn -(TM)t yet
time to go to breakfast, so Jill kept going, continuing along the beach
headed north.

   She was quite upset, but she knew that what David had said was factually
correct; she had mentioned wanting to be pushed.  That was undeniable.  She
-(TM)d of course never considered that he or Ryan might interpret it to
mean full nudity; however, after listening to David, she realized that his
interpretation wasn -(TM)t all that surprising.

   She continued thinking and eventually began to calm down.  They hadn
-(TM)t taken her top off forcibly, not that summer at least.  She felt
certain they wouldn -(TM)t take her bottoms off either.  They might try and
talk her out of them, but they wouldn -(TM)t strip her.

   She thought back to the basketball game.  David had been pushing her to
go topless, but he -(TM)d backed down.  He -(TM)d prepared in advance to
back down.  He -(TM)d pushed hard, but in the end, he -(TM)d given her the
bikini top.  He might again push . . .  that might even be fun in a scary
sort of way, she realized.  But he wouldn -(TM)t force her.  If push came
to shove, David would back down.  At least she was nearly positive that he
would.

   And Ryan . . .  she -(TM)d neutralized that threat.  Her photos would
keep him in line.  And of course there was the emergency backup plan, the
outfit in the Jeep.  She decided that she -(TM)d be fine.  She turned
around to go to breakfast.



   Chapter 46: A Morning Swim

   Jill was glad for the change of subject that breakfast represented. 
Both boys were enthusiastically discussing a long hike, a backpacking trip
of three or four nights.  Listening to the discussion helped get her mind
off of the new threat: David and his theories relating to what he had
called her  -~hoo-ha -(TM) and how it needed to see the light of day.

   David was pouring over his notes from his discussion with Nick.  He had
narrowed it down to two options.  Each involved a number of lakes that they
could use as a base camp for further exploration.  One hike went to the
Broken Canyon, below which were the Aspen Lakes.  The other had an Indian
name, the Chief Chokma chain of lakes.  David was not sure if Nick had
pronounced it with an  -~sh -(TM) sound or a  -~ch -(TM) sound, but decided
it was probably the latter as he had written  -~Chokma. -(TM)

   He kept trying to get Jill -(TM)s opinion on the two hikes, but she didn
-(TM)t really know what to say.  She hadn -(TM)t paid much attention to the
discussion the night that Nick had been invited out for birthday cake.

   That wasn -(TM)t the only reason that she had little to say.  She had
bought into the idea of a long hike, but she kept picturing herself as she
knew she -(TM)d be dressed.  She expected to be topless essentially the
whole time, and now she had something else to worry about.  David would be
-~pushing, -(TM) and based on their early morning discussion, she now knew
in what direction.

   If she had been willing to voice an opinion, it would have been in favor
of the option with the least foot traffic.  However, she had no idea which
one that might be, and that was not a topic to bring up in front of her
grandparents.  What was more, she figured that mentioning her thoughts on
that matter might be self-defeating.  The boys might end up picking the
most traveled trail in order to  -~push -(TM) her.   -~Best to just keep
quiet, -(TM) she decided.

   Both hikes were within the area that the Forest Service had designated
as Primitive Area.  As such, no maintained trails with signs existed, and
yet there were trails as hiking was not prohibited.

   The result of the conversation at breakfast was that Ryan and David
would drive to the Ranger Station in Stanton to gather more information. 
They hoped to get maps, up to date trail information, and learn about
obtaining any necessary backcountry permits.

   They wanted Jill to come along, but telling them that she wanted to
read, she declined.  The truth of the matter was that she was willing to go
on the hike, but wanted no input.  The two hikes didn -(TM)t sound all that
different, and she knew David would make a good selection.  Surely he could
be trusted as far as that was concerned.

   Shortly thereafter in camp, as the guys were making themselves ready for
the drive to Stanton, Jill was wondering what would happen as far as their
shirts were concerned.  It quickly became apparent that the guys had every
intention of keeping theirs on.

    -�Bean, -� said David, getting her attention.  As their eyes met, he
continued,  -�Time to lose the shirt.  I expect you to remain topless the
entire time we are gone. -�

   Jill felt a shiver ripple through her body.   -�But . . .  your shirts?
-� she asked, her voice a bit unsteady.

    -�We -(TM)re keeping them on for town.  You know,  -~no shoes, no
shirt, no service. -(TM) But you -(TM)re staying here, so -- -� He waved
his hand in a manner that left no doubt as to what he meant for her to do.

   To Jill, it seemed as if the  -~one of the guys -(TM) agreement was now
in flux.  She hesitated, but a moment later grasped the hem of her shirt
and lifted it.

   Once the morning sunlight came into contact with her small, tan breasts,
she said,  -�That reminds me.  Would you do me a favor when you -(TM)re in
town?  I -(TM)m out of sunscreen. -�

    -�Absolutely! -� said David.   -�Anything for you. -�

   Jill looked at him curiously, but she knew he meant it.

    -�More of this, -� she said, handing him an empty bottle after
retrieving it from her tent.   -�The grocery store in Agency has it.  Maybe
a big one and a pocket-sized tube as well. -�

    -�You got it, -� said David, sliding it into his backpack.

   Shortly thereafter Jill was all alone.  There was still a bite in the
air, as her nipples well knew.  She would have preferred to sit in the sun,
but due to her lack of sunscreen, she pulled her chair into the shade and
sat down to read.

   She had decided that her next book would be,  -~Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. -(TM) It was an autobiography
published in 1845.  To Jill it seemed to be a most fitting book to read at
that juncture, given that she had just completed,  -~Uncle Tom -(TM)s
Cabin, -(TM) a book she had really enjoyed.  It was well written, and it
had given her some perspective on what life in the South must have been
like during the era of slavery.

   After it had warmed up, she crawled into her tent and changed such that
she was wearing only her bikini bottoms.  She had concluded that she would
read one more chapter and then go for a swim.

   A short time later, she found herself wandering south in the direction
of the log.  She had a decision to make.  The night before she had
contemplated going for a nude swim.  Given her state of arousal at the
time, the idea had seemed quite attractive.

   Things were different now.  David had shocked her by indicating that he
would likely be pushing her in the direction of full nudity.  She knew, of
course, that she enjoyed being nude . . .  alone and nude.  Swimming nude
might be fun; she suspected that it would be.  She was actually considering
going as far as Sunken Island.  That was about a one mile round trip
according to their best estimate.  She and David typically spent at least
an hour doing it as they didn -(TM)t rush and generally spent a fair amount
of time on the submerged rock before heading back.

   Due to their discussion that morning, the timing was poor, and yet both
boys would be gone all morning.  If she was going to go for a nude swim
during daylight hours  -" and she didn -(TM)t like the idea of doing it in
the dark  -" now was her chance.  These days she was so rarely alone.  The
more she thought about it, the more she talked herself into giving it a
try.

   She eased her suit down off of her bottom as she sat down on the log. 
Glancing back at the forest behind her she realized that she had just
mooned . . .  nobody.  She searched the trees, but there was no one there.
Even so, she decided that she felt uncomfortable showing that much skin in
such an open area in the full light of day; her butt crack fully visible in
her seated position.

   She lowered herself down onto the sand and then slid the suit on down
her legs.  Folding it once, she placed it on the log.  It looked too
exposed there, so she shifted it down into the shaded area in front of the
log.

   She couldn -(TM)t believe that she was stark naked, right on the shore
of Cache Lake, in full daylight!  She started contemplating an exposed dash
into the water.  Again she turned and studied the forest behind her. 
Everything was as expected.  There was no one there.

   Even though she had made up her mind to go for a nude swim, it took her
several minutes to psych herself up for the additional exposure that
actually getting into the lake would involve.

   Finally, she decided to count down from ten, but when she got to seven
she decided to start over and count down from fifty.  That ended up seeming
like too much counting, but she stuck with it.  From ten to three she again
studied the forest behind her.  At one she stood up, and at zero she took
off running, splashing water like crazy as she ran butt naked into the
lake.

   She had thought about wading in slowly, avoiding all the
attention-grabbing splashing.  In the end, she had just decided to get it
over with quickly, spending as little time in view as possible.  She was
certain no one was watching, but she still wanted to minimize the amount of
time that she would be exposed above the surface of the lake

   Once she was in over knee-deep, she dove forward into the lake, her arms
overhead.

   She took a few strokes but then paused to have a look around.   -~I
really am a fraidy-cat, -(TM) she thought.  Standing there neck deep, she
verified that nothing had changed.

   Underneath the surface, she ran her hands up her body.  They encountered
nothing but skin.  She trembled in realization of what she was doing.

   Taking a deep breath, she turned and resumed her swim.  She had decided
to go for it; she was headed all the way out to Sunken Island.   -~When
else will I have the chance to do this? -(TM) she reasoned.

   As she swam, she found herself thinking about how much more bare it felt
to nude compared to simply being topless.  The fact of the matter was that
she felt exponentially more naked, so much more vulnerable.  It probably
would have felt that way anyway, but contemplating that did make her
realize that she had grown slightly accustomed to walking around topless.
She knew that she had also bought into the notion of being  -~one of the
guys. -(TM) Guys could walk around without their shirts on, so why not
girls?  She was just doing what guys did.

   However, this was completely different.  This could never be considered
-~one on the guys. -(TM) Guys didn -(TM)t venture out bottomless any more
than girls did.  This was a major departure from simply taking the liberty
to enjoy what the opposite gender could do.

   Every so often, Jill would interrupt her swim.  Rolling over, she would
have a look all around, making sure no one else was swimming or, God
forbid, boating.  There were boats over at Cache Lake West, but they saw
little use.  She would also check her bearings.  Sunken Island was a pretty
small target to hit given the size of the lake.

   A few minutes later, she slowed down and switched to breaststroke.  She
was close.  After a short search, she dropped her feet down onto the
familiar granite surface.  She loved Sunken Island.  Feeling daring she
stood up, rising up so that even her belly button was just above the
surface of the lake.  She turned slowly, taking in the view in every
direction.  She dropped back down, bringing the surface of the lake to
collarbone level.  She studied the western shore and the cabins hidden
there among the trees.  If anyone was watching her, they -(TM)d be there
she knew.

   She made the decision to stand back up and again bare her breasts in the
sunshine, but her legs failed to cooperate.   -~Don -(TM)t need to get too
crazy with the risk-taking, -(TM) she reasoned after she had abandoned the
effort.

   Instead, she lay back in the water and let her feet float up.  Glancing
down along her body she saw her nipples and then her landing strip break
the surface.  For a time, she paddled to remain in that position, just her
face, her nipples, and her mound with its strip of hair protruding.

   She decided that swimming nude was both relaxing and exhilarating.  For
fun, she tried doing a few handstands.  She had some success with that, a
time or two even allowing her legs to fall apart such that she was doing
the splits with just the lower half of her body protruding up out of the
water.  She couldn -(TM)t quite do full splits, but it was a fun athletic
exercise to attempt, nonetheless.  It felt so naughty to have her bare butt
and pussy sticking up out of the water like that  -" and yet she stayed
sideways to the western cabin area  -" just in case there was someone there
with a camera or a telescope.

   As Jill swam back, she found herself contemplating the unnerving nude
dash she would have to make to retrieve the bottom half of her suit from
where she had left it next to the log.  While considering that, a much more
frightening prospect came to mind.

   Thinking back, she remembered how David and Ryan had purposefully set
her up the day she had been photographed floating down the outlet topless.
Had this trip to town also been a ruse designed to get her to drop her
guard?

    -�How could I have been so gullible? -� she mumbled, berating herself
as she slowed, switching to breaststroke in order to scrutinize the shore
ahead.  She didn -(TM)t see anyone on the beach, but that didn -(TM)t mean
that there wasn -(TM)t an ambush awaiting her there.  She tried to think of
options, but there were few.  Just like the troops on D-day, she would have
to go ashore  -" and confront whatever she found there.

   She got to where she could stand and stopped, putting her feet down. 
With her chin on the surface of the lake, she studied the log and the
surrounding area.  Everything seemed in order, and yet something had to be
amiss.  Her spidey sense was tingling.  She felt panicky, and yet she did
her best to focus.  She didn -(TM)t want to do anything rash.

   She couldn -(TM)t see the bikini bottoms, but she had left them where
they wouldn -(TM)t be visible from her vantage point in the lake.  She
imagined that they had been taken.  Likely Ryan and David were behind the
log or possibly hiding in the forest just beyond.

   As soon as she went ashore, she pictured them popping out and catching
her naked in the sunshine.  How stupid she had been to believe them  -" and
then play around with full nudity  -" and on the very day that David had
talked about pushing her in that direction.  Her predicament reeked with
irony.

   Catching her naked would only prove to David that he was correct  -" and
then things would get worse for her.  They -(TM)d do everything they could
to keep her naked.

   Then she thought about Ryan.  He -(TM)d be there, his camera at the
ready.  Since she had incriminating photos, he probably wanted photos of
his own to use as counter ammunition.  She knew how his mind worked; he
-(TM)d be looking to balance the score.  He was probably thinking that with
full-frontal shots of her, he would be in a great position to negotiate or
threaten.

   As she considered that possibility, she wondered if David would still
protect her from Ryan -(TM)s photography efforts.  Could photography be one
way that David might  -~push -(TM) her?  The butterflies were going crazy
inside her stomach, but she couldn -(TM)t very well spend the day in the
lake.



   Chapter 47: Swim, continued

   Well, she couldn -(TM)t go ashore and fall into their trap; that much
she knew.  With that crossed off the list of possibilities, she had an idea
of something to try.

   If she swam toward camp, parallel to the shore, she would likely cause
them to abandon their hiding spots.  They would realize that she was
heading where the rest of her clothes were located.  They would probably
assume that their cover had been blown, and they would come out of hiding
and head up the beach to cut her off.  She wouldn -(TM)t really be any
better off, but at least the element of surprise would have been taken away
from them.

   Deciding on that plan, she turned and started swimming, maintaining her
distance from the beach.  She kept her eyes angled back, fixed on the log,
expecting them to pop out at any moment.

   She found herself thinking about where else she might be able to go to
obtain clothes, if they had her bikini bottoms and got between her and her
clothes in camp.  She -(TM)d obviously have to run, but she might be able
to loop around and try for the Jeep.  However, the Jeep no longer seemed
like a very good idea.

   It would be parked near the Airstream.  Going there naked in the middle
of the day was far too risky.  Her grandparents might catch sight of her.
That wasn -(TM)t something that she was willing to chance.

   She could hide until dark, but it was midmorning.  She -(TM)d be hiding
for about twelve hours.

   She had another idea: her panties on the post at the bridge.  They
-(TM)d been outside this whole time.  They -(TM)d most likely be damp from
the recent rain.  They might even be ripe  -" smelly.  She decided that she
-(TM)d probably put them on, no matter how disgusting they might be.  If
that was her only option, she knew she -(TM)d take it.

   Then she would be able to return to camp, topless of course.  Problem
solved.  No nude pictures for Ryan, if that was indeed his plan.  Keeping
him from obtaining nude photos seemed to be of utmost importance.

   But as she swam, carefully watching the beach, nothing moved.  After she
had gone quite some distance, she decided that her intuition must have been
misfiring.

   Reversing course, she returned to the stretch of lake right in front of
the log.  The coast seemed clear.  After a minute to muster her courage,
she waded hurriedly ashore, both hands clamped over her crotch, forming the
most complete bikini bottom that she could manage.

   At the log, she dropped down onto the sand, cowering behind the
weathered grey landmark.  Her bikini bottoms were exactly where she had
left them.  Barely a second later she was pulling them on, keeping as low
as she could.  All her fears about David and Ryan being there seemed to
have been unfounded.

   As she stood up to head back to camp, she realized that putting one
-(TM)s bottoms on while sitting wet on the beach was a good way to end up
with lots of sand in one -(TM)s suit.  She waded back into the lake to
rinse it out; sand in the crack was never comfortable!

   As her nerves began to settle, she started to come to terms with just
how scared she had been.  Being completely nude in the light of day and
believing that she was about to be caught had been a shock to her system.
It had been a fun swim but now she couldn -(TM)t believe that she had taken
the risk and put herself through the ensuing trauma.

   However, the fright had served one purpose; it had made her realize that
her emergency kit in the Jeep might have its limitations.  Thinking that it
might come in handy to have another outfit hidden somewhere that didn
-(TM)t move around  -" and that was not usually parked right next to her
grandparents -(TM) trailer, she picked out a plastic bag and put a shirt
and a pair of shorts in it.

   Still topless, she walked the bundle all the way to the bridge, taking
the route along the beach and then turning to follow the outlet.

   The bridge was constructed of large wooden timbers.  From underneath she
found a spot to hide the small bag, situated such that the clothes would
remain dry.  She did her best to make it a location that she could find in
the dark, if need be.

   Making her way back to camp via the same route to avoid the road, she
felt quite pleased with her second emergency kit.  She was surprised that
she had been considering putting on the panties that had been outside for
the past few weeks.  This new bag of clothes was definitely preferable to
that pair of panties, should worse come to worse.

   Of course, the Jeep emergency kit was of undeniable merit.  It came with
a vehicle that could get her home; however, the outfit at the bridge just
might fit her needs better, depending on the circumstances.

   As she considered that, she found herself wondering why she wasn -(TM)t
just heading home.  Given what David had said that morning, she knew that a
wise girl would simply pull the plug on spending more of the summer at the
lake.  She knew that the girl that arrived at the lake earlier in the
summer would probably have done just that . . .  leave.  However, she found
herself realizing that she liked much of how things had developed.

   She felt a little crazy to be admitting that to herself, but deep inside
she knew she was having fun.  Some parts hadn -(TM)t been so fun  -~in the
moment. -(TM) However, when she thought back over them later, while trying
to fall asleep each night, the memories of what had happened tended to put
a smile on her face and/or get her libido revved up.

   Her thoughts traveled back to the night she had been caught topless,
spying on that boys at their campfire.  How devastated she had been!  And
yet now it was a fun memory.  And that development had served as a
springboard to other fun adventures.

   Once back at camp, realizing that she had been getting too much sun for
a girl without sunscreen, Jill moved her chair to bring it back into the
shade.  She then sat down to resume reading.

   An hour later, the boys were still not back and she was getting hungry.
Deciding to use the opportunity to have lunch with her grandparents and
then to get a shower, Jill put on a shirt and a pair of shorts.  Once
adequately dressed, she took the trail that led to the trailer.

   Her grandparents were indeed delighted to have her join them for lunch.
A while later, as she was in the bathroom showering, Jill got a first look
at her pink buns.  She had a nice tan everywhere but there.  Her long swim
had been the first time that the area hidden by her bottoms had seen any
significant amount of sun.

   In addition to realizing that it might get a little painful, she knew
how incriminating it might be.  If the boys saw her sunburn, they would
know instantly that she had been up to something.

   Jill shrugged off that possibility.  It really didn -(TM)t affect her;
she had every intention of keeping that portion of her skin completely
covered around the boys.  She spiffed up with her razor and then dressed.
She was happy.  It felt really good to be clean and to comb her hair.  In
spite of her earlier scare, the day had been working out perfectly.  She
-(TM)d had some fun doing something very daring and she -(TM)d gotten quite
a bit of reading in.

   Back at camp a short time later, she again picked up her book.  The
Frederick Douglass tale was proving to be quite thought-provoking.  She was
developing a great deal of respect for the man and his considerable
intellect.  She found herself wondering why his name didn -(TM)t come up
more often, and she was looking forward to a college class in which that
topic might be discussed.

   Martin Luther King, Jr., rightly so, got a lot of media attention;
however, the same could not be said about Frederick Douglass, in her
opinion.  The role he had played in convincing an earlier generation that
blacks were the equal of whites in terms of intellectual potential  -" via
his writings, his public speeches, and his leadership  -" had surely been
pivotal.

   After reading for a bit, Jill returned to her tent and changed back into
just her bikini bottoms.  She hadn -(TM)t done that right away because she
didn -(TM)t want to be doing it for the sole reason that David had told her
to remain topless.  Once she was sure that being topless was what she
herself wanted, she went ahead and changed.

    -�I was starting to think you -(TM)d gotten lost, -� she remarked when
the boys returned much later that afternoon.

    -�No, -� said David.   -�We just did some shopping.  We heard about an
outdoor gear consignment shop in Elk Bend.

    -�You went all the way to Elk Bend? -� she asked.   -�I hope you filled
the tank. -�

    -�Don -(TM)t worry, -� said David.   -�We did, and Ryan found a
backpack. -� Ryan turned to show off his backpack.   -�Our packs are fine,
-� continued David.   -�But Ryan needed a pack. -�

    -�He could have used dad -(TM)s, -� remarked Jill.

    -�I wanted my own, -� said Ryan.

    -�And I got us a new stove.  Remember how much trouble we had with the
small stove last year?  And that one is much too big to carry, -� said
David, indicating the two burner stove on the picnic table.

    -�I want to see how you look in your pack, Jill, -� said Ryan.

    -�You know how I look in my backpack, -� remarked Jill.   -� --same as
last year. -�

    -�Hardly! -� said Ryan.   -�This year your tits will be out. -�

   Jill looked down at her bare nipples, rock hard as usual.  She then
looked back up at Ryan.  She tried to picture how she might look.

    -�Will you model it for us . . .  if I go and get it? -� he continued.

    -�Umm . . .  I guess, -� she said, wondering what the big deal was.

    -�He -(TM)s been trying to picture you wearing just the backpack all
day, -� said David, after Ryan had left.  Their backpacks were stored in
the shed near the Airstream.

    -�I won -(TM)t be wearing  -~just a backpack. -(TM) -�

    -�We -(TM)ll see, -� replied David smiling and raising his eyebrows.  
-�Maybe the bikini bottoms, but probably not. -�

    -�Don -(TM)t start that again, -� cautioned Jill.   -�One of the guys,
remember? -�

    -�Like I said . . .  we -(TM)ll see, -� said David.  Continuing he
added,  -�Grandma said you had lunch with them.  That was nice.  I -(TM)m
glad you did that. -�

    -�And I wasn -(TM)t topless!  You told me that you expected me to
remain topless the entire time you were gone.  Well . . .  I didn -(TM)t!
-� said Jill defiantly.

    -�What -(TM)s gotten into you? -� said David in a calm voice.   -�I
-(TM)m glad you had lunch with them.  Putting on your shirt was the wise
thing to do.  The only thing to do. -�

    -�But you said -- -� replied Jill.

    -�Come on, Jilly!  We -(TM)re twins.  You -(TM)re my sister, -�
remarked David.   -�I -(TM)m no more in charge of what you do than you are
in charge of what I do.  You are your own person.  I was merely pushing. -�

    -�I -(TM)ll say! -�

    -�You probably don -(TM)t want to believe it, but you -(TM)re topless
by choice. -�

   Jill tried to decide if that were indeed true while David studied her
expression.

    -�And you -(TM)ll be bottomless by choice . . .  if and when it
happens, -� he added.

    -�It won -(TM)t.  Don -(TM)t worry, -� she snapped.

   As Jill started applying some of the sunscreen that David had gotten,
Ryan returned with her backpack.  He held it out to her.  She knew what he
wanted.

    -�Please, -� he said with a toothy smile.

   Jill let out a heavy sigh, but took the empty backpack and slipped the
straps on over her shoulders.  Putting her hands on her hips, she
concentrated on her posture, straightening her back.  That move lifted her
rib cage, forcing her nipples up and out.  She turned this way and that,
giving him every chance to look.  Jill felt the warmth surge in her cheeks
as she realized that she was putting on a brazen titty show.

    -�So f**king hot, -� he mumbled under his breath.

    -�What? -� said Jill.   -�Topless with a backpack beats just plain
topless? -�

    -�It -(TM)s just hot, -� said Ryan.   -�I can -(TM)t explain it. -�

    -�Okay then, -� said Jill, shaking her head as she shrugged the pack
back off her shoulders.  She did think that she might look cute like that,
her chest nicely framed by the shoulder straps, but she was not about to
admit that out loud.  However, she did realize that her attitude about her
boobs was still evolving.  It was much nicer to display them proudly than
to be embarrassed about them and attempt to hide them.

   They were still small and probably always would be.  Some would find
them too little to be attractive, but increasingly Jill was viewing that as
their problem.  And size was hardly the only attribute of a female chest.
There were other things to take into account.  Her breasts were very
attractively shaped, she thought, and her nipples were pretty little
rose-colored tips, essentially always pointy.  That had always bothered
her. It didn -(TM)t anymore.



   Chapter 48: A Morning Hike

   Ryan and David wanted to go swimming to cool off.  They tried to talk
Jill into joining them, but she declined.  Rather than tell them that she
had already had her swim for the day, she told them that she -(TM)d washed
her hair and didn -(TM)t want to get it wet again.  That was essentially
true.  Ryan and David did go for a short swim, staying relatively close to
the point.

   A short time later, Jill was again reading.  Looking up, she noticed
that only Ryan was in camp with her.  David had been busying himself with
carrying sections of a dead tree back to cut up into firewood.  They still
had a large pile, but they went through quite a bit of wood each evening.

    -�So Jerk-boy, -� she said teasingly to get Ryan -(TM)s attention.

    -�Do you have to call me that? -� he asked, a little pain evident in
his expression.

    -�A well-deserved nickname, I should think, -� she replied with a
chuckle.   -�Frankly it seems perfect for you.  I could think of
alternates; I -(TM)m sure there are so many possibilities, most of them
nastier.  I think I -(TM)ll stick with Jerk-boy. -�

   Ryan shook his head.  Jill knew his nickname wasn -(TM)t his choice. 
She could call him whatever she liked.

    -�Your tree is calling! -�

    -�Leave me alone, -� said Ryan, attempting to return his attention to
his whittling.  Jill could tell that he was not making anything, just
pointlessly removing shavings from a stick.

    -�The pressure must be building.  These cute little tan titties have to
be driving you nuts. -� Ryan looked up at her and she saw his eyes
immediately drift down to her chest.   -�You know what they look like.  I
-(TM)ll bet you wish you knew what they felt like! -� Moving her hands up
and massaging them she continued,  -�They feel so nice.  So soft . . .  yet
so firm. -�

    -�I know you won -(TM)t let me touch. -�

    -�Whip it out and I -(TM)ll think about it. -�

    -�Here? -� said Ryan, looking around.

    -�It -(TM)s private enough, -� said Jill.   -�I mean, I spend all day
topless here. -�

    -�But, David. -�

    -�He -(TM)s not here. -�

    -�He will be, -� said Ryan.   -� --any minute. -�

    -�A minute should be enough, -� said Jill with a grin.   -� --with
these to look at. -�

    -�Let me touch them and I -(TM)ll whip it out, -� he countered.

    -�You -(TM)re hardly in a position to negotiate, Jerk-boy! -�

    -�Come with me, -� he proposed.

    -�And where would we go? -� asked Jill, playing dumb.

    -�You know. -�

    -�And then what would happen? -� she asked, standing up.   -�Oh, I
know! Jerk-boy could do his wiener thing while I put on a little show! -�
She took a step toward him and continued,  -�If these weren -(TM)t so tiny,
I could suck my own nipples. -�

   She tried.  Pinching a nipple, she stretched it up while at the same
time bending her head down as far as it would go.   -�See . . .  tiny, tiny
titties.  Just won -(TM)t reach. -�

    -�I -(TM)ll do it for you, -� he offered.

    -�Might be fun, -� said Jill teasingly.   -�Not happening!  I think you
need to run off into the forest and release all that pressure.  I -(TM)m
sure it is building.  Just think about these, -� she added, pressing in on
the sides of her boobs making her nipples extend out even farther from her
chest.   -�Or this, -� she said turning around and caressing one of her
half-covered butt cheeks with one hand.  She gave it a soft slap, making it
vibrate.

    -�Come with me, -� he repeated.   -�We can play doctor.  I -(TM)ll show
you mine.  You -(TM)ll show me yours. -�

   Jill saw Ryan -(TM)s eyes drop down to her crotch.

   Suddenly she felt flustered.  Attempting to sound confident, she
replied,  -�You -(TM)d like that, wouldn -(TM)t you, Jerk-boy. -� But her
voice squeaked as she felt her cheeks redden.

   She sat back down and did her best to resume reading.

    -�If you prefer, we can do the same as before, -� he said.   -�You don
-(TM)t have to show me anything more. -�

   Jill could tell that Ryan knew he had scared her.

   He continued,  -�The titties are enough.  You show me the titties and I
-(TM)ll show you my . . .  you know . . .  cock.  You can watch the
pressure build up and then release.  I think you like to watch. -�

    -�It -(TM)s a weenie, -� she said, again trying to regain her
composure.

   She did sort of want to watch again, but she wasn -(TM)t about to admit
it.  She did her best to ignore him, but he continued trying to get her to
follow him into the forest.  Jill tried to look like she was reading, but
she was too rattled to actually read.

   About a minute later, David was back in camp.  He propped up the log he
had brought with him and went about sawing off a firewood length piece. 
Jill looked over at Ryan and saw that he was still staring at her. 
Checking that David was facing the other direction, she again tried to lift
a nipple to her mouth to tease him.  She wanted so badly for it to reach.
It wasn -(TM)t fair that some girls could suck their own nipples, but she
couldn -(TM)t.

    -�I -(TM)ll do that for you, -� offered Ryan.

    -�Do what? -� asked David, turning to look back.  Fortunately, Jill had
dropped her tit just in the nick of time.

   A while later, when he thought that no one was looking, Ryan did
disappear off into the forest.  Jill thought about following.  She knew
where he was going.  She did want to go and watch, but she didn -(TM)t want
Ryan to know that.  He knew about her hiding spot, so her ability to watch
unseen no longer existed.

   When he returned to camp later, Jill pointed a finger at him and slid
her other index finger along it making the universal  -~shame on you -(TM)
gesture.

   Ryan walked behind her and whispered into her ear,  -�You could have cum
with me. -�

   Jill blushed.  She knew exactly what he was referring to, given how he
had emphasized the word,  -~cum. -(TM)

   How dare he tease her back like that!

    -�It wasn -(TM)t meant to be, Jerk-boy, -� she said trying to regain
the upper hand.

    -�Your nipples deserve a good sucking, -� said Ryan still whispering. 
-�You need me for that . . .  as you demonstrated earlier.  One of the many
services I -(TM)m happy to provide. -�

    -�What are you two whispering about? -� asked David from near the
woodpile.  Neither one of them replied.

   Unlike what usually happened, Jill didn -(TM)t put on a top at all that
evening.  She simply remained topless through dinner and during their
campfire, even though both Ryan and David had their shirts on.  It still
felt a bit strange and quite naughty to be topless, but she had grown to
like the exhilarating tension that was part and parcel of being
bare-chested.

   Girls -(TM) breasts were supposed to remain covered; breaking that rule
was becoming irresistible for Jill.  She had noticed that she even felt a
small letdown when she had to put something on after a period of
toplessness.

   Early the next morning, immediately after breakfast, Jill, Ryan, and
David departed for Cornice Ridge.  They had wanted to get an early start as
they had a long hike in front of them, even planning to ascend the ridge
behind Snow Lake.  David and Ryan had been wanting to climb it ever since
Jill had reached it solo.

   Jill had taken the lead, marching along in nothing more than her hiking
shoes and her bikini bottoms.  As she walked, she kept her eyes peeled,
watching the trail ahead for other hikers.

   She had done her best to talk the boys out of that particular hike.  She
had succeeded once, but she had always known that she -(TM)d be headed that
way sooner or later . . .  topless.  She had also fought for a pair of
shorts.  In the end, she had given in on that as well.

   David had pushed hard, calling shorts,  -�the wrong direction. -� He had
said,  -�I know you don -(TM)t want to go back to hiking in shorts.  Why
fight it? -�

   She had hated him for saying that, suggesting out loud that she wanted
to be wearing so little.  Deep down inside, she knew that it might be true;
however, she had her pride to consider.  Not even to herself was she going
to admit that she was a willing participant, much less an eager one. 
Actually, what she was admitting to herself would change from moment to
moment.  Deep inside, she understood that the fact that she was still there
meant a lot.  She knew that she was on a slippery slope.  She was doing her
best to keep from sliding further down, and yet, she had not climbed off.

   In the end, after a face-saving battle, Jill had given in.  After all,
she was much less worried about what she was wearing on the bottom half
than she was about the chance of meeting other hikers with nothing at all
on her top half.

   Marching along, she knew that she -(TM)d be setting some kind of a
record that day.  At Snow Lake, she -(TM)d be over five miles from the rest
of her clothes, and the ridge was something like a mile beyond that.  She
already felt quite bare and vulnerable  -" she knew those feelings would
increase dramatically as the distance grew.  She was destined to remain
nearly naked all day.  Looking down at her racy low-rise bikini bottoms she
found the prospect quite exciting  -" especially given that they were on a
trail where an encounter or two seemed possible.  It was scary, but for
some reason that made it all the more exhilarating.  Her heart was beating
faster than normal, and it wasn -(TM)t due to the exertion.

   Even though she felt the most exposed walking in front, that position
gave her the best view up the trail.  Down low, close to Cache Lake, there
was forest on both sides of the path.  She knew that was where she would go
if hikers appeared ahead  -" into the trees.  However, later they would be
above the tree line.  The forest and its many hiding spots would thin out
and then disappear altogether.  She worried about that but did her best to
push it out of her thoughts.

   She -(TM)d put on a good layer of sunscreen.  Knowing that she -(TM)d
need to renew it later in the day, she -(TM)d asked David to bring it along
in his daypack.  Her shorts had meant pockets and the ability to carry a
tube of lotion.  Hiking in just her suit bottoms meant that she didn -(TM)t
have a single small pocket.

   Glancing down she noticed that she could even tell where her small
landing strip was atop her mound.  The thin layer of cloth that kept her
from being naked hid very little; it was more than a coat of paint but not
much more.  From the rear, she knew that her buns were only half covered.
She pictured Ryan, just behind her, staring at her athletic legs, her butt,
and her slender back.

   Glancing back for verification, she was surprised to see his eyes
directed at the view of Cache Lake on their left.  They had just entered
the switchbacks that accomplished the last thousand feet or so of elevation
gain prior to Cornice Ridge itself.  The area was thinly forested, gaps in
the trees allowing peekaboo views of the lovely azure lake below.

   Seeing that Ryan was enjoying mother nature, Jill stopped to do the
same. She took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air as the boys came up.
Without a spoken word, the three teens all soaked in the beauty that
surrounded them, the strong rays of sunlight searching out the remaining
drops of dew on the forest floor, the various calls of the birds enjoying
the summer morning.

   Off to their left Sharp Tooth towered proudly above the forest.  Bald
Hill and Chokecherry Ridge would become visible shortly, but for the time
being, they were hidden behind stands of trees.  To their right lay the
larger peaks with their associated foothills, many of them hidden from view
as they were an extension of the range that they were ascending.

    -�What a lovely morning, -� remarked Jill.   -�I doubt there is a more
beautiful lake anywhere on the planet. -�

    -�Agreed, -� said Ryan nodding.

    -�I always look for Sunken Island, -� said David.

    -�Me too! -� said Jill enthusiastically.   -�I always imagine that
someday the light will be just right and I -(TM)ll see it.  So far . . . 
never have. -�

    -�Me neither, -� remarked David.

    -�Nor I, -� said Ryan, chiming in.

   David handed Jill a water bottle and she took a sip.  Out of the corner
of an eye, she saw Ryan studying her.  She thought about dribbling water
down onto her chest to make it interesting, but she didn -(TM)t.

    -�Ready? -� she asked, handing the water bottle back.

   The boys nodded and a minute later Jill was again leading the way up the
switchbacks.  As the elevation increased, the trees got smaller and more
misshapen from the weight of the snow that they had to endure during the
cold months.  They crossed and recrossed an avalanche chute that was
completely devoid of trees.

   As she went along, Jill worked at always keeping a plan in mind  -" just
in case she happened to see other hikers  -" a strategy for getting herself
quickly hidden.  And as the landscape changed, so did her plan.

   She knew that her tendency was to panic, so she thought that focusing on
the best escape route might help her react rationally.  Depending on where
she saw them, her plan was to simply stay on the trail and race off in the
other direction.  If they appeared below, then she -(TM)d run ahead  -"
until she found a suitable hiding place off the trail, and vice versa.

   It was hardly a perfect strategy, and yet it was one that she thought
would probably work  -" as long as she kept her eyes peeled.  In addition
to trees, the landscape also offered a myriad of large boulders, many of
which would be perfect to hide behind.  Many were small, hardly larger than
a car, but some were huge, like Sunken Island.  That giant boulder had
surely broken off and tumbled down from the rock face just to the west of
where they were ascending the ridge.



   Chapter 49:  --to Snow Lake

   They took their next water break on the top of Cornice Ridge itself. 
There was no better place to pause as the twin views of Agency and Cache
Lake both presented themselves there.

   Jill picked out the spot where she had first tanned topless.  She
thought back to that day, barely a month before.  She remembered her short
little trek along the ridge after removing her bikini top.  How daring she
had felt!  She chuckled at herself.  She -(TM)d been utterly alone and yet
it had taken all the courage she had been able to muster to move a short
distance away from her top.

   Just as it was now hard to imagine that girl, her earlier self would
have a difficult time believing the girl she had become.

   A short time later, they were again climbing, making their way along the
ridge, but skirting it to the left, following the trail to Snow Lake.  It
was at least another two thousand feet of elevation gain to the lake.

   After a half hour or so, thinking about how much stronger the sun -(TM)s
burning rays were at altitude, Jill stopped where the trail to Elk Meadows
branched off to renew her sunscreen.  She paid particular attention to her
nose, shoulders, and nipples.  She made no effort to make a show out of the
lotion application process but noticed that Ryan was watching intently
nonetheless.

    -�Here, you guys need more sunscreen as well, -� she said, handing the
tube to David.

   She watched as the guys took care of their own faces and shoulders, but
then reached for the tube to help them with their backs.  After taking care
of David, she moved on to Ryan.

    -�Your hands feel so nice, -� he commented.

    -�Don -(TM)t be getting any ideas, -� she cautioned.   -�It -(TM)s just
sunscreen. -�

   Once she was done, Ryan took the tube, squirting some into his hands.  
-�Your turn, -� he said with a smile.

   Jill hesitated.  She did need more sunscreen on her back, but she had
never allowed Ryan to touch her in that way.

   Sensing her reluctance, he remarked,  -�It -(TM)s just sunscreen. -�

    -�Okay, but behave, -� she said, turning her back toward him.  As she
did so, she folded her arms beneath her breasts, pressing her upper arms
against her sides, lest he get overly ambitious.

    -�Your skin is so soft, -� he remarked quietly.

    -�Sunscreen, Ryan.  Focus! -� she reprimanded.

    -�Next time I -(TM)ll do the front, -� he said as Jill stepped away,
deciding that her back had received adequate protection.

    -�One day I might let you, -� she said teasingly.   -�NOT! -� Ryan just
smiled happily as they turned to resume the hike.

    -�Lunch here or up on the ridge? -� asked David as they came to the top
of the last switchback bringing Snow Lake into view.

    -�I -(TM)m voting for here, -� said Jill, noticing how much less snow
there was around the lake than on her last visit.   -�I -(TM)d like to try
wading -- -�

    -�You should go swimming! -� suggested David.   -�Looks like you
brought your suit. -�

    -�Ha, ha, -� said Jill blushing a little.  The comment had served to
remind her of just how little she had on.

    -�I think her nipples are voting against swimming, -� said Ryan.  
-�Look at them! -� Addressing Jill directly he continued,  -�But should you
decide to swim . . .  I -(TM)ll warm them up afterwards! -�

    -�They -(TM)re just fine as is, -� she said, looking down at her chest,
her cheeks bright red.

    -�Standing offer, -� replied Ryan with a smile.  Jill knew he was
serious.

   Jill took off her shoes and socks and waded in but not even up to her
knees.  The bottom was rocky and the water had to be only a couple of
degrees above freezing.  While it hadn -(TM)t seemed possible, Jill felt
her nipples tighten up still further.  Looking down she noticed goosebumps
spreading out across her areola, covering her entire chest as well as her
upper arms.   -~I better get out before I have to take Ryan up on his
offer, -(TM) said a voice inside her head.

   As she waded back out, she noticed what a nice job David had done
arranging a picnic on the blanket that they often carried for that purpose.
 -~This is nice! -(TM) she thought.   -~I provide the eye-candy and I get
treated like a princess. -(TM)

    -�Can I make you a sandwich? -� he offered.

    -�That would be kind, -� she replied politely with a smile and a nod.

   Jill indulged in allowing him to spoil her while she sat on the blanket,
stretching out her legs and letting them dry in the bright sun.

   After a relaxing lunch break, they were back on their feet and working
their way around the oval-shaped lake.

    -�Those are some pretty dark clouds, -� remarked David later as they
started working their way up the rocky slope at the far end of the lake. 
Jill, recalling how she had knocked rocks loose the first time she had made
the climb, cautioned the boys.  They all made sure to avoid being right
above or below one another as they scaled the steep trail-free slope.

    -�I don -(TM)t think it will rain, -� said Jill, realizing that they
were prepared for sun but nothing else.

    -�Famous last words, -� said Ryan with a chuckle.

   Jill laughed but noticed that the approaching clouds did look ominous.
She knew that it wouldn -(TM)t be particularly cold if it rained, but even
so, she did not want to get wet.   -~At least I -(TM)m wearing my suit,
-(TM) she thought, trying to look on the bright side.   -~It -(TM)s, of
course, meant to get wet! -(TM)

   Near the top Jill charged ahead to make sure she was first.  Once she
could see on over, Agency again visible below them, she picked out a
boulder and hopped on top.  As the boys approached, she let loose with her
best Tarzan yell, pounding her fists solidly on her chest, the sound
echoing and reverberating within her ribcage.  They all paused, listening
for the echo.  As before, it never came.

    -�You are something else! -� exclaimed David.

    -�One of the guys! -� said Jill with a smile.

    -�Best Tarzan ever! -� added Ryan.

   Jill bowed low.  She had almost done a curtsy, but at the last second
had decided that Tarzan would never curtsy.

    -�This ridge needs a name, -� said David.   -�And I have one to
propose. -�

    -�Which is? -� she asked.

    -�Tarzan Ridge . . .  of course, -� he replied.

   They all agreed, and the name became official.  They all knew that the
ridge probably already had a name, but they didn -(TM)t care.  Starting at
an early age, they had been in the habit of naming things themselves, just
not in cases where they knew the official name.  Snow Lake, Cornice Ridge,
Elk Meadows; those were official names, all of them taken from the trail
markers.

    -�Can I take a picture . . .  please? -� begged Ryan.

    -�No way! -� replied Jill instantaneously.

    -�Let him, Tarzan, -� said David, unslinging and opening his pack.  
-�With your phone of course.  You -(TM)ll have complete control of the
photos, -� he added, handing her cell phone to her.

    -�Well -- -� said Jill, mulling it over.

    -�Please! -� begged Ryan.

   Jill was a little suspicious that Ryan seemed so enthusiastic to take
her photo under those conditions, but she relented, unlocking the phone and
clicking it over into camera mode.  She followed his every instruction,
posing proudly, as Ryan worked at achieving the ideal Tarzan picture.  As
he posed her, he moved around seeking out different vantage points to take
full advantage of the dramatic topography.

   Jill was surprised to discover that she was enjoying modeling topless,
even having fun hamming it up a little.  Her boobies were there in every
shot, but they didn -(TM)t seem to be Ryan -(TM)s focus.  She expected the
images would be very sexy, at least to those who could appreciate a slender
lightly endowed woman.  She concentrated on maintaining a confident look on
her face; after all, she was Tarzan!

   Observing Ryan, Jill noticed that he seemed to be on his best behavior.
He wasn -(TM)t teasing her, looking through her other photos, talking about
keeping her phone or making crass remarks.  He was simply pursuing the art
of photography, trying to capitalize on the opportunity, a pretty model and
majestic scenery.

   A little later, as they were picking their way back down the slope
toward Snow Lake, it started to sprinkle.  They had to slow down as the
addition of a little water to the dusty, lichen-covered rocks made for a
very slippery combination.

   Jill quickly concluded that the rain was glorious.  It was one of those
rare moments that involved rain coming down in the bright sunshine.  She
felt like twirling and dancing.  However, she didn -(TM)t dare, given the
steep slope and the slippery conditions.  She contented herself with
enjoying the simple pleasure of how marvelous the rain felt on her naked
flesh.  Once she was down on the trail at the edge of the lake, a
nonspecific song on her lips, she indulged, skipping along happily forcing
the boys to do their best to keep up.

   As they reached the limit of the glacial cirque and started down the
face, the rain arrived in earnest.  Gone were the sun -(TM)s rays.  As they
reached the first switchback, the rain came in torrents.  As they were all
bare from the waist up and had no rain gear with them, there was nothing to
do but lose altitude and hope that the storm would blow over quickly.

   Sections of the trail had transformed into rivulets, but Jill forged
ahead like a pro, hurrying but paying careful attention to where she placed
each step.  David and Ryan were just behind, similarly being mindful of
their footing and still struggling to keep up.

   Just a few paces beyond the point where the Snow Lake trail merged with
the Elk Meadows cutoff, Jill glanced up and froze.  There were two hikers
not more than twenty-five feet in front of her.  They were wearing ponchos
and had stopped in the middle of the trail.  They were looking back at her.

   Instinctively, Jill spun around and charged back toward the boys.  They
were standing just past where the Snow Lake trail branched off.  To Jill
-(TM)s horror, there were also about four other hikers coming toward her
along the Elk Meadows cutoff.  Again she stopped short.

   As the reality of her predicament began to sink in, Jill became aware
that she had just merged into the middle of a group of hikers, all much
better prepared, judging by their ponchos.

   In a state of shock, Jill felt more naked than ever.  She realized that
three trails led away from where she stood, drenched in nothing more than
her bikini bottoms, but all of them had people standing in them. 
Frantically looking around she saw a group of large boulders straight up
the slope from where she stood panicking.  With no more thought than to get
herself hidden as fast as possible, she turned and bolted up the rocky
incline.

    -�Jill! -� she heard David call.  In the next instant, one of her feet
slipped off a large rock.  The rock her foot crashed into dislodged and
took off rolling downhill.  She made an attempt to regain her footing but
fell hard, down onto the sharp rocks, rolling as she hit.  Given how steep
it was, she had to work to keep herself from following the rock she had
knocked loose down the mountainside.

   With terror gripping at her heart, she glanced around at the myriad of
faces all staring at her.  She started trying to get back to her feet;
however, it was not to be.  Pain shot through her right hip, and her left
leg was not cooperating.

    -�Jill! -� she heard David yell a second time.  Making his way with
utmost care, he hastened to where she lay, feeling miserable and forlorn.

   Since Plan A had failed, Jill invoked Plan B, hiding what little she
could with what little she had.  She turned her head such that her sopping
wet brown hair covered much of her face.  One of her arms was under her,
but the other she draped across her chest, hiding as much as possible. 
Realizing that her legs were slightly apart, she remedied that, lifting her
knees up toward her chest in the process, doing her best to disappear in
place.

    -�Are you alright, Jill? -� asked David bending down.

   With fright in her eyes, she looked up at him and shook her head.  Again
glancing around, she noticed everyone approaching closer.

    -�Jill?  Jill? -� she heard one of the girls remark,  -�I know you! -�

   Jill looked up into the unfamiliar face, thinking that there was no way
this girl could know her.

    -�You -(TM)re Nick -(TM)s girl! -� she continued.   -�He introduced us
at the movie theater, remember? -� Turning to the guy next to her, she
added,  -�You remember her, don -(TM)t you, Brad? -�



   Chapter 50: The Elk Meadows Cutoff

   Jill -(TM)s heart sank.  She didn -(TM)t look over for the guy -(TM)s
response.  In agony, she turned her head away, again doing her best to get
her wet hair to hide her face.  Tears welled up in her eyes and she felt as
if she might cry.  In an instant, her life had transformed into a
nightmare.

    -�Get me out of here, David, -� she said, glancing pleadingly up at her
brother, strands of wet stringy hair running diagonally across her face.

    -�Roger that! -� said David in a confident, reassuring voice.

   He helped her to her feet, or more accurately, up onto one foot as Jill
quickly found that she couldn -(TM)t put any weight on her left leg.

    -�Can we help? -� asked the same girl sympathetically.   -�I -(TM)m
Katie, by the way.  I -(TM)ll give you my poncho. -�

   Jill just shook her head.  She didn -(TM)t want to have anything to do
with Katie or her poncho.  She just wanted to get away.

   She leaned on David and noticed that Ryan was there as well, helping her
balance on the slippery slope.   -�Thanks, Ryan, -� she said still fighting
back the tears as he helped her climb onto David -(TM)s back.  The maneuver
was complicated by the fact that Jill still had an arm clamped tightly
across her chest.

    -�You -(TM)ll need both hands to hold on, -� David advised discreetly.

   Reluctantly Jill wrapped both arms around his shoulders. 
Simultaneously, she pressed her chest against his back to get her nipples
again hidden from view.

   As David started making his way cautiously back toward the trail, Jill
was aware that two of the guys had stepped up off the footpath toward them.
They were reaching for David, doing their best to offer him a little
assistance so that he would not slip and fall now that he had an injured
girl on his back.

   Jill heard Katie again offer,  -�Are you sure you don -(TM)t want the
poncho?  I think you need it more than I. -�

   Jill turned her head and saw that she had taken it off and was extending
it toward her at arm -(TM)s length.  She didn -(TM)t want Katie to see her
face up close.  She didn -(TM)t want to talk with her, nor to have to
explain why she was topless.  Being topless wasn -(TM)t the problem; being
near people other than David and Ryan while topless  -" that was the
problem.

   David hesitated, but Jill remarked,  -�No . . .  just go. -� She turned
her face away, shunning the girl.  She buried it against David -(TM)s neck,
her tears mixing with the rain they encountered there.

   Once David was back on the trail, Jill saw the other hikers step aside
to make room for him to pass.  They were still extending their arms to
steady him, but fortunately, none of them had touched her.

    -�Thanks anyway, -� she heard Ryan remark to Katie on her behalf as he
passed her.

   A brief moment later the three of them were making their way down the
trail that led back to Cornice Ridge, Jill holding tightly to David, Ryan
following closely behind.

   Glancing back, Jill saw at least two cell phones being held up to
capture images or video.  She quickly counted six hikers and then again hid
her face against David -(TM)s neck, trying to get her emotions under
control.  Her attempts at relaxing were largely unsuccessful.  In more ways
than one, her life had been turned upside down.

    -�Your knee is really bleeding, -� she heard David remark.

    -�It is? -� she replied in surprise.  It was her left ankle and her
right hip that hurt the most.   -�Which knee? -� she asked.

    -�The left, -� answered David.

   Jill craned her neck, but couldn -(TM)t see the blood; however, she
could only see the top of her knee.

   Again glancing back, she saw that the group of hikers was following them
down the trail.

    -�Ryan, -� she called out.   -�Will you go back and ask them to not
mention this to Nick.  And ask them to please delete or at least be
respectful with any pictures or video they might have taken.  Ask them to
keep things to themselves. -�

    -�Sure thing, -� said Ryan, turning back.

   David slowed to a stop while Ryan spoke with the other group.   -�Good
thinking, Jill, -� he said quietly.  They waited while Ryan conferred with
the other hikers.

    -�You go, girl! -� one of the girls called out a few moments later,
just as Ryan was returning.  Jill was unsure if it had been Katie or one of
the other girls.

   Once they were again headed down the trail, Jill asked Ryan,  -�What was
that all about?  The  -~you go, girl -(TM) thing? -�

    -�They wanted to know why you were topless, -� he replied.   -�I told
them that you were  -~one of the guys. -(TM) That, in your opinion, if guys
could run around in the summer without shirts, then girls ought to be able
to as well. -�

    -�Oh, -� she replied.  She was glad that he had put it that way.  To a
small degree painting it that way helped her save face.  At least it might
help to dispel the notion that she was motivated by promiscuity or
otherwise simply ill-behaved.

   About fifteen minutes later, Jill glanced back and saw that the other
group was turning off, taking the trail down the other side of the ridge
toward Agency.

    -�Good luck, -� she heard someone call out.  She noticed several
individuals waving.  She waved back but then turned away to again rest her
head on David -(TM)s strong shoulders, attempting to find a little solace
in a suddenly harsh world.

    -�I can try to walk, -� she said softly a few moments later.

    -�You -(TM)re not going to be able to walk, -� he said with a
compassionate chuckle.

    -�Let me try, -� she insisted.

   David took a few more steps but then stopped to let her slide down.  He
immediately stooped down to get a better look at her bleeding knee.

   The cut looked quite deep and there were tracks of blood running all the
way down her shin.  Placing her left foot on the ground, Jill quickly
realized that she wasn -(TM)t going to be walking anytime soon; the amount
of pain shooting through her ankle when she tested it was just too great.
It had also become quite swollen.

   Echoing her concern, David said,  -�That was quite a fall. -�

    -�I know, -� she said.   -�I panicked.  I was watching my footing so
carefully . . .  and then I walked right in amongst that group . . .  and I
did the opposite . . .  I ran . . .  paying almost no attention to my feet.
-�

    -�It can -(TM)t be helped.  It happened, -� said David compassionately.
 -�But we need to get your shoe off.  Too bad you didn -(TM)t have your
boots on, the ones with ankle support. -�

    -�Yeah . . .  should -(TM)ve worn those today, -� said Jill nodding. 
She was standing on one leg, her hand on Ryan -(TM)s shoulder while David
went about gently removing her shoe.

    -�We should have gotten this off earlier, -� he said once he -(TM)d had
a better look at her ankle.   -�I feel so bad, but right now we need to
focus on getting you some medical care. -�

    -�Medical care? -� she asked as she climbed back up.

    -�I -(TM)m pretty sure you need stitches.  And your ankle . . .  I sure
hope nothing is broken, -� he replied.  Once she was again on his back,
David resumed his quick but careful downhill march.

    -�Let me take a turn, -� offered Ryan after they had walked another ten
minutes or so.

    -�I -(TM)m fine, -� said David.

   Jill knew that he was probably just saying that because he suspected
that she would be uncomfortable being skin to skin with Ryan.

    -�We -(TM)ll get her in to see a doctor sooner if we take turns, -�
said Ryan.

   Jill said nothing, but she was thinking it over.  They still had about
four miles to go.  She really couldn -(TM)t expect David to carry her the
entire distance.

    -�He -(TM)s right, -� she said at long last.   -�I appreciate you guys
so much.  I feel like such a burden.  Trading off makes sense. -�

    -�Are you sure? -� asked David.

    -�I -(TM)m sure, -� she said, straightening her legs to slide off of
his back.

   A moment later she was climbing up onto Ryan -(TM)s back.  At first, she
tried to ride piggyback without her chest touching him.  She quickly
decided that was going to be impossible, given how long she was going to be
on his back.

    -�Please don -(TM)t read anything into this, -� she said as she allowed
her breasts to come into contact with his bare skin.

    -�It -(TM)s okay Jill, -(TM) he said, sounding unusually mature.   -�I
just feel bad.  I -(TM)m pretty much the one that got you into all this. -�

   For some reason that admission made Jill feel a bit better.  She didn
-(TM)t reply, but she relaxed, resting her cheek on his shoulder.  Ryan was
broader and more muscular than her brother, but his muscularity was
concealed within a layer of baby fat.

    -�Thanks for carrying me, Jerk-boy, -� she said so quietly that David
would not overhear.  She felt him chuckle.

   As they continued down the last slope with switchbacks, Jill started to
feel cold.  The rain had moderated, but it was still coming down.  While
she had been on her feet, the exercise had kept her warm, but all that had
changed now that she was being carried.  For warmth, she snuggled against
Ryan hoping that he wouldn -(TM)t misread the signals.  She thought about
again saying something witty, just to make sure.  In the end, she didn
-(TM)t.  He and David were going to be carrying her over two miles each. 
She appreciated so much what they were doing.  How could it hurt if Ryan
felt a little appreciated?

   Shivering, Jill recalled the poncho that she had shunned in the heat of
the moment.  It would be nice to have now, but she had wanted to get away
from those people . . .  as fast and as far as possible.  That had been all
that she had been able to think about when the girl named Katie had made
the offer.  As she considered that, she realized that pride had also been a
factor.

   They continued making steady progress, taking a break or two and trading
off every half mile or so.

   As they neared their little corner of the lake, David said,  -�We
-(TM)ll take you to the trailer . . .  clean you up, warm you up. -�

    -�I am cold, -� she admitted.  She knew David and Ryan had to have felt
her shivering.   -�But the trailer?  I -(TM)m nearly naked. -�

    -�I -(TM)ve been thinking about that, -� said David, setting her down
so that they could again trade off.   -�If I run ahead, I can get you some
clothes and meet you in the driveway. -�

   About fifteen minutes later, Jill and Ryan were waiting in the driveway,
Jill essentially balancing on her good leg, as David came up.

    -�Thanks, David, -� she said, pulling on the T-shirt he had brought.

   The boys then helped her get her legs into a pair of shorts.  Next,
David picked her up and carried her the short distance to the Airstream.  A
minute later they were all inside.

   Upon seeing her injured granddaughter, Jill -(TM)s grandmother sprang
into action, immediately going about washing the blood and dirt off of her
leg in preparation for cleaning out the cut just below her knee.  Her
grandfather got a blanket around Jill and then put some water on the stove
for hot chocolate.

    -�What I don -(TM)t get, -� said her grandmother after hearing the
initial part of their story.   -� --is why your clothes are nearly dry. 
The boys are soaked. -�

    -�Oh, that -- -� said Jill, trying to think up an explanation that didn
-(TM)t involve toplessness.

    -�She slipped off her poncho and hung it up just outside, -�
interjected David.

    -�Right, -� said Jill adding,  -�It -(TM)s so wet.  I didn -(TM)t want
to bring it inside. -�

   Her grandmother seemed satisfied with that explanation, but Jill wasn
-(TM)t so sure.  She immediately tried to think of a reason why her hair
might be so wet . . .  one that fit with the poncho lie David had just
told. She expected that her grandmother would ask about her hair next. 
Fortunately, no such question was forthcoming.  Instead, her grandmother
focused on cleaning the wound as good as possible.

    -�Fortunately, -� she said,  -�I think it bled profusely enough.  It
seems to be relatively clean.  Given that you are a young woman with Miss
America legs, I think you should insist on stitches . . .  plastic surgery
even.  You don -(TM)t want to end up with a scar. -�

    -�But I don -(TM)t want stitches, -� she said.

    -�Leave it up to the doctor then, -� advised her grandmother.   -�But
if the doctor says it needs stitches, then you need to bite the bullet. -�

   Jill nodded, biting her lip.  She didn -(TM)t like the idea at all.

   Once they had a temporary bandage over her cut, her grandparents made
three large hot chocolates to go.  While they were doing that, David was
outside putting up the top on the Jeep and wiping down the seats.  Ryan had
gone to their camp to get shirts for David and himself.

   The rain had let up as they helped Jill out of the trailer a few minutes
later for the ride to the ER.  Jill saw that there was indeed a poncho
hanging there.  Later she would learn that Ryan had dipped it in the lake
to ensure that it looked wet enough.